tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69823129575361272942024-03-14T01:40:52.203-06:00Our Journey in KenyaUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982312957536127294.post-19860817379054282662013-09-14T10:08:00.002-06:002013-09-14T10:08:50.992-06:00Hello America<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can’t believe time has gone by so quickly. I am excited to
be home yet I know that my heart and the affect Africa had on me will hit
me soon. Being that I have only been home two days I am still caught up in the
excitement of family, coffee, internet, a car, hot showers, dishwashers, and
laundry machines yet I know that I was not created for the comfortable
lifestyle. As of right now it’s exactly what I need though and I am so thankful
for America. I pray that I never take the freedoms I have in America, or all
that I have, for granite again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While I am here my main focus is getting in the secret place
and making sure that I adjust well and allowing Jesus to tend to my heart. I
plan on taking a season of rest and drawing near to the Fathers heart until He
leads me elsewhere. I am content in whatever He has planned for me, for I know
that He always has my best interest at heart. Although I have no idea what
comes next, I am at peace knowing that Jesus is the one who leads my
life. Jesus knows my desires for the nations and therefore I will sit in
excited expectation for great things to come. The open doors, the initiations
to partner with others laying down their lives in the nations, the connections
that will come; my heart is excited. My heart is wide open, full of trust in
God, and content in exactly where I am. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I probably will not be blogging as often but I will keep
everyone updated on where and when I go back to the nations! Thank you for all
of you who have kept me in your prayers, supported me, and followed my blogs. I
am deeply thankful and honored. May God fill you to the brim with joy, peace, provision, and so so much more! </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982312957536127294.post-82920521504570501012013-08-18T10:15:00.000-06:002013-08-18T10:15:45.550-06:00Five Men and Angels<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Only one team left, time is going by so fast. For the past few weeks we have had some
amazing people come from different places all over the world to serve and hang
out with us. I miss Joy Smith and Nancy, who were here on the last week of July
spending endless hours pouring into us and loving on us well. I am so thankful
for those beautiful women of God who were like mommas to me while they were here. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
already miss the San Diego team and they just left yesterday! They were amazing
men and women of God, full of fire, love and joy! It has been amazing just
being able to see them all everyday and hanging out. We are definitely going to
be friends for a long time, and I already want to plan a trip to go visit them!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am so grateful to still have Iris, Harvest School, team here! I am honored to serve with them and as I
learn about them and hear some of the testimonies I am undone by the goodness
of God. I was just hanging out with the team from Iris as they allowed me to
sit with them as a couple team members shared their testimonies and the presence
of God is so thick on me still, my heart is beating out of my chest with love
for Jesus.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I just want to say thank you so much to all of you who put your
lives on hold to come and serve Kenya! What you have done here has been awesome
and the seeds you have sown will reap a bountiful harvest! I love you all!</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Amazing
Story<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few of days ago all of us sat in our prayer room located
above the brothel, worshiping and praying and just drawing closer to Jesus. During
this time one of the girls from Iris team saw what looked to be like a big
bright, white light come into the room. She said that it came and sat right in
the middle of the room and then it suddenly started flowing and going out of
the open door in the room. After a couple hours Bre , another missionary here,
walked into the room and began to share with us an amazing story. She said that as she arrived five men were
standing right underneath our door staring up in awe. She ended up talking with
them and found out that they were pimps/ johns and that they were just walking
by on their way home after their busy night of work. They planned on just passing by but as they
looked up at our open door and heard the music they saw what looked to be light
flowing from the room. Mesmerized by the light they stayed watching until
suddenly they watched as the light flowed down to them and suddenly became big
spiritual beings glowing white, and these beings began to tell them about the
love of God! The angels began to tell them about how much God loves them and that
God wasn’t looking at all their sin but that He wants them just as they are!
The men told Bre that they never knew all those things about God and they had
no idea how much He loved them! Even as they finally began to walk away they
continued to make comments like, “Did you see how big they were!” and “I had no
idea God was so good!” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That’s one way to stop prostitution! Worship and let the
angels do the ministering! Hahaha! I am so filled with joy and so in awe as I
think about how much bigger God is than my own mind can conceive! God totally
amazes me! Thank you Daddy God for sending your angels to minister your
goodness to those men! Thank you Daddy God for their lives! I can only imagine
the party in heaven that happened as those five pimps confessed the goodness of
God! WOOOOOHOOOOOO!</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982312957536127294.post-71150336960678203572013-08-09T05:00:00.000-06:002013-08-09T05:00:35.079-06:00Children of Africa<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Radiant
Joy<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday as I walked hand and hand with a little girl I was
amazed by her, simply by her positivity. Even as we passed by her tiny home
made of clay and tin she continued to shine with radiant joy. She was so full
of life and personality, telling us that she is Christian and loves God. Even
as she walked with tattered clothes, most likely starving, and with the stress
of living a life in dire poverty over
her head she continued to almost yell out, “Oh how wonderful!,” or “Oh how
great!”, at the end of each comment or sentence I said. She walked with a
bounce and held my hand introducing me to her village. When I asked her name
she said, “My name is Purity, and I am pure in heart!” I was encouraged just by
her presence and I continue to wonder what life would be like if I chose to
walk with radiant joy in all my sufferings, and in child-like faith no matter
what I faced each day. Jesus help me be like a child. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Always Thankful<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A couple days ago Kylee and I sat with four beautiful
children having a picnic in the dirt. It all started when we went to their
house to hang out and ended up walking in on pain, as expected. The baby sat
crying, sweating, sick, and completely neglected for hours in his own poop.
