The Rutledge Family - June 2012

The Rutledge Family - June 2012

It is always an encouragement to know that you are praying for us. We are grateful for your co-laboring with us through your support and prayers.

Escuela de Vida Sobrenatural - EVS 

This month we launched the Supernatural Life School with 15 students. We have been working with Ixil Torrez and Pastor Ahiezer Zeledon training and discipling the staff of seven volunteers since June of last year, 2011. Included are pastors from 4 different churches in Matagalpa and the students are a mix from these churches. We rejoice in the unity that the body of Christ is forming. Our purpose is to raise upRevivalists: believers who are passionate in their love for God and seek His manifest presence in their lives so that they are empowered to transform lives, communities, and cultures with His divine love.

The school meets on Saturdays in our house in Matagalpa, and this first course will finish the end of November. We are excited at what God is doing and pray for each student who is actively pursuing a lifestyle of purity and availability to be an instrument of Father God's goodness in their everyday lives during the week. We all touch more lives during the week than we do on Sundays, and we want to activate awareness of the many golden opportunities we have to bring light and hope to those around us at all times.

Pentecost Sunday 

On Pentecost Sunday we had one of our Day of Prayer activities. We set an ambient in our home through creative art and decorating. This invited people to worship and take a prayer journey as they walked through reading scriptures. The arrangement included places to sit down or kneel to pray, reflect and meditate, an area to write their petitions, and a spot to receive prayer before leaving. This time we had live trees with a river going through our living room, hovering clouds in another room, and tongues of fire coming down from the ceiling in another room. God's presence was refreshing, healing, and invigorating. About 70 people came throughout the day, including 3 other pastors here in Jinotega. Our landlady's mother and our Spanish teacher, both devout Catholics, were greatly touched during their time of prayer.

God has given us grace to minister Christ to people of all faiths. We thank Him for His goodness and faithfulness. We are grateful for His creative ideas to help others not be scared by His presence, but to feel invited to know the fullness of His love and joy. In His presence we are changed into His likeness.


Bev and Mentoring
In addition to our Sunday meetings, ladies Bible study, and homeschooling, Bev spends a lot of time praying with women to bring spiritual restoration and emotional healing to their lives (which also often brings physical healing). Mentoring is another activity that allows her to sow into the lives of many young women.

One of her mentorees is Geraldine, the Young Life Coordinator for Jinotega. Due to the tremendous help she personally received through being mentored, she asked if Bev would also mentor all her girl leaders. So Bev meets every 4 to 6 weeks with a group of the girl leaders, and in between the group meetings she meets with each girl individually to disciple, counsel, pray with, and encourage them in their walk with Christ.

Rachel is another young lady Bev had the privilege of mentoring weekly for 9 months. Rachel just returned to her country of Switzerland. She was here with Latin Link to work in the orphanage north of town. It was encouraging to hear her words at our Sunday night farewell saying how much her life has changed and how she has grown in her time here. She returns to her country with a stronger relationship with God and a brighter light shining His glory. Pray for her as she re-enters her culture that her light and joy would indeed affect those around her.

Seeds Sown around the World 

It's amazing to see that seeds we have planted in our serving here in Nicaragua have sprouted up with results in many other nations over the years. Last month we sent a young man from our fellowship here to Mexico to participate in a YWAM school in Ensenada. Edwin and his sister have been a part of our Jinotega group since we started, and their mom received prayer and healing last year. It totally transformed her life into becoming a sharer of God's goodness and grace. She now regularly brings to us others who need prayer and healing. Our goal to raise up harvesters is being reached. Edwin is the first of our fellowship in Jinotega who has embraced the challenge of serving God in another country.

Our son Lance is almost finished with his high school curriculum and is also preparing to live in another culture. He has been accepted to participate in a YWAM Creative Arts Discipleship School in Norway starting in September. Both Lance and Cheree have been key players in creating our atmospheres on prayer days. We are glad Lance is pursuing his artistic abilities to show forth the glory of God.

Family 

This fall Judah will be a sophomore at LeTourneau University and Johnwill be starting his senior year at John Brown University. They are both working in the States this summer to help defray college expenses. Judah will be visiting Bev's parents in July. One of Bev's dreams has been for each of our children to have a chance to spend time with their grandparents, so we are thankful for this opportunity.

Cheree and Vicente continue working in Esteli. They teach a weekly Bible study with 10 of Vicente's university students and also started a library (Biblioteca Rhema) to encourage a reading culture and moral values.

Luke, Kelsy and Esperanza are still busy with school - we have had many interruptions in school this year, so summer vacation will consist of a free day here and few free days there, with mostly school days, so we can finish this year's curriculum before school is supposed to start again. The good news is that we might have someone coming for September and October to help homeschool. Pray that the details would come together for this help, as it is greatly needed.

Thank you again for your prayers.

We appreciate you.

Grace and peace,

Earl, Bev, and family