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It is time to book your week for 2012! WE MEAN IT!! Mexico is doing so much better!! The wait at the bridge is back! Praise God! Seriously! Families are in the plaza again and the kids are cruising "the strip"! It's time family to finish it up...let's go!! Email us today with your week: workgroups@tapestriesoflife.com DON'T DELAY!

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Coffee with Cathy-Vol 4

FEAR TAKES AWAY YOUR FAITH

Dear Church of Tapestries,

Greetings in the glorious name of Jesus our Redeemer.  You and I, are the church of Tapestries of Life.  We have been woven together~united together as a body of believers.  We have a strong vision that we all share, and this is to build a pueblo for the orphans and widows of Mexico.  Right?  Yes, this is true.

Today I want to get right to the point; as the Apostle Paul did with so many of his letters to the churches.  We are under attack! The spirit of barbarism has seized the town of Guadalupe.  As you well know, it is on the news so often.  The murders that have taken place over the course of two years, almost 90% of those that have been murdered are drug lords, drug dealers, and users, mobsters, corrupt politicians, and corrupt police force, just to name a few.  Yes, innocent people have died, sadly to say.  Also, during the course of two years many tribulations are occurring all around us.  The economy, torn apart families, marriages failing, earthquakes, the list goes on.

Tapestries family, for over twenty+ years I have traveled alone in the towns of Guadalupe and Juarez, and other cities in the vicinity.  There have been thousands of ‘innocent women and young girls’ raped, mutilated, and murdered in the very towns I’ve traveled!!!! Was I afraid?  Yes, you bet I was, BUT I knew I had to go or the people would starve to death…they would have no hope at all.  We brought HOPE in the face of adversity regardless of the attacks!  Family, today we MUST gear-up and stand-up tall in our faith, not lay down in fear!  I have a few questions for you, now don’t get mad at me or send me nasty email…I am just the messenger.

How many more mission experiences do we need?  How many letters do we have to write?  How many more families, YOUR FAMILIES ARE STARVING TODAY?  Are not these your brothers and sisters in Christ?  Did you not work side by side with them?  Did you enjoy the meals they so graciously prepared for you?  Did you not worship with them in their churches?  Did you not laugh with them?  Didn’t you grow to love them?  Did you bring clothing, backpacks, toys and so much more?  Do you care for your neighboring country like you do yourself?  Did you not hold the mom’s babies in your arms?  Now, these babies are starving and to our dismay, they want us to take them so they can eat!  What hopelessness our brothers and sisters are facing TODAY!  Did we feed our children today, then feed them….

The work teams are canceling because of this evil that is in Mexico, rightly so, but Tapestries of Life’s Missionaries and Staff are literally risking their lives for the Gospel.  Some of our Mexican staff are working totally by faith.  They are guarding “Casa de los Gemas” with NO PAY!  Pastor Steven has given a hope filled plan to support this ministry and all that she entails.  You know, if you really think about how can you/us not try to do everything we can to carry on with this vision from our Father?  It is His desire to work through us and in return He blesses us for it!!!  It is His promises that we hold onto so tightly during these battle days.

So, is it faith or fear that governs your life?  Will you put aside your trip to go somewhere else?  Instead, could you send the funds to your extended family in Mexico?  We sing so many songs to the Lord, do we really mean it?  Or is it just lip-kwundo? Really?  Come on!  I know there are other hurting countries like Haiti and so on…they are getting great aid, praise the Lord, but you have blood spirited family that need us today.  The Lord says, as we give to the poor He will repay us and with interest!  There is no greater stock than in His stock!

In closing read Isaiah 25:1-10.  After doing so, speak-shout it out for the city of Guadalupe for your family there.  Ask the Lord of Heaven and Earth to send HIS warring angels to fight these demons!  May the Lord silence the spirit of barbarians and give strength and joy to His people who have trusted in Him!  Also, pray for those that have hardened their hearts to love.  I also, pray earnestly that you hear the children’s cries in the night as we have.

