“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20)

As God is moving here, this verse keeps coming to my mind. He is literally doing more than we imagined. What kind of God is this that we serve, that can surpass our most creative thoughts?

Let me start with updates for the school. While we began with what I can now call a simple idea for an auxiliary nursing school, we currently have four schools rolled into one. The first is, in fact, an auxiliary nursing program. But when God does something, he doesn’t do it half way. Doors have now opened to do a pre-medicine bachelor degree program, a professional nursing school program, and an English school all beginning in February. I’ll go ahead and say it for you: holy cow. Not only this, but He dropped the Walton’s (a South African missionary couple) in our laps that have helped us through the whole thing. They have had much experience with opening schools in Guatemala, so their help has been invaluable. While God lined up everything, the truth is we had to fight hard for this school; praying and fasting, talking to people and meeting with people. But fighting is good. Sometimes, when you decide to respond to God’s call, you have to kick the doors down. And he delights in that.

The plans for the hospital are still progressing. While there are so many variables and unknowns, we are forced to take things day by day. Give us this day our daily bread, right? Isn’t that how Jesus teaches us to pray? So now we are just focusing on the next right thing. Once He provides the funding for the property, we will move. Until then, we wait on his timing and strive to be good stewards of what we have.

“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14)

Meanwhile, I’m noticing more than ever the spiritual needs of the people in the places we serve. So many are so separated from God. It really nails down and simplifies the reason we are all here: so that the people of Guatemala might know Jesus. There is just an abundance of spiritual darkness in Chumisa, the village where we do monthly clinics. One known witchdoctor came in for a consult last week, but I could only think of the condition of his heart. I have so many times felt compassion for the people here, particularly for their physical and emotional hardships. But a person’s spiritual life completely surpasses all things. So when I started imagining a life without Jesus, I just felt broken for him. Now that I know Jesus, I know I can’t do my life without Him. And this is what I desire so much for these people that I have come to love. My hope lies in the promise of Isaiah 55:11, “so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” God knows exactly what He’s doing, and nothing is too big or small for Him. May we continue to wholly place our trust in Him every single day!