Welcome! Nuestra Casa Es Su Casa ...Our house is your house

A glimpse into the life of Daniel and Jaynee Lockwood and their 12 precious blessings. Thank you for visiting; we pray that what we share here may always bring glory to our wonderful God and Saviour. May you praise the Lord with us for the great things He has done and continues to do as we serve Him sharing the gospel here in the little town of Cuidad Insurgentes, BCS Mexico. He alone is good and faithful!

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Catch Up

Proverbs 17:22
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.

I remember the ideas I had of missionary life when I was a child.  Romantic tales of heroism, pouring out one's life for others, sickness, hardship, faith, seeing God do what only He can do, joys, tears, love.

I absolutely love to read.  I have often told people how apart from our family and friends in the USA, the thing I miss most from our homeland are chocolate chips.   And I do miss them sooo.  
But there is something I miss even more.  Books.
I love reading.  
I have loved reading as long as I can remember.
Accounts of the lives of missionaries who gave their all to bring the gospel to a far away land were my favorites.  I think they still are.
Oh, to have a library here.  Of course, if we did, it would be in Spanish :).  But still! 

We are blessed to have the books we have.  I have read of them over and over.  I've noticed that as I've recently re-read many of the missionary biographies that I read as a young girl, I understand them in a whole new way.  My love for missionary work has only grown exceedingly.  But my idea about the entire thing has changed completely.  My heart understands their joys, sorrows, hopes, discouragements, weariness, encouragements, desires.  
I see them differently, too.  Though I know many if not most far surpass me in their faith, they are like we are.  Normal people who simply have been given that burning desire and must go.  
Wives that say to their husband, "Where you go, I will go.  Your people will be my people".

I'm so thankful the Lord called us here.  It isn't easy sometimes.  But it is through those hard times and trials that our faith grows.  
And to be serving the Lord together with my very best friend here on earth...the one I love.
Someone to laugh with, cry with, and share my life with.  
My prayer is that the Lord will use us.  That He will use our children.
He is so faithful and so good!


It's been almost a month since I last wrote.  I always have such good hopes of updating more regularly, but there just doesn't seem to be a "regular" day anymore! 
After our bout with the stomach flu, I came down with a horrible cold/cough.  We have been traveling so much the past week between the process of renewing my visa and doctor's visits that all the "togetherness" in the van led me to share my cold with Daniel.  
And then the kids started to get it.  Only theirs seems much worse....more like a flu.  High fever lasting 5-7 days, no appetite, cough, headache.  All week, our table has been so empty and quiet since it's mostly the younger half that are down right now.  
Between traveling, then caring for all the sickies, along with keeping up with schooling those who weren't sick and the regular house/ministry work, I feel a bit out of sorts!

But there is so much going on for which to pray/thank the Lord.
First, the Lord answered a long time prayer of Daniel's a couple weeks ago and provided us with a "new to us" van.  Our first time in it all together was at the Walmart parking lot in La Paz.  I had to snap a few pictures.  With Timothy 16 now, I know it won't be too long now before these children of ours begin their own lives/families.  This may be the last 15 passenger van we need.  
As we drove around testing everything out, I realized within short order that this vehicle has down right cold working air conditioning!  Sometimes I feel the Lord is too good.   
My handsome driver ;)
And a dozen wonderful kiddos.
Don't worry...yes, I'm only counting 11 there too.  I think Nehemiah was bending over.  We did make it home with them all.  

There have been so many exciting things going on in the ministry.
First, we've had 4 people now come to Christ out in the fishing village of Ensenada Blaca.  This past Sunday, Daniel took all from our church here who wanted to go and held the Sunday evening service out there.  
Abigail was really sick that day, so I stayed home with her and the younger ones, but the micro was packed and they had several new people come to hear the preaching.
Keep praying for the work there.

And this Monday, at 7 am, something exciting happened.  
We started digging to prepare building on our church property.
Our church has been in 5 different places since we've started...homes, rented buildings, loaned buildings.
Last year, our church purchased it's own property and have been praying that the Lord would provide for us to build.
The current building where we are meeting has been loaned to us for the past almost 2 years.
Last month, the owner came over to tell us she will need the building back in June.
So with no where else to go, we will soon be moving out to our property!

