Anniversary and Baptisms 2019

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Next Sunday we’re invited to the Jesús María church to celebrate their 9th anniversary. How well I remember the very first Sunday there, meeting in a small house, playing guitar in the small kitchen. Hard to believe it’s been nine years! For more info on Jesús Maria, check out this video Jim did way back in 2009, when we began outreach activities in the neighborhood, but had not yet begun Sunday services.

Last year the JM church also invited us from their 8th anniversary service, and we baptized the first seven people from the relatively new Palmas 1 church. This year we’ll be baptizing five more…three young people (Areli, Ulises and Mary) and a couple that began attending the church about half a year ago (Ezequiel and Ester).

Areli

Of course, new believers is what it’s all about. Words like redemption, justification and new birth are so much better understood through the living testimonies of real people. Being translated out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son is still happening today. God is in the business of salvaging and transforming people’s lives. My life. Your life. Whether we have been saved 40 years or 4 days, God’s grace is what we need. Faith in Jesus is what keeps us standing, and what raises us up when we’ve fallen. I just read Galatians 3 today…Oh foolish Galatians, after having begun in the faith, do you now think you can continue by your flesh? Oh foolish me. I think that all of the time. Until I realize how silly that is. As Keith Green quotes…it is by grace by which I stand.

Ulises with sister Gabriela
Mary

In the picture at the top of this post, three of the guys (Ricardo, Fernando and Alan) were baptized last year. Ulises will be baptized this year. We continue to pray for Hans (center, white and black shirt) that he would trust Jesus with his life.

So many late nights as a young man listening to Keith Green songs, with a dear friend, also named Keith. Keith Heigel. Thanks to both of you!


Lord, the feelings are not the same,
I guess I’m older, I guess I’ve changed.
And how I wish it had been explained, that as you’re growing you must remember,
That nothing lasts, except the grace of God, by which I stand, in Jesus.
I know that I would surely fall away, except for grace, by which I’m saved.


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