BRAD RIEGG
FOUNDER OF LIVING WATERS SPANISH
Brad Riegg founded Living Waters Spanish, and has taught Spanish in person and online for over 30 years to homeschooled high schoolers and adult students throughout the United States and abroad. Living Waters Spanish students and others also have the opportunity each year to serve on mission trips to Mexico, building houses and helping impoverished children.
Brad met his wife, Marcy, while studying politics, economics and fine art at the University of Madrid, and the Prado Museum, the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid, in Spain. Brad and Marcy later earned Master's degrees in theology from Bristol University in England.
The Rieggs, who live in Canby, Oregon, have homeschooled their five children, and traveled to 54 countries.
You can learn more about Living Waters Spanish and Brad’s yearly mission trips by visiting: www.livingwatersspanish.com
Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!
BRAD RIEGG
One day, my son asked me, “What proof do you have that God exists?” I replied, “I know for a fact that God exists because I know Him personally; He is my friend. I know God exists in much the same way that I know my wife exists; I have a personal, intimate relationship with each of them.
In Spanish, there are two words for “know.” There is “conocer,” which means “to know relationally” or “to be familiar with,” and there is “saber,” which means “to know a fact or a data point.” You “conocer” a person, whereas you “saber” information.
I know—conocer—my wife personally and intimately, so I know for certain that she exists. Likewise, I know God exists, because I conocer Him; we have an enduring, long-lasting relationship. Because I conocer God personally, it is nonsensical for me to think that He might not exist, just as it would be irrational and senseless for me to think that my wife does not exist.
In the same way that I have had a multitude of experiences with my wife and friends, all of which substantiate the reality of their existence, I have also had countless "God-experiences."
One occurred at an orphanage in Mexico in 2015 while I was leading a yearly mission trip. We had set the table to provide a chicken dinner for 20 orphans and their care-givers. These impoverished children rarely had the opportunity to eat meat, so this meal was to be a real special treat for them. In preparing the dinner, it suddenly became clear that we did not have enough chicken for everyone. We realized we were 15 servings short and made the decision that, unfortunately, beans and rice would replace the missing meat for those children.
After being notified that the orphans were running late, we removed the food from the plates and placed the chicken back in the oven to keep it warm. Desperate to provide a good meal for all of these children, one of the leaders in our group suggested that we ask God for assistance, so there would be enough food for everyone. So, with the oven door closed, we held hands, bowed our heads, and prayed.
Upon hearing that the children were on their way to the dining hall, we opened the oven and once again served the exact same portion of chicken on each plate as before. This time, however, not only was every plate filled, but there was a lot left over! In fact, there was so much remaining, that many received second and third helpings. And amazingly, we still had enough to send the children home with some chicken for the next day.
So, when someone asks me, “What proof do you have that God exists?” I respond that I have first-hand experience. I say that I personally know the Creator of the Universe as my deepest, dearest friend, and that not only is God real - He is good and incredibly loving!