TO accept Christ into your life is an exciting moment of your life. A day you will probably never forget. Just knowing that you will be forever in heaven despite your short comings is all part of that excitement- (1 JOHN 1:9)- "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness"
HOWEVER, it is how you handle what comes next that will depend on how you are understanding (2 TIMOTHY 3:12)- "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution"- Having trouble finding your socks as you are late for an important meeting is NOT 'Persecution'. This is called 'Recognition'- You have just recognized that you did not properly manage the time God has given you. This is not the first time this has happened to you and it will not be the last. The Word of God will come to life with encouraging advice- (EPHESIANS 5:10)- "Finding out what is acceptable to the Lord"- We serve an orderly God that tells us to learn as we go what pleases Him.
UNLESS you come to realize that once we have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives it then becomes time to start MAKING Him Lord of our lives. You will keep doing the same thing over and over and to you, it will always be the fault of another. This means that we are going to have to give ourselves over to the Holy Spirit for the process to begin. When we are put "UNDER CONSTRUCTION".
I knew that God had a plan for me here on the Island of Mauritius. God is so good that He has used MY shortcomings as the time to train me for what I was to face while fulfilling my time here. Upon settling my stay here on the Island by giving me Ms. Mauritius as my wife (if you did not know that, then those of you that are married should read Ephesians 5:25 again. Then you will call your wife Ms. Mauritius also- or wherever she is from). Anyhow, the first thing I was to do was to reconstruct sections of our Nest that would make it suitable for us to nestle in.
HERE are some similarities as to what we must have looked like before coming to Christ (Differences as per the individual may vary).
(Doorway to an open balcony where the local pigeons came in and made themselves at home. Leaving behind them what comes out from behind them....If you know what I mean. It was everywhere)
(Like the sin in our past lives a remnant is left behind waiting to hatch new problems for the believer)
- AS we have finished going through the Gospel of John, in my home. We are continuing to go through the Bible. I thought it best to stay with the writings of John. So we are now in (1 JOHN 1:8)- "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us"- You can bet that human nature of ours is waiting to come out at any time. Like newly hatched birds, you will be flying in the wrong direction in no time. Stay in the Word and you will be in fellowship with Christ, Jesus- (PHILIPPIANS 1:6)- "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ"
(...walk in and to your left you have- The shower room, which was more like an individual bathroom stall. Very small and with the added sink, absolutely no room....For Me)
(...Walk in and to your right we have the toilet. Small and dirty....Not for the pigeons that were still coming around, though)
(The windows of the apartment were either open or broken. Held together with tape)
JUST like fixing up an old, dirty, run down, full of infection apartment. You make your plan and then...GO TO WORK. Even with ourselves coming to Christ. The Holy Spirit gives you the plan, but then you have to...GO TO WORK (ISAIAH 1:16)- "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil"
(The first thing Virginie did was to clean and disinfect the walls and floor of the entire apartment with Bleach)
(Virginie then had all the windows changed with new. Having a nice aluminum white finish)
- FOR the larger jobs that needed to be done, a bit more expertise was needed. Such as closing in the open air balcony and something had to be done with that shower room. I went to the Lord in prayer to know what to do about these projects. Who was I going to call?? Where was I going to get the materials?? I had very little to no connections on the Island. What was I going to do??
- THESE are typical questions we as believers seem to still ask ourselves. What does the Lord say (PROVERBS 24:10)- "If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small"- I think back to when the Lord taught me to use cement and how to handle the tools to work with it. With the Lord, you always get the best. This is why there is no need to faint.
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| (Alpha Omega Masonry- Based out of Bangor, Maine is the company the Lord chose to use that would teach me (not that I became a master mason), but rather how to deal and masterfully overcome difficult situations) |
- THE company is a family business that started only after JOHN VEILLEUX, the fourth generation of brick layer mason said, 'With The Lord On My Side, I Can Do This'- (ROMANS 8:31)- "What then shall we say of these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?"- With that kind of approach, of course God will use them.
