PRAYING FOR THE DRC

The Operation World country we are praying for today is the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

 

Please join us in prayer for these beautiful people.

Lord, our hearts go out to the Congolese people in their current distress! May your will be done and may you receive glory and praise for what you accomplish in Congo and in all the earth.

 

"All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you."

Psalm 22:27

OPERATION WORLD

The Operation World book is a wonderful resource for global prayer. It is broken down by countries and dates so that it's easy to know which country to pray for daily.

The website has extra information and prayer videos which can visually aid our understanding of nations differing from our own and how we can pray for them.

This week happens to be prayer for China, a country close to our hearts. As little Joy awaits her future family, we continue to pray for the people of China. God knows every single person in the beautiful country of China and He loves them individually. He sent Jesus to die for each one of them, that they might live.

So we pray for the Chinese people and their leaders that by God's grace they may come to know Him and His redemptive love through saving faith in Jesus. We also pray for those enduring persecution for their faith, that they may endure through hardships and know the fullness of God's strength in their weakness. His grace is sufficient and steadfast is His love! May the Lord raise up workers who will bring in the harvest and invest in the lives of the Chinese people.

"For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!'” Romans 10:13-15

Would you please join our family in prayer for China today?

"Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!" Psalm 117

PRAYER FOR THE WORLD

It wasn't long ago that our family accepted a challenge/calling to pray for the whole world.

On a whim, I bought a globe and plopped it on our devotion coffee table,
completely unaware of how the Lord would use this simple visual reminder to multiply His will beyond my intentions.

The Ethos of Operation World states:

"Prayer changes not only people, situations and even the course of history, but it also changes those who pray!"

As we began to pray daily around our sphere of nations, God began to meld our sphere of perspective into alignment with His. How true it is that when we open ourselves to prayer by drawing near to God, He reciprocates. The simplest of actions can turn into God's grandest plans when we turn to Him and yield to His will. As in the case of the necklace that guided the course of our adoption toward Africa, God has used this little globe to guide our hearts in prayer for our global neighbors and we are not the same.

Prayer for the whole world...I dare you to give it a try, but beware...it just might change your whole world in the process!

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."
Romans 8:26

PRAYER FOR THE WORLD

It wasn't long ago that our family accepted a challenge/calling to pray for the whole world.

On a whim, I bought a globe and plopped it on our devotion coffee table,
completely unaware of how the Lord would use this simple visual reminder to multiply His will beyond my intentions.

The Ethos of Operation World states:

"Prayer changes not only people, situations and even the course of history, but it also changes those who pray!"

As we began to pray daily around our sphere of nations, God began to meld our sphere of perspective into alignment with His. How true it is that when we open ourselves to prayer by drawing near to God, He reciprocates. The simplest of actions can turn into God's grandest plans when we turn to Him and yield to His will. As in the case of the necklace that guided the course of our adoption toward Africa, God has used this little globe to guide our hearts in prayer for our global neighbors and we are not the same.

Prayer for the whole world...I dare you to give it a try, but beware...it just might change your whole world in the process!

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."
Romans 8:26

MALAWI & SOUTH AFRICA

This month, Brodie had the opportunity to serve the Lord in Malawi and South Africa. The trip further increased his desire to share the gospel with those in need and specifically confirmed his heart's desire to love and serve needy children. We thank God for this special experience and pray for wisdom as we continue to follow His leading for future ministry opportunities.

Bright Vision Orphan Care, Malawi

Teaching at Family Camp, Kuti Community Wildlife Park, Malawi

 

Muphamuzi Baby Home, Pretoria, South Africa

HOME

How sweet the reunion when a loved one comes home! Gratitude overflows and I thank Him.

 

This but a glimmer of our final homecoming when we enter His courts with thanksgiving and praise, when we finally arrive at our eternal home, united. The race will have been run and we will see Jesus face to face. What will be written on the pages of my life?

"So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil."

2 Corinthians 5:6-10

Having said a last goodbye to both my mom and dad makes the reality of a race well run and finished more tangible. The finality glares sometimes so brightly that I must refocus on the here. This is home for now, but a far greater home awaits and I sense it. I pray for grace to finish strong and I focus on today.

"Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1-2

I'm overjoyed to be together again and eager not to lose sight of the sole dependence that was. I thank God for safe returns and pray for what comes next. Right now, I'm just really happy that he is home!!!

HE IS NEAR

"The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." Psalm 145:18

He is always near. He is never far. The Lord is close to those who call upon His name. When we draw near to Him, He draws near to us...without fail.

"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18

For the most part, these weeks of "aloneness" with Brodie gone have been smooth, even joyful! But it only makes sense that there were also times of sadness. I realize that if all of life were roses, never pricked by thorns, then we would be sufficient without a Savior. Yet, that is not the case. Much greater is His story when we struggle, toil, cry, and come to the end of ourselves, where He begins, and then we thank Him for His caring mercy and Fatherly love. It's with this perspective straight that I thank the Lord for the thorns of the week, even count them all joy.

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

James 1:2-4

Life is hard. Have you noticed??

But how often do we thank God for our trials? How easily do we forget? If He is in control (and He is) and if He is always good (and He is), then we can trust God. We can press into His faithfulness and let go of self-reliance. We can exhale...and then breath in deep His steadfast love and mercies. They are new every morning. How great is the faithfulness of the Lord!

