Grabbed by God

Mission Update

2010-03-13T10:01:00.000-08:00

Dear Family and Friends,
We hope that you have had a blessed beginning to this new year. We are so thankful to have each of you in our lives. The love and support that you have shown us as we explore serving God in mission work means more than you will ever know.
We wanted to update you on our journey. We had hoped to be able to travel to Africa the first part of this year. As we have prayed and sought God’s guidance in this, we believe that His Spirit has been saying, “wait, it’s not time yet.”
We fully believe that God has called our family to serve Him and His hurting children around the world. We continue to pray for His wisdom as we seek the best way for our family to be more involved in missions. We are listening to His voice and trying to follow His lead. Because we do not yet know when God’s Spirit will lead us to travel or what the next step may be, we want to graciously return your generous gifts. Your outpouring of financial support was a great source of encouragement to us. Thank you. We feel very convicted that we are not to hold you back from passing on these financial blessings to others while we wait to hear from God.
The Lord has opened our eyes to many injustices that break His heart—child abandonment, neglect, abuse, hunger, extreme poverty and sickness. In the past when we have seen tragedy and despair we have wondered how we could help. God has been faithful to show us many ways that we can join in caring for those less fortunate than we. He has given us the opportunity to connect with and even partner with several faith based groups that are bringing hope to the hopeless in Africa as well as other countries. God is blessing our family in heavenly ways as He teaches us the joy of giving up our wants in order to meet the basic needs of others. We want to encourage you to check out some of the opportunities that you can be involved also.

World Orphans www.worldorphans.org
World Vision www.worldvision.org
Kingdom Vision Int. www.kingdomvisioninternational.blogspot.com
Zemba Kids Ministries www.zemba.org
Drawn From Water www.drawnfromwater.org

Thank you for coming along side our family with your love, support, and prayers. Please continue to pray for us as we heed the call to missions that God has placed on our lives. We will continue to pray for you in your journey as well.
We Love You!

Christmas Gifts with a Double Blessing

2009-11-15T14:19:00.000-08:00

As we celebrate God's amazing gift to us this Christmas season we are excited to have found a way to add more meaning to our gift giving. I wanted to share some of the links where we will be doing our Christmas shopping (and requesting) this year. There are many different options and places to shop that give a double blessing. Some purchases help adoptive families, some help Christian artisans from around the world to make a living, some help feed and clothe orphans. Lots of gift ideas for the whole family--toys, bags, shirts, puzzles, bowls, baskets, jewelry, coffee, shoes, and more. Check it out. It's so exciting to be able to give gifts that truly help others!

Christian Freedom International
Handmade gifts-- toys, bags, puzzles, baskets, jewelry, and more-- made by persecuted and struggling Christians around the world.

Saints Coffee
Purchase a pound of coffee and feed an orphan for 1 month.

TOMS Shoes
Purchase a pair of shoes and a pair will be donated to someone less fortunate--1 for 1.

Tiny Rockstar
Purchase a t-shirt and feed an orphan for 1 month.

Tracy's Adoption Shop
Various Ethiopian gifts that support adoptive families.

Integrity Worldwide Christian International Missions Donations
Provide protective bed netting or clean water to a family in need.

World Vision Donations: Animals
Give a family a goat, chicken, cow, sheep, fish pond, etc. to provide income for their family and community.

Thank You

2009-11-03T19:51:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to thank you all for your prayers, support, and contributions towards our survey trip to Africa. Our passports did not arrive in time to travel in October, so we are working on rescheduling. We know God has a perfect plan and will fulfill it in His perfect timing. We continue to pray and listen as He teaches us how to serve the least of these---who are all around us as well as on the other side of the world.
We will keep you updated as plans progress!

Waiting and Praying

2009-09-08T20:55:00.000-07:00

Well, we are now 1 week into waiting for our passports to arrive. We have scheduled an appointment to receive our shots. We mailed out a support letter today. We are praying for God to bring to completion this portion of what He has brought us to. Lord willing we will travel to Entebbe, Uganda Oct. 13 and arrive back home Oct. 22. Here are 3 ways you can be in prayer.

