Crunch Time

Today is crunch time. My hubby and firstborn are headed to AFRICA tomorrow morning at 6:00am. I am so excited for them. A bit nervous, a bit jealous, but mostly excited that it is finally here. I'm glad it came about 54 days ago. Any more time to prepare than that and I think Lashae would self combust. I've never seen her so stinkin' happy. I know it is truly the joy of the Lord, because why would you be excited otherwise. Let's face it, they are NOT going to a resort, or shopping, or an amusement park. They are going to get exposed to the worst conditions they have ever seen. Poverty, disease, filth, and hard work. But unless you know the Lord it seems utterly stupid, but if you know HIM, then you "get it", not that everyone has to go to Africa, but you "get it", like it makes since why you would want to help others, even if in a small way, even if it is for a moment, or some hope. They will bring help to others, love on them, but mostly some hope in the Lord, and they can do that just by showing up. Because even to the Africans it doesn't make sense for them to leave and go from comfy America to Africa. But they will ask, "why would you do this for us?" And the answer is JESUS LOVES YOU!!! Even the packing process has been a testimony, and fun to watch, first of all the donations have been out of this world....so cool....people want to help....that is fun!!! Also, we have soooo much stuff to give away, that Charlie and Lashae keep taking more of their own stuff out because they are over their packing weight limit, just so they can fit in one more thing for the people who have nothing. They are pretty much down to VERY MINIMUM!!! They will come home with nothing and be filthy, but I think they are going to have such a joy and satisfaction that they did what they could even if it was a dot in the big picture, it is a dot that the Lord can use and grow.

God's Provision

I just have to testify to what the Lord has done! He is so good. I can not begin to express the many miracles of provision the Lord has blessed us with, and escpecially concerning this upcoming mission trip. I am in awe most of the time, can't even really wrap my mind around it other than God's word said it would happen that if we just have faith and do what He has called us to He will provide. So here's the latest story that blows me away. The mission trip is paid in full...praise God....every step of the way down to the suitcases and backpacks...God's provision, sometimes in the funniest ways. So, I 've been praying about the fact that Charlie is going to be gone for 2 weeks, that is 2 weeks without work...2 weeks with no income. Out of the blue a friend of Charlie's called and asked if we had any roping cattle that would be ready by June. Charlie said that he did, and a few guys came out on Sunday to rope them and loaded them up and took them. Just that easy, just that quick! No advertising, no waiting, no thinking about it just DONE! That my friends is how amazing our Lord is. When I try to plan and figure it out on my own, I just make a mess of things, but when I just leave it up to The Almighty One...He always makes it so much better than I could ever plan or imagine.

2 Corinthians 9:8 (The Message)
8-11God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you're ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it, He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon. His right-living, right-giving ways never run out, never wear out.This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.

Thank God for Mercy

Lamentations 3:22-24 (New Living Translation)
22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends![a] His mercies never cease. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”

I just had a rough rough day yesterday! Don't know what my whole deal was, but I think it was the perfect storm!! Many things I could blame it on, but the good news is His Mercies are new EVERY Morning! Thank God for morning.

BFF Bethy Moore

Ok so my sisters and I have joked for some time that Beth Moore is our BFF. Of course she does not know that, she doesn't even know us, but in my mind it is true, she is my BFF!!! So I went to her simulcast yesterday and just had to share!! It was on "So Long Insecurities"...so here's some notes:



Insecurity is not a weakness IT IS UNBELIEF. It was all based on Ephesians 4:1 - 5:2. No one is going to force your calling on you NOT EVEN GOD. We need to be careful to NOT use grace as an excuse to just live in our old ways.



S=Saved from hereself - often times our biggest enemy is our own insecurities. Our insecurities cause us to live thinking about ourselves and drawing into ourselves. When we are secure in who we are IN CHRIST, then we live up and out. Looking up to Him and out to others.



E=Entitled to TRUTH. Get to know the TRUTH, and believe truth. He is the TRUTH..so get to know Him our Lord and Savior.



C=Clothed with intention. Clothed with strength and dignity. This does not happen naturally, we have to do it on purpose. Make up our MIND and WALK it out in life.



U=Upended by grace. Forgive and give grace as Christ has forgiven us and given grace to us. If you don't forgive and give grace you don't truly believe you are forgiven by God's Grace.



R=Rebounded by love. Ephesians 1&2.You can not out sin His forgiveness. When we know we ARE loved, we LOVE.



E=Exceptional in life. Romans 8:18 "I am sure that what we are suffering now can not compare with the glory that will be shown to us." It's all so worth it!!! Romans 8:28 "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them."

So there ya go....there's what a S-E-C-U-R-E woman is!

Yep I'm a Blogger!!!

I know, I know I said I wasn't a blogger, but sometimes there's just stuff I want to SHARE!!!! So I'm officially a BLOGGER!