I'm Questioning My Love for God

When I say, “I love God,” what do I mean?

If I came to your church this week and asked, "How many of you love God?" I am confident that almost everyone present would raise their hand. It would not surprise me to hear an "Amen!" or a whoop or a holler. That’s what I expect, in that setting, with a group of people in a church building.

Lately, I’ve wondered if the statements, “I love God” and “I love Jesus,” have become clichés for me. Have they become general declarations of my belonging “here,” with whatever church group I’m in at the time?

How can I know that I really love God? I question myself, "In this present moment, with these people, under these circumstances, do I think, feel, and act in a manner that God would describe as loving Him?"

Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.  Psalm 36:5 NIV --  What about my love for You?

Striving to Do Something Important vs. Loving God

Thinking back over the years, I have seen myself perform for the applause of people or attempt impressive back flips for God to earn His approval. In far too many moments, my thoughts, feelings, and actions were rooted in my desire not only to be accepted, but to be the “hero” riding in on the white horse to save the day. My claim of “I love God” sometimes had more to do with striving to do something important than it did with humble devotion and obedience to God.

At What Level of Our Capacity Does God Want Us to Love Him?

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”   Mark 12:30 NIV

What does Jesus want us to do to love Him?

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching… Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching…” John 14:23-24 NIV

A Helpful Love Diagnostic

At Play. Story. Eat. we want to be guided by the value of Love. We believe, that to love God, it is necessary to be wholistically and obediently responsive to the persons of God and His creation. In our friendships, training, and coaching we offer a way to become self-aware and examine our love for God. To help us think more concretely about it, we have created a diagnostic tool. (Circle the number that describes where you see yourself on the continuum.) 

We suggest you choose a specific life circumstance and ask yourself:

In this present moment, with these people, under these circumstances:

Am I ...??

Grateful to God      6   5   4   3   2   1     Resentful of God

Trusting God          6   5   4   3   2   1     Doubting God   

Obeying God          6   5   4   3   2   1     Resisting God  

Serving God            6   5   4   3   2   1     Performing for God      
 

If you circled 6 in all these categories, you see yourself as a perfect lover of God. Great! If you, like me, scored less, then you have some work to do. Based on your results, you might have a good idea of where to start.

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18 NIV

For Me, It’s Letting Go of the Big Performance

When I make the time to review my past tendency to perform, whether it was in school or athletics or even in ministry, I can see how my underlying way of being can be a source for not loving God. (Can you see where that is on the chart?) This diagnostic tool has helped me to realize, when I do anything for God, I don't need to perform or earn His love. I can do whatever I am called to do with a sense of gratitude and a desire to serve Him and others. 

I am learning that loving God and others is not a matter of checking boxes and executing a list of good deeds. My love for God is evident when, in the moment, I am grateful to Him, trusting Him, obeying Him, and serving Him with my whole being. Thankfully, He offers us the grace to learn and grow as we go. 

10:02 PRAYER (LUKE 10:2)

Pray for the final preparations and fundraising for the two Open Range teams that will be going to Guatemala January 3-9 and 10-16. The first team will focus on rodeo events. The second team will do follow-up with several women's groups in the towns where we have cowboy ministries. 

Pray for our friends in Jalpatagua, Guatemala. This past week, the president of their cattlemen's association was murdered. They canceled their fair and their parade because of it, but said they still want us to do what we were going to do on January 7th, because they believe it might help people in their grief. So please pray for them and our team. 

Pray for the nation of Honduras. They have had major civil unrest in the past month due to a disputed presidential election. Demonstrations and riots have taken place, so until the smoke clears, we are not taking teams there. Pray that during this time our Christian brothers and sisters will shine in their faith and love towards those who don't know Him.

INVEST

Several people who desire to go on mission trips this year could use some help. If you would like to be the answer to their prayers, let us know. We continue to be blessed by your financial support of this ministry during the final days of 2017. Thanks!

PSE Friendship Circle: Scott & Brandi Barnett, Joyce Burrows

ENGAGE

Christmas is a great time to play, tell stories, and eat! Be open to God using you in this wonderful time to engage in the lives of friends, family, and acquaintances.

Please join us at the next Play. Story. Eat. Experience

• When: Saturday, January 6th, 9 am - 5 pm
• Where: Cross Creek Baptist Mission, 1050 SW 15th St., Oak Grove, MO 64075
• What: Plenty of Fun, Connecting, & Eating; Lunch & Snacks Included
• Cost: No Fees - Donations Accepted

Guatemala Play. Story. Eat. Experience July 2017

      
Love y'all!   

Steve

Hey Cesar, What's Up?

"How was your trip to the jungle last week?" I asked.

"Muy bueno!" Cesar answered. "First off, our friends in Sepoc were so excited at their church anniversary when over 1,000 people attended. Nobody remembers when we started there, but they figure it’s been 15 years. I wish I could have been there. I was recuperating from my surgery at that time."

Improvements to a water system we have partnered with in San Manzano Guatemala. This project has opened up relations between Catholics and Evangelicals and has been a part of the good will that led to a huge celebration in Sepoc for their anniversary. 

Jose (in the white shirt), pastor of the church in the village of Sepoc in the jungles of Guatemala, speaks to a group of soccer players after a tournament between four villages in March of 2016.

"How did you do physically?"

"Really well!" Cesar said enthusiastically. "I had no issues. I feel like I’m getting back to normal. Tell everyone thanks for their prayers and for the support given. It really made a difference."

"Where else did you go?"

"One of the newest developments is with the cowboys that are in the jungle. Remember Wilson, the announcer guy at the Agua Blanca rodeo last January?"

