using YOUR voice

It has been a long time since I wrote here.  When I think of this blog, which is clearly not often, I think I should really shut that down.  God used it for a time to help me process what was happening in life and to be a link in our family's story.  But maybe He is done using my voice for His purposes here?  And then I am given an opportunity to use the passion HE has given to be a voice for those that can't write a blog post.

There are so many things in life we have the privilege of doing and often we see those things as chores until they aren't options anymore.  Have anything like that in your life: exercise, your job, fixing meals for your family, getting out of bed in the morning, your devotional time with Jesus, writing on a blog.

Each of these things could be taken away at any moment and would you regret not enjoying them?  God has given us the freedom to choose to do good things with the gifts HE has given us.  Will you take every chance while you are able to do that for HIM?

It really is as simple as the scripture in Colossians 3 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart for it is the Lord God you are serving."

So today, maybe not tomorrow because I can only obey my Savior one day at a time, I am using my voice to ask you to explore this meeting of the nations.  THE SUMMIT.  What is it?  I will let more gifted voices than mine tell you and then you go check it out!

All Glory to Him,

King's Faith

I have wanted to see the movie King's Faith since I first heard of it in last May at the Orphan Summit in Nashville.  What a better time to sit down for the afternoon to watch the movie than in the week leading up to Orphan Sunday?  So that is what I did last week.  I could have loved the movie because it was a cloudy afternoon and I was snuggled up alone watching it, but I think it had more to do with the statement this film makes.

Without ruining it for you, because I recommend you all snag a copy and watch it, King's Faith is the story of Brendan King.  This young man has had a rough start to life.  He is a foster kid, been in multiple homes, and been arrested several times.  During one of his times in prison, he comes to faith in Christ and it changes his responses to his circumstances and everything else about his life.  This movie is the story of hope in Christ.  How this young man struggles to fit in, how he stands up for what is right, how he brings healing to grieving parents, and how he lives for Christ.

I have already passed my copy of the film on to a friend, knowing her and her family would enjoy it.  You can find more info about King's Faith here:

Watch the trailer/Visit the official website www.kingsfaith.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KingsFaith

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kingsfaith

Book Review and Giveaway

I wanted to share a fun story with you I have been reading.  If you think you'd like a copy, leave a comment to be entered into a giveaway.  I will be GIVING AWAY a free copy of the book on Saturday, August 31st in honor of my son Keaton's 12th birthday.  Keaton LOVES to read and is also reading this book along with me right now!

The book is called Alone Yet Not Alone.  It is a true story of a family ripped apart by war.  The book is set in Pennsylvania at the onset of the French and Indian War.  This incredible historic book is recommended for children ages 8 and up and is a read they are guaranteed to love. It combines great adventure with even greater values - kids won't even realize they are learning about history! 

And they are coming out with a movie in September which will be a great FAMILY FUN night out.

About Alone Yet Not Alone (THE MOVIE): Releases in theaters Sept 27th, 2013 - Find a Theater Here 

Links for more information: 

Bring Alone Yet Not Alone the MOVIE to Your City:

Facebook

Movie Twitter

Movie Website

A season of learning

We have seasons of life and faith.  In regards to writing, I am in a season of reading and doing.   I still reflect, but I am not taking the time to share those thoughts here with others.  I believe God gives us gifts for a season as well.  So that HE can use those gifts to bring about HIS purposes.  I don't believe my love for writing has ceased, but it has waned some as God clarifies other gifts and purposes.

One place I am learning from right now in this season of soaking in, is the blog A Holy Experience.  I am challenged daily by the thoughts I read there.  I find myself leaving the blog and diving into God's Word to see what more He will add to set the bar even higher.

I invite you to be challenged as well and let your heart and soul open to the sweet Spirit of Christ as He moves you through the seasons of life.

Magazines

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

I am not going to lie, I don't have time to read a magazine.  I am lucky if I can sit down to type a blog post or check facebook these days!  But I do find when I take a few minutes each day to relax with a book or magazine, it really does improve my mood!  So when I got to choose a magazine subscription I was excited!

Magazines.com offers people a fun, easy way to discover new reads and helps them track their magazine subscriptions.  Shop the great magazine subscription deals at Magazines.com for Mother’s Day 2013! You’ll find incredible savings on Mom’s favorite cooking, celebrity, crafting magazine subscriptions and more. Don’t forget about all the moms in your life—your aunt, sister and your grandmother! Give her a gift that keeps on giving!