Prayer:  We are asking for your church to stand with us for a whole day of prayer for the families in Guadalupe and Tapestries; on June 20th!  It is a Sunday.  I know it is Father’s Day, but what a great joy will this bring our Heavenly FATHER, to intercede for HIs children!  Please join us, but don’t stop with one day, PRAY DAILY FOR US!

Have your missionary, P. Steve come to your church soon!

On a brighter note, please check our website for new updates.   Also, with great esteem in my heart, BLESS YOU, for your undying subsistence to Tapestries of Life Ministries.  Remember this is your ministry too.   Let’s keep on keeping on.

Romans 8:15  For you did not receive a spirit of salvery to fall back into fear,

but you received the Holy Spirit of adoption by Whom we cry out, Abba, Father!

In His Arms, Cathy Brewer

I have enclosed a letter from P. Steve, please read too.

May 2010

THE PLAN:  CONTINUE THE BUILDING EVERY DAY

WE HAVE HAD NO WORK GROUPS FOR 3 MONTHS AND WON’T HAVE FOR 2 MORE MONTHS FOR A TOTAL OF 18 WEEKS DUE TO FEAR AND THE VIOLENCE IN MEXICO!!! ALL MEXICAN STAFF HAVE NOW BEEN LAID OFF DUE TO THE LACK OF FUNDS. THE REST OF THE YEAR IS NOT LOOKING ANY BETTER. THE TIME IS CRITICAL

HOW CAN WE TURN THIS FOR GOOD?  BY SUPPORTING  A MEXICAN CHRISTIAN BROTHER OR SISTER FROM THE CHURCH IN GUADALUPE MEXICO TO BUILD IN YOUR PLACE!   HOW?  SACRIFICE…SACRIFICE…SACRIFICE…

1.)  SEND US YOUR $650.00 TEAM FEES + AIRFARE = APPROXIMATELY $1000. TO HIRE 7 MEXICAN BROTHERS TO TAKE YOUR PLACE FOR THAT WEEK.  WHILE  THEY ARE WORKING, AND YOU ARE AT HOME PRAYING FOR THEIR SAFETY, YOU WILL HAVE COMFORT KNOWING THAT YOU HAVE MULTIPLIED YOUR EFFORTS 7 FOLD TOWARD THE CHILDREN COMING HOME.

2.)  SEND US JUST YOUR $650.00 TEAM FEES. TO HIRE 4 MEXICAN BROTHERS TO TAKE YOUR PLACE.

3.)  SEND US JUST YOUR AIRFARE FEES.  TO HIRE 2 OR 3 MEXICAN BROTHERS TO TAKE YOUR PLACE.

4.)  SEND US $150.00 TO HIRE 1 WORKER FOR A WEEK.

5.)  SEND SOMETHING SO THE BUILDING PROJECT CAN CONTINUE TO GO FORWARD

6.)  SPONSOR A COMPLETE ROOM FOR 6 TO 9 CHILDREN….COST $11,000.

7.)  SPONSOR JUST A ROOM…COST $5000.

8.)  SPONSOR JUST A BATHROOM…COST $6000.

9.)  THINK OF SOMETHING CREATIVE TO HELP OR SUPPORT THOSE WHO ARE WORKING SO HARD TO HELP.

FAMILY, THE MORTGAGES STILL NEED TO BE PAID. THE LIGHTS AND PHONES NEED TO BE ON.  IT’S CRITICAL AND I’M NOT ASHAMED TO ASK GODS PEOPLE TO SACRIFICE AND GIVE…PLEASE PRAY THEN WRITE A CHECK… BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE. LET THOSE WHO ARE FACING THE VIOLENCE EVERY DAY KNOW THAT YOUR STANDING WITH THEM…P. STEVE

Tapestries of Life Ministries Inc • P.O. Box B • Fabens • TX • 79838
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Coffee with Cathy-Vol 3

Dear Family in Christ,

I hope this letter finds you well and blessed!  I wanted to share a, “Love Letter of Gifts” with you, your families and friends.  It is found in Ephesians the 1st chapter, verses 3-14.  I have read these verses many times, but something different has stirred my spirit.  Please read.  The Apostle Paul is writing a letter to Ephesus of encouragement and hope.  How about us today, do we or others needs a letter of Hope; to remind us of the Father’s Great Love He has for us today?  May you don’t but I’m sure there is someone in your world that does.

