AH,
I miss fall weather right now, today it was like 6000 degrees and Caleb Spitler dragged me around all day shopping for shorts, shirts, boxers, and shampoo/soap. It was aweful, I hate shopping and I usually end up laying on the floor out of complete exhaustion. I swear, I would rather run a 5k than shop all day. Every place we entered people swarmed us yelling, “Que Buscando,” what are you looking for, “Que quieres,” what do you want, buy this, buy that, it made me sick. I survived though, it took some prayer, but i’m alive.
Comments from everyone pump me up so much, thank you very much for all of the advice and for continued prayer and support, I have like $5000 in my account, leaving only $2000 left! I thank God every day for everyone back home and in other places, and it makes me feel so empowered in every situation I come across. These days, we have been doing this foreign concept to me called, ATL, “Ask The Lord.” This means sitting in silence in prayer asking God what he wills us to do. What a test of faith this is, people get sent everywhere. At first, I was a little skeptical because it is so deep and it means that God is speaking directly to me. Who am I to recieve these words? Anyway, the other day, we split up into groups and people were jetting around every which way, but our group felt a calling to stay back and deal with issues that we may have and pray for the groups going out to minister. At first, it was a little awkward, we were like, “so, what should we pray about, hmm…” but then, as I was sitting there, I just felt this strong voice saying, “Pray for Natalia.” In my head I was like, huh, ch’noway, she’s sitting beside me looking fine. I closed my eyes again and the same thing happens, “Pray for Natalia,” and then, “Pray for Natalia and her boyfriend.” I have never met her boyfriend and all I know about him is that he rides a motorcycle, so again I was skeptical, but this time a little less. I heard the same words like six times, so I was like, alright, fine I’m just going to step out and say it. Before I could open my mouth, Natalia, who seemed perfectly fine, bursts out in tears and explains how she wants us to pray for her. Weird, huh? In my head I was kinda freaking out and a little awestruck. We gathered around her and prayed one by one for her, except this time I decided to listen to God. I prayed with as much confidence as I could for her and her boyfriend and any issues they were having. It turns out that this was her exact issue, which is wicked cool, I still can’t believe that God would speak to me like that. This is why my title is listen to J-dawg, Jesus in your life, because he will bless every time you choose to step out in faith.
Whew, I sound like a preacher man, but i’m serious though. Oh yeah, Wednesday we decided to pick up trash off this shady looking street as part of a year-long plan to change people’s attitude towards Nicaragua (most, instead of throwing things in a trash can two feet from them, empty their weeks worth of trash onto the ground) and it was crazy. After five minutes a few little kids jumped in and were sprinting around and yelling, then everyone came out of there house and watched us like we were putting on a gun show or something, mainly me, but you know. After a while, more and more people joined us until we had like 30 Nicaraguans, young and old, helping us out. It was great.
Next week us guys are going to do 1000 push ups in 24 hours. Also, we have many lizards around in our houses and Caleb and I are going to cook one over a fire and eat it. I got a haircut today, how does $2.50 sound for an amazing haircut? I’m pretty happy about the situation, it’s pretty short though so I look like i’m twelve. Well, that sums up some of the things that have happened in Nic-c-c-c-caragua. Please pray against spiritual battles, they happen every day for me. I hope things are stellar where you are-
Adios,
-Hose
Joe, What a wonderful testimony. Thank you for listening to the Lord God. He is certainly doing great work through you in your faithfulness. You can be sure that Natalia and her boyfriend are in our prayers! Thanks for kickin’ out those blog postings. Oh, and try to through your trash into the barrels, not out there on the street. And I’m talking Panton. BillO’
Josie,
Did you know that I was sitting here next to the computer waiting to hear from you? What a great gift to hear that you are having such amazing experiences and depending on God more and more. I still remember one day when I was at Pelkey’s blueberry picking; the Lord spoke to me in such an audible way to pay for this woman and her son’s blueberries and I fought about it with God and decided NOT to listen to something that seemed so irrelevant. I had met this woman and her son when Josh was hospitalized and her son was very ill. So I missed an opportunity and blessing and a few months later I heard the sad news that her son had passed away.
ATL is a great exercise of faith as well as BWTL(be willing to listen!)
I pressed a fall leaf for you,Joe, and will send it to you. Our week-ends are spent watching runners, and holding onto the last beautiful days of fall. I saw frost on mountains the others dayoh no!