Right now, we are working on building a bathroom and storage room.  A bathroom because, well, you sort of need one. :)  And the storage room because we need a place to securely store things.  
We have the plans drawn up and are praying for the Lord to continue to provide.
We'll be out there in about 3 1/2 months.  
Whether it's under a tarp or we're able to put up those block walls, it will be our church home.
A place where the gospel of Jesus Christ will always be preached.
A place where God's Word will be taught week after week.


A few random pictures to close from the past few weeks...

A volleyball game with friends.

Someone who's just about has handsome as his Daddy :)
Benjamin's giant pumpkin!
All cooked/puree'd and ready to make into delicious pies, muffins/breads.
Breakfast in our hotel room during one of our recent travels.
Someone who's just about as goofy as his mother :)
Writing thoughts in her new Bible Notebook.

21 comments:

  1. I always get so excited to see a new update from you! :) I hope you are all feeling better now. My girl was hit with that nasty flu a few months ago...it was miserable. I can only imagine it times 12. What a blessing to have your own land for your church...we have discovered that it really can make a difference in ministry. I will pray for the Lord's continued provision for a building. :)

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    1. It's so good to hear from you, Veronica! We are super excited to see the Lord's provision and how this land/future structures will be one place in this town where the Lord Jesus Christ and God's Word will be preached and glorified!
      This flu is the pits, but I know people are praying for us...my younger 3 seem to be much better this morning. The middle 3 boys are still down for the count, but the older 3 boys have still thus far escaped it, for which I'm very thankful.

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  2. Just caught your update as I was updating myself. So good to see all the pictures. Ugh...all that sickness. It can be the worst especially in a big family :-)

    So happy happy happy to hear that people are getting saved. That Jesus is there and His light is shining (Mttw 5:16). I love all the updates on the villages your reach out to.

    Now I'm off to pick up Green Eyes :-)


    ~hugs and prayers to you sweet friend~

    ~Cinnamon

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    1. I just read your new update too! Sorry I'm so bad at commenting, but I still read every update you post (when I have time) and I'm super happy your man will be home with you soon. I will pray right now for you and his safety as you travel.

      I just addressed a letter to you...as soon as our post office gets stamps again (uhhgg! :-/ ) it will be on it's way. It's really a letter from Leticia and her family...I just included the translation :-) She gave it to me 2 weeks ago, and I kept forgetting to pull it out of my Sunday School bag (she gave it to me during class), so it's getting to you a bit late...not her fault...mine!

      Love and miss you, my dear friend! Can't wait to hug your neck again someday. :)
      Twirl around the yard a few times with Grace for me...do it in the snow :-)

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  3. Ugga. I hate when my kidlets are sick. Hopefully everyone will be right as rain quickly!

    Curious - how much would it cost to buy the materials for the church building? Where does most of your funding come from?

    Congratulations on your new van! It looks great! And I can only imagine that a/c is a huge huge blessing down there! We currently fill every seat in our minivan, and I'm so looking forward to "sizing up" to a big van if the Lord chooses to bless us with another baby!

    Peace, health, and grace to you!
    ~ Mae

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    1. Hi, Mae, The Lord is so good to provide, isn't He! Our a/c is a huge blessing as during the hot months, it is really too hot to travel in those vans w/o it as only the front windows open and the front side ones just crack open...it's stifling hot in the back.
      I'm not sure on the exact cost for the building. Daniel has the plans for a main auditorium with Sunday School rooms/bathrooms/storage rooms/kitchen as well. I know it's not cheap to build here. I think to get everything built will cost around $50,000. Daniel is breaking it down in phases. Right now he is working on getting the footings/stem wall made for the bathrooms/kitchen. After that we'll pray about pouring the floor for them. Walls are pretty cheap in comparison. Foundations/roofs are the most expensive.

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  4. So fun to read another update from you! I wondered how things were going. Nice to see you're keeping Jolly in the midst of things:):)

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  5. Hi Tereza, So good to hear from you! :) Hope you are doing well with all your littles and bigs :) I know it's been few and far in between updating here. I love doing it, but hubby, kidddos, home, others/ministry here come first :) Today is a day when most of my kiddos are resting and there's not much laundry as over half the family has been living in bed or the couch in their pj's :) So I'm getting caught up on some desk work.