"Yes," I said.

"Well, he is from El Estor, just down the road from our jungle friends, and he introduced me to Romilio, another rancher friend up in San Luis, also in that region. They already have people in both areas that want to start a Christian Rancher group. And there is another guy in El Biotopo that I met who is also interested."

"Will they be in Agua Blanca when we come next month for the rodeo?" I asked.

"Si." Cesar answered. "And I already told them we would have lunch and that you were going to be paying!"

"I figured you'd say that!" I protested.

View Guatemalan Locations on Google Map

Cesar Gonzalez with Romilio, a new rancher friend from San Luis,  Guatemala. They plan to start a new Christian Rancher group on his ranch.

Cowboys and Indians Trip? 

"Since these guys are close to our Kekchi friends in the jungle," Cesar continued, "I think it would be very strategic if in 2018 we had a team that could do something with both cowboys and the Kekchis in the same trip." 

"You know me, I'm good for that kind of trip," I responded. "It would be ideal if we had some cowboys who liked to hike." 

"Some of your cowboys are pretty handy in construction," Cesar interrupted. "Maybe we could do some work on one of the water projects. We could also improve our base camp in Por Venir with just a little bit of work. We need to make it more comfortable for teams to stay longer when they come."

"I'll pass the word," I offered. "We'll call it the Cowboys and Indians trip!" 

Do you know anybody who would want a piece of that action? Learn more about Customized Mission Trips! 

10:02 PRAYER (LUKE 10:2)

Thank God for the celebration of our Kekchi brothers in the jungle of Guatemala. And thank Him for the continued connections with the rodeo friends. Please pray for the team from Open Range preparing to go January 3-16.

And speaking of Open Range, their pastor, Frank Slaughter is doing well with his cancer treatments in Mexico. He has called this his "Mission trip to Mexico!" The last we heard, he had become the "holy man" to those in the same program and was sharing his faith openly and freely with his new friends. Continue to pray for him.  

INVEST

Continued thanks go to so many of you who have generously responded to support the ministry. Your support is advancing the work of God. Thanks! 

ENGAGE

Enjoy your time with family and friends this Christmas and keep your eyes and your heart wide open to what God is doing around you.
      
Love y'all!   

Steve 

Learn More About Investing in Play.Story. Eat.

What Kind of Friend are You?

The Play. Story. Eat. Vision: that every person in the Americas has a friend who loves Jesus. 

A FRIENDSHIP DIAGNOSTIC!

Taking a page from the Play. Story. Eat. Experience, how good of a friend are you really? Are you loving your friends like Jesus? How can you know?  

In the training, we offer a diagnostic tool to help us see how we are doing in our love for God, others, and ourselves. Here is the one related to friendship. 

Choose a current relationship. Evaluate yourself by marking the number on the scale that reflects your heart attitude in relation to that person.

In relation to _________: Am I ...??

Accepting   6   5   4   3   2   1   Judging

       Inviting      6   5   4   3   2   1   Rejecting   

Connecting     6   5   4   3   2   1    Avoiding  

Investing in Them   6   5   4   3   2   1   Using Them      

Interpreting My Score

If you score a 4 or higher on most of these questions, you see yourself as a good friend. Great! Read on to see how it could be even better. If you are at 3 or less, you have some sticking points that are holding you back, but if addressed, you could greatly improve the quality of your friendships.

We Can Become "True" Friends

In a world where people often advise us to "fake it 'til you make it," few of us get to the roots of what helps us truly become more like Jesus in our friendships. We tend to focus on tips and techniques that help us act a certain way instead of looking inside of ourselves and asking who we need to become in order to be a really good friend.

It's A Matter of the Heart

When Jesus teaches about relationships, He addresses the heart first. A striking example of this was when some religious and uptight folks threw a woman caught in the act of adultery before Jesus (John 8). These self-righteous people were certainly judging her, rejecting her, and the only reason they weren't avoiding her was so they could use her to trap Jesus in some misstep. Their scores on our test would have been at a 1 on every question! 

Jesus scribbled in the dirt and after a pregnant pause, rose up. "Here is a stone," he waved in front of her accusers. "He that is without sin cast the first stone!"

From oldest to youngest they dropped their rocks and went their way. "Where are your accusers?" Jesus finally asked the woman. "Has no one condemned you?" 

"No one, sir," she said. 

"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."  

What I "Do" Naturally Flows from My Heart

Notice how brilliant Jesus' way is. After zeroing in on the heart and exposing that reality, the actions for everyone involved became very clear. Arrogant judges walked away. A woman caught in a sinful cycle was given a new start and a way to leave her sinful past behind. 

In Jesus' case, He

• accepted,
• invited,
• connected with, and
• invested in

this objectified woman. He had the heart of a true friend. But notice that he wasn't "nice." He confronted and dealt with the sinfulness of all involved, but he did it with love, truth, and grace. 

When our actions are congruent with the heart of a good friend (the 4 words on the left areas), we become great friends and are not tripped up by our blindness in thinking that we are friendly when we aren't. 

Today I will be a good friend by...

Pick one of your answers above that reveals a heart issue that is holding you back in your friendship. Ask God to reveal a small step you can take in the direction of being more like Jesus in that one area. 

Do you have that step clearly in mind now? Can you see yourself doing that thing with the heart of a true friend? Great! If you have a breakthrough, don't keep it to yourself. Let us know! 

