From Panama: A testimony of God’s goodness

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One of the DNA’s seven operating principles is that we are a school of thought, not an institution. Rather than building new offices around the world and hiring a bunch of staff, we freely spread the DNA’s teaching–based on Scripture–with churches and ministries worldwide and simply watch as God uses it to transform hearts and minds, furthering his kingdom through his Church.

Much of the teaching is spread through our printed books. Below is a letter we recently received from a young husband and wife in Panama who have read several DNA books and have taken the ideas into their own community, bringing more of Jesus into their society.

Por favor, desplácese hacia abajo para leer esta carta en español.

Obed y Laury
Laury (left) and Obed serve the Lord in Panama City.

Dear brothers and sisters:

On this day, I am really excited to say hi and share with you how God has used your ministry to exhort our family’s heart. My husband, Obed Ramos, and I have been serving the Lord since we got married four years ago in a small church that gets together in our house in Panama City, Panama.

Two years ago, my husband traveled to Costa Rica and bought a book written by Darrow Miller called Discipling Nations. This book taught us how ideas produce consequences and how the Biblical narrative has brought development and freedom to entire societies; however, there are still people, families, communities, and countries that are slaves to sin. Also, we learned about the division of many kinds of Christians that the Church has today, for instance, the part-time Christian (less holy) and the full-time Christian (holy). We understood the terrible consequences that this division has brought to the Church nowadays.

During that time, we started to visit your ministry website to check out the different Bible resources you offer. I read the “Seed Project” guide, and my husband recommended it to the church. This encouraged me to start a project with a woman called Edilsa, who is a cancer patient, and we learned a lot about serving others.

The Holy Spirit has been encouraging us to worry not only for the real doctrine but also for the service to others.

Another book that encouraged me was Footings for Children, which we concluded last week with the kids from the church.

It is wonderful how the history of redemption can be applied to every single area of our lives and how important is to transmit the reality of God to our generations.

For my birthday, my husband gave me a book in Spanish called Opresión de la mujer, pobreza y desarrollo (Woman’s oppression, poverty and development) [in English: Nurturing the Nations]. This book helped me to understand how terrible sin is for God and to understand its consequences, such as: the suffering in my life and in other women’s lives, how beautiful is God’s salvation, my role as a woman, and how valuable I am in Christ for my Creator.

While reading this book, I shared with my sisters at the church all the things that I was learning, and God moved the heart of one woman, a high-school teacher, to do a workshop about the value of women with her students of 16-17 years old. We organized a workshop for 100 teens that could hear God’s word. It was after this that I contacted you and shared this blessing, with the only purpose that our Lord and Savior can be exalted and your hearts can be encouraged in God’s work.

Thank you so much for all the resources that you offered, such as: Servanthood, “Seed Projects,” and the book LifeWork.

Now, we are starting a new beginning because our small church has its own temple in another community, and we want to impact them with a Biblical gospel and works of compassion.

For this reason, we request you to pray for us that the Holy Spirit will strengthen us, give us boldness to preach God’s word and to show sacrificial love to others. We know that we are always Coram Deo, in God’s presence, to adore and serve him in every single task.

I am really happy to communicate with you and share a little bit of what I have been learning in God’s Word through your teachings.

Love,
Laury G. de Ramos

Hebrews 12:28: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.”

La carta en español:

Apreciados Hermanos:

En este día estoy muy contenta de poder saludarles y compartirles acerca de cómo Dios ha utilizado su ministerio para exhortar el corazón de nuestra familia. Mi esposo Edwin Obed Ramos y yo hemos estado sirviendo al Señor, desde que nos casamos hace ya cuatro años, en una pequeña iglesia que se reúne en nuestra casa en la ciudad de Panamá.

Hace dos años mi esposo viajó a Costa Rica y compró un libro escrito por el hermano Darrow Miller; el cual se titula Discipulando las Naciones, este libro nos enseñó como las ideas traen consecuencias y como la Narrativa bíblica a traído desarrollo y liberación a sociedades enteras, pero como aún, se encuentran individuos, familias, comunidades y países esclavizados a la oscuridad del pecado y del error por no tener la luz de la Palabra. Además aprendimos como fue el proceso de la división de tipos de Cristianos que tiene la iglesia hoy en día, por ejemplo el Cristiano a medio tiempo (menos santo) y el Cristiano a tiempo completo (santo) . Pudimos comprender las terribles consecuencias que ha traído a la iglesia creer esta falsa idea de la vida dividida del cristiano.

Durante ese tiempo empezamos a visitar la página web de su ministerio y el acceso a recursos bíblicos que ofrecen. Pude leer también la guía de proyectos semilla, y mi esposo lo recomendó en la iglesia, así que esto me animó a empezar un proyecto con una Señora llamada Edilsa paciente de cáncer, aprendimos mucho sobre el servicio a otros. El Espíritu Santo nos ha estado exhortando a preocuparnos no solo por la doctrina verdadera sino también por el servicio al prójimo.

Otro libro que me animó fue “Footings for Children” es maravilloso como la historia de redención puede ser aplicada en todas las áreas de nuestra vida y cuán importante es transmitir la Realidad de Dios a nuestras generaciones, lo pudimos concluir la semana pasada con nuestros niños en la iglesia.

Para el día de mi cumpleaños mi esposo me regalo un libro en español llamado “Opresión de la mujer pobreza y desarrollo” me ayudo a comprender más cuan terrible es el pecado delante de Dios y sus consecuencias como: el sufrimiento en mi vida y en las de muchas mujeres, además, cuan hermosa es la Salvación del Señor, cual es mi rol como Mujer y cuan valiosa soy en Cristo para mi Creador.

Durante mi lectura del libro pude compartir con las hermanas de la iglesia lo que aprendía y Dios movió el corazón de una de ellas, que es profesora en un Colegio para poder hacer un taller sobre el valor de la mujer con sus alumnas de 16 a 17 años. Y fue así que organizamos el taller para 100 jóvenes las cuales pudieron escuchar la Palabra de Dios. Fue después de eso que me contacté con ustedes y les compartí esta bendición, con el solo propósito que nuestro Señor y Salvador sea Exaltado y sus corazones sean animados a seguir en la Obra del Señor.

Gracias por todos los recursos que ofrecen “Servanthood,” “Seed Proyects”, el libro “ Vida, Trabajo y Vocación”. Ahora estamos en un nuevo comienzo, nuestra pequeña iglesia ya tiene su propio templo en otra comunidad, la cual queremos impactar con el evangelio bíblico y con obras de compasión, por ello pedimos sus oraciones para que El Espíritu Santo nos esfuerce y nos dé denuedo para predicar su palabra y mostrar el amor sacrificial a los demás. Sabiendo que siempre estamos Coram Deo, en la presencia de Dios para Adorarle y Servirle con cada una de nuestras tareas cotidianas Estoy muy feliz de poder comunicarme con ustedes y compartir un poco de lo que he aprendido sobre la Palabra de Dios por medio de sus enseñanzas.

Con cariño,
Laury G. de Ramos

Hebreos 12:28: “Así que recibiendo nosotros un reino inconmovible, tengamos gratitud, y mediante ella sirvamos a Dios agradándole en todo con temor y reverencia.”

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