A Must Read

Be convicted. Read this.

Sponsor a Child

***Found this blog in my "drafts" collection, and finished it. One down, 1359087 more to go. Stay tuned...***

Last summer in Ghana, our team visited a World Vision office and got to meet one of our team member's sponsored children. We also visited a Compassion International Compound and watched their kids put on a show for us. These experiences led me to sponsor a child in Ghana through World Vision. Her name is Nmowai Sonja, a precious 6 year old who got to start school this year. She has written me twice. Her first letter was a picture of an orange. She's my kind of girl: totally random. Go figure.

Anyway, I tell you all this for two reasons. Number one: I've been convicted. I have been reading Melissa (Moore) Fitzpatrick's blog on her Compassion trip to India. Her team's sponsor children have kept EVERY SINGLE ONE of the letters their sponsors have written to them. And I have yet to write Nmowai! Sad day!! This will now be my #1 project this weekend.

Reason number two: Sponsor a child through World Vision. (or any other sponsorship program!) I've seen firsthand what World Vision does with the sponsors' money and I know they are who they say they are. $30.00 a month will give your child - and his/her community! - basic necessities that we are blessed with each and every day: school, clean water, clothes, nutrition & agricultural education, and spiritual nourishment, just to name a few.

So, eat out one less time with your beau a month and sponsor a child instead. Eternity will be changed.

Worship in the Park

The above, blurry, cell phone picture would be a stage where Chris Tomlin is singing. Yes, I definitely just got back from worshiping our Lord with CHRIS TOMLIN. I adore worshiping with him - you have no idea. It all goes back to LPC Youth Camp where he taught me how to worship Jesus - not only in song, but in life. There's something about worshiping with Chris Tomlin that brings me back to those youth camp days - those special youth camp mountain top experiences. I had a taste of that mountain top this evening and you betcha' that taste was not enough. So, with my new Sword in hand, I'm climbing this mountain. I'll be sure to let you know the new treasures I find along the way!

p.s. The last time I saw Chris Tomlin, we (me chris and 9 other high school girls) had lunch and he sure did call me "steph." No lie. We've been BFFs ever since. (ok that part might be a lie... ;-) BFFs in spirit..... ;-)

VBS: International Style

This is the week of weeks!! I have been waiting for this week for so long, and I must say, I never could have imagined or believed for anything greater. This week, we're holding a VBS for all of our little refugee friends. I must admit, I have been beyond stressed on getting everything - and everyone! - together for it. I really did not think it would all come together... and then tonight happened. And God blew Himself out of that little box in which I had placed Him. Amazing. I took a few pictures and as I get more time... and energy... I'll write more details. Just know that God is bigger than we could ever imagine. You know that. I just tend to need more reminders. Maybe one day I'll get it. ;)

Dear Blog,

Oh how I miss thee. I can't wait for summer when we can spend all the time in the world together. I have a whole list going of things to tell you. It's gonna be good.
5 more days,
me.

Who Knew?

I love Easter. It is always such a ... romantic! time with Jesus. On Friday, I went to LPC to watch the Passion of the Christ. This year, they set up an interactive prayer room called "The Way of the Cross" - POWERFUL. It was the perfect mournful/blessed date night with Jesus.
I watch the Passion movie every year (well since they've been showing it) at LPC and each year I hear something new. Two things I heard this year were:
"If you will not hear the truth, people will not speak it to you." - Pontius Pilate's wife. Whew!
"See, I am making all things new." - Jesus, to His mama, on His way to Golgotha. Beautiful.

Ok, I hope all that made sense. I'm trying to multi-task by watching tv and blogging at the same time. My whole point to this blog was the following random trivia I learned today:

Did you know that Santa Claus was at the Council of Nicea (the group God chose to physically put His Word together into the Bible)? In fact, Saint Nicholas was one of the most outspoken people there about the Trinity doctrine. Who knew!? (Random fact info thanks to the Bible Answer Man, Hank Hanegraff in his book, "The Bible Answer Book")

Arise

Jesus is pretty stinking amazing. As if you didn't know. :)

My little Bhutanese friends are PRECIOUS. This past Tuesday, we talked about Jesus praying in the garden and we made little prayer slips about what we want to tell God. One little girl wrote, "I love you Jesus and you love me." My soul sings. Please pray for us this Tuesday as we are presenting the rest of the story about how He is our Saviour - their Saviour! I can't wait!!

Life has been pretty insane the past few months. I almost feel like I've been in the ocean, without a boat, during a white squall. Pretty intense. I've now been washed ashore and I hear, "Arise." I'm seeing what all God has done in my midst and it's pretty beautiful. Nehemiah's story has been the echo throughout all of this. We've been studying it in Sunday School and then my favorite blog has been writing about it. There are bricks to be laid and walls to be built. We can't just talk about the bricks and the walls, we have to go out there and BUILD. We must live out what He gives us. What exactly that means for me is difficult to discern, but what I'm finally getting is that, just as Nehemiah did, I can only listen to HIS voice. We can't just talk about talking to God and we can't ask each other what God wants and expect to receive a coherent answer. Third parties always get the information muddled in some way - in all circumstances but especially when it comes to His voice. We simply need to go to Him directly - seek Him and He will answer.