These Two Titles

I have held a lot of different titles in my adult life. I have been everything from a student pastor, 5th grade teacher, landscaper, mud/mortar mixer and carrier [for a masonry company], golf ball shagger [for a driving range], executive pastor, Starbucks barista, telemarketer, data integration [temping agency], Elder, behavior specialist, coordinator of instructional technology, community pastor, coach, and my newest official title is coordinator for innovation and STEAM.

Of all of the different titles I have answered to, at various times, I had the opportunity to celebrate my two favorite titles that I am known by this week.

Husband

Daddy

I want to take just a minute to reflect on each of these positions that I hold. The two most important positions I will ever hold.

As the husband of Mrs. Snow, my “job” is to love, honor, cherish, and lay down my life for her every single day. Every. Single. Day. Nope, every single hour of every single day. Here’s the reality, we (men and women alike) are told a thousand times a day in a thousand different ways that the most important thing is life is to be happy. I could not disagree with this sentiment more. The most important thing in life is to find something (or someone) that you are willing to sacrifice and lose everything for, if that’s what is required.

There is also the weight of understanding my role as husband in light of Christ’s relationship to His Church. The Church, in the Scriptures, is known as the “Bride of Christ”. The call on my life, as a Christ follower and a husband, is to love my wife the way Christ loves the church and gave himself up for her. There are so many ways in which I can give up myself for the sake of my wife. I believe this is the way I can honor both my wife and my God through this relationship. Susan often says “you spoil me” but my response is typically “no ma’am, I’m just loving you”. I have had the distinct honor of being called her husband for 15 years now. My prayer is, that means 15 years of honoring the name of our great God and King through loving, honoring, and cherishing my bride, His daughter. AND for a lot more years ahead, doing the same.

The title of husband is definitely my favorite title.

But, a very close second...or maybe 1A, Daddy.

There’s a somewhat bizarre text in Luke 11 that I read today that reminded me of why the title of Daddy is so important.

“What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
(Luke 11:11-13 ESV)

This verse stuck out to me because I absolutely love giving my boys things. I love it. I’m sure I walk a fine line between simply letting my kids know I was thinking of them and wanted them to have something nice, or something to make them think about me, and flat out spoiling them. But, this reminder from Luke 11 that if even I, who is evil, know how to give good gifts to my kids, how much more our heavenly Father freely give (specifically in this context, His Spirit...wow).

There is so much about being a daddy that makes me reflect on the heart of Yahweh. How much He desires for us to just be held by Him. I feel like daddies have the ability to make things right that do not seem to be right. They have to ability to make you feel safe when things feel chaotic around you. And I mean, c’mon, there’s nothing in the world like a hug from you daddy.

I believe that dads have the ability to show the heart of Christ in such a special and unique way. I am so grateful to be able to play the role of dad for my Snow boys (as well as other kiddos at various times...because dads just cannot stop dad’ing when they see dad’ing that needs to be done), but also grateful for all of the dads I have had in my life. I have learned so many different life lessons from each of them and could never repay them for the role they’ve played in my life. But I am most grateful for Yahweh, my daddy, and His promise to give the good gift of His Spirit.

Time to go tuck the boys in…

Superman (I’m not really Superman, but my boys are at least still partially convince I MIGHT be)

Sometimes You Get A Bad Hop

For those of you who played baseball or softball, or have children that do, you know the reality of the bad hop. It's inevitable. The bad hop can make a Major League shortstop look like a 5 year old playing t-ball.

Picture this scenario: You're 10 years old and you've decided that you're ready to play baseball. This is a big step for you because you're not 100% confident in your ability and you don't know if you'll be "successful" but you're feeling brave and ready to take that step...and while it is a risk to put yourself out there like that, the pay off COULD be worth it.

So now, you're in line and watching as each of the kids in front of you take a ground ball and throw it back to coach. You can do this.

It's your turn.

Here it comes.

You've got it lined up. You're doing all the things that Coach Daddy taught you to do. Glove in front. Drop your rear end. Throwing hand ready to cover as you scoop.

Then it happens...

The ball hits a rock (or something). Leaps over your glove. And plants itself firmly in the corner of your eye.

How many of you have had the "stitches" before?

The only thing that makes this scenario worse than it seems upon first read is that it was Coach Daddy who was hitting the ground balls. Yep...it was me. Just let me know where I need to pick up my Father of the Year trophy.