In honor of my momma, who is pretty spectacular, I am giving away a FREE subscription up to $10!  And if you look most are UNDER $10. Simply go to the website, pick a magazine you'd like, and comment here with the title and your email address.  I will choose a winner on Mother's Day and contact you!

It's Friday

It's Friday but Sundays coming video! Worth your 3 minutes.

So thankful we have the knowledge that it is only Friday and Sunday's coming. This video got me thinking about the disciples, Mary, the people there. They didn't know. I mean, duh, they didn't know, bet this isn't some big revelation to you...but they were Living it not reading and hearing it like I have my whole life.

If I could go back anywhere in history, that is where I would go. Those 3 years of Jesus ministry. I want to experience life alongside Jesus.

Would I live and celebrate Holy week the same if I didn't know Sunday was coming? Would
you?

I want to experience life alongside Jesus every day.

But I want to remember and never undervalue the cross.

I want to experience His Sacrifice anew each time I hear its truth.

- Posted from my iPhone

Reset

This week has been a great one. Time away to focus on Hope Grafted In, ministry, and friendship. So as I travel home and anxiously await loving on all the kiddos and Gabe, I find myself alone in the quiet and reflecting.

It is easy for me (and guessing you too) to get wrapped up in our roles and responsibilities. The things we have to do today. The things we need to do in the future. The general direction we see life going in the season Christ has us in.

I find my mind becoming a bit foggy at times like this. Could be I just had too much learning this weekend or too much social interaction. (Both NOT my giftings!)

What do I have to do as a wife, mother, daughter, friend, non-profit director, preschool director, director of a thirty one business?

And then HE quickly brings to mind that these callings are not my own. They are from Him and He has provided all I need for what He has for me for today.

And what He really wants and desires is me. Time with me. Life with me. And I want that to be my first love too.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1, 2 NASB)

As I reset and remain in Jesus, I rest in His strength and His grace. I am filled with honor that He would bless me with these callings. I am filled with anticipation and excitement to live life fully with Him, through Him.

Thanking Him for the reminder and the reassurance. Praying I remember it when the crazy hits the fan tomorrow as I re-enter the whole life He has for me.


- Posted from my iPhone

Greatest LOVE

Thinking a lot about LOVE this past week.  Had a project I was working on for Hope Grafted In that had me looking at scripture about love and found myself studying and praying over God's words.

Particularly amazed by this verse...

John 15:13

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

I love to think about all Christ did to show me that GREATER LOVE.
I love to think about all HE does every day to reveal that GREATER LOVE to me.
I love to think about the sacrifice our Father made that we all could have the chance at GREATER LOVE.

In an effort to show GREATER LOVE...
I rest in peace because I can lay down my life each day at the feet of my Savior.
I realize how much more I can lay down my life for my husband.
I am honored to lay down my life daily for the children God has blessed me with.
I humbly lay down my life for the friends God has given to me to love.

One of the ways our family is working on GREATER LOVE right now is laying down each of our lives for the life of Emmanuel.  Right now, his needs come first.  Right now, his trust is the one thing we long to win.  Right now, his smile is the thing that brings us each joy.  Right now, watching him in his family is the best gift we can receive for our efforts.

As we sit back and watch God bless in simple every day things, we are flooded with emotion recalling these are our son's new experiences with LOVE...

First time with a brother to sleep with.  LOVE how secure and loved he is with a big brother to protect him now FOR LIFE.

A feisty big sister to kiss.  They fight a lot, but play together too and are pretty funny!

A papa to teach him lots of things.

A big brother to wrestle on.

A big sister to be his second mama.

First time playing in the snow.

First time eating Gramma's yummy pie.

A Mimi to spoil him rotten...with treats!

New people and things to play with.

A family and all the wonderful crazy that comes with it.

BEYOND BLESSED.

May God reveal to you the people he needs you to lay down your life for today and may you have the courage and strength to show GREATER LOVE.

heart, mind, or spirit?

Today is my last day in Cape Coast.  Tomorrow Emmanuel and I will travel back to Accra to pick up his visa and hopefully head home.  On the way tomorrow we are stopping to visit E’s family home and village.  I am anxious about that, but it is something that I want to do.  Have pictures and memories to share with him as he gets older and asks.

It has been a blessing to spend time here again at this hotel that Gabe and I were at in October.  While the lizards and the cold trickling shower and I don't get along, the staff here are like family.  One sweet woman, Mary, has been so enjoyable to talk to.  She has a son that is 1 and she is very good with Ema.  I asked the hotel owner if I could give some of E's clothes and toys to Mary as a gift for her son as I didn't want to get her in any trouble.