1) We ask you to join us in prayer for the 143+ million orphans worldwide, 40+ million in Africa alone. God has promised to set the lonely in families, and He often works through His people to accomplish His will.

2) We ask you to join us in prayer as we seek God’s guidance for our family. Pray that we will know and do His will, His way.

3) We ask you to consider joining us by donating to the financial costs of this mission trip. The total cost of this trip will be approximately $5,500. In order to purchase our tickets for this trip, we need the majority of this in less than 2 weeks, by September 22.

Please pray also that our passports arrive by Sept. 22. If they do not, we feel that we will have to postpone the trip until early 2010. We trust God to work out the best timing for everything.

Thank you!

Shots! and Prayers.......

2009-09-01T22:20:00.000-07:00

Ok....If Chad and I got every shot that we might possibly need, then we are looking at over $1000, just for vaccines. That seems kind of crazy. That doesn't include Maclain's, but his is only $120. Plus we all need Malaria pills, which aren't cheap either. Our insurance doesn't cover any of this. We are feeling pretty intimidated by that figure since we have not started raising any money yet. I don't have the quote for the flights yet, but I'm sure that they will be pretty high as well.

God please provide the funds for what you have called us to.......and help us to trust you. You are bigger than any problem we encounter. Help us to do our part as well.

On a more serious note........

Please pray for a dear friend of ours who lost her daughter today. Explaining suicide to your children is not easy, but it does provide an opportunity to remind them how much they are loved, and always will be, no matter what, by their parents and an Amazing God.

I encourage you to share Christ's love today and everyday with the people in your life that it seems the most difficult to love. More than likely they are the ones who need it the most.

Filthy Rich

2009-08-30T20:24:00.000-07:00

As Americans, even the poorest of us are filthy rich compared to the majority of the world. As you thank God for the many blessings He has given you, please consider opening your hands to the least of these. You will be blessed! A lot of people are looking for a way to help the 147 million orphans. There are many ways to help. This is just one way to share the love of God with His hurting children. Please consider donating! Here's the blog and video.

Donate to Drawn From Water
Drawn From Water
The rubber hitting the dirt (not much pavement in Jinka)
August 30, 2009

"We are having a hard time with money. The costs of running the orphanage and working on getting the children adopted despite being in a inexpensive country are high and we do not have enough supporters."

Drawn from Water from Drawn From Water on Vimeo.

Uganda....October.....Wow, That's soon!

2009-08-21T21:18:00.000-07:00

RIght now it looks like we might be traveling to Uganda around October 16th. That is less than 2 months away! I do not even have my passport or Maclain's passport yet!! I have got to get a move on! I pray that God will overcome my procrastination.

Anyway, we hope to travel to visit New Hope Uganda as well as a new baby home called Acacia Tree (a ministry of Zemba Kids). New Hope is a Children's Center as well as a training facility for people interested in working with orphans. Their Institute of Childcare and Family looks incredible. It is a 5 month program of study and healing to better prepare vessels to bring the Fatherhood of God to the Fatherless.

I am so excited and I can see God working in sooo many ways. I am so thankful He already knows the plans He has for us and that nothing can thwart His plans!

I will try to post more soon. For now you can check out these websites. I just wanted to updated so that you could be praying for us and these ministries. We have a lot to get worked out before then, like fundraising, childcare, passports (as mentioned earlier). So please just pray that we will hear and obey each step.... and trust.

Also Acacia Tree is a Brand New Baby Home and is in need of monthly and any other support. So please consider donating. We have emailed back and forth with Robin who is getting it started. She has been through New Hope and this is the 2nd baby home she has set up. We are really looking forward to meeting her.

I Need Africa More Than Africa Needs Me

2009-07-27T08:37:00.000-07:00

Saw this video on a friend's blog. It is so true.