10:02 PRAYER (LUKE 10:2)

Thank God for the celebration of our Kekchi brothers in the jungle of Guatemala. I just spoke with Cesar last night. One of our first churches that started about 15 years ago was celebrating their anniversary. They had more than a thousand people attend! Given that this village has about 200 people in it, this was a huge feat! Many from the region came to join them. They slaughtered a cow, and I'm told that many Catholics were welcomed and attended the celebration. The buzz going through the jungle is that both Catholics and Evangelicals enjoyed sitting down to a meal together. Pray for continued unity and winsomeness in their witness and faith in Jesus. 

Janice Brite and Virginia Jones hold up two of the 135 "talking" potholders they made for our ladies mission team to use in Guatemala in January 2018. The colors help people share the gospel, and the sheets are the printed Spanish version of the message.  

INVEST

Many of you have responded so graciously to our recent letter inviting you to financially support this ministry--especially as Bill and I go full time in it. Thank you! And may your tribe increase!   

ENGAGE

For the past year, Virginia Jones has been making potholders with her friends to help us share the message of salvation with women in Guatemala. If you would like to know more about this or you have an idea that you want to whiz by us, let us know!     

Love y'all!   

Steve

INVESTING INFORMATION.

Your Friendship Matters!

Hello Friend!

Lately, we have been beating the Play. Story. Eat. drum to invite you to engage in missions every day wherever you are. What is at the heart of PSE? Why is it so vital?

Friendship Matters...

Perhaps you have seen the PSE Vision: That every person in the Americas has a friend who loves Jesus.

Steve, new friend "Junior", Bill

When I went to Guatemala for the first time in March of 2000, I was a broken-down pastor who had no agenda, no PSE processes, no big bucks to throw at problems--nothing. All I knew to do was be a friend to Cesar and a few others.

When I look back on what God has done in the past 18 years, I see how friendship has made all the difference. In fact, I see how friendships are the foundation for our evangelism and discipleship efforts. Because of these relationships, numerous mission opportunities are open to us today.

We've partnered with our amigos on large and small-scale projects: from connections in universities, to water projects, to consulting with mayors and government leaders, etc. But where did this crazy missionary journey start?

Here's the untold secret. It all just kind of "happened!" It happened when some broken and messed up people became friends, and then God had mercy on us and decided to use us in a new way. 

YOUR FRIENDSHIP MATTERS...

Just like we have made friends in Central America, we have also developed strong bonds here. We have partnered together to meet many challenges and opportunities. It has been incredibly satisfying to me to see how facing challenges in mission projects in other countries has come full circle to help us connect with people here in the U.S., too.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world.

Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."  - Margaret Mead

When Bill and I were looking back at this past year to evaluate where we stand for future ministry, the "circles of friends" idea grabbed us and wouldn't let go. We have seen how God has used our circles of friendships thus far. What if we were more intentional about fostering circles of friends this next year? What if we were more intentional about giving our friends the tools they needed to make a difference in their worlds with their friends? 

What If You Formed a Circle of Friends? 

We believe that we can help you build circles of friends that use the PSE process to deepen your faith, build stronger relationships, and make a difference in your world. How do you start? Find one friend to partner with, and then invite one more. A circle of friends is three or more people using the PSE process. 

We have found that the simple questions in the PSE discipleship process make it easy to start small and connect with God and each other to produce life-changing results over time. The PSE questions, answered honestly and consistently, will help us BE the church with each other. We are convinced that any group of friends, Bible study, small group, or church can greatly benefit by intentionally asking these questions of one another on a regular basis.  

ASK GOD FOR THE CREATION OF 100 NEW FRIENDSHIP CIRCLES IN 2018.

So next year we want to help 100 friends like you create friendship circles that regularly use the PSE process in your gatherings. Please contact us if we could help you. 

10:02 PRAYER (LUKE 10:2)

Continue to pray for Cesar and Elba Gonzalez. Their grandson, Leonel, died Sunday morning. Cesar and Elba are heart-broken, but they are grateful that he is not suffering and that he is now with his sister Dulce.

Also pray for our friend, Frank Slaughter, pastor of Open Range Fellowship. He is in Mexico for his second week of a 5-week treatment program for his cancer.   

INVEST

Bill and I recognize that you, our friends, are the true heroes of P.S.E.’s story as you pray for, invest in, and engage in the mission. As a matter of fact, it’s truly becoming your mission. Thank you!   

ENGAGE

Pray about God using your friendship circles to make a difference. Then let us know so we can join you in prayer.    

Love y'all!   

Steve

Thanksgiving--Your Opportunity to Start a PSE Tradition

Hello everyone! 

As I get the car all gassed up for a trip to see family and friends, I am thinking about how the best Thanksgiving celebrations go hand in hand with our Play. Story. Eat. process. I don't know about your family, but we Reeds have some favorite games we play, we LOVE telling stories, and we sure enjoy a bounty of great food.

To spice up your celebration this year, I'd invite you to use the first two questions of our PSE discipleship process in the next few days, and you don't even have to tell anybody where you got this! 

"What are you grateful for?"

"What are you concerned about?" 

These two questions are great for getting to the heart of our joys and sorrows. Then follow that up with question #3, "Can I pray with you about that?" Try it and let me know if something interesting pops out from it. 

Speaking of gratitude and prayer, last week I mentioned how grateful I was that Nola survived a car accident. This week I am grateful for friends like you who have continued to pray for us and our ministry friends.

Thank you for your prayers...

Thanks for your prayers for Bill and me last week as we retreated to Carthage, Missouri, to pray and plan for 2018. Special thanks go to Lance and Nancy Green for hosting us. Incidentally, while we were there, Lance's father went into the hospital with chest pains, and Sunday evening he passed away. So be in prayer for the Green family. 

