Work of Art

I’m an empty page, I’m an open book, Write your story on my heart. Come on and make Your mark, Author of my hope, Maker of the stars, Let me be Your work of art, Won’t you write Your story on my heart.

Francesca Battistelli (Write Your Story Song)

Write Your Story

Love is… Being a Child of God

Love is… Hope in the Future

Love is… Being a Vessel for Change

The story is complete. The work we were called to do in Mexico culminates in the presentation of keys to the homeowners. As we sat around the lunch table and enjoyed some yummy fish tacos, chicken and cactus – the story was concluding.

Tomorrow (Friday) we will pack up our stuff, throw it in our vehicles and head for the border. The week went by so fast.

I am struck by the lyrics from Francesca Battistelli –

“I’m an empty page, I’m an open book, Write your story on my heart.”

This is what God did this week. He took a slab of concrete – a blank canvas – and used ordinary, non-contracting professionals to tell the story of His love for His children.

Each year, the most emotional part of the trip is…the key ceremony. The joy of handing keys to a brand new home to the homeowner is unbelievable.

For the Garay home, we kicked off a five week build of their home. Their house is a unique, custom designed home totaling 1,200 square feet. As the team went around the circle and shared with the family…there was not a dry eye.

This home represents a ten year journey to build a place where they can invite people into their story, and change lives for Christ. There were stolen moments. Moments of crying. Moments of laughter and a charge to write your story on the walls of their new home.

The Perez-Lopez Family was moving into a completed home. In the case of this family, they are closer to God than they were on Monday, but their faith story is still going through edits.

As they placed the key in the lock, and turned the knob, they invited God to continue to write and edit their story. They ushered in…

Hope

Love

Peace

Security

Their lives changed forever as the they pushed the door open to reveal two bedrooms (one with mermaid, the other with sharks), a living area, and a dining area complete with a table and dishes.

Hope rushed through the front door and took a piece of our hearts along with it. As the prayer of blessing rested on the family and the home, the joy of the moment was witnessed and shared among the team and family.

It has been a blessing to serve this week in Mexico. The stories that were written during this week, and the ones yet to be written propel us forward to live the charge called out in scripture…

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 28:19

Whether we are home or abroad, we need to understand what breaks the heart of God should also break ours.

Live in such a way that your good work will open the door for conversations about Jesus, and ultimately, lead people to a relationship with Christ.

As we packed our physical items, the Lord asks us to lay our troubles, burdens, insecurities, failures, struggles, and any other junk at the foot of the cross and receive the blessing of healing.

Two new stories were written this week, because forty-one people took one week out of their busy lives to follow a calling to serve in Mexico in order that lives were changed for the Kingdom of Heaven.

It has been an incredible week filled with God sightings, and we were blessed to play a role in changing communities for Christ.

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Check out our Instagram page to see more stories of our time in Mexico.