I immediately called him in so I could check it out (and to give him an opportunity to dry his eyes and save face in front of his teammates). As he neared me and removed his hand I could already see how red it was and yes, the dreaded "stitches". We grabbed some ice out of someones water jug and had him sit and ice for a little while.

Now, as Coach Daddy, I knew what a risk he had take by even coming out to practice. I knew that he was not super confident going into it. I knew that he had his doubts about whether or not this was really "for him". I also knew that his baseball to the eye could potentially be a career ending injury for my first born.

As we transitioned to the next set of drills I see him emerge from the dugout. I was throwing soft toss to a group in the outfield. He came and stood next to the fence for a while and watched. I asked him, "Do you want to take some swings?" Then it happened, he said, "I guess".

If you've never met Jacob, you need to know, he's a GREAT kid. He's smart, funny, incredibly creative and artist, he loves to read, and he loves learning. He's inquisitive and strong willed (which can be challenging at times but is a characteristic that I'm really glad he has...this is the parental paradox). There is so much about him that makes me so proud every single day. But that moment...those two words. I'm not sure I've even been more proud of him.

Please understand, this has nothing to do with baseball.

This is about resilience.

This is about getting back up.

This is about being willing to take risk. And when it doesn't go the way you hoped, not throwing in the towel.

This is a life skill. One that some seem born with and others never seem to develop. It's also one that some may not be given the opportunity to develop.

Among other things, I am an educator. This is the time of year where we are helping all of our teachers get ready for a new school year. This is the time of year where everyone has that sense of "I've got a clean slate". New opportunities to impact lives and make a difference.

I want teachers to ask themselves, not just at the beginning of the school year but every single day before every single lesson or every single encounter with a student. "Do my kids feel safe to take risks in my classroom?" "Am I creating an atmosphere of bravery?"

Those are truly important questions. But, it doesn't stop there. How do we respond when they pull together all the bravery they can find inside themselves, they take that risk...and it doesn't go well?

What happens when they get a bad hop? Because, remember, you can do everything exactly right in your approach and preparation. Bad hops are no respecter of men (or women).

@ZachSnow

This is where teachers change the world. Teachers believe in students until they have the ability to believe in themselves. I am so grateful to those who have help Jacob develop this most important life skill.

The rest of the story: After Jacob finished taking soft toss in the outfield, we went in to the infield and he took about 15 ground balls at second base after practice. He is now officially signed up to play baseball and he's really excited to be joining his brother's team. He'll be in a Vipers uniform wearing #18 (because Mitch Moreland is his favorite player) this fall.

Oh, also, he's kind of hoping his "battle damage" (as he calls it) is still there on the first day of school. He may be fishing for sympathy from some of those 5th grade girls. #LadiesMan


Make The Next Play,
+Zach Snow

Partnership

This is a cross post from my brother, Kris. A reflection of his time in the DR. It really sums up the feels I always leave with. I would ask you to simply pray about how you can be a part of what the Lord is doing in the DR. 

Partnership

As we board an early flight this morning here in Santo Domingo, I have so many different thoughts. It's a bittersweet departure, as I really miss my family but feel I am leaving new family. I'm reminded of a few truths that grant clarity and freedom from these opposing thoughts. 

The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.  - Psalm 97:6

The most amazing truth that's been revealed to me during my time working with the beautiful Haitians of SA was the Glory displayed to all people. On Sunday, our team had the opportunity to worship in a small batay church. Pastor B reminded us that the Church of Jesus is not separated by land, sea or language. As we sang and cried out to the Lord, our differences didn't matter. We gathered together to proclaim his righteousness and Jesus' name was glorified. This community that was displayed during that time was a shadow of the day coming when every tribe and tongue will stand declaring the Glory of the Lamb. 

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, - Revelation 7:9

The second truth washing through my mind is our new established partnership in the gospel. For a few years I have listened to my brother, Zach, share of two amazing people living a life worthy of the Gospel. You see, Julio and Mercy don't view their lives as radical, but obedient to the call placed on all who follow Jesus. They simply love people, seek justice and share hope with all they encounter. They open their home to all who will come and partner with them in the work Christ has placed in their path. The love and patience they showed our team was so special. Their desire for the people of the Dominican impacted me greatly. I found myself praising the Lord as I listened to Mercy describe the culture of the island. Her passion was so evident that the Spirit used it to grow and stretch me in ways I could have never imagined. Julio shared big gospel centered dreams of stopping injustice facing the people. They shared the beautiful story that the Lord is leading them through and invited us to partner. Partnership! This is the truth that allows me to leave my new friends. Our call as followers of Christ is to lock arms and partner with other believers. The Church is so large and reaching it can't be separated by land or sea. Our partnership with our new friends is permanent. Will you join in this partnership? Will you pray for these dear people? Will you send teams to serve alongside them? Will you be obedient and go?