When you read these verses you hear this…”In Christ or In Him” we have…..

ever Spiritual Blessing~

Chosen~Loved~Predestined~Adopted~

Favor~Redemption~Forgiveness~Grace~Wisdom~

Understanding~Mysteries of His~

Good Pleasure~Hope~Inheritance~

Salvation Promised the Holy Spirit~

and that He,

Lavished all these things on His beloved (us),

“IN HIM!”

Now I have a question.  If we are in a family unit (we might be from a large or small family), what is one of the first things we think about when it comes time for Holidays, Birthdays, etc?  Gifts!  Who am I going to buy for and what?  Usually we only think about those in our circle of life.  Very rarely do we think outside of it.  Yet, here in these verses, we see; our Heavenly Father lavished these gifts on His Adopted Children! He went outside, dare I say the Jewish people, (unless you are a Jewish descendant), we are Gentiles/heathens…and yet, He, adopted, embraced and invited us to be in His extraordinary family and then gave us these amazing Gifts of Love! Awesome!

Tapestries of Life Ministries is a huge family…you are part of it.  Others will come soon…the children of the streets will be coming too.   We have the privilege in sharing about our Heavenly Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  Also, all the gifts He has for them!  Yes we will provide for the children, food, clothing, tools for school, medicine and fun stuff, but how much greater will it be, in giving to them, this letter of love from their Father, too!

I remember many years ago, before we had “Fill a Back-Pack Campaign”, I had a couple of little girls that were my favorites at the Market Place in Juarez, MX.  Months before Christmas I asked one of the little girls, (she was 8 years old) what she wanted for Christmas.  I was so surprised at her request.  I was expecting her to say a Barbie or toy….she said, “I want a back pack for school.”  I said, “Really? You don’t want a toy or something else?”  “No, school supplies are more important” she said.  Needless to say, since that year, we’ve handed out thousands of back packs!  Those packs are filled with school supplies and a Bible or something that would lead them to Jesus!  How much more important is He.  Family, we DON’T need more material things, we have enough toys, we have enough…what have these things brought us? Nothing!  We need the quintessence of Jesus!  A Child shall lead them…

Family I have enclosed on a separate page, of these verses in Eph.; I hope and pray you would put it up somewhere so you can read it often.  In the places where it has the word, “us”, place your name there, or a family member, or a friend’s name there.  This is a Love Letter from our God, for all of us. Spoken words of blessing.  Speak these gifts over your loved ones and to those outside of your circle…we serve an Astounding and All Inspiring FATHER!

Love ya,

Cathy

PRAISE REPORTS

Thank you family for your giving!  You give us the ability to; “Keep on Keeping on”.

Your unfailing love and support for this ministry is greatly appreciated.

Proverbs 19:17 Kindness to the poor is a loan to the Lord, and He will give a reward to the lender~

Please continue with us in ’2010′.  We are still in the red and we need to get back in the black, no GREEN.  So Please Pray and Obey!  We know you will be faithful for HE is Faithful through you! In these next few months please consider an extra offering to bring us through, we are believing for a financial miracle for you and TLM.

LIVES ARE BEING CHANGED FOREVER.  WE HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS GIVE THEIR LIVES TO JESUS!  YOU ARE PART OF THIS INSPIRING INTERVENTIONS OF THE FATHER…HE IS SAVING SOULS!

Casa de los Gemas:

Every child’s room has been tiled! Hip Hip Hooray! (speaking for a child)

Family, this is a monumental accomplishment in itself!  We praise the Lord for one sister in particular, not to mention any names, to God be the Glory, but this sister was tenacious in her desire to get one company to donate ALL the tile, almost 55,000 square feet.  The Lord worked through her and made it happen.  At least 5 semi-trucks of tile, donated and now installed!  This is a Miracle!

