Holy Week

I believe this. 

I believe this and sometimes it seems crazy. I did not arrive at the conclusion that there is a God simply from being told so. I have experienced and witnessed something in my life that I cannot deny. I am not quick to call something "supernatural". When confused by a phenomenon of science I do not simply credit it to be magic or sorcery. I believe there to be a Creator. I believe His name to be Jesus. I believe Jesus died on a cross. And I believe that Jesus is alive and seeking to be in a relationship with us.

In the movie Star Wars, Luke Skywalker goes to a system of planets called the "Dagoba System" to train and learn how to be a Jedi Knight. His mentor, Yoda, has him do all sorts of tasks. From running and jumping around the jungle with Yoda in a backpack to doing handstands while lifting rocks with his mind, his training is meticulous and challenging. Skywalker crash landed when arriving to the Dagoba System and his space ship was partially submerged in a swamp. Yoda challenges young Skywalker to lift the ship out of the swamp (in the same way that he was lifting the rocks) as part of his training. Skywalker tries... and fails. He actually ends up making things worse... His ship sinks further into the swamp and becomes fully submerged. Skywalker is discouraged and defeated.

Yoda then lifts the ship out of the swamp and the two have this exchange:

 Skywalker: "I....I don't believe it!"

Yoda: "That is why you fail."




The goodness of God's character and nature is revealed in your life not because you go to church or read the bible. God's goodness is revealed because He chooses to reveal it. We are simply left with a choice to believe.

I choose to believe. I will not stumble blindly into the chasm of religion. I will seek truth on the mountain tops. Starting on a hill called Calvary.

Happy Easter.


- Spencer Thomas



(Click here to watch the video of Luke Skywalker and Yoda)

What is The Forge?

The Forge is home base for all small group activities.  It's where we meet with students for bible study, prayer, fellowship, and other stuff like making watermelons explode.

A forge is defined as a workshop containing a furnace for refining metal.  Our Forge is a place for refining hearts, educating our minds, and growing closer to Jesus. Each week more than 40 students come and participate in activities within our forge. This will be our first week having small group in 2018 and we are excited to review the why behind calling this place The Forge.




"Your hands have made me and formed me; give me understanding that I might learn your commandments."
Psalm 119:73

For something to be made there must be a maker. And our Maker is good at what he does. He doesn't make garbage. He is intentional and specific in knowing everything and everyone he makes. He is an expert, who when swinging the hammer, never misses the mark. 

I remember when my dad would be building something and I would try and help. He would eventually give me a "very important task" of hammering two boards together. While he worked on the real project I would be attempting to nail some throw-away extra material together. My father was wise to give me this task. I was awful. Just like every other six year old, I hit the board more than I did the nail. In the time it would take my dad to build a tree house and two picnic tables, I could destroy two pieces of wood without ever nailing them together. 

God never misses his mark. He strikes his hammer precisely where he means to. His vision is perfect and so is his plan.

Would you pray with us...
God, would you help direct us to be your ambassadors. Speak to us your vision and desire for this space. Give us understanding. Use this space to refine our hearts, to make your will come alive in us, and to build friendships.  Amen


- Spencer and Kendra Thomas

A New Year

We hope you had a wonderful winter break! Kendra and I were blessed to spend time in Texas during December and January.  For those of you that don't know, our school year in Costa Rica is from February to November.  Our winter break was a very restful time. Texas is still full of cedar.... It is always hard to say goodbye to friends and family when we head back to our home in Costa Rica, but knowing that we wont have to deal with cedar makes the trip easier. 

We are very excited about what God is doing in the life of Colegio Metodista.  As part of the Christian Education department, Kendra has been assigned as the Director of Programming and I the Director of Discipleship.  We are each leading a team to help us with our tasks and working with other groups within the Christian Education Department.  More and more people are beginning to share an intrinsic value for the salvation of students at the school. 

E. Stanley Jones  was a 20th-century Methodist Christian missionary and theologian. He is remembered chiefly for his inter-religious lectures to the educated classes in India, thousands of which were held across the Indian subcontinent during the first decades of the 20th century.  Jones ministered to the wealthy and elite of India.  The poor need Jesus.  The rich need Jesus.  The hope for our students at Colegio Metodista is that they would experience being loved and cared for and that they would develop a burden to seek after truth and compassion. 