She came today to get the things as she isn't working in the morning when we will be leaving.  We talked more about her son and how she was off work now and would walk home to where her mother was caring for him.  She asked if I would ever come back to Ghana.  I told her that Gabe and I hoped one day to bring our whole family here when Emmanuel was older so he could see his country, but that I didn't know when that would be as it cost very much to fly 7 people to Africa.

Mary and I have had several past conversations about her faith and mine.  She went to church on New Year's Eve for 5 hours.  She surely is committed!  I teased her to go and say a prayer for me, because I gould be sleeping.  The next day she said she spent much time praying for Emmanuel and me and that we'd be able to go home on Friday.  Sweet lady.

She told me she would like to not work at the hotel and open a shop so she could be with her son.  If she had money, she could do that.  Oh dear.

My heart wanted to jump up and go and give her money.  She had never asked me for anything before and was visibly embarrassed to be asking this.   I mean good grief, how many women in America have the joy of staying at home with their children if they choose?  I am able to work and be with my children.  Why shouldn't this sweet momma have that same gift?  How many friends do I know that are able to have the career of their dreams at the snap of their fingers if they want it?  Why shouldn't she be able to follow her dream?

My head said, "You idiot, you read When Helping Hurts.  Don't go doing anything stupid that makes her lose her job waiting for promises from you.  She has a good job here.  She works hard at it and provides for her son.  You can't save everyone.  She needs Jesus to be her Savior, not you."

So, I decided to let my spirit lead...or rather His Spirit in me.  I asked Mary about her dream of owning a shop.  She told me she'd like to sell materials and shoes.  Things that mothers and children would need.  I encouraged her and told her this is a very good dream as we chatted more about it.  I told her that she should keep planning and thinking of the ways she would run her shop.  That she should keep working at this good job and try and take money from each paycheck and put it away towards her dream.  I asked her if I could pray for her before she left and it was such a sweet moment with her.

I also gave her my email address and told her I would love for her to write me and keep sharing her life and dreams.  I don't know where that will lead, but if God asked me to help her more, I would jump at the opportunity.

So interesting how one minute I can be looking out into the ocean at the beauty of God and longing for home and the next I am having a chat with a sweet friend that God has placed in my life today.  Such mixed blessings and emotions here in this place.

Trying to take each moment as it comes and find the joy in it.  Today, Mary was a joy.  

Why I think Jesus wouldn't vote a straight ticket

We stay pretty quiet on politics around here.  Frankly, everyone else does a pretty good job of filling up talking space about it so much that we don't need to.

Now that it is the day after though, I want to share my opinions on a few things.

First and foremost, Jesus is King.  He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and above all His will is done.

That being said, from what I know about my Savior, He wouldn't vote a straight ticket.  Jesus looks at the heart of EACH person.  Every person on this globe is a person created in His image and He loves us all and desires that we enter His redemption story.  He sees our heart and soul.  I wish I had that view.  Would make elections a whole lot easier.

And if you are sad, disappointed or frustrated with the election, the outcome, the process, our country in general...do something about it.

If you are sick and depressed because Republicans still hold the House or Democrats still hold the Senate and the White House...do something about it.

And I don't mean turn on the TV and let our social media turn you into a sick pathetic version of what a Christ-follower should look like.  From my perspective, we have enough of that going around.

God is still the only ONE who can change hearts and lives.  Maybe you don't have a direct-in at the White House to form a relationship with Barack, become his friend, share Jesus with him, and sit back and watch God work in his heart and life.  Maybe you'd get in trouble or look a bit like a fanatic if you dropped off some gospel tracts at the Governor's office and asked that he seek God in his daily decisions.

BUT you have someone in your life today that is far from God.  Someone that God has placed in your circle because He wants you to share with that person that life with Jesus here and now is AMAZING. He wants you to share your story with them.  Will you?  These people will be our future leaders.  In business, in the church, and in politics.

Are you as passionate about seeing lost people, far from God, find HIM as you are about which color is filling the US map on election night?

If you don't like the way things look around you...fall on your knees and seek God's grace and mercy for His world...and then get up off your knees and...go and make disciples, telling them the story of what God has done in your life...and then watch Him work, give Him all the glory, and REPEAT.

Pity Parties are not Pleasant

I have been throwing myself my own personal pity party the past couple days.

First let me start by saying that my dear friend, Amber, arrived in Kenya and began serving at Haven of Hope.  In chatting with her and various things going on in her and there, I really wanted to be there with her.  Thinking, oh how great it would be for us to go into town together.  We could find an internet cafe, a place she could get a semi-American meal when she needs to.  We could work out a schedule for her of what she can fill her days with.  We could worship God together at Fiwagoh (had to make some of my thoughts good ones!)