Instantly we bathed him, changed him, and comforted him as the other two
children, and a friend ran home hearing our voices. After a while of watching the
kids play and taking care of the baby the little boy shyly, with his hands
covering his face asked us for food having learned that we usually feed them
when we come. I don’t feed every child that asks for food but this was a
different case. I knew him and his living conditions. I knew the neglect, and the pain. I knew that
they often don’t eat at all, and they never have asked for food themselves,
apart from mom. So we took the baby and went out to fetch some lunch. When we
returned the children were filled with joy, so excited to eat. They ran to grab
plates and we quickly poured out the beans and ugali on two plates seeing how frantic
they were to eat. But this was the part I
was overcome by, the three children sat there and each said a prayer before any
of them ate a bite. These are children! They know without a doubt that God is
the one that provides all they receive, and there is no way they will not thank
Him! As soon as the last one said their prayer they dug in, fisting handfuls of
beans and ugali into their mouths. They ate so much and so fast I was amazed
and filled with compassion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I walk with children and learn how to be joyful in
suffering. I sit and learn from babies
how to be grateful! I am overcome by the goodness of God for his children and I
am so thankful for His hand on their lives!</i></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982312957536127294.post-75533869164380168992013-08-01T08:02:00.002-06:002013-08-01T08:08:59.994-06:00King Of Justice<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For years I have asked Jesus two questions- “What are you
thinking about?” and “What are you doing?” without ever <i>truly</i> getting an answer. I’m
now beginning to believe it’s because I honestly wasn't ready to know the
answers to those very intimate questions. These questions, that I felt to be
simple, were questions that would reveal the depth and core of Jesus’ heart, and
although I thought my heart was pure in seeking the answers I understand now
that all I was looking for was self gain. I truly just wanted to know what He
was thinking about in terms of <i>me</i> and
what he was doing in terms of <i>me</i>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus stirred those questions in my heart years ago as he
began to take me on a journey of <i>truly </i>knowing
<i>his</i> heart. Little did I know what I
was really asking for and little did I know the cost it would take to know the
most vulnerable places of his heart. If you ask anything in His name He will
give it to you. Jesus was serious when he said this and even though the answer
may not come immediately that doesn't means it’s not still coming. Jesus had
heard my cry to know him more intimately, but going deeper and into that very
real and vulnerable place with Jesus would cost me something. To ask Jesus the deep things on <i>his</i> heart, I had to be willing to take my
focus off of myself and take time to choose to see what He sees. I had to be
willing to receive His answers even if it’s not what I had expected. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> ‘What is Jesus
thinking about?’ I found this answer as I began to walk with open eyes,
choosing to go to those places with Him and not only seeing the pain and
suffering but allowing my heart to feel the pain also. ‘What is Jesus doing?’ He is standing by the
starving boy sent out to beg in the streets. He is holding the mamma as she
weeps with bitter tears at her lack to care for her family. He is carrying the
cripple man crawling in the dirt, and wiping away the tears of the orphans unable
to sleep at night. I have learned that Jesus is found in the mists of pain
eagerly waiting for US to choose to be His hands and feet. Jesus is standing
close by those who are brokenhearted, suffering, mourning, and hurting and He
is saying, I love all of my sheep but I will go searching even if one of them
is lost. The question I must ask myself; am I willing to live among pain in
order to know Jesus more? Am I willing to be that intimate as to share in the
sufferings of His children and feel what His heart feels every day? Am I
willing to be a friend to Jesus and stand by Him no matter what situation I
face, even if it’s death? Will I deny Jesus to His people or will I speak on
His behalf? I have never really thought deeply about what Jesus called me into
on that day I chose Him, until now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Living here in Africa
I have been submerged into what I now believe to be the core of Jesus’ heart. I
believe it’s a Holy invitation to be invited to walk among the poor; an
invitation that Jesus does not take lightly. I believe to share in the
sufferings of God’s children is not something to be overlooked but in fact the
center of Jesus’ heart. When you move into a place where you’re laying your own
life down for another person that is when you know what Jesus is truly thinking
about. I’m ashamed to have lived so long for myself and seeking my own purposes,
I honestly didn’t even realize I was until I began serving the least of these
and sitting in the dirt among the pain and suffering. If I want to know Jesus
more I have to be willing to be a part of what He is doing and choose to follow
Him even if that means not living comfortably. I must choose to be the salt and
the light to the world and realize that my life isn’t my own anymore. Knowing
Jesus and living intimately with Him is going to cost me EVERYTHING, but I will
to choose everyday to lay it down! It’s no longer my will, my agenda, my needs,
my concerns, my dreams, my struggles but it’s all about Jesus and serving Him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> “King of <b>Justice</b>” <span style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Hebrews 7:2)</span> this is who Jesus is! Jesus was a man
born in a village, a carpenter’s son; choosing to live among the people rather
than in the riches of a palace. He was a man who came not to be served but to
serve and lay down his life for his friends. The one who, “In all their
sufferings he also suffered, and personally rescued them.”<span style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Isaiah 63:9) </span>The one God
anointed, just as it says “In your majesty, ride out to victory, defending
truth, humility, and <b>justice</b>. Go
forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds! Your throne, O God, endures forever and
ever. You rule with a scepter of <b>Justice</b>.
You love <b>justice</b> and hate evil. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you,
pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else. “<span style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Psalm 45:4, 6-7) </span>And again God
said, “Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen. He is my Beloved, who pleases
me. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim <b>justice</b> to the nations.” <span style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Matthew 12:18)</span> This is who Jesus is and the core of his heart; “He
gives <b>justice</b> to the oppressed and
food to the hungry. The Lord frees the prisoners. The Lord opens the eyes of
the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are weighted down.”<span style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Psalm 146:7-8</span>) Jesus proclaimed,
“For, I the Lord, love <b>justice</b>. I
hate robbery and wrongdoings. I will faithfully reward my people for their
suffering and make an everlasting covenant with them. “<span style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Isaiah 61:8) </span>Jesus was the one who said “Learn
to do good. Seek <b>justice</b>. Help the
oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. “ <span style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Isaiah 1:17)</span> and again He said
“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for
orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt
you.” <span style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(James 1:27</span>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>“His rule is built on </i><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">justice</span></i></b><i>!” </i><i><span style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Proverbs 16:12) </span>and If I want to know Him more I must stand up
for the injustices of this world and fight for what he is already fighting for!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“The Spirit of the
Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to
the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and proclaim that
captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell
those who mourn that the time of the Lords favor has come, and with it, the day
of God’s anger against their enemies.” Isaiah 61:1-2</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982312957536127294.post-85717062789186393932013-07-23T13:23:00.002-06:002013-07-25T07:14:05.903-06:00Joyful Noise<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Saturday was such a beautiful day spent with New Life
Academy! Esther (founder) and Mr. Ashton (head master) had everything so
organized and put together that when we showed up that early morning all we
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All the children sat in one room waiting eagerly as the
workers arrived. To stay distracted and occupied they led each other in worship
filling the school with a joyful noise unto Jesus.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">As the kids were singing
songs and playing different areas were set up to host different activities</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"> that would be taking place during the day. One area of was set up for braiding,
one room was set up for shaving, and another room was for shoes.</span></div>
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<b><u><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Braiding!<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></div>
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<b><u><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Shaving!<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></div>
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<b><u><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Shoes!<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></div>
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<b><u><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And then we ATE!</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During all these events we couldn't help but notices all the
little faces watching, and peering through the windows outside and our hearts
broke for them. <v:shape alt="IMG_0978.JPG" id="Picture_x0020_29" o:spid="_x0000_i1027" style="height: 191.25pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 255pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So simply we just asked Jesus to multiply the food and HE
DID! What was to have only fed near 200 people fed near 400!!! Yay Jesus....I LOVE YOU! </span></div>
