Christ Makes the Body Grow

The last line in one of the chapters of Leaning on Jesus I read for last week's Friday morning Bible study stuck out to me, given a conversation earlier in the week about refuting decision theology. 

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Ephesians 4:15-16, emphasis added)

Christ makes the body grow; I got to witness this gracious action of His firsthand Sunday. Tirzah mentioned she planned to make a same day roundtrip trek to Santo Domingo for the Baptism of LAC's newest MK Augusto; with no particular reason to be at "my" church, I decided to tag along. Within ten minutes of leaving the neighborhood, we witnessed two cars driving erratically and later, at a signal, passing a liquor bottle back and forth! Man, it was going to be a day. 

Augusto slept like this until I had to pass him off to mama Agatha for the rite of Holy Baptism...for him AND another little girl from the Amigos de Cristo congregation!

My friends Kelsey & Franco are fellow members; I wasn't mad about MORE baby time with 8 wk. old Anza, b. 11/17/24. 

Two Baptisms...AND two confirmations!

Rev. Lucas & Agatha graciously hosted the entire Santiago contingent plus Kelsey & Franco for a lovely afternoon of food and fellowship. Agatha's mom & sister were visiting from Brazil, too! 

We left mid-afternoon and were maybe an hour from home when we heard it. Flat tire*! No sooner had we removed the spare and the jack from the trunk than Good Samaritan #1 pulled over to help. Good Samaritan #2 - who'd made a U-turn when he saw us - wasn't far behind. Tirzah & I stood by like helpless damsels and let the macho men do their thing...and they wouldn't have had it ANY other way. I love this country sometimes. 

The Kreys, ~15 min. behind us, caught up and trailed us the whole way home to Sweet Frog for some much deserved frozen custard :)

Until next time, blessings in Christ! 

*The 3rd when Tirzah & I have been in a vehicle together. What's going to happen when we fly together later this month?!