I thought I told you all about my 1/2 marathon. I dedicated the hilly miles to you, the middle miles to dad , the section where I actually passed people to Shep,the “I think I am going to die” sections to Lindsey,and the sprint at the end to Josh,(the sprint was a nice thought but didn’t actually happen). Still thinking about the Burlington Marathon!
I’m feeling sorry for the poor lizards of Nicaragua.
Love and miss you…momsie
OK, so you’re off my fav blog list…! 🙂
ooops..part of my comment above didn’t post. Here’s a redo-
“lizards around in our houses…Caleb and I are going to cook one over a fire and eat it”
That puts you off my fav blog list since I think that info falls into the catagory of stuff I don’t want to know. 🙂 jk
Joe Carter,
remember Young Missionary Club?…”be a missionary everyday, show the world Jesus is the way…”
that was 300 years ago, and now there you are living that out and ministering to me (and all the rest of us who are eagerly following your adventures as you walk with the Lord).
I can’t tell you how each blog entry I have read lifts me up, and makes me smile, both because of you, and because
I get an amazing view of the Lord and his powerthrough your testimonies.
Daniela and I went over Lincoln gap today- I hate to tell you this, it was BEAUTIFUL! On any given day ,however, I would trade a day like today for one of your 6000 degrees one, in a heartbeat! I miss that.
I have another song stuck in my head from Promise Keepers, it says; “if the Lord had not been on our side all the raging waters would have swallowed us alive…” In terms of your spiritual warfare, you got HIM on your side!
I must try this ATL thing.
hasta la proxima,
Mrs.S/Ligia
pretty cool joe. hope you’re having fun.
Hey Joe-
Your mom handed out bookmarks today at church with your blog address so we could keep up with your amazing adventures and as a constant reminder to pray for you.
We’re very proud of you for everything you’re doing. It reminds me so much of myself at that age…..and I would love to be in your place, but God has me here in my own little mission field of my family and you’re the perfect person to be where you are now.
I’ll be eagerly watching for updates from you and will continue to pray for you.
Oh…..our kids, Zach and Girly, just accepted Jesus into their hearts Friday night! We’re so excited about that and were anxious to share it at church today. 🙂
Can’t wait to read your next blog entry! 🙂
Joe!
It’s so amazing to hear about your adventures. You’re quite inspiring and I’m quite jealous.
He’s been trying to reach me in so many ways, and you’re blog happens to be one of the many ways in which He’s succeeded.
Life in Nebraska is new and very cool. There are some really amazing people here and the football games are wicked sweet. lol. I have a feeling you would love seeing one of them, everyone is in red and it’s so loud, and there are about 85,000 people in one place.
Nicaragua sounds exciting…and i hope you keep cool, and keep livin’ in Him.
~Maria
Joe,
It’s great to read your blog and see how God is working in Nicaragua and in your life. My mind is flooding with questions: What’s the attitude about Christianity down there? Are most people pretty religious? Are they friendly or hostile to your message? Are they as materialistic as we are here in America? What is the biggest challenge in your work?
That’s a great idea to focus on things like the garbage situation. It helps them physically, but it also gives you some bond with them.
It’s awesome to here of your experiences with ATL. I’ll have to give it some attention.
Keep it up,
Mr. Rood
Hi Joe,
I can only imagine how exciting your life must be right now. Whenever you feel down, just remember that we’re all thinking of you and keeping you in our prayers. Joy
I just read through the last 2 blogs, gettin’ caught up on your life and adventures.
I can’t believe the trials you’re undergoing. The spiritual attack. I mean, shopping for a day. Lucky for Paul, they hadn’t come up with such horrible tourtures in his day or they’d have done that to him too!
The weather here is amazing. Sunshine, warm temps, great colors – oh wait, that was yesterday. Today is rain, & sort of cold. Colors are muted and the leaves are beginning to drop. The “No” month is fast approaching. No heat, No sun, No color, No snow, November.
I talked with your little brother over the weekend. Vergennes MS took team 1st at the Middlebury Invitational. I told them I was pretty impressed. Shep was just cool. I asked him what place he finished – he said 1st and continued to be stone-faced cool. I asked about beating that great runner from Tuttle. He said he has beaten him twice and his cool expression broke a bit as a smile came sneaking out.
