life...or something like it.

This Blog Has Moved!

2011-08-13T22:10:00.006-05:00

In case you were wondering where I've been lately,
I've been creating a new blog/website!

This blog has now moved to http://hayleycatt.com/!

Check out information on charities, books, missions, and more!

Go ahead, check it out!

James 1:27

2011-07-28T08:15:00.006-05:00

"Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." James 1:27

While in South Africa and Uganda next May, our team will be experiencing "pure and undefiled religion" by showing the love of Christ to women, orphans, and refugees from all walks of life. I am more than excited about what the Lord is going to do in and through each of us as we continue on this journey of trust. After all, the preparation for the trip can be the hardest part! Fundraising isn't easy, especially in this economy. But the Lord reminded me of His provision and faithfulness once again last night. I was looking through my folder from my trip to Uganda last year, and found this.

You see, Matt called me the second week of January and told me about his upcoming trip to Uganda. I made the decision to follow the Lord's call on January 13, and as you can see, my trip was paid for by February 25! It only took one month for the Lord to prompt people to give. As I was looking through my folder at the list of donors, I couldn't stop smiling. God is so good.

But God never works the same way twice. This time, I don't have to raise the money in less than three months. Thankfully I've got a little more time. But I am already seeing people step up and give sacrificially, and I am eternally grateful for their sacrifice.

That being said, as a fundraiser for our upcoming trip to South Africa, we are selling t-shirts!

You have the choice of crew neck ($15) or v-neck ($16). See the pictures below for more information! Please email me at hayleyc@sherwoodbaptist.net with your order!

Crew Neck::

V-Neck::

Close-up of the design::

"The truth is that in virtually every book in the Bible, God is screaming, begging, pleading, urging us to love mercy and justice, to feed the poor and the orphaned, to care for the last & least. It will not be enough to stand before Jesus one day and say, 'Oh, were You serious about that?'" - Jen Hatmaker, "Interrupted"

Faithful is He

2011-07-14T14:33:00.003-05:00

"Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass."
1 Thessalonians 5:24

I'm not sure I ever stopped to intentionally memorize this verse, thankfully I've just heard and read it so much that I've come to know it by heart. I'm thankful for this because this verse has been running through my mind all day. It's all I can think about.

I spent all day yesterday stressing over something that I knew I shouldn't have been stressing over. I know that the Lord literally dropped South Africa in my lap. I was not looking for it or trying to make it happen, and that has always been a sign of His will in my life. I know that He has assembled a team of people to go alongside me. And, most of all, I know that He called me to go. But yesterday I found myself questioning just how He was going to do it.

You see, as the "organizer" of the trip, I feel a sense of responsibility to keep the cost on the lower end and help others raise the funds necessary. But as I was looking at flights yesterday, and realizing just how expensive this trip is going to be, I began to feel the pressure. I started having thoughts like How are we going to raise that much money, in times like these? Is someone going to drop out because it seems too overwhelming? Will I take it personally if they do? How am I supposed to have enough money to book a flight before the price goes up?

These and dozens of other self-condemning, questioning-His-will thoughts were running through my mind. I didn't know what to do, or where to turn. It just seemed too hard. I'm ashamed to say that I questioned whether or not it was worth it.

And then God, as He so faithfully does, whispered this verse in my ear.

"Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass."

And just like that my lack of faith shone brighter than the sun. Of course He will bring it to pass! He called me, didn't He? And if there is someone else He's called, He'll be their Jehovah Jireh as well. One little trip across the pond won't break His bank.

And then, just because He is a God of grace, He lavished me with even more.

"He is the Rock; His deeds are perfect. Everything He does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright He is!" Deuteronomy 32:4

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

"Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the skies." Psalm 36:5

"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is mankind that You are mindful of them, human beings that You care for them?" Psalm 8:3-4

Verse. After. Verse. of His FAITHFULNESS. Praise the Lord that He is a good, kind, merciful, graceful, loving, understanding, faithful, and HEARING God. He hears my hurts, He even hears my doubts, and yet He still responds with more grace than I can stand.

Book Review:: Son of Hamas

2011-06-28T10:03:00.009-05:00

I recently completed one of the most intriguing books I've ever read.

Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef is a gripping, true story about the effects and struggles of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism in Israel.

Mosab was raised a radical Muslim. He believed that Islam was the answer, and jihad was the solution to all of their problems. He was positioned to become the future leader of Hamas, the Palestinian authority that governs Israel's Gaza Strip. If he had continued down that path, he would have become one of Israel's most dangerous enemies. But something happened along the way that changed everything. Mosab came to the miraculous conclusion that Hamas is evil and Islam is wrong, that Israelis are his friends, not his enemies, and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

How this transformation happened, and the choices Mosab made as a result, is the subject of one of the most powerful books I have ever read. Son of Hamas is a spy thriller surrounded by the spiritual testimony of a young man leaving terror for redemption.

As one who loves the country of Israel and has visited several times, I couldn't have been more interested in the Son of Hamas' story. However, I truly believe that every Christian, whether you've visited Israel or not, ought to read his story because Mosab gives detailed insight into the destructive mind of Islam, and their attempt to rid the world of Israel. He also provides the perfect solution to finding peace in the Middle East. These are things we, as Christians, need to know and support. Because if we turn our back on Israel, God's chosen people, we turn our back on God.

It is nothing short of a miracle that Mosab was able to step outside of his religion, break down all preconceived thoughts towards Christianity and Islam, and simply receive the love of Christ. Today Mosab believes that the only way for Israelis and Palestinians to truly find peace with each other is to first find peace with God by embracing Christ. Reading his story inspired me to not give up hope, to continue to pray for my dear Israeli friends fighting to keep their land, and to pray for Mosab, as he is risking his life daily to tell others of the Prince of Peace. He truly has abandoned everything he knows and loves to share this message of hope, and he will be greatly rewarded for his sacrifice.

Mosab's Father, Sheikh Yousef, on Al Jazeera

For more information on the book and on Mosab, visit www.SonofHamas.com.

"Chicago's Finest"

2011-06-21T13:58:00.004-05:00

This past Saturday night while in Chicago, Rosie, her friend Laura, and I went down to Navy Pier for their 10:15 pm fireworks show. We had ridden the Metra into the city that morning from Rosie's apartment, and because we would miss the 10:40 train due to the fireworks, we knew were going to have to wait until the 12:40 am one. We took our time and made our way to Union Station. When we got there, we still had an hour to kill before the train departed.

Because it was a Saturday night, and the CUBS had played that day, and there were tons of weddings around the city, we were pretty much the only sober people at Union Station. After about thirty minutes, Rosie decided she wanted to go up to McDonald's to get something to drink.

"If I'm not back in 5 minutes, come find me."

Not long after she left, a middle-aged white man (remember that) came up to us and asked what we were doing in the city. He turned his back to me to talk to Laura, and I noticed that he had a pair of scissors in his back pocket. Being the Criminal Minds connoisseur that I am, I immediately started picturing all of the terrible things that could happen with those scissors. I couldn't get Laura's attention without him looking at me, so I waited, rather impatiently. He then sat down on the ground beside Laura and started asking us where we were staying and where we were going. We were as vague as we could possibly be.

"Illinois...just traveling around..."

It had been about 10-15 minutes since Rosie left, so we told the man we were going to find our friend. As we were walking away, I told her that he had scissors, then she told me that he wreaked of alcohol, and we were both glad to have gotten away.

When we got to McDonald's and saw Rosie was at the front of a very long line, we sighed in relief. I looked over and saw a cop sitting in the corner of the restaurant playing on his phone. I had noticed a sign down by the trains that said "See Something, Say Something", so I asked Laura if she thought we should tell the cop about the man with scissors in his back pocket. We decided it was a good idea, so she and I walked over to him. Laura told him that there was a man down by Track 11 that was intoxicated, and that we had noticed he had a pair of scissors in his back pocket, so we thought we would just let someone know.

Immediately the cop looked up and sarcastically responded, "Scissors?"

My first thought was, let me show you what I can do to you with a pair of scissors. But I just responded, "Well, we saw the sign down there that said 'See Something, Say Something', so we thought we should."

And I still cannot believe his response. He said, "Well, that's just like if you see Abdullah from Al Qaeda down there or something. Weirdos don't count". I couldn't believe him! I was infuriated. So basically, if I had said "There is a man down there in a keffiyeh with a pair of scissors in his back pocket", he would have done something?? Could he have been more racist? How about the fact that the majority of serial killers are middle-aged white males anyway?

I think it's time to retire, officer.