Opportunities in 2018 

During our planning time, we listed many of the opportunities before us and the tasks needed to follow through to respond to these. Though the tasks seem daunting, we feel a profound sense that God is doing something new with us this coming year. While our mission trips and international ministries continue to abound, we believe that our connections in helping folks like you and me back home is becoming more and more strategic, both in preparing teams for mission projects abroad and in preparing all us for our missionary endeavors wherever we happen to call home.  

How will God use you in 2018 to make a difference in your world? 

Though many aspects of our future can never be fully known, one thing is for certain. God wants to use YOUR gifts, talents, and abilities to initiate and develop spiritual friendships with people who need someone like you and me in their life. We are convinced that the simple methodologies of Play. Story. Eat. could help you become the life-giving friend that God created you to be.

Pastor Lance Green (in green), wife Nancy (3rd from left, back row) and some of our Avilla Baptist Church PSE Friends

10:02 PRAYER (LUKE 10:2)

Pray for the Green family.

Pray for Cesar as he travels to the jungle today for the first time since his surgery.

Continue to pray for Leonel Gonzalez, Cesar and Elba Gonzalez' grandson. He is still in the hospital with a brain tumor that doesn't look good.

Also pray for our friend, Frank Slaughter, pastor of Open Range Fellowship. He left Sunday for Mexico for a 5-week treatment program for his cancer.   

Learn How You Can Invest

ENGAGE

Be alert to see how Thanksgiving and PSE can go hand-in-hand to help you connect in meaningful ways with those you love!   

Love y'all!   

Steve

INVESTING INFORMATION

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Grateful Nola is alive...

Hello everyone! 

"I've been in a wreck." Those were the first words I heard from Nola Thursday morning when she called me at 6:10 am. My mind reeled. Before I could say anything, she blurted out, "I'm okay, and the other person in the wreck is okay." 

Miraculously, Nola walked away without injury or even a bruise. But our van, after more than 311,000 miles of faithful service, took it on the chin.    

Even though the rest of the day I handled logistical details I would rather not deal with, I was overwhelmed with gratitude.

I Am Grateful:

• that Nola was not hurt,
• that she was in the van with more protection around her than our car,
• that I had cleared all my tools and painting stuff out of the van just last week (so none of that was flying around),
• that the guy Nola ran into was such a caring person that he checked on Nola immediately after the wreck,
• that the officers who attended us did so with skill and compassion for all involved. 

A few hours later, Nola got to spoil Bridget, our granddaughter. 

10:02 PRAYER (LUKE 10:2)

Our lives are certainly a gift from God. This week, Bill Burrows and I retreat to Carthage, Missouri, to pray, prioritize, and plan for next year's ministry. I go with a renewed perspective of thankfulness that God has brought us this far. So today, we would appreciate your prayers for us as we go.

Please continue to pray for Sue Turner. Lawrence is hopeful she will be released from the hospital to a temporary rehab facility in a few days. 

In addition, we ask for fervent prayer for Leonel Gonzalez, one of Cesar and Elba Gonzalez' grandsons. He went into the hospital last week with a brain tumor, and as of this writing, doctors are trying to determine if the tumor is cancerous. 

The Gonzalez family would appreciate your prayers for Leonel. He is on the far left, his mother, Myrna, his sister Dulce, Cesar, Elba, and Leonel's cousin Josue. This picture was taken several years ago, before Dulce herself died of complications related to an apendectomy. 

ENGAGE

Already 3 of our Nebraska friends have started to use the Play. Story. Eat. format just since our retreat a little over a week ago! If YOU have a story to tell of using any of our PSE methodologies, please write us a quick note! After all, we hope and pray that this can help us see that every person in the Americas has a friend (like you!) who loves Jesus!  

Love y'all!   

Steve

INVESTING INFORMATION

A Grass Roots discipleship Movement in Nebraska!

Good morning everyone! 

We just got home from a busy weekend with many of our Nebraska friends. Wow! What a great time! The primary purpose for the trip was to share our Play. Story. Eat. Experience at Camp Witness in Long Pine, Nebraska.  

NebraskA Friends Eager to Make a difference with the PSE Discipleship Process.

We couldn't have asked for a more receptive group, and several shared how they were planning to take the training and use it with their friends and family.

"Words can't describe how thankful I am you came to Nebraska to present your (PSE) method," one participant wrote us. "Just a year ago I was at rock bottom and had no hope..."  She concluded her note by saying, "I can't wait to start using this...and see how He can use the broken and unqualified...It was such a joy meeting you guys!!"

Joel Wentworth, Coordinator for the Sand Hills Baptist Association and the primary organizer for the training, gave his feedback. "I see this as a grass roots way of reaching the people of the Sand Hills for Christ."

PSE Experience - Long Pine, Nebraska 2017

Wagon Train Time!

What it takes to become a PSE Missionary

Thanks, Burwell! 

On Sunday, we had the privilege of spending time at Burwell Baptist to share the latest of what is going on in our work and to thank them for their faithful support of our partner, Cesar Gonzalez. Special thanks go to Tom Huffman and Dave Gideon for hosting us and paving the way for us to be there. Stay tuned, Burwell, because it looks like we will be back soon!  

Pray for Sue Turner...

Marianne Henley(Daughter), Sue Turner, Steve and Sonja Beavers(Daughter).

