How to Not Burn Out Before You Start: Missions

(Sorry this is highlighted in white...Cannot figure out how to change it...)

It has been six months since my husband returned from the land that our hearts desire to pour our lives into. Six months. Though on the grand scheme of things this time is not that long of a period, yet to us it seems like an eternity. Yet the Bible says, " But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (2 Peter 3:8).

Also His word says that, " And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth,having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place" (Acts 17:26).

We can assure our hearts that our entire life, which if we hit the unlikely ripe age of 100 years old, would only be a tenth of a day in God's time scheme. Just a tiny fraction for all those 100 years. So our six months is just a scratch in that light. 

God is kind in preparing us. He is teaching us so much as we wait.

• He is teaching us to depend on one another more as a family unit. 
• He is teaching my husband and I to be better friends. 
• He is helping us learn that God is patient and moves in perfect timing and wisdom.
• He is is teaching us how to adapt in cross cultural ministry.
• He is helping us to see and cherish people right where we are in the present moment.
• He is teaching us to love and trust His greater plan more.
• He is teaching us to hold our plans loosely.
• He is teaching us that prayer is the most important preparation, through vulnerable, dependent, child-like trust in our Father.

We are clearly being trained in the wait. We know that He will move us out when He is ready. He has already determined our boundaries and periods after all. In this we can trust as we wait right where we are and love this present city of Chattanooga well.

With all that we are learning I think we can conclude that the way we do not burn out is by keeping our eyes fixed on our Savior. In beholding His beauty we can trust His greater plan in our lives for every moment. As we do this we must do the next thing that He sets in front of us because every moment of our lives, every breath we take, is for the greater purpose of serving Him, bringing Him glory and enjoying Him forever right where we are planted. So we wait in joy and hope because the One who places dreams and plans in our hearts is the One who will see them through in their proper timing and way.

Help Women in Nepal

It has been a while since I featured a Trades of Hope artisan group so here is one appropriate for fall. Since school is starting, these notebooks would be perfect to help women in Nepal and spread the word about fair trade purchases. Any purchase you make from my link below also helps us reach our mission fund goal.

You can purchase these here. *ad

When You Are Left Behind - Missions

As long as I can remember I have been drawn toward people who were different than me. I love diversity. God has placed that love in my heart. I remember as a teen how I loved going to the airport because it was the gateway to all nations and peoples. I loved watching and studying different people, always intrigued by how they lived. I had a sense that there were bigger things than me. I feel most at home around those who are different -- A glimpse of Heaven.

When I was young, probably 10 or 11 years old, I heard the Scriptures read from Isaiah 6 that recounted Isaiah's call. I remember His response, "Here I am. Send me." My heart burned within me. I cried that same prayer out to God to please send me. I did not know what that meant then but I prayed it again and again.

God has been growing me and preparing me to go alongside my family. Growing and preparing all of us to go. In that wait period from that early time I have studied, learned, and prayed much about other people. God has been getting us ready. I have longed to go, ached really, for years. But the time is not yet.

Now today I sit and watch a family fulfill their next steps in their call to go. I envy it but rejoice in it. God has chosen already the exact times and places we should go (Acts 17:26). He knows when it is time for us so we wait for it but as we wait we watch others go and we rejoice with them. We pray for them. We serve faithfully where we are planted. We do this because wherever God has chosen to place your feet each moment is a moment of His divine will. Spread the aroma of Christ around you right where you are planted.

I am realizing that there are so many around us, even in the Bible belt, who need the love of Christ to envelop them. We must not waste any moment. We must embrace where we are placed and love well, share the gospel truth of that love of Christ who came down to us to rescue us from ourselves, who lived the life we could not live, who died the worst possible death taking all the wrath we deserve, then being resurrected to new life. That is the best news that the world could hear. In Him we get this new unstained life.

We are in the ministry of reconciling people to God and one another. That is what mission is. Sharing the good news with all peoples in all places. It is an urgent mission because our time draws short then eternity with God or apart from God. I want as many with God as possible. How can they know unless someone goes and shares with them? There are brothers and sisters in Christ out there who need you to go and tell them this truth. Brothers and sisters who need to know this great, pursuing, rescuing love. Will you share? Right where He has placed you? Will you love? Christ said we would be known by our love.