Then Nellie, my dear friend and Director at Haven, went into pre-term labor and delivered her beautiful baby boy, Sean, 6 weeks early.  Last night when she text me to tell me that he was born I was freaking out.  He is so small.  What type of care will he receive there?  Can we raise funds to cover the costs of all that neonatal intensive care?  I again longed to be there.  Thinking, I have experience with this.  Maybe my time with my preemie girls was to prepare me to help Nellie.  Should I fly there?  Why does Gabe get to go on this Visiting Orphans trip?  He doesn't even appreciate it.  He's never been there to miss those people.  I ache to be with them so much I can hardly stand it.

OK, I won't share any more of my private insane thoughts lest you think I am more crazy than you already do.

WHO DO I THINK I AM?

Oh my word.  You'd think I would know by now that this isn't about me.  I am not the answer to anyone's problem.  Why in the world do I NOT know enough to not freak out that God has it all under His control, that He is faithful, that He loves them all infinitely more than me.

Amber had a productive day today taking children to get their HIV meds.  More about that at her blog.  She is already messaging me about plans for helping Beatrice and Lucy (aren't they cute?) get better nutrition and working on the Haven budget.  GOD WORKING IN HER.

Baby Sean is 6 weeks early, weighs 1.8 kgs, and was born 22 hours ago in Kenya.  He is already out of his incubator, breastfeeding, and is going home with his mama tomorrow.  I mean, really, look at him, could he be any more perfect?  GOD WORKING IN HIM.

I think I will spend more time on my knees praising my Savior.  Less time worrying about why I can't be in the center of every solution.  No more pity parties (for this week at least until I forget again!)

 More time remembering that He has got this.

Not ok

I can not shake this frustration. I was blessed to spend 56 minutes of my day yesterday skyping with my dear friend Nellie. My dear friend who we are blessed to partner with in the sponsoring of her 35 sweet children in Kenya at her home, Haven of Hope.

And since our chat I cannot shake my disappointment with...not even sure who they are...I guess the American church, well-meaning followers of Christ that hurt when they help.

I am going to tread lightly here for a pleasant change. Or at least more lightly than the actual fury inside me calls for. I would be devastated if my thoughts here do the very thing I think must change. I also value my friend and our chats and hold them at high confidence. And let me say that Nellie doesn't EVER complain so even though I am about to on her behalf, her recount of these things would sound very different from mine.

Do you know that my friend has had more than 10 people from the US come and visit her in the past few years, take pictures and videos of her children promising money, sponsorships, support. And how many of those do you think follow through? How many do you think give ultimatums and support with many strings attached?

How many do you think have ever asked her, the INTELLIGENT woman of God that lives and breaths for these children daily, what she thinks would be the best way to make her home self-sustaining? Asked her what current relief-aid she needs for her kids?

What makes us think that we know best?

Makes and so sad and a little, ok a lot, angry. Maybe they get back to comfort and realize they don't have time for what they said they could do. In which case, we are all human, admit it and move in. But instead not one has contacted her to explain why their promises have come up empty.

What if they are using the faces of those precious children to raise funds for themselves? That thought makes my stomach hurt.

What if someone set up a plan to pay school fees for the children? They arrange for a pastor in Kenya to take the children to school everyday in the church van. They go to school and learn and grow. And what if my friend gets a phone call to come into the headmaster's office and is told that none of her children's school fees for the entire year so far have been paid? How must she feel sitting there hearing these words? Embarrassed as she realizes the school might assume that she is not trustworthy? Angry that someone didn't follow through and pay the fees? Angrier still that the person wouldn't tell her so she could come up with another plan? Sad that her children cannot return to school after this month's break, but by the grace of God.

Maybe he did pay and there has been some mistake. Let's pray it's this last one.

And I am only scratching the surface.

So do you see why I am frustrated? I know we are human. I know even Christians make mistakes. But 1 in 10 following through IS NOT God-honoring.

More resolve than ever to pray for these children and my friend for protection, for wisdom and discernment.

More confirmation that God is asking us to follow through.

More determination to get these 35 children sponsored so their schooling doesn't lapse (31 left to go!).

Come on, let's go! Who will stand up and speak for these kids? Who will help to show that followers of Jesus do put others first?

If you can sponsor, please sponsor.
If you can pray, please pray.
If you can speak, please speak.