Water Tank to hold the precious crystal water for the ranch.  Streams of living water in the desert!

All Sheet Rock is completed!  Rock on Dude!

The Waterfall is completed along with the pool area.  Splish ~ Splash

What is happening now:

The lighting in the bedrooms and bathrooms are half completed.

The shelving in closets are being installed, one and one half wing is completed

Toilets are being installed

Tile in the showers are being installed

Installing Doors

The Reception area counter framing is in place

GO TO OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE NEWS

Mercy Ministry:

Has endeavored to add 100 more families to the list of 250!  I was hungry….

An electric-wheelchair was given to a young woman in Guadalupe…tooling in stlye

72 desks for a School in Guadalupe/Backpacks, 60 of them to San Nacho

As always the Mercy Ministry continues to give whatever you bring in…

We are also helping folks with their own homes, bathroom, cement floors, whatever we can do.

PSALMS 111:9

He has sent redemption to His people.  He ordained His covenant forever.  His Name is Holy and awe-inspiring.

“In Him”

Ephesians 1:3-14

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with Every spiritual Blessing in the Heavens in Christ; for He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be Holy and blameless in His sight.  In Love He predestined us to be Adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, to the Praise of His Glorious Grace that He favored us with in the Beloved.  In Him we have Redemption through His forgiveness of our trespasses, according to His riches of His Grace He Lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.  He made known to us the Mystery of His Will, according to His Good Pleasure that He planned in Him for the Administration of the days of fulfillment to bring everything together in the Messiah, both things in heaven and things on earth in Him.  In Him we were also made His Inheritance, predestined according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His Will, so that we who had already put our Hope in the Messiah might bring Praise to His Glory.  In Him you also, when you heard the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation~in Him when you believed were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.  he is the down payment of our Inheritance, for the Redemption of the possession, to the

PRAISE OF HIS GLORY!

HALLELUJAH!

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Coffee with Cathy-Vol 2

Dear Family,

Greetings in the name of Jesus!  We hope all is well with you and your family.  We pray you are blessed beyond measure.  Thank you for much for your faithful and bountiful gift of love to this ministry.  The Lord has given a message to myself first and now to share with you.  I pray I can express the Father’s heart to you.
Celebrate Phillippians 4:8
THERE ARE GIANTS IN THE LAND!!!
Joshua 1:4-6 YOUR TERRITORY WILL BE FROM THE WILDERNESS AND LEBANON TO THE GREAT EUPHRATES RIVER.  ALL THE LAND OF THE HITTIES AND WEST OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA.  NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST YOU AS LONG AS YOU LIVE.  I WILL BE WITH YOU, JUST AS I WAS WITH MOSES.  I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU OR FORSAKE YOU.  BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS…..

As we read throughtout the Bible especially in Joshua, Judges and into I Sam. 17, Jehovah promised.  The Israelites would conquer, they took lands, treasures, cattle, etc.  Each tribe was given land for their reward.  So, much takes place in those years it is sometimes hard to grasp it all, at least for me.  Then came the anointing of King Saul.  Pretty big guy.  He stood a head taller than anyone around him.  King Saul continued winning battles for the Lord, but he was struggling with one army and that was the Philistines.  He was against giants.
This story has been told over and over again.  Since we were children in Sunday School, we sat in our little chairs amazed while our teacher read the story of Davey & Goliath.  As we grew older we learned more and more about this historical moment.  Men preach about it.  Books are written about it.  Movies are made about it and it remains still amazing.
Let me share some historical giants and present day giants.  The year is 1979, we lived in Michigan at that time.  We were around the corner from the great recession.  At this time Mark was 5 years old and Amanda was just born, Steve was working construction and I was caring for our growing family.  We bought land in the country, 10 acres of land on Wildcat road.  We moved our single wide mobile home on it.  We had  NO running water, NO sewage or plumbing facility, NO heat and NO electric.  WE WERE YOUNG! We were going to build our dream house.  We had the blueprints in hand, financing locked in.  All we had to do is sign one more document.  I became uneasy, was I afraid?  No, but something was telling me to wait one more week.  I told Steven, he reluctantly agreed to wait.  Well, that following week the stock market fell apart.  All I can remember is that Steven was out of work pronto and then things went from bad to worse.  ‘Not now Lord.  we just started beginnning to build our family’