Would you join us in this?  We are praying that each of our students would continue on after Colegio Metodista to be successful, that their lives be rich in love, and that they know the love of their Creator.


- Spencer and Kendra Thomas

Meditation Words

-----Meditation Words-----

Meditating is only for ninjas and wizards... FALSE! Our perception of what meditation is has in part been twisted by movies. When I think of meditation, the first thought that comes to my mind is the Ninja Turtles. There is a specific scene in one of the movies where they have to meditate as a punishment. Balancing expertly while trying not to be distracted by pizza. Of course they fail, for it is common knowledge that the Ninja Turtles' greatest weakness is pizza. 

Being mystical does not make meditation. Reciting mantras does not make meditation. Mental gymnastics does not make meditation. We claim meditation to be a difficult practice although many of us already do it daily, simply on the wrong things...

We are so prone to meditate on "worry". We fill our minds with obscure realities and sometimes empower those false-realities with a voice loud enough to influence, or even overrun, day to day life. Practicing meditation is important. It is not a question of whether or not we meditate, it's a question of what do we meditate on. The meditating part, for us, is inevitable. The material on which we meditate is subject to change.

One of my biggest pet-peeves is when people say "like" over and over again for filler while speaking. Example: "It's like, a thing when like, you have to like, do that thing". Figure out what your trying to say, and like, say it... This annoys me to no end! I am not perfect, and I have a confession. When I was in high school I developed this weird habit of saying "and, a ummm" for filler while speaking. It was a terrible phase. Every sentence would contain "and, a ummm" before, after, or in the middle. It took 4 long weeks to finally break this atrocious habit. 

Our perception of reality is subject to the contents of our meditations. When we meditate on worry it obscures our vision of God's promises. It causes doubt and frustration towards God. Jeremiah 29:11 is a fact. Our perception of reality is twisted by meditating on worry and God's promises will appear far away. It is our choice to practice meditating on other things... better things... the best things.

It took 4 weeks for me to break the silly habit of saying "and, a ummm". I challenge you to spend the next 4 weeks being intentional about the things with which you fill your mind. The purpose is twofold:
-First, to break the habit of letting worry obscure the reality of God's promises.
-Second, to develop the daily practice of giving your thoughts to something worthy.

"Spencer's Guide to Practicing Christian Meditation 101"

1- Scripture. Have it with you. From a book into your heart. 

2- Catch yourself meditating on the wrong thing? Start thinking about the verse you decided to memorize.

3- Ponder scripture while you drive, bike, or walk to work. 

4- Daily repetition. Practice, practice, practice.  

Let's meditate. 

Here is content to meditate on:

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14

"The soul is dyed by the color of your thoughts."

2+3

It's time to stay in Costa Rica for another three years and chew bubblegum, and I'm all out of gum!

   The Thomas Family is very excited to tell you all that we are going to be in Costa Rica for a little while longer. Originally our commitment to being in Costa Rica was for two years. As we have gotten closer to the end of those two years, a decision had to be made. This decision has taken over 6 months to make. We feel with every fiber of our being that we are to be a part of this ministry in Costa Rica for 3 more years. Jesus Christ is moving our hearts in ways we never thought possible. 

   Our hearts are overjoyed to continue in this calling. Our response to Jesus moving our hearts to stay longer in Costa Rica has brought new energy and vision to this ministry at Colegio Metodista. 

   We have a few goals to pursue throughout our time in Costa Rica, one of them is blogging more often. Sharing multiple times a month with you about what we are doing in small groups and how you can continue to pray for us and our students. Another goal is that we must raise more monetary support.  To the churches, individuals, friends, and family who support us, we are extremely grateful for your offerings. We want to share, in person, the workings of Jesus we have witnessed during our time here thus far. We also want to extend the same invitation as when we first discerned to go on mission in Costa Rica, and invite you to be a part of it. 

   Here two ways you can be a part of this ministry, and we ask that you prayerfully consider each one. 

- Pray for us. Follow this blog and speak to God about what He's doing in Costa Rica, at Colegio Metodista, and in our hearts. 