May we honor you Lord Jesus with our words, our actions, and our lives. May we help without hurting. May others see YOU above all that we do.


- Posted from my iPhone

Discomfort

Sitting on an airplane miles from home and yet feeling an overwhelming sense of belonging. And with it comes an inner sense of discomfort. That unmistakeable feeling that you know God is speaking. You know you are right where He wants you. That every part of your life has been laid out before and points to Him, bringing Him glory. You know He is revealing things to you. You know He is about to ask for something more, something else He wants. Ever been there? Best place to be, with Jesus at the center of His will for your life. Pray I remain their daily.

That is where I am at this moment. Now don't ask me tomorrow because there will be a million reasons that this time here in this plane with God wasn't as big as it feels right now. Even right this second as I type this the recirculated air in this plane fills with silence and stillness. Which can all be explained away due to the pilot finally figuring out how to hold this thing steady and my ears simultaneously filling with the deafness of high altitude. But right now, in this moment with Jesus, it feels and is right and true.

Paul tells the people in Thessalonians 4 that they are to keep excelling. He then lists out the things they are doing well, and these are some BIG things. Things others around them aren't so good at. He continues on praising them for the way they love. Saying they have been taught by God to love and don't need to be told by anyone else how to do it. Can't get a much bigger compliment than that. The apostle Paul noticing how you love! And then he says to them, but I urge you to excel even more.

God brings us to the places He leads not so that we can arrive, but so that He can keep us moving. What is next? What is the plan? Who knows but Him. And while that used to be a fact about God that would have made me crazy, I now find myself admiring it. Resting in it. And hanging on for the ride.

LOVE wins

Happy LOVE day.

Don't be deceived by the title of this post. This is not a book review of the controversial Rob Bell book. I am not really into book reviews. Maybe because I feel we need to read things ourselves to have opinions on them. I do like to review, or rather discuss, books with others that they have read already. Especially the Bible, as what they are reading reveals truth in my life too.

The Bible tells us that LOVE does win though. Because God is LOVE and God WINS (If this is a surprise to you open up Revelation. He clearly wins the end battle in a pretty huge way!). So my simple math says that means LOVE wins. So thankful to be part of the LOVE team. Not just because I like to win, but because our victory is eternal life with Jesus Christ. What an incredible gift. Trumps chocolate and roses any day.

I have had the opportunity lately to speak in a few settings. Very humbling to think I may have words that can speak truth into someone's life. Not going to lie, it makes me feel old. Last night I talked with some Youth for Christ kids. These were fun, wonderful, young people. As I was speaking, or rather crying, I realized I don't relate to these kids. Oh shoot! They are looking at me and thinking who is this crazy lady and what does she have to do with my life and all I go through.

And the truth makes me feel small. Puts my story into perspective. Reminds me once again that God is so much bigger than me and all my problems, all my hurt. Praise God that He is bigger. Praise God that He uses our messes to make us less so that He can be made greater.

May you see His BIG LOVE in your life today and may your response be to serve Him anew.

Happy LOVE day!


- Posted from my iPhone

you already are

In my time in God's Word lately He has been revealing many truths to me.  Isn't that the great thing about the Bible? Always living and active and speaks truth into our lives.

Been convicting me ever so gently of a HUGE piece of my walk with Jesus that needs some attention.

I have shared here before that I love the church, love the body of Christ.  Love that we are Jesus' hands and feet on this earth.  But I am also disappointed with the church, myself more so.  I am so tired of hearing the excuses of why we aren't living out our Christian faith.  So saddened by all the people in the world that need Jesus and the hope of salvation so badly, not only to save them for Heaven, but to save them from this world!

Have given so many of those excuses myself and today they seem so empty...not a good time, don't want to offend, my mission field is here at home with my children, I am doing other things for God so don't need to evangelize, He hasn't called me to that.  Seriously, who am I kidding?  Yes this momma's heart wants more than anything for my children to grow into strong men and women of God.  But I will be so ashamed if I stand before God and the children in my home are the only children of the Living God I have shared Jesus with.

My pastor at my local body of Christ this week shared God's plan for His church from Revelation.  Revealed the truths behind the verses in Matthew 16 when Jesus takes His disciples to the place called "the gates of hell" in their community and asks, "Who do you say that I am?" and after Peter's response, goes on to say "Upon this rock I will build my church (my people!) and the gates of hell will not overpower it"  That Jesus took them right into the place where the enemy was taking ground and stood up and said I am about taking back the taken ground and invading the enemy lines and you should be too.