As we headed for Nebraska, our longtime rancher friend, Lawrence Turner, called to say that he couldn't make it to the retreat because his wife, Sue, had been life-flighted unconscious from Valentine to Omaha and was in critical condition. Since we would be passing close by the hospital on the way up, we stopped in to see her. Thankfully she has beaten some of the medical odds and is recovering. Please pray that her kidneys kick back in completely and that they can find a temporary nursing facility in Omaha or Lincoln that will be able to help her rehabilitate and go home to Valentine. 

Getting Ready for a Harvest... 

Paul Embick arranged a corn harvest ride along for honorary farmers Steve & Bill!

One of the personal benefits of having friends and family all over Nebraska was the chance to stop in and catch up a bit at several points on the way up and back. Special thanks go to Rex and Deb Kelley, Paul Embick, and my son Josh and his wife, Kristin, for making each stop a treat for us. We especially enjoyed hearing of the ministry ideas each one had and getting a chance to share how PSE might help them in reaching out to their friends. There's nothing like getting in on a harvest! 

10:02 PRAYER (LUKE 10:2)

Please be in prayer for Joel Wentworth and the other PSE friends from the retreat as they consider how to implement some things they learned this weekend. And pray for Sue Turner's speedy recovery.

Also, Cesar Gonzalez, our partner in Guatemala, wants me to pass on his gratitude to you for your continued prayers and support. He is back to making rounds in Guatemala after recovering from his emergency prostate surgery. His strength is coming back, and next week he will be in the jungle with our Kekchi friends. Please pray for him and our friends! 

Thanks to those in Nebraska who hosted us and put us up. We are grateful for your partnership in both time and financial resources. Stay tuned for some strategic, end-of-the-year opportunities for us to make a difference together in some new mission partnerships.          

From now till the end of the year, we need to recruit many for the upcoming mission trips beginning in January of 2018. Please share these opportunities with your friends. If you need more info, let us know!  

Love y'all!   

Steve

Hey Cesar, What's up?

Good morning everyone! 

Many of you have been asking about Cesar Gonzalez, our ministry partner in Guatemala, and how he has been since his emergency prostate surgery. During his recuperation, Cesar has spent a lot of time on the phone, calling our friends to check in with them and calling me to keep me posted.

Cesar Gonzalez in our first years of working with cowboys in Guatemala. 

So yesterday I broached the idea of asking Cesar to do this week's update by sharing with me how he's doing and what is going on in the ministry. Without missing a beat, Cesar dove in. 

"First off, please tell everyone, 'Muchas gracias for the prayers you prayed and for the economic help you sent. It was a huge help and it relieved a big burden on us," Cesar began. "Thanks to God I am recovering slowly but steadily from my surgery. I pray that at the beginning of November I can begin to visit the groups again and start making preparations for the January teams that are coming to Guatemala and to Honduras." 

"I know you have been making a lot of calls," I said. "What is happening with our friends in the various places?"

Sepoc Church Celebrates!

"Well, October 15th, our amigos from Sepoc, in the jungle, marked the anniversary of their church with a big celebration," he began. "They can't remember if it's been 14 or 15 years since they started." 

"I know they were asking me the last time if I knew how long it's been," I added. "I've been meaning to look back at my pictures and see if I can figure it out." 

"No worries! They are happy!" Cesar offered jovially to relieve my guilt. "I was supposed to be there with them, but the surgery kind of blew that out of the water." 

One of my treasured pictures from the beginning days of work in the jungle. This is the first baptism in Sepoc. Justin Hoskins and Jim Bogle are in the picture to the left. Jose, the leader of the village and future pastor, speaks to the group after the baptism. All those behind him who had been baptized, were about to be prayed over by the Christians present. 

Expansion and Multiplication Opportunities in Honduras! 

In 2011, Cesar discusses with Kenny Najera (seated behind the desk) of what it would entail for us to have a connection with the National University of Agriculture in Catacamas Honduras. 

"By the way, a lot has happened at the University in Honduras," he continued, jumping to thoughts about our connection with the National University of Agriculture. "The Escuelas del Campo Program that was shut down last year is opened up and running again. They have changed the ownership of it from the University to being a partnership with the mayors of each region that they are working in. When I was talking with our friend, Rober Rubi, he asked if we were available to meet some of these new connections with the mayors in January. The leaders of the University commissioned him to ask us to bring North American friends with various levels of expertise to come teach and interact with them. I told him I would pass the word to our North American friends." 

"So when we go to Honduras in January, what would that mean?" I asked. 

One of the groups meeting in Poncaya, Honduras. 

"I don't know yet. But it sounds like the University is getting their act together, and maybe in January you and I could explore that with them," he responded. "But what is surer in Honduras is the connection we have with the cattlemen's association on the Atlantic coast. They, by the way, are a part of the new program with the mayors, and are asking if we can bring a group of North American cowboys and ranchers to come be with them. This is probably the second largest cattlemen's group in the country, and it would be a whole new region we have not touched yet." 

Continuing on, Cesar mentioned other groups in Honduras, "The group in Catacamas is meeting and becoming stronger from what I hear. Poncaya is doing good. And the guys from the University that went to Choluteca, near Nicaragua, have started to meet and have asked us to come see them sometime." 

Progress on Potential Brazil Connection!

Then, changing the focus, "I have been speaking with Renato, our Brazilian friend," Cesar continued, "and thanks to you guys helping him, he has his plane ticket to come visit us here in Guatemala during the rodeo time in January."

"I know the house we painted to pay for that!" I interjected, remembering a spot on a house that had a big hidden area of wood rot that bogged us down, and I winced remembering the new window I accidentally broke while installing it.

Cesar laughed and continued unfazed. "But Esteban, you love to paint! Your sons call you the paint Nazi right?"