Then be prepared when someone asks your reason for hope. Share with boldness, gentleness, and respect but above all love. Then pray. Trust God with the fruit. He is the one who does whatever He does with that seed. He is patient and long-suffering. He is love. Look to Him as you wait. Look to Him as you do your everyday activities. Be a light. Remind others what He has done. And pray. Prayer is the fertilizer that moves things into place and prepares the ground of the heart and the places He has for us to go. Prayer is probably the most important part of the entire Christian walk. Don't neglect it. God delights in you going boldly before His throne of grace.

As I watch my friends sent out on this next step, I have the privilege and opportunity to pray them forward. I am so excited for them. I know they will be exactly where God has them for such a time as this. Will you say a prayer for them too?

Things Learned When My Husband Was Out of the Country

Though I missed my husband the past fourteen days he was away and value him incredibly, I found out that I am really okay on my own. This experience was a good one for me because I never want my husband to be an idol in my life. He has been my best friend since I was 16 years old so it seems he has always been there. I suffer with physical weakness often so it is easy to rely on my man. I do think it is okay to rely on him, my life partner and spouse that the Lord has provided for me however, there is a fine line regarding this. Ultimately the Lord is to be my strength. While my husband was away I could really tell the Lord was my strength.

It was good as well to depend and know that the community that God gives us was available to me which keeps me from being self-sufficient. I was so thankful for the help from the community of God.

How could I tell I would be okay with God alone?

When things got so rough with the children that I just wanted to give up all hope, I could redirect my mind to the good news of the gospel and the promises of God's word. God by His Spirit would work those truths into my heart and in Christ they would bring me great comfort and provide the strength I needed to move forward. His love redirected my steps back to Him.

When the trash needed to go out, I did it. I did not hold a secret grudge about my husband's choice to ignore it because well, he was out of the country. I realized it is not a big deal to take the trash out. It does not have to be solely my husband's job who is just as tired as I am at the end of a day.

When the pool over filled, I was able to take instruction to fix it. I was also able to maintain it and keep it running well. God gives the strength for this.

When a light bulb went out up high, I just pulled out a stool and changed it.

When a scary bug tried to scare the life of me, I squashed it.

When I was so very scared at night, God gave me the peace to sleep well knowing He never sleeps or slumbers and watches over us. God truly cares for us, even in the simple things like a bad light bulb or a scary bug. He will never leave or forsake us. He gives us all we need.

There are so many little things, but they are huge to me, that my husband does. I appreciate him so very much. I appreciate his help. I am so glad we are a team together in life. I did learn, however, that if he were to return to me never more I would be okay. God provides us all that is needed. His grace overflows to us in our times of need. Now instead of making my husband my world, I am free to enjoy him as a great gift from the Lord who is actually my world. The Lord is my strength and my song. He is everything. I am thankful for these observations.

You Must Die to Live - Thoughts on Christian Living

 

"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me" (John 12:24-26).

This is the passage I taught from when I spoke to the ladies at New Friendship Baptist church in Cleveland. I am so thankful that they were an amazing group of women who were mission minded. They were those rare women who desire Christ with their all. I was so blessed to be there to share what God has been speaking to me specifically. In my life right now it is specifically regarding relocating my family for the sake of the good news of Christ. However, dying can mean many different things to many different people. All used for His glory. We are never forced to lay our lives down but those who know they are loved respond in love and chose to freely. 

We must count the cost of what it means to be a disciple and must determine He is worth it.

Jesus tells us that "If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross each day and follow me (Luke 9:23, CEV).

How this looks for each of us will be very different.
Maybe it is:

• Forgiving when it is not deserved.
• Doing what others want when you desire something different.
• Raising a special needs child.
• Loving the unlovable.
• Caring for aging parents.
• Living with chronic illness or depression but getting up anyway.
• Going on the mission field, giving up everything even your literal life.
• Forgetting self, becoming self-less.

These are just some examples of the crosses we pick up and they are nothing like Jesus's ultimate cross. Yet because of His amazing, non-stop, rescuing love for us He, "Because of the joy awaiting him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne" (Hebrews 12:2).