- Monthly monetary support. This mission is made possible because men and women responded to God's calling to be a part of this ministry in Costa Rica.  

  We are looking forward to visiting with you. Stay tuned and buckle up! It's going to be a wild ride!

- Spencer and Kendra Thomas

ONE YEAR IN COSTA RICA: An Interview

Cowboy, PHD in barking and play.
Loves Spencer and Kendra.

Hello and welcome! Thank you for being here with me, I am Professor Cowboy_Yeehaw and today I will be interviewing two of my favorite people.  Spencer and Kendra Thomas will answer my questions, together and individually, about their first year as full time missionaries in Costa Rica. Let's get started!

Let's bark! ... I mean, go!

Question-

How long have you been married, and when/why did you move to Costa Rica?

Answer- 

Married January 3, 2015.  We started praying about Costa Rica in February of 2015.  We knew, just by looking at each other, that Costa Rica was where we needed to be.  Why did we move? Because we were invited.  Seeking God's will is the only way a person can find peace.  

Question-

What is your mission field? 

Answer-

Our mission field is Colegio Metodista.  It is a private school with students from pre-k to high school graduation.  We primarily spend time with grades 7-11 (there is no 12th, they graduate at 11th).  We have spent the last year starting bible study small groups.  The purpose of these groups is for students to become Disciples of Jesus through meaningful Christ-centered relationships.  

Question-

What are some things you didn't expect to encounter after moving to Costa Rica?

Answer-

     Kendra: "I didn't expect a lot of things.  Principally, communication is difficult. Not just a language barrier, but a way of thinking that was different than mine. When I prepare for a meeting or event I am obnoxiously early. My coach always said '10 minutes early is on time.' As we learn Spanish one thing sticks out to me. 'I am early/late' does not translate. A person may say 'it is early.' However, that is quite different. Perhaps it is not the largest hurdle we have had, but this has proved to be the greatest learning experience. Although living with the Turrialba Volcano has also made life more interesting. With it's most active year in a long time, we now know the varied pleasures of regular ash fall."

     Spencer: "This is going to sound really dumb... but the food.  There's no tex-mex.  I was really excited when someone told me Costa Ricans do tamales.  Costa Rican tamales are not Mexican tamales, not even close.  In my mind I associated Latin America with Mexico and Mexican food.  So when we got here and I asked 'Where can a gringo get some tacos?' and they told me Taco Bell, I wasn't expecting that."

Question-

Looking back over your year, what has been the most difficult part of moving to another country"

Answer-

     Kendra: "Being away from family.  Our family is particularly close. We were so fortunate to be together for the Christmas Season, but missing my grandparent's Memorial Day BBQ and Mother's Day or the crazy annual Pumpkin Patch my mom's youth do every year is hard on the heart. Those times when the family comes together to celebrate and sometimes even argue, but then everyone takes a nap and feels better... those are the times you miss."

     Spencer: "Family, also.  On Kendra's side we have 6 nephews/nieces and on my side we have 3 boys.  So only getting to see them a few times is hard.  It's strange but true, I miss not being able to see how much they've grown.  Every time I see my nephews, they are noticeably bigger/stronger and harder to wrestle.




Question-
What gives you the most joy?

Answer-
     Kendra:  "Seeing the spark in a student's eye as they become excited to talk about the Lord and their faith. Being friends with these students, mentoring them, walking beside them as they discover what it means for Jesus to be Lord of their life, is the greatest joys.
     Spencer: "Seeing our students start to seek the Lord and take personal responsibility for their faith.  The absolute biggest blessing has been getting to share the gospel with someone who has never heard or opened the bible before."




Question-
What things do you miss most?

Answer-
     Kendra:   "The food! I miss sausage gravy, Whataburger, and Tex-Mex. Good Texas food with family and friends."
     Spencer: "Whataburger. Fishing.  Kayak.  The river.  But family most of all.  My mom and dad and my sisters family.  QUESO cheese dip!"




Question-
What is something you'd like to share that you've learned over the last year?

