My Life As A Pastor's Wife

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Caracas, Venezuela

On Tuesday, November 29 my husband and I left for Caracas, Venezuela to do a couples retreat and a Family Conference. Wow! What a trip! We left DFW at 12:15 pm and arrived at our final destination in Venezuela at 2:30 am on Wednesday morning. The retreat started that morning and lasted until Friday afternoon. They reserved cabins in the mountains where Germans onced migrated in the 1940's. So many of the places had a look of Germany to them. It was a very peaceful and beautiful place.
I got to speak to the ladies twice on marriage but my husband carried much of the teaching and spoke several times. The Lord really blessed that week. Many of the couples were pastors and pastor's wifes and a few couples from their churches. Many decisions and changes were made in marriages that week. But the sweetest decision was when one of the husbands accepted Christ as his Savior. His wife had been praying for him for so long!
Note: I learned how to shower and wash my hair in 4 minutes flat before the hot water ran out! :) Lol!

On Friday afternoon we headed down the mountain to Maracay, Venezuela to begin the Family Conference which would end on Sunday night. Wow what another blessing! I must say that the Lord used my husband that week! He did a tremendous job preaching! Once again we saw many decisions made and tears at the altar. I had the opportunity to speak to the mothers and daughters on Saturday morning which I enjoyed doing so.
We had been with these sweet people for a whole week and it was hard to say good-bye! But as we boarded the plane early Tuesday morning to come back to Texas, we brought them all with us in our hearts! We promised to pray for them and keep in touch.
For those of you that are now following my blog from Venezuela:
"Gracias por un tiempo maravilloso! Fue una gran bendicion para mi! Estoy orando por todos ustedes y sigan adelante!"

The Couple's Retreat

Colonia Tovar

The scenery from our room.

The room on the top right was where we stayed.

Couple's session

Waiting for lunch!

My husband and I.

Shops, shops and more shops! :)

Typical hotdog
(A type of french bread, hotdog, cole slaw, mustard, ketchup and crushed potato chips.)

The ladies and I

My husband and the men.

From our hotel room in Maracay.

Hotel lobby

Evening in the plaza.

Freshly made pizza

Pastor & Mrs. Jose Luis Fuentes and us.

My husband preaching.

Closing night of the Family Conference.
Invitation

Friday, November 25, 2011

A Grateful Heart!

As I sit back and reflect on the busy activities of yesterday, I am reminded that I am so blessed and have a grateful heart for all that God has given me!

First of all for my salvation! I am so thankful that I was raised in a christian home and have accepted Jesus into my heart.

It was 10 years ago last night that I started experiencing some terrible symtoms. I remember cooking a big Thanksgiving meal for my family and company. As I sat down to eat I realized that I didn't have much of an appetite. I was very nauseated and fatigue. I hardly ate. The next morning when I woke up the symtoms were stronger. I went through the whole day pushing myself to get the house decorated for Christmas. My family did most of the work. By Saturday I continued to get worse so my husband took me to the emergency room. They said I had a bad virus and sent me home. All week I was miserable and continued to feel the same. When I woke up on Saturday morning my skin was so yellow and so were the whites of my eyes. I was jaundice and so fatigue. We again went to the emergency room where they started to do more tests and blood work. By this time I was very weak. After reviewing my results they told me I had hepetitus B. How? How did I get that? We came to the conclusion that when I had back surgery 2 months before, I must have somehow contacted it.

The doctors pretty much told me to go home and rest and try to get better. If no improvement they would start chemotheraphy on me. I was shocked! I couldn't believe that all this was happening and so fast. I was sleeping 18-20 hours a day. I couldn't do anything! At that time our children were 13, 11, 9 and 7 years old. They were so sweet and helpful with helping out in the house. They would come home from school and come to the sofa where I laid and would tell me about their day at school and sometimes watch cartoons while I slept. They just wanted to be near me and of course I wanted them near. I could remember feeling like my body was slowly shutting down. What a scary feeling that was! But just having my family around me was a comfort.

My husband emailed and called every family member, friend and preacher he knew and asked them to pray for me.

I know with the prayers of our family and friends and the help of a natural doctor, God healed me! It is amazing how God took care of my family at that time. I know it was alot for my husband. He had just taken the position of dean of men at the college in Longview and was also teaching at the college to then come home and help take care of me and the children. I couldn't work and there was no income coming in on my part but God took care of that also.

God is so good! I know we go through times that are tough and hard. Many times we don't understand why! But God always carries us through and is with us every step of the way taking care of us. He allows things in our lives for a reason. We just have to trust Him and know that He is in control.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5&6

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!