So there you have it. Lesson learned. Don't take the 12:40 am train, and don't depend on "Chicago's finest" to protect you when you do.

Camp KidzBlast:: Leaving a Legacy

2011-06-09T13:16:00.009-05:00

My goodness it is hot outside!

I've spent this week standing under the hot sun, photographing close to 500 kids at our first annual Camp KidzBlast. This VBS type Day Camp includes exciting worship, fun games, small groups, and various classes including horseback riding, photography, art, interpretive dance, choir, drama, weird science, special ops, survival 101, and so much more! Each day the kids go home having learned a lot but, most importantly, they've learned about the love of Christ!

I love this new adventure the Sherwood Kids Ministry has taken on. It pushes the boundaries of a typical VBS, and makes a greater impact on everyone!

My favorite thing I've seen this week is the creativity and love of the volunteers. I love seeing grown men taking time off of work to play on the floor with kids, or teaching them how to survive in the wilderness. I love seeing senior adults greeting the parents as they drop their kids off in the morning. I love seeing moms, who spend every moment of their day with their own kids, sacrificing even more to cook and clean and love on other people's kids. I love seeing teenagers taking a week of their summer of fun to get up extra early and spend their time with a bunch of crazy kids. And I love seeing all of them worshiping the Lord alongside the kids. Jumping up and down, dancing, and getting everyone excited about Jesus! (Cool side note: the purpose/motto of Legacy Park, where KidzBlast is being held, is "Bringing Generations to the Cross")

I have witnessed quite a few special moments through my lens this week.

I've seen selflessness and gratitude. I've seen servanthood and joy. I've been encouraged and inspired.

And I've seen 32 kids come to know Christ as their Savior. That alone is worth every.single.thing we've put into this week.

Yes, it is insanely hot outside this week, but I've loved every minute of being a part of KidzBlast. Next year, I'm determined to put my camera down, and just love. Love as much as I can.

Bringing Generations to the Cross...

The Choice is Yours

2011-06-01T14:37:00.008-05:00

"When you are looking for a way to get out, you can find just about any excuse you want. When you are committed, you will not let wild horses pull you away from your Lord." - Willie George, Church on the Move

The more tragedy I see in this life, the more I realize just how true that statement is.

I have seen many loved ones face great tragedy. Each one of them grieves deeply in their own way. Grief is more than acceptable. It is expected. It is good.

But every person who faces tragedy has a choice to make.
Will you turn to God, or turn away from Him?

When you miss your loved one so much that you cannot bear another moment on this earth without them. When you ask "Why?" - Why me? Why him? Why now? When you question the love of God. When you get mad at Him for not coming through. You prayed and prayed and your prayer wasn't answered the way you wanted.

What will you do then?

Will you believe that the Lord truly is sovereign, loving, just, and wise? Will you point others to Him in the midst of your grief? Or will you become bitter and angry? I have seen both scenarios. I have been in awe of faith and disappointed in bitterness. I have seen some draw closer to the Lord, praising Him in the storm, while others pulled away, blaming Him for their heartache.

And yet, sometimes it doesn't even take great tragedy for believers to run from God. Willie George mentioned in a sermon recently that when he was a new believer, his brother caught their pastor's son making out with a woman other than his wife. Something like that can cause believers who have not built their foundation on the Word of God to run. They are just looking for an excuse to get out. Some reason to be bitter and call out the hypocrisy in the church.

The key to choosing to praise Him, whether you have faced great tragedy, or merely been disappointed by a believer, is your foundation. It isn't about listening to your pastor. He cannot live your spiritual life for you. It isn't about setting other believers on a pedestal. They are human as well. It is about digging deep. Setting up your foundation on a trustworthy, holy God. Listening to His Word and obeying.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” Matthew 7

"And great was its fall..."

Uganda: A Year Later

2011-05-26T11:00:00.008-05:00

One year ago today I got in the car with my Dad and Jonathan to head to the Atlanta airport and, ultimately, to Uganda. Looking back, I'm amazed that I was in no way nervous. We were about to spend three exhausting days traveling across four different countries on three continents through three hemispheres and on two different airlines. And I had a complete peace about it. That peace was even more proof, in addition to the months of confirmations I had received, that I was obeying the Lord's call.

As we drove to the airport, I thought about how, in only a matter of days, I was going to be changed forever. My life would not, and could not look the same.

In fact, just a week before I left, I blogged this:

Please pray for me and Jonathan as we travel to Uganda. Pray for my teammates. For safety, security, health, sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, and a receptivity by the people. For an abundance of love, that our lives would never be the same and our hearts would forever be bent towards the least of the world. That when we return, we will help those who "just don't understand" to understand. That it doesn't become a pride issue, but a sense of urgency to come to the aid of those in need. That we constantly align ourselves with the Lord's will, and live our lives in selflessness. I really appreciate your prayers. It is greatly needed! The next time you hear from me, I will be a different person. I welcome this change wholeheartedly.

I can honestly say that each one of these prayers was answered. And better than I could have ever thought.

I am still trying to figure out what my life should look like after what I saw. I still haven't processed it all, even a year later. But I do know that my heart could never be more full as it is when I think about Africa, the people I met and grew to love as family there, and how I felt the Lord's presence there.

This time next year, I'll have just returned from South Africa. I am hoping to make a pit stop in Uganda on the way home. I cannot be that close and not go visit my African family. Plus, I'd give anything to have some of the people I love the most in this world meet Joel.

As someone very intelligent once said, "All I know is that every time I go to Africa, I am shaken to my core". That couldn't be more true. I welcome the change that SA will bring, and I ask for your prayers as we assemble a team whose lives will surely be forever changed.

Chicago Bound!

2011-05-24T16:01:00.005-05:00

It's official, I'm headed to Chicago for the first time ever! A good friend of mine who went to Uganda with me is interning at AWANA up there, and when she came to visit me in Atlanta a few weeks ago, we discussed me going up to spend a long weekend with her! I didn't have much planned for this year as far as vacations go, and I had plenty of SkyMiles to cash in, so I decided to just go for it. I booked the ticket today, and I leave in less than a month!

And an added bonus? Some of my favorite people in the world live in Chicago - Bill and Lynette Ebel! Bill was an editor on Sherwood Pictures' films, and I just love him and his wife!

Typically, I'm not this spontaneous. Well, I used to not be.

Back in college, my roommate Victoria and I took a personality test. Our results were very similar, with both of us being told that we were not spontaneous enough. So, out of sheer irony, we decided that we would plan certain times throughout the week to be spontaneous. I know it wasn't exactly right, but at least it was a step in the right direction? Maybe?

So I'm slowly but surely becoming more of an adventurer. And I like it. I don't always have to know exactly what I'm doing and where I'm going anymore. I'm learning what it means to "fly by the seat of my pants". Well, I don't really know what that phrase means, but I get the gist of it.

I have learned be flexible. And it makes life a little more exciting!

Over the next few weeks I'll be trying to figure out what to do while I'm in the Windy City. I have two days where Rosie will be at work, and I will have the city all to myself! I'm thinking art museums and spending an afternoon at Navy Pier or strolling through the city are at the top of my list.

Anyone have any ideas of what to do in Chicago? Something unique perhaps? If you've never been, what would be the first thing you'd want to do? Feedback is appreciated!

The Next Step...

2011-05-16T10:35:00.003-05:00

While attending ReFRESH® in the Smokies this past March, I was approached by some friends, Danny and Chris, about a potential meeting. They told me that they had brought a missionary from South Africa named Harold to the conference. Apparently they had told Harold about the passions the Lord has given me for missions, and he wanted to meet me. We set up a time to meet the following day.

As I sat down with Harold and heard about his desire to bring young people to South Africa to work alongside his ministry, I couldn't help but get excited. He asked me if I would be willing to go, and I said I would love to and would definitely pray about it. As we were concluding our meeting, we walked over and introduced him to my family. He had not yet connected that my sister is "the wife in Fireproof" (which is very popular in SA from what I understand). He mentioned to Erin that he would love to have her come visit SA as well and share her testimony.

A few weeks later I got a call from Chris. He said that Harold wanted Erin and I to speak at their annual Women's Conference in Johannesburg in May 2012. I told Chris that Erin's strength is public speaking and I would rather just play with babies. Besides, I've never spoken at a conference before, and I didn't exactly want my first conference to be the same one that Beth Moore spoke at last year! So Chris told me that all they needed at the time was a bio to present to the May 2011 conference. Once the women had voted, we would know for sure if it was a done deal.

While in Atlanta a few weeks ago, Erin and I spent hours working on the bio to send in. We wanted it to be perfect.

