This photo is taken by my step dad Paul. It truly is one of those GOD incidents. But it truly captures my heart and how I felt as I worshiped in Pageant these last few months. Serving in Pageant with my daughter Mikayla (she is the blonde angel just over my head) has powerfully blessed me beyond measure. I have met God face to face daily in amazing ways that are hard to put into words. Last night just before our last worship time, as I sat in the baptistery praying and waiting for Mikayla and I to go out and minister over the manger, I saw the shadow of the manger hay on the wall and it looked just like a crown of thorns. My heart was pierced with the thought, Jesus came into this earth with us pricking Him with hay, He walked on this earth with us pricking Him with our judgment, and He left this earth with us pricking Him with a crown of thorns. Yet, He still loves us! ONLY JESUS! ONLY THE SAVIOR! UNTO THE LAMB… GLORY FOREVER! Thank YOU Jesus for YOUR Gift of Life this Christmas Season! It is my prayer that your heart glows with deep embers flaming for JESUS not just today, but every day this YEAR!

I love creativity. It truly is no wonder since our GOD is very creative! Just look around you! He truly has a sense of humor that shows up in His creation. Don't believe me just look at the variance of toes. I know this drew a smile on your face. But nothing more blesses me than to see the creativity born of GOD birthed in my children. My daughter came home with a poem that she wrote at school. Her thoughtfulness in considering praise for the Divine stopped me in my tracks. If her words can do this for me how much more so our Father's response to our creativity that honors Him. I know He is truly smiling as He ponders my daughter's poem titled: As Children Praise!

As Children Praise
By Mikayla Rye
October 2008

As children praise,
Hands lifted high,
All knees are bent,
Eyes toward the sky,
The rock sits silent,
Without a sound,
Lest praises stop,
A sound is found!
Said the Son
Of God Most High,
"For if you cease,
The rocks will cry!"

As children praise,
Hands lifted high,
All knees are bent,
Eyes toward the sky,
The rock sits silent,
Completely silent.
We praise Him always,
For every moment!

Consider how your praise can be lifted up with a creative response to the Father.
Amen & Hallelujah!

"He has shown strength with His arm." Luke 1:51a

Mikayla, Grant and I went to serve their school Omaha Christian Academy the other day. We are moving into a new school facility in October so there are ample opportunities to find a local mission project for the kids. We have been so busy this summer that this is our first time to go. We were allowed the privilege of sanding two door frames and then washing 37! Every once in a while one of them said, "Mom I can't reach a spot can you get it for me?" I did not think anything of it. Immediately I moved to the spot they needed reached and took care of it.

As we continued working, I started to pray in my heart to God. Ever so sweetly I heard in my heart, "Tara do you see how lovingly you are willing to stretch your arm out to Mikayla and Grant in their time of need?" I said, "Yes, LORD! It is no problem for me." "Tara, I too show my strong arm to my children in their time of need!"

I paused for a moment and basked in the wonder of our Father. There is nothing out of our reach that His arm cannot reach! There is nothing that is too hard for His strength! He is ready and available to show His strong arm in our behalf. Do we pause and ask? How long do we try to work through it on our own? How long do we strive and strain when it is simply solved with a request for help?

O Father, forgive us for not asking sooner! Forgive us for sometimes not asking at all. I am always amazed at how you meet me in the simplist of places. I love you Father! Help me to seek You first in all things. In Jesus' Name, AMEN!

Is there something out of your reach today? Why don't you ask the Father to stretch out His strong arm in Your behalf.

What did I learn from Guatemala? As I ponder our mission trip and all the Father accomplished, I realize this trip taught me in a greater way the value of missions to the team. While in Russia on a mission trip, God revealed to me that every mission trip has three separate ministries occuring. Obviously, the people you go to minister to, but while there I realized the team needed and received ministry as well. I also recognized that those left behind lived vicariously through the team. I have known this, but the Father used Guatemala to help me live this.

I don't even know if I know how to put this in words in such a way that anyone will understand except the team. We had such a sweetness about us that our time together brought laughter, tears, prayers, healing, encouragement, hope, restoration, relaxation, sweat, and yes... even silliness.

As I sat with the team around me all I could think about was how to make this their best mission trip. How can I bless them? How can I minister to their souls? How can I be Jesus to them? I know I am not the only one that thought this way. Listening and hearing each day how Jesus met them face to face and watching them experience the reality of Christ as alive and real became my hearts desire. My sweet Greg always challenges me and our kids to ask good questions. If you know me well, I can talk all about me. I have to consciously make myself ask questions of others and stop my mouth from talking. My two favorite questions I love to ask all the time and drive my kids nuts with are "What is your favorite thing that happened today?" What is the hardest thing that happened to you today?" Or "What did you like most or dislike most?"

One night at dinner I began asking this of our team. WOW! Such honesty is not always easy, especially when it is you answering. I can still see Molly bend over and try to pass on the question to another, but finally opening up and jokingly say, "I don't like questions!" Then sharing her heart. I can see Carley's eyebrows raise as she smiled to tell us how much it meant to her to play soccer with the kids and have Pastor Juanito say to her "FOOTBALL!" Which is soccer in Guatemalan.

