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)

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."

Ketchup, Mustard, and Catching Up

"Consider the lilies"

We find ourselves considering the lilies and laugh at our attempts to fashion the world around us. Consider the lilies and know that you are loved.  Kendra and I are completely incompetent at sustaining flowers, but living in Costa Rica has advantages.  We have beautiful flowers along our drive way that grow because it rains, a lot.  Praise God that Kendra hasn't touched them because they would surely die (her words, not mine)!

Toilets breaking, house leaking, vehicle needing new brakes, tired, busy, bored, lonely, content, homesick, frustrated, rainy, dry, and sometimes just out of coffee.... But it's worth it and we don't regret a single day that goes by.  Jesus is moving in our hearts the same as in the ministry He has invited us to be a part of.  Ministry with God starts with God ministering to the minister.   The closer we get to Jesus the closer we get to the cross.  God is surely ministering to us.  We are learning not only how to be missionaries in a foreign country and in a foreign language, but how to be married and love each other more than we did the day before.  We are learning how to argue better and how to disagree and how to compliment each other and how to love each other better.  I love my wife best when I love Jesus first.  Kendra loves me best when she loves Jesus first.  Jesus be the focal point of this person.  

Kendra... loves... running.  Spencer no like running very mucho.  But when I go running I never regret it.  For me running is a hassle, I don't like it, but I never regret doing it.  For me it's running.  What is "it" for you?  Maybe it's cleaning your room, or washing the car, or vacuuming.  We all have certain things that we don't like doing, but always feel good after doing them.  I want to challenge you...

       If you are married, I want you to share your testimony (story of how you came to know Jesus) with your spouse.  If you're not married, share your testimony with a person who has helped you know Jesus. Here are some things you are saying to yourself right now:

- My wife/husband/person already knows my story

- Sure, I'll do it later (just like you said you'd do that one thing that you haven't done yet)

- Keep reading...keep reading... oh, he's like, really wanting me to do this

- What's the point?

        I promise you won't regret it.  

It doesn't have to be complicated.  It doesn't have to be long.  It doesn't have to sound polished like a preachers sermon on Sunday morning at 11:00 traditional service.  

Do it simply.

Do it honestly.

Do it. 

 To make the title relevant, Kendra likes ketchup and I like mustard. Thank you for reading our blog and catching up with us!  Stay tuned for more. 

- Spencer and Kendra Thomas. 

May: "I feel like I just got off a roller coaster"

"I will send down the showers in their season; they will be showers of blessing." Ezekiel 34:26

Rest... Sweet rest...   The adventure started with an over night retreat into the mountains with our 9th grade generation.  Everyone arrived at the school at 5:15 A.M.  After brief instruction and loading onto five buses, we were shuttled up into the mountains of Costa Rica!   We arrived at the camp around 8, and first things first, we had breakfast.  Once everyone had consumed the most important meal of the day we started the fun.  Large group games, followed by small group games, followed by high ropes activities, followed by getting rained on, followed by more activities involving high ropes course action and running around.  Our over night trip was packed full of endless activity.  It was great.  We gathered in the evening and worshiped God.  A word was shared, talking about Daniel.  How Daniel stood out among his peers and how not even a pack of lions could turn him from pursuing the will of God.  It was the best part of the camp.  After worship we played a MASSIVE game of hide-and-seek.  Each staff member was worth a certain number of points (Kendra and I were worth the most).  The game ended when either all the people were found or time ran out.  Off we go! Into the dark, rainy, and cold jungle of Costa Rica to hide from 120 students.  After 30 minutes of very uncomfortable hiding, I heard the siren announcing the game was finished. "Awesome", I thought, "They didn't find me, I win!"  I hike out of the forest towards the camp fire, excited to see if Kendra was found.  Every couple of minutes a new leader would appear from the cloak of darkness, smiling because they were not found.  Every time someone new appeared I would rush over thinking it was Kendra.  Kendra never showed up.  I would be lying if I told you I wasn't worried.  I knew she had a flash light, but not a sense of direction.  We put together a scouting crew.  We scoured the woods looking for any sign of a beautiful gringa, my beautiful gringa.  Eventually she was found.  She was less than 50 yards from the fire, hiding behind a rock near the river.  She couldn't hear anyone yelling or the siren because the river was too loud.  #HideAndSeekChampion2016 goes to my beautiful wife.  Sharing of testimonies and smore's around a fire is what finished off the night... or so I thought.  After multiple attempts to get all the guys in my cabin to lay down and go to bed, they finally relented and there was peace.  Less than 5 minutes later everyone was awake, running and yelling, as 70 girls sang high school musical songs at the top of their lungs right outside our door.  There was no hope to getting my guys back into "sleep mode".  We stayed up all night....