We must have done something right, because I got the call this week that she was approved as the speaker for 2012, and we are going to South Africa!

We are currently working out some of the logistics as far as what all we are going to do. We are hoping to work along the border of Zimbabwe with orphans and refugees. We are also praying about what kind of team we need. I have a few people interested, but I believe that we can have a greater impact with a few more key team members. Please pray with me, that the Lord will assemble the right team for the need.

I learned in doing some research yesterday that South Africa has more people living with AIDS than any other country in the world. Obviously the need is great. I cannot wait to meet the Lord there and I am excited to live out Isaiah 58 in South Africa!

So here's to a year of researching, studying, conversing, and, most importantly, lots and lots of praying!

"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." James 1:27

"Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute. Rescue the poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people." Psalm 82:3-4

"May Your ways be known throughout the earth, Your saving power among people everywhere. May the nations praise You, O God. Yes, may all the nations praise you. Let the whole world sing for joy, because You govern the nations with justice and guide the people of the whole world." Psalm 67:2-4

"Father of orphans, champion of widows is God in His holy house. God makes homes for the homeless, leads prisoners to freedom." Psalm 68:6a

"The Lord replied, 'Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!' Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said, 'Look, I have put My words in your mouth!'" Jeremiah 1:7-9

The Fixer

2011-05-09T08:57:00.003-05:00

I am a fixer.

When a problem arises, all I want to do is find a way to fix it.

{LOST fans, you can call me Jack.}

When someone is pouring their heart out to me, or even just sharing a crazy story with me, my mind is racing for possible solutions and possible reactions.

Did you talk to this person about it? Did you try this? Did you say this? Could you go here and see if this could help?

Obviously I am a type C personality.

Here is a little insight into me, the C:
"You are a perfectionist!

You crave for correctness not only in your own personal life but also in the world surrounding you. You are considered law abiding, procedure follower and systematically correct. You keep your actions within the set rules and regulations. You try to apply them in letter and spirit. You established a set of standards and principles. You make decisions by analyzing all the available information. You keep your emotions away from your decisions. You are not a risky player. You are logical and analytical. You may always be in need of more information. You try to correct your environment. You like business atmosphere to be inculcated. Your office life is well organized. Your reformist spirit makes the world an ideal place for you. However, extreme types and other dimensional developments may convert you into a fanatic."

(PS if you haven't ever taken a DISC profile test, I highly recommend it. It will change the way you deal with others, once you better understand them.)

I cannot tell you how many times in the last six months I have said that I wish I could live ___'s life for a day and just fix it for them. When I see people making, in my opinion, the wrong decision, it drives me crazy. However, in no way am I saying I'm perfect.

Here are just a few examples of my weaknesses as a C:
• You fear emotionally charged situations.
• You dislike expressing your inner emotions and thoughts.
• You can show stubborn behaviors at times.
• You make wrong decisions when you don’t find enough information.
• You evaluate others and your work very hard.
• You are depressed when facing sudden changes.
• You find it difficult to tackle many projects at a time.

All of that to say, I am having to learn what it means to just listen. Because I know that when I am sharing my heart with someone, and really laying it all out there, the last thing I want is for them to try to fix the situation for me. I just need someone to listen. To sympathize. Everything they say, I have more than likely already thought through anyway. I am just sharing because I need a listening ear. I need a support system. And I hate to say it, but I am not always that for the people I love. But I am trying. I want to be a listener. I want to truly listen and not try to think up solutions in my head.

So... if you need advice, I'm more than happy to give it. And if you need a listening ear, I am more than happy to try my best.

Grace

2011-05-03T14:10:00.006-05:00

Grace. Its one of those things that I don't think I will ever understand.

After all, I'm only human.

The Sovereign God, Creator of the Universe, knows me better than I know myself. He obviously knows every single time that I screw up, even when I don't recognize it.

He knows my poor attitude, my lack of obedience, my stubbornness, my pride. He knows when I act as if I don't need Him. He knows when I try to glorify myself instead of Him.

Yet He chooses to ignore it, because of His Son.

Approaching the Throne of Grace, I cower behind the Son of Man. Hands trembling, eyes squinting, He grabs me by the hand and leads me to His Father. I cannot look upon Him. He is just too much. I fall to my face. I don't know what else to do.

It is all I can do.

I am expecting the worst, and yet I cannot imagine the severity of His wrath.

And then I hear His Son speak up.

"She's mine".
"She deserves hell, but because of My sacrifice, We can pour out our grace on her."

I have done nothing to deserve this treatment. No one has, and no one can.

Even if I woke up every morning and studied the Word for hours before I began my day, spent each day in a pleasant mood, blessing others with my existence, sold everything and moved overseas to give every moment of my life to tell others of His glory and grace, I still wouldn't deserve it. I still wouldn't have done enough.

Yet He just lavishes it upon me.

But this also doesn't mean that I can abuse this grace.
Just read Galatians if you think you can.

All I can do is accept it, marvel at it, lift my hands in praise because of it, and tell you about it.

"Indeed, we have all received grace after grace from His fullness, for although the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." John 1:16-17

"For the LORD God is a sun and shield. The LORD gives grace and glory; He does not withhold the good from those who live with integrity." Psalm 84:11

Marine Homecoming Photoshoot

2011-04-21T08:01:00.005-05:00

I was recently privileged to photograph Jake's coming home from the war in Afghanistan to his wife Kelly and their two sweet boys. I enjoyed my time getting to know Kelly and the boys as we were waiting on Jake's plane to arrive. There seems to never be a dull moment with those two!

This guy loves all things cars. He even picked out some toy cars for me to send to Joel! And they both drew pictures for him. :)

I'm so grateful that I was able to be a part of this special day in their family, and so grateful for men like Jake who sacrifice everything for our freedom.

The Weight of the World

2011-04-18T14:35:00.009-05:00

The older I get, the more I realize just how hard life is. It is hard to walk away from a hurtful situation and determine to forgive. It is hard to take the blinders off and gain a different perspective. It is hard to stand against the enemy when it seems overwhelming. It is hard to wait for direction, and then wait some more.

It is hard.
This life is hard.

And my flesh wants to try to make everything easy. To fix life. To solve all of this world's problems, especially my own and those of my loved ones. I struggle and fight and cry and lose myself in just how hard it is.

And then I silently complain that God hasn't come through. That I am hurting and the people I love are hurting and He hasn't fixed it yet. That I have been carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders and He hasn't come and taken it away.

And then He tells me that I was the one who chose to put the weight of the world up there on my shoulders in the first place. That I took my world from Him, who was in complete control, and tried to control it myself. He tells me that He knows how much it hurts, but He just doesn't understand why I'm still fighting and crying and struggling to fix it all.

And then He reminds me that He has it under control. That I will grow through the trials. That others will need my help when life is just as hard for them. That I must learn to trust Him first and foremost. That He is only adding value to my life, even if it hurts right now. That I cannot expect life to be easy, but I can expect Him to be faithful. That He allowed His own Son to hurt, for me. And that He will always be there, to lift the weight of the world off of my shoulders, if I will only let Him.

And all I can do is drop the world, wipe away the tears, and beg His forgiveness. He is the only One who knows just how much it hurts, He alone knows my heart even better than I do, and He alone knows just how to fix it.

"Lucy...what have you done, child?" - Aslan
"I don't know. That was awful." - Lucy
"But you chose it, Lucy."
"I didn't mean to choose all of that, I just wanted to be beautiful like Susan. That's all."
"You wished yourself away. And with it, much more. Your brothers and sister wouldn't know Narnia without you, Lucy. You discovered it first, remember?"
"I'm so sorry."
"You doubt your value. Don't run from who you are."
(From The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader)

"Stop [your fighting]- and know that I am God, exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth." Psalm 46:10 HCS

STORIES

2011-04-12T09:02:00.003-05:00

Check out Sherwood's new website - STORIES, and discover the power of a story! Hear from people who have experienced forgiveness, been given second chances, learned the importance of obedience, sacrificed everything for the Kingdom, and been miraculously healed. Be encouraged to obey in whatever area He is calling you to! He is always worth it.

We'd love for you to share your story with us!

www.Stories.SherwoodBaptist.net

Bucket List Items #7 & 10

2011-04-06T10:04:00.003-05:00

"Nature is too thin a screen; the glory of the omnipresent God bursts through everywhere." - Ralpha Waldo Emerson

See the Northern Lights.

Go mushing.

I think I can knock these out in one trip, I just need to get to Alaska!
Who's with me?