Answer-
     Kendra:   "Aside from some new cooking skills, I've learned to communicate better. As I said earlier, it is a struggle. I always took advantage of the whole English language to tell people about my faith, but when English is someone's second language, or if you are speaking in a new language, it is of the utmost importance you be clear with that message. The one thing we cannot afford to get wrong is sharing the Truth.
     Spencer: "Throw away all your pride.  It won't help you.  It will only hurt you and the people around you.  Having to be right or heard, because of pride, will not lead anyone to the Cross of Christ.  There is nothing I can do to change a persons heart.  Get rid of pride and make more room for the Holy Spirit."




Question-
Being your dog, I see you leave me at home every day... Where are some of the cool adventures you've been on?

Answer-
     Kendra:   "White water rafting and hiking through the rainforest have been my favorites! Beautiful views and fast paced fun!"
     Spencer: "Beaches, volcanos, and Panama.  But my favorite place in Costa Rica is Rio Tarcoles. It's know as 'The Crocodile Bridge' and it does not disappoint.   It was something I watched on the Discovery Channel as a kid and dreamed about seeing in person."

Crocodile Bridge

Manuel Antonio National Park

"I'm ready... take me with you" -Cowboy

Thank you for your prayers and support.  We are grateful for you. 

- Spencer, Kendra, and Cowboy Thomas

Greater Things Are Yet To Come!

Great and amazing things have happened and are happening, but even greater things are yet to come.  What is our purpose? What is our destiny?  I was talking with a friend of mine about Heaven.  About eternity and what will it be like.  For every moment spent with God, there is something new and fresh about His goodness.  Every moment for all of eternity, in Heaven, there will be a new revelation of God's love.  Wow.  God's heart is the final frontier.  His goodness, unmeasurable.  His power, boundless.  His love, inexhaustible.

James Joyce describes eternity as this:

"You have often seen the sand on the seashore. How fine are its tiny grains! And how many of those tiny grains go to make up the small handful which a child grasps in its play. Now imagine a mountain of that sand, a million miles high, reaching from the earth to the farthest heavens, and a million miles broad, extending to remotest space, and a million miles in thickness, and imagine such an enormous mass of countless particles of sand multiplied as often as there are leaves in the forest, drops of water in the mighty ocean, feathers on birds, scales on fish, hairs on animals, atoms in the vast expanse of air. And imagine that at the end of every million years a little bird came to that mountain and carried away in its beak a tiny grain of that sand. How many millions upon millions of centuries would pass before that bird had carried away even a square foot of that mountain, how many eons upon eons of ages before it had carried away all. Yet at the end of that immense stretch time not even one instant of eternity could be said to have ended. At the end of all those billions and trillions of years eternity would have scarcely begun. And if that mountain rose again after it had been carried all away again grain by grain, and if it so rose and sank as many times as there are stars in the sky, atoms in the air, drops of water in the sea, leaves on the trees, feathers upon birds, scales upon fish, hairs upon animals – at the end of all those innumerable risings and sinkings of that immeasurably vast mountain not even one single instant of eternity could be said to have ended; even then, at the end of such a period, after that eon of time, the mere thought of which makes our very brain reel dizzily, eternity would have scarcely begun.”

And still.... eternity has scarcely begun. 

We spent three weeks visiting our supporters, churches, and family asking for sleeping bags.  We needed the sleeping bags because at the end of the month, we are traveling with the senior class of Colegio Metodista to Texas! We will spend a week in the hill country out at Camp Eagle.  A big THANK YOU all who have helped and are helping to make this possible.  

The time is beginning to fly!  Our mission team will be gaining two new players! Tony and Heidi are coming to Costa Rica to serve as interns! They will be helping at the Methodist Children's Home and spending time with Kendra and I at the school.  Can't wait to welcome them to Costa Rica with a big "BIENVENIDOS".

Awesome things are being done by God, through His people, all over the world. And still, greater things are yet to be done. Lord Jesus, we pray that these 'greater things' would find us.  We ask, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, that Your goodness would be made known in all places through the obedience of your people.  Thank You for inviting us to participate in the mission of Your will.  Amen.

-Spencer, Kendra, and Cowboy Thomas.  