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<b><u><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The End!</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982312957536127294.post-74969526095621281832013-07-15T13:03:00.001-06:002013-07-15T13:03:29.542-06:00My Reality<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wish I could sit here and write about all the amazing and
wonderful things that I’m feeling and experiencing here in Africa but honestly,
I’m breaking. My heart is breaking and I have been prolonging this blog praying
for all the right answers so that I could sit here and tell you that I have it
all together, but in reality I don’t. In reality rather than gaining all the
answers for world hunger or how to save girls from prostitution I feel like I’m
in over my head every day. Honestly I have no idea what I’m doing and the more I
live in this reality the more desperate I am becoming for God’s strength to carry me through each day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I feel like I was born and grew up in a bubble and now my
eyes are finally being opened to the reality of this world and I don’t know if
my heart can handle it. Living in America made it easy to close my eyes, to
choose not to see, to wear a mask and act as if the broken, starving and struggling
people around me weren’t there. But here in the reality of where I am it’s
impossible, completely impossible to miss the hurt and pain of the world around
you. My heart is crumbling and I’m not sure if I can bear it any longer. To face
the starving children playing in the dirt with their toys made out of trash
right outside my front door. To face another mamma’s tears begging for food to
feed her children at home, or for money to put her kids in school. My eyes are
open, my heart has been exposed, and now I’m trying to process the affect it’s
taken on me. Like I said, I wish that I could sit here and tell you that I’m
the best missionary in the world and that every day is like candy and rainbows
but really it’s the opposite. I’m here
just trying to figure out how to change one life at a time in the mists of not knowing
what to do or having all the answers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everything began changing for me one day as I walked hand
and hand with a eight year old girl who wants to grow up to become a preacher
someday. As we walked she suddenly became very sad and I stopped to look at
her. “What’s wrong?” I asked. “I feel something for you” she said as she looked
into my eyes. Suddenly I was nervous and anxiously smiled, “What do you feel?” I
asked. “Sadness, your heart is sad and I can feel it.” I instantly tried to
defend myself almost ashamed that she could see into me so deeply, “What do you
mean? We have played hop scotch, danced in the rain, ate rice and beans. How
can I be sad?” “You’re different than last time, you’re sad” she said. I was
blown away by this point because I knew that she had just heard from Jesus and I
was shocked that she had just called me out with a word of knowledge! I laughed
inside but I also knew that it was to be taken seriously. Jesus was speaking to
me through the mouth of a child and I knew I needed to run to him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have never had to process grief and I’ve never lived in a
world where trauma is around every corner. How on earth do I survive in this reality? How
do I not become depressed and feel defeated every day? How do I keep my heart
open rather than building up the walls of protection? How do I continue to love
when anger begins to build inside? I began journaling, praying, worshipping, and
doing whatever I could to <i>fix</i> this
problem growing inside of me. Fear and lies began filling me telling me that if
I didn’t learn how to get past this than I wasn’t cut out for this job. If I couldn’t
get better soon that the four walls of my house were about to become my jail
cell, and if I can’t handle today’s events filled with pain and hurt, how can I
live tomorrows, and then the next? These lies messed with me until finally GOD
SPOKE one morning as I just sat with him drinking a cup of coffee. </span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Journal Entry 7/14/13<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beloved,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> You are mine and you are not alone. Right now I
am holding you so closely that my mouth is almost kissing your heart as I speak
to it. I am tenderly nurturing your beautifully broken heart that I am so
passionately in love with. I am wiping away anger, wiping away fear, wiping
away grief and deep sorrow for my people that you have been trying to carry on
your own. I am bandaging the wounds and dressing them in truth. I’m holding you
so closely whispering directly to your frail heart. Beloved I am here, my
beautiful sweet girl. You heart has been crying for some time now, but I am
here rocking you, and speaking my love into you. I’m sorry you are hurting and I’m
so sorry because I know that you will hurt again. People will hurt you,
experiences and the things you see will hurt deeply but I am so proud of you! Only hearts that are wide open can feel pain,
hearts that have allowed people to come in, hearts that aren’t afraid of being
damaged. You are hurting because your walls are down and you love
wholeheartedly with nothing in return. That is great love, a love that has no
conditions attached. My child I am so proud of you, and not only do I want you
to love fully but I want you to come to me each day to talk through your hurt
and allow me to take the burden from you and tenderly nurture your heart. If
you don’t come to me, you continue to carry your wounds and wounds unaddressed
can become infection and that infection can spread to the whole heart and make
your heart sick. You will know when your heart is sick when hope disappears and
fear replaces it. A sick heart builds walls and turns away from people in need
for healing. This is not the case for you my love, because I am here and <i>my tears fall like healing rain upon your
heart as I weep of the pain your heart has endured and the pain</i> that your
eyes have seen. I’m taking your hurt onto myself and your tears are now mine to
cry. Freedom and peace are filling your heart and joy is being restored. I love
you so much. Please know that my love is NEVER far from you. I am so passionately
in love with you and there is no way for you to even try to comprehend how great
my love is for you but I will prove my love to you each day and that you never
have to doubt. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The One who
first loved you,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> God</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We, as God’s children, were told to love fully and love
well but never to be the gardener of our own hearts. He never put us in charge
of our own lives; instead he said to give our lives to him and to be filled daily.
God comes in when we call on him and he is so faithful to keep us healthy
bearing only good fruit. He tenderly trims off all the dead branches, waters
the soil, and gently pulls out the weeds. He is slow to anger and FULL of
compassion. He waits for us to call on him so that he can take our burdens
again and again each day, carrying them upon himself just as he did that day on
the cross when he died to save our lives once and for all! That is who God is,
faithful, good all the time and full of abundant love and mercy. We must, <i>MUST</i> make time for God to come in and
heal us each and every day. </span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
will no longer try to carry pain alone, and I will no longer try to carry God’s
people as if they were my own. Instead I will give God my burdens and allow him
to fill me up afresh with his great love for me each and every day!</span></i></b><i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982312957536127294.post-42043215890537537332013-07-13T12:21:00.001-06:002013-07-13T12:21:26.289-06:00Coming Event<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our big event for the children of New Life Academy is coming
quickly! I can’t wait to share in the joy of God’s blessing over his children
this Saturday! All the finances, details, and shopping is being worked through
this week and every step is making me even more excited. We have called in
three professional cooks to cook up one of Kenya’s favored dishes called pilau, we've hired three barbers along with all their equipment, ten women to braid
the girls’ hair, and we will be passing out shoes for each and every child! Afterwards
will include singing, dancing and loving on Jesus! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next week I will be posting about the event, pictures and
hopefully videos also. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If anyone feels led to help fund this event please donate on
this page by clicking the donate button and giving a gift. Every penny will be
used strictly for these children and you will be able to see the fruits of your
sowing as I continue to post.</span> </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982312957536127294.post-42584288526055883882013-07-04T08:46:00.000-06:002013-07-04T08:46:26.390-06:00New Life Academy<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">New Life, these are powerful words especially to a lady
named Easter. These are not just any words to Easter; these are the words she
chose to hang above her school. Words
she prayed and cried over, words that weren't just to be spoken and thought
about, but words to be taken and received. Words in which would be the
foundation of her school, and the very essence of her love for children.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Easter is the founder of a small village school called New
Life Academy, and a new life is exactly what she gives her students. Her school
consists of 150, poorest of the poor, children in the village; multiple whom
are orphaned living with other family members or neighbors. Some if not many of
these families are living on a dollar a day and come to school most days with
empty bellies. Most all of these children cannot pay the school fees nor can
they pay for uniforms, shoes, or keep their hair up whether braided or shaved
as required by the public schools. But these things don’t stop them from coming
and learning at New Life Academy and it’s all because of this women named
Easter! She has stood in the gap for these children and said, “Poverty will not
keep you from education and hope for the future!” If you have no food I will
feed you, if you have no hope I will show you who to put your hope in, if you
have no shoes come anyways, if you’re sad I will teach you how to stand and
sing despite the circumstances around you; give your old life to God and
receive a new life in Christ! Easter is a passion lover of Jesus and she knows
the power she beholds as his daughter! She teaches the word of God to these
kids and knows that He is the best thing that she can give them! She has spent
many long nights in prayer on her face crying out to God to provide for the children
and many days dancing and singing alongside them! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God is so strategic in his ways and how we met Easter was no
coincidence. Breanne, another missionary
here, had been helping and ministering in the village to a lady named Gladys.