"The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make Him known." Psalm 19:1-2

Bucket List Item #5

2011-03-28T15:07:00.007-05:00

I need to experience this.

Don't leave anything but your footprints.
Don't take anything but your memory.

Photography by Nick Brandt

"Everything comes from Him . . . and exists for Him. We exist to exhibit God, to display His glory. We serve as canvases for His brush stroke, papers for His pen, soil for His seeds, glimpses of His image." - Max Lucado

Videos Update!

2011-03-24T19:34:00.003-05:00

I realized today that I haven't shared my videos that I was sent a couple of months ago of Joel!

This video was supposed to be of Joel and his cousin Denis writing with the pencils and paper my friend Martin and I got him, as he just started school. But he is a little too distracted by seeing himself on the webcam. :) But I love it!

PS excuse the dress. We have since bought him some boy clothes. ;)

In this video, you can hear him say "Mzungu and DaDa" and then he says "Mzungu wange". He is looking at a photo of me and Martin (who he calls DaDa), and "Mzungu wange" means "My white person".

Melt. My. Heart.

I miss that boy.

"Not Called?"

2011-03-23T15:31:00.003-05:00

'Not called!' did you say?

'Not heard the call,' I think you should say.

Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear Him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin.

Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help.

Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters and servants and masters not to come there.

Then look Christ in the face -- whose mercy you have professed to obey -- and tell Him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish His mercy to the world.

--William Booth

Enough? Really?

2011-03-20T21:34:00.005-05:00

I recently got back from ReFRESH in the Smokies. This year was one of our best conferences to date. As always, the Lord used each speaker in a mighty way. There are so many things that I heard that convicted and challenged me, and I have come to understand the importance of getting alone with the Lord and hammering out every little thing that He has said to me, to know what it is He desires from me.

I can hear something very profound and convicting, write it down, tweet it, and tell someone else about it, but unless I sit down and actually figure out what it means for me, and my walk with Him, it will not have a lasting affect on my life.

So that is what I'm doing. I'm taking the time to sit and wait and seek His face, and listen for His whisper. It isn't easy. In only a few days, dozens of things have been an easy distraction for me. Besides the obvious (television, phone calls, Twitter, Facebook), I have found myself wanting to turn to a book or a Bible study or a sermon rather than just sitting down with the Word of God and waiting on Him to speak. As if I need more than His Word.

I would like to share with you a little about what I am hammering out right now. When Ed Litton spoke about idolatry at ReFRESH, I learned quickly that my heart truly is an idol-making factory (John Calvin). When I think of idols, my first thought is always the golden calf of the exiled Israelites. I immediately think that I could not have an issue with idolatry, because I know that I would never do such a thing as Aaron allowed. And yet, I have. I have taken the good things, the passions that He has given me, and the desires of my heart, and turned them into something I love more than Him.

Ed Litton stated in his sermon "Laying My Isaacs Down" (this can be found on North Mobile's podcast) - "Most Americans who go to church today will hear a message about pursuing their dreams in the years ahead, or making someone else's dream become a reality. Has it ever crossed our minds that getting the desire of our heart may be the worst thing that could ever happen to us?" He goes on to explain that in Romans 1, Paul writes that the worst punishment God has for His people is to give them over to their desires.

Is this true for me?

An idol is taking something good in your life - that which gives you meaning, significance, purpose, that which you think you could not live without - and making it the ULTIMATE thing in your life. This is easily done. We know that the incomplete joys of this world will never satisfy the human heart. Yet our human hearts, our idol-making factories, constantly struggle to turn that good thing we love into our ultimate satisfaction.

I have found that my idol-making heart has turned Africa, my love for orphans and "the least of these" into an idol. I realized that I desired it more than Christ. And no matter what I said, no matter how often I told myself that I would be content with whatever He does with me, I found myself trying to pry open doors of opportunity rather than sitting and waiting on His.Perfect.Timing.

It was subtle, really. The enemy and my wretched self had told me that I was longing to do something good for the kingdom. So I justified my passions, and too often ignored my God. But it wasn't until the Lord whispered in my ear, "What if I never send you back to Africa? What if you are never able to adopt that precious little boy you so long for? What if I told you that I don't need another Katie Davis? That I can take care of those beautiful, impoverished children without you? What would you do then? Would you trust Me? Would you find your satisfaction in Me?"

"Am I enough for you?"

I still don't know if I can truly answer "yes" to that question. I'm not going to pretend like I have it all together. I don't. I am still searching His Word, and begging for His grace. I am still learning to seek His face. Not His hand, not His people, but Him alone. I am still learning how to believe Him at His Word.

After all, He is I AM.

I AM the Almighty God.
I AM your Shepherd.
I AM the Ultimate Sacrifice.
I AM your Redeemer.
I AM Jehovah Jireh.
I AM Life.
I AM your Future.
I AM Love.
I AM Faith.
I AM for you.

I AM ENOUGH.

Smiling at the future.

2011-03-07T17:03:00.004-05:00

Not a day goes by that I don't think about Africa. I may even venture to say that not an hour goes by. Africa will do that to you. It seizes your heart, and never lets it go.

I long for it.

As I was walking out of work to go to lunch today, a picture popped into my head of me walking that same path, but with a precious little African boy, just learning how to walk, his tiny hand wrapped around my finger.

If I could, I'd be on the next flight out of here to make that dream a reality. If I could, I'd come back with more than just one. If I could, I may go and never come back.

The hardest thing is the waiting. My heart is there, precious babies that I want to kiss and hug and rescue from poverty are there, my God is there, yet I am not. Yet. I have full confidence that I will return one day.

But I don't just want to go.
I want to be sent.

And when He sends me, I will not hesitate. For His plan is so much better than anything I could imagine.

So I will wait. And I will dance. And I will laugh. And I will pray. And I will worship. And I will be grateful for where He has me. And I will live this life that He has me living to the fullest. For my cup already runneth over, and I'm going to enjoy every last drop.

God Is

2011-03-01T11:11:00.012-05:00

I have found myself in quite a few discussions lately about who God is.

Far too often my fallen mind takes me to thoughts about Him that are simply untrue. When I find myself on the verge of committing an area of my life to Him, I worry that I will immediately be tested, and ultimately fail the test, proving to myself and to Him that I never really meant it in the first place. I have found this mindset to be true among many believers today, as if He is a God of vengeance. As if the moment we open up our trembling hands to give whatever it is we're clinging to up to Him, He snatches it away with a scowl on His face as we stand there unhappy and alone.

And then I have to remind myself. I cannot compare who He is to the only thing I know and am comfortable with - humanity. Sinful man.

Because He is not like us. (Numbers 23:19)

He does not change with the coming tides. (Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8)

He is faithful. (1 Thessalonians 5:24)

And He is for us.

"What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since He did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won’t He also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for His own? No one - for God himself has given us right standing with Himself. Who then will condemn us? No one - for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and He is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

"Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, 'For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.') No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:31-39

Because He loves us, He desires only the best for us. He desires His best for the young girl struggling to give her relationship over to Him. For the father deciding to break the chain of sin and be the best godly example he can be. For the widow who has lost the only future she ever knew. And for the senior adult desiring to finish stronger than he began.

Because these things are true, we must live in the knowledge that He is trustworthy. He is just. He is love. And the beautiful thing is, nothing we can do will ever stop Him from being who He is.

A Blogger's Contentment

2011-02-09T13:04:00.018-05:00

I am a fairly dedicated blog reader. I have a couple of blogs that I check for updates regularly, and it just so happens that those blogs are the ones that always make me cry.

I'll find myself sitting in my office with tears running down my face as I read of the adventurous, yet heartbreaking lives that so many of these Christ followers lead, and it causes me to ask a few questions of myself. Wherever God has me living out my life as His hands and feet, will I react as they do? When tragedy or difficult times occur, will I know that He alone is sufficient? That His plans are sovereign? That He is trustworthy? That He will give me the grace and strength that I need to continue? That He loves the people I love with a far bigger and far more perfect love than I ever could?

I hope and pray that this will be true of me. And that it is true of me now. Because I know these things, and I believe them with all of my heart, and have seen evidence of them in my life in these 25 years (almost 26) that I've lived. But one day, when I am faced with great tragedy, I sometimes find myself wondering how I will react.

I have yet to experience great heartbreak in this life. But I know it is coming, and I believe that He is preparing me for when it does come. Over the past few months, I have been studying the book of Philippians with my discipleship group. This morning, as we were concluding our study of Paul's letter to the Philippians, we focused primarily on chapter 4, verses 11-13.

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength."