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. - Philippians 1:3-5

This trip has left me forever changed. The obedience of two precious people has sanctified and humbled me. I thank my God in all my remembrance of them, praising the Spirit for the work He is doing in their lives. I commit to locking arms with them and "holding the rope" as they dive deeper into their journey. 

Blessings,

Kris

Day 3 - Santa Alicia part 2

The truth is that I structure my life in such a way that I spend very little time doing things that are am not ultimately confident in my ability to do. What I mean is that I fill up my days doing things I'm very comfortable with. They are the things that partially make me who I am.

One of the things I love most about coming to the DR is how often I find myself in the middle of something that makes me completely uncomfortable. At times it's trying to communicate with someone who does not speak the same language as I do. Other times it's setting out to accomplish something I've never done before. Today was a perfect microcosm of that struggle.

We returned to Santa Alicia today to continue the work on the new church building. I spent a lot of time shoveling concrete and pushing a wheel barrow. I've never mixed concrete before, at least not in the sheer amount that we mixed it today. We mixed up two different piles of concrete today. One included 8 bags of cement mix and the other included 13 bags of mix (each bag of mix was 95 lbs). This was a BIG pile of cement. It was very intimidating trying to get this stuff transformed into something that could be used in the floor of this church. There was one guy out there with us who really seemed to know what he was doing and how he wanted it done...however, he could not tell us what he wanted us to do and HOW he wanted it done. So we watch and mimicked the best we could. When we were not doing it the right way, we were gently corrected (by someone coming and taking our shovel or pick ax away from us). I'm not sure how that guy was able to be so patient with us while he was working but he deserves a medal for it.

At the end of our work day we had moved about 2,000 lbs of concrete and while we did not get the job done completely it was so neat to see the church continuing to come together. I'm so grateful that the Lord has provided this church to these sweet people. And incredible humbled to be a small part of the process.

(The team with Pastor Bona and Bernardo)

Oh, I also had the opportunity to reconnect with my little friend Ariel. Cannot believe how big he is getting. It always blesses my heart so much when he says that he remembers my face (whether he really does or not, I'm not concerned with).

Better Than I Deserve,
ZS

Day 2 - Santa Alicia

So much fun being able to reconnect with the people of Santa Alicia today.

We spent our morning shoveling and carrying concrete, and crushing rocks at the new church building that the people of Santa Alicia are building. The work was really hard, hot work but it brings me so much joy working along side my Haitian friends.

It's truly exciting to think about the impact this new building can have. We were able to pray over the space asking God to make it a place of hope for the people of Santa Alicia and the surrounding area.

We "tamped" down the rock floor and finished up the concrete work on the pulpit/stage area of the church this morning. We will return early tomorrow to do the floor in the sanctuary. It has also been a real joy working with the group from the Branch Community Church. Great folks with BIG hearts for the Gospel.

I ask that you would join us in praying for the church in  Santa Alicia that Christ would use it and Pastor Bona and Pastor Bernardo in incredible ways.

Blessings!
ZS

Day 1 - Away we go...well kinda

Really excited about getting to travel back to the DR and serving alongside my brother and some very kind folks from his church. 

First lesson: traveling internationally...especially with a group...especially when you're flying American Airlines...will be a problem. 

When we boarded our plane in Dallas there was a constant, high pitched, ringing. As we sat there for TWO HOURS (yes with the constant, high pitched ringing the entire time) it became clear that we would not make our connection in Miami. We anticipated the possibility of a delayed flight but we were thinking it may have something to do with "Bill"...not a faulty PA system. 

So here we sit in Miami. Hoping to catch a standby on the 6:56 flight but booked on the 9:40. 

The best part has been the incredible positive attitudes of the people I'm traveling with. Not one person has complained even one time. Positive, upbeat, adventurous people. 

It's going to be a great week. 

Stay tuned. 

ZS

#DR2015

This is the view from my favorite hammock in the DR.

