Posts Tagged ‘Genesis 50’

The Day the Music Died

Posted: October 19, 2021 in Christianity, Family Happenings, Ministry, Missions, Prayer
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Missing Our Daughter, Hannah Elizabeth Diaso
Hannah Elizabeth Diaso – 4/09/1994-10/18/2016

The day the music died is the refrain from Don McLean’s song, American Pie. For some reason that is the song I often think of when I think of the day the music died for us, when our daughter, Hannah moved to heaven. I always make a point of it to visit the cemetery where Hannah is buried on this day, the day she died, October 18 (which is the day I wrote this post).

We like to say that Hannah moved to heaven, which softens the blow. Yet it is also true to say that she died. As King David said of his young child who died, that he would go to see him one day, but that his child would not return to him. That’s the reality and finality of death, which is hard to swallow at times.

I’m writing this post while I’m at the cemetery near Hannah’s place of burial.

It’s hard to believe that today marks 5 years since Hannah graduated to heaven.

When I think of Hannah’s life and death I realize it has changed me. The trauma of losing Hannah at such a young age, she was only 22, has caused me to grapple with life. It made me desperate for answers. Desperate for a deeper and more intimate relationship with my Heavenly Father. I’ve gotten to know Papa God and His love in ways that I hadn’t experienced before. That makes me sad, because at least on an emotional level it doesn’t seem like it should have taken the death of my daughter to get me to this place. It is something that I ponder. Why is it that heart wrenching loss causes us to cling to God? I know the Bible speaks frequently to the subject of suffering, and yet there is some degree of mystery to it.

God created the world perfect and without death, so it is only after man sinned that death entered the world. Death is horrible in that sense. I never realized how terrible death was until I had to deal with it in such an up close and personal way.

All of Creation Groans for the Day of Redemption
Our last family photo with Hannah

Thankfully God has a solution in Christ! One of my favorite passages can be found in Romans 8, which says,

“For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”

Romans‬ ‭8:22-23‬ ‭ESV‬‬

I think that accurately describes not only our hearts, but that all of creation groans for the day of our redemption. I pray and trust the Lord for His redemption and restoration of all that we’ve lost.

I hate that it took something as tragic as my own daughter’s death to wake me from my slumber. Maybe that is an exaggeration, but it’s how I feel. I am more awake now.

I can’t say that I have it all figured out yet, but I do know that I’m hungry for more. More of the Father, more of Jesus and more of the Spirit. I want more of the Father’s presence and more of His great and mighty work in my life and in the life of my family. I long for more fruit in our life and ministry. Also, I pray for a greater healing in my life and in the life of each member of my family.

What Does God Have in Store for Us?
Hannah and Dave

When I think about Hannah, I wish I could have had more time with her. We had a very special, and a very close father – daughter relationship. I remember in the last year or two of Hannah’s life she told me, “We are going to go far in this world, aren’t we Dad?” It makes me ache when I think about it. I don’t know what to do with that and other unrealized dreams. I would have loved the opportunity to go far – to accomplish great things with my beautiful daughter. Maybe somehow it is prophetic and speaks of what Jesus will do, it will just look different than I thought.

One of the areas where Dawn and I have seen God’s hand at work since Hannah moved to heaven is that He’s brought a number of special young people into our lives. It brings tears to my eyes when I think about it. Those relationships keep expanding and growing deeper. There are so many people in need of a father and a mother. As I’ve mentioned in past posts a number of the pastors and leaders that we minister with in Latin America refer to Dawn and me as dad and mom. Of course, that doesn’t replace the hole left by Hannah, but it shows us that God is still alive He is still at work. He is redeeming and restoring in His goodness and His grace.

Just as Joseph said to his brothers who had sold him into slavery, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” (Genesis‬ ‭50:20‬ ‭ESV‬‬ – emphasis mine). God can turn around those things that our enemy the devil meant to use to destroy us. This gives us hope.

Also, it does make me happy to think one day I will be reunited with my precious daughter. Someone told us recently that those in heaven celebrate the day they graduated from the earth, because now they are with the Father. There is no more sorrow, no more suffering or pain. There is truly much to celebrate, it’s just not so easy to see that from our vantage point. So I will choose to trust in the love of my Papa God. I trust that He has a good plan for my family and for me.

Extend Your Hands to Help!
Hannah loving life and having fun

As I mentioned in this post the Lord has extended our family. We give thanks for His mighty and powerful work in this way. Yet, our familia that lives on the Big Island are suffering through the worst economic collapse that their country has gone through since 1990. They have very little food, basic goods and medicine. The prices of what is available have skyrocketed. You can give to help our familia in memory of our daughter, Hannah. Extend your hands to help today by clicking on the button below.