How do we live a life like this? Is it by trying harder? Not particularly though we do have some part in choosing to die to self yet the Holy Spirit is the one who changes us more and more into His image.

2 Corinthians 3:16 says it this way, "We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne."

As we behold Him, as we keep our eyes fixed on Him, the Spirit changes us little by little in His perfect timing. And that makes it worth it. Because He came He has made us perfect in the eyes of the Father, when we trust His finished work on our behalf on the cross, as we are being perfected. It is a beautiful thing. A glorious mystery that makes anything worth His supreme glory. Anything.

Help Children in India While Wearing a Great Product

Today's Trades of Hope Feature Product comes from India. I personally have this necklace and love it! Not only is it a beautiful accessory but it also helps children get an education and provides clean water.
To get yours SHOP HERE.

Because Sometimes God Calls You To Go

Because God loves us and because He tells us to preach the gospel in all places, we feel compelled to do that as a family. The facts are that 90% of the people sharing the good news are located in North America. That leaves only 10% around the rest of the world and seriously the rest of the world contains more people (eternal souls) than those in North America alone. People need to be willing to go.

I write this to say that as a family we are feeling compelled and called to go. Here, in the city we have come to love and call home, the gospel is saturated. There are churches on every corner; literally. I pass more than a handful on the way to my church. Christ is evident here but there are many places where His good news has never been heard. This is where we are feeling called to go.

I am not writing this to make anyone else feel like they should go. God has specific plans for each of our lives and they are not all the same, however I do think each person should question where they should be and how they are reaching their neighbors and the nations. Sometimes we do get so comfortable that we ignore God's call. Don't do that either. We must be an intentional people who intentionally share the love and news of Christ with whoever God puts around us. Where you do this is between you and God.

Because our family is unique in make up there are only a few specific places, in this season, we believe are appropriate for us. God will show us how this will work and will pave the way. As we wait on Him to show us the final plans and confirm things for us we prepare to get ourselves in position to go. We are just a regular family who will be moving to a new place getting jobs there so we can live like we do here but being able to share life with those who have not heard the good news.

As we wait we love and share with those who God has placed before us. We help strengthen the church. We help believers grow in Him. We do what He puts before us. We all should be doing this. Not because it earns us anything but because He loves us so, He gave so much for us, from the response of His love we serve, we pour our lives out. We do this together little by little. It is a blessing to be a part of the body of Christ in this way, working together for His glory.

Will you pray for us as we move through this transitional phase of our lives? We would appreciate your prayers. We need perseverance because getting into position to be ready to go is not easy because it challenges our American attitude of excess and success. Pray for our fears regarding changes. Pray for our boldness in sharing. Pray we will be a blessing to whomever God allows us to partner with. Pray we will be united as a family in this. Pray we will love well. If you want more specific details on this just send me an email. This is an exciting and crazy time for us but we are all in.

Trades of Hope - Feature Uganda

I love Trades of Hope. It is an organization that empowers people out of poverty and shares the gospel of Jesus Christ with others! I absolutely love it! Because of this I have become a compassion entrepreneur. All that means is I help sell this product to help these people continue to receive an income in working conditions that meet fair trade standards.

You can help by hosting a party, purchasing products, or spreading the word. Today I will feature these precious Ugandan women. Here is a blurb from the website:
Trades of Hope is excited to be working with a group in Uganda that feeds, educates, and encourages orphaned and vulnerable children and families in Uganda. Founded in 2008 by then 19-year-old Katie Davis (Kisses from Katie), they spreads the truth of God's love and empower the Ugandan people through education sponsorship, community outreach,  vocational projects, and discipleship programs.  READ MORE HERE. 

If you go to the page to check out more be sure to read the stories of two of these women featured there. It is a blessing to be a part of this. And in the meantime when products sell I get a little income as well to put back into our mission expenses. I love that! Please go and check it out. If you want to join in this adventure with me let me know. To Shop go HERE.

This particular group is near and dear to our hearts because we are reading through Kisses from Katie as our modern missionary book. It is exciting to be connected in such an amazing way that makes a true and lasting difference.

