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Week 3 of Spanish in Costa Rica

Posted on by Spanky Rouse
I am finishing am finishing up my 3 week in Costa Rica with a cup of coffee and a good meal made by my Mamá Tica. I have to say I thought that I may loose a few pounds here in Costa Rica but if anything I will probably return home bigger. Good food and a lot of it. This week has been great. I have learned a lot and I believe that everyday I become more familiar with this language. I went to a Catholic mass last night with my Tico family a I think I understood more this week than I have ever. Praise the Lord! Believe me I still have a lot to learn. One month of learning Spanish goes by so fast but I thank God for letting me be here and learning the things that I am learning. I believe that I can get around with no problem, read the majority of a newspaper, and understand the main points in a conversation but I fell that I am still behind in speech. I keep praying daily that God will allow me to have the gift of Spanish in my mind, ears, mouth, and heart and I believe that He will grant it to me over time. Hopefully He will grant me opportunities in my everyday as I return to the States for the next few months before we follow Him to the great place of Panamá.

I was going to say, on the spiritual side of this trip but the Lord stopped me because I believe that the trip in its entirety has been a spiritual journey. The Lord is at work in my heart and life and He is teaching me about Himself, the gospel, and who He wants me to be. I have been reading a book called “The Gospel Primer”, that my best friend gave me earlier this year. It has sparked a fire in me for the gospel and a passion for Christ. God is amazingly big, unimaginably perfect, righteous, holy, just in His ways, merciful, forgiven, gracious, and supremely worthy. All that I have in life, every blessing, He put there when I deserve the total opposite. My cup, my life, is overflowing when there should not even be a drop in it. Actually there should not even be a cup. That is what I should get from God but He gives me the privilege to come before Him with confidence and ask anything. ¡Cuán gran es El que sirve! How great is the One that I serve.! That’s another point, He calls me and allows me to serve in His work! Hallelujah

I have enjoyed my time and have grown in my walk with the Father but man I miss my family! I was not made to be apart from them for a long period of time. This trip has also made me realize how blessed I am to have a wonderful wife like Lara and two amazing boys like Mac and Grey. I dream of the day that I get to huge and kiss each of them. They have been doing great, because God has had His hand on them and because Lara is an awesome woman. Things have not been easy or smooth sailing but God has been gracious and Lara has been strong. In this month of not being able to actively pursue more funding and support for our ministry needs like I want to or need to be doing, God has provided some new financial partners. How great is He! I am sure that they are ready for me to come home as I am ready to be there. Please keep praying for them and Gods mercy and blessings to cover them over this next week. And please keep praying for me as I learn Spanish for His glory and future Kingdom work. We know that Christ is preparing us to be used in some mighty ways and we are so excited! Dios te bendiga! God bless you!

Week 2 of Spanish in Costa Rica

Posted on by Spanky Rouse

¡Dios te bendiga! This past week has been great! I have felt a little less stressed with the learning and work load even though it has been greater. I have had 2 different exams and I felt like I did good on both. One was for conversation and even though I was more scared about it I think it went the best. The second one was for grammar. The problem here is that I am not good in English grammar so I am already behind in learning Spanish grammar rules. One cool opportunity the Lord has given me is someone that I can practice with everyday. He is the guard for our road where I live. He loves trying to learn English and he helps me in correcting me as I try to conversate with him. I believe that I have already learned more Spanish in the past 2 weeks than I have learned in the past 5 years. Praise God for the opportunity!

I believe that the missing my family part of this experience has been magnified this week. I believe that I know the meaning behind the saying, time apart brings you closer. I can’t believe that I only have 2 more weeks here but I also can’t believe that I still have 2 more weeks apart from my beautiful wife and amazing boys! Speaking of my great wife, she is such a blessing to me and gift from God! She has taken the boys to the beach, camping in the mountains, taken care of the house, and managed to keep up with her work and most of my work load too. On top of all of that she had to deal with everything in our lives falling apart like our heating system breaking. As I sit here many, many miles and hours away she tells me on the phone not to worry about it because God is just preparing us fore bigger and better things and He is the one who is holding our hands today. What a gift from heaven and Christ centered heart and mind. “Set your minds and hearts on the things above and not on the things of the earth.” Col. 3:2

