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June 2017

Muchas Gracias!

Thank you so much for your gracious support. We love working as part of your local ministry extended globally. We have been encouraged by cards and emails, notes and FaceBook messages as we have settled into our new routine in Costa Rica over the last few months. We have a pleasant little home in a quiet neighborhood near a city park, about a half mile from the Spanish Language Institute. The kids have enjoyed acclimating to their new school and Wendy and I are remembering what it’s like to go to school full-time. Our primary responsibility this year is language acquisition. We are happy to report all “A”s so far! (We’re even starting to watch TV in Spanish. . . there’s really nothing good on here either. . .)

While we are learning Spanish, we are also investing in relationships and beginning the work of leadership development. We have begun preaching through translators, visiting our Free Methodist Churches throughout the country, and I have been able to facilitate a course in pastoral leadership.

Even these few months into the work, we understand better than ever that it takes a whole community to effectively reach out to the corners of our globe, and we’re so thankful to be walking this journey with you! Please find below some specific ways you can join us in prayer over the next weeks and months.

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April 2017

WE ARE DEFINED BY...

I had a big exam in my grammar class on the last Friday of March.  It lasted two hours and included both perfect and imperfect past tense in Spanish.  After we received our exams, our teacher, Ana, was going over the test with us. One of the students was certain he was going to fail. He asked, "Am I defined by this exam?"  She said, no we are not defined by our exams but by our character all trimester.  This made me think of our tests in life.  Do my struggles, failures, choices, and tests in life define who I am?  I truly believe the answer is the same answer that Ana gave, no.  But I do believe that my tests, struggles, failures, and choices impact who I am, even if they don't define who I am.  A year ago, I was struggling as a mom just thinking about moving my kids overseas.  Now I struggle with living in a new country, being a full-time student, mom, wife, ect.  In my past I have struggled with losing my father-n-law to ALS, experiencing miscarriages, going to seminary, moving to a new city, and the list could go on and on.  All of these experiences have impacted who I am, but none of them define me.  So what defines us?  Our relationship to Jesus is what defines us.  I am a child of God, because Jesus loved me enough to die for me and make a way for me to live a life of freedom and wholeness.  I accepted that gift of grace and began this journey at camp when I was 14 years old.  I am defined by my relationship to my Father, my God. I am his child.  As Semana Santa (Holy Week) will begin in a few days, let's remember that we are not defined by what we cannot do, or what we've done that we shouldn't have done.  But we are defined by the fact that Jesus came to earth as a little baby and grew up to die on the cross for our sins so that we could live.  There is hope in this messed up world, and his name is Jesus.

Lorenz Happenings.

It's been a busy month: A trip to see Volcán Arenal, Fun with friends in the park, and science fair projects.  All four kids did great in the science fair.  Both Libby and Ellie got first place in their classes.