Exciting Days Ahead in Guatemala

As many of those who follow our ministry know we have been investing deeply in a relationship the church in Guatemala for over four years now.  The days have been very productive in establishing a strong mutually beneficial partnership.  This is a critical step in establishing a long-term partnership on the field.  Pastor Morales and the faith family at Iglesia Jerusalen have been wonderful teachers and friends in the process of learning the culture and establishing a vision for long-term impact.  The first week of this month we were blessed with an awesome medical team from several locations that came together to provide our smoothest most efficient clinic ever!  The clinic included medical professionals from the US as well as Guatemala. We also enjoyed several non-medical professionals who jumped into their areas of gifting and blew the doors off with amazing organization and over-the-top service to a people desperate for hope and care.

While on the ground we were able to walk and pray over a piece of land that the Lord has shown Pastor Morales and us as an excellent location to establish a long-term work through the mission church in Sajcavilla.    We have been seeking the Lord's direction for over a year about a permanent home for the church and a place to establish a feeding center for the community.  The Lord has provided!  We currently have the money pledged to help the church buy land for the permanent home for the mission church and begin a feeding center in Sajcavilla!

Jesus shared with us in the Gospels that He did not come for those who were well but for those who were sick.  He clearly came to pour into the lives of those who need nourishment and hope that comes from an eternal hope that does not disappoint!  I am excited about the days ahead in Guatemala.  The hope of a permanent location for the church to establish a long-term ministry in Sajcavilla and the future feeding of thousands in that Mayan village is truly a dream that is coming true.  God has been weighing our hearts down with the need for food, teaching and showing the Gospel in this community since we first walked among the homes in 2009.  Today we see His hand at work in bringing this vision of hope to reality.

We will not be able to do this alone!  We need your help.  Just as we have been dependent upon your support through prayer and finances up to this point, we need you even more now!  The future is exciting.  The reality of long-term impact is upon us.  Now we whom God has blessed with the excesses of His blessings will need to be sacrificial with our giving to fulfill the hope of impacting a people group with the truth of the Gospel through food, worship, teaching and the planting of the Word in this community.

Will you begin to pray now about how the Father wants you involved in the exciting days ahead in Guatemala.  We will need prayer support as decisions need to made and plans begin to become reality.  We will need financial support to progress into the new day of long-term ministry the Lord is inviting us to get involved with as He reaches a people in Sajcavilla.  We will need teams to go to Guatemala and help us build, develop and serve the community.  We will need servants to continue to carry the Word into the homes as we make home visits and spread the Gospel message across the community.  We will need teams to go and teach the children in the local schools the Word and continue to establish a foundation of truth among the future generation of Mayan young people.  We need soccer players to help us establish a soccer clinic this summer for the schools and play the local teenagers as an example of the grace and goodness of God in the area of sports.  We need men to journey with us into homes and share with the men of the community the value of Godly dads and the hope that brings to a family as the dads follow the Lord.  We need young people who will serve as interns to go and invest some time in the future leaders and partners from within the churches to help us establish a leadership base for the future.  And on and on the list goes of what we need from you!

You see the Lord opens doors for His church to share in the ministry of reconciliation throughout the world.  When He shows you what He is doing in a particular place, that is His invitation for you to get involved with Him in His work!  So, we have some exciting days ahead in Guatemala...will you join us as we follow Him into Sajcavilla?  Will you get involved in impacting a community, long-term with the truth of the Gospel?  Will you pray with us for the Lord of the harvest to send workers into the field to bring in the harvest that is ripe and ready!  Come on, lets reach the world and teach His Word in Guatemala!

In His Grip,
JT

Don't Waste Your Best Life Now!

This past week our medical mission team in Guatemala experienced some awesome events during our time in Sajcavilla.  Jerry Flummer, chairman of our board, along with Josh and Ashley Pigford from Birmingham, brought clear vision to hundreds of people as they led our eye care room.  Watching them work and seeing the faces of those coming out of their room was a true blessing!