A Strange Faith Filled Journey - Follow it This Year

"Wind's in the east, mist coming in, like something is brewing about to begin." This little quote from Marry Poppins is what I have been thinking about today. Change has been coming for quite some time but it was birthed in prayer. In prayer, change that you think God is stirring in your heart is exciting but then comes the time when faith has to hit your feet and you must walk in it; this is the scary yet exciting part.

The prayer period continues but walking this thing out is the next step. God is birthing something that we (Tony and I) can not tell you yet. We will inform as we can tell more, of course, but for now there are a few things we are doing in faith.

Last year we started getting our house ready to sell. We are almost there. Yet, a little debt was also acquired to get these things ready. We need to pay this off and earn enough for a few ministry related trips coming up for us. Again, we will say what we can when we know and we can.

I am so appalled by how much stuff we own! A friend and I have been talking about the need to simplify. In March it will be two years since we had the house fire. I realized then that I need very little to be okay, yet I look at all of this stuff. It is crazy to me! I, along with my friend, will be strategic on how to sell unneeded items. This is a must! We will challenge one another in this. I know this part will be painful yet comical.

I will give things away to others who need them.
I will be having garage sales with my friend.
I will be posting items for sale on various media outlets like Facebook or Amazon.

Really I do not need that much!

We have such a desire for women to be refreshed in their relationship with the Lord so we will also be using this for the ministry purposes of offering small retreats in order to do this. I am excited about serving women in this way! I hope you help us by spreading the word as we have more information available. 

I have been also feeling a desire to help those in poverty. Because of this I have partnered with Trades of Hope. This organization is amazing and helps so many people by empowering them so they can stay out of poverty and provide for their families. By supporting this ministry and selling their products I also can make a little income to put back into this ministry of refreshing others and mission trips our family has coming in the near future.

This blog will take on a new look in order to help you navigate this stuff easier. I really hope you will partner with us in prayer! God used your prayers to help so much in our adoption adventure! Of course we would not refuse a financial partnership either for these things but I cannot even tell you enough to give you a clear conscience about that yet! Buy from Trades of Hope, Buy our ebooks from Amazon, or buy our well used stuff we post to sell. This will help. Spread the word about it. That will help. We must partner with one another in the gospel. I appreciate any help you can give. Mostly I just ask for some faithful prayer partners because the things we are sensing are crazy dreams and we need clear direction and wisdom. 

The other challenge and step is for us to learn Arabic. We do not fully know why but we are being faithful. I know God will show us the fruit of this. I am actually seeing a little fruit because I have made some Arabic speaking friends this year. 

So for now this is vague and where we stand. When you wonder why I am selling so much and trying to earn income in these various ventures for our ministry it all boils down to these things. As we know more we will share. Our one need now is this; Prayer Partners.

If you can agree to partner with us in prayer for this year I would like to know. Please send me a message. I can send you regular prayer updates. I really need your help. We are excited at what God is doing!

The Broken System - Part Four, Our Response

When you live with a broken system of childcare you must step in and do something. We are all in this together. We must let our hearts break for the things that break God's heart. Children hurting and neglected would qualify here.

Everyone has a part to play. For us it was bringing a boy into our home to help a family out. This boy was in a very bad condition and the immediate need was to relieve this. After this was taken care of a plan was drawn that would clarify the things that a family needs to properly raise children. Many resources were available and we walked this path with the family.

After a long period of time the family proved not able to do the things that were needed to give their children a safe environment. Because children need permanency we adopted our little guy to make this a possibility. This does not relieve the situation though all together. The birth family still  needs people to walk along with them and help them as they can reach their full God-given potential.

This is tricky though, when people refuse to walk the recovery road you cannot force them. It puts you in a position to care for them but not enable them. In our situation we communicate and pray for them. We visit with them and they know their children are well cared for. We also have an opportunity to visit together with them. We pray for them hoping and cheering them on to be what they can be. We wait until they decide to live up to it.

That is just the basics of our story. Many of us can identify families who just  need extra encouragement. We can all speak life into situations we see around us. We can encourage the weary mom. We can offer to walk alongside them on a hard path. We can all pray for them. The fact is we must all be intentional. Being intentional in loving others around us well is what repairs a broken system. People helping people is key. May the Lord give us eyes to see and do what we can. He has given us all different abilities and different opportunities to help. What can you do?