February in Costa Rica with The Thomas Family

“Prosperity knits a man to the world. He feels that he is finding his place in it, while really it is finding its place in him.” 
― C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

Lots of wonderful things happened in Costa Rica this past month.  Life, the means by which we describe unfortunate happenings, also happened this past month.  Jesus emerges victorious over both.

In this newsletter we wanted to share something specific and special that happened.  We were both moved and encouraged.  We hope that the testimony of this happening will be an encouragement to you.

Our small group bible study takes place on thursday.  The boys are with me, and the ladies with Kendra.  We average about 15 students each.  In the month of February our numbers skyrocketed.  The first blowout attendance we had was when we did a combined guys/girls group because Kendra and I prepared a message that God had prompted us to share with them as a whole.  I would like to tell you about the message we shared with them.



   Kendra and I stood in the chapel minutes before the bell was to ring announcing lunch time.  We observed our preparations. The microwave was plugged in, the chairs were set up, the powerpoint was on, and we had our bibles bookmarked.
   The bell rang.  Slowly students began to trickle into the chapel and heat up their lunches and hang out.  Upon entering, they were greeted with this image being projected onto the wall.

 

We had to explain to more than a few students what the joke was.  English being their second or third language, it definitely did not make sense to everyone.  Oh, the things you learn being a missionary in another country.

   Students kept trickling into the chapel.




We spent some time chatting and hanging out with our students.  They are our friends and we are theirs.  I don't know what Kendra was talking to the girls about, but I spent these first few minutes asking people to remind me of their names.
 
   Students kept trickling into the chapel.

Kendra and I stepped off to the side and looked at each other with wide eyes and goofy grins.  We were both thinking the same thing, There. Are. So. Many. Students. Here.  More than double our usual attendance. 60 students had made their way into the chapel for bible study this week. The nice circle of chairs we prepared had vanished.  There was now just a glob of people sitting and eating lunch.
   Our lesson that day started off with a game.  Guys vs girls.  So once the majority of people had finished eating, we lined them up across the entire chapel (two parallel lines, guys vs girls).  We gave the leader of each line an egg.  We explained the game.  The goal was to pass the egg over your head, then between your legs, all the way to the end of the line.  Then, the person at the end had to run up to the front and hand the egg to Kendra.  We actually played the game 3 times without breaking an egg, which was incredible, because it got pretty competitive.
   We won't announce who won the egg game, because this blog isn't about who won, but if we did announce a winner, it would be the guys, because I am writing this blog post.  If Kendra were to write this specific blog post, then maybe the girls would have won.  I digress...
   All the students were instructed to take their seats.  We prayed.  We then listed things that God had laid on our hearts to "call out" and reveal.

"Here are some things that people in this room are going through:
-Parents getting divorce/Mom or Dad leaving
-You feel alone or that everything is your fault
-A friend or family member has died
-You've been betrayed by someone
-You feel like no one cares about you or loves you

These are real battles that we all face.  These voices are real voices trying to shape our reality, trying to manifest themselves in our lives.

But we are here to tell you of another Voice.  This Voice speaks contrary to the voices of the world."

Jeremiah 1:5
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

Psalm 139:13-14
"For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

Luke 12:6-7
“Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God.  Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows."

John 16:33
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Ecclesiastes 3:11
"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

By the time Kendra and I had read these verses there was a sobering silence in the room. We told them about how there is so much more at work that we cannot see. Listen to this Voice. It is God speaking your destined eternal-reality, that you are loved by your Creator.  That our Creator has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus.  It was a very sobering silence indeed.  

   To break the silence, I grabbed one of the eggs and threw it at a student.  He yelled and caught it.... Nothing happened.  I grabbed another egg and smashed it on the head of the student sitting closest to me.  Everyone was wide eyed wondering what was going on! 

  The eggs were hard boiled.  The reality of the "egg game" was that there was no danger of making a mess.  

Listen to the Voice of God.  He speaks into us our destiny and purpose.  When we listen to His Voice, and not the voices of this world, our lives begin to transform by manifesting His will for us; To be reconciled to Himself, our Creator.  

Kendra and I are continually adjusting to living in Costa Rica.  This is one heck of an adventure.  We are grateful for your support.  Please pray for our future small group leaders and for the future members of their small groups.  

Blessings,

Spencer and Kendra Thomas.