Dear Friends and Family,

In Matthew 28, Jesus commands us to “GO and make disciples of all nations.” The Lord has given my family and I many opportunities to be obedient to this call. In June, I have the honor and privilege to return to the Dominican Republic, along with a team of 12 others.  We will be partnering again with my friends Julio and Mercy (local missionaries), who serve the poorest of the poor in and near Santo Domingo. They are school teachers who have surrendered to the call of gospel-centered living.  Most of their work is with the Haitian immigrants who live on small sugar cane farms, called batays. Most of them struggle daily for clean water and their next meal.  

Our team will be flying from Dallas to Santo Domingo, DR on June 17th and returning June 23rd. This will allow us a week to serve the local church in Santo Domingo. During the week, we anticipate serving in several ways.  We will be caring for special needs children at orphanages and helping equip local churches to share the gospel. We will stay in the home of Julio and Mercy and get firsthand experience of the culture. I’m humbled to get this opportunity to share in Christ’s work in the Dominican Republic.

I am inviting you to partner in this journey. How can you partner?

• 

  One of the sweet kiddos in Santa Alicia.

  Partner through prayer. Commit to pray while we serve in the Dominican Republic. You can subscribe to and follow this blog for daily updates on our experiences throughout the trip.   
• Partner through financial support. The estimated cost for the trip is about $1460, which is due in two parts ($700 due by May 1st, $760 due by May 17th). Your donation can be made tax deductible by sending it to The Branch Community Church, P.O. Box 307 Bullard TX, 75757. Please designate the gift: Snow DR Mission Fund

I would love to sit down and talk with you more about what the Lord is doing in our family and this trip. So, if you have any questions, please call or email me. Thank you for taking the time to read about the opportunity I have coming soon and for prayerfully considering your involvement in my support team.

Charis Dia Pistis,

@ZachSnow

903-258-1130

jzacharysnow@gmail.com

Royse City's Best Kept Secret

I love Royse City, TX. I really do. There's just something about this place. Incredible people and incredible sunsets. The picture to the left is one of many sunsets that I have captured since I've been living here.

I moved my family to here about 7 years ago from a small town in east Texas. A place very similar to Royse City.

When we first moved here, we connected with a group of people who were getting ready to plant a church. I joined the staff of Gateway Fellowship shortly after and served in capacity of Executive and Teaching Pastor as well as Elder. My family spent about 7 years serving with this church. A time of great growth for us all.

We decided it was time for us to do something different back in August and I stepped down as an Elder of Gateway Fellowship Church in Royse City, TX. This was a difficult time for our family. Change and transition is always difficult and searching for a new church is stressful. There is a fine line between trying to find a church that is "right" for your family and "church shopping". I believe, when seeking a new church, that you should take time, pray, consider your families needs, pray some more, and follow the direction of the Spirit.

One of the great challenges of finding that perfect church home (and btw, there is no perfect church) is that we live in the "buckle of the Bible belt". I have good friends who are on staff at mega churches. We visited a few of them, oh and by the way, really enjoyed them. As we visited new churches, we would always debrief afterwards. That typically went like this: "Boys, how was kids church? Did you enjoy it?" "Well, what did you think about the worship (this usually means "was the lead guy/girl vocally talented)?" "What did you think about the teaching this morning (this was typically Susan asking me if I thought the pastor said anything heretical or just didn't preach contextual or tie it back to the Gospel...which ever sermon should)?" And this is what I mean by there being a fine line between finding a church that is right for you and church shopping. Specifically we visited two great churches that we all really like (Watermark Church in Dallas and Lake Pointe Church in Rockwall). I have friends who are on staff at both places. It would have been relatively easy to assimilate into either church and plug right in and serve. There was one major shortcoming of both places...and it honestly had nothing to do with size (these are both HUGE churches). The thing that we realized that, turns out was a really big deal for us, was (like real estate) "location, location, location".

You see, I have another conviction that I simply could not silence. For me and my family, it is really important that we attend church in the community in which we live. I have always kind of felt like if I attend church somewhere other than where I live, it's like I am separating my faith from every other part of my life. I want to be very clear here: I do not and will not ever push this conviction on another person. This is what I feel is important for my family. As I said, I've lived in Royse City for about 7 years, I work for Royse City ISD, Eli plays baseball in Royse City, my in-laws live in Royse City, and my favorite restaurant is in Royse City (Los Pinos). We really wanted to worship with and be a part of Biblical community in Royse City.