World Orphans

2009-07-10T21:54:00.000-07:00

Chad and I have been praying about when to take a trip to Africa. We have been looking at October. We have also been praying about what organization to take the trip with.

I was reminded today about a ministry called World Orphans. They have a unique set up for caring for the orphans of the world. They seek to place them in family settings rather than large institutionalized orphanages. They work closely with local churches in Africa and they employ native people as well as missionaries.

Check out their website for more explanation.

Anyway, they have a vision trip planned for Oct. 26-Nov. 4 (Only 10 days rather than 2 weeks--a big plus for our kids who will be staying here!). So we're looking into that.

Scared

2009-06-26T20:33:00.000-07:00

Tom Davis has a couple of other books out that I plan to read. I encourage you to do the same. Kingdom focus.

Scared - A Novel on the Edge of the World from Children's HopeChest on Vimeo.

Serving His Children

2009-06-15T21:44:00.000-07:00

Just found out about this ministry in Uganda. It is just getting started and looks really cool. Will you be in prayer for them? They are focusing on feeding and loving the poorest of poor in Uganda. I've been feeling led in a more specific direction lately. I feel especially called to feed and love on these children. I believe God has given me a gift of milk that His children are in need of. I want to share that gift. Chad and I have been praying about who to take a trip to Africa with.........maybe these servants?......I emailed them.......we'll see.

Interesting.....The music on this video is Chad's favorite band....David Crowder*Band.....playing his favorite song.......You Never Let Go.
Side Note: Our family is going to see them in concert in Birmingham on Aug. 7. The kids are huge fans as well and they are so excited!

2009-06-14T04:48:00.000-07:00

REALIZE
Lord, make me an
instument of your peace!
Where there is hatred,
let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light'
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not
so much seek to be consoled
as to console;
to be understood
as to understand;
to be loved
as to love;
for it is in giving
that we receive;
it is in pardoning
that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying
that we are born to Eternal Life.
-Francis of Assisi

True Fasting
Isaiah 58:
6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?

7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness [a] will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
"If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,

10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.

11 The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.

12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

Focus--Scripture Prayers Part 2

2009-05-21T08:53:00.000-07:00

As we continue to seek to live for God, He has been faithful to surround us with teachings that remind us where our focus should be. It is very easy to get wrapped up in day to day life. God has provided us with many good things, and Satan continually tries to use them to distract us.

The following scriptures have helped us to remain focused on the one thing that really matters.
We... are here... for HIM.

Ephesians 1:
17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,
20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms...

Ephesians 3:
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Colossians 1:
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Romans 12:1-2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy,
to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect[a] the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Deuteronomy 4:29
29 But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.

2 Chronicles 18:4
"First seek the counsel of the LORD."

Psalm 9:10
Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

Isaiah 1:17
learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

Isaiah 45:
19 I have not spoken in secret,
from somewhere in a land of darkness;
I have not said to Jacob's descendants,
'Seek me in vain.'
I, the LORD, speak the truth;
I declare what is right.

Jeremiah 29:13
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Matthew 6:
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.

Matthew 7:
7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

John 8:
47 He who belongs to God hears what God says.

Psalm 119:125
I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes.

1 Corinthians 2:
15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment:
16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord
that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

Philippians 1:9-11
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,
11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Galatians 5
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Hebrews 3:1
Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.

Hebrews 4:7
Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts."

2 Peter 1:3
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

2 Peter 1:10
Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall,

Praying Scripture Part 1

2009-05-13T09:26:00.000-07:00

I am finding that my laundry has become a lot more difficult and time consuming now that Maclain is growing older. He is much messier now that he is eating real food and crawling in the dirt.

I am also finding that our lives are becoming more difficult as God is stretching and growing our family's faith. Satan is determined to make things more difficult and much messier. Seeking and following God is not always easy....worth it?......oh yes, but it can be very challenging.

