Ripples of FREEDOM

   When you drop a small rock in a pond, it creates small ripples. When you throw a large boulder into a pond, you create giant waves.
   Anthony’s death has thrown a giant boulder among our youth. They have hurt and grieved so deeply. However, his death has also sent giant ripples of the Lord’s freedom rolling out through the youth. I have been blown away to see the growth in them in the past two months.

   Abel (pictured above left) and Gato (pictured above right) have both begun to seek the Lord more and more. They are both still hurting so much. I often see them sitting alone and crying. We have talked and prayed numerous times over our grief for Anthony. Their grief is completely normal, but in the midst of it they are walking more and more with the Lord. They are seeking His comfort. They are longing to walk in His ways. They are maturing. They are getting lost in worship.  It’s difficult because everything comes in waves. Some days they are doing so well and really seeking Him and then other days they are just really hurting and sitting within their sadness. Continue to pray for them. Pray that this new desire for the Lord will plant itself deep within their hearts. A.W. Tozer says, “Thirsty hearts are those that have been awakened by the touch of God within them.” I know that through Anthony’s death, the Lord has touched both of their hearts. I pray that they will allow that thirst for Him to consume them and that they will drink deeply of His love and presence.

   The freedom I see in Andres (pictured left) has come in a different form. For as long as I have known him, Andres has been so closed off. I love this kid so much more than I could ever explain, but he has more walls built around his heart than anyone I have encountered (To read more about Andres, read Reaching Past the Facades). Whenever I ask Andres questions about anything in his life, he will respond “that’s too personal. I don’t want to talk about that.” Even to a question as simple as: What do you want to do in the future? I have talked to them and prayed with him about allowing the Lord to gently begin tearing down the walls that he has built around his heart. While those walls can protect you from being hurt, they also keep you from receiving love from the Lord or from anyone around you. Since Anthony’s death, Andres has been returning to the church (after nearly 6 months away). I still don’t think that he is ready to walk with the Lord wholeheartedly, but I have seen the walls begin to crumble… PRAISE JESUS!!!
   Andres and I have a tradition that every so often we will go out for pizza together. He loves to eat pizza and it’s one of the few restaurants that we have here in Chichigalpa. Every couple of months we will make a pizza outing: Andres, the friend of his choice, and me. One of my first nights back in the village Andres, Gato and I went to Pizza Hot. We had a great time together just laughing, talking, and eating tons of pizza. The surprising part came on the walk home… As we walked back to Candelaria, Andres began to open up about things with his family. He began to talk to me about his family and his dad (that Andres doesn’t know at all). He talked and talked. He allowed me to ask personal questions about it and answered them all without hesitation. I know this sounds like a small thing, but it’s an undercurrent of a tidal wave of freedom that is rising up and will rush forth in his life. Continue to pray for freedom. Pray for a breaking down of the walls that he has built up to protect his heart.

   The loss of Anthony has been the hardest thing that I have ever walked through, but I believe that the Lord brings His goodness out in every situation. I have seen the ripples of the Lord’s freedom and I long to see where they will lead.