Interns

Back Together Again

Back Together Again

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There is nothing more rewarding than to have an impact on a young person’s life and their walk with Jesus, and to watch them continue on in their life growing and moving forward with what God has taught them!

Staying connected from afar is possible, but it’s so much sweeter when we get to all be together again and really spend time together, catching up and sharing all that God has been doing.

We had the wonderful opportunity to spend two weeks with one of our interns, Landon Bourland, just recently when he met up with us in Panama. We were in Panama to work with our partners there while they are working on securing water by researching greenhouse construction and production for the next phase of agricultural growth there.

It was so great to see him and to make plans for our next time together – God has great things in store for what’s going on in Panama and in Landon’s life as well!

The Coffee Starts Here

The Coffee Starts Here

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We started with a property right in the middle of long time Costa Rican coffee farming families, and it just seemed like what we were supposed to do!  Eager to be a part of the culture and our immediate community, we began preparing the land to receive our coffee starts.  Coffee plants typically take 3-4 years to grow into full maturity for harvesting, so our contribution to Coffee That Counts will hopefully be ready in the not to distant future.

Getting ahold of the best type of coffee for our region and the healthiest ‘baby’ plants took some doing, but we were able to have 1000 six month old coffee plants delivered by tractor to our property – there they were, full, green and beautiful, just waiting for a special kind of team to help us get them all planted while the planting time was at hand!

Faithful as He always is, God brought just such a team.  Pastor Jack Counts from California, along with his worship leader, Gary Izard, dawned their best coffee planting duds to get their hands dirty with the rest of our team, Tim, Tyler, Intern David Johnson, alongside of our Tico friends and helpers Jeank, Kevin, and Daniel, for a long weekend of some of the most exhausting and back breaking work on the side of a hill a man could do in the Costa Rican sun and heat.

With joy, thanksgiving and praise, the coffee planting team got 1000 beautiful, healthy coffee plants in the ground to decorate our hillside in an artistic fashion mimicking the beauty of the surrounding coffee farms in a start-up kind of way.  The team knew that this was the beginning of another outreach opportunity to grow coffee while supporting local farmers, business, and the missionary and fundraising efforts not only our ministry, but of other believers around the world through the business of Coffee That Counts.

For more information about Coffee That Counts, it’s mission and how it could benefit you or someone you know, contact us or like Coffee That Counts on Facebook.

 

 

Everything Has Changed

Everything Has Changed

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Posted by: | on July 30, 2014

Everything Has Changed – Landon Bourland

I arrived in Costa Rica July 1st. From there, Tyler picked me up from the airport, and my journey began. I should say that there are two other God loving interns staying here with me and I have already made connections and I can safely say, friends with them.

Anyway, we wake up at like 8:00 am and go out to the front patio for worship and immediately after, go into our alone time to read that day’s chapters from the Bible and pray for EVERYTHING! I love it here. I can easily say that I will have a lot of fun here, while also doing what the Lord has called not only me to do, but called everyone to do! At first, I was thinking that I wanted to go help in a mission and help people in need, which don’t get me wrong, I definitely do, but I also realized how little I know about Jesus Christ and the Bible. This discipleship program is really urging me to grow closer to God and learn his ways and what he really wants me to do for Him in my own life.

My eyes have been opened and I can’t thank the people I am surrounded with enough for helping me realize how as Christians we need to get back to God’s Word as the ultimate authority in our lives.

When I first got here, I went through an introduction into this way of life, and the first thing Tyler asked me was “who is Jesus to you and how well do you know him?” and I answered him, and then he asked me, “now, we know that the Word Of God made flesh is Jesus Christ, so how well do you know His Word?” This turned my way of thinking in a total 180 degrees. Reading the Bible is the only way to learn more about God and who He is. Anyone can tell you who He is, but until you open the Bible and learn for yourself, you will not know Him like He wants you to know him.

Prayer.

I have learned that prayer is extremely powerful. Before coming here, I had absolutely no faith in prayer. Now, I have seen what it can do and it is amazing! The idea that prayer can accomplish awesome things is not only in the Bible, these things can happen in today’s world with faith. I encourage you to read this article if you are having any doubts about doing missionary work. This is something that you should not be scared of because it is amazing and is needed. The point is, don’t sit back and wait for other people to do something or make up excuses for why you can’t, and just go and do it. Make God happy! As Disciples of Christ we have to be willing to go anywhere and do anything God asks of us. God gave His life for us. We must be willing to give anything and everything up for Him, even if it costs us our lives. Nothing else matters but God’s will and His plan for your life. Jesus tells us that He has chosen us we have not chosen Him.

