Well friends, there's a lot going on this week, but it's really not

concerning the farm I work at.  This week has been more about my

relationship with Jesus Christ than it has ever been in my whole life.

 This week most of my team went to South Africa and the guys we're

supposed to all walk across Swaziland.  In the middle of all this I

wasn't able to walk with the guys, and I didn't want to be the only

guy going on a prayer retreat with a million gals.  It worked out

perfectly that on Thursday I would get to leave with one of the older

teams that had just come from Mozambique!  I would get to spend the

weekend with a group of 6 of them.  I was really excited because I

could feel the Lord telling me that he was gonna use the 2 guys on

this team to really pour into me.  Before Thursday I worked on the

farm Tuesday!  We are getting ready to plant spinach and cabbage so we

did some plowing.  We had to burn these massive piles of dead weeds

and corn stocks before we plowed though.  It is quite fun running from

pile to pile with a homemade grass torch.  We lit maybe 40 piles of

the dried weeds, and I only slightly burned the hairs off my left arm

;)  Wednesday was amazing!  Jamie and I grilled beer soaked soaked

sausages for the guys I work with.  We made them rice and cooked

nearly 10 pounds of sausages for them.  With the right seasoning and

Jamie on the grill, we cooked one of the best brai's I've ever eaten!

The guys I work with loved it as well.  Also on Wednesday I was able

to help my boss by drafting up a attendance policy form.  This way,

the guys I work with will have to be way more professional and

responsible to keep their jobs.  Those 2 days account for my whole

week in ministry.

Life doesn't get easy when the Lord wants all of us.  I've been

spending days in the book of John lately, and I can't get over John 3.

 At the very end of the chapter John completely humbles himself to his

disciples.  He tells them in verse 30 that Christ must become greater,

and he must become less.  I look at my life friends, and that is what

I desire.  When we have people that look up to us for advice and

council we must act in love as John has acted.  Being humble is

something the Lord is showing me through the book of John.  One of the

guys I spent the weekend with, and I bought the same book at a

bookstore in South Africa!  It is a book about becoming a Man of God.

We decided that we were going to read the book at the same pace so

that we could be growing and discussing topics in the book.  I am only

2 chapters into this book, and I am completely rocked about how I'm

living my life now.  The book goes through the fruits of the spirit,

and how as men we should see those fruits.  I have only been through

the first 2 fruits, love & joy.  I feel as though lately that God is

tearing out my heart of stone and putting a new heart in me.  My whole

life I have been resisting this change.  Kyle and I talked a lot about

dying to ourselves each day to take on more of God's character and

lose more of our own.

Love is the main way the Lord taught me this week.  First thing is

that I MUST love everyone!  No more selective love in our lives.  We

naturally love those that want to love us back.  Why aren't we loving

everyone.  I hear too much gossip and crap being spoken about those we

aparently Love!  I am as guilty as anyone with selective love.  Even

on my team here in Swaziland there are those I spend more time with

than others.  In the gospel the Lord talks about even loving our

enemies and praying for them.  It is painful to see that I have not

been loving everyone, but have been a selective lover.  God's

character is to love everyone, and for me to learn more about that is

amazing.  God has been patient in teaching me this! When you stop and

realize that God's love is never ending, unconditional, and he loves

everyone you must ask Him to give you a love for people and life just

like that.  I ask that you will be praying for me this next 10 days as

I leave the farm I'm working on.  The Lord has pulled me away from my

ministry to pour His character into my soul and inner depths.  I will

pray that you invite the Lord to teach you how to love and begin this

process by praying for those you don't love, hold grudges, or whatever

they have done.  Give it to the Lord.  I love you and miss you all,

Marcus