As we prayed and asked God to simply plug us in where He wanted us to be, I remembered that my friend, Matt Henry (who is brilliant, check out some of his work on at this site), and his dad, Paul, started a church in Royse City several years back called Four Winds Church. We decided to go check them out one morning and to be quite honest found exactly what we both [Suz and I] were looking for.

So let me introduce you to the "perfect church" for The Snow Family:

• Real People: People who are kind and warm. People who are honest and open. People who aren't afraid to stop what they're doing to pray for/with you. People who do not get upset if you unknowingly (or knowingly...'cause that's kinda how I am) sit in "their place" (just kidding, I have not seen anyone who seems particular about where they sit...we are all creatures of habit to a certain extent and I don't judge on this front at all). 
• Missional Focus: The first morning we visited, we did not hear from Pastor Paul at all...we heard from the mission team reporting on their most recent trip to Honduras. They talked about a church they were partnering with to meet the needs of underprivileged children. They talked about the life changing experience of being in a foreign field and seeing the impact that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is having their. We also heard, that same morning, of a young lady (probably middle school age) in the church who started making and selling these hats in order to raise enough money to build a fresh water well in an area in which fresh water is not currently available. To this day, each week we hear of hurting people all over our community and surrounding areas that, as a church, we just want to be reaching out to...to make Jesus more famous, not our church. That's refreshing.
• Vibrant, Engaging, Unapologetic, Active Worship: Four Winds Church in Royse City, TX has, by far, been the best worship environment I've had the opportunity to be a part of. And please don't hear me wrong, because Matt is talented and his band is really (really) good, but the WORSHIP has little to do with them. It goes back to the people (see the first bullet). I guess, I just haven't been a part of a group of people who respond like this to Christ, week in and week out. It's not flashy...there are no smoke machines...there are no moving graphics on the screen, only words (white lettering on a black background) to help those along who are unfamiliar with the lyrics of the song. There really seems to be no agenda apart from unapologetic surrender to our great God. I often leave exhausted. That's how you know it's good.
• Verse by Verse, Exegetical Preaching: Again, this is likely a personal preference and not something you and I can't be friends over...but, I prefer a verse by verse, exegetical approach to preaching. I like that Pastor Paul starts in verse 1 and preaches that particular book until he reaches the last verse of that book. He then turns the page and starts the next book. I like this approach to preaching because I feel like it causes us to talk about things that we would not normally "choose" to talk about. When you only preach topically, it's simple enough to just pick another topic when it comes to that really hard text in the Holy Scripture (and please believe me, there are some REALLY hard text in there). The purpose behind every sermon I've heard preached at Four Winds, thus far, is to direct people to the Gospel of Christ because in it we find our hope. 
• My Kids Love It: I really do not have to expound on this. They are learning about who they are in Christ and they love their teachers. 

So, I just wanted to ask you, did you know that Four Winds Church was here in our town? Are you needing a place to connect? Are you church discouraged? Are you looking for hope beyond your current circumstances? Come be my guest. I usually sit in a good seat (within spitting distance) but I'm willing to give it up for you. 

Grateful,

ZS

Cease...Ceasing...

I have been giving a lot of thought lately to the mindset that I feel has invaded a lot of what we consider "Christian Culture".

Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still, and know that I am God."

I believe in this text whole heartedly and know there have been times that this was like a warm blanket of grace to me. However, I do not feel this is the end all and be all of an individual's faith journey. I believe in this, as a moment of worship. I see this as a moment that should make you feel alive and loved and safe and cherished and never forsaken.

But...

I think I've seen this used as an excuse to not actively pursue. Not actively serve. Not actively give. Not actively lead. Our faith should be active. There should be a constant longing for your sanctification to be moving more rapidly than it is. And yes, sometimes that means to stop and worship. But sometimes it means to chase harder and more ferocious than ever before. I want to stop being okay with just "being okay". I podcast Matt Chandler (The Village Church in Dallas) every week and I've heard him say many times (and I believe this to be true), "It's okay to not be okay...it's not okay to stay there."

Now, I want to be clear, I think there is a place for both. I think both are even required of us. This is when worship becomes a life style.

I guess I've been praying more about what it is I need to be about. What areas of life do I need to be more actively involving my faith in? Am I leading well, by example, for the sake of the Gospel and to make Christ more famous? I would never want to be known as complacent and uninterested because I "ceased striving" for longer than I should have. I've decided that it's time to cease...ceasing. It's time to be actively involved in the work that Christ is doing all around me and inviting me into.