So many times in the field we find situations and circumstances that overwhelm us.  We so often have very little to offer the family or individual that will affect their daily struggles in this life.  The weight of the struggles we see is very heavy at times and the opportunity to truly impact the daily life is so limited at times, we think maybe it is not work it.  Yet, the events of this past week allowed me to see a fresh new perspective on this whole idea.  

You see this week several men came in to the eye care room who could not even see the chart!  Yes, you read that right.  The big E at 20+ feet was not even clear enough to distinguish.  Over and over I watched Jerry patiently consider whether he could actually help them or not.  In our first world culture we would have said there is nothing I can do to help you.  Your situation needs a doctor or something we do not have.  Although that was not what Jerry did!  

Jerry patiently sat these gentlemen down and proceeded to improve their sight as much as he could.  He would work with them, and ask questions and seek to clear it all up as much as he could.  Josh and Ashley would build a pair of glasses or fit them with readers that made the most improvement possible.  Amazingly these men would shuffle out of the room with a new pair of glasses, not seeing everything perfectly, but seeing more clearly than they came in.  They were happy and very thankful for the limited sight they had and now it was greatly improved.  

How often do we discuss with the creator of the universe the challenges we face because we do not understand "clearly" His will for our lives?  Have you found yourself complaining to Him because you do not see clearly?  Our Father has promised each of us a life full of excitement and fulfillment if we will trust and obey!  You see there is no other way to see clearly than to see what He shows us.  It may not be the full picture.  We may not see the end result or the impact of our actions on everyone around us.  It is possible that our sight may be limited.  Yet, His will is perfect.  His desire for you and for me, is to trust Him with all our heart, even when we can't trace His hand!  

As I watched the work God was doing through our eye care team I was reminded that many times my vision is limited.  I may not ever really see clearly the whole picture.  But my Father is trying with patience and understanding, to improve my vision for His glory.  Am I willing to accept His will and His ways as my full vision.  You see, there is coming a day when, as the song goes,  "my faith becomes sight."

God so desires to use you right now right where you are to impact others' lives with the hope of the Gospel.  Don't waste the life you have wishing for more, hoping for clarity, waiting to see the whole picture clearly!  Now is the best you may see.  Right now is the time he has for you to serve Him with faith sight...not always eye sight!  Are you willing to serve people in a way today that improves their sight?  Will those who cross your path today see Him more clearly as a result of being in relationship with you today?  Will you take the vision you have and seek Him with all your heart in expectation of Him showing you Himself in a real and personal way?  Come on and stop trying so hard to make it all work out in your head and trust your heart as He guides you through His Spirit to see people the way He sees them.  Love with all your heart...even when you can't see the whole picture.  Serve with everything you have...even when it does not seem to make a difference from your perspective.  Follow Him today even if you must close your eyes and fall into His arms so He can carry you through the fire!  Don't waste your best life now...Live for Him and Love for His Glory!  

"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him." Psalm 34:8

Living Life On Mission For The King!

On a day when the great land of the USA seems to be more confused about where its heading than ever before, I want to recommit to living a life on mission for the King!  We live here in the US without a realistic understanding of a king in our daily lives.  In fact we look at other lands with a royal family or kings and queens as somewhat less capable than our form of government.  And then today happens and we wonder what is really going on and what is going to happen in the coming days?  The future of the US and the security of this way of life we have lived for most of our lives is quickly being stripped away.  Our loyalty to a central leader or leadership has long been a thing of the past.  And today we have less confidence in even those we chose to lead us than ever before.  

Yet, there is this King who remains the same in the midst of every element of chaos and confusion.  There is this King who has promised to finish what He started in us.  There is a King who is worthy of all of our allegiance and trust and hope.  There is a King whose words are truth and whose character is holy and whose purposes are just.  Yes we have a King and His name is the name above all names and His ways are above all ways and His Word will forever remain absolute truth!