If anyone understood what it means to live a life of hardship, it was Paul. Shipwrecked and imprisoned multiple times, beaten, tortured, rejected. He had experienced the worst, but had the privilege of seeing God move in mighty ways in the midst of his suffering. So regardless of his circumstances, he chose to remain content. Paul brings hope to my future heartbreak. If Paul can do it, anyone can. Because the ONLY reason Paul was able to be content in the midst of all that, was because of verse 13.

"I can do all this through Him who gives me strength."

This isn't just a verse for the apathetic high school athlete who has to begrudgingly choose a life verse on Senior Night. This isn't just something to be plastered on the backs of jerseys. This is power. This is admission of weakness. This is total dependency upon a totally dependable God. And this is attainable. I've seen it in the blogs I read. I've seen it in friends who have lived through tragedy. And I know He will give me that same strength in my weakness. When I am helplessly holding that precious little boy in my arms who has breathed his last breath, as Renee did. When I am desperate, longing to hold once more that baby girl I have grown to love as my own after she has been taken from me, as Katie was. And when He shows me that His grace is sufficient in my own personal heartbreak, whatever it may be, as I know He will, I pray that I can be counted as a woman who has learned to be content. Dependent. Hopeful. Faithful.

One day you may find yourself reading a devastating blog from me that was written from the other side of the world. But for now, I pray that you are encouraged to learn what it means to be content in your circumstances. Because one day I'm going to need you to remind me of this blog, and encourage me to keep going. For His renown.

Waiting . . .

2011-01-31T14:35:00.003-05:00

As I sit here staring at the blinking cursor on this blank screen, I can't help but wonder how in the world I could possibly explain all that is going on in my heart and in my head. So I am not sure I should try to.

My life has become all about waiting. Waiting on the Lord to tell me what to do next. I've learned what it means to walk blindly through the darkness until I see a crack of light from the next open door. It is my new normal, and I've learned to be content with that. In the meantime, I'm praying. Praying about what is to come. Praying to prepare my heart and myself as much as possible for what He calls me to do.

I have been surrounded by friends who understand this heart of mine a little more each day, and for that I couldn't be more grateful. I have friends who are praying with me, and I even have friends to whom the Lord has given similar burdens. It is refreshing to know that I am not alone in my waiting.

I have to remind myself daily that He will equip me for whatever He calls me to do or wherever He calls me to go. His perfect love has driven out all fear, and in His will is the only place I want to be.

So for now, I'm just going to wait. Wait on His perfect plan. Wait on His timing. Wait on His call. Because He is going to do something big, I just know it.

Raindrops on Roses...

2011-01-21T08:47:00.005-05:00

These are a few of my favorite things right now:

1. The Chronicles of Narnia.
I'm reading through the series for the first time since 4th grade. The symbolism, creativity, and genius writing styles of CS Lewis are captivating me all over again. If there was one person, apart from those found in the Bible, that I would love to sit down and have a cup of coffee with, it'd be Lewis. But I'd only be listening, and hoping some of his genius rubs off on me.

2. My iPad.
Thanks to my wonderful father's generosity, I now have an iPad. I can honestly say that I never thought I'd want one, but when the opportunity arose to be given one, I definitely didn't turn it down. And now I don't know what I would do without it. I've read more books on the iPad than I have in months. I make my grocery list and email it to my phone. I watch my Netflix queue. I keep track of my banking. I play Scrabble and Wedding Dash. It is in my purse everwhere that I go. My Macbook has been sitting on my coffee table with a dead battery for weeks, and I haven't even touched it. Come to think of it, I feel a little sorry for that poor laptop.

3. Facebook.
Now I know that sounds a bit trivial, to really just enjoy Facebook, but give me a chance to explain why it is one of my favorite things before you go on assuming I'm like a codependent teenager whose mood alters depending on how many people write on my wall every day. Facebook is my only portal to communicate with my friends in Uganda. Through Facebook, I receive messages every week regarding what the Lord is doing there, whether its with the church, a friend, or with Joel. In fact, I found out just this week that Joel has a rash on his ear and his jaja is using only a plant in hopes it will heal. We'll see how that turns out. So yeah, thank you, Facebook, for being global enough to keep my heart tied to Africa just a little bit more every day.

4. Wednesday Nights.
I know, I know, you're probably thinking, 'My goodness she is godly. She just LOVES going to church on Wednesday nights and digging deeper'. Let me stop you right there, because I love Wednesday nights for a completely different and less holy reason. I love my Wednesday Nights because of three things: Modern Family, Cougar Town, and Criminal Minds. These are, quite possibly, the three best shows on television right now. The writers for both Modern Family and Cougar Town are pure comedic geniuses. And the psychology behind Criminal Minds always makes me wish I'd paid more attention in my sociology and psychology classes. Erin and I always say that if we had known being a criminal profiler for the FBI was a job, we'd done that instead. In the meantime, I'll just profile everyone I come in contact with. Plus, it doesn't hurt that I'm going to marry Dr. Spencer Reid one day.

5. Ladies Bible Study.
I recently started a new study in my Ladies Bible Study class about Jonah and what it means to have your life interrupted by God. I'm still trying to figure out what exactly that means for me, and what my personal Nineveh is, but I've already been challenged by Priscilla Shirer, as well as the women in my class, to live a life open and obedient to all divine interruptions. I'm looking forward to seeing where the Lord takes me through this, and responding obediently when He calls.

6. Neighbors.
When I moved into my neighborhood, I was the only one that I knew there, but I was excited about the possibilities of making friends with my neighbors. I've had a few conversations with some of the people living around me, gotten to know a little about each other and what not, but we never tend to be home at the same time, so the relationships haven't progressed as much as I'd like... yet. Little did I know that soon after I moved into the neighborhood, pretty much my entire group of friends would move in, too. Jason and Jared moved in, which was a nice addition, and made me feel a little better about living by myself. I can always run to their house if there's an intruder. They have shotguns. :) Then, over Christmas, Frances and Josh moved in! Now we're all neighbors, and we love it! We just walk from house to house and pretty much share everything. It's our own little community and it makes me happy.

7. E-mail.
For Christmas, Bill and Erin set up an email account for my nephew Prosper. In the past, if I wanted to communicate with him, I'd have to wait until the next time I saw him, which could be up to a year. Now, we are able to send emails back and forth and talk about whats going on in our lives. His are typically a one sentence email that is more like a text message, saying, for instance, "I got FUUUUDDDGGGGEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" and "ITS SNOWWWWINNGGG!!!!!" and they ALWAYS bring a smile to my face. But I'm grateful for the opportunity to keep in contact with the coolest kid in the world.

So yeah, there's a glimpse into my life right now. My life isn't perfect by any means, but its the little things in life, right?

Is it Okay for a Christian to drink alcohol?

2011-01-20T09:57:00.006-05:00

This is a great sermon discussing if it is okay for Christians to drink alcohol. I suggest you watch it, whether you are of age or not. You must know your belief on this issue.

"In the ancient Hebrew culture, when somebody drank too much, they fell down on the way home. In America, they drive across the center stripe and take out an entire family."

Don't have time to watch the whole sermon? Download the Podcast Here. Just scroll down to the sermon title "Q&A - Part 5".

Uganda: Love Has Found Us.

2011-01-10T10:44:00.002-05:00

Hip Hip Hooray for Christmas Vacation

2011-01-06T13:24:00.009-05:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Years. I definitely did. Its my very favorite time of year, and I am so sad that its over! But the good news is, I actually got to do everything on my Christmas To Do List. I watched my favorite Christmas movies - Elf, Love Actually, The Family Stone, Meet Me in St. Louis, White Christmas, and The Santa Clause. I went to look at Christmas lights no less than four times (including the lights in Tallahassee - a FREE, slightly smaller version of Callaway Gardens). I went to the same house that had dancing lights three times, two of which turned into a dance party. I went to three Christmas parties (one of them included hosting my very first dinner party... which was a success!) and I went to Mississippi and Disney twice, and had a mini Uganda trip reunion! Basically, I celebrated with friends and family for the entire month of December. Can't get much better than that.

My parents and I traveled to Orlando to spend some time with Mimi, Bill, Erin, Prosper, Bill Sr, and Viola. We stayed at Disney's Wilderness Lodge and were able to see Erin do her Christmas show in Norway. We also saw Brad Garrett from Everybody Loves Raymond read the Christmas story at Disney's Christmas Candlelight Processional. We exchanged gifts, saw the new Narnia movie, went shopping, had lunch with Angie from our Courageous family, ate in France at EPCOT, and just enjoyed our time together. I loved having everyone there, it is definitely at the top of my best Christmases ever list.