One day when she was there she met Easter, Gladys’s sister. Breanne knew when
she saw Easter that there was something special about her and they ended up
exchanging phone numbers. From that point Easter became persistent in her calls
asking Breanne to come see her school; this would consist of one to three calls
a day. Finally Breanne and I took a trip to her school and that is when we saw
how beautiful this school really was and how much this school meant to Jesus.
He had been hearing her prayers and it was Him who was insistent upon us
meeting. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Delivering the answered prayer, </i></b>that is what I get to do! I
have to best job in the world! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Breanne, Kylee and I will be leading an event where we will
be handing out shoes, providing haircuts or braids, cooking up a ton of rice
and beans, singing and dancing, and speaking to the beautiful children of New
Life Academy! We originally had planned on doing this event within and out of
our home church but there just hasn’t been the opportunity, but when we found
this school we also found out that Easter is our home church pastor’s spiritual
daughter! It’s just so crazy how God connects all the dots.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tMzwYnmiS9c/UdWJUYRchtI/AAAAAAAAAFo/19YFjmeSS6A/s1600/IMG_0915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tMzwYnmiS9c/UdWJUYRchtI/AAAAAAAAAFo/19YFjmeSS6A/s320/IMG_0915.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If anyone is interested in being a part of this event and
providing in anyway please let us know!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Shoes- </b>all
paid for</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>80 boys’ heads
shaved- </b>50 cents a head- total needed $40.00</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>70 girls’ hair
braided- </b>80 cents a head- total needed $56.00</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Food- </b>whatever
you can</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Something to honor
the hard working teachers</b>- whatever you can</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982312957536127294.post-26519185626699985792013-06-27T05:49:00.004-06:002013-06-27T05:51:25.082-06:00The Child Within<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The night was young as we opened up the doors to the Nevaeh
prayer room. Our dream is too weekly open up the prayer room in order to offer
a place of refuge and comfort to the women working in prostitution right
outside our doors. As we sat there setting up the noise from the streets filled
the room, people hollering and laughing, matatu, piki piki drivers honking and
calling out to people as they drive quickly down the crowed street. Loud music
and lights flashed all down the streets as bars filled with dancing and chaos.
The parties were starting early and the night began to unfold. Kylee and I
stood outside the room looking over the balcony at the women below, praying
silently to ourselves before heading down to greet them. They were ready to
work and came with a smile masked on their faces. As we began meeting the girls
and talking with them my heart was filled with pain for them. Looking into
their eyes I began to see how broken and shameful they truly were, and how
desperate they could become. One of the women, probably around forty years old,
even with a knife wounded hand all wrapped up in cloth, sat there waiting to be
picked up on. The extent that these women go too in order to make a little bit
of money is heartbreaking. After we had made our rounds and offered up the
invitation to come and have hot tea with us we headed back upstairs to the
prayer room and within about fifteen minutes women began to come. As they came
we poured them a hot drink and sat with them talking and laughing. God is so faithful;
we had exactly the amount of tea for the number of women that came! </span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shakira (prostitute name, not real name) was one of the last
women to come in. She walked in smiling and proud chewing on her drugs to keep
her awake and high all night. She was so beautiful, literately looking like a
Barbie doll all dolled up for the night. She seemed confident, and then… she
began to talk. As Kylee and I sat close to her she began to pour out her heart
and tell us her story. This <i>woman</i> is
actually a seventeen year old girl who moved by herself from Uganda three
months prior in order to make money for her five year old daughter at home. She
told us how alone and shameful she feels all the time and how she doesn’t want
to be a prostitute but because she doesn’t have an ID she has no other choice. She was so full of hopelessness. That is when we introduced her to Jesus! (Because
of translation, I’m not sure if this was her first time or what she believed
prior) As we laid hands on her and she closed her eyes Jesus came and began to
lavish her in His love. We spoke many things over her and by the end an intense
peace sat upon her and within her. It was like He came in, spoke to the storm
in her life, and we watched it calm. When she opened her eyes and brushed the
tears away, she hugged us and thanked us.
God began to speak to me Jeremiah 29:11 over her life and I told her.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” say’s the Lord. “They are plans for good
and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” She felt encouraged and
happy when we finally finished talking and we asked her if she wanted to play
Jenga with us. She was super excited and jumped down off the seat and onto the
floor ready to play. We grabbed the game, pulled it out, set it up, and began
to play. Suddenly all the lights went out, a blackout; which is a regular
occurrence in Kenya. We just laughed and grabbed a candle to continue our game
out in the dark. Shakira was so happy and </span><b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for the first time since she walked in that
room I saw the seventeen year old girl that she truly was.</span><o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JNUcPNMftis/Ucwlu8A86qI/AAAAAAAAAFI/ryrCSZGdPzk/s1600/CAM00221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JNUcPNMftis/Ucwlu8A86qI/AAAAAAAAAFI/ryrCSZGdPzk/s640/CAM00221.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God please restore a child-like heart within the girls and women whose childhoods have been stolen from them!</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982312957536127294.post-55415364764286199972013-06-21T15:03:00.003-06:002013-06-21T15:03:38.636-06:00Made for Love<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God cares so greatly about each and every one of us and He
desires for his children to be taken care of.
I’m constantly dwelling on this thought while also battling with feeling
completely inadequate. I am overwhelmed by the cry in my heart to give all that
I have to these families and children while trying to only do what I see that
Father doing. I am sure every missionary struggles with these feelings, but the
poverty and need just seems so big, and I feel so small. Does anything matter?