Click to Donate…

In His Grip, Dave

BeyondBordersLife.org

The Church is Advancing in Mexicali & Beyond! 2

Posted: April 15, 2021 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Missions, Prayer
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Pastor Federico & Blanca Muñoz
Dave & Dawn with the Muñoz family – front row: Junior and Paola
Back row: Damaris, Dave, Daniel, Federico, Blanca, David, Dawn

Dawn and I feel like proud parents when we think about all the church planters that we are working with who are ministering in Mexico and on the Big Island. The couples become like family to us, which we enjoy. It’s one of the ways the Lord is bringing redemption and restoration to us, which is something we’ve prayed for especially since Hannah moved to heaven. A number of the church planters refer to us as their mentors and as their father and mother, which is a real privilege for us to have that type of relationship with them.

I’d like to highlight one couple that we are especially proud of, Pastor Federico and Blanca Muñoz, who are planting a church in Mexicali. Federico and Blanca stand out, because of their deep commitment, boldness, and creativity in sharing the gospel. It’s been fun to partner with them, and watch them in action.

Church Planting in the Midst of the COVID Crisis
Pastor Federico sharing the love of Christ in front of his house

They started their church plant in the summer of 2019. They had 6 months to reach out and develop relationships before the pandemic hit. Over the last year, it’s not been easy to make contacts, which is key when your goal is to start a church with people who don’t yet know Jesus. I have sought to encourage Federico and Blanca as they have gone through this most unusual year. I thought that since so many people are fearful because of the Covid crisis, that it was an opportunity for the gospel.

As we prayed, God gave this young couple an idea to try to hold services outside in their carport. Their children are gifted musically and they love to help out and they enjoy leading worship. Their teen children pitched in when they started to make the shift to outdoor services. Surprisingly, their neighbors showed interest and they came out of their homes to listen and participate.

Church in the Park
Pastor Federico & Blanca Ministering with their family in the park

Later, Federico and Blanca ended up needing to move to a different house, so we prayed that the Lord would open up new doors for them and show them how to reach out in this new community. They began to hold Bible studies both outdoor and online. Then in March of this year, when some of the restrictions in Mexicali were lifted, they began to hold services in a nearby park. Through their boldness and creativity, they started meeting more people in the park. They asked the new friends who they were meeting if they could pray for them, and most of them said, “yes”!

I have to admit the restrictions have slowed down our church planting progress, yet I see how the Lord has also opened some doors. It’s forced our church planters to be more creative, and people who would not have had the opportunity to hear the gospel are being reached, because of the change in plans.

God is Building His Church!

I’m often reminded of Joseph’s reply to his brothers in Genesis 50:20, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people” (NLT). The Lord protects us and He goes before us. It’s important to remember as we build the church that it is His church, and as the Lord promises the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church.

God is building HIs church in Mexicali and Beyond
Please Pray & Extend Your Hands to Help

Please join us in prayer for Federico and Blanca Muñoz as they share the love of Christ in Mexicali. Pray that the Lord will lead them to people who are open to the gospel and that the church will grow as they reach out in the community. Dawn and I would appreciate prayers for all of the church planters that we are working with so that we see lives changed and communities transformed by Jesus.

Consider a donation today to help us plant the seed of the gospel on the Border, the Baja and Beyond!

The situation for our familia on the Big Island continues to worsen. The cost of goods are increasing by 400 – 500%. You can read more about the situation on the Big Island here… Your prayers and generosity will aid these families and the gospel in undeniable ways. Make a donation today by clicking on the link below!

Thank you!

Click to Donate…

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

Give Thanks Even in Difficult Times

Posted: January 25, 2021 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Missions, Prayer
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Remember the Goodness of God
The Beautiful sunsets where we live remind me of God’s love and care for us

This month as we start the new year my desire is give thanks and remember the good that the Lord has done in the last year. No question, as I’ve mentioned various times that last year was one of the most difficult years that we’ve had to pass through. For many, maybe most it was the most challenging year of their lives. Yet, there is reason to give thanks.

One of my favorite verses which has often buoyed my spirit, especially since my daughter, Hannah moved to heaven is Genesis 50:20. Joseph told his brothers who had betrayed him and sold him into slavery, “you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good…” God has a way of turning the plans of the enemy, plans meant to harm us, so that they have a much deeper and greater impact for good. That’s not to minimize the real pain, and sorrow that we have experienced. Yet, there is hope. God is at work! He’s always on the move! His plans are for good and not evil.

The Church is Expanding in Mexico
Some of the pastors we are working with in Mexico

I’ve been reflecting on the good things the Lord did in my family, and I wrote about them in a past post. Today I’d like to focus on the advance we’ve seen in ministry this last year.