"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

Who can relate to a life without struggles? Anyone?

I've thought about this with my kids this week. If I don't let them in on my struggles, then I can't let them in on my Solution. And it's the same with friendships. As we all wander through the desert that life can be, my hope is not that I can live a flawless life, but rather that as I contend with the flaws I can point to Him, my Solution. I can turn to Him, Jesus, the only One who will never disappoint us. He will never let us down.

He is always near. He is never far. The Lord is close to those who call upon His name.

"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." James 4:8

True it is that sometimes God's "good" looks different than our idea of "good", but indeed He is always good. Simply, His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are infinitely greater than our thoughts.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9

And so I thank Him. I thank Him for the roses and I thank Him for the thorns. I trust Him way more than I trust myself and I draw near and I find Him. 

He is always near. He is never far. The Lord is close to those who call upon His name. 

"But you are near, O Lord." Psalm 119:151

"Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known." Jeremiah 33:3 

PUT ON COURAGE

"Fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage." Daniel 10:19

Today as I was missing my beloved, my Beloved stepped in.

I bundled up in his favorite cozy sweatshirt, in need of his big strong hug. I missed him. I prayed...and prayed...and sought the Lord. He sent encouragement through a great friend and His Word.

Then I realized how sweetly He had helped me. I had to laugh later when I noticed the label on the sweatshirt-hug I had worn.

Courage.

And so I put it back on.

"As it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death." Philippians 1:20

Some things I've done this week have required courage. Not my strong point. But if what I can do is dependent on my own strength, then why "on earth" would I need a Savior? It's at the end of myself that God begins.

His courage. I think I'll put it on.

"Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6

"Your courage asks me what I am made of

And what I know of love

Your courage asks me what I am afraid of

And what I know of God"

-Sara Groves (I Saw What I Saw)

HE HAS RISEN

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.

He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay."

Matthew 28:5-6

Today we are celebrating the resurrection, clinging to our hope, and believing Truth by grace through faith.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Ephesians 2"8-9

One of our favorite CDs:

 

Our favorite song from the album, Behold Our God:

 

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

John 3:16

"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

John 14:6

FAITH LIKE A CHILD

I don't think I've ever been more blessed by a photograph. After days of no phone, not seeing or speaking to Brodie, praying for his heart all the while, I received this from his travel companion:

 

My own heart swells and overflows with thanksgiving that God would allow this opportunity; that God would speak through an emptied vessel to 300 orphaned children in the "Warm Heart of Africa"; that children back home here had the chance to make and give the very bracelets that he is using to share the gospel; that God is so BIG and so personal to every single person He has created here, there....and the world just got smaller.

Thinking of a children's song, I sing in my head, My God is so BIG, so strong and so mighty. There's nothing my God cannot do! And then I tell myself over and over and over, Faith like a child. Faith like a child. Faith like a child.

"Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” Mark 10:15

Do you see the eyes of those children in the photo above? They are filled with hope, full of trust. They believe with innocence. They listen intently. They hear His voice. 

 

Faith like a child.

 

Will we?

I CAN DO NOTHING

"I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him,

he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

John 15:5

It is true. Painfully true. Apart from Him, we can do nothing...and that's just how this morning began.

Brodie landed in Malawi today (after 2 days of flying) and we realized that his phone was not going to work. At all. As the reality sunk in that I would probably have no contact with him for his whole trip, my first instinct was to cry. Fortunately, my second instinct/God's wake up call was to trust in the Lord with my whole heart knowing that He is all I ever need and He is in control of all things...even the little details like phones not working.

So, I'm accepting this new twist in the plan by God's reassuring grace and trusting that He will be all sufficient. How could I ever doubt that? He has proven Himself to me time and time again.

I sat up praying last night (unable to sleep as Brodie flew from South Africa into Malawi). I also read through Sally Clarkson's Seasons of a Mother's Heart and the Lord used the last few chapters to minister to me in such a special way. Read them! You won't regret it. Her words confirmed what God has been teaching me: His grace is enough. I must remain connected to the Vine. I must maintain an eternal perspective. God is worthy of my praise! Prayer is my most crucial parenting practice. He is all I need and all my children need. My fruitfulness comes from Him.

"I am like an evergreen cypress; from me comes your fruit."

Hosea 14:8

Although I am desperately missing my best friend, I'm keenly aware that my true Best Friend is with me always, with me now. He is with Brodie under the same blanket of stars across the globe. And even though I can't do anything about fixing the phone problem and God has chosen to allow it to stay so, what I can do is cling to Christ. What I can do is praise Him anyway. I can pray and trust and follow Jesus the same way as if I were talking and texting with my husband so many miles away...all the more in fact.

If I'm connected to the Vine...then I'm right where I should be. He supplies my everything and I am never alone. I praise God for His faithfulness and friendship. And I'm glad that I'm here in this place of relying solely on Him where it's perfectly clear that apart from Him, I can do nothing.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction,

with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

2 Corinthians 1:3

Yes, He does...and I pray that I may do the same for another.

"I will never leave you nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:3

He has not. He will not. I believe.