And I get all fired up, ready to go out and share my faith with every person I see.  Ready to be bold, not care what evil place I have to go to, because that is how brave my God is so I will be too.  Ready to make a plan to get around people that need Jesus, and be Him to them.  And within a couple days I reflect and realize I only told one person.  Only shared my faith in Jesus Christ with one person in those days.  

What is it about us that makes us not take seriously God's command to go into the world and make disciples, to share His good news?  We see hurting people that need the spirit of the living God to fill them and transform them, but we aren't willing to be kind to them, to tell them of Jesus' love, to build a relationship with them.  For a long time I thought that if I didn't end sharing my faith with the prayer of salvation, I had failed.  Is that what the problem is?  We want to see that step of faith?  Don't want to be part of making deposits into their lives, planting seeds that others will water?  If we can't be part of the moment they are making Jesus the Lord and Savior of their life than we don't need to be part of their life at all?

Do not mistake, I believe there is vital importance in studying God's Word, in being in a Bible study with other believers, in taking classes that help us to grow and learn and stretch, in being part of a prayer group.  Knowing God more is how we know what it is we are selling.  Can't be good consultants for Jesus if we don't know the manual.  BUT if you are a Christian, have confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, YOU ARE FULLY EQUIPPED.  You don't need anything else to start spreading His news.  You will continue to study and learn and grow because you love Jesus and you want more of Him.  You will become more devoted to the things of God because His Spirit within you will bring about change in your life.  But you already are fully equipped followers of Jesus, and if you are waiting until you have it all figured out to go and share the good news, to bring hope, you are wasting God's time, wasting your life.  How many years have I already wasted.  We are here to be His hands and feet for but a moment.  Within the blink of an eye our life here ends and we are with Him for eternity.  What in the world have I been doing with my chance?

Pretty sure His disciples were not well learned theology students when He sent them out into the world.  They were just ordinary, maybe even sub-par, guys who had encountered the resurrected Jesus Christ and they couldn't do ONE other thing in their life but to go all over telling everyone.  It wasn't that they shared their faith once a week, here or there, it was their life, their WHOLE life.  So who is in your Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria that needs you to go be Jesus?  Just read one thing in our city's or country's news and you will see there is PLENTY of hurt here and many who need Jesus.  Who is in your remotest part of the earth?  That needs love, human touch, food, water, and most of all the gospel of Jesus Christ.

If you can not remember the last time you shared your faith or if you can remember and it was not today, let's get going.  Let's do better for Jesus.  Good grief, yes He asks a lot.  Asks us to lay down ourselves daily and follow Him.  Lay down our pride, our comfort and talk to others about Him.  But no one else has done as much for me as Jesus, so I will keep saying yes.  And I pray the church, the body of Christ here on this earth, will keep advancing the line and take back from the enemy what is God's for His glory.

what is your family about?

Oh it has been a day of reflection around here.  I love days like that, where God just speaks and speaks and I listen.  And then I just speak and speak and He listens.

Was dusting this morning (I know that isn't a very productive or fun use of time, but it needed done!) and I picked up a frame off our mantle.  As I held it, this an item I dust every week (or maybe not) that sits in our family room all the time, I took the time to reread it.  Something that Gabe and I wrote years ago when I was part of a mom's bible study about being intentional in raising faithful kids...

Our Family Mission Statement:
Our mission as a family is to bring glory to the Lord with our hearts, our souls, our bodies, and our minds each day.  We will seek to be more like Christ by studying His word.  We will strive to use each moment of our day to worship Him.  We will share the love of Jesus with others.  We promise to treat each member of this family as a gift that the Lord has entrusted to us.  We pray that the Lord will give us the humble heart of a servant, that we may grow to understand His purpose and will for our lives.


Our Family Verses:
I prayed for this child, and the Lord has given him to me.  So now I give him to the Lord.  For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.  I Samuel 1:27-28
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings.  Philippians 3:10a
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.  Joshua 24:15


Wow, who would have thought that if you are actually intentional with what you want from God, say it out loud, try to live it every day, He will not hold back, but will give it all as He sees fit.  We didn't know 8 years ago when we wrote this how much depth and truth would be in these words and in our lives.

So what is your family about?  What is your mission?  Can you point to God things that He has done through you that show you are living out that mission?  If you haven't written it out, I highly encourage it.

We are going to redo ours.  Use the same exact words on new paper in a bigger frame, and have each person in our family sign it (when they can :) and we are going to start talking about it more.  Because in our house, our faith is intentional, but we can always do more.  We can take more opportunities to teach each other about love, compassion, and forgiveness.

