Stories......

I am so thankful that God has called Megan to serve in Ethiopia for this season of her life. I think back to one particular sleepless night where I was wrestling with God about her being half way around the world and think of the selfishness I was sitting in that night. The selfishness and fear on my part during those days of questioning seem so unreal to me today. Why would I want Megan to miss out on what God was calling her to? I am humbled daily as I hear stories from my daughter- Stories of kids who need families, widows who have nothing, children who are hungry, and the joy that Megan brings to their day as she helps provide for their needs.


The other day a story that she shared really made me stop, ponder and pray. She shared of a young girl our oldest sons age. She had been living in conditions that I can't begin to fathom. Megan (and the others working with her) was there when she came in off of the streets. She was there to love on her, care for her and provide basic needs for her. Here is Megan's account of that day:


Today, as I was hanging out at the foster home, Kelikas and Goldy, two people on the BCI staff, came in the gates with a 13 year old girl. They said hello and then quickly sat the girl down with us and went into the other room to talk with Sanite, the foster home mother. We didn't really know what was going on, but it didn't take long for us to figure out that the little girl, Enat, didn't have anywhere else to go. When we left the foster home, we asked Goldy about Enat. She was sent to BCI by MOWA (Ministry of Women's Affairs) this morning... She lived on the streets with her grandfather who was completely blind and mute. When you're a young girl, living on the streets is probably one of the worst possible scenarios, so MOWA asked BCI if the foster home could take her in. Of course they said yes, but they are in desperate need of sponsors for her. Enat literally came to the BCI office with absolutely nothing but the clothes on her back, so while we are in the process of getting her sponsors, I am going to try to collect some money to get Enat some food and clothing. If you are interested in helping Enat, please let my mom or I know. Looking forward to spending some time at the foster home tomorrow and getting to know Enat. Megan


(Thanks to those of you who have given- Enat will now have clothes of her own!)



Oh God I pray that we do not get so busy and comfortable in our daily lives that we forget the Enat's of the world. Break our hearts for what breaks yours. Move us out of our comfortable, selfish lives to care for those who need us to be You to them. Thank you for using Megan and Enat to remind me daily of those in our world who are in such need- Find us faithful caring for the least of these.

A brick utility building..........

David and I try hard to have as much one on one time with our kids as we can. With seven kids we have to be pretty creative with how to make this happen and tonight was one of those nights for me. I had the great joy of having some one on one time with Garrett. Garrett needed a  jacket and so the two of us headed out to do a little shopping.

We had only been in the car a few minutes when we passed by a brick utility building not far from our house. It is somewhere I pass by daily and I had never even noticed this small building. As we passed by Garrett says to me, "Mom, It is kind of hard for me to understand somethings." I questioned what he meant. He said, "You know like when I see a brick building  like that one that really is used for nothing (as he pointed at this utility building) or when I see a dog house or barn it makes me kind of sad. There are people living in nothing and then I see this. It kind of makes my heart feel bad."

I was quiet for a few minutes as I tried once again to hold back my tears. I wasn't really sure what to say but I gently said, "Garrett, I am so sorry that this makes you heart hurt. It actually should make everyones heart hurt. I know that you remember living in a grass hut and I am sure when you see those kinds of buildings that are for wires or animals it makes you feel sad that people live in less. Does that remind of your family?" He answered, "Yes, it makes me sad to think about how much is wasted here and how people don't even think about others in need. People here just always want more and more."

I wish that everyone I knew could spend some one one one time with Garrett- If so our world would be a different place! God, Help me to have a heart of compassion like his-

  

The closer I get........

There are times in my life that I am not sure exactly what to say and I am not even sure how I feel. In the past few weeks God has been doing some amazing, hard, confusing, life-changing things in my little world and so for several weeks I have been more quiet than normal. Thinking, praying, pondering, questioning, changing, growing, and ultimately learning again and again that this life is not my own.

God is doing so many things in my life and I am so thankful that He continues to stretch and grow me. I am thankful to be reminded that I will never (this side of heaven) arrive at where I need to be. This life will be a continual growing process as I continue to give more and more of myself to Him. The stretching and growing is not always a fun process. Two weeks ago as I wrestled with God about something I felt Him calling me to I simply argued with Him one morning. I had a long list of reasons that what He was/is calling me to just would not work in my life. I reminded Him of how full my plate is each day and how I have very little time for what He has placed in my path. As I was literally arguing with Him, I completely broke. I found myself in tears in the shower as I was reminded of how selfish I am with my list of what I want, need, feel, and really all I am willing to give when He wants more.

I was more broken in that moment than I have been in a long time. I spent a good portion of my day just spending time with Him. If you had questioned me that morning I would have told you that ALL of me was His yet again that day I was reminded that  this simply isn't the truth. The closer I get to Him the more I realize how much of my life I still try to hang on to. The security that only He can give I try to build in my own life by making my life risk-free. The peace that can only come from Him- I try to make life peaceful and without conflict. The joy that only He can give- I try to avoid situations where I have to chose joy. I so often care more about what someone will think rather than what He thinks. The list goes on and on. Bottom line I want to follow Him when His will matches up with mine and when things get blurry (or He is asking more than I want to give) I ask Him to rethink what He is calling me to. It breaks my heart that I continue to wrestle so often with trusting that He is who He says He is!

What is He calling you to? Are you willing? What kind of life are you building? Do you care more about people or possessions? Do you even have room for God to speak or do you have your life all figured out without Him (as you pretend that He has all of you)? I pray that you will find yourself where I was a few weeks ago- Broken by His goodness as He calls you to become something more for HIM!