All of the restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 crisis forced us to be more creative in ministry. Like many we had to resort to more online meetings. This opened the door for Dawn and me to begin working with more pastors in Mexico and on the Big Island. In 2020 we started partnering with 12 new church planting pastors in Mexico in cities that we weren’t working in before. Now we have partners not only in Tijuana, Ensenada, Mexicali and La Paz which is were we’ve been planting churches for the last several years, but we are now in many other cities throughout Mexico.

The Lord has opened the door for us to partner with church planters in Ciudad Obregon, Hermosillo, Durango, Culiacán, Tapachula, Colima, Oaxaca in Mexico and McAllen, Texas. There are 12 new church planters in all that we are working with. I’m meeting with them once a month to pray together and to encourage them. God is expanding our reach and our influence. We continue to ask the Lord to do a mighty work and to bring transformation to the cities that these church planters are ministering in.

There are many wonderful testimonies that come out of these churches. God is alive and He continues to do a great work. I want to encourage you to not just look at all the bad news out there, but look up and pay attention to what the Lord is doing.

God’s Faithfulness to Our Familia
Our Familia – The wonderful pastors we minister with on the Big Island

Our ministry on the Big Island with our familia has taken off this year. We are working with a number of pastors there, who have become like family to us. We call them our familia. These pastors are involved in more than 100 churches, and a number is these are new churches.

I was on the Big Island when the pandemic started. I returned home on March 18 just before midnight, and the very next day my mom moved to heaven.

When I got back home, Dawn and I began to see that our familia was having to deal with the scarcity of food, like rice, beans, cooking oil, chicken as well as basic needs like soap and tooth paste. The lack of so many basic needs was made worse as the Coronavirus crisis wore on. It broke our heart to hear the stories of children crying, because they were having to brush their teeth with salt. They cried because they didn’t have enough food to eat as well.

God gave us an overwhelming compassion for the people and we felt like we had to do something. We began to send out appeals for financial aid, and by God’s grace you responded. At first, I thought we would only need to send down support for a few months, but the pandemic dragged on. The economy worsened.

One of the young church planters, Yeisel with with wife, Liannys and their son, that we’ve been able to help on the Big Island

We’ve sent aid on a monthly basis since March that has aided at least 274 families, and 1,165 people. The Lord has provided more than $10,000 that we gave to help families in need in 2020. Thank Jesus for his wonderful provision.

God is doing an amazing work through our familia on the Big Island. People are coming to Christ and being baptized. New churches are being planted and growing. We have an amazing team of leaders there that we have daily communication with. It’s amazing what we can do through the internet!

Extend Your Hands to Help Those in Need!
Our little princess, *Zoey (*not her real name)

We still need your help to continue to send aid to our wonderful familia. The church leaders, their families and those in their churches are struggling to put food on the table. Dawn and I just learned that prices this month in January of 2021 are going up 250% to 300%.

Just before Christmas one of the pastoral families that we are very close to shared this with us. They came to the end of the month and all they had to offer was tea. Their daughter,*Zoey did not want to drink her tea, she was sad and frustrated. They had run out of food, and they gave all of the money we sent them to help other families in the church. She was crying and said she didn’t want to drink her tea. Instead she wanted to move to be with her “abuelos” (Dawn and I) so she could drink milk. It’s hard to hear stories like this about people that we love dearly.

Please pray for these needs and extend your hands to help. Your gifts are being used to bless families. A gift of $25 will help a family for a month. Click on the button below to give.

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In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

Goodbye, 2020! Is it possible to be Thankful?

Posted: January 5, 2021 in Family Happenings, Ministry, Prayer, Reflections & Musings
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Goodbye 2020!
Happy New Year from the Diaso Family!

We’ve crossed into 2021, and I’m sure that for many, maybe most of us it was with a sigh of relief. 2020 was painful to live through. It gives me hope when I think of God’s goodness and his undying love for us. I think ever since my daughter, Hannah, died one of my favorite verses is Genesis 50:20. “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good…” The Lord uses even the worst of circumstances for good. He isn’t the author of evil, but he can and does work in and through the darkest of times.

There are things to be thankful for as we look back on 2020. Yet, I don’t want to ignore all the hardship that we’ve suffered. On top of what everyone has been through I also lost both of my parents in 2020. My son, David has nonpermanent brain damage. We aren’t sure what the cause was, it could have been Covid, but it was never diagnosed as such, so we don’t really know.

What I’m thankful for in 2020

Despite all of these challenges there is still plenty to be thankful for.

