Hope you are all doing well. We love you all and are so thankful for those who partner with Lauren's work with FH through prayer and support.
Click this link to read more about what God has been teaching Lauren through her ministry with FH-Peru: God in the Midst of Forgiveness and Reconiliation
We also want to share a short picture update of our lives during the last couple of months. Please continue to pray that God would continue to strenghten our relationship as husband and wife, and that He would give us wisdom and energy in serving at our church, with the young adults small group.
Many Blessings, Lauren and Cristian
19 May 2011
God in the Midst of Forgiveness and Reconciliation
This past week we welcomed a team who is visiting from Canada. They are a team that has an ongoing partnership with the work of FH in one of the communities in Lima, and in each of their last three visits they have also held different trainings for FH staff on appreciating different personalities in team work, telling of our life's stories/ testimonies and this last time - forgiveness and reconciliation.
Forgiveness and reconciliation are issues which are central to the restoration and healing we hope see as a result of FH's violence prevention project. Based on the results of the base-line study we carried out in March and April, it is clear that there are many broken relationships in need of both forgiveness and reconciliation. In fact, during the several days I helped in interviewing families for the study, I felt the weight of this need as I heard the stories of wives abused by husbands, children neglected by their parents, and siblings fighting one another, and in too cases complete indifference.
I do believe that the project FH has designed will impact many speaking truth into their lives and giving them opportunities to learn new ways of relating to their loved ones. But it has been hard to not become disillusioned by testimonies I have heard, asking myself… how is this project going to be able to bring restoration to so much abuse, brokenness, frustration and indifference? The truth is these problems are really a God sized task. So FH is trying to carry out a project that is a God sized task, but this week I was reminded that God will be right in the middle of the work.
During the training we discussed a few practical strategies for our own lives and for also helping others work through issues of forgiveness and reconciliation, but the part that spoke to me most was the message that came from the Biblical study of Matthew 18: 15-35. In this passage Jesus is teaching his disciples about how to seek forgiveness and reconciliation, about how we should always be willing to forgive, and also that He is present in the mists of our efforts to seek forgiveness and reconciliation.
Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them.
Matthew 18:19-20
As the presenter mentioned we often hear this verse as a call to and motivation to pray together, which is so important. But as we consider that this passage sits between two of Jesus’ key teachings on forgiveness and reconciliation, we realized that this passage also has something to say about the process of forgiveness and reconciliation.
Restoration of relationships, and unity are so important to Jesus, that He is with us when two or more gather together to seek forgiveness and reconciliation. And God the father will do what we ask, leading us to repentance, healing us, and helping us to restore relationships.
So back to my question… how is this project going to be able to bring restoration to so much abuse, brokenness, frustration and indifference? This is a God sized task, and this week He reminded me that God is in the midst of the process of forgiveness and reconciliation, and that He can bring restoration. Please continue to pray with me asking God to the FH violence prevention project to restore lives, relationships and families.
Forgiveness and reconciliation are issues which are central to the restoration and healing we hope see as a result of FH's violence prevention project. Based on the results of the base-line study we carried out in March and April, it is clear that there are many broken relationships in need of both forgiveness and reconciliation. In fact, during the several days I helped in interviewing families for the study, I felt the weight of this need as I heard the stories of wives abused by husbands, children neglected by their parents, and siblings fighting one another, and in too cases complete indifference.
I do believe that the project FH has designed will impact many speaking truth into their lives and giving them opportunities to learn new ways of relating to their loved ones. But it has been hard to not become disillusioned by testimonies I have heard, asking myself… how is this project going to be able to bring restoration to so much abuse, brokenness, frustration and indifference? The truth is these problems are really a God sized task. So FH is trying to carry out a project that is a God sized task, but this week I was reminded that God will be right in the middle of the work.
During the training we discussed a few practical strategies for our own lives and for also helping others work through issues of forgiveness and reconciliation, but the part that spoke to me most was the message that came from the Biblical study of Matthew 18: 15-35. In this passage Jesus is teaching his disciples about how to seek forgiveness and reconciliation, about how we should always be willing to forgive, and also that He is present in the mists of our efforts to seek forgiveness and reconciliation.
Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them.
Matthew 18:19-20
As the presenter mentioned we often hear this verse as a call to and motivation to pray together, which is so important. But as we consider that this passage sits between two of Jesus’ key teachings on forgiveness and reconciliation, we realized that this passage also has something to say about the process of forgiveness and reconciliation.
Restoration of relationships, and unity are so important to Jesus, that He is with us when two or more gather together to seek forgiveness and reconciliation. And God the father will do what we ask, leading us to repentance, healing us, and helping us to restore relationships.
So back to my question… how is this project going to be able to bring restoration to so much abuse, brokenness, frustration and indifference? This is a God sized task, and this week He reminded me that God is in the midst of the process of forgiveness and reconciliation, and that He can bring restoration. Please continue to pray with me asking God to the FH violence prevention project to restore lives, relationships and families.
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