Merry Christmas!!!!

Check out these Elvish impersonators. It may take a while to load...but trust me, it's well worth the wait!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1126723434

Happy Holidays! Love the Nagels

A Small Price to Pay

While visiting Rachel's family over the Thanksgiving holiday I read a few excerpts from Jesus Freaks, by DC Talk. One of these true stories was about a church of 27 members living in tunnels underground, somewhere in Korea, to avoid persecution by the local authorities.
Once discovered, all of them, men, women, and children were placed before a crowd of about 30,000. Nooses were placed around the necks of the children and the parents were commanded to recant their faith in Jesus. The parents bravely told their children they would see them in Heaven shortly.
After watching their children die quiet deaths the adults were laid out side by side on the ground and a steam roller was brought in for further intimidation. They began to sing a hymn of praise to God, and continued to sing as the large machine was fired up and began to crush them one by one.
Over these last several months as we've sorted through, thrown away, and sold off all of our belongings, I've had many personal times of introspection. A pack rat by nature, I had a crawl space and a garage filled with junk that should have been thrown away years ago. It's interesting how painful it is to let some things go. You always think you own these things, until you have to let them go, and then you realize how much they have owned you.
Following the call of the Lord and stepping out to live and work as missionaries has not been easy and something we have avoided for a long time. It's easy to say that we're totally sold out for Christ, that we're willing to go anywhere, and even die for Him. It's an entirely different game when the realization of giving up everything, including all of the modern amenities of America, and the comforts of daily life, kicks in. Let's face it, I'm not facing a firing squad, or anything even close. I'm facing living in a two-room apartment without a dish washer.
The more I reflect on the story of the Koreans above, the more I realize what a weak Christian that I am. I have a long way to go before I will have the strength to endure what so many of my Christian brothers and sisters are going through each day.
It helps me to remember that each item I get rid of, no matter how much it has meant to me in the past, will always be a small price to pay.
-your friendly neighborhood Jesus Freak

Mexican Adventure

I just got home from my scouting trip to Oaxaca, Mexico. I was honored to travel with my good friend Jim and his dad who we affectionately refer to as Grandpa Jim. We ate tons of great food, walked for countless miles, climbed to the top of a mountain, toured a giant Catholic church, and did our best to have some fun along the way.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here I have included at least 22,000 words! Hope you enjoy...we sure did.

Jim, Grandpa Jim and I

Climbing the crazy metal staircase that led to the roof of our hotel.


Rooftop view of Oaxaca City

Local license plate

Giant Catholic Church in Oaxaca City

Married housing on the Global Frontier Missions base

We conquered this beast. (view from the GFM base)

Mission Training School (we got to participate in a mock Board Meeting)

We had to pull him out

Oaxacan stroller

Street in Tlaxiaco

locally farmed produce

Tlaxiaco Town Square

Typical public bathroom. Two pesos, please.

Get that corn out of my face!

GFM leadership staff (BIG Stryper fans!)

View of Tlaxiaco from the top of the mountain

Praying for the land

We loved this guy! They call him...Burger Boy.

I really missed Rachel.

Going home.

Global Frontier Missions is based in Tlaxiaco which is located about 3 hours north of Oaxaca City. They're doing some amazing works there and we look forward to joining them soon.

As I've traveled throughout the world, I've noticed a common theme. It's in the eyes of the children that I still see hope and joy. It was no different in Oaxaca. Though many of the older people had already been hurt and jaded by the cruelty of this world, almost every child I smiled at would smile back.

The Lord is good and we are grateful for this opportunity to serve in a place that is in need of so much. We are grateful to be able to go and tell others of His goodness in our lives.

Here's an excerpt from one of my recent journal entries, "Life was not meant to be easy with hot showers every day. Life is about cold showers, new languages and people, new foods, scary bus and plane rides, cramped living quarters, and a realization that I must decrease more and more everyday so that He may increase."

Confession

So, the other night at dinner, we were all talking and having a good time. "How was school?" "What games did you play in Gym class?" "Who did you play with at recess?" It became obvious to everyone at the same time that Zaisy answered all of the questions first with a, "Huh?" Jon asked her rhetorically, "Zaisy, did you put cotton in your ears today?" We all gave a short laugh and stopped. Zaisy had a look on her face as if she had been asked if she'd had cookies before dinner sitting there with chocoalte on her chin. "Uhh...", she began. Jon pressed, "Zaisy, did you really..."

Confession is a powerful thing. It causes the confessor to be relieved of guilt and comforted to know that someone knows what you've done. You are no longer alone. "Well... we were using cotton balls for crafts and I was trying to make Tyler laugh, and, well...I kinda..." She looked up to see if she was in trouble. As she saw our faces, she giggled and shrugged her shoulders.

Oh, to have a secret off your chest. The Word says, "Confess your sins to one another and pray for each other that you may be healed." I recently had lunch with a friend who, in her management position is sometimes responsible for exposing the sins of others. Sometimes God is merciful in exposure. So whether you confess yourself, or are confronted with your own sin by someone, getting it out in the open is how we're healed. Just ask Zaisy. We laughed about that one for quite a while.

Overcoming Fear

There I am...learning how to fly!

Recently, I traveled to Moab, UT with six of my friends for the annual "Man Trip." All seven of us loaded up in a Honda Odyssey minivan which was towing a trailer full of our mountain bikes, camping gear, climbing gear, and enough food to feed a small army. The smell of adventure was in the air!

Riding this "Slick Rock" was challenging, but fun!

I knew this trip would push me to my physical limits, but I never could have imagined how many times I would have to look fear in the face. Riding a bike on level ground is one thing...flying down treacherous trails that are so steep you have to hang your butt back over your seat and almost rub it on the back tire, is an entirely different game.

On top of the world with some of my great friends!

I spent a lot of time praying and asking the Lord why I have so much fear...what am I afraid of? One day, shortly after returning, I was reading in 2 Corinthians 5 when I came upon verse 4. It says: "For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life." I meditated on the idea of mortality being swallowed up by life for several days. It hit me that I have been thinking backwards. I have held this present life as a treasure. If when we die, we are swallowed up by life, then we must already be dead. We are not alive with death to look forward to...we are dead with only life to look forward to.

Following that train of thought, how can a dead man be offended, or embarrased? What does a dead man fear?

Soaking up the beauty of God's creation.

These thoughts are transforming my way of thinking and the way I view reality. As we prepare to travel the world...as I lead my wife and children away from the comfort and safety of modern day America, some would question me. What about the sickness and diseases you will face? What about the danger you will encounter?

If the worse that can happen is that I finally get to give up this death and experience real life...than what do I have to fear?