Hang in there. I believe long times are ahead of you. The honeymoon period will probably fade a bit. During this time you are being built-up and strenghtened. Drink it in. Eat it up. Get strong in Him. When the tougher times come, you’ll have the strength to stand and even shine.
And be sure to Blog us to tell us all about it!
– Mr. D. –
Oopsie, I guess I didn’t include my name in the above.
🙂
– Mr. D –
Joe, your mom just sent me the linkit is great to connect with you this way and get an idea of what you are doing and what you are passionate about. may you continue to hear from God!!!
hope we can play basketball again with you all
I have a blog that you may want to look at sometimehttp://weblog.xanga.com/moldovagary
also a website http://www.secondfiddle.org
Gary
dood, you’re voting for Bob Dole! Me too! actually, i’m not old enough to vote yet, but i’ll definitely vote for Bob in the next election.
I am mad proud to see all the crazy awesome stuff that God is using you for! props
That’s splendid how God talked to you during that ATL deal!
The work you’re doing is so cool, God is definitely with you, and I just want to help. I can offer this: If you ever come to a serious spiritual road block or something email me personally so I can pray for you etc…
Carry on my friend! You’re not just helping ppl in Nicaragua, you’re significantly helping us back home through your encouraging stories.
your brother from another mother, in Him,
-jrood
p.s. Get this, I started a Bible study group that meets every day in Steen’s room at lunch, and he joins us sometimes! Keep prayin’ for him.
Dear Joe,
Reading your blog is so FUN! I really wish you the most amazing, life changing, awesome experiences! We are thinking of you and praying for you. Go …… Do….. and Grow in Christ!
Joy
Hey Joe,
What an amazing experience for you. I had a similar one when Clean Slate was in Wales on our first missionary trip.
I was talking to some ladies after a concert who were worried that God was not hearing their prayers. Without any thought I said “I came here from 6000 miles away to tell you that God hears your prayers and wants you to keep praying” I was more stunned than them about what I said. I gave them a maple lolly pop and crawled into a closet and cried. I was overwhelmed with the feeling of God using a lowly guitar picker to tell someone what He wants to say.
I pray that you will have many more experiences when God is speaking to you. Be ready to listen and don’t hide in a closet and cry (at least not for too long) Be like Samuel and say “Speak Lord, for I am listening”
We are praying for you.
Lisa
Joe,
For a very long time, the military has taken in young, headstrong, undeniably invincible men and women. And when they enlist, they DON’T get to shoot things, or go on cool missions, or even meet anyone very interesting. No, the first thing that happens is that everyone get the same clothes, the same (brutally short) haircut, and a personal trainer with a mandate to force them into doing 1000 pushups every day or so. Why? Well, yeah, they’re having fun punishing the ‘newbies’sure. But more importantly, what they are doing is breaking down each and every “individual” into their constituant piece-parts (sometimes down to the atomic level). And when they’ve taken the strongest, most independent, most headstrong person in the group and turned that person into a bumbling, blubbering idiot (along with everyone elsebut believe me you notice when a 300 lb 6’5″ dude is blubbering), then (and only then), can the REAL work BEGIN. Of building a soldier. And building a cohesive unit, made up of many like-trained people, all of whom have gone thru the same seemingly brutal and senseless ‘training’.
Why lay this on you? Well, I can imagine that just around now, maybe 2 or 3 months or so into your adventure, you might be wondering what the heck you’ve gotten yourself into! Maybe you didn’t have a drill sergeant breathing down your neck; but I can bet you’ve had nights, maybe weeks on end, where you were left wondering if you’ve made the worst mistake of your life. If you’ve been to that place where every decision you make is wrong and every thing you try to do makes you feel worse, then I’d say God is almost ready to START building you back from your atomic parts into the man He’s got planned for you to be!
So, take heart, and realize that the hardships and trials and confusing events that you’re going thru now are designed with a purpose in mind. It may be a cliche, but it certainly does ring true: “Anything that doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!” Push thru your limits and put your faith in God. Listen attentively and do what He says. Less reluctantly. More cheerfully, more willingly. It’ll get easier and easier for your to recognize when He’s telling you what to do, and you’ll be able to act more quickly and confidently each time He does.
And along the way, keep telling us your stories. One of the things He wants you to do is keep us informed. I think He just told me to tell you that! So listen to your Drill Sergeant, mister, or you’ll owe him another 1000 pushups tomorrow!
Hang in there!
Mr. Robinson