More About the Broken System and Our Story - Part Three

There was a family in need. We heard word of it. We HEARD. Too many people out there do not have ears to hear because they are so self focused. I understand. This was me and still is me in many ways. However, we heard, we had a choice of how we would respond. We all have a choice. The response of entering into a broken situation would not be easy. It would not be defined by black and white rules. It would be messy. It would be hard. It would be painful. Isn't that all the things we like to run away from? I know I do. BUT GOD.....

Christ has given us a ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5). He is working to restore all things to Himself and when we are in Christ that is the ministry we are given. Above all, we as His ambassadors; are to be in the business of reconciling others to Christ. Bumping our way through this process; we did this. It is not clear cut how you accomplish this, yet I know you must keep your eyes focused Heavenward and keep Christ and His resurrection in the forefront of your mind.

The problem with the system is that it is secular in general. Motivations are wrong. The only thing that should matter most is what is in the best interest of the child but this is often not the case. Children need love, food, clothes, shelter, and stability. The system tries to give them these things but more often the needs of birth parents are looked at over the children. Perhaps it is because they are the ones causing the disruption in the the family. Services are thrown at them but sometimes these parents need someone to walk through the process with them as to how to accomplish the assigned goals. I remember having to role play making a simple phone call with a parent who needed assistance with getting her electricity turned on. The simple skills needed for this task; she was lacking. She needed help learning to take care of herself and the basic needs of her children.

Institutional care for children is not best or what God instituted. God is the Creator of the family unit. All children deserve and thrive best in the context of a family setting. Foster care systems have been established to mimic this but they are far from best. Now, let me clarify this statement, there are, in lower numbers, great foster parents and homes who make the kids feel secure and fully accepted as their own. There are foster parents who get into this to truly give children in need a home and love on them as they need. However, it is not best. It leaves children in limbo. They are not freed up to be adopted into a forever family so they live with a fear of placement changes, their foster parents discontinuing services, their birth parents instability, and other factors.

By the grace of God when we saw this family in crisis we were able to step in and help. We were able to meet with the family on a regular basis in order to try to mend the situation working through this ministry of reconciliation. Typically in the ministry of reconciliation people are not in a right relationship with God, this in turn affects relationships with others and with themselves and then this greatly impacts the situations they are in. The book, When Helping Hurts has helped me see this and I wish I had read it before we started the process we ended up in.

An example of this is as follows;
You see these people in front of the stores/parking lot during the Christmas season holding up signs that say they are homeless or in need. They are there daily for most of the month of December. If they are truly in crisis, giving them the immediate need is good then you go from there working out the true issues behind the crisis. This is where the ministry of reconciliation starts working out. The problem with the people holding up the signs is that many people will throw cash at them but not take the time to really walk through the true issues they may be having. No reconciliation takes place. The cycle continues.

How this translates into childcare is entering into a situation where a family is in crisis. When this happens it is an opportunity to walk with them in order to help facilitate reconciliation. In some situations this is possible yet in others it is not. It depends on if the family is willing to work toward that reconciliation. This process takes a long time. Sometimes it can take a lifetime. The question is are we willing to walk with them?

I understand not all people can take another into their home, but we can all walk with hurting people with the hopes of reconciling them to God and one another. More to be discussed in the next post. This one was quite long. Thoughts?

A Broken System - Part Two

This 13 year old boy I mentioned in the first post is just one of the many children who desperately need us. He is a real child who has been forced to grow up too fast. Instead of being carefree he has learned to manipulate to get what he wants. It is key for his survival and he is good at it. He has also learned how to throw a super sized scary tantrum that requires police assistance. This should not be!

I have seen this kid thrive in a loving home. I have seen him full of joy. "Professionals" want to diagnose him with some disorder and medicate him. I see deeper into his heart. All of our hearts desire to be loved. Instead he has been shifted from home to home. He has been passed by and labeled. He has been let down by a system who holds up too much red tape making it impossible for one family who loves him to intervene.

