I just want yall to see this. Because sometimes when we see, we remember. And sometimes when we remember, we do: we pray, we give, we go. Please do.
Kisses from Katie's blog
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Adoptionbug.com
Adoptionbug.com is a wonderful site where families can raise money to help fund their adoptions! The site is loaded with awesome t-shirts and precious faces of orphans and families. Here's one t-shirt I ordered:
Love it!! Help bring an orphan home to his/her forever family!
"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." John 14:18
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Where My Heart Is: Ghana
I wish I would bring myself to Blog World more often. I have so much to tell you and I just never allow myself to sit down and type it all out. Currently, I'm sitting in an office where my man is working hard for his livin'. He really is so cute while he works, answering all those phone calls. Sweet boy.
Anyway, I suppose I'll get to my point of this post: Ghana Mission 2010.
When you travel to the same place more than once, you tend to compare your previous experiences to your current one (at least I do!). I prepared myself for these comparisons and tried not to do that this time around.... But really, how much more could He teach me in the same surroundings? with some of the same people? doing virtually the same activities?
(Ridiculous. Go ahead. Roll your eyes at me. I know I am.)
I had no idea.
The Lord blew me, along with my ever-present pride, out of the water. And I am so beyond glad that He did.
Going on mission trips, the focus is generally on other people. We (I) forget about the work God does in our own lives. And that's pretty much what God did: worked inside me. For two weeks, I was constantly discipled by Ghanian Christians who GET IT. They absolutely get this thing called discipleship. They absolutely get this thing called Christianity. They absolutely get the call of Jesus to deny themselves, carry their cross, and follow Him. They get it. Period. I told my dearest Ghanian friend, Gideon, that truly, they are the ones who need to come to America and teach us what Jesus meant when He said, "Follow Me."
During the course of those two weeks, we worked along side men and women who get up everyday at 4:00am, meet at church and pray from 4:00-5:30am. Then, they go home and the men lead a one hour family devotional. And then, they get ready and go to work! Everyday, they do this! I'm amazed.
Gideon's church is participating in a 30 day fast. Each night of the fast, they meet at their church for a two hour prayer meeting, and then break fast together when the sun sets. For 30 days, they are doing this! Everyday! For 30 days!
We also worked alongside with a pastor, Pastor Mohammed, who, when he found out how sick some of our team were, stayed up all night long and prayed. I don't think my best friend would even do that for me, nor would I think to do that for her. :(
But this is how these Christians live. It is simply their way of life. They don't have access to all of our fancy Bible study books, our cushioned seats, air-conditioned churches. They simply read God's Word, study it together, and then live it out.
Wow.
I also had the privilege of holding babies whose mommies died while giving them life and whose daddies could not (or would not) care for an infant. Praise God He does not leave them (or us!) as orphans (John 14:18). Precious, precious babies. I'm pretty sure I met my future daughter in that bunch, by the way. One can hope. ;)
One day, while I was holding one of those precious babies, the CAPTIAIN OF THE BLACK STARS, JOHN MENSAH came to donate a palate of goods to the orphanage!!! Be still my heart!!! I sure did get a picture of us! Whew. Dream come true. I seriously need to post my pics.
Anyway, so basically, my heart was left in Ghana. Again. And I'm ready to go back. Today. We'll see what God has in store. All I know is, no matter where we are on this planet, our commandment is to go and make disciples.
Recommended reading: Radical by David Platt
"Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations...." Matthew 28:19
Anyway, I suppose I'll get to my point of this post: Ghana Mission 2010.
When you travel to the same place more than once, you tend to compare your previous experiences to your current one (at least I do!). I prepared myself for these comparisons and tried not to do that this time around.... But really, how much more could He teach me in the same surroundings? with some of the same people? doing virtually the same activities?
(Ridiculous. Go ahead. Roll your eyes at me. I know I am.)
I had no idea.
The Lord blew me, along with my ever-present pride, out of the water. And I am so beyond glad that He did.
Going on mission trips, the focus is generally on other people. We (I) forget about the work God does in our own lives. And that's pretty much what God did: worked inside me. For two weeks, I was constantly discipled by Ghanian Christians who GET IT. They absolutely get this thing called discipleship. They absolutely get this thing called Christianity. They absolutely get the call of Jesus to deny themselves, carry their cross, and follow Him. They get it. Period. I told my dearest Ghanian friend, Gideon, that truly, they are the ones who need to come to America and teach us what Jesus meant when He said, "Follow Me."
During the course of those two weeks, we worked along side men and women who get up everyday at 4:00am, meet at church and pray from 4:00-5:30am. Then, they go home and the men lead a one hour family devotional. And then, they get ready and go to work! Everyday, they do this! I'm amazed.
Gideon's church is participating in a 30 day fast. Each night of the fast, they meet at their church for a two hour prayer meeting, and then break fast together when the sun sets. For 30 days, they are doing this! Everyday! For 30 days!
We also worked alongside with a pastor, Pastor Mohammed, who, when he found out how sick some of our team were, stayed up all night long and prayed. I don't think my best friend would even do that for me, nor would I think to do that for her. :(
But this is how these Christians live. It is simply their way of life. They don't have access to all of our fancy Bible study books, our cushioned seats, air-conditioned churches. They simply read God's Word, study it together, and then live it out.
Wow.
I also had the privilege of holding babies whose mommies died while giving them life and whose daddies could not (or would not) care for an infant. Praise God He does not leave them (or us!) as orphans (John 14:18). Precious, precious babies. I'm pretty sure I met my future daughter in that bunch, by the way. One can hope. ;)
One day, while I was holding one of those precious babies, the CAPTIAIN OF THE BLACK STARS, JOHN MENSAH came to donate a palate of goods to the orphanage!!! Be still my heart!!! I sure did get a picture of us! Whew. Dream come true. I seriously need to post my pics.
Anyway, so basically, my heart was left in Ghana. Again. And I'm ready to go back. Today. We'll see what God has in store. All I know is, no matter where we are on this planet, our commandment is to go and make disciples.
Recommended reading: Radical by David Platt
"Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations...." Matthew 28:19
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