So, what is it that you feel you're being drawn into? It may be the greatest adventure of your life and you may even be stirred to a greater level of worship than even when you are being still [and knowing that He's God].

Like Peter, being asked by Jesus to push out into deeper waters, I want to be ready for the catch.

Struggling To Be Still,
ZS






Image from: http://www.billmarshjr.com/tag/use-action/

What is the "will of God" for me?

This morning I preached my last sermon as an Elder of Gateway Fellowship Church.

I could probably tell you a lot of different things about why it was time for me to step out of this position.  However, in the end, it was quite simply time.

So I spent my last half hour, of speaking with our people, dealing with a topic that I feel I can speak to more now than I could have 7 years ago or 13 years ago (the two previous times I felt lead to step away from a ministry/leadership position in a church).   I decided to tackle the topic of "Some Things to Remember About God's Will".

I'm not a big "topical preaching" kind of guy, so I did my best.  Here is what I came up with.

Some things to remember about God's will:1.) Just because one work is finished doesn't mean you are finished. 2.) Just because it seems easy doesn't mean God is in it. 3.) Just because it seems hard doesn't mean God is in it. 4.) Seek. Pray. Listen. Follow. Seek. Pray. Listen. Follow. Etc. 5.) Remember that what you do doesn't really matter. How you live does.  "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8 ESV)

God's will is not really tied to what you do vocationally but learning to live life with opened hands.  If there is little that people remember about my time with GFC in Royse City, I hope it's this.

I do not really know what is next for my family and I, but I do know that we will wind up in the place we always have...right in the middle of the will of God.

In the end, I echoed the words of Paul, and pray this is what I'm always known for:
"For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preach by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ." Galatians 1:11-12

Stay tuned...
ZS

Casa de Luz

We had the great pleasure of visiting an orphanage for children with disabilities today.  The orphanage is called Casa de Luz (Lighthouse), which is so fitting for the experience we had with the people there.  These are children who were abandoned by their families because of the extent of their disabilities, which is heart wrenching to think about but I try to reserve judgement because it's likely they are being cared for more at Casa de Luz than they would've been by their families.

The pastor who runs the orphanage is also the man who started it.  He started this work because he and his wife have a child who was born with a significant and profound disability.  As they begin seeking out help with care for their son, they found there was nothing available.  So, they started rescuing children like their own son.  The pastor now lives on the site where the orphanage is located, but the day to day work with the children is accomplished primarily through volunteers who are nothing short of angels of mercy.

There are many things that I could write to try to explain to you the experience but I will allow some pictures to tell the story.

This is our new friend Ruth.  She welcomed everyone with a huge smile and a hug.  Such a sweet spirit in this little child.  

We were able to help out with lunch.

I love this picture for many reasons but focus on the faces of Ruth, Jacob, and Eli.  Ruth, just so happy to have someone helping and giving her attention.  Eli, watching closely all that we are doing (he was very cautious and watchful for the first 30 mins or so we were there).  Jacob, processing all that he is seeing around him.  I was so proud of my boys today with the way they interacted with the kids at this orphanage.  The kids here have some very profound and severe physical and mental (probably also emotional) disabilities.  I have worked with kids with special needs for years and this scene was still somewhat shocking for me.

But, check this out...

Wheel Chair Races!!!

The kids (both the ones who live there as well as my own) had so much fun racing up and down the hall.  All of a sudden, these were just kids.  Like any other kid in any part of the world.  

I'll leave you with one last image, my favorite from the day.  Jacob and his new BFF Ernesto. 

After lunch, Jacob pushed Ernesto up and down the long hallway for the rest of the time we were there.  They both brought so much joy to the children at Casa de Luz today.  I've said it before and I will continue to say, I believe (because I've prayed for it since before they were born) that my boys are world changers.

Soli Deo Gloria,

ZS

Baseball, Baptism, Beach, and Sun Burns

I think the Texas Rangers Dominican Academy has become one of my favorite places to be. Last summer when we came I had the opportunity to see lefty phenom, Yohander Mendez. Today I had the opportunity to see Juremi Profar, Jurickson's little brother, play SS for the Dominican squad in a MLB sanctioned DSL game. I'm grateful for my new buddy Stosh Hoover for helping us get in and feel welcomed. 

(Juremi Profar #7)

This was a great experience, but pales in comparison to what the afternoon brought. 