This kid has experienced hunger, abuse, horrible things many cannot even fathom. He is much too young for this. Of course he is a handful. No one has taken the time to give him stability continually. Though the home he was in was not safe for kids, he is still no better off in "the system".

So what do we do about this? It certainly is much easier to just turn our heads. It is easier to let someone else handle things. Yet I do not think this is the solution at all. I believe if everyone did something by investing in one family things could change. These people do not need more advice or hand outs. The "system" is filled with those. These families need someone who is willing to walk this path with them. This family needs someone who will encourage them along the way. This does not come in the form of hand outs or platitudes, it come through long term commitment with people. It comes through friendship and community.

We are all broken. Sin has done that. Yet we are restored in Christ alone. We all need Him. Christ is the one who reconciles all things. We are to be His ambassadors calling others to reconciliation. This will look differently in individual situations. But reconciliation is the key. It is best. This happens when you walk with someone. When you take the time to assess the real root problem they are struggling with that got them into the situation they are in. It is never a superiority thing. We must remember we are all broken in some ways.

I cannot imagine losing everything I had by disaster or fault of my own but it could happen. However, I have support through people. God calls us to live in community with others. I would have somewhere to go. I would have people to walk with me. They would help me get back on my feet again. When people lack this type of community we need to be this for them.

I will stop here because this will be a series of posts. Again there is no solid one way solution to this. It is messy business when you get involved in people's lives. It will not be too long before something uncomfortable comes up in the best of relationships. We need to be willing to give our lives to those around us. We do this by helping to restore and reconcile things. Again, we will look deeper at this in more posts. Also for true reconciliation to really take place we all need Jesus, the reconciler of all things.

Please share your thoughts I am pondering all of this and would love some of your thoughts!

A Broken System - Something Must Change

There is a 13 year old boy I know but instead of doing normal 13 year old boy things he is worried. He worries daily about the rejection he has experienced all his life. People have not come through for him the way they should have. He sits by watching as the others close to him are placed in homes while he remains homeless.

This is the reality for many kids in the United States. The governmental system for child welfare is broken. Honestly, it is not the governments place to be in charge of children. If families would stand up and help other families in need then these situations could change.

During my college years, I observed this system that was very broken up close as I practiced social work. I watched as children who would thrive in a home were overlooked. They just aged older every year until they aged out of the system. Then these children who were not raised in stable homes are now expected to function as adults in an unforgiving society. Many of them repeat patterns of the past resulting in crime and unexpected pregnancy. It is a cycle that we need to get a handle on.

Honestly it is not that difficult. If every family took the time to see the people around them and take the time to help, "the system" would not exist. We, instead, are selfish and keep to ourselves not wanting to involve ourselves with other people. It is inconvenient and hard so most of us find it easier to turn our heads or let the government handle it.

I AM OVER THIS! There is a better way and I am going to explore this through a series of posts. I hope you join me! I hope it spurns your hearts on to take a stand for the sake of our children.

Love for the Refugee

Have you ever considered as you were out that some of the people you pass by are actual displaced people because of persecution or tragedy of some kind? They exist all around us. These are people who are moved out of every comfort they know and placed into a very unknown place with little to no worldly possessions. They are given minimal familiarity. They often do not even know the language of the new society they are now expected to live.

These are the people I get to work with every week through ESL(English as a Second Language) ministry. They are broken and cast out but not destroyed. I am often encouraged by them because they are brilliantly resilient! They often are very thankful. Honestly, to think of this happening to me, I cannot even fathom. I do not know if I would have the strength. Yet God pours out His grace on each one of us for every situation we face. I get to participate in their lives by helping them learn English. I pray that God will really let me see them, know them, and welcome them to this new and unfamiliar place of southern America.

I imagine the smells, sounds, temperatures are so vastly different. The trauma experienced followed by all the changes is incredibly hard on these people. They are in more places than you think. As  you are in the shopping market or on the go do you take the time to really see the people all around you? These brave people are there. Just by seeing them you can help. A smile, encouraging words, small helpful acts can mean so much to them.

I wonder about these people who have endured this horrible tragedy in the Philippines. My heart aches for them. Many of them are displaced now because of the destruction of a massive hurricane. Much tragedy. I pray. I wonder if any of them will be relocated to my location of the world. I wonder how to help? One way you can help is by donating to Compassion. They are there currently assisting these people now. Whatever you do be mindful of the refugee.