Will I really make any kind of lasting impact or change? Can I really truly
help anyone? These thoughts swirl around in my mind and Jesus constantly has to
remind me; HE is bigger than poverty, HE is bigger than prostitution, and HE
lives in me! And if He lives in me, then I have the most important thing in the
world to give to these people and that is Jesus Himself! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday Kylee and I visited a woman in the village whom
was sobbing when we found her. She sat in her small dirt hut crying as her ten
month old baby lay on the bed and her two little ones play in the dirt at her
feet. We sat and held her until she was able to talk to us and tell us what was
wrong. After about twenty minutes we found out that she is a prostitute who is
unable to make much money because she is getting older and growing too skinny. No
longer wanted by men she is watching her family starve as well as herself. She
is also HIV positive as well as her infant. She talked with us about her alcoholism being
her only escape and her continual attempts and thoughts towards suicide. Kylee
and I sat and held her as we prayed over her and her children. We were able to walk her thought repentance
and re-dedication her life to God. We
continued to pray until she became peaceful. I then asked her if she saw or
heard anything Jesus was saying or doing and she looked up and said, “Jesus
looked at me and told me loved me.” She
was so tired from crying and now finally at rest we told her to lay down with
her now sleeping baby and that we would return with groceries. When we arrived
back at the hut we gave her the food and watched as joy filled her. She was
overwhelmed and saturated in love, her only words were, “I wish I could show
you in some way how thankful I am. If I could bundle it up and give it to you
as a gift I would!” We loved on her and agree to meet with her weekly. </span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JawPi6pvEac/UcS-vugwOQI/AAAAAAAAAEo/43FTvukM6Jg/s1600/CAM00216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JawPi6pvEac/UcS-vugwOQI/AAAAAAAAAEo/43FTvukM6Jg/s400/CAM00216.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mxfal95Ubww/UcS_NyMPkYI/AAAAAAAAAEw/4-GXZhx4-co/s1600/CAM00213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mxfal95Ubww/UcS_NyMPkYI/AAAAAAAAAEw/4-GXZhx4-co/s640/CAM00213.jpg" width="640" /></a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982312957536127294.post-24977209537340377152013-06-13T06:52:00.001-06:002013-06-13T07:08:30.701-06:00A Reason to Smile<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last week as Kylee, Bre, and I walked down that busy, busy
streets of Kenya further into town and that is where we found her. A little old
woman on the side of the road sitting in the dirt singing her heart out as she
held up her little cup for coins. She was blind, deaf, and crippled. She was
skinny as can be and she sat in the filth with her little tambourine playing
her heart out for anything she could get. We went to her and knelt down to pray
as a man came over, he must have been a relative, and he told us that she was
deaf and spoke no English at all. We asked him if we could pray for her and he
said yes, and continued to interpret to her what was going on. We laid our
hands on her and just loved on her as we prayed fervently for healing and
blessing. She sat still holding our hands until her body jolted back just a
bit, and I saw God touch her body. I recognized what had happened and when we
were finished she said in perfect English, “Thank you,” as if that was all she
needed and continued to sing as if she was perfectly content. We still planned
on feeding her though and as we stood I finally realized the massive crowd that
had drawn around us. Probably thirty people stood around just watching us as we
loved on this old beggar who was probably despised by her community. I smiled
as we made our way through and went quickly to the closest stand and bought her
some fruit. We gave it to her and then went on our way, but the joy that grew
inside of me that day was so real and alive, I will never forget it. This Friday
we will again be walking down that street to see if that woman is still there
and if so we will be giving her some food and praying for her again. She is so
worth all the love and affection we can give her!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A couple days ago a little girl ran to me and told me who
she was, a girl Kylee and I had bought cookies for at the grocery store the
week before. She is nine and her name is Winnie. She looked at me with these
big, brown, wondering eyes and said, “You told me to come tell you who I was
and that you would give me a huge hug when I did.” I smiled and said come here
then and opened my arms wide. She grabbed tightly holding my waist and I
thought she honestly would never let go. She stayed with me for a long time and
we walked together down the dirt road.
She kept her arms around my waist and when we stopped so that I could
talk to the other girls around us she just held me and I keep her in my arms.
We continued to walk for about twenty minutes and in this time all she could
say was, “Nakupenda Sana,” over and over which means, “I love you very much.”
She would repeat it in Swahili and in English so that I knew. When time came
for us to depart she struggled to let go saying, “I love you, I love you,
please tell me where you live so that if you don’t come back I can find you.”
She broke me today and as she held me and looked up, I looked down into her
beautiful eyes and promised to her that I would be back again tomorrow to teach
another grade at her school. She struggled to believe me and I had to repeat it
a few times. When she let go and we began to walk away she stood there with
about five of the other school girls staring towards us. We got a ways up
before I turned around to find her chasing after me. Again I gathered her into
my arms and she whispered in my ear, “Please tomorrow will you come back and
come see my mama and where I live?” “Yes,” I replied I can do that. She smiled
from ear to ear and was able to let me go. I am so moved. To receive all that
love when all I did was buy her and her sister some cookies at that store? It
really is the little things at matter!</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The following day Kylee and I went to her home along with her
other siblings! This was so much fun! We were there for two hours and in this
time we danced and sang about in their little home. Seeing Winnie and her
friends dance was so amazing, these girls can dance like I have never seen
children dance before! They honored us so much, filling our bellies and hearts
to the brim! I love them and I can’t wait to go back!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jjO5mWW__bU/UbnEAKbvjCI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/f-Z3j2Z4_W8/s1600/1013702_10200102639389060_895226621_n(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jjO5mWW__bU/UbnEAKbvjCI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/f-Z3j2Z4_W8/s640/1013702_10200102639389060_895226621_n(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yDdFLdCxEL4/UbnED5c2D9I/AAAAAAAAAEY/jJS9MHLkOG8/s1600/983956_10200102640429086_541662710_n(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yDdFLdCxEL4/UbnED5c2D9I/AAAAAAAAAEY/jJS9MHLkOG8/s640/983956_10200102640429086_541662710_n(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982312957536127294.post-71449337246052001802013-06-06T05:12:00.003-06:002013-06-06T05:12:47.943-06:00A Glimpse of His Love<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God knows our hearts, our desires, our passions and He is
so faithful to come and bring life in those moments we feel quite defeated. Kylee,
Bre and I arrived at the school we would be teaching at and soon found out that
our two older classes would be combined into one, on the account of one of the
classrooms randomly turning into a storage room. Now we would somehow have to
teach a group of around 500 girls; without microphones might I add! A bit of
panic hit my stomach as I watched hundreds of girls flood into this room,
packing it to the brim. As everyone was
getting settled in, pushing and shoving to find seats suddenly a little girl,
probably around the age of nine or ten fought through the crowd, in the mists
of chaos to reach out to Kylee. “I have a surprise for y</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ou!” she said excitedly
as she handed Kylee and little folded up note she had personally written for
her.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XWEwsCebePw/UbBt5Sa6PgI/AAAAAAAAAEA/1EnsvvffG-c/s1600/971283_4982498120551_176213471_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XWEwsCebePw/UbBt5Sa6PgI/AAAAAAAAAEA/1EnsvvffG-c/s640/971283_4982498120551_176213471_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> “Oh I can’t wait to read it, thank you so much!” Kylee responded as bend
down to pull her up into her arms. As
the crowd continued to pour in we soon realized there weren’t enough seats and
girls would be sitting all over the floor. As I stood there, doing my best to
keep smiling, while my nerves continued to get the best of me I suddenly
realized, no matter what happens in this classroom today God is here! He is
with us and we are not alone! In that moment my nerves ceased and nothing was
going to stop us from having the best time even in all of the craziness! To sit
back and laugh, giving it all to God, felt so good. To smile and respond with love towards each
child, knowing only God can do this was exciting, and I began to truly laugh.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Respect was the core of this lesson; basically if I’m
valuable and cannot be bought or sold neither can my friends therefore I should
not be trying to sell my friends. Overall after much shouting just to be heard,
class was finally coming to an end. Today was one of the rough days, but after
listening to them sing about respect and hearing them respond with some
knowledge into what we had been trying to teach was a success. God is so
faithful to bring encouragement in those perfect moments and at the end Kylee
was again approached with another little note, crinkled up in the hands of a
child!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CEjGEBVMD-E/UbBt1IFUv8I/AAAAAAAAAD4/xYcBiA0KUxU/s1600/292531_4982562122151_1125026184_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CEjGEBVMD-E/UbBt1IFUv8I/AAAAAAAAAD4/xYcBiA0KUxU/s640/292531_4982562122151_1125026184_n.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> This little girl was around the age of 11 and she was so precious. She
handed over the note, smiled and ran off quickly. Kylee and I were overjoyed in
realizing that what we were doing was creating an impact and children were
recognizing it! </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982312957536127294.post-77633146978552428992013-06-06T05:04:00.000-06:002013-06-06T05:04:18.400-06:00Every Moment Counts<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last week as we walked arm and arm alongside our
beautiful children in the dirt, dodging the mud holes and the cattle, we talked
and laughed. Deep joy filled me as these girls laughed and giggled holding me
like I would fade away and all I wanted was to be able to give them EVERYTHING!