Today, as we search for peace in the midst of the unsettled days in this country I think we need to renew our understanding of the King.  I recall a time when what the Bible had to say to me was more quickly desired than what I could find by searching the internet.  I remember a day when the time I spent with the Father was not interrupted by a FB update or a twitter post notification on my phone.  I remember when the cool weather of fall brought an excitement of revival in the air at church and many were soon to experience freedom through salvation in the middle of hopeless times.  I do remember a day when my desire to serve others was stronger than my concern for what the market was going to do with my retirement funds!  

Yes, there was a day in each of our lives when we found ourselves lost in the mission for the King and allowed no thought of this world's demands to derail our efforts.  Each of you reading this blog post who call yourself a Christ-follower, remembers a day, week, month, or more when you were so dialed into His will for your life and His purpose of serving those around you that nothing seemed to matter except His mission.  That joy and satisfaction found in Him is what we all strive to recapture with every new day we walk this journey.  The issue often is, at least for me, I have taken my eyes off the King and am looking around at the circumstances of life that overwhelm me with despair and hopelessness.  If you will be honest with me, many of you sense the same issue in life from time to time as we walk this road.  How do we sustain the closeness?  How do we remain focused on the mission?  How do we stay engaged in the mission? 

Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God shares that we must "orient our lives to God."  I believe that is the key to remaining on mission.  If you and I will arrange our lives in such a way as to see every step we take, every decision we are offered, every conversation we have is orchestrated by the King to further His purposes and His ways for the sake of the mission, well then we will live a life ON MISSION FOR THE KING!  The goal is to focus on Him and His relationship with us as a child of the King serving His agenda in this world for the hope of sharing the truth of His Gospel with everyone we come in contact with.  

I recall the days of revival in the fall of the year and how much of our conversation was about Him.  You see I think we have filled our conversations with things of this world more than the things of the King!  We all have discussed the latest posts or breaking news with more passion than the glorious appearing that is approaching when Jesus comes to get His Bride!  We need to get back to those days where the primary discussions we have are about His purposes and His ways among this world.  We need to talk about what He is doing around us and how He is transforming lives on a daily basis as we walk together in this amazing grace journey of faith. 

So, whose with me?  Let's not look to the situation of this economy, or the shutdown or the status of the market at the moment.  Let us all with a common mind seek to live this day on mission for the King!  Let us seek to love like Jesus would love and serve like Jesus would serve and speak like Jesus would speak with boldness and confidence in the message of the King who is Truth and worthy of all I have to offer Him!  Let us all live a life on mission for the King! 

In His Grip,

JT

The Clear After the Rain!

I am not sure if you have experienced this amazing thing that God has done for us!  This weekend the rain came and as many others I spent my Saturday inside most all day.  Now thankfully there were a few football games to occupy my time and some awesome rest for the family that we all needed.  As I walked in and out of the house a few times on Saturday I could not help but feel the weight of the clouds and rain that seemed to blanket the entire sky.

But then the evening came and the clouds began to break up a bit and the sun poked through right at the end of the day.  This scene of brilliant colors and hopeful sunsets seems to do something to me.  After a few glimpses of this beautiful site I quickly forgot the image and move on to the next order of business...another game and some good food with the family.

But then Sunday morning burst into my life!
Sunday morning I woke up and began to prepare for the day.  My usual routine somewhat disrupted by struggles in the house with poor sleep and little ears that seem to not hear instructions.  After a tough morning getting ready to ride to church, I sat in the truck driving with the kids in the car singing crazily and was abruptly reminded of the effects of the rain.

Some photographer friends of mine have shared that the best time to take pictures is after a heavy rain.  This was never more evident to me than Sunday morning as I drove to church thinking through all the stuff of the day.  The air was clear and just a bit cooler than normal.  The trees seemed a bit greener.  The sky a bit bluer than before.  A freshness in the air that was just a little better than the previous day.  Everything seemed to be a little clearer after the rain!