Hope

When I think about that word hope. I can think of many things. Hope can be used in a variety of ways.

I hope it does not rain tomorrow.

I hope I can get all my work done.

I hope I will have food on my table.

I hope this is not all there is.....

The word hope can be used in many ways. However the most important way it should be used is that my true hope in this world is found in Christ alone. He is my hope of glory. He is what everything in my life hinges on.

Think about this, if Christ did not do all the things that the Bible says He did or what I believe He has done then the point of this life would be sorrowful. We live in a world full of pain, suffering, and sorrow. Sure there are times of joy but then there is sorrow. We are in a broken and fallen world. If this is all there is where is my hope? If this really is it, I feel depressed.

I have a real and thriving hope for more. We were made for more and only in our hope in Christ is that hope realized. This is not all there is. Right now Jesus is building a home for us in Heaven. We will one day live in a place where there is no more suffering, no more heartache, no more sin. Poverty will not exist. Children will not be sold or go hungry anymore. We will be home in the security of where we were always meant to be. I put my hope in these truths through Christ.

Where do those in poverty around the world put their hope? How is there someone to tell them of this great joyful truth? Through Compassion International children and families in poverty are helped. The love of Christ is shared.

I want you to meet my sponsored child Sylvia. She is 20 years old. She lives in Uganda where AIDS is rampant. She has lived longer than many who are without help. Disease thrives. Poverty thrives. These people are at risk for so many things. However, a program like Compassion comes in and really helps. I see it in the smile on Sylvia's face. I read it in her letters. I love all that our minor amount of money can do for her and her family. I love in dark places hope can thrive.

This is a great time for you to consider sponsoring a child. Would you take the time to look now? It could be the very hope that this particular child needs. Click here to start browsing the many you could help.

Perplexing Thoughts About God and the World Outside My Bubble

He said, "I think we are born into a religion that our families embrace. All with a different God maybe but all of them are the same and lead to the same place."

I was perplexed. My friend who I thought was a Christian was sharing these thoughts. How did he start to think this way?

I know it must be the influence of the world. When we are only in the culture around us and not in the word of God on a regular basis (which is counter cultural) we are in a dangerous spot. The word is what renews our minds. It brings us back to truth. It keeps us centered. Culture will pull us the other way.

I replied, "No. That is not true. With Christ, He did everything that needed to be done for me to be acceptable before God. I did nothing. With all the other religions you have to earn your way. You must do things to be acceptable but with Christ it has already been done."

He took it in and thought about this. Then replied, "Yes but we will believe what we were brought up in."

I thought about this and yes it is true. Unless God draws us in or someone speaks truth to us we will remain in what we were born into. Just like another friend of mine grew up in an alcoholic household but had no idea that is what it was until he was outside of it. Otherwise it seemed normal and right. You assume everyone else thinks and behaves this way.

These things have been plaguing my mind. I wonder do more people in the world think this way today? That all paths lead to God in the end? Am I just so sheltered in the Bible belt bubble of the south that I cannot see it all around me? If this is the case oh how I want to go and share the freedom that comes with Christ. We don't have to work for anything! Out of His great love and pursuit of us, all that we need has already been done! Period. That is freeing! I deserve nothing from Him but in His goodness He chose me, cleansed me, traded places with me so I could be with Him for eternity! What love! No one needs to miss that. It is the most good and freeing news anyone could ever want or hear. Trusting in Christs finished work on the cross because of His great love for us. Not all ways lead to God. Only one way. Only Jesus.

Compassion Photo Contest

Hey all! I just love the ministry of Compassion International. I love what they do and how they help. I love my "adopted" child as well. Our "child" is really 19 years old. Her name is Sylvia and she lives in Uganda. I am so thankful that our small donation each month really helps her and her family. I am so excited every time I get a letter from her. It is something the entire family participates in. The biggest way we love to help her though is to keep her lifted in prayer. Do you have a compassion child yet? Tell me about them. If not you can sponsor one here.