I believe that I am here in Costa Rica not just for the purpose of learning Spanish. God has bigger things to teach and show me. He has elected and chose me for the purpose of bringing Him glory and doing His work! The Lord is teaching me new and exciting things about the gospel. He has saved me to do good works for His name sake and so that others may know the glories power and love of our Abba Father! Phil. 2:13 “…for God is at work in you, both to will and work for His good pleasure.” My satisfaction comes from doing His will and following Him in the paths that He has set before me today. John 4:34 ” My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work.” I praise God for calling me, choosing me, using me, and providing for me and my family. Glory a Dios!

Primero Semana de Clase de Espanol

Posted on by Spanky Rouse
¡Glory A Dios! The first week of class is over and I feel completely overwhelmed. I have enjoyed the class and living amongst the Latin culture. I am living with a traditional Tico(Costa Rican) family in a small neighborhood out side of San Jose. I have nothing but Spanish spoken to me and some how I have figured out how to get by. It is suprising how much I have been able to understand after only a week of living here. It really helps that I spend all of my free time conversating with my Tica Mama.

My days consist of getting up early, getting ready and eating breakfast with Mama. I then start my homework of studying words and verbs before I walk to school in the afternoon. It almost feels as though I am reliving my elementry years over. I have a mom that makes all of my meals, washes my clothes, packs my lunch, and makes me snacks(coffee) while I study. I go to school, talk with friends, and have to clean my room daily. The simple life but wierd. When I am finished with my studies if that is possible, I walk around the neighborhood meeting new friends and hanging out until dark. I have made a friend with the local neighborhood gaurd that sits in front of my house daily and with a Greengo from Virginia that lives across the street. Yes he is a Hokie!!!! One of God’s gifts to me. 🙂

I have two classes. One is for grammer and yes I am just as bad in Spanish grammer class as I am in English grammer class. My other class is Conversation. We have to write stories about our families, houses, and life here in Costa Rica and then talk to the class about them. Whats tough about that class is that we have to ask and answer questions about our presentations. Also, none of my teachers speak English. I was shock on the first day when the teachers announced that they “no hablo ingles” but it really is not that bad.

Life is simple, quient, relaxing at times, and fun. I could definitly see my family and I living somewhere like here and enjoying it. “God is using the circumstances in your life to prepare you to accomplish His plan for your life.” Andy Stanley, Visioneering. If you could keep praying for Lara and the boys!!! I miss them so much as I know they miss me too! Keep me in your prayers as well as I am learning Spanish for the glory of the Lord and for his Kingdom. Pray for my mind and ears to understand, my mouth to speak it, andmy heart to fill it. Ephesians 6:19 “Pray for me that the utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the goespel.”

Beginning Spanish

Posted on by Spanky Rouse

God is so good to us! Upon returning a week and a half ago from Panama the Lord laid on my heart for me to have more trainning in the Spanish language so that I can be more effective in ministry. If we are going to live some where that speaks Spanish then I thought that it might do me some good to have a better handle on the language. Lara and I started praying about what to do. We knew that I did not have much time and that we were going to be traveling a lot over the next 6 months. After googling the internet for an hour I found a Spanish language school in Costa Rica that is tailored for missionaries and it has many short intensive coarses available. It looked like the right fit for me.

After looking at our schedule and money we realized that we had to leave it in the Fathers hand because we were short on both. October was the only month that I could have done this very short intensive coarse so we prayed, Father if it is your will and time then make it clear and provide the resourses.” That seems to be the one of many common prayers in this stage of our life. After only telling a very small group of friends about this with no intentions or expectations it all came together.

We needed $1000 for the school, $350 for room and board, and about $300 in other fees and misc. God provided almost all of it in a matter of 2 days!!! Even after that amazing answer to prayer I still was not sure if this was suppose to go or not. I know I can be a bit hard headed. Lara being the most amazing, God fearing, wonderful wife and partner in ministry told me that I had to go because God has provided and that was that. Inspite of us being apart for a month and the sacrifice that was going to have to happen on so many levels for our whole family I left one day before classes started for Costa Rica.