I still have a lot more to learn and experience over the next week. I can say right now that over the three weeks I have been here, my life has totally changed, like a full on 360°, and I hope it will keep changing into my God’s favor.

– Landon Bourland

ARTICLE YOU MUST READ: http://www.lastdaysministries.org/Articles/1000008651/Last_Days_Ministries/LDM/Discipleship_Teachings/Keith_Green/Why_YOU_Should.aspx

Intern Adventures In Panama

Intern Adventures In Panama

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As the interns continue to come and go for their term in the Discipleship Program, the outreach and ministry opportunities vary with the season, the participants and the needs that arise during their stay.

For two of the interns this summer, David and Landon, they had the unique experience of traveling with us to Panama as we began the process of working with an organization that is in it’s beginning phases of development for growing and distributing food to the needy in the Chiriqui province.

Introducing them to yet a different country and culture, their adventurous spirit led us all to new places of intrigue and beauty.  The river and canyon ravine at Macho de Monte was one of the most unique, peaceful, powerful and beautiful creative wonders that we have yet experienced during our time in Central America.  They didn’t hesitate to go all in and swim through the canyon river and slide down the canyon waterfalls!  Both David and Landon developed a love for Panama and its uniquely different ‘feel’ from Costa Rica, and hope to return again in the future to help as the projects there continue to grow.

 

Wrecked

Wrecked

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Posted by: | on July 18, 2014

Wrecked – David Wilson

“Likewise today, some Christians are content to merely exist until they die. They don’t want to risk anything, to believe God, to grow or mature. They refuse to believe his Word, and have become hardened in their unbelief. Now they’re living just to die.” David Wilkerson

Two months ago I was asked to be a part of Relentless Ministries for the purpose of creating video and media outreach. I had no plan for this trip, no money, and no idea of what God had in store for me. I had been coasting in what I knew was a dry, if you would like to call it that, season in my life. The final year of my high school career was a little different than I had imagined it. I met two of my new best friends whom I will have for the rest of my life, but my walk with God was dwindling. History and cause is too deep to consider getting in to, but if you ask me, I was not in the will of God. My words, actions, and motives had taken a negative precedence over my life. My parents trusted me with my time and resources because I had proven my worthiness to them over the past 12 years. I know that I have disappointed them, and that I have taken their trust for a return investment of dirt. To my all loving Mother and Father is this writing dedicated to. 

The Word of God is pure.

The Word was with God, and the Word is God. We all know this. Many of you if I were to ask “Do you know Jesus?” would undoubtedly reply, ‘yes’. Consider this easy point with me for a second, I will talk in a way that assumes we know the same things. The Trinity contains God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. If the Word IS and was WITH God (Meaning Jesus) in the beginning, and you do not read the Word as you should, how well do you really know Jesus? Are you following His Word and teachings or are you following the idea, religion, and comfort that comes with that “Sinner’s Prayer” you said a while back? I said “the prayer” in my early years and have grown up in the church, loved the idea of God, but never really knew Him. I picked and chose which things I liked out of the Bible to apply to my perfect American life. Got up early every Sunday morning for a show of my participation in religion. To prove I was different. Better. But I was no different, and I was fake. There comes a point in which the life you fake so much becomes your new reality. I didn’t know God or follow Jesus because I didn’t read His perfect Word and apply it to my life! I coasted for a sad part of my final moments with my high school peers. I didn’t have anything to offer them because I was empty.

It was time that God pulled me out and shaped me up.

Glory to God for His faithfulness and endurance.

The beginning of May is when Tyler contacted me about coming down to help him with this mission’s work. That was 30 days before he wanted me to fly down. Little did I know that he had been praying and God had already been preparing the way for me to come and join. I really didn’t even think that I was coming here for a discipleship myself; my focus was on the task I was asked to do. (Queue laughter of God here). I had a month to gather financial support and parental approval for this trip, which will be lasting until September 12th, three months. I truly did give my efforts and trust to God to make this happen if it was His will. (It was). I graciously received the money I needed for my plane flight, and the continuous support during my time here. Family members, friends, winning $400 at my school’s senior all-nighter… it really all just came together. 

Glory to the Lord for His pure and everlasting Word.

When I got here, I was met by my best friend in the whole world, and taken in by what I consider to be my best “whole family” friend. Orientation threw me for a loop. Tyler shared his heart for ministry, his purpose here, my purpose here should I chose to accept it, and the vision that God has for all of us. Jesus states how we are to make disciples of all nations, having been forgiven and bought with a price. Not to hold Salvation in our hands, but to GO out and preach the Word of God to all the peoples of the earth. If we truly believe in Jesus and are actually willing to follow Him, then the Word of the Lord must be held above everything else we would like to follow or believe on this earth. To die to the world and become alive in Him. Not many of us are disciples. We are church goers who like to hear that we are saved. I will write another blog explaining my heart for you all in that regard, and for the purposes of this one I will wait.