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  6. Your post does my heart good! May the Lord continue to bless you all with joy and strength as you serve Him. xx

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  7. hi lockwood family, i just been busy lately but i will mail out the letter soon, i wont get it send out maybe after march 3rd due to be it being one year ago on march 3rd of the passing of my granny, and my cousin wife had her 2nd baby a couple weeks ago so i been, i know the kids dont know me just tell them that i said hi and tell abi and rebekah that letter will be mailed soon it just going to be after march 3rd.

    -brittani

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    1. I'll be sure to tell them hi for you, Brittani :)

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    2. thank you and did kids say hi back like when you told them that i said hi to them for me, i will send letter to abi and rebekah after march 3rd tell them, and let me how happy abi and rebekah are to be getting my letter soon march 3rd. thank you i would love to meet your family or wish to, maybe one day in summer but i have birthday in july and know your of your kids has a birthday in july to.

      -brittani

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  8. I always enjoy reading your updates. Any results on your skin infections?

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    1. Hi, Kristy, No conclusive results yet...a few possibilities. Working right now on building up our immunities and have a few more tests to do this coming month. Thank you for asking.

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  9. Jaynee,

    Love it when you find time to update, even if it's just cute pics of you and Daniel. :)

    Sickness in a large family is just plain miserable. I feel for you!

    So exciting to hear of the ministry growth and changes, and especially of lives saved.

    I totally "get" what you mean about missionary biographies---but sometimes it's the mundane, the necessary, the monotonous, the difficult days that make up the "exciting" adventure in the end. Keep plugging along---God is still writing YOUR story!

    Love,
    Selina
    Momma to 4 from my womb and 3 from my heart
    www.bergeybunch.blogspot.com

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    1. Selina! What great words of encouragement! It is so true and such a marvel to me that God is writing our story....each one of us! That we may be all the more trusting in His beautiful plan for our lives.

      Oh, I have very, very, soooo much enjoyed your last post on Grace Parenting( I think part 13). It really made me think and pray about some things. Thank you for using what the Lord has taught you to encourage and help others.

      I know I don't comment much when I read your blog, but I know you "get" that...Know I think of you often. :)
      Have a wonderful new week in the Lord with your sweet "babies" :)

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    2. What??!! You don't have time to comment? :) What could you possibly be doing all day? LOL

      Thank you for your sweet words about my blog. Much prayer has gone into each post.

      Lord willing, we will be approved in March by Macedonia World Mission Board and begin deputation shortly after! I will need your expert traveling-the-country-with-a-bunch-of-kids advice. :)

      Love you!

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    3. Wow! Did I miss that or know about that and forget? Where are you going? I had no idea, but I'm so happy for you! I can't wait to here all about everything that I don't know! :) ha! Write whenever you want/can/have nothing else to do in your bountiful free time :-)

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    4. I will email you privately. We haven't posted it on my blog just yet, but I've shared on FB. :)

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  10. I love reading your updates!
    So exciting to hear of souls saved!
    I love reading your updates!
    Love all the pictures!!!
    I love reading your updates!
    I think we are on the same sickness schedules :(. Praying you will all be back to your healthy, goofy selves soon :).
    I love reading your updates!
    I better end, but wanted to let you know I LOVE WHEN YOU UPDATE!!!!

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    1. Hahahaha! You are so funny :) I love reading your updates, too! We loved following your trip and OH Hannah's quilt!! Beautiful! And that amazing quilt shop and all you did! What fun! WHEN you come visit, some sewing lessons for us girls are definitely in order!
      I'm hoping we'll all be on the mend soon, too. Benjamin just came home from church tonight running a fever of 101 and coughing quite a bit. Since this flu seems to last at least a week, I will plan on more chicken soup.
      Isn't it the most exciting news to hear of one come to Christ!!!??!!
      We had 4 more people come forward to talk with Daniel after church today and two of them sound really, really close!!
      Well, it's way too late and I'm only up still cuz my hubby is working on our prayer letter. But I need to be up a bit earlier than he, so I think I'll call it a night! :)
      Love and miss you!!

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