As I sit this morning to write I am thankful for the clear after the rain.  So many times in my life the rain has seemed more than I can handle.  The weight of the circumstances of life sometimes feel so heavy that nothing can ever lift the burden off my shoulders and I feel like I will go down.  But then the morning comes!    The morning brings a fresh new look at the day and clear air that seems to lift the burdens of daily life just a little to reveal something vital to the journey.  As I am able to peek out from under the burden of this life just a bit I am reminded of this incredible joy that flooded my soul in my days past.  I am reminded of this overwhelming joy that once captured my heart's affection and my minds attention.  I am reminded of this amazing Grace that is holding up the burdens of my life and actually carrying the weight of my struggles!  Yes, the Lord Jesus today is the one who is carrying my burdens. And every now and then I get a glimpse of the clear after the rain as the burden is lifted and my sight becomes clearer as my faith opens my eyes to truth.  Yes, He is right there with me in every step of this journey.  He is my Rock and my Redeemer!  He is the very life that is flowing through my body!  And it is He, the Lord Jesus who is with me in every step of this journey.

As the clouds clear and the rain stops and the blue sky bursts into sight...will you rejoice with me this day for the Lord reigns and will never ever change!  He is the Rock of our salvation and the Redeemer of our soul!  Jesus is the "I AM" that is ever holding our hands in every situation and in every struggle to help us press on toward the prize that has been set before us.  So, that together with the Saints we will receive one day what God has in store for us all at the table of feasting in HIM.  Oh what a glorious day that is coming when we shall see Him face to face and know that every step of the journey was worth every amount of struggle, pain and suffering!  He is worthy, the Lamb is worthy...Come let us rejoice together as He leads us homeward through this day.  The rain is gone and the sky is clear, soak up His glorious presence in your life and press on!

In His Grip!
JT

Medicine from the Master

The need for help around the world seems to continue to grow with every passing day.  Thousands and thousands of people in every country seem to struggle daily with medical conditions and physical pains that overwhelm their daily lives.  Every single day children die around the world because they simply do not have access to simple medicines and care.  Day after day people all over the globe struggle to find any hope at all in the midst of their pain and suffering.  

In Matthew chapter nine we read of Jesus responding to the religious leaders of the day about the sick before Him.  He, while sitting among the tax collectors, shared the truth that it is not the well or healthy that need a doctor but the sick who are in need of a doctor.  We are to follow His example as He went into the world where the sick of heart are living with no hope!  It is up to those of us with a Hope that does not disappoint, to go to those who are hopeless and share the Hope of Jesus with them.  Often times to share the truth of this hope with someone who is hurting you must first address the pain in their life.  In November, we here at One Way are leading a medical team into a hurting world among the Mayan people of Guatemala.  There are many who are sick and in need of medical attention.  We are leading a team that will address the needs among the community in order to open their ears up to the truth of the Gospel.  Last year we saw many turn their lives from the hopeless life they were living to a life of hope found in Jesus.  Our goal  this year is to expand that impact of the local mission church into more homes and lives as we meet physical need and share spiritual hope.  

We are still looking for a few more medical staff to join us on this trip to insure adequate coverage and treatment of everyone who will come.  We need two more doctors, four more nurses/EMT and an optometrist.  We would benefit from an additional dentist and dental assistant as well as a few more folks willing to assist in simple ways as support.  We will present the Gospel personally to every person who comes through the clinic.  The local church will work along side our team to build relationships with those who come and find hope in the Gospel and find healing in the hands of Jesus as medical professionals use their talents and gifts to minister to the hurting bodies.  We will pour into the lives of women and men, children and teenagers throughout the week as the Lord draws many who are hurting and seeking the touch of the Master!  

What about joining us for this awesome trip into the field of harvest?  The Lord taught His disciples to pray for the Lord of the harvest to send workers into the field to work the field for the harvest is ready.  Will you go with us into a field that has been prepared by the local church and the Master farmer, ready to be harvested by the workers who will obey and go when He calls?  We need you to join us and reach the world with the truth of His Word and teach the Word to those who are desperate for the whole truth of the Gospel.  Join us November 2-9 as we carry hope into Sacjavilla, Guatemala and work along side the local church to bring in a harvest and care for the hurting!  

For more information or to join the team, www.1wayministries.org !   

Plea for Assistance!