We often get asked why we do the things we do, and days like this when I can hear God listing all the things He has done in us and through us to bring Him glory, that is why.  To look back at where our family has come and to hear His favor.  To hear His reminder to work on this a little more, tweak that, give more.

SO what will it be for you?  He will never ask you to give what you don't have...but He can never use anything you are not willing to give.  So give it all to Him and watch as He shows you what to do with it.

Can't wait to reread those words in 10 more years and see how far God has taken us.

get it yet?

Just when you think you have it all together is when the bottom drops out isn't it? Can't quite decide if that is the ups and downs of life or God's funny sense of humor in making us humble. I guess I am not good at submitting, because He is constantly pulling the rug out so I will fall back down in worship. Anyone else have this happening or am I the only stubborn person out there?

This weekend I shared at our church about trials and considering it joy when God chooses to refine us. It sure wasn't me doing the talking because I was not nervous and that would never be me. I would be FREAKED out to stand in front of two people let alone a whole room. So that is what it feels like to be confident in the Lord? Pretty great.

Well apparently this slow learner should listen more to her own words because it hadn't been 2 hours and I was all full of myself. Maybe someday I will get it.

And whether HE used this today to humble me or just to remind me of His grace and mercy, either way it did both...

Sitting at the desk trying to find the bottom of paperwork that I keep putting off. The stack was growing so big I was contemplating just pushing it into the trash and pretending I had kept up. But back to the point...

I pulled out the preschool application. Can't believe it is time to register Macy for preschool this fall. I pull out the pen, check out the form and read "full name of student" and a rush of sadness flows over my body. That warm feeling of being hit in the stomach and left all sweaty. Felt it lately?

I don't get to fill this form out twice. I don't get to register Gaby for preschool with her sister. The thought that this is the beginning of school and she won't ever be here for me to watch learn and grow. And all the words I shared over the past months with people, all the so-called great advice I gave, thoughts I shared on Sunday feel pointless, purposeless. I want Gaby. I want to hold her, see how big she has gotten, hear her talking, see her running around, see if she is silly like Macy, compare and contrast her to her twin, register her for preschool. Shoot.

Reminded that I need Jesus. Need His strength and grace to fill me. Left on my own I am a mess.

Why I sell thirty-one

Just received this Google Instant Message from a friend, Moses, in Kenya...love technology that brings us together!

May God bless you for all the Good work that you are doing.You are helping the voiceless and God will always Bless you and your family.Thanks

Praise God for all He has done and we give all glory to Him.  This message leads me to explain why I sell thirty-one...

I am not very good at selling things.  I can sell an idea I believe in like why you should visit orphans or adopt.  But selling someone a product is more intimidating.  Call me silly, I just am not sure they really need the product.  I don't want to encourage them to get something they don't want just because they feel pressured to and I for sure don't want to be part of the pressuring.  But all that aside, God is revealing to me that sometimes He uses the things we aren't comfortable with to do great things for Him.  thirty-one has been ones of those things in my life.

I was originally drawn to it because of the cute products.  I love bags and these are so fun.  I also attended a sale that was an adoption fundraiser for a friend and I thought, well I could do that.  The more I looked into it the more affirmations I received, yep sell this stuff and give the proceeds to adoptions, orphans, and widows.

The thirty-one name is in reference to the Proverbs 31 woman.  And while I strive to be that woman, most often failing with great magnitude, the reason I sell it is found earlier in Proverbs 31.  The verses that Gabe and I have been quoting for years to each other that are the reason we do the things we do.  The reason we have this blog in the first place.

 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
   for the rights of all who are destitute.
Speak up and judge fairly;
   defend the rights of the poor and needy.   

And that is really as simple as it is.  I use the thirty-one products that are useful and wonderful for families to raise funds and speak up.  My commission goes towards these things.  And I love to do fundraisers!

In the past 3 months of selling these products (October 2011-December 2011) I have been blessed to, in no particular order:

• Raise $200 for an adopting family that in turn gave half of those proceeds to a mom of 35 in Kenya.
• Help to give 2 large capacity washing machines for a friend in Kenya that runs Haven of Hope orphanage.
• Give $110 to a family that is adopting 2 girls through the local foster care system
• Give $110 to a family adopting from Congo
• Sponsor a child through Children's Hopechest.
• Raise $680 towards Keaton and Gabe's trip to Kenya
• Sign up a consultant who is selling thirty-one to raise money for special needs adoptions all over the world.
• Sign up a consultant who is selling thirty-one to bring in some extra money for her and her retired pastor husband.
• Provide 83 people with new bags that they love or gifted to someone that now loves them!
• Provide 11 hostesses with lots of free products and the chance to clean their house and hang out with their friends.