Monday, November 21, 2011

Girl Time! :)

Last Thursday while Jared was away at a missions' conference and my husband was away preaching in Mexico, Elyssa, Gabriella and I thought we needed some girl time together! (Grandma, daughter & granddaughter)
So Thursday I went to pick them up and bring them home for a few days. Before that I went to the store and bought some favorite things that I know Elyssa likes. I was also able to cook a few of her favorite meals. We had some relaxing time and watched the whole "Love Comes Softly" series together and of course what every girl time consists of ..........we went to the mall! :) Gabriella was so good! She's a shopper in the making! :)
I am so thankful for the daughter that God gave me! And now son-n-law and granddaughter! We have a great relationship and have such an enjoyable time together!
I would just like to encourage those of you that still have your daughters at home, to make these years good and enjoyable! We have them for such a short time and before you know it they are grown and married! Spend time with them! We should never be to busy to listen to them or talk to them. One of our most enjoyable times together was late at night sitting on her bed talking or sometimes laughing. You know how it is when you can't laugh loud cause everyone's sleeping. It's the time when you laugh the hardest. Sometimes it was a time when we cried or prayed together.
I'd like to say also that my mom and I have a great relationship. God has been so good to me to give me a godly mother that has loved me and taught me so many things!
It's never too late to give your best to your relationship with your mom or daughter!
May today be the start of new beginnings!

My grandmommy is coming soon to get us.

At the mall

"I'll take this hat!"

My uncle Andres and me!

I love my mommies kisses!

"Yes, I was good in Sunday School!"

"Well maybe not the whole time!"

"I am loved!!!" :)

Saturday, November 19, 2011

A Day of Fasting & Praying

This year I wanted to do something special for our missionaries other than the normal. Definetly we do pray for them and their needs. But I wanted to do more then just the normal prayer time.
Yesterday, November 18th was declared a day of fasting and praying for our missionaries. I invited all the ladies in my missionary circles to fast and pray with me for our missionaries. I had bookmarkers made to serve as a reminder of the day and on the back it has all of our missionaries names. I also gave a general list of things we needed to pray for, that applies to everyone of them.

For the safety of our missionaries and their families.
For their health.
For their personal/church financial needs.
Spiritual growth for their churches.
That the devil will not destroy the lifes of their children.
The marriages of our missionaries.
That they will not get discouraged.
That they will keep going forward.
That God will give travel safety to those still on deputation and that they will be able to raise their support quickly.
That our pastor will be an encouragement and blessing to our missionaries as he preaches for many of them.
Specific needs as given to us in their individual prayer letters.

I think we may take for granted the life of a missionary. We forget how these dear people give up their comfort zones as far as living in their homelands. They leave loved ones and friends to live in other countries. Some leave children in college as they go and serve the Lord in another country. Those on deputation have to live out of suitcases for months at a time, live by faith that God will take them from one church to another with not much money and live off of fast food and sandwiches.
I'm not trying to portray that the life of a missionary is horrible. I'm just saying that there are sacrifices. That is why we need to take care of them as they pass through our churches but not only that, pray for them.

For those missionary wifes that read my blog I can't tell you enough how much we love you and are proud of you! We know you work hard and give alot to the work of the Lord.
May God bless you and please know that there is a church in Lewisville, TX that will always love and pray for you!

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Praise God for His protection!

It was about a year ago this time that our family saw God's protection on our son David. Our son Danny is a bus captain and David is one of his workers. They were in their Fall Campaign and things were somewhat busy and crazy, like any bus route in the campaign! :) They were on their way to take the kids home and were about to serve pizza as a promotion for that day. David was standing in the stairwell when Danny told David to go sit down by one of the boys on the bus that was "needing special attention" (He was misbehaving). LOL!
As soon as David sat down, their bus driver swirved sharply to the left to avoid hitting a city bus that was in front of them. Him swirving to the left prevented the driver from getting hurt but the front right of the bus was completly smashed in. If David hadn't moved like his brother asked him to he would have been smashed in the stairwell. The engine was smashed into the bus. There was no longer an entrance to get in the bus.
I praise the Lord nothing tragic happened that day! All the riders were fine except for being a little shook up.
It is so important that we always pray for God's protection for our loved ones and ourselves. It's easy to take for granted that we will be fine everytime we get behind the wheel of our cars. Let's remember to pray for God's protection for one another.

Lexington, KY

Last week my husband preached a conference in the spanish church of Clays Mill Road Baptist Church in Lexington, KY. While there he also preached in the college chapel, Commonwealth Baptist College. We had such a wonderful time! The conference went great, he did a great job preaching in chapel and we enjoyed the time spent with our two sons and our college students from our church. This was our fourth year coming and this time we were able to bring our son Andres with us. He will be coming to CWBC as a student next fall.
We were able to accomplish so much with our college students and our boys. They are all doing so well and are enjoying their college years. I'm so proud of all of them!!!

Welcome to Kentucky!