What does discipleship look like?

Well. Good question. Simple answer, difficult execution. Follow the Word of God. He has put it here for us and for a reason. The reason of his grace and our salvation, to follow His design and plan for our lives. To realize what the real meaning of it all is. Start over from scratch, and remove all of our previous thoughts and ideas about the narrow way we call faith in Christ. Growing up in church has a lot of us believing a lesser truth. If I want to truly become a disciple, a follower of Christ, a slave to His word, then I must dump everything I once thought to be truth and start over. When Jesus was recruiting His disciples, they came out of their structured life and followed the Word of God, who is Jesus, who was walking and living among them. The Word is still living and active today. I believe that we must first go through a process similar to the walk that the disciples had: Witnessing Jesus’ works and miracles, understanding His death and resurrection, committing ourselves to prayer, and fulfilling His calling for our lives through the power we are given by the Holy Spirit.

Thank you Jesus for Your plan, Your purpose and Your Grace.

Prayer is a powerful tool and an important part of our walk with our Savior. Every morning we who dwell in this house get up and pray. Outside, inside, on our knees, sitting, with raised hands, crying out, worshiping… just praying. Good morning God :) Our days here are rarely structured, and I absolutely love that. Most mornings we will join in an acoustic led worship session. The rest of the day is up for grabs. We are taking classes with focuses on Bible Prophecy, prayer, and the validity and purity of God’s Word. All relevant material that we are able to compare to scripture and grow in. The day is just full of hanging out in God’s word and His comfort. Some days we will drive 15 minutes into San Ramon to hang out with the Interns at Pura Vida Missions. They are great fun and inspiring to be around. Everyone there loves to be in the Word and talk about what it has for us. It is super nice being around other believers – knowing and fulfilling each of our own callings. Two girls in particular are models of faithfulness to me. One was diagnosed with Diabetes one month before she left, and the other is processing the loss of her father, three weeks before she arrived in Costa Rica. Perseverance and faithfulness has shown so prevalent in their lives.

Praise to the Lord in all things.

     Letting God wreck us has been a theme the past couple weeks. Wrecking our ideas and plans. Filling us with what He has for us. A guy that visited us felt that God had told Him to quit his job as a teacher. He is listening and walking in God’s will today; not knowing what tomorrow holds but solely trusting in God to guide him.

My final update. I love Costa Rica. I have no idea what I am going to be doing with my life. The Word of God is better than anything else. I am shaping my life around how God would have me live and basing every decision on what His Word has to say.

 

My home is not on earth, nor is my residency in any country that it has to offer. I belong to Christ. People are not the enemy. Prayer is powerful. God is good. The Word of God is true. I operate not in my own understanding. Jesus is coming again. I love you.

 

Walk humbly and faithfully with God.

 

David Wilson

Life Changing

Life Changing

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Posted by: | on July 9, 2014

Life Changing – Michael Diane Wood

Hello Everyone,

Being asked to sum an experience like this up in one blog post is probably one of the most difficult assignments that’s been asked of me. I think this was an eye opening, mind blowing, life changing, extraordinary experience that I couldn’t have asked more from. I have read more of the bible in the past 37 days of being here than I have in the entire 18 years of my life before this experience. I think that is part of what has made this experience so great, because before I would say that I knew God and I had a relationship with him, but it wasn’t until I got here and the truth was really laid out for me.

I came to the realization, through the help of scripture, that God is 100% his scripture and if I didn’t know that I didn’t know him. That’s what rocked my mind more than anything, the fact that I didn’t actually know God. But just being here taught me so much and taught me how to develop a relationship with him that I wouldn’t have known how to establish before. Being here taught me how to pray and the power of our words and it taught me to check scripture and that it is the final say in the end and nothing can compete.

Costa Rica itself has taught me so much too. It opened my eyes to how privileged I am just to be an American citizen. It showed me that I had so much and I didn’t need everything that I had. From a new point of view, I now see that unknowingly the American culture has developed into one that is constantly trying to gain more, but in places like Costa Rica, and so many more they are just living day by day and they’re happy that way. I want so much more out of life than to fall into the cycle of constantly wanting more and more material goods. The only thing I want to be constantly craving more of is God and his word and Relentless Ministries has showed me that.