After we got back from Orlando, my Mom and I went to Mississippi for a few days to spend some time with family that we don't get to see enough. It was great catching up and eating at the infamous Edd's, a family tradition! When I got home, a few friends from my trip to Uganda came down and we all traveled to Orlando together for New Years Eve and Kirk and Bradley's wedding. NYE was by far the best one yet. Fireworks, live music, sushi, and "snow"! And K & B's wedding was such a beautiful worship experience, unlike anything I've ever seen. I loved it! Plus, it was like a mini Uganda reunion, and it made me all the more homesick for Africa. I'm going to need to go back really soon.

Anyway, here are a few of my videos from my Christmas vacation. Enjoy!

The House with Dancing Lights

Ringing in the New Year in Celebration, Florida

New Years Eve Moostaches (Best $1 I've ever spent)

His Hand at Work | 2009-2010

2010-12-14T09:14:00.009-05:00

Some days I feel as if my life is just passing me by. Where did 2010 go? I did a lot this year, yet it still feels as if I was just ringing in the new year last week.

I traveled to Israel, England and Africa. I went to Gatlinburg three times and Orlando more times than I can count. I photographed the filming of a movie. I bought a condo. I got a promotion. I saw my two roommates get married, and served as Maid of Honor for the third time (I'm going to write a book - Always a Maid of Honor, Never a Bridesmaid). I fell in love with a little boy named Joel. I learned just how deep my desire is to adopt. I learned patience. I learned the importance of knowing people's stories. I could go on and on...

But the biggest thing that has happened in the past year or so has been in this heart of mine. I can mentally walk through the steps that the Lord has brought me to where I am now, and it excites me to see His hand at work.

In the summer of 2009 I started a personal Bible Study on the Threads study Interrupted. Earlier that year I had shared with my Bible Study group about how I felt the Lord had begun to give me more mercy for His children, rather than my usual gifts of prophecy or discernment. They encouraged me that He had a purpose behind it and I was excited to see what that purpose was. As I read, studied, and discussed this new passion for the "least of these", God began to change my heart.

It seems as if He was working in our little small group, and we all began to understand the needs of our city. Many of us read Same Kind of Different As Me and began The Granola Project. We served at the Food Bank when possible and got up super early to feed the homeless on Thanksgiving morning. But I knew that I could do more.

I went to Birmingham in November 2009 to visit some college friends and attend Brook Hills' Secret Church. That Sunday morning, David Platt was continuing his Radical series (which is now a book that I believe every Christian needs to read, if you're ready to make some major changes in your life). He spoke on the call that the Lord places on our lives to be radical and courageous, and as I prayed I told the Lord that whatever He would want me to do, wherever He would want me to go, I was willing. I felt a strong sense of His Spirit that day, and I knew that He had big plans for me.

This was the biggest step of faith I believe I had made at that point. You see, as a teenager in the youth group, when a speaker asked us to make commitments during the invitation, all I ever remember them saying is, "Don't worry, its not like God is going to call you to live in a mud hut in Africa". So of course there was this fear instilled in me at a young age, as if God is some sort of sly, vengeful God who looks down and sees a heart committing to live for Him and throws it on the first plane to the bush countries of Africa with no preparation or resources. It caused me to fear commitment as a teenager, because I didn't know what it was I was committing to, and I assumed it would be "the worst thing possible" (Africa). Over the years, He has shown me what it means to be committed to Him. It isn't as legalistic as I once thought. It isn't boring, it is exciting! It isn't a list of rights and wrongs, it is walking hand in hand with a loving, merciful Savior.

So there I was, standing in the worship center at Brook Hills, overwhelmed by His presence, ready to do whatever He wanted me to do. The following January, I attended Passion in Atlanta. The conference in general was hectic and felt like youth camp, but the highlights of the event made it worthwhile (ie John Piper, Beth Moore, Hillsong United, the Prayer Room, and the Go Center). Specifically while at the Go Center, I felt my heart being pulled towards the various charities that were featured. Frances and I took our time in every station. In fact, after I mentioned it on Twitter, Matt, a friend from college, messaged me on Facebook and asked me to meet him in the Go Center, but I never did get a chance to catch up with him. When I returned home, I sent him a message apologizing for never finding him and, knowing that he did a lot of work in Africa, I briefly mentioned that if he ever needed someone to go to Africa to take pictures or just to wash feet, I'd be there.

Little did I know what a difference that sentence would make in my life. Matt soon responded to inform me of an upcoming summer trip working with orphans in Uganda. After I read his message, I ran down the hall to tell Marie and Jonathan that I may be going to Africa and asked if they wanted to join me. Jonathan said "Yeah, I'll go!" When I told Frances about the possibility, she told me that she knew the Lord was going to do something big in my life after what we experienced at Passion. After a few days of prayer and fasting, I was sure the Lord was telling me to go, and the $150 down payment was paid. The moment I pushed the "Submit" button on the payment, the Lord told me that I would not have to pay another cent out of my own pocket. And what do you know, He was right. In fact, He went above and beyond what I needed and my shots and supplies were paid for as well.

As you have seen in past blog posts, my life will be forever changed because of that trip. On the flight home from Uganda I moved to the emergency exit row where passengers had been moved from because the TVs weren't working. I couldn't sleep. My mind was racing as I was attempting to process everything that I saw and did. One thing I remembered was what I was told as a teenager. And I smiled at the thought. My heart will forever be tied to Africa, and in no way does that terrify me. Now I wait for what He has next. Is it adoption? Is it marriage so that I can finally adopt Joel? Is it moving to Africa? Is it continually doing short term missions? Or is He keeping me here to do His work? I don't know yet. But I do know that He will be with me and He will prepare me for whatever is to come.

The Cromies

2010-11-28T18:49:00.004-05:00

I had lots of fun with the Cromies out at Radium Springs! Such a beautiful location and a fun family.

2010-11-22T17:56:00.002-05:00

Although the weather doesn't want to admit it, fall is here! I couldn't be more excited. My house has been decorated for Christmas for two weeks already, and I should have started long before that. If you can't tell, Christmas is my very favorite season. Its a time for bonfires and hoodies, scarves and hats, Caramel Brulee Lattes from Starbucks and cute jackets. All I want to do is curl up in a blanket with a cup of coffee and stare out the window at the cold. But alas, the staring into the cold will have to wait. Just another downfall to living in the South, I guess.

Anyway, I thought I'd share my love of fall and winter with you. And proclaim to you all - Happy Thanksgiving! Although I have a deep love for Christmas, I will willingly cheat on its merriness for the next few days, and give thanks. I have way too much to be thankful for not to.

The Kimseys

2010-11-20T21:48:00.006-05:00

I had such a great time with this family. Their blue eyes and vibrant personalities made for a really fun photoshoot!

Poems & Profiling

2010-11-18T10:47:00.007-05:00

I recently found a folder of writings and poems from my creative writing courses in college. It has been interesting to go back and read now what I wrote as a 19 and 20 year old. It seems as if I was trying so hard to be that pained, struggling artist type. Every poem was about storms and loneliness and words like "longing" and "wrath" when I fact I've had a really good life for the most part. As a for instance of my "work", I'll share a poem I wrote about a woman standing in front of me in the check out line at Wal-Mart.

Wal Mart

The bunny-shaped vein
winding through her leg
stares at me.

Her sin-stained dress
sways to the
resonating music.

Her tousled yellow hair
tumbles down her back
in desperation.

Her naked fingers
long for an
affectionate companion.

But there won't be one now.

Looking back, it seems so condescending. I thought I knew that woman and her desires and her sins because I spent two minutes watching her buy a frozen pizza. I probably made most of that stuff up and was simply inspired by a random woman dancing in the check out line, but still, reading these poems caused me to reflect on a few things.

I too often place immediate judgments on someone and assume that I know them based on a few minutes of observation or conversation. Yet I hate when people assume they know absolutely everything about me because I'm the pastor's daughter, when I am so much more than what my father does for a living. But I find myself doing the same thing to others. I guess its just what we do.

I can blame my thinking I know people partially on the show Criminal Minds. My friends and I believe we are profilers for the FBI now. In fact, just this morning I informed them of an "unsub" (unknown subject) sitting outside of my house.

But I don't know people as well as I think I do. I don't even know my closest friends as well as I would like to. Its a selfish thing, really. I get too caught up in my own life and my own issues to worry about someone else's. I can too easily put the people I love on the back burner and make excuses to not get to know them, when what I really need to be doing is asking the tough questions. Or maybe even just asking questions at all.