Maybe you have found the same to be true. I have found that praying scripture is one of the most encouraging and helpful things when we are in the middle of a mess (whatever the mess may be: bad attitudes, fear, depression, anger, selfishness, confusion, worry, etc.). As God writes His word on our heart, I hope we will be able to avoid a few messes too!

I am posting some scriptures that have been a blessing to us lately. I pray God will bless you through them as well.

The first group of scriptures is related to arming ourselves for battle. I will post other topics in the next few days.

Ephesians 6:

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

1 Peter 5:
6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
8Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
10And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

James 4:
4You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?[a] 6But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
"God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble."[b]
7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5
3For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Romans 5
3Not only so, but we[c] also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

James 1
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

2 Peter 1
3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
10Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 12
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
4In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."[a]
7Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 12Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13"Make level paths for your feet,"[b] so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

Proverbs 4
Wisdom Is Supreme
1 Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a boy in my father's house,
still tender, and an only child of my mother,
4 he taught me and said,
"Lay hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or swerve from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.
7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, [a] get understanding.
8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will set a garland of grace on your head
and present you with a crown of splendor."
10 Listen, my son, accept what I say,
and the years of your life will be many.
11 I guide you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot sleep till they do evil;
they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble.
20 My son, pay attention to what I say;
listen closely to my words.
21 Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them
and health to a man's whole body.
23 Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.
24 Put away perversity from your mouth;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead,
fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Make level [b] paths for your feet
and take only ways that are firm.
27 Do not swerve to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.

Rejoicing with the Dixon's!

2009-05-07T00:17:00.000-07:00

Some of our dearest friends, Duane and Jenny Dixon, are adopting from Ethiopia! We are sooo excited for them! Check out their story and catch the passion!

Tanzania

2009-04-30T21:44:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post this video about some of the work that is going on in Tanzania. The team website is www.missiongeita.org . This is the group that I referred to last post. We are in contact with them via email. Please pray for their team and for the people in Tanzania. What a mighty God we serve--He is so active.... He does not leave us as orphans.

Shoes for Children and Africa Update

2009-04-25T01:55:00.000-07:00

Here is an awesome way to help children all over the world!

Update:
For anyone who is wondering, we did hear back from the Drawn from Water group. Since they are in the beginnings of getting things up and running, they are not sure of all their needs. Right now they are not in need of additional staff, but could definately use prayer and financial support. There is a family from California that is going to help run the orphanage, and another family from Germany that is going to work with the tribe. Their prayer is that within 3-5 years they can eradicate the false beliefs of the tribe relating to "mingi" and return the rescued children to their families.

God is doing an amazing work delivering these children from death and working to free these people from Satan's grasp. We will continue to be in prayer for everyone involved. Who knows what all God has planned, amazing things I'm sure!

God did remind me this week, through His Word, to be careful what I claim as a word from Him. No doubt, God has planned for us to be involved with Drawn from Water, but perhaps not in the way I was thinking. (God even used Sat. morning cartoons to remind me of this! Hillarious!)

Jeremiah 23:38 Although you claim, 'This is the oracle of the LORD,' this is what the LORD says: You used the words, 'This is the oracle of the LORD,' even though I told you that you must not claim, 'This is the oracle of the LORD.'

And as is common around here, Mattie reminded me not to be discouraged. "So...," she said, "I don't care who we work with. It doesn't matter to me."

SO TRUE, So True! From the mouth of babes.....

Anyway we have been in contact with Blessing the Children for a while now. They are opening the 1st phase of their new Adana Education Center in Ethiopia this September. They have been eager to have us work with them from the very beginning, and they now have a financial plan for our family to be career missionaries (meaning 1+ years) with them. They would love to have someone there starting in September of this year, but they are very flexible as far as a start date and commitment length. They have been so encouraging and helpful to us as we seek to follow God's call on our lives.

Right now we are in prayer for a specific answer: when are we supposed to go to Africa? There are a couple of big things that need to happen before we could go: the sell of the business and the sell of our house. Again, right now we are just in prayer about when to take these next steps.