In my last letter I related to this same time in history, (boy I feel really old now).  So here we are sitting on a piece of land with no amenities to live properly by.  The neighbor down the road allowed us to plug in a extension cord, (a couple hundred feet away) in to his home so we could at least run our refrigerator.  When I needed to run any thing else I would have to unplug the fridge.  We bought a little wooden stove to just heat the front room where we all slept together to stay warm.  By the way we spent three winters there.  It’s freezing in Michigan.  There were times when we had to cut wood in the house because it was so cold outside!  I cooked outside on a little campfire.  Our bathing was in barrels we heated up outside.  If it was warm outside that is where we bathed.  We used the honey-bucket for our bathroom time and emptied out-back in a hole.  What’s a honey-bucket you ask?  We took a 5 gallon bucket and attached a toilet seat at the top, it sat in our bathroom.  Hey, it was a glorified out-house.  It beats having to go outside in the dark cold nights.  Clothes were washed by hand.  This was the 80′s~people don’t live like this anymore, at least not in Michigan.  Life was hard to say the least, but we had no choice but to make the best of it.  Now let me jump ahead….
A few years later Steven gave his heart to the Lord in Croswell Wesleyan Church.  I had surrendered my life to Jesus a few years earlier than him.  We started attending Church and we began to grow by leaps and bounds; about faith, trust, worship, praise….  By this time Danny was born.  Our living conditions and our financial status was not improving.  Then one day a message from the Lord landed in my spirit.  Speak to your giants….and proclaim the Lord’s greatness in front of your giant.  Now I know you are thinking this is so elementary, Cathy.  Yes, I know, but at that time it was new to me.  Yet how many times we’ve forgotten this spiritual law even today as we fret.
I had an idea.  I would write every giant obstacle that needed to go down on paper.  Put it in plain sight where we all could see it.  Any time we would fret or lose heart, we would go to that list and defeat the giant with the Words of the Lord.  David did this before he approached Goliath.
When David arrived on the scene in I Sam. 17, he sees the trembling king Saul, his brothers and the army of God.  Held captive and shaking in their boots by this Philistine giant.  It seems to me it had been going on for awhile.  David never discusses the odds.  He never asks how big is Goliath’s spear.  How tall is he?  How many men have died by this hell-bent thug?  He doesn’t even get permission from his older brothers if he should even try to take the giant on!  David’s first words are of outrage and anger he has toward this giant.
In verses 34-37 David describes how he has killed lions and bears, (notice these are plural) by his own hands and by the might of the Lord.  He is confident the Lord is going to do the same.  Why is he so confident?  First of all David’s father’s sheep were a vital part of the families well being.  David knew he had to do everything he could to protect them and he knew the Great Sheepherder.  Secondly this low-life Philistine comes against the children of Israel and mocks his God, oh no, David isn’t putting up with it, not for a minute!
Saul agrees to send him out to battle but not without all the stuff to go with him…the armor, the sword…David says, dude!   no he said, ‘my kind I’m not used to this’.  So he takes all the stuff off.  Doesn’t that happen to us, the amour of stuffy religion.  Here you have a giant problem in your life, and yeah you have confidence in the Lord.  BUT religion says, do this and that first.  But David stays in the realm of His trust in his Jovovah Nissi.  Well you all know the end result.  Problem solved~done deal~the mammoth giant is dead!  The 40 day dilemma is over.  You can all go home to your families now!  Ok, back to our giants.