I have only been hear for 2 days but it has been so great! It maybe one of the hardest things that I have ever had to go through mentally but it also one of the most effective things that we have done for our ministry. Praise God for the opportunities and for the people in our lives that believe in us and our ministry! Glory a Dios!/Glory to God!

I lift my eyes!

Posted on by Spanky Rouse

Uganda Nov 07 137

Psalms 121:1-2 “I lift my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from?!?! My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth!” We believe that we are in one of those seasons of life where the Father is refining us in our faith, devotion, and finances. It is one of those times that you don’t really look forward to it but just about half way through you start to understand why and can appreciate it. I don’t know that a valley in life is ever welcomed or enjoyable but I do know and say with confidence that it is needed!

“Why would a loving and caring God let this happen to me,!” I am sure that you have heard that a time or two and probably even from a believer. I am sure that I have even been the one to say that a time or two. The more I learn about the purpose my life has in the kingdom I ask why wouldn’t He allow these hard times to take place in our lives.(James 1:2-4) Anyone who has ever been through a valley can look back and see how the Father help you in His hand the entire time.

This is the place where God teaches you the lessons that you wouldn’t have normally learned. This is the place where God reveals Him self to you like you have never seen Him.(Glory and Power Psalms 63:2)This is the place where God molds you and shapes you into the person that He wants you to be. This is the place where God prepares you for the task that He has for you. This is the place where God directs your paths and life.

Lets not worry and be anxious (Phil.4:4-7)but rejoice. Lets praise Him and give Him all the Glory! He will uphold and rescue his children. Psalms 23:3-4, “He restores my soul, He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for you are my rod and staff that comforts me.”

What a cool guy!

Posted on by Spanky Rouse

IMG_2240If you have ever meet Henry you would love him too. Henry is a good friend of mine from Venezuela. I actually like to call him my brother. He has a Christ like heart. He loves to serve, encourage, teach the word, lead others to the Lord, and eat peanut butter.

I had the privilege of spending a week with Henry in the Jungles of Panama this past spring. I know I said that he was Venezuelan but he goes where the Lord leads him. He came to visit and work for a week with our wonderful friends in Panama ,the Vegas, and then realized that God had more for him to do there. We just briefly knew of each other before this week but quickly recognized how much alike we are. It was like I had found a long lost brother. I was able to sit a listen to him teach and disciple some new Christians and leaders for a couple of days and I was amazed. Then I saw Henry give it his all when it came time for us to teach and play with the children. He is a real missionary at heart and Christ follower in life!IMG_2069

Another reason I am so fond on Henry is because he saved my life. I thought I was going to die climbing this mountain but he keep encouraging me. He also gave me some power food, as he called it. We call it Fruit Loops here in the US. It must have some kind of power because I made it to the top. Love you Henry!

Please be praying for Henry!

Sun kissed by His Glory

Posted on by Spanky Rouse

Bella 029Have you ever heard the phrase “sun kissed”? Sun kissed is when you have been out in the sun all day and feel the effects of the hot glowing sun all over your body. We tell our little boys that they look sun kissed when they come in from the pool or beach and their cheeks are rosy pink.

I heard a wise and godly man says something so that really got me thinking. He said that his daughter and wife were glimpses of the Glory of God to come. That stuck with me. It made me see my family in a little different light. They are precious and wonderful gifts sent by God to me. He gave me them so that I can know Him better and know of His Glory to come. WOW! How differently will we talk to and treat our families when we see them as a glimpse of God’s glory.

My wife and two wonderful boys are to me like being sun kissed by God’s presence, power, beauty, and love. How good it feels to be sun kissed by His glory!

What are your motives

Posted on by Spanky Rouse

God has blessed me with the opportunity to be apart of a mens bible study for the summer. We have been meeting for two weeks and already we have seen God work. In them and in me. We are reading through the book “In the company of Jesus” by Bill Donahue. One of the sections in chapter one that we read was titled “The Teacher who exposes our motives”. I really thought that this study was more for them than me until this section.