(Here we have John Veilleux lining up his brick for a reconstruction of a window sill)
(Here I am cleaning reusable brick with the youngest son Dominique Veilleux. He was the smart one of the bunch. Always thinking of new and creative ways to do things- Always a blessing. I can hear him now, 'Paul- I Think You Can Do It')
(John says to me- 'Paul- One way to do things, my grandfather told my father who told me which I told my son and he will tell his son- "Do It" ')
(Rosaire Veilleux is John's first born...or could be the second. He is a twin- His sister Monique looks better than he does- The first born always looks better. Leaving the brains to the second. He most certainly has those. Ordained Pastor at 24yrs. old- I can hear him now- 'You Survived My Family And Past The Test...You Can Do It')
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(John is relaxing after he and Rosaire finish with this fireplace from the previous photo)
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| (Alpha Omega Masonry helped to construct this walkway to the ocean. Here we have a walkway to experience the 'Voice of God' (Ezekiel 43:2)- This area is called THUNDER HOLE) |
(A pizza oven done for a private home- The owners wanted the best work possible...No games. The father of John Veilleux also trained boxers. To which John became a local champion in his youth...Needless to say, John does not like to play games. This owner called the right team- 'Alpha Omega Masonry')
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| (John Veilleux with grandson. Here we have Rosaire's youngest son. We were together as Rosaire thought of the name for his yet unborn son. 'I am going to name him Mason...Mason John Veilleux'- He will be the next in line) |
- AFTER a long trip down 'Super Memory Lane'. The jobs that I had to do became small and easy. All I had to do was just that- 'Do It'. (1 THESSALONIANS 5:24)- "He who calls you is faithful, who also will DO IT"- So I went to work.
(I put a concrete slab on top the wall for the new window enclosure to fit snug)
(Water proofing the wall with a glue cement was my next step)
(Plastering my wall would be the final step before painting it)
(From the outside the finished product is secure looking and cozy...Definately to keep the pigeons OUT)
(Inside the enclosed balcony I install a new light for the girls)
(Pastor Ron, CCMB- always did the wiring before. Working on the Island with my new brother Roy has taught me the basics about wiring a light fixture)
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| (Double bulb- Nice looking- Bright and Neat) |
(Between the shower and the toilet we had this space with an existing water supply. You Guessed It! A perfect place for a sink)
(After adjusting the height. I drill a few holes and form my skeleton with rebar. I mark up the walls to prepare for the wall tile)
(I then pack in the mixed concrete to make a nice solid holding base for my sink)
(I then cut all the tile I need for the wall and for the sink)
(I was happy with the outcome. Now for a few accessories and we will be functional)
(After a few added accessories we have a fully operational sink)
(A nice cleaning and a few accessories was all the toilet really needed)
- THE last of my projects would be the most fun. To transform the shower room into something more suitable...FOR ME.
(After situating the water line my next step would be to raise the floor)
(I raise the floor with a combination of Rock sand, Cement, and broken up concrete block)
(I pour a liquid used for waterproofing)
(I am now ready to put new floor tile. I mixed enough of the tile cement I need)
(I start with the inside of the shower first to finish as soon as possible for us to use)
(After I put in a nice tan colored grout, I am ready for my next step)
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| (Removing the double sliding shower door was a bit of a task. Silicone was already set in. Not to mention the bolt fasteners that were used for the sides) |
(With the sliding door removed was I ready to mixed up more of the tile cement and continue working)
(Yes, sometimes and most of the time- The Reconstructing process will be a messy job)
(Even after I ruined a tile or two I was left with one tile. Which fit perfectly for my last piece to install- Now How About That!)
(Now the shower room is twice the size that it once was)
(I begin to reassemble the double sliding glass door)
(In the end, the sliding glass door was relocated and installed as the entrance to a remodeled shower room)
(Of course the girls did not waste any time to fill the compartments with shower gels and soap scrubs)
AS the Lord would have it, my life has not only been provided for from day to day but also has the Lord prepared me for tomorrow. When our Lord Jesus tells us (MATTHEW 6:34)- "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble"- I find that the bulk of scripture reassures us so much of our blessed tomorrow that the worry of the day is small in comparison. As we study through the Letter to the Romans let us be encouraged to know (ROMANS 8:18)- "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us"
- THE Lord is coming soon to take us home, don't worry. The Lord has not told a lie before and He is still telling us the truth the whole way through the process of being "Under Construction" to becoming more like Him.
(Rakhel had her first fever a couple of months ago. A cool wet cloth on the head seemed to best treat her ailment)
(I thought to make Rakhel a nice pancake, just for her)
(Rakhel is big help around the home- She helps her grandmother with the clothes)
- SITUATIONS are ever changing. However, praise God that He remains the same. It is comforting to see- The more you learn of Him, the more we have to learn.
- THANK you Alpha Omega Masonry for obeying the call of our Lord and Master. Having me partake with you to: Real Man Work With A Real Godly Team.
- WE continue to pray for the Saints of:
Calvary Chapel Myrtle Beach, SC
Calvary Chapel Florence, SC
Calvary Chapel Bangor, ME
- May The LORD Bless You By HIS Grace -
