The sons are FREE!!!

So 10 weeks of pure God-encounter in the heart of revival in Mozambique...

...Absolute best trip I’ve ever taken and yet totally different than I expected.. The things that God did in my life over those weeks are the number 1 thing that I have taken from Pemba. I made life-long friendships and witnessed miracles and loved kids and preached and many other awesome things. But they all come in second place to God’s work in my life. And this is what He showed me...

The simplicity of the gospel. It was revealed to me so fresh and so sweet by Holy Spirit! It’s nothing complicated or new. But there’s something amazing about surrendering all you know or think you know to God and saying, “I don’t want that stuff. Teach me from scratch.” After doing that, God revealed to me such truth as if to a little child. And I got it! I understood in my spirit the truth! The truth that sets us free! And this truth is all about identity. I am a son of God. I belong forever as a son and have access to His excess without limit. I am one with Christ forever. And guess what? The sons are free! No longer slaves to rules. But free to live from the grace of Jesus.

Everything else is religion and it sucks. Anything that says ‘work for a relationship’ and not ‘live abundantly from sonship’ is a lie. That is the beauty of the gospel. That is the real good news. Jesus did it ALL! And He is worth it ALL! 

So...that leaves me back in America on January 3, 2012. And now what? I’m making plans to waste my life on Jesus... And can things ever be the same again? I guess they could if I chose to let them be. But they can’t if I choose to live in the reality of faith. Because faith is not a feeling, it’s a reality. So things can never be based on how I feel, but on the finished work of Jesus on the cross. That’s what’s real! And that’s how I live, as a son, by faith. There’s no other way. 

Well. Thanks for reading. And thanks for praying for me and supporting this adventure. I would love to catch up and share so much more of my Iris trip with you individually. If any of this sounds interesting or you want to hear more about Africa, please let me know. I would absolutely love to grab a coffee or a meal and just chat. But it’s much harder for me to contact all of you than you to get in touch with me. 

You are amazing and there is no flaw in you.

Love always,

Juan

Below are a few pictures. But I'll put more on Facebook if you’re interested. Enjoy!

Pemba Airport

beautiful little princess in a village

our classroom hut as the sun sets

king of a village where we did outreach

king's wife

baptisms in a knee-deep water hole

Mama Heidi learning to braid straw rope

me with mama and papa pastor at Macomia outreach

Macomia outreach team with our friends

little one grabbing mama at graduation

with Mama Heidi after graduation

baptized in the Indian ocean

A month to go...

So it's hard to believe that it's already been 6 weeks. A week into the trip, I thought time would never move fast. But after that first week, it has flown by. And there is so much going on every week that time to process and digest all that God is doing is hard to find. But I am blessed with some time to get away every few days and be alone with Jesus and really process all that He is doing and saying. Those moments are the best.
So the last month, what will it look like? I'm exctied because it's gonna be nonstop, full-blown encounter with Jesus. It's like all the stuff so far has been building and building toward a climax of glory that will happen these last few weeks. There are incredible speakers coming in and the expectation and anticipation for God to show up and wack everybody is spreading amongst the whole group. As that faith rises, I know that God will do immeasurably more than what we ask or imagine.
So all that we can offer God is our hearts, totally yielded and completely abandoned to Him and what He wants to do with us. And with that desire and surrender God is free to do whatever He wants. And it's so much better than anything we could work for or try to make happen on our own. Layed down, surrendered, in-love, abandoned, possessed, captivated, wrecked, and abiding in the heart of God. That is where God wants us to remain.
And this is what God asked me the other day and I ask you:

"If everyone in the world was like you, would it be revival??"

I believe that true revival starts in me. And spreads like wildfire. And I want to be so yielded and possessed by Holy Spirit that the love of God leaks out everywhere. And that's my desire for you. Totally filled. That if everyone was like you, we'd be having wild revival.