"I'm in a program to get over that! Remember?" I said defensively.

"Gracias Esteban for your blood, sweat, and tears. I can't help but hope that this visit will be the beginning of something God wants to do in Brazil. Tell everyone to pray about that."

Guatemalan Women's Ministry Thriving!

A picture from a couple summers ago of my wife Nola and Joyce Huffman with a group of Guatemalan ladies we are working with who visited Burwell, Nebraska. This particular day they were admiring Joyce's quilting operation in her barn loft. 

"What about our friends in Guatemala?" I asked. "Like the women's groups and the folks near Quesada." 

"The women's groups are doing well and continue to meet together. They keep asking when I am going to go see them. I think I will visit them in November. But they are doing really well."

"Speaking of Quesada, remember Raul, the guy who works with the USDA for Mango inspection?"

"Sure."

"He is leading a work in Cuilapa, but he told me that in that region there is a program for youth that he has gotten involved in. He feels we could help them with the Play. Story. Eat. process. That's another place I need to visit when I get to driving."

Rain Storms Make Travel Treacherous in Guatemala. 

"Speaking of driving, are you driving yet?" I asked.

"I can drive short distances right now close by. I have been working my way up slowly to driving like I was before. When I start getting out, my goal is to drive slow and make frequent stops over several days and wind up in the jungle. I also want to connect with the pastors in Rio Hondo. They are open to helping us with cowboys in that region."

"How's the weather been holding out? And any earthquakes lately?" I asked.

"Just a few tremors. But nothing big on the earthquake front. However, with all the hurricanes in the Carribean, we have gotten lots of rain as the storms have let up in the ocean but meandered our direction. Our roads are in terrible shape. Even in areas that are normally good, the pot holes can almost swallow your car. We have to be alert for hazards and mudslides in the road. And with all the problems with our government, and the lack of money, we don't expect the roads to be fixed very quickly."

POLITICAL Unrest in Guatemala

Cesar continued, "Esteban, the political situation here in Guatemala is serious. I don't know if in North America you hear much about us, but the president here is being thwarted on every side to get anything done. Many are calling for him to step down. I don't think it's his fault, but the truth is, our whole political system is in chaos. The mayor in Guatemala City, a former president of ours, is probably the one holding us together, but we need lots of prayer for our leaders."

"We will certainly pass this on," I responded.

"Before we go," Cesar said, "I know that next week you are in Nebraska. Please tell all our Nebraska friends 'Hola' for me and tell them thanks for their prayers and partnership. It means a lot." 

"Will do. Talk to you soon, Cesar. Adios amigo." 

10:02 PRAYER (LUKE 10:2)

Please be in prayer for Cesar as he continues to get his strength back, and pray for traveling mercy as he begins to get out. Pray too for some of the opportunities he mentioned in Guatemala, Honduras, and in Brazil. Pray that the seeds planted today would lead to a celebration we couldn't imagine in 14 or 15 years--like our brothers in the jungles of Guatemala have had the privilege of doing in the past few days.  

INVEST

Begin praying now about the investment God might be calling on you to contribute as we approach the end of the year. For the first time ever, we are asking for this kind of significant, end-of-the-year giving. In coming days we expect to share more stories with you and more opportunities to make a difference financially as we respond to some places where the spiritual harvest is plentiful.         

ENGAGE

This weekend we are in Nebraska for the Play. Story. Eat. Experience at Camp Witness November 3-4. If you are curious about what it would take to bring this to your neck of the woods, let us know!   

Love y'all!   

Steve

Taken to the Woodshed By God

Good morning! 

As I write this morning, I am in a state of deep gratitude over what God has been doing inside of me these past few weeks, and it comes out of an experience of being taken to the woodshed by God (and a faithful friend) over something near and dear to my heart. Painting. "Painting?" you say. Yep. Painting!

"I Was a Broken-Down Pastor."

I have begun to notice through the years that when God is about to do something in my life, I'm painting. Eighteen years ago, I was a broken-down pastor sitting on the sidelines after getting kicked out of a church I started. Shortly after that, mom and dad called me and mentioned that they were going to Costa Rica on a mission trip and wondered if I would like to go with them. "Sure!" I said. "But I don't have the money at the moment to go."

"We thought you might say that," Dad answered. "So what if you paint our house, and then we will pay for your trip?"

Cesar (Crocodile Dundee voice) to Bill..."Now that's a knife!"

"Sounds good to me," I said. And I painted their house, went to Costa Rica, and met this crazy Guatemalan named Cesar Gonzalez. Cesar invited me to Guatemala to drive around the country with him and dream of ministries for people who don't like to go to church. Eighteen years later, we have friends in more than 75 different places in three countries starting groups and doing ministry. I didn't know what life after that paint job would entail, but for me, it started something that has become a pattern. I'm seeing that painting and I have this thing going on!

"Does God Want Me to Be a Painter or a Missionary?"

When I started going to Guatemala more often, I needed more traveling money. So whenever I needed a little extra cash, and I didn't want to bother anyone else to ask for it, I would paint something and go. When Bill Burrows and I started teaming up, he also painted, so when we haven't been raising funds with Royals Bobbleheads or selling tickets, we have painted something for the funds and kept going as well.   

But this summer, I think it got out of hand, and I know the person to blame. It's my dad!  Again! Some time in the spring, Dad mentioned that his house needed to be painted, and he wondered if Bill and I might want to paint it to earn extra money for our ministry. After consulting with Bill, we agreed. Before we started the job, Dad mentioned in passing to Mike, his neighbor, that we were painting his house. "Can they bid mine?" Mike asked. "I'm needing my house painted too."