We saw some tough stuff! Even the dogs were depressed in Guatemala, but this did not keep the people from being loving, gracious and kind. Learning how to express ourselves and share our hearts each night became very precious. What typically might have ended in a few minutes each night turned into hours.

Rhonda... our resident planner. Set up a night for all the ladies to gather and do facials and foot massages! At one point many of us had green face masks on while Pastor Jim came by to check on Molly. Our giggles sealed us as sisters.

The night of footwashing with the women and men has become a great memory for me and I have heard several say it is their favorite night. But for me my favorite night came when Pastor Jim led us in the LORD's supper. The room we were in was so dimly light that Chris held a candle over the Bible as Pastor Jim read it. Pastor Jim asked Chris to pray for us as the closing prayer and when he looked up he said, "I want to go around and pray for each person." Blessing upon blessing!

Jim and Chris went from person to person laying their hands on their heads as Chris prayed. In our time together, we(meaning the women)were able to share intimate things privately that no one knew. We sat in awe as Chris not knowing these truths prayed exactly what needed to be prayed into each persons life. I wish I could remember the details of each prayer. I cannot. However, I do remember that there was a theme to each persons prayer. For example: Tiffany was called to remain in the light. Mikayla had goodness prayed over her and through her.

As for me... I am still pondering what was prayed. Only a few select people in my life know the deep call I feel. Chris nailed it on the head. I never spoke to him of this. It scared me! It affirmed me! It touched me. As he prayed, I was so focused on the prayer that I did not think, but once he walked away I wanted to weep. How is it that HOLY GOD allows us to serve HIM? He trusts us with so much! He trusts us enough to allow us to go on the mission field daily. We do not know have to leave the country or travel far. HE TRUSTS US RIGHT WHERE WE ARE AT! Each of us have been given a trust. How are we responding?

It was obvious that each of us were greatly impacted by the prayers prayed over us. Courtney... a very rare quiet lady in the LORD. Held a look upon her face that said, "The deep has called out the deep." Chris affirmed her in the call to be a missionary by saying, "Don't be surprised if you become a missionary." She leaves in September to go to China to study medicine. She is praying about full time mission work. Please pray the LORD's presence upon her and protection.

As our stories unfold and we face reality at home, it is my prayer the LORD will help us with the transition back. It is hard. It is so hard! Once you have experienced the divine service full throttle facing reality and the mundane at home can seem so unattractive, distracting, a nuisance or even routine. I have prayed a guard upon our team. Because we are called both near and far. Father, may our lives never be the same. Allow the right change to take place to put us in further service for YOUR Kingdom to each other right were we are! Let us be the VERB in the moment since YOU ARE I AM ALWAYS!

I will miss our evening gatherings of sharing and caring! It blessed me beyond compare! Somehow, we always moved to prayer. Beloved, missions is everywhere! How will you serve today? Have you asked Jesus to see HIM? If not, do so! His face is everywhere! Even right where you are! In Him, Tara

Kodak moments from Guatemala. It always amazes me when I must sit down and write a few notes to let my people at home know all that God has accomplished in such a short time. It is impossible. In fact, I must begin with that it is a personal prayer goal of mine for me and Cultivating Hearts ministries to go on one international trip a year... Why? GOD radically meets you in the face and shows you what is most important.

Here are just a few faces I want you see that will forever be snapshots emblazoned in my heart and mind as I reflect upon Guatemala.

My first face is Mikaylas. (Forget punctuation and grammar I dont know how to use this computer.) Anyhow, in the airplane as we were about to lift off she was so excited she could have flown the plane just with the joy bubbling out of her. SHe knows the power of God working in her and the love she has for the people here. To live it one more time made her squeal with a delight that makes my nose burn. There is nothing like doing the will of GOD.

My second snap shot is off Pastor Jim in the Houston airport as we borded the shuttle. The doors shut on him. His hand lifted to stop the door and his face registered a look of complete shock. I lost my team already and we are only in Houston.

My third and now most precious is of Robbie. She has wanted to on a mission trip for as long as I have known her. At the airpórt Pastor Julio, Lily, Genesis, Denise, and Wanda came with Pat to welcome us with love from Guatemala. As I introduced Robbie to the family she prayed for as she packed the bags every prayer burst out in tears so full that the well proved to run deep. Only the God of deep could bring forth such love so intense. Robbie found release for a longing finally answered. I am weeping now as I write this. Father, I pray I am allowed the privilege to not only lead teams someday but to always bring along a first timer.

My fourth face is the face Leo. Mare and Leo opened their home the first day to feed us lunch in a ten minute notice. Their hosipitality shames us in America. We stayed with them in November. LEo has cancer and it has mastestisized. Forget the spelling. You get the idea. Anyhow Jim and Pat gathered us in their living room and Leo knelt on the floor as we prayed. The snap shot I want you to receive is Leo kneeling on the floor as we prayed over him. HIs head bowed and when Pastor Jim finished praying he said, to God be the glory. This is our first day!

A day to renew old friendships and begin new. O yeah we did go the mall with Chris the missionary and his son at night. We ate icecream. This is so important. You must try icecream in the new country. Tomorrow our ministry begins full swing and we will start building the house. I cant wait.

Hasta Luego mi amigos. A Dios Gloria!