What are our motives for doing the things that we do? I began to think why do we help others, why do we give money, time, efforts, energy, why are we in ministry, why do we “sacrifice”? What are my motives: money, pride, ego, love, compassion, fear? What I think the book talks about is getting honest with God and yourself and asking these tough questions. Be open before Him and let him shine His light of truth on the secret places of your heart. I have to say I don’t know if my motives are always in the right place. The thing that sucks about this is that whatever praise or earthly gratification I get now is all that I will get. But if my motives are pure then my Father in Heaven sees my good deeds and will reward my justly. Men praising or God rewarding? I think that I will choose God. Matthew 6:3-4

A day at the beach

Posted on by Spanky Rouse

I could not have asked for a better day with the family. We were going down to the beach to celebrate our anniversary but decided to go one day earlier so we could spend it with the boys. Lara’s grandmother was keeping them at the beach anyways so who wouldn’t want just one more day at the beach. It was absolutely perfect!

The skies inland looked dark and rainy but on the beach we had nothing but warm air and sun. The weather and water were perfect.Grey slept for the first part of our trip in his stroller under the pier while Mac and I played in the waves. Mac is the absolutely coolest boogie border that I have ever seen with his Scooby-Doo board. Once Grey awoke and realized that there was “wadoo” he was in. (wadoo means water in the language that Greyson speaks) He was a little hesitant at first but quickly got use to the waves. Every time I tried to sit down and take a break I either had Grey pointing at the ocean saying, “no wadoo, wadoo”, or Mac pouring buckets of sand and water on me so I would chase after him. He thought it was so funny. I quickly learned that it would be years before I just sat on the beach and relaxed with my wife.

Between her frequent trips to the water with Grey and laughing at me, Lara lounged in the sun with her grandmother and aunt. They enjoy talking about everyone that walks by and who am I kidding I enjoy that too. We could not have had a better day at the beach. There is nothing that could have made this day any better. Well if everyone wasn’t so pink it might be a little better. Praise God for his creation: the beach, family, His mercy and love, and all of those things combined into one day.

p.s. Pictures will come later!

My Boys

Posted on by Spanky Rouse

DSC0282 copyI have come to realize that God makes each of us special and unique. Lara and I have two wonderful little boys, if you do not know already. These boys, Mac and Grey, are something special. If you have spent anytime at all with either of them you will know what we are talking about. If you have spent anytime with them you will also know just how different these boys are from each other. Mac is sweet, tender hearted, blond hair, and blue eyes while Grey is tough, strong willed, dark hair, and brown eyes. These two could not be any more different unless they weren’t brothers. I even wonder if they are brothers some days.

Yesterday we were riding down the road talking about how different they are when the Lord revealed something great about both of them to us. While Mac is sweet and continent always he is not a great leader, yet. It frustrates me when I see him following others and not standing up for himself. Not even to his little brother. I want to say,”be strong and of great courage!” with a God size voice so he will listen. It makes me wonder if it is a coincidence that we named him Joshua? I think not! Grey is the one that I seem to butt heads with and seemed to get frustrated with since it is “his way” or no way. No comments! We named Grey, Jeremiah with the hope that God would touch his mouth and let His holiness come flowing out and not his Rouseness. Just kidding.

But with their weaknesses we can also see the potential in them to be great men for God. That is our hearts desire. That there will be nothing more important in their lives than Him and that God will do great and wonderful things through them for His glory. Mac is going to be such a servant for the Kingdom like his mother. He will give you anything even if it is his last one and you never hear him complain. What a blessing he is! Grey is going to accomplish what ever task God puts before him and he will not let anything get in his way. If he is determined and if his energy and focus is towards Christ the world and Satan better watch out. What a blessing he is!

My prayer is that they will have a face to face intimacy with Christ that they will hear, see, and be touched by Him as Joshua and Jeremiah were. I also pray that they will have the strength and courage as Joshua had through out his life to follow God and accomplish His task. Lastly, I pray that they will be obedient in following the plans that the Lord lays out for them as He enables as He did for the young Jeremiah in the first chapter. What a blessing these boys are and I know will be!