Mike's house next door to my Dad's house..

Fast forward several months later, and since agreeing to paint Dad's house and Mike's house, we have now painted on 4 other houses. On every job we have done, people have noticed us working and then asked us to bid their house. In front of Mike's house one day, a man walking his dog stopped to ask me, "Can you bid my house?" 

"We're not professional painters," I answered, "we are doing this to raise mission money for work we are doing in Guatemala."

"Really?" he answered. "You're exactly the kind of painters I want." Then looking at Mike's gingerbread construction of his house and all the intricate trim we had painted, he said, "And I can tell that you guys are doing a good job." 

A month or so later, when I was painting on my son Ryan's house as a baby gift to him and his wife Bobbi before the birth of our newest grand-daughter Bridgett, Frank, a neighbor of his from across the street, came over and asked if I would bid his house. I gave him the same line of not being a professional painter and that I do mission work in Guatemala. He laughed. "That's why God told me to talk with you!" Frank went on to say that a few minutes before that God had prompted him to walk across the street and talk to that man painting that house. In minutes it was like we were long lost friends, and a couple weeks later, Bill and I painted Frank's house, and Frank is now becoming a part of our ministry. 

Steve the missionary...

All this painting has been fine and good, but about two weeks ago, I realized that in painting so much, I had neglected several important ministry goals for the summer and was getting haphazard in communicating with ministry friends. But every week it seemed I was getting another call from someone wanting a paint job. I knew I needed to quit painting, but these were good leads! Should we start a painting business on the side and just be contractors of paint jobs? I started to daydream of names for the business. "Painters on Mission" ... "helping you love your house and make a difference in the world"...

One day in talking to Bill about this, he snapped at me. "Dude! We are not painters! We have tons of Play. Story. Eat. work to be done. We have got to quit painting and get focused on what we are called to do."

"You're right," I ceded. "What am I thinking?"

Reconciliation, "What a Beautiful Thing!"

As I pondered all this, John, a professional painter friend came to mind. Nearly 20 years ago, John had helped me finish painting my house when I was in a busy season of starting the church that John attended. I hadn't seen him since we left that church under less than ideal circumstances. In fact, it was shortly before that first paint job of Dad's when I would have last seen John. I had heard that he and his wife had stayed and continued to be faithful members. 

"Find John, and call him." I heard whispered in my mind.

"Okay Lord!" I said out loud to the ceiling. Jumping on my computer, I looked up John's wife Debbie on Facebook and sent her a message about needing to call John. Within minutes, I had his number.

"Is this John Gutierrez?" I asked expectantly over the phone.

"Yes," he answered tentatively.

"This is Steve Reed. I don't know if you remember me, but we did church together a long time ago."

"Sure! Steve Reed, how are you doing?"

"I've got a painting problem, and I'm wondering if you are still in the business and if you can help me out?"

"Absolutely!" John chirped enthusiastically.

Within minutes, it seemed that John and I had picked up where we left off. In our conversation I discovered that John has been in a holding pattern trying to figure out what God wanted him to do. It just so happens that he has been wondering how he could make his business more intentional for ministry. When I outlined some of my crazy "Painters on Mission" thoughts, John slapped the table. 

"Steve, this is exactly what I want to do! I've been needing someone to help me figure it out, and here you are! This is incredible." 

More incredible for me came a couple days later when in a moment at the end of our first face-to-face meeting, I felt prompted to say one more thing. "John, before we go today, I need to ask for your forgiveness for my role in the whole church fiasco." 

"Steve, no apology is necessary. You didn't do anything wrong, and God has done amazing things since." 

"No, John," I interrupted. "I don't believe I was as Christ-like as I should have been, and I don't believe that I didn't do anything wrong. However," I continued, "I am more convinced than ever that God works all things out for our good, and He has certainly done that for me. All the ministry things that have happened in our mission work have come out of that crazy time, and for that I am grateful. But I still believe that I was not all that God wanted me to be." 

"Okay," John said. "I appreciate that. I'm just thrilled that we have reconnected." 

As I enter into my new recovery program for painters anonymous, I am grateful that God has brought me full circle again to a friend who I need now more than ever, and I am grateful for solid friends like Bill to remind me that we have much work to be done that requires me to do a lot less painting and a lot more communicating with you and other friends about the growing financial and ministry needs before us.

Will you join me in fervent prayer and faith to follow through on what God is laying before us? I can't help but believe that God is up to something good, and He is inviting us to join Him. Let's stay tuned in to Him and be ready for our next assignment!

10:02 PRAYER (LUKE 10:2)

Thank God for how He can bring us together in unity--even in spite of long separations of time and less than ideal history. Let's pray Jesus' prayer from John 17 that we would be one with Him and each other and that the world would know that we are His followers because of the way we love one another. 

INVEST

Last call to help with Cesar Gonzalez' medical bills. If God has nudged you to help carry Cesar's financial burden, please give ASAP. We will pass those funds on to him as soon as we get them.        

ENGAGE

Next week we will be doing the Nebraska Play. Story. Eat. Experience at Camp Witness November 3-4. Let us know if you have any Nebraskans we need to invite at the last minute.  

Love y'all!   

Steve

PS... Investing Information

You can mail checks to:

Daybreak International, 11628 Oakmont St., Overland Park, KS 66210

On PayPal, you can give using the email daybreak.international@gmail.com.

On our websites, you can give at www.PlayStoryEat.com or www.DaybreakInternational.org.

The #1 Reason Your Engagement is Needed In PSE Mission Trips

Good morning!