Love always,

Guzman

The Simple Life

Life moves a little slower in Mozambique. To say the least. It's such an incredible change of pase from the crazy business of American life. It's a place and a culture that is so event oriented, that the value of time is placed directly on the event going on at the moment. That is the priority. That is where people focus. The next thing does not start at this or that time. It begins when this event, whatever it be, is finished. It's a very different approach to time and one that really makes room for Holy Spirit to have His way whenever He wants. He is not bound by the restrictions of time, of things ending at blank o'clock. He is given priority to do what He wants, when He wants, however He wants to do it. I have really enjoyed that. And I don't agree with the entire outlook on time and event priority but do believe that there is important value to learn from this culture if we want to see relationships grow and God sweep the land with revival.

Anyways, that just came out. Not planned. Haha. Event orientation is grabbing a hold of me. I wanted to share a bit of day to day life with y'all. So basically, the days are long and wonderful. Sun rises at 5am. I'm usually up by 6 or so unless I go run or swim earlier. Grab a couple bread roles and tea foe breakfast and have some alone time with Papa. Class starts at 8am. We usually worship Jesus for an hour or two. Event oriented worship is the best! No time limit! Then a speaker teaches followed by another speaker finishing off the morning. At 1 we go have beans and rice for lunch. So glad I brought spices because rice and beans everyday get bland. Usually there are optional classes or sessions in the afternoon. On Tuesdays and Fridays there are usually soccer games versus the Mozambican pastors or the boys Iris team. Dinner is at 5:30. Rice and something. Monday and Wednesday night there is class. Tuesday night is family dinner. Thursday night there is soaking worship. I'm usually in bed by 9 unless we stay up chatting with new friends or having a Holy Ghost party. Water is a privilege. Sometimes there is no running water. Bucket shower or a swim in the Indian ocean across the street is the solution. We share a room with 10 men, including 3 mozambican pastors. It's a little tight but wonderful. Really great group of guys. Life is simple. And I've really enjoyed the simplicity of life.

So I'm beyond blessed. God is doing so many incredible things daily. It is a blessing to be here. There is something so special about being around a group of 270 people from all over the world that are hungry for God and giving Him their lives for Him to transform the world. There is such an atmosphere of joy, peace, and love that permeates everything that goes on and electrifies everything that God does with expectancy and faith!

Much love from Pemba!

Joy is Serious Business

"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and JOY in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)

Oh Africa. It's incredible to watch a people enjoy the JOY and goodness of God's love in the midst of terrible poverty. In the natural, Mozambicans have next to nothing and yet possess an inheritance of incomprehensible worth as children of the King. Papa Rolland is a man so full of the joy of God that, though he has 10 years of theological education, He loves to let Holy Spirit have His way in every meeting. He has said some really profound things about joy:

"the Holy Spirit is just in a better mood than you are..."
"Christians that miss the joy of the Holy Spirit are missing out on a third of the Kingdom"
"we honor God by rejoicing in Him in the midst of any and every situation"
"would you rather be a missionary or happy?"

I pray that you would know the joy of the Holy Spirit in the midst of any situation you are facing, because it is when we really understand God's goodness as the cornerstone of all things that we can enjoy Him during the good and the crappy stuff life throws us. That though Iris experiences terribly hard and sad situations in ministry, they rejoice in the presence of God always and honor Him above life's circumstances.

I can't post pics right now cuz I'm on my phone but I'll try to soon.

Blessings to you and may joy abound,

Juanpa

Finally ready...

It's 3 in the am and I just finished packing and finishing the last things I needed to do before leaving. In 12 hours I will be on the plane! As I take off, I am beyond excited for this opportunity, but it's no fun leaving behind my friends, family, and Urban Eagles. So mixed feelings for sure. But I think that's a good tension and a good place to be. I will try to keep you guys updated every couple weeks or so.

Blessings

Website for the ministry where I will be the next 10 weeks
Iris Ministries


Africa, here I come...