And God receives the glory for all these things.  Because I am simply a vessel that is so blessed to be used by Him to bring hope to others.  

If you ever want to have a party for fun, need a fundraiser, want to sell thirty-one for your own reasons, or just need a new bag, I would love to help.  Just e-mail me or visit my thirty-one site!

Happy Xmas Holiday

Not sure which is funnier, Macy refusing to look or Laney posing!

this is for us who are Christ followers...

Went to the mall today for Macy to have a physical therapy session there.  A nice gentleman held the door open for me as I carried Macy and held Laney's hand hurrying inside.  Must have seen I needed help, which was very thoughtful.  As we walked through the door I said, "Thank you.  We hope you have a wonderful holiday."  He humphed, sounded like a scary growl, and replied, "I will have a Merry Christ-mas thank you very much."  And he said Christ mas not Christmas.

I am all about keeping Christ in Christmas, but I am positive this doesn't begin or end with words.

How many Christians who are angry about the words Happy Holidays or Season's Greetings go into extreme debt to purchase gifts, fret over the perfect Christmas outfit and picture of our family, spend hours waiting to sit a child on Santa's lap, busy ourselves with so many things during December we don't even read the 20 verses in Luke, that take all of 5 minutes if you are a slow reader to read, that are the story of Christmas?

The words are not the problem.  The words are not what makes Christmas in our country so far from what it should be.

There was nothing Christlike about this gentleman's response to me.  He didn't know that I am a believer, even though he might have an idea after I looked him square in the eye and said, "Well I hope that you do celebrate Jesus birth every day and may the grace of God go with you today."  I even said it without the sarcastic voice that my head was saying it with and I really do hope that he does.

Because this guy isn't really the problem.  He is just giving a conditioned response.  Someone taught him to be angry about that, and I would guess it wasn't Jesus.  If I had not been a Christ follower, this fellow's statement would have made me think that once you become a Christian, Jesus makes you rude.

Don't misunderstand, I do know that there is a time to stand up for what you believe.  But how about we try being what we believe instead?

Becoming humble like a baby in a manger.
Spending time learning in our temple.
Getting dirty with some mud and a blind guy.
Touching and speaking to a bleeding woman who is a complete stranger.
Standing silent as we are spit on, called names, and whipped by our enemies.
Sacrificing our lives daily.

What would God's world look like if we did?

One of the thoughts that ran through my mind so often as I walked through Africa was How did it get this way?  How in the 21st century do people live like this?  How did the church let it get this bad?  This kind of poverty, disease, lack of humanity, hopelessness didn't just happen over night.  I also don't believe that God is blessing the United States and other areas of the world and cursing Africa for some type of sin.  I can't put my finger on exactly what it is that led to this, but I am pretty sure that this guy's anger over my greeting has something to do with it.

We spend more time protecting beliefs that living as if we really believe.

We spend more time arguing with people who we see as different than us than we do caring if they feel loved and wanting them to know Jesus.

We spend more time being worldly than we do being Christlike.

And that just makes me sad.  Makes me want to change the church.  Makes me excited when I meet people who are changing the church.  Makes me motivated to become uncomfortable every day in my faith and share my life with others.  Makes me want to be more like Jesus.

Because I am convinced if we all put Jesus first, others second, and ME last, God's world could become heaven on earth.  God could be glorified in our lives.  In our church.  In our schools.  In our country.  In Africa.  

Wouldn't that be a Merry Christmas?

How Many Kings?

Listening to a song today and reminded just how great the gift of Christmas is.  It fills our spirits with anticipation for what is to come in that little baby Jesus' life with Good Friday and Easter and what hope that gift offers to each of us.

How many Kings step down from their thrones?
How many Lords have abandoned their homes?
How many Greats have become the least for me?
And how many Gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that is torn all apart
How many Fathers gave up their Sons for me?

Do you understand the magnitude of that this Christmas?  It is for you.  The One true God did this all for you.  Your first step is to accept that as truth.

John 3:16  

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 10:9
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

It really is as simple as that.  The daily giving up of self that comes after you place your faith in Jesus is the hard part!  But thankfully His grace covers us all.

II Cor. 4:14-15

For Christ’s love compels us, that we who live should no longer live for ourselves but for him.

So where ever you find yourself today in the span of your relationship with Jesus, may you believe that YOU are worth it.  YOU are His chosen one.  This Christmas let His presence fill you and bring you peace.