Sunday, December 25, 2005

Hand Dipped Ice Cream


Last Saturday we picked up from the port of Fort Lauderdale Jim and Charlotte Mabery. We asked them if they wanted to have something to eat and Jim said he wanted hand dipped ice cream. I did not know what that was, but when he told me we went looking for a place that had it at 10 in the morning. Thank God we found it and Jim had what he wished for. I think our Lord gave him the desires of his heart. We were listening carefully as they told us all about their experience in the cruise, and then as he often did Jim told us a poem. It was about a magnificent sailboat that a crowd was watching as it sailed until it got lost in the horizon. Some were sad because they could not see it anymore, but others were happy thinking that one day they would see it again. He told us that we as christians should not be sad when one departs, because we know we will see each other again someday.

I wish we could say that we were not sad when we heard the news about Jim. Just the morning before he had called us to tell us that there were two baptisms in the spanish group. He encouraged us to keep the good work and keep preaching the gospel of good news. He was actively being a christian until he was called up by Christ. We are grateful to our Lord that we had the priviledge of getting to know a true soldier for the cause of Christ. And we know he got his hand dipped ice cream like he very much desired it, but more than that we know the Lord gave him his biggest wish to see Him face to face. To be with him forever in eternity.

See you later Jim Mabery. A true example to follow the way he followed Christ.

We pray for all his family to be like that crowd that was happy watching as the sailboat disapeared in the horizon, knowing that on the other side is much prettier and that one day they too will see him again.

We love you very much.

Carlos and Maribel Preciado
Proverbs 17:17

Friday, December 23, 2005

Nacimiento de Jesus

Estamos impresionados del fenomeno que ocurre en estas fechas aqui en el Sur de la Florida. Muchas personas llenan los Centros Comerciales, buscando ofertas, comprando y comprando...pero, y... Jesus? No se trata de El esta celebracion? Bueno, no se, pero la gente no tiene tiempo de estudiar la Biblia... pues esta "ocupada". Amigos y hermanos aprovechemos este tiempo que la publicidad habla de Jesus, y hablemos de Jesus, compartamos de El. En un mundo lleno de prisas...detengamonos a reflexionar sobre aquel que NACIO para MORIR en una cruz por nosotros. Tambien moriremos... y adonde iremos..."separados de mi, nada podeis hacer" dice Cristo.
Bendiciones
Carlos y Maribel Preciado

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Upgrades



This last few days we have seen all we can take in apartments. As is one sign says. Completely remodeled with all the upgrades says another one. It got us thinking about our lives. The Lord takes us as is, or rather as we are. But He wants us to be like Christ with all the upgrades.

We have been very fortunate to look at lives becoming from as is to the potential they have in Christ. This week we started Sunday with the baptism of a 19 year old from Honduras. Enoc is his name and he had been studying with Wilfredo one of the spanish members at Griffin road. We met him the first weekend we were here and studied with him just a couple of times. His heart was ready to be remodeled and changed by the Love of Christ.

Tonight another soul was rescued by God from this world. Consuelo a native of Guatemala in her 50's accepted the Lord as her Savior and was baptized. Brother Alan MaCafee had been studying with her and we studied with her also. After the study tonight she told Maribel and I "I want to be baptized".

Praise God for the as is sign. We will buy an apartment this Saturday Lord willing as is, but we already saw the potential of what it can become. Just as the Lord takes us as is, and sees the potential of what we can become in Him with all of the upgrades.

Friends And Family Visit South Florida



We are so greatful for the encouragement we recieved from Dave and Karen while they were here. We felt very loved and apreciated their visit even though it was for a few hours. It meant a lot to us that they drove almos a days work to see us.

Also last Saturday we picked up at the airport Jim and Charlotte Maybery whom we went to eat lunch with before their departure to the Caribbean. We enjoyed our visit and were encouraged by them also.

The Lord blesses us with relationships that we may feel loved by him through them. Thank all of you who take the time to call and write and pray for us. It makes us feel that we are still there with you.

We love you very much.

Carlos and Maribel Preciado
Provervs 18:24