Anyway, I wasn't expecting a few six year-old poems to bring about such revelation in my life on this random Thursday morning, but alas, that's how life works sometimes.

On a side note, I saw a video yesterday of Aidan, who was one of the little boys in the orphanage we visited in Uganda. The biggest thing I remember about Aidan was that he loved to dance in his crib. Well, Aidan is now named Duncan, and he is at home, safe and sound in the United States, with two wonderful, loving parents. The tears were falling as I watched a video of grandparents and friends excitedly waiting at the airport for his arrival. As wonderful as that orphanage was at taking care of their children, it wasn't enough. They need a family. And my heart leaps knowing how many people are going to love that precious boy for the rest of his life. What a beautiful picture of redemption.

Duncan is being held by Ellie, front and center in blue :)

Fresh Manna

2010-11-05T07:42:00.008-05:00

The Lord showed me a very real illustration of spiritual health not long ago, and I was heartbroken. As of today, I have lived 9320 days on this planet, and I look back and wonder what happened to so many of them. Tom Elliff preached at both ReFRESH® conferences this year on numbering your days as if they are precious diamonds, and I am continually learning the importance of doing so. After all, doing something big for God usually means doing a lot of "small" things - every day obedience. You can't just do one good, big thing for Him (like, for instance, take a mission trip to Africa) and think you are set for life. That's just not how it works.

Just as the manna was there every morning for the Israelites (Exodus 16), the Lord is there, waiting on us to receive His new mercies. But it takes action on our part. The Israelites had to get up and walk out of their tent and gather the manna themselves, it did not fall into their laps. And we must do the same in our walk of faith. We must make the choice to spend time in His Word, so that we may grow and be nourished by His Daily Bread.

The picture that the Lord brought to mind as He was teaching me this was of Nabakoza. Nabakoza was found in a tiny, dark house in Africa back in August. She was a skeleton with skin on. She had not been cared for, bathed, or fed in months. She did not know love. Renee, Nabakoza's God-sent rescuer said, "She was just there, no one was caring for her, no one was feeding her, no one was even looking at her. And that is how Nabakoza has lived everyday for the past 23 years… until now." At 23 years old she weighed only 37 pounds. As I read her story, I was overcome with heartbreak.

I suggest you go to the blog I tagged above and read Nabakoza's story. She is dancing with Jesus now and He is pouring His love over her in ways she would never have imagined to longed for.

But the Lord used Nabakoza's story in more ways than one in my life. Of course I felt great heartache and pain and prayed often for that sweet life, but as I was studying of the manna provided for the Israelites, the Lord revealed to me that I, too, could easily become like Nabakoza. Not because I have been neglected and ignored, but because I have done the neglecting. I have not gotten up out of my tent every single day and "gathered the manna" to feed myself spiritually. I have sat alone in the dark too many days, allowing the enemy to tell me that I did not need the Word, the Daily Bread, to give me strength for that day. How many of God's children are spiritually living as Nabakoza physically did? How many of us are depending on yesterday's manna or last week's manna as sufficient for our spiritual health?

Imagine what life would be like if we spent our mornings feasting on the Word. Imagine what this world would look like. Not only would we see revival, I believe that the Nabakozas of this world, those actually dying of neglect and starvation, would flourish and thrive as they discover their new life in Christ. Because He teaches us to go into the dark places and bring His light; to seek out those who are spiritually and physically dying and share with them our Daily Bread.

"Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: 'It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God's mouth.'" Matthew 4:4 (MSG)

Senior Session Sneak Peek:: Katie

2010-10-25T12:53:00.003-05:00

I had the privilege of shooting Katie's senior session this past weekend, and since its been a while since I've done a photoshoot that didnt involved African babies or movie stars, I was a little bit anxious, but more excited about the new locations! Katie is gorgeous inside and out, but you'll get to hear more about her when I have the entire shoot edited. In any case, here is a quick sneak peek for Katie!

A Quick Quote...

2010-10-22T12:13:00.000-05:00

“Can I say something to young ladies here? Your husband, whoever he is, single ladies, will have an unbelievable amount of influence over your sons & daughters in regards to spiritual things. If you want your children to love Jesus deeply, hold out for a man that is godly. And let me tell you this: I am well aware that godly men are rare. Lots of neat Christian boys, not a lot of godly men. We’re working our tails off for you, to try to develop some into that. But don't settle. Because, look at me, it's better that you be lonely now than you be married & lonely later. Are you tracking with me? It is better that you be lonely now than for you to get married to a man that will teach your kids everything but the way of Jesus.” - Matt Chandler

"What If..."

2010-10-15T08:35:00.007-05:00

You can save 1,000 lives in the next 24 hours.

As most of you know, I traveled to Uganda earlier this year with SafeWorld Nexus. Today, SWN is partnering with Stuff Christians Like's writer Jon Acuff to help eradicate Malaria in Central Uganda, a very preventable disease.

Their focus is the Nakaseke District, which is where we worked and distributed 500 nets earlier this year. Having to turn hundreds of people away who desperately needed nets was heartbreaking. Their children are no less important, no less loved by God, no less valuable, but we simply did not have the funding to provide nets for each family. This is where you come in. If you donate $10 today, you will save one child's life. That's all. $10.

Look at the statistics:
500 million people get malaria every year.
Nearly 1 million die.
Most of the deaths are children under the age of 5.
Every 30 seconds a child in Africa dies from complications with Malaria.

These deaths are completely preventable. Every single cent that you donate will go towards the purchasing and distribution of mosquito nets. Skip two Starbucks trips or don't go see that movie this weekend and you've already paid for one net. So please donate as much as you can.

Click Here to Donate.

Click Here for the SCL "What If" Blog.

Discipleship

2010-10-08T11:07:00.003-05:00

We have recently begun a new series entitled "Raising the Next Generation for Christ" at my church. It focuses solely on the importance of discipleship. I have the privilege of discipling three of the greatest 9th grade girls on the planet. I've been hanging out with them since they were 6th graders, and I cannot believe that they are now in high school, getting their learner's permits!

These girls teach me so much about what it means to live out Jesus no matter the cost. They are secure in their faith and remain focused on their task of making His name famous. They are leaders in their school and they do not give in to the typical teenage temptations. They get up every Friday morning before the crack of dawn to meet me for coffee and breakfast, and never complain about it. A lot of this is because of their incredible parents. These girls have been blessed with some of the greatest, godliest parents I've known, who truly care about their daughters' spiritual walks. Working alongside them to guide these girls in their maturing walk with Christ has been an honor.

We started out studying the typical tweenager topics: boys, mean girls, modesty, etc. They got it immediately, and I know that they long to please the Lord in all that they do, so we have since moved on. It took us a year to study through 1 John in detail, and we have recently started studying Philippians. It is my joy to study these passages and share what the Lord has shown me, and to hear how the Lord has spoken to them as well.

All of that to say, I love these girls and am blessed to know them and learn the Word with them every week.

Come, Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove

2010-10-07T15:39:00.000-05:00

Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly Dove,
With all Thy quick’ning powers;
Kindle a flame of sacred love
In these cold hearts of ours.

Look how we grovel here below,
Fond of these trifling toys;
Our souls can neither fly nor go
To reach eternal joys.

In vain we tune our formal songs,
In vain we strive to rise;
Hosannas languish on our tongues,
And our devotion dies.

Dear Lord! and shall we ever live
At this poor dying rate?
Our love so faint, so cold to Thee,
And Thine to us so great?

Come, Holy Spirit, heav’nly Dove,
With all Thy quick’ning powers;
Come, shed abroad the Savior’s love
And that shall kindle ours.

Thoughts on My Story

2010-10-05T18:21:00.005-05:00

I too often find myself lost in my own thoughts rather than listening to other people's. I have all kinds of thoughts stored up in my head, just waiting to spill out. I long to tell my life story to a listening ear. I think that is something I look forward to the most about having a family. To be able to share my heartbreak and my stupidity, my hard-learned lessons and the things I would have done differently. Just to have someone listen, and to hear their story as well.

So far, my life has not been as exciting as my little imagination would see fit. If I were to choose, I would be living in Italy, Boston, or New York City right now. I'd have enough money to travel the world and give most of it away. But this is not where He has me, and I truly am content where I am. When I sit down and look back at what all I have been able to do in my short lifetime, I realize that I am indeed a very blessed girl.

One day I will share my story with someone who will play a huge part in rest of my story. So I'm going to wait for that person, for that next chapter in my story. But that certainly does not mean that I won't stop living. No, I will continue to say "yes" to Him so that He can continue to take me on glorious adventures that I could have never dreamt up myself.