Relentless has also helped show me what my call in Christ is. I don’t know what would have happened if I wouldn’t have decided to embark on this adventure, but I do know that learning what God has planned for me and the purpose he has placed into my life would not have been a likely thing to happen without it. Through this experience God has changed everything I had previously planned for my life. He has taught me that it’s not always what I want that needs to happen, but what he has called me to do. And that’s a terrifying thought, it’s the thought of complete change. I went from knowing what I want and having a laid out plan to only knowing that God has put me in ministry for a reason and that I’m being called to be a missionary. Now I know that that’s what I have to do because it’s what God wants me to do, but the fact that God has a plan for my life and a specific calling for me makes me love the idea of giving up my own life and culture to reach out to other people’s.

I have learned to lean not on my own understanding and what I thought was my own strength because in the end I am so incredibly weak. But what I am learning is that in my weakness I will be made strong in him. (2 Cor. 12:10) If I can wholly give myself up to him than that’s when he can fully use me. And that is one of the biggest things that I have learned through this amazing journey. I can do nothing through my own will, but I can do so much through his will. Being here has allowed me the away time and the thinking time to shut out my desires and let God take the wheel and point me in the direction he wants me to go in.

I learned something that has struck me as one of the most important things I’ve learned here, and that is there is not enough room in a person’s heart to be fearful and completely faithful. I was taught that by a pastor at a small church here in our neighborhood. He was speaking Spanish, but Tyler was sitting behind me and the other two interns translating for us. I can still remember the conviction I felt when Tyler whispered those words behind me. I think it was something that affected me so much because I was so afraid to give full faith to God, even though that’s exactly what I’m called to do. But me being fearful is a ridiculous thing because back home I won’t lose my family because of my faith and I’ll still have a big group of Christian friends. Back in America I won’t be facing death because of my faith, yet I still find myself so scared to be completely committed to God and the life he has called me too. I now know that what I want is to put myself in a place I’m not comfortable with, a place that the only way I’ll make it through is to lean on God and God alone.

As I’m sitting here I have it in the back of my mind that I only have 2 days left before I get on a plane and fly back to Tallahassee. I only have two more days to soak up the country that I have grown to love more than my own and I only have two more days to say goodbye to all of the amazing people I have met and will miss with such a big part of my heart. What I’m comforted with is that this learning experience that I have had here doesn’t end here, but that I’ll be taking it back home with me because I will never stop learning about God and all of his glory. I’m consoled that by the blessings of Christ I now have a family in Costa Rica that will be here to support and love me. I have made friends with great people and developed a burning desire for Christ and I can’t find the words to describe how much I’m going to miss this place.

If you’re reading this to find out if Relentless is something you want to do, if it’s a leap you want to take, then I suggest it. I suggest coming here and finding a whole new meaning to knowing and loving Christ. The only thing I regret about this experience is that I didn’t stay longer, but I know I’ll be back and I’ll be even more ready to go out and be used by Christ to change lives. I’m ecstatic that I’ve had this experience, that I’ve found a new home that will always have a large piece of my heart, and that I have ignited a love affair with my Lord and savior that will always keep me satisfied.

Pura Vida,

Michael Diane

“Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation.” (Mark 16:15)

“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore, beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” (Matt. 9:37-38)

“And thus I aspired to preach the Gospel, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build upon another man’s foundation; but as it is written, ‘They that had no news of Him shall see, and they who have not heard shall understand.’” (Rom. 15:20-21)

“What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Cor. 6:19-20)

Letters of Paul #Let’s Go

Letters of Paul #Let’s Go

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Letters of Paul #LetsGo – Tyler Gay

Posted by: | on December 5, 2013

Hello Everybody!

Last week and this week have been crazy! I been in and out of the doctor’s office and we finally figured out that I have a pinched nerve. Wednesday was Tim’s (Tyler’s Dad) birthday, Thursday was Thanksgiving, and Friday was Amber B-day.

Well this week I started to read the letters of Paul in the New Testament. One of my favorite verses is

1 Corinthians 1:17

  • For Christ sent me not to baptize, BUT TO PREACH THE GOSPEL: not with wisdom of words, last the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

Then Paul tell us that God is wiser and stronger then any man. I like how Paul puts it:

1 Corinthians 1:25

  • Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

I also really like 1 Corinthians 2:1

  • And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

I love these verses because growing up I always thought you had to be super wise, a good reader, writer and speaker to be a pastor. I like how Paul tells the church of God in Corinth and us also that you don’t need to be wise all you need is God’s Spirit in you and He will teach you all things by His Word. He will teach us something new on every page from Genesis 1:1 though Revelation 22:21!

I got 13 days :( but I have had a lot of fun here and I can’t wait to do it again!

Love You,

Tyler Gay yea that’s me

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