Dad & Mom with our three children, David, Jonathan and Hannah

I give thanks that both my dad and my mom lived long lives. They were both 84 when they died. My mom had a strong and sure faith. She was not only ready to go, she was anxious to meet her savior. I wrote a tribute to my mom that you can find here…

My dad made a profession of faith with my brother, John just three days before he died. The timing reminded me of Christ death and resurrection on the third day. The Lord in his love and grace showered me with hope after my dad passed away. I wrote more about this in the tribute I posted for my dad.

My mom left a legacy of prayer and love. My dad’s legacy was always being there for our family. He showed up. Both of my parents were quiet. I suppose they blended in, because they didn’t like to draw attention to themselves, but we knew they were there at the important life events. They set a great example for me in that. I hope to pass that on to my children, and grandchildren.

It is sad for me to no longer be able to call or visit my mom and dad. It was hard to go through the holidays without them. Yet, I’m grateful for the life they led, and for the relationship we shared.

A few months ago I feel like the Lord gifted me with a dream. It was a special dream. I saw a parade and a celebration. The odd thing was that the parade was at the cemetery. I felt like the Lord was showing me what it was like for my parents when they left this life and moved on into eternity with their savior. Just think one breath they were here, and the next they were in heaven. They saw Jesus, the angels and their loved ones who went before them. That is something to celebrate!

Celebrating New Life
Serafina Grace Diaso

Another wonderful family event was when Dawn and I learned that we were going to be grandparents. When David and Emily told us that Emily is pregnant with their first child, and our first grandchild! Her name is Serafina Grace Diaso.

David and Emily told us this good news just a few weeks before the four year anniversary of Hannah moving to heaven, which is always a hard time of the year for us. We felt like it was such a gift from the Lord in a season of much loss, that he is bringing new life into our family.

We love Serafina’s name. It was also my great grandmother’s name on my dad’s side. Serafina is an Italian and Spanish name for the Seraphim angels. The Bible mentions them in Isaiah 6. Also, Serafina’s middle name is Grace, which reminds us of God’s unmerited gift for those who believe. Hannah means favor and grace. We love the thoughtful name that David and Emily chose for their daughter.

These are some of the highlights for our family for 2020. I was going to include our ministry highlights here as well, but I think I will save them for my next post, which will be either later this week or next week.

The Ron & Virginia Diaso Memorial Church
I love this photo of Mom & Dad, makes me think of them dancing on the streets of gold.

Let me close by mentioning as we look forward to 2021, one of the things we are excited about is helping to start a new church in Tijuana/Rosarito, Mexico. This church will be built in memory of my parents, Ron and Virginia Diaso. Our goal is build the church this summer. You can give towards this project, and help us to make this dream a reality. Click on the link below to make a donation today!

Click to donate…

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

God’s Good Intentions to Save

Posted: April 21, 2020 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Missions, Prayer
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Surprised by the Gospel
From top left going clockwise: Pastor Ivan Casados, Pastor Abraham Velazquez, Pastor Gilberto Garcia all in Tijuana, Pastor Jorge Izaguirre in Queretaro, Worship group at Comunidad Cristiana in El Niño, Pastor Jesus Petrikowski in Ensenada, Pastor Mere Godinez and in the middle Pastor Yovani Robles in Tijuana

I was surprised and encouraged to see so many of my friends from the Border and throughout Mexico posting their services online! I opened up my Facebook page on Sunday morning, and all the sudden I started noticing how many services were being broadcast.

Some of the churches were close by in Tijuana, Ensenada and Mexicali. Churches that we helped to plant. I know it’s been a lot of extra work for the pastors and their staff to have to learn how to broadcast their church services. Many of them were reluctant at first, but with some encouragement and help they’ve been able to pull it off.

Renuevo Church in Ensenada

One of the services I watched was lead by Pastor Petri in Ensenada. You could tell that he put a lot of work into preparing for the online Facebook transmission. It was so encouraging to see the gospel go out in this way! I noticed the Renuevo church which Petri leads had more people watching than normally attending the church on a typical Sunday. I also recognized some of the names of the people who tuned in. There were friends watching who had never attended the church before!

Could this seeming barrier end up being a huge win for the church? Many people are reticent to come to church for the first time, but they are willing to watch online. They can hear the gospel through an avenue that they may not have considered before. It also helps that most people are restricted in what they can do on Sundays.

Edna Rodriguez on the left leading worship in Mexicali. This is the church we planted in memory of our daughter, Hannah.

When I see what is going on and how the Lord is using this obstacle it reminds me of what Joseph said to his brothers. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20 NIV). God is indeed using this for good, and many will be saved! Hallelujah! The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy, but God is greater. Satan was defeated at the cross of Christ. We have victory in Christ!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org