Just a quick update to talk about you, our upcoming mission trips, and one underlying reason we believe our mission trips are different from most.  

Today, I'd like to lift the hood on Play. Story. Eat. and talk about the main thing that propels us in the directions we have gone in the past few years.  

What Drives Play. Story. Eat. Mission Projects? 

"We seek to initiate and develop friendships with marginalized and forgotten people." 

This quote is from our mission statement. It came to us several years ago when we noticed a recurring theme on our trips. When people asked about what we did as a mission group, we said something like, "We go where no one else wants to go and work with people no one else wants to work with."  

It is really easy for mission groups like us to focus on projects in beautiful places or in places that give us bragging rights. For example, in Guatemala, there is a gorgeous lake area that has many indigenous peoples in that region. Almost every mission group and denomination have teams going there, because it is such an attractive destination. While there is still much to be done there, strong churches already exist, and there is no shortage of folks who want to go help. So for us, even though we have great friends there and have an open invitation to join in their work, we believe we need to go where the need is greater.

Lake Atitlan

In another case, we have friends doing ministry in the garbage dumps in Guatemala City. It is a tremendous ministry, and they do heroic things. Interestingly, many mission teams love the idea of going to work in such a terrible place. They can stay in a hotel nearby, go to the dumps for their project, but never connect with the people. One of our friends who leads a church and a ministry there tells us that they often feel used or ignored by groups who come in and out without getting to know them or be of any real help.  

For us, we look for marginalized or forgotten people who no one is currently paying attention to. And we want to be humble and apt to serve in ways that make a long-term difference, whether anyone knows about it or not. So when you see or hear of us working with cowboys, Kekchi Indians, women, prisoners, soccer players, motorcycle enthusiasts, or senior citizens, they all have one common denominator. In one way or another, the people we serve often feel marginalized or forgotten by the church.  

Everyone Needs a Friend Who Loves Jesus.

The other part of this defining equation is how friendship is key. We initiate and develop friendships. Regardless of who we work with, we don't want to hit and run. To do this, we have found that when we play, tell stories, and eat together, we naturally make great friends. And once you are on the road to friendship, faith is easy to talk about. Through the years we have honed our skills at being able to connect our stories with God's story and get people on the road to growing in their relationships with God. We don't presume that we have arrived or are at full effectiveness, but we believe that we are truly beginning to help our friends find Jesus and then gather others in groups that invite more and more to follow Jesus as well. 

In putting friendship first on our agendas, we have seen how it offers us a chance to understand the realities of our new friends before jumping into a do-good project we might be itching to do but is not of first importance to them. We believe that whatever we do must be a collaborative project. And at the end of the day, we hope that our friends are as much a part of the solution as we are, and that they would have a sense that they and other locals had a bigger part in solving the problem and leading out for the benefit of their own people. 

The #1 Reason Your Prayers and Engagement are Needed:

We can't do this alone.

There are so many opportunities before us, and there is no way a handful of us can do it all. We need friends who will make friends. We need the participation of many to join us.

AND...

We need God's help and guidance in all of it. So many of the things we are attempting are way above our heads. We know we are inadequate in and of ourselves. So your continued prayers for us are greatly needed and are of great strategic importance.  

Upcoming Trips That are Open to You and Others

Here's a list of trips that we see coming in the next few months. Almost every trip has an anchor church or group, a leader of that group, and a focus for the trip. While these trips are being spearheaded by at least one group, all of these trips are open to others to join them from outside their group. If you have interest in any of these, contact us, and we can get you hooked up with others who are also preparing to go. Please note that these dates can change as we proceed, so be alert to that reality. Our aim is to have our teams ready and prepared to make each trip effective in mission and a blast for everyone involved!  

January 3-9...Guatemala Rodeo Team...

This group will focus on a rodeo in Agua Blanca, Guatemala. Anchor church is Open Range Fellowship of Lone Jack, Missouri. Sam Anderson and Michael Macias are team leaders. 

January 10-16...Guatemala Rodeo and Women's Team...

This group will follow up with rodeo events but also have a few days of working with women's groups in the region. Anchor church is Open Range Fellowship of Lone Jack, Missouri. Sam Anderson and Michael Macias are team leaders. 

January 20-27...Honduras Cowboys and University of Agriculture Relations...

This group will be working with the Escuelas del Campo Program related to the University of Agriculture in Catacamas, Honduras, and visit both new and existing Christian rancher groups across the country. 

March 12-16...Guatemala Women's Trip... 

This group will be working with women's groups in the region of Quesada, Guatemala.

March 19-26...Brazil Exploratory Team...

This group will be an exploratory team that will meet key leaders who are interested in opening up Brazil to the establishment of Christian rancher groups and ministries for cowboys and ranchers of Brazil. Steve Reed is team leader. 

10:02 PRAYER (LUKE 10:2)

Please pray that we will be wise and responsive to what God wants for each of these trips. Pray that God would continue to send laborers into His harvest fields.   

INVEST

We are still collecting money for Cesar's surgery. By the time you read this, we will have sent $1250 to help.       

ENGAGE

Keep helping us spread the word for the Nebraska Play. Story. Eat. Experience at Camp Witness November 3-4.  And pass the word for any of the above mission trips we have slated.    

Love y'all!   

Steve

PS... Investing Information

You can mail checks to:

Daybreak International, 11628 Oakmont St., Overland Park, KS 66210

On PayPal, you can give using the email daybreak.international@gmail.com.

On our websites, you can give at www.PlayStoryEat.com or www.DaybreakInternational.org.