The next day was still great! More activities and even more laughs.  After lunch we packed everyone back into the buses and made our way home.  We hugged and said goodbye to our students as their parents picked them up.  All were ready to be home, but our adventure had just begun!

We went home, unpacked, and then repacked our things, and went straight to bed.

The alarm went off at 4:15.... We awoke finished repacking our things. At 5:00AM we got into a taxi that took us to the airport.  After an entire day of travel we were back in Texas.  We spent the weekend in Kerrville preparing.

Tuesday morning we head out to Camp Eagle and prepare for the senior class from Costa Rica to arrive that afternoon.  We wait... And wait.... And wait some more.  The students and teachers finally arrived, after many delays, around 1:00AM.  They were exhausted but excited.  Tuesday night, I had no trouble getting the guys in my cabin to go to sleep.

Camp Eagle (located near Rocksprings, TX) is an adventurer's paradise spanning thousands of acres of wilderness, including rivers and cliffs.  Incorporated into the cliffs along the river there is rock climbing, rappelling, and an assortment of challenging "heights based" adventures.  All of which our students were able to enjoy!

Every morning, before our activities, we gathered together for worship. And every evening, after activities, we would worship together.  Throughout the week we went through the book of Ephesians.
Something crazy happens when we open God's word.  God speaks to us.  The best part of the trip was the last night of worship.  We spent the night at Kerrville First United Methodist Church.  Before worship we ate BBQ and learned how to line dance.

Once we had gathered for worship, we prayed and sang a song.  We put a microphone in front of the student body and gave them an invitation.  "We invite you to share how you encountered your Creator during this trip to Texas."

Listening to the testimonies of student after student share how God spoke to them was the best part of the entire trip.
"I never really realized that God wanted to know me like this"
"I want to follow Jesus and learn about the bible"
"For the first time in my life, I heard the voice of my Creator telling me I was loved"
"I never thought that I had to travel thousands of miles away from home to learn that God is Jealous for me"

These are just a few of the things spoken that made our hearts explode into a million tender pieces.  Jesus is so good.  E. Stanley Jones says that even evangelical movement starts with the evangelical being moved.  Oh how our hearts have been tilled, made ready for growth.  Kendra and I have never been more aware of God's love for us than we are right now.  And we find ourselves saying some of the same things our students said about going to Texas.  Moving to Costa Rica has produced revelation after revelation of how much God cares for us.

It makes me think of Heaven.  How Heaven is outside of time.  It's not measured in years or millennia, there is only eternity.  And every moment of eternity in Heaven will be filled with revelation after revelation of God's goodness.  Praise Jesus!

Kendra, myself, and Colegio Metodista are extremely grateful for all of the people and churches involved in making a dream become reality.  100 Costa Ricans on a senior class trip to Texas, spent in the hill country learning of and encountering our creator.

With much love,
    Spencer and Kendra 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.  

November in Costa Rica

Thanksgiving

"We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is "good," because it is good, if "bad" because it works in us patience, humility and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country."
-C.S. Lewis

     Kendra and I are feeling more at home in Costa Rica.  We've learned a lot, and will continue to learn, as we survive and thrive in the jungle (we aren't in the jungle, we live in the city).  Here are a few of the silly adventures we have faced this month.  