If only I could give them the world! But honestly my heart breaks as I battle
within myself with my own weaknesses. I often wonder; God will Kylee and I even
have enough money make it through next month?
Is there enough for us and all of these girls, Daddy? I laugh at my own inadequacy
as I am reminded even now about God’s faithfulness and His promises. “Don’t
worry about these things, saying what will we eat? What will we drink? What
will we wear? These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your
heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all
else and live righteously and he will give you everything you need.” (Matthew
6: 31-33) It’s still a fight, a constant battle, but the Father is saying, “The
victory has already been won, so do not be afraid!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we come to a stop at the end of the road all the girls
stand silent around me, staring, hoping that we aren’t going to leave, and
usually at this point we stay for at least ten minutes continuing to love on
each of them. Today one of the little girls, probably around 8 or 9, seemed
oddly sad. I knelt down to look her in the eyes and she lowered her eyes even
further. “What is wrong? Are you ok?” I asked but she didn’t reply. I turned to
one of the older girls and asked her if she knew what was wrong with her. The
older girl said, “The teacher shaved a chuck of her hair off today because her
mother couldn’t pay for her head to be shaved and that is a rule!” Immediately
I turned to her and saw the chuck of hair missing. My heart broke! What shame
to put on a child that she has to publically walk around with a chuck of her
hair shaved in representation of the poverty at home! I was so upset and even
after I went home that night I could not get her off my mind. I laid in bed
thinking and praying for this child and by the time I fell asleep I had decided
that if I saw her next week I would take her to get her haircut. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For a week I thought about her, waiting with anticipation
for our next class together. Finally the day arrived and about mid-way into
class I caught eyes with her! There she was! My heart leapt and I smiled at
her. After class Kylee and I, with interpretation from our Kenyan leaders,
asked her if we could take her to get her a haircut. She nodded and smiled as
her eyes lit up. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we finally arrived at the barber shop we ended up having
three little girls with us, in whom all got their haircuts! We had so much fun
and seeing how happy and excited these children were to receive haircuts filled
us with joy! After haircuts we said goodbye too two of the girl and then bought
the little one a pair of flip flops as we had noticed she was barefoot. By the
time this little one got home she was all smiles and hugged us tightly as she
whispered, “I love you,” in our ears. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After struggling all week with the lie of not having
enough and continuing to long to give, finally my love for these precious girls
won out over the worry for my own life and we gave! God does not ask us to
worry, instead he asks us to trust him in everything and give even if we have
nothing. Even if all I have is the change in my wallet I will continue to obey
and give, and my heart will rejoice and be glad! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Haircuts are vital for the children of Kenya for two
reasons:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#1 - Prevention from lice</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#2- Keeps them out
of trouble </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And the good news is…..<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It only cost 36 CENTS (U.S)!!</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982312957536127294.post-6138171869884297122013-06-01T07:19:00.001-06:002013-06-01T07:32:38.584-06:00Can't Be Bought<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Voices of little ones fill the air, excitement and chaos all
at once; this is our classrooms each day. Such beauty is found in this
wonderful chaos. Little hands reach out grabbing, clinging, searching to be
noticed, to be loved, to be found by someone who cares. In the beginning and
end of every class ten to fifteen minutes is just spend on allowing each child
to greet us, which often is being swarmed by every child all at once giggling,
laughing, and jumping about all around us. I have only been here a sort time
and my love for these beautiful girls is ever increasing! You can’t see them
and not love them! They are so beautiful and I literately feel God’s heart for
his daughters.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It can be very hard though, each day I am learning to cope with the pain as God allows my
heart to enlarge and become vulnerable to these girls. I am trying hard to
learn how to keep my heart open and raw, while also keeping my arms open. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How do I listen to their stories, horrific
stories, and not grow numb in protection of my own heart? How do I allow myself
to break over and over again, while not carrying the burden? God keeps reassuring me that He alone is the Savior and I’ll we can do is what he asks, even if it is just to love
endlessly and wholeheartedly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week we are teaching our girls what valuable means.
What that practically looks like here, is telling them that a cost cannot be
put on their bodies and speaking daily that they are priceless and cannot be bought
or sold. We play different games with them to get our point across and as
comical as this game may be to an American teenager, it truly hits home here.
One of the games is called, “Auction.” We bring in different items such as
sunglasses, a DVD, a t-shirt, a cell phone and we ask them what they would pay
for these items. The classroom is filled with shouting, laughing, yelling out
random amounts of money “5 bob, 20 bob, 50 bob” until they come to an agreement
on what they think the items value is worth. Then Kylee begins to pump up the
last item, “Ok, now this item is very valuable. It can cook you anything you
want, it can dance and play games, it can do anything you want it too! Are you
ready to see it?” All the children are excited, “Yes, Yes!” Finally Kylee grabs
my hand and shows me off to the children. The children look around at each other awkwardly but quickly begin to yell out prices, sadly pretty low prices too. Then I put on the sunglasses and begin
parading myself around blowing kisses and doing twirls, this gets the girls
going and my price goes up. But always
by the end of the game I end up being marked with a price tag, sell-able in
their eyes. This is when I am able to explain to them that human do not have price
tags and that in fact we are all priceless. In another game we play I hold up
1,000 shillings roughly 12 dollars and ask who would want this, as the children
all scream for it I destroy the money one step and a time and even spit on it
until it looks all gross and unwanted. I ask one last time who still wants this
money and as expected they all still want it. "So you are telling me that no matter what happens to this money the value does not decrease?" All the girls say,"Yes," and after this I begin to ask them
some serious questions. “Has anyone in here ever been called bad names? Has
anyone ever been beat up, or spit on? Has anyone ever been hurt at all by someone else?”