We went to Boca Chica for lunch and spending time on the most beautiful beach you can imagine. After lunch and spending some time playing in the water I had the honor of baptizing my oldest son, Jacob, in the Caribbean. This is something we've been talking about for quite some time. Jacob has wanted to be baptized for a while but going to a church that meets in a day care we were needing to wait until this summer when we can fill up out outdoor, portable, baptistery (inflatable pool). No greater time or place than while we are here in the DR, a place we've grown to love, as a family. I will never forget that moment as long as I live and my hope is it will be a defining moment in my precious son's spiritual life. The sights and sounds of Dominican culture surrounded us while my son experienced one of those BIG MOMENTS. (Will post a video soon.)

Just a quick reminder, friends, Christ is anywhere and everywhere you are. Will you stop to recognize His work?

Oh, also, we got sunburns. 

Soli Deo Gloria,

ZS

Casa Juvenil Tercer Cielo

(My new friend, Levi. Levi is a #worldchanger.)

I was given the opportunity to go teach an English class tonight in Santo Domingo. 

Julio and Mercy go to the capital every Monday night to teach English to junior high and high school students. This is a ministry started by former New York Yankee, Dámaso Marte (a really cool ministry, here's more info http://www.scoreintl.org/ministry/casajuvenil/). I had the opportunity to talk (and I use that term loosely) to the high school group. 

Some thoughts from the hour I spent with them:

1.) I must learn to speak Spanish. 

2.) Dominican teens are not that different than their American counterparts. They enjoy facebooking, listening to music and hanging out with their friends. 

3.) I have to learn Spanish. 

4.) There are a lot of good people working to make the world a better place to live. 

5.) Something good and redeeming came out of the Yankee's organization (Dámaso Marte). 

6.) I really need a second language. I'm leaning toward Spanish. 

7.) Love, appreciation, kindness, humility, passion, these are universal and cross every known language barrier. 

8.) Does anyone own Rosetta Stone, Spanish? JK I'm rolling with my FREE Duolingo app. Btw, I'm going to learn to speak Spanish. 

I made a deal with the students. I told them I'd come back next year with more Spanish if they'd promise to have more English. 

¡Julio y Mercy, necesito su ayuda!

(See what I did there? Spanish. Thanks google.)

¡Salud!

ZS

Santa Alicia

Just a day full of joy. 

As we approached Santa Alicia it didn't take long to realize we were going to have to abandon the vehicle and seek alternate means of transportation in...

Jacob taught an art lesson for the kids (and many of the adults) and did such a great job. I could not be more proud of him for doing so many things that I know made him uncomfortable. Watching him interacting with the kids and helping them brought so much joy to my heart. About 20 mins into it, he looked up at me with sweat pouring down his face (btw, Jacob typically doesn't like being hot...at all) and said "Daddy, I want to stay here forever!" This is a common response from people who have the opportunity to visit Santa Alicia. 

After the art lesson we divided the kids up and Eli was able to do the one thing he REALLY wanted to do on this trip...play baseball with the kids on the batay. I threw batting practice to the kids for about an hour...took a pretty good pounding. Felt like Roy Oswalt circa 2012 out there. 

(This is me pitching to Ariel, the little boy we sponsor through @25Projectorg.)

(Eli rounding 3rd after taking me deep.)

(A good picture of Jacob drilling one off of me for a round tripper.)

In other news, the big chicken coop (or is it coupe?) we built there last summer is still in tact and full of chickens. 

Until next time, Santa Alicia...

ZS

Every Tribe and Every Nation.

We had the opportunity to worship with the family of International Baptist Church in Santo Domingo this morning. Such an incredible experience. The worship through singing and preaching were both so go. I was stirred and inspired by how passionate this church chases after Christ in worship.

During the "informacíon" part of the gathering they talked about the upcoming baptismal service they will be having. There were probably about 40 names of people who will be baptized next week. So stinkin' cool. 

Also, they gave all 4 of us these head sets where someone was translating the entire service to us in English. That was kinda the "WOW factor" for the Snow Boys. They thought that was pretty awesome...ok, I thought that was pretty awesome. 

Pray for Jacob tomorrow as he teaches an art class to the kids (and possible most of the adults) at Santa Alicia. We went and picked up the materials he need after church this afternoon.  

Ok, I've got to get back to what I was doing...

ZS

Dominican Republic or Bust...with excitement

We are setting off on our first family mission trip. I know this experience will be life altering for all of us. Please pray as we visit and hopefully encourage these sweet friends that Susan and I made last year. Also pray with us that our kids will be forever changed by the things they see, hear, and experience. 

