Are you hurting today? Are you feeling the weight of things on your shoulders? More and more there seems to be this overarching feeling of loneliness, defeat, and burdens. Do you feel yourself there at times? Or maybe you know of people that may be there? Well, you’re not alone and there is help out there. One of the best ways to receive it? A recent quote given from a man who himself felt he was once at rock bottom shared,
“The church loved on us and my challenge to every one of you here in this room tonight- Leave tonight and commit to go and change the world and do it in conjunction with your local church. Go with Jesus, take on the world, share the most wonderful message known to man to as many people as possible.” – David Smallbone
You don’t have to go through this life alone, the church is there, people are there who love you and will care for you! As the encouragement came from David, I couldn’t help but think of the encouragement it brought to my heart and soul as we finished up our time back in the states and the opportunity to reconnect with so many back in our hometown, the love that comes from those who’ve helped and continue to help us along the way, all the way here- in the Dominican Republic.
Yes our time in the states came due to the blessing of gaining our newest daughter-in-law (it’s surreal being able to meet her for the first time face-to-face at the rehearsal dinner) and marital bliss for our oldest Austin. Oh, what an amazing gift we can receive to reconnect with our children, our parents, the grandparents for our kids and so many that simply just continue to have the heart and love to pour out their support and understanding as to what we continue to fulfill in the leading that the Lord had led us to so many years ago.
Valerie said it best when she was playing with her brother and showed me her display that she created in order to share in her “shop” what it is that we do…
We are the bridge to help those who can connect with people in the Dominican Republic, serving alongside us, through the local church, in the hope that we can share the gospel to those in need of their Savior, Jesus Christ. Serving the people here and being a buffer so to speak between different cultures understanding just how important it is to reach those in other parts of the world.
To our ministry partners, our church partners, our connected pastors, schools, childrens homes in orphan care, and so much more. The opportunities are there and to share in a recent story as well, we can only ever give God the glory always! Because as one woman was led to connect with us. Her heart was led to serve along with us even when we couldn’t technically be in country at the same time.
The time that she could be in the Dominican Republic, we would be in the states. How could everything come together then, when at first we thought we needed to be together? God. Trust. Obedience. Faith. We encouraged her to travel down and stay the course. And the outcome in the end…..multiple women showing up, reaching out and prayers being answered!
We know and believe that this is only the beginning to the ever growing kingdom that God calls for each and every person to join in as family, receiving the free gift of His son Jesus Christ, a relationship with Him on earth and an eternity in heaven. As always, a door in this opportunity to join us is always open to walk onto that bridge here in the Dominican Republic….not alone, but together with us all.
"Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you." - Paul, 2 Corinthians 13:11
Vogsberger Family on Mission 