Almost all the children’s hands are raised and I ask them, “Does this make your
value go down? Does this make you any less special and important?” By this
time the message has hit home, and I can see it in their little faces. At the
end of class we all stand and sing loudly our “Can’t Be Bought,” song.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I AM NOT FOR SALE</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I CANNOT BE BOUGHT</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I AM VALUABLE</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I AM POWERFUL</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MY BODY’S MINE, I’M FREE</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I AM ROYALTY</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I HAVE DESTINY</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’LL CHANGE HISTORY</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">WE’RE GOING TO CHANGE THE WORLD!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Watching them do all the actions and get all into it makes
me heart so happy! This song literately is being heard and sung all throughout
the village!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It breaks my heart to have to stand in front of our 100 or
so fourth graders and tell them nobody can sell them, understanding that it’s
all they have known and seen. Prostitution is just culture here, another job
occupation. I am still learning a lot each day but I do know that around the
age of 11 and 12, when their little bodies begin forming, are when girls really
start being harassed and begin <i>choosing</i>
to sell their bodies for as little as 20 cents just so they can eat. BUT God is
good, and things are changing, there is no way they can’t change! I believe
this strongly because God keeps telling me that His word does not return void,
and when he sends it out, it will produce good fruit! Every day as we teach
these precious girls their worth, their value, and how important their lives
really are and things are breaking off of them! Generational curses are breaking!
Chains are loosening! Blind eyes are seeing and believing! Come on Jesus! His
truth sets us free and no weapon formed against these children will prosper!!!!
I stand in this; I believe this, and it's God’s promises that keep me alive! His
promises keep my heart from grief because we ALREADY have the VICTORY! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> 1,000 precious girls, 4 young missionaries,
and 1 God= anything is possible!</span></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982312957536127294.post-25491090208456483432013-05-19T12:57:00.001-06:002013-05-19T12:57:46.923-06:00Experiencing Kenya <br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We arrived in Mtwapa, Kenya, around 6am on Tuesday the 14<sup>th</sup>,
relief flooded in when we saw our luggage slowing circling at the baggage
claim. We had been on 3 planes and traveling for 2 days straight within 3
airports by this time and we were so excited to finally be here! Two of the
girls on our team welcomed us home and we headed out into the streets of
Africa. I have been in foreign countries before but it was that first taxi ride
that became my definite reminder, we are no longer in America. No lanes, no
speed limits, no stop signs, no street lights, no walk ways for pedestrians,
nothing, the vehicles don’t even have to stay on the streets if they don’t want
too. I smiled, choosing in that moment to trust the cab driver but mostly to
trust God with this new beginning. The smell of rain and humidity, sweating
already, noise everywhere, the streets filled with honking and yelling, this is
Kenya and I LOVE it! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our first day consisted of unpacking, meeting new people,
riding my first piki (dirt bike driven by a man, one of Kenyans main ways of
transportation), grocery shopping, walking through the village, a “Can’t Be
Bought” meeting, and a dip in the pool to cool off before bed. Defiantly a full
day but honestly it seemed easy, little to no jet lag, Praise God! We fell
asleep at 6pm and slept like babies awaking at sunrise fully charged and
excited for the new day to begin. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On our second day we walked to the school in which we would
be teaching our first classes. As we arrived all the children starred and
peaked around other children to see us, yelling “Jambo, jambo!,” which means
“Hello, hello.” Soon we were ushered into the principal’s office, here called
the head mistress, and welcomed to take a seat. She then began discussing with
us our classes and class sizes. This is when we found out that there are 200
girls in classes 4-5 and 400 girls in classes 6-7! Our faces looked shocked and
we laughed nervously realizing our own personal class sizes. Kylee and I will
be teaching 100 girls in class 4 on Wednesdays and 200 girls in class 6 on
Fridays! Granite this is only one school! We also will be teaching Mondays, and
Tuesdays at another school and again on Saturday at another school! This all
seemed so overwhelming and impossible but oddly I was so calm and super
excited! All I could think about was
Katie, a missionary living in Uganda, who taught a class of 130 young children or
more and how God helped her and brought her so much joy through it. She was
able to touch and affect so many lives and inwardly I had been jealous, and
could only dream of that opportunity. When
the head mistress said this, inwardly I bursted with joy! Now is my chance and I know with God nothing
is impossible!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On our third day Kylee and I ventured out into the village to
walk the streets and meet some of the locals. Honestly I think I understand how
a famous person feels living here in Kenya;
95% of the people’s heads turn as we walk by, children run to us wanting
to say hi or touch us, piki drivers and matatu drivers fight over us, people
stand so we can sit, and people say, “Karibou Kenya,” everywhere we go which
means “Welcome to Kenya.” At times it can be overwhelming, especially when in a
crowd of people or its night time, but my favorite is being at the schools when
all the children each want individual hugs and kisses from us. Being in the
mists of these little children is my favorite part of Kenya! They fill me with
such love and I only hope I can love them each in return as much as they love
me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> As Kylee and I walked
the village we met a family in particular who welcomed us into their home and
offered us chi and potatoes. We sat and talked with them finding out that they
had 8 children, 2 girls in whom we met, and 6 boys. Their youngest daughter is unable
to attend school because the small tuition fee is too much for the family to
pay and she stays home cooking, cleaning, and doing regular house work. Her
name is Joyce, she is eleven and her eyes can light up a room. She smiled the
whole time we were there and peaked at us, often, from around the corner where
she was washing clothes. She is beautiful and Kylee and I are so excited to get
to know her and her family. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kylee and I love it here so far. It feels like we have been
here a couple weeks and it’s only been 6 days! Each day is full of new
surprises and just leaving the house is an adventure every time! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Amazing things we have seen so far: a group of babies ages
1-3 making a small fire using only sticks and stones, monkeys, cattle being
herded down the street, women carrying large amounts of different items on
their heads for miles, and lizards everywhere with green heads and blue bodies
or orange heads and green bodies, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few amazing things I could defiantly live WITHOUT: Seeing
the spider the size of my fist, a big yellow gecko that fell from my closet and
onto my arm, centipedes the size of baby snakes, and a slimy poisons worm that
moves very fast.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Check out Katie and her ministry in Uganda-
kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982312957536127294.post-19251316152213236382013-05-06T11:31:00.001-06:002013-05-06T11:31:54.257-06:00Meet Joyce<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On April 18th, the day before mine and Kylee's second yard sale we decided to wake up early and go for a morning walk to Starbucks. It was a beautiful morning warm, blue skies, and we were happy. As we walked we talked, but particularly on this morning our talked consisted of details and preparation still needed to be done prior to running another successful yard sale. This weekends main concern was, our lack of stuff, we just didn't have too much to offer after the last weekend. </span><div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And that's when we met Joyce!</span><div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We ended up walking into a store called "The Clothing Exchange," I had seen this store before and had always wanted to check it out. This time mainly to see if we could sell our clothes and make some money for Kenya but little did I know, God had something totaling different in mind. As soon as we walked in this blonde, spunky, and full of life woman approached us. She asked us if we needed help with anything and we only replied with our question, wondering how the store worked. She explained it all and then continued to ask why we were wanting to sell our clothing, odd considering this is why people come to the store in the first place...right.? That is when Kylee started telling her all about our plans to go to Kenya. As we talked she became more and more intrigued, asking all sorts of questions, and wondering out loud ways to help us raise money. After probably 20 minutes of chatting and after we mentioned our yard sales she perked up and said, "Well I want to help you girls! Can I donate to your yard sale!?" "Of course, please do, we would be so grateful, " we quickly replied. After we exchanged phone numbers and contact information she let us know she would be calling after the store closed at 5:00 pm to bring over clothes, shoes, and some other items. "Thank you so much!" we said as we headed out the door completely filled with joy and so excited by what God had just done, not even realizing what was coming next. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That evening, the night before our yard sale begins, Joyce called me. "I'm on my way over, are you there?" she asked. "Yes, go ahead and stop by!" When Joyce pulled up I was not expecting at all what she had brought with her! An expedition filled to the brim with clothing of all sizes, pictures, picture frames, name brand purses, belts, hats, scarfs, boxes and boxes of shoes, a printer, a microwave, Halloween costumes, and more! She brought her son with her to help unload all the boxes and after explained that she had more and would be right back! Soon there was a second load, again filled to the brim with clothes and more! My neighbors began to slow down as they drove by, some stopped and asked about it, those who were out walking actually stopped and asked if they could buy items right now!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I hugged Joyce and thanked her over and over for what she had just done for us. I was blown away by God! He isn't kidding when we says He will bless you abundantly and your storehouse will overflow with good things! He cares about every detail of our lives and heard our prayers and knew our needs, these things we all know so well, but to experience His love in action is breathtaking! God is breathtaking and he is for us in all we endeavor to do! We are not walking this life alone, he hold our hands and we co-labor with Christ to fulfill all God's purposed us to do!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That night was filled with sorting mounds and mounds of clothing, and trying to make room for everything. There was so much I couldn't even come close to being able to display it all in one area and when we opened that early morning people rushed in. I had to open up the living room as well as the entire garage and pavement to display everything. Then Joyce showed up again, saving us once more with her kindness. She unloaded racks and racks for us to display everything on as well as giving us more stuff, and also letting us know if we get low on stuff to call her and she can be right over with the next load! She even mentioned that if we get overwhelmed to not worry and that when it ends she and her son will come by and pick it all up agian. This women so blessed our lives with her sacrfice and hard work, and she had only known us for a whole 20 minutes prior to giving all she had to see us succeed! This is the kind of women I want to be! Thank you Joyce, who will forever be in our hearts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the end of this crazy weekend we had made near $1,200.00, and rather than losing any of our own stuff we gained more than we can ever repay!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982312957536127294.post-76701487893695092882013-05-04T11:00:00.001-06:002013-05-04T11:00:06.584-06:00Crazy Faith<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In December 2013 when Kylee was asked if she would like to return to Kenya. She had only been in the states a few months but when she was asked to return her heart was filled with joy. She had previously been in Mozambique, Africa for 3 months attending "Harvest School of Ministry," but during the last portion of her schooling she spent 3 weeks living in Kenya, and it was there that she fell in love.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When Kylee mention Kenya and returning it was actually my mom who gave me the idea of the possibility of returning with her. My mom knew how deeply I had desired to do oversea work and thought it might be a good option. Sure enough that was all it took for me, my heart burst with excitement, wonder, and joy within me! Just to think...my childhood dreams becoming a reality? For months after, Kenya was all I could like about, it consumed me. Have you ever had a dream keep you up at night! The desire to go grew so fast, even at night I would wake up filled with excitement, dreaming about the people, the environment, praying, and wondering so many things. I spent much of my time with God in these couple of months just letting him search my heart and allowing him to show me, again, my desires and dreams. Dreams of being a missionary at the age of six, dreams of traveling, healing the sick, raising the dead! I literally went through years and years of my journals searching for prophetic words over my life and finding his voice and how he had been so faithfully leading me all of theses years, wondering if this might be what he had created me to do. I had to know for certain this sudden desire to jump in faith and off to Kenya was from him because to be in his will and purpose for my life is all I want! These times with Jesus were so much fun, I began to discoverer myself again, a girl, passionate about spreading the Word of God to the nations! In God's words, as he mentioned to me, so many times in my early years of salvation, "A light in the darkness that cannot be overcome." (John 1:5) "Or a ball of fire spreading wings and filling the most desolate and broken places of the earth." He spoke theses words over me and for as long as I can remember I know that I am his light that travels into the darkest of places of the earth where the people are the most hurting and broken, that is where I long to be. I am a light, radiating the ABUNDANT love of the Father!I believe that its in places such as these that the people will rejoice and become passionate fires burning for God, because a little to us is abundance to them! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />In February I was personally was able to connect with Brittanie Richarson whom Kylee already knew. Brittanie is a young lady in Kenya working with a ministry called "Can't Be Bought."<span style="line-height: 115%;"> This ministry is a project in Kenya working in
four parts; education, rescue/ rehab, outreach/feeding, and sponsorship. After we talked on the phone for about an hour my </span><span style="line-height: 17px;">excitement</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> for Kenya grew even greater. From this point, I was in waiting again. Waiting to hear from Cassandra Basnett, the founder of the Kenya project.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> I was so anxiously excited, and nervous, and all the emotion you could possibly have in the waiting. I knew this next step could change my life forever but giving my all, my everything, living fully in trust and faith is all I have ever wanted.To be a radical, a crazy as some might call it, but nothing less than totally sold out for Jesus! But man, the wait is rough. I think one of the hardest parts of this process so far. My days consisted of much praying, many breakdowns, many phone calls to my mom, struggle, but also many encounters, and the </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">nearness</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> to Jesus that I will never take for granite. I knew the Lord was saying yes, yet I knew nothing was for certain upon waiting to hear from Cassandra. </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">Although</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> I hadn't heard from Cassandra it was His voice I followed. I began to make the </span><span style="line-height: 17px;">necessary</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> steps to direct my life in believing that I was going to Kenya in May. This consisted of many </span><span style="line-height: 17px;">conversations</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> with friends and spiritual parents, leaving jobs, and turning down new job </span><span style="line-height: 17px;">opportunities</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">, talking with my landlord and having new roommates set up to come, and tons of fundraising.Walking in faith, with only his voice to rely on was so difficult, yet so </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">strengthening.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Finally in April, after our applications were in, Kylee and I were able to have our phone interview with Cassandra. And after an hour or so, Kylee and I we were welcomed to come to Kenya!!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>And now the journey begins...</b></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982312957536127294.post-70153284307186680412013-03-09T03:14:00.000-07:002013-03-09T03:14:14.530-07:00Take a Deep Breath and RememberIn all the chaos and confusion, in all the wonder and worry. Overwhelmed by the unknown and what if's. Anger starring and anxiety laughing. In the dead of night when all is silent, apart from your unceasing mind that will not allow sleep to be your retreat. When pitch black comes near, a touch of fear is enough to paralyze.<br />
FAITH stands at the door knocking, awaiting friendship.<br />
When faith sits as a foundation of your life her friendship will never leave you wondering. Truth at your core, birth by years of meditating on the Word, this is where she lives. Breath in deeply as faith refreshes your memory of God and what is true, causing you to see the world in a whole new light.<br />
Faith my faithful friend in uncertainty.<br />
Faith lets me breath peacefully and dream sweetly.<br />
<i> God let my faith arise</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0