Many of you reading this will have already received an email or some other form of communication from the ministry concerning the urgent need for the daycare ministry at New Jerusalen Church in Guatemala.  However, I thought it best to add to the plea through this avenue as the need is urgent and very important for us to draw together support for this vital ministry.

For a number of years now our partner church in Guatemala, New Jerusalen Church in Los Pinos has been offering a free daycare to members of the community.  The opportunity to impact young mother's lives and families' futures has been an incredible opportunity the Lord has provided the church and its leadership.  Through this ministry, several families who were on the edge of falling apart, have been able to remain together and regain a solid position of providing for themselves following crisis or loss.  Some families have been able to rebuild their lives in a way as to no longer need the daycare to provide the needed care for their children as they are able to provide school fees and jobs have become more stable.

This ministry has seen some tough days recently.  The government, in an effort to improve the lives of everyone in  the country, has raised the base level of required pay for workers in every area of the country. Even though this is a ministry of the church and does not fall under the new guidelines, the church has sought to take care of the workers within the context of their living conditions and needs.  The increases in wages has increased the cost of living for some of the workers in a way that has caused some strain on the current budget of the daycare.  In addition the needs of the daycare have continually increased without the church passing those increases on to those like our ministry who seek to support and assist.

The increases have become more than the church can carry at this time.  We are seeking partners to join us in securing the future of this vital ministry of the church and providing for the families in need in the Los Pinos community surrounding the church.  This daycare is also serving as a model for our development of an additional daycare in the Sajcavilla area through the Lantana Mission Church.

As you pray for the leadership of the church, our full-time staff ( Greg and Kathy Brown) on the ground in Guatemala and the support team through One Way Ministries, please pray for the Lord to show us His plan for this daycare and His provision for its needs.  We are praying for the Lord to raise up additional supporters for the daycare itself as well as for individual families and children who attend.  Will you pray with us that God will show us His provision and how best as a ministry to support and encourage this vital ministry through New Jerusalen Church.  

Thank you for praying with us and seeking the Father's heart concerning this matter.  We look forward to watching His hand at work through the Body as He directs this ministry effort in Guatemala!

In His Grip,
JT Turner

If you have questions, would like more information or want to join the support team for this area of ministry you may contact us through the website 1wayministries.org or email jt@1wayministries.org or sheryl@1wayministries.org

Emergency, Emergency

Okay, it's NOT an emergency, but there is a great need for a medical clinic again this November in Guatemala.  Last year's trip was the first of its kind in Sacjavilla, and it was a huge blessing to people in the community as well as those who participated in the trip.

Make no mistake...this trip is centered around a medical clinic...but the TRUE core of the time is sharing the Gospel!  People have to sit and wait to go into the triage area...sit and wait for the assigned doctor...and sit and wait for the pharmacy.  Who wants to wait alone...NO ONE!  Enter those people who will pour out their lives for the sake of the Gospel.  From holding a baby so a mom can hear a clear presentation of the Word to playing a Scripture memory game with kids...taking temperatures of family members, dispensing medicine in the pharmacy, checking vision, showing people how to brush teeth...it's all a vital part of the outreach to the community.

But, this is not done in isolation apart from the church.  In fact, New Jerusalen Church (in Guatemala City) planted the mission church in Sacjavilla over three years ago.  And, that mission church has started Bible studies not only in their community but now also in the town of De Zet.  It is a community of believers reaching out to share the Gospel.  And, we get to be a part of that.

November 2-9 of this year will be the official dates of this clinic.  And, we are seeking God's plan for the following:

Doctors (preferably 4-5)
Nurses (4)
EMTs/Physician's Assistants (2-3)
Dentists (2)
Dental Hygienists (4)
Optometrists (2)
Pharmacists (2)
Pharmacy Technicians (2-4)
Physical Therapists (2)
Administrative Team (8-10)
Evangelism Team (6-8)
Children's Ministry Team (12-15)
Construction Team (6)
Community Outreach Team (6)

Can you help?  Do you know of someone who can?  We are asking you to pray and seek God's great wisdom as to what He would have you do.  For more information contact Sheryl at sheryl@1wayministries.org!