It was posted, 2 pages.  Everyday we took on our giants.  We proclaimed the promises of our Father.  As weeks went by, we were scratching off the giants, cutting their heads off.  Now folks I’m talking about gigantic giants.  We needed a earth-mover to come fix our rolling hilly land.  Bill arrived with his earth-moving machine and no cost to us it was free!  One thing after another.  Then we got down to the next page and it was gone!  What the heck, where did it go!    I looked high and low, for days, never found it, ever.  For days I was upset about trying to remember what was on list and rewrite the page.  Then that still small voice inside said, “I did it, the first page is done….now trust Me.”  So, I put it to rest in my heart, ok Father You know best.
Little did we know that at that time the Lord had no intention of fulfilling that last page.  Also, He knew we weren’t going to be staying in Michigan much longer.  He had other plans.  You know how the story goes.
Family, I’m sorry to say but we have some GIANTS right now in our land, camp, families, friends, and yes ministry.  I have no doubt that today your family is facing giants.  We all watch the news.  We hear all the hard pressed circumstances many of you are going through, or maybe someone you know.  Today, Tapestries Of Life Ministries is facing some gargantuan giants.  I need to share with you so you can pray with us, put us on your prayer lists and slay these bullies.
Giant #1-The Economy~Missionaries feel the pains of the struggling economy right away.  Church’s and individuals that support on a monthly basis cut us out of the budget immediately or they cut the giving in half.  In 25+ years TLM has come close to being in the red but we pushed through.  Unfortunately not so today.  We are dangerously in the red.  We have no control at times like these.  We didn’t ask for it, did you?  NO, but our God is able to deliver.  Everyday is a day for miracles we’re just hoping its today.
Giant #2-Drug War~We all have been watching the news; we’ve made the national headline news.  We’re on every station and discussed in the political arena.  The drug cartel and mafia are murdering people in our town of Guadalupe and surrounding cities.  Holding people for ransom.  Stealing…causing our/your town to become paralyzed.  Two to four people are being murdered everyday.  The town has no police or governing officials, they have all fled.
Giant #3-Swine Flu~It started in Mexico they say….people died from it.  So, we’re back on the news.  At first they said it was from the pork and it was our fault.  By now the phones are ringing, groups are canceling.  I don’t blame them, but come on.  After months go by the air is clear of pork, but not Mexico.  In the meantime, our bills are going unpaid.
Giant #4-Poverty~The United States of America one of the richest nations in the world and her families are losing jobs, homes, cars and more.  Welfare is overloaded.  The cry for help is immense.  It is absolutely heartbreaking.  What you don’t hear is the cries from our town of Guadalupe.  As the cries grow vastly greater in the U.S. the cries are tremendous in MX.  Folks have no food, no electric, and no welfare to help them.  Our mercy ministry days have increased in population from 250 families to 1000!  But we only have barely enough food for 250.
We need to take these giants down!  Max Lucado says, “Focus on giants you stumble~Focus on God your giants tumble.”  There has been way too many miracles in our lives to think that our Father has shut heavens doors and gone to bed.  We know he never sleeps or slumbers, He is wide awake.  The King of Israel Jesus Christ is on the throne right this second, NOW!  He has given His army weapons of warfare~the Word.  He has given us clothing for the battlefield~the Armor of GOD!  He has given us the insight to the enemies camp~the Holy Spirit.  He told us we can overcome~Prayer our constant communication with our King.  He came to give us life and life more abundantly, the riches of life will be our inheritance today and eternal.  We need to be like David when we see and hear the giants telling us it’s over.  We need to get repulsive with them…not with our spouses, children, co-workers, etc.  Speak the Word of God to that vile giant.
There are toooooo many covenant promises from the King of kings, that have stood the test of time.  Family be Strong and Courageous and HE will deliver the enemy into our hands.

In His Arms,
Cathy

Remember the greatness of our Jesus and pick up that stone and take down your Goliath!

KEEP ON KEEPING ON GIANT SLAYER!