We are also in contact with some "friends of a friend" who just recently moved to Tanzania to start an orphanage and work on teaching sustainability among the natives. You can check out Carson's and Holly's blog to read about their journey.

It is soooo exciting to see all the ways God is at work! We just got word from some friends that God has called them to adopt from Ethiopia! One more precious orphan will be getting a forever family. Every child in a home is an answered prayer! Caring for orphans is definately contagious and has a domino effect.

Thank you God that it only takes 1 person listening to your voice to make a big difference!

YOU are that 1 person! Glory to God for all the people He has used to open our eyes to His heart.

Going Upstream

2009-04-12T21:05:00.000-07:00

God is so faithful, so good. It blows my mind. I am having a hard time even putting thoughts together and typing. I believe that God has revealed where we are supposed to go and it is just like God to tie everything together.

If you take a look back at our first post you will remember that God called us to "go upstream". I remember Chad coming downstairs and saying, "We have to go upstream and find out who's throwing people in the water." He was sooo right. All along Mattie and I have felt called to go specifically to Ethiopia, but we didn't really know why or with who or how.........but God knows.

Tracy, a friend of ours posted this video on her page and told us to watch it. I was overwhelmed with the sense that God was saying "This is it". Please check out this video and the web site (specifically the page that tells "the story".) These children are called "mingi" or cursed and they are being saved from being drowned in the water by their tribe---www.drawnfromwater.org . I emailed the contact immediately (tonight). They are a family with 5 kids and they are moving to Ethiopia in 5 weeks to help run the orphanage for these precious children. I can't wait to see what God has planned. Please pray for us. Please pray for these precious children. And Praise God for His perfect plan!

Drawn from Water from Drawn From Water on Vimeo.

Thank you God for Tracy and her family. Thank you Tracy for listening to God and heeding His callings on your life. Thank you Elle for being so passionate for God and His children.

Waiting

2009-04-08T22:17:00.001-07:00

I'm not very good at this............but, this is where we are right now. Waiting on God, waiting on answers from organizations, waiting on Maclain to sleep.

In the mean time, we are trying to listen and obey the "next steps" God is calling us to. Recently this has mostly revolved around finding ways to raise and save money. The kids are a constant source of encouragement to me. They are fully convinced of where God is calling us and they are eager to contribute anything they can to help us get to Africa to help the orphans. Tucker figured out we could use all their money in their piggy banks to get there. They all want to have a garage sale. We have started making and selling laundry detergent ($2/gallon if you're interested---cheap and it works really well!). Mattie has designed a couple of T-shirt ideas and is very ready to make and sell them to raise money.

I am planning on having a Green Gold Party for our families in the near future. It's a party where you can actually take money home instead of spending it and a percentage will go toward helping us help the fatherless! More to come on that.

Mattie continues to tell me that God is telling her that we are going soon and we need to get ready. Chloe hears God telling her to love people, even people she doesn't know. Tucker is realizing how many problems there are in the world, and he continues to lift them up to God.

From the mouth of babes! I am so thankful to have a God who speaks to each one of us.........I am so thankful that our precious children are listening to Him!

So I will try to be patient. I know God planned everything out before we were ever created and He will be faithful to do what He has called us to.

"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Phil. 1:6

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Eph. 2:10

12 Years

2009-03-14T08:14:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe that Chad and I have been married for 12 years today. Time flies! Many things have happened in those 12 years........some good, some not so good........the birth of 4 beautiful children, the purchase of 2 homes, the buying and selling of 8 vehicles, many family vacations and weekend trips, 9 ER visits, 2 serious back injuries, too many stomach viruses, fevers, and colds to count. We have shared lots of laughter in joyous times, and we have shed many tears in trying times. We have experienced way more highs and way more heartbreaks than I would have imagined. Through it all Our God has been faithful. He has been faithful to heal our bodies and our hearts. Faithful to provide for our every need and more. Faithful to take us by the hand and lead us when we have had no clue what to do next, or where to go, or how to deal with things. I am so thankful to have shared 12 years with a wonderfully humble man who listens to God and to me and to our children. I am so thankful to have shared our lives with a Wonderful God who has been so good to us. The last 12 years have been an adventure for sure. I look forward to the adventures of the next 12 years and more! Who knows what all God has in store, but I know for sure He will continue to be faithful. And I know for sure that I would choose Chad again and again to share in life's many adventures. Thank you God for blessing me beyond my wildest dreams with a man who loves you and me unconditionally and will go anywhere and do anything for me and our family and his God.........even when it's hard.........even when it's scarry. Thank you Chad for being open to everything God has for us! I love you!

