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Testimonies of Christmas Past

Our Venture of Faith Started 37 Years Ago

Calvino's Nuggets of Wisdom

The Joy of The Lord Is Our Strength

from Calvin and Barbara

At the beginning of August, the Lord told us that this is a month of praise.  “Praise Me every day, all month.” Then on August 16, we received a report that Calvin had cancer throughout his abdominal area.

When we heard the report, we told family and friends, NO FEAR! We have been continually rejoicing. Praise is the vehicle that takes us from the natural realm to the supernatural realm.

We have had so much laughter in our home.  Even when the hospice nurse comes, we always end up getting tickled about something with her.

Twenty-three years ago, God gave Calvin a 25-year vision and he has only fulfilled 23 years, so we are committed to finishing our contract with the Lord.

We are going to look at the story of the Jewish people who had been in captivity in Persia. They had returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the city. They had enemies on every side trying to stop them. They had to work with one hand while they held their sword in the other hand. It was an extremely difficult time.

Nehemiah 8:10 NLT  … “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”

When we become emotionally affected by the enemies around us, we become weak and fearful. In our world, there are enemies on every hand, sickness, political upheaval, wars, rebellions, riots, hurricanes, and fires. Our world has been disrupted.

When our lives are in chaos, we need to remember that, The joy of the Lord is our strength! God wants us to praise Him in the midst of the battle, for the battle is not ours but the Lord’s. We can’t allow the negative emotions of fear, anger, and confusion to weaken us. When we put our trust in God and worship Him, He fights our battles for us.

Psalm 61:2 NKJV From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalms 126:1-6 NLT When the Lord brought back His exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream!  We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, “What amazing things the Lord has done for them.”Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy! Restore our fortunes, Lord, as streams renew the desert.  Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.

When we seek the Lord, He brings us back to our rightful place and restores what the enemy has stolen, like our health or fortunes.

God wants us to praise Him in the midst of the battle, for the battle is not ours but the Lord’s. We can’t allow the negative emotions of fear, anger, and confusion to weaken us. When we put our trust in God and worship Him, He fights our battles for us.

Isaiah 12:1-3 NKJV And in that day you will say: “O Lord, I will praise You; though You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me. Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid;‘ For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’ Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

Our joy is the tool we use to draw water from the wells of salvation.

Don’t lose your joy! Joy is the bucket you use to draw water from the wells of salvation, which includes healing, peace, blessing, strength, and prosperity. Joy will draw what we need to the surface.

Testimonies of Christmas Past

Moctezuma, Sonora

One year in Moctezuma, before a Christmas program, a policeman stopped Calvin. As the policeman came up to the window, he said, “I just stopped you to thank you for bringing the Christmas programs here. I attended as a boy. It is a wonderful blessing to the children.” Whew, what a relief! Calvin had been trying to figure out what he had done wrong.

Satevo, Chihuahua

In a small remote community in Satevo, Chihuahua, we stopped and asked the teacher if we could do a Christmas program for the children. He told us nothing religious was allowed in the school, but after a bit of friendly visiting, he relented and allowed us to do the program.

After seeing the program and the gifts we gave the children, the teacher, with tears in his eyes, thanked us for giving the children back their childhood. He explained, “As this is a community that grows and deals in drug trafficking, the only game the little boys play in fighting drug wars with their rifles make out of sticks. Today they are on the ground playing with their little cars like normal little boys.”

Since that day, we have always been warmly welcomed. The last time we were there, the school made a party out of it and served all of us treats afterward.

Nacozari, Sonora

Many years ago in Nacozari during spring break, we set up a puppet stage in a neighborhood to do an evangelism program. A lady in a nearby house (who happened to be a witch) called the police to make us leave.

When the policeman arrived, he said to us, “Oh you’re the ones who do the Christmas programs. I will block off the entire street for you so you will have plenty of room.”

Tarahumara Village, Chihuahua

On our first visit to a small Tarahumara village, when we asked the chief if he knew Jesus Christ, he responded, "No, he’s never been through here." We told him, "No, we are talking about Jesus Christ the son of God.” His response was, “I’ve never heard that. I know the sun god, the moon god, and the corn god, but I never heard of a God that had a Son named Jesus Christ.”

As you are reading this letter, we are starting the process of getting money to the many teams doing Christmas programs so they will have time to shop. We plan to reach 14,000 children this year! Believe with us for the offerings to come to accomplish this goal. God never fails. He always brings in the necessary finances.

Our Venture of Faith Started 37 Years Ago*

Thirty-seven years ago, we had a divine encounter with Pastors Jose and Marylu De la Torre at the county fair in Douglas.  As we were helping them build their first church. They begin teaching us how to love and bless the children of Mexico.

This year they weren’t going to do a VBS because of being so busy with building their new church facility in Agua Prieta and faithfully ministering in a number of remote pueblos in the mountains of Sonora.

But then they received an offering from Faith Ministries for VBS  and did a VBS right before school started.

Here are a few pics of the happy faces. 

*The last Sunday of September 2022 marks the 37th Anniversary of our Venture of Faith in Mexico.

Calvino's Nuggets of Wisdom

Through most of August and most of September, I have been highly blessed with new eye-openers from the book of Hebrews. Since I’m not an author of books, I hardly know what to do with all of this new information.

Hebrews 4:12-13 NLT For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

Once our heart is prepared to receive present truth, the Spirit power of God’s Word begins to explode within us. It is a glorious experience for a hungry soul. When God’s Deep touches our deep sparks will fly.

I Corinthians 2:10 NLT But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.

One of the beautiful sparks that is lighting me up is that Our Father’s purpose for us is eternal life and His oath is Jesus being sent to guarantee the Father’s promise.

Hebrews 6:18-20 NLT  So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. 19 This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. 20 Jesus has already gone in there for us…

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