I have found a GEM...Abiding Together Podcast

Dear friends, I have found a GEM!!!  This podcast has rocked my mother, woman, and Catholic world!!  You have got to listen to it...but before you do, here's a little testimony email I shared with the women who share on the Abiding Together Podcast:

Dear Sisters in Christ,

I was introduced to your Podcast by a missionary sister of mine and I've loved every minute of listening to the episodes... I can't wait for season 2 and how the Lord will use you. 

I wanted to share a glory story with you...a way the Lord worked through you to open me to Him!

My husband and I and three little children are missionaries in the deserts of Mexico. After the recent birth of our newest little one I was listening to your series on the Joy of the Gospel on our drive back into missions. I was struck by the comment of opening ourselves up to how God desires to encounter us and others through us. I've noticed since becoming a missionary that my heart is often, unfortunately, in the default position of closed. I've been wounded by missionary brothers and sisters and by encounters at our door with the poor, and over time my heart has hardened, so this opening myself to God's encounter both stirred my heart and made it shutter at the same time. But here's my story:

We live in a large mission house: our family occupies one room as our living quarters, and we live with another family, some singles and often have visitors. This past week we had some of the sweetest, nicest visitors from Costa Rica. I honestly have never met a nicer, more joyful couple, and yet my heart was still a little closed to them. One morning we got up, got the kids ready and headed downstairs to the common areas to lead morning prayer. We were running late that morning and had but 2 minutes before our community gathered, so we figured we'd feed the kids breakfast after prayer. 

As we arrived downstairs, there on the table in the shared kitchen were homemade, hot pancakes made by one of our guests, just for us. Of course we were surprised, but because we are community leaders I was hesitant to push back prayer and make the community wait on us... It seems silly to write these things. Why was it a dilemma to eat delicious pancakes?, But I was set on our timed schedule and quite frankly had forgotten to look for moments where God interrupted me to encounter him... This was an unexpected interruption.

We sat kindly, not wanting to offend our guests and figured we'd eat quick and then "get on with it" in 10 minutes, no serious delay. And then, our surprise cook, surprised us again... He ran into the other room shouting behind him, "Wait, I forgot an ingredient." 

He came back out with a guitar and proceeded to sing "Buenos Días Señor" (Good morning Lord) before leading us in grace... It was all quite enjoyable, but I wouldn't go as far to say delightful because I was irritated that I wasn't "In charge of the time."

In that moment, by the grace I only know as that of the Holy Spirit, I remembered your exhortation to be open to being encountered. Here the Lord had interrupted my schedule just to love on me, and my heart was so hard and set in my own ways I wasn't even going to take delight in something I love... hot, fresh, homemade pancakes... And a silly song to go with it. (He could have interrupted me with something much less appealing, but he's so gentle and kind... And patient with me!) In that moment I opened my heart back to the Lord and invited him in to encounter him a new and I've been different since that moment!! 

I share this all to say THANK YOU!!! Thank you for loving Jesus and sharing your life and that love with us invisible "listeners"... Be assured God is using you and your yes!! I love you all...I wish I could sit around your table, drink coffee and share more life with you three especially gleening all your wisdom, but I'll take what God gives me: the scraps falling from your overflowing tables... and they are such sweet morsels!

May God continue to bless you three and your ministry to his children.

In Christ,

Natalia