“OH GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR HE IS GOOD, FOR HIS STEADFAST LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!” PSALM 107:1
Happy (day after) Thanksgiving! I thank God for each of you and pray that you may be overfilled with his love. Although this year’s thanksgiving looked different than years past, it was so sweet. Throughout the day, my whole squad worked together to prepare dishes for the meal and decorate the area. Before we ate, everyone shared something they’re thankful for. It was beautiful to look around and see so many different faces. I felt such gratitude that the Lord placed me here with all these people. We fellowshipped and broke bread then ended the evening with worship. Thank you, God, for my family – by blood and through you. Above all else, thank you, God, for your love for us that while we were still sinners you died for us!
This year I’m especially grateful for many things I once took for granted! These include…
– Clean water
– The ability to read and write
– Toilet paper
– Clean clothes
– A bed to sleep in
So much gratitude for these 24 brothers and sisters (& Clayton and Ethan)!
Testimonies!!!
While my squad was at the beach, a couple from Switzerland asked if I could watch after their stuff so that they could both get in the water. When they came out and were drying off, we started talking. God provided a straight gateway for me to share the gospel with them. Thanks God! As the conversation continued, they politely allowed me to share and asked questions. They were content in their beliefs of spirituality and many gods, but it was a really cool opportunity sharing the truth of God and his love with them. As you may have seen in my previous post, I have been praying specifically for divine appointments unmistakably clear from God. This surely was. I was just sitting on the beach when God brought English speaking people to me that I could proclaim the Good News of Jesus to.
During prayer walking, my team visited a house where we met a 20-year-old man struggling with addiction. His mother has been praying for him and asked if a group could go talk to and pray for him. When we walked in, he looked sad, barley spoke, and stared at the ground most of the time. We began talking and trying to get to know him, three people from our group shared their testimonies with him, and we shared truths from God’s Word. Although the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, Jesus has come to give abundant life (John 10:10)! There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1)! Who the Son sets free is free indeed (John 8:36)! As the conversation progressed, it was evident that his heart was being softened. He shared how he wants and needs to change, but it is really hard with the environment he is surrounded by. We continued talking with him, and he decided that he wanted to re-dedicate his life to Jesus!!! The man we met was not the same man that we left. He physically looked different and was smiling and laughing, telling us about himself, and had more life in him. We visited him again a couple of days later, and he said that he had applied for a job and told his mom about the decision he made for Jesus. Thanks so much God for making us new creations in you!
The first time we met “Mario”, at the hospital, he told us that he waits in his room for groups to come share scripture and pray for him. When we’ve been able to re-visit him, his face lights up and he is grateful to see us. He has been in the hospital for almost two months with a hip infection and possibly additional complications. Praise the Lord that “Mario” has a relationship with Jesus! He is eager to hear God’s Word, and he asked us to bring him a Bible so that he can read it throughout each day. He was filled with gratitude when we brought him a Bible this week. It has been a blessing to see him multiple times, and we pray boldly for healing and health over his body. We met another man at the hospital who is in a plain room all by himself. He has a head injury and is unable to speak. One of the nurses told us that he was brought in after a car accident and since then none of his family or friends have come. Each time we walk in his room, he reaches out his hand for us to hold. Although he is unable to speak, he makes ticking noises and can hear. When we would read Bible verses to him or encourage him with truth, he would make ticking noises. The last time we were there his eyes watered up as we were telling him that God is always there, so he is never alone. Someone disregarded by his own family and friends but a loved man that Jesus died for!
Glimpse into life recently!
We often like to play the game
“How many people can we fit in one taxi?”
Last week, I was blessed with the opportunity to share at the dump. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am
the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6
We love juice in a bag!
Meet one of our translators, Harvey! It has been
a blessing to know and serve alongside him.
Team Revel has been so blessed to know and serve with Reiley, an intern at REAP.
She has a big heart for the Lord and others, and we love her a whole lot.
What’s Next?
On Wednesday, November 30th, my team is leaving Granada and heading to the Island of Ometepe! For three weeks, we will be serving alongside an orphanage.
Snippet of truth! Colossians 3:12-17
We are God’s BELOVED! It is a title that we could never earn or deserve, but he freely offers it to us with joy and delight. His love shall compel us to love others in the same way. This is a truth that the Lord is day-by-day transforming me by, and I pray that you too allow him to lavish his love on you. He loves YOU so much!!!
Please join me in praying for all the people we meet, including the people mentioned above, as well as interceding for those who do not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
To the ends of the earth,
Madilyn
What are you thanking God for? Also, I would love to intercede on your behalf, so please feel free to contact me with any prayer requests!
This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for young people who have taken up the baton of faith and are continuing to run the race. Your list of thanks is so under appreciated by those of us who live with it all easily in reach and often overlooked. Thank you for pointing those blessings out.
Continuing to pray for you and thankful for your updates!
Madi, Received your blog post as I was studying for tomorrow’s message. The focus tomorrow will be on hope. So you can imagine how excited I was to hear how the hope of the gospel is being shared through you and your team and how God is using it to impact lives! May God continue to work through you and in you as you faithfully serve him.
Together with Him,
Pastor Dave
Maddie,
You are always such an encouragement! God is surely using you and your team to do big things, and maybe even more small things that are unseen by our eyes, but felt by hearts. Continued prayers for your safety and health and that God will continue to divinely appoint your path. Love you, The Bakers
Nothing is more powerful than sharing the lasting hope that Christ gives. I am so glad you are witnessing this first hand.
What an encouraging update! Thanks to God for your bravery and enthusiasm- praying for your next outreach ??
Yea you are Gods beloved, and I’m so thankful you are leaning in to that and sharing your hope and love to others. We are truly encouraged and blessed by what you and your team are doing. Much love to you
Stephen and Teri Jernigan
awww madi!! it’s amazing to see how the Lord is working in your life and others around you! i’m so proud of you and i miss you sm
Maddie – what a joy it is to read about the people you are meeting with. I will continue to pray for your divine appointments.
Maddie, what a blessing it was to read your post today and the testimonies of God working through you and your team in the people there. Love reading about the Hope that God gives to the people down there!
Will continue to pray for you and your team and more opportunities to share Gods love
Zir Hyman
“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”
??Romans? ?5?:?3?-?5? ?NIV??
Madi, we’re praying for you! Love hearing the details of your travels and the divine appointments God is setting up for you!
Great picture of the Thanksgiving group, heard it was a blast and the group shot is a beautiful representation of the thankfulness. Your thankful list is unmistakably simple, makes me wonder what the list would have been in any other normal circumstance? The Lord teaches through the stretching. Love your divine appointments for testimony, truly unmistakable moments to share. Got you in prayer for the step into the orphanage ministry. It’s gonna great, actually, you are probably already there and ministering mightily in love to those children.
Maddie you continue to bless my heart each time I read what our awesome God I’d in and through you! I pray for you guys daily. I know your family is so so proud of you! Love you????
Maddie,
It is always encouraging to read your updates and hear of the work you and the team are doing for the Lord. Praise God for the hope in Christ that is being shared and received. I am continuing to keep you and your team in prayer…may He continue to send you to to the people and places that need His hope.