"The joy of the Lord is my strength."

I've read that verse so many times, and it's never been more true than it was today.

We had our monthly meeting this Wednesday at Iglesia del Camino (IDC), and I was feeling so tired in my mind and soul that I could hardly begin to pray. But as I shared how I felt with them, they immediately, without hesitation, prayed for me and for refreshment for my soul. Lisa then shared that praying for refreshment for our souls is like rain falling on dry ground, not only refreshing the soil but also nourishing the plants, allowing them to grow and bear fruit. Likewise, praying for one another allows us not only to be refreshed but also to grow and bear fruit.

"Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John 7:38

Part of what we do as Holistic Hope is provide water filters to families who don't have access to a purification filter for drinking water. This month, we delivered a filter to Doña Eugenia, a sweet elderly woman who lives in El Tizate. We also visited Doña Marcela. She is a single mother with two daughters who is dedicated to caring for her mother, Doña Catalina, who suffers from Alzheimer's. As Holistic Hope, we have started the first steps with her to teach her how to create compost in a box with the organic waste from her kitchen, and in this way, be able to improve the quality of her soil so that she can plant some vegetables at home.

"God is the one who gives the growth."

The idea that "God gives the growth" refers to the biblical idea, especially in 1 Corinthians 3:6-7, that spiritual growth, like that of a sown field, does not depend on human labor, but on the action of God. Although people can sow and water, it is God who gives the growth. So God is the one who gives the growth to every step of Holistic Hope, and in Him our hearts rest.

My soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him. Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. Psalm 62:5-6