If you go to this link, Compassion is sponsoring a really neat photo challenge. Read all about it here 
Then participate! You have until July 31st. There are 12 items to take photos of. I have five so far.

 A flip phone that is old! It is my daughters for emergencies only and well someone has her number named Marcus because she got a text that said, "Dude, this is Marcus. I need my clothes and phone!"

                                                          This is my daughters sewing machine.

                                                         This is the grain or seed we eat on a regular basis.

This is a food staple. We love fresh grown garden food! From our neighbors garden because my garden was a bust this year.

Pictures of cows! This is probably a cheat but I thought it was funny! Fact is I grew up with cows outside my door in the pasture but don't see them so often where we live now.

My photos are really bad but this is what I have thus far. :) Go out and join us! It is fun and you can be real creative, more creative than me for sure!

Missing - End It Movement Experiment

The end it movement is wonderful and you should do what you can to help them along with other organizations out there involved in helping those who have no voice, those who are trapped in the life of slavery. Modern day slavery. It is a very sad thing! It must stop. We each can do our part to help.

I participated in disappearing from social media for a day. I am pretty involved in social media in my own little sphere so this was kind of big for me. Here are the things I thought about through this process.

1-I could disappear at any moment like these other people and really life would go on. No one would really miss me except my family and close friends of course but most everyone else would just move on. I would be forgotten. This hurt my heart because these people in slavery have had lives at one time. They had a family. They had a home. Yet there comes a time that even the family might give up any hope of finding them. Let's not let them be forgotten!

2-My impact on the world is not as much as I would like to think it is. I am not so important as I would like to think I am. So what if I disappeared off the social media market all together. Really life would go on. However it should never be about me in my opinion, I want to use all my energy to bring the most glory to God. However, He does not need me for this task, He allows me to be.  He values me as a precious jewel and regardless of what I do that is enough. All human life is of true value to God.

3-When something like slavery happens some people just like to pretend it is not there. This breaks my heart the most. We must take a stand. We must fervently pray. God will move to break these captives free. His justice will prevail one final day.

Watch this...Give them a voice.

End It Movement

The Worship of Stone Statues - Malta

Malta will always be a place that is near and dear to my heart. I pray and hope that one day God will allow me to go back. I have made some good friends there. I see their hearts desire for the people to worship the one true God alone. My heart joins with theirs in praying this way.

These people are very religious but miss the relationship in Christ alone. They observe various feasts dedicated to patron saints. During these times they carry these huge beautifully carved statues of stone around of the saint celebrating. As they do this people bow down and worship this block of stone.

This breaks my heart but I can easily forget this and what I observed. I do not live there day in and day out. My friend who is a Christian, the minority, has to see this often and I know it breaks her heart. She asked me today for some Scripture on statues. They worship statues of stone, yet I may worship my children or my comfort. Both of these are wrong. Jesus alone deserves our worship. Nothing else. Yet so easily our hearts are drawn to devotion of other things.

In searching for some scripture for my friend I found this in Deuteronomy 24:23-24, "Be careful not to forget the covenant of the Lord your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the Lord your God has forbidden. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God."

The people are being prepared for entering the promised land. God reminds them of the covenant relationship He has with them. He reminds them not to make for themselves an idol. Why? The text states because the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

God is jealous for us, it is He the Creator of the universe who knit each human being together in the secret place of their mother's womb. It is He the One who gave up His community of the Trinity in perfect fellowship to dress Himself in skin to walk with out sin in the flesh, to die brutally and with separation from God on the cross for sinners. It is He who because of His great love for us chose to redeem by exchanging places with us. His life for ours. It was He who because of His sacrifice and exchange of places gives us a right standing before God. He is amazing. He truly is the only One who deserves our full worship. It is He who is the One who has the right to be jealous for His Creation that He loves deeply and completely. 

So my prayer is that those who are caught up in idol worship whether it be of stone statues or of anything else that takes our eyes off of Christ alone be acquainted with the One who loves us fully and completely. The One who is jealous for us and who went amazingly wonderful and painful lengths to redeem us. May all eyes be fixed on Him and may He fill our hearts with a burning passion and desire for Him alone. May our hearts only have room to worship Him. May we have eyes to see and ears to hear His call to us.