Soli Deo Gloria,

ZS

Humble Hope ::: Jonathan Edwards

Some of you know my affinity for the writing of those affectionately referred to as "The Old Dead Guys". I want to share what I read this morning from Jonathan Edwards. I hope it challenges and stretches you. 

"A truly Christian love, either to God or men, is a humble brokenhearted love. The desires of the saints, however earnest, are humble desires: their hope is a humble hope; and their joy, even when it is unspeakable, and full of glory, is a humble, brokenhearted joy, and leaves the Christian more poor in spirit, and more like a little child, and more disposed to a universal lowliness of behavior."(Jonathan Edwards, Religious Affections, Yale, 1959, pp. 339f.)

Blessings,

ZS

Newest Members of the Snow Family

It has been a while since I've posted on my personal blog but I have something that I really want to share with you.

I want to introduce you to the two newest members of the Snow Family.

This is Ariel Fransua.

Ariel is a little boy that absolutely stole our hearts on a Batey in the Dominican Republic last summer.  He and I played with a frisbee for about 30 minutes until some of the bigger boys came and took it.  Because of my deficiencies in the area of language, I could not yell at the boys to bring back our frisbee.  Ariel just cried and cried.  We spent the next half our with him sitting on my lap and me attempting to console him (again the language issue).

We are partnering with a ministry called 25 Project for this sponsorship program.  When I saw Ariel's card on the table at our church, Susan and I immediately recognized him.  It's such a simple thing really...$36 a month ensures that this little guys, who is living in the most extreme poverty I've ever seen with my own eyes, gets food, clothes, and an education.  The best part about this partnership is that I will get to see him again when we return in July.

And this is Ana Maria.  She is the teacher on the batey where Ariel lives.  This batey is called Santa Alicia.  This is also one of the bateys where we started a chicken project last summer.  Susan and I decided to also support Ana Maria on a monthly basis because of what she does to improve the lives of all of the people who live on this batey.  Like most teachers, she works tirelessly for next to nothing but is the glue that holds everything together.  We are so grateful for the opportunity to play a small role in the educational process for the kids (and adults) on this batey.

So stinkin' excited we are getting to go back this summer and that we will not only be able to see our friends again, but that we will also be able to introduce our boys to these people who have impacted our lives so profoundly.  

Welcome to the family Ariel and Ana Maria.  I must warn you, we are huggers!!!

ZS

Micah 6:8

DR2012 Day 3: El Cea

Had the pleasure of worshipping with our brothers and sisters at the batey (just found out that I've been spelling it wrong) in El Cea this morning. Such an incredible experience! The people were so warm and welcoming and the children sang a couple of songs that were incredible. Trent preached with a translator and we were able to meet a few of the people we will be building chicken coops for this week. We will be back in El Cea tomorrow and Tuesday and will be building 5 more chicken coops those days.

I saw something very quickly out of the corner of my eye as we traveled to the batey this morning. We were going down a long stretch of highway outside of Boca Chica when I saw two men walked dressed in their Sunday best carrying their Bibles in one hand and a plastic chair in the other one. It made me thing about how we were complaining the last couple of weeks back home because our air conditioner wasn't working and we had to have church in a building that was 80 degrees (btw, it had to be at least 95 where we had church this morning).

#perspective
#CloserToTheEquator

Hoping we can build 5 chicken coops tomorrow so I can play baseball all day with the kids on Tuesday. Guys, let's make it happen!

Blessings!
ZS

DR2012 Day 2: Santa Alicia

Today we built what has been called "The Taj Mahal of chicken coops". Granted, we are the ones who called it that but that's not really what's important.

The thing that will never escape my mind and my heart were the faces of the men in this batay as they sat under a shade tree and watched as we worked. These are men who work very hard in the sugar cane fields for next to nothing, (without a doubt, the most poverty stricken place I have ever seen with my own eyes) watch a group of American men serve them. As we spoke with Julio (our missionary friend here), he explained that because of the poverty of these Haitians, they most likely have never been served by anyone.

In all reality, it did not matter if we were building them a chicken coop or each of them their own mansion, they were so grateful...and you could see it in their eyes...and their smiles.

Micah 6:8
He has told you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.

Today, if you do not know what to pray or even how to pray, ask God for this.
Do justice...
Love kindness...
Walk humbly with a God who loves you infinitely more than you could ever imagine...

Blessings!
ZS