"For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Alone

2009-03-04T21:30:00.000-08:00

I hate feeling alone. I'm not talking about being alone. I actually enjoy that. Quiet time is nice. I'm talking about that feeling of aloneness. That feeling like no one understands, no one cares, no one is there for you. My kids hate it too. Tonight as I was getting Tucker ready to go to bed he had a bit of a melt down. Unfortunately, I became impatient and frustrated with him. I needed a minute to calm down. I told him he needed to talk to God for a while, and I left him.....alone. Looking back, I really did leave him alone, not just by himself. My attitude and behavior spoke to him, "I don't understand, I am not here for you, and I really don't care (or atleast I'm not acting like it)." Of course the minute I left him he was in tears. My heart breaks thinking back on it. I remember that feeling. I remember having that feeling at times as a child. I remember having that feeling as recently as a few days ago. I hated it then and I hate it now. It has to be one of the worst feelings in the world. It is enough to crush your spirit.

"My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" Jesus knew the feeling. Though I truly believe that God suffered right there with him every step of the way, He was still human, he still Felt alone. None of us are ever truly left all alone. God is always with us. He has promised to never leave us, never forsake us (Duet. 31:6,8; Heb. 13:5). But the enemy is powerful, and his lies are often convincing.

As I laid with Tucker and comforted him, apologized and talked with him, I couldn't help but think about the millions of orphans who feel ALONE every night.... "NO one is here, NO one understands, NO one cares.... It breaks my heart. It literally makes me feel sick, those memories of the same feelings welling up inside me. Like I said before, that feeling is enough to crush your spirit. That's probably part of the reason why I have such a heart for the 180 million orphans in the world. I cannot stand to think of how Alone they must feel.....continually. I want them to know and feel that they are loved, by God and by me. I want to show them that they are Not Alone. Just like I want, hope, and pray to somehow show my own kids. God wants all His children to know.....You Are NOT ALONE!

Only God can defeat the enemy, but He has armed us with weapons of love to fight against him. He has given us the opportunity to bind up the broken hearted. Will we?

Praise be to God that we are NOT ALONE!

Isaiah 61:1-3

"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion--to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair."

Our Amazing Journey

2009-02-17T21:55:00.000-08:00

Our family has been totally grabbed by God. We have been praying every day for over a year for the millions of orphans in Africa. After watching a video of some of the orphaned children in Uganda, God convicted us that it is now time for us to take action.

We believe that He is calling our family to not only raise awareness in America, but also to serve in Africa, to be His loving arms to the fatherless, to bring His hope to the helpless. We are stepping out in faith trusting that God will shed light on each “next step” we need to take as He leads us to His children…….Our children. Yes, they are our children, just as much as the four biological children with which God has blessed us. God has opened our eyes to an unimaginable reality...13 million orphans in Africa alone..., and we are now responsible to respond. We cannot, we will not sit by any longer and allow these children to die without hope, without knowing the love of Christ and feeling Him holding on to them.

We have been placed in our exact situation with so many blessings so that we can bless others. We were made for His glory, not for our comfort. We solicit your prayers and support as we begin an amazing journey straight to the heart of God. We do not know exactly where this journey will take us, but we trust that God is hemming us in behind and before.

"The difference between compassion and justice is this: compassion pulls the drowning out of the river, justice goes up stream and finds out who is throwing people in the river." David Crowder

We are headed upstream.

Chad and Angela