-Our electricity was shut off because the family renting the house before us didn't pay their last bill before moving out. 

-Going to church and accidentally joining a parade on the way.

-Finding a dinosaur inside of our house... It was a moth about 5 inches across.  It had a look in its eyes that said it was out for blood.  I saved Kendra's life by slaying the foul beast.  Our dog, Cowboy, helped me.  

The list could go on and on.  Every 24 hours is a new"Adventura".  We praise God for all of it.  A thankful heart isn't something brought about by good fortune or fine sailing. A thankful heart is a response to the eternal goodness of God.  Therefore, if our thanks is a response to the eternal, we celebrate and rejoice through all things (good or bad).  

     Celebrating Thanksgiving in Costa Rica was amazing.  We gathered with others at Casa del Zirkel to eat and fellowship.  Lydia is an amazing cook... There were multiple turkeys, green bean casserole, dressing/stuffing, pie, pie, and more pie.  We called our families and shared our thanks for one another.  Kendra and I are beginning to miss our families more and more.  Spending our first thanksgiving together as a married couple away from family was hard.  So, we rejoice with thankful hearts! We rejoice for the growth in our marriage, the ministry we are privileged to be a part of, and that we will see our families soon when we visit Texas.  

     

     We continually find ourselves thankful for the Zirkel family.  Their answering of God's call to Costa Rica 20 years ago has made our obedience in answering His call easier. One person's obedience to the Lord makes the obedience of others easier. One person's disobedience makes the disobediences of others easier.  This is observed throughout the Bible.  Adam and Eve didn't fully understand the consequences of their sin until their son was murdered.  Likewise, Jesus' obedience to God cultivated in the disciples an obedient heart.  Jesus discipled 12 people through obedience to the Lord and because of that, you and I know Jesus. Amen, praise the Lord.  

     Costa Rica doesn't have winter, fall, summer, spring.  Costa Rica has rainy and dry season.  The school calendar year ends in November.  We experienced the highs and lows with students as they were tested and received their grades.  Our small group leadership class also had a final exam covering the things we've discussed since september, and we are very excited for the new school year in 2016 because there will be student leaders developing small groups of their own!  HALLELUJAH! Kendra and I have each been leading our own small group.  Kendra with the ladies and myself with the hombres.  Picnic lunches, after school movies, games, and bible study; all held together with fellowship.  

     As you have probably noticed, I have incorporated a few words from the spanish language into this post.  That's because we are learning spanish and it is exciting! We meet with a tutor multiple times a week.  Sometimes spanish makes sense, other times it makes no sense at all.  However, we can tell that spanish is being learned and progress is being made.  For instance, I let Cowboy out to potty one evening, and had a nice chat with the gate guard about a rabbit, and about a cat that kept setting off the alarm by sitting atop the complex's fence.  

     I think of my simple family down here in Central America and am blown away by the love and support we have received.  When I saw Kendra at summer camp for the first time, I told my youth director "Beth Palmer, I'm gonna marry that girl".  When Kendra and I were engaged I thought to myself... "I've never loved another person this much in my entire life.".  Then when we were married I thought, "I love her so much more than when we were first engaged. I didn't know it was possible to love someone so much".  Everyday I fall more and more in love with my wife.  Every day I marvel at the fact that tomorrow I will love her even more.  Then everything zooms out, and I realize that we are the bride of Christ.  If I feel this way towards Kendra, how much greater must Christ feel towards His bride, the church.  My God loves me so much.  Since before there was a yesterday my Creator has loved me.  And after their is no tomorrow He will still love me. 

2 Samuel 7:18

 "Who am I, Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?"

     Thank you for your support and prayers.  We would like to request you speak with God on these things:

•Our small groups and small group leaders in 2016. That the time spent from now till then would be with God and in His word.

•Learning Spanish.  "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ".  

•Time spent in fellowship with students during their break

•That creation would be reconciled to Creator.  "For God so loved the world..." Which world? This one. 

Habakkuk 1:5
-Spencer, Kendra, and Cowboy Thomas