We are excited to share with you some updates from our most recent visit to Spain!
Our IHNM team, along with a pastor from the church in El Salvador, visited Spain during part of the months of August and September. It was a really encouraging trip, and we saw God working in many people’s hearts, from the youngest to the oldest. Anyone who was hungry and seeking the Lord, Jesus responded to them in an extraordinary way!
Have you ever gone somewhere, and God starts speaking to you through different people and places in that location? It’s like a continuous conversation that Jesus is having with you.
Here are some of the things God was speaking to us and an overview of our schedule while there:
When we arrived in Spain, we were received with tons of love from our Spanish family. We were able to sit down and hear about the different things God had recently been doing there. It was obvious that they were excited about the upcoming youth camp that they had worked hard to put together. They were praying and expecting Jesus to transform the hearts of the youth that had signed up to go!
On our first Sunday there, the topic was the spiritual mind versus the carnal mind (Galatians 5). The carnal mind refuses to trust and depend on Jesus Christ, but the spiritual mind lives for King Jesus and lays everything at His feet. The spiritual mind is more than an overcomer and has a victorious mindset. A child of God isn’t walking towards victory; they are boldly standing in victory!
We then headed off to a 5-day youth camp! The leaders chose to do the camp during specific days of vacation when most of Málaga goes out to party. It was encouraging to find out that some of the youth there didn’t even have a church that they attended but still took the time and paid the money to go to a church camp. So, while masses of people were out doing crazy things, we were seeking Jesus and asking Him to bring real change to our lives and to the society around us. The coolest part was that God responded to our prayers! The youth were impacted by Jesus, His love, and His word for them. If you want to read more details about the camp, then please read our separate blog specifically about it called
“Looking Out Over Spain”.
After we returned from camp, we had a special Sunday service focused on thanksgiving and testimonies from the youth. The youth were beaming with energy and excited to share with the church what Jesus had done in their lives, and the parents and grandparents were so proud of them. It was a very touching service full of joy and gratitude. One of the families went forward to give a testimony of how their daughter had called her mother during camp to repent for the way she had been treating her; both parents were crying as they shared the story. Other youth talked about how God had helped them overcome different struggles in their lives. There was story after story, and it was awesome! Thank you, King Jesus!!!
During our stay, different members of the church asked us to share a meal with them. It was encouraging for everyone to be able to eat, talk, and pray together. When traveling far from home, those moments are very helpful and hopeful, especially when you are missing your family or your daily routine. We also participated in their weekly prayer meeting and their weekly youth meeting. Each prayer meeting, the church building would fill up with people.
Our final Sunday morning in Spain, the pastor talked about how God has given us a free choice to choose Jesus or not choose Jesus. He urged the congregation to choose a relationship and full dedication to the Lord Jesus Christ, and not to live according to their own desires. He spoke of Deuteronomy 30, where God tells us we have the option between life and death, blessing and curse; God says choose life. Choose Jesus!!! The pastor asked: “Do you believe in Jesus? Let’s be like Mary and choose Jesus!” That example of Mary and Martha is crucial for the church today. We can be so occupied with serving Jesus that we don’t listen and talk and ask Jesus questions. We miss out on the actual relationship with Jesus. And sometimes we are so “busy” for God that we stop obeying God. The goal as a Christian is to always be surrendered to Jesus Christ and to be the best servant that we can to Him.
We left Spain with hopefulness and excitement for the things to come, the things that Jesus will do in the future, and a huge gratitude for what He had already done! Thank you so much for your time, support, and prayer! We appreciate you and are praying for you as well. Blessings!