Slander & Mercy.

2010-09-20T16:19:00.003-05:00

No one likes to be talked about. No one enjoys hearing their name slandered. I know I don't. Yet we all participate in gossip. It seems so petty and, for me, can sometimes be confusing. I remember going through a period in middle school, when it seems as if everything you hear in your youth group is about relationships and mean girls (Hmm I wonder if the constant teaching of this is part of the problem? Ah that's another blog for another day...) Anyway, I would wonder what exactly the definition of gossip was. I was always told it was talking about someone else, but I kept questioning whether me telling my friend Amy Lynn that my other friend Frances was coming over was considered gossip. That's just where my extremely practical and often times justifying mind took me as a tweenager.

But we know. We know when what we are saying is something that should not be repeated. We know when it is unnecessary, and simply meant to slander. And we also know how it feels to be on the other side of it.

Not long ago, I was on the other side of it, and I didn't know what to do. I was hurt, but most of all, my fleshly self wanted to slander in return and not turn the other cheek. But I refrained. I hope this is a sign of maturity, because it wasn't easy. As I was driving home one evening, filled with emotion and praying through the situation, I asked the Lord to show me how to handle the situation. And you know what? He told me to drop it. To not say another word about it! So I said "But God..." (you know that's never a good response) "But God, I just don't like my name trashed for no apparent reason! Why didn't they come to me about it?" And you know what God said to me in return? He said, "Hayley, My Name is trashed and thrown into the mud every. single. day." My heart broke. How could I be so selfish? Every moment of every day people are attempting to destroy the name of my Creator. My Father. And what baffles me the most is that these slanderers would not be able to open their mouths if He did not allow it! What mercy!

So I dropped it. Then and there. If damage is done to my name because of my sinful ways, so be it. I know in my heart of hearts who I am and what my intentions are. They are not perfect, that's why I'm still a sinner. But at the end of the day, it is my desire to be conformed to the Lord that is above all else, and whether or not someone gossips about me is completely pointless.

This was a tough lesson to learn, and something I will have to put into practice in my own life, but I am so grateful that I learned it. He showed me a new realm of mercy that I had yet to experience, and it was worth every bit of stress and heartache.

ReFRESH 2010

2010-09-13T21:41:00.002-05:00

ReFRESH is coming up. Each year at ReFRESH, we see the Lord work in mighty ways. Grandparents and teenagers are baptized, ministers are redeemed, the altar is filled with repentant hearts, forgiveness occurs, peace is achieved, and lives are forever changed. Each year He moves, but never the same as He did the past year. I am really looking forward to this year. The Lord is already working in my heart and in the heart of our church, and I am expectant.

To get a glimpse of the past years at ReFRESH, watch this video.

ReFRESH 2010 from Sherwood Church on Vimeo.

I highly encourage you to seek the Lord for revival in our city, state, nation, and world. We need it desperately. We need a fresh move of God more than ever before.

"Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

Bare-Skinned and Baptized?

2010-08-25T18:37:00.008-05:00

I figured it was time to sit down and share a unique life experience with the blog world. Let me start off by saying that I find myself in very awkward situations fairly often. For some reason, old and often times foreign people tend to linger around me, which wouldn't be a problem if they weren't completely naked. I have been told that I need to share these exposed stories, so why not start with one from the Holy Land?

In October of 2006, my family and I went to Israel for the first time together. I was a Senior in college, in my last semester at UM, and I hadn't been overseas since 2001 when we went to England and Scotland. That being said, I was really excited about the opportunity to travel again. Although everyone else I knew was nervous about us traveling to the Middle East, I figured that, if it came down to it, there was no better place to die than in the land of God's chosen people, where He will one day return. We traveled the country, from the borders of Syria and Lebanon down to the Dead Sea. We saw warn-torn towns that had put up carnivals for the children, to help them feel safe. We rode a boat on the Sea of Galilee where Christ spent 80% of His ministry. And we fell in love with the country, the culture, our tour guide, and most importantly, the God of Israel.

One day we were given the opportunity to be baptized in the Jordan River. Now, as a side note, let me just say that my entire life I have been proud of the fact that my father was baptized in the Jordan River. I mean, if you are going to get baptized, why not do it in the same body of water where Jesus did, right? So of course I was ecstatic at the thought of having my father baptize me in the Jordan River, not only following the example of my earthly father, but my Heavenly Father as well.

So that afternoon we headed to Yardenit. When we arrived, my sister and I headed into the women's locker room, changed into pajama pants (we didn't want the huge catfish to nibble on our legs), t-shirts, and our baptismal robes, and headed down to the water. It was an unbelievable and emotional experience, and something I will cherish for the rest of my life. Each of us had our turn to be baptized, then made our way back to the locker rooms to shower and change. When we got to the shower, we realized that there were no shower curtains or stalls in any form, there were just small "walls" in between every shower head. Erin and I were a bit concerned about how the showering process was going to work, because the locker room was filled with women, primarily senior adults. We determined the best thing to do was stay in our pajamas and just rinse them off in the shower and wash our hair. Apparently no one else felt that way. When we stepped around the corner into the locker room, we were surrounded by no less than 20 senior adult women, all completely naked. And they seemed to really be taking their time getting dressed. What was probably about a minute felt more like ten in there. It is a sight that will forever be burned in my mind, no matter how much I would like to forget it. I even heard one of the women exclaim, "This is just like gym class!"

Erin and I did everything we could to get out of there as quickly as possible with a straight face and not too much damage done. We showered, eyes closed and in our pajamas, and quickly found a sanctuary in a bathroom stall, all the while in shock that we, the youngest girls on the trip, were the most modest people in that room.

So yes, I did indeed check "Baptized in the Jordan River" off of my Bucket List that day, but I must say, I paid a pretty hefty price for that one. If only I knew what would come about the next time I visited Yardenit.

My "Summer"

2010-08-16T09:41:00.006-05:00

So... everyone seems to be writing Facebook notes about how awesome their summer was, and since I'm not exactly a fan of Facebook notes, I figured I would mention just a few highlights from my "summer", if you will, on here.

1. I worked full-time. As I do every day.
2. Being a grown up stinks.
3. Working every day meant that I got the heat of the summer, but not the laziness/relaxation/vacation/beach part of it.
4. I wish I had become a school teacher, just so I could have the summer off.
5. I also wish that I had a pool in my backyard.
6. I went to Israel for the third time in April with my family & a great group of people.
7. I went to Uganda in May/June. We became a family. I will never be the same.
8. I worked on the set of Courageous every day. We became a family.
9. I wanted to go to High School Camp, Baltimore, and SLU, but obviously couldn't because of #s 6, 7, & 8. And I wouldn't give up those for the world.
10. I bought a condo.
11. I moved into my condo, and furnished it. Thank you IKEA, HomeGoods, and Mom & Dad.
12. I enjoyed many a Stimulus Tuesday with some fun girls.
13. I saw Inception three times in the theater. And I can't make any promises that I won't go again.
14. I went to see my sister at Disney World with my Mom & Ben. He might as well be a part of the family. I think he and my brother-in-law Bill have a nice bromance going on.
15. I fell in love with a two-year-old named Joel.
16. I got a promotion. Praising the Lord daily for that.
17. I went to my first Bo Henry show since high school. Not so sure I'm proud of that, but at least I did give him one more chance.
18. I met some incredible people who understand this heart of mine.
19. I prioritized my life and my relationships.
20. I started Women's Bible Study. I greatly anticipate what I am going to learn from these women and their stories.
21. I got to hang out with my nephew Prosper a LOT. He is the greatest, coolest, sweetest, funniest kid ever. And I got to be around when Bill, Prosper's Dad, led Prosper to the Lord on Father's Day. I will never forget that day, and am so incredibly excited for what God is going to do in and through him.
22. I took a road trip to South Cackalackey with friends to see Jason & Meagan get married. The a/c broke in the car. We got to the point where all we could do was laugh about how hot it was.
23. I realized how funny my grandmother is.
24. I had lunch with my best friend Frances every week to help her plan her wedding, which is going to be great.
25. I learned. I learned more about who I am, and who Christ wants me to be. I learned how to communicate more effectively, how to deal with conflict, how to love on people, how to see the good, and so much more.

So I guess not having an actual summer wasn't so bad. Yes I would have liked to have spent every day by the pool. I do still wish I had even a hint of a tan. But I had a great summer regardless. So can the cooler weather come now, please?

The Captive & the Hungry.

2010-08-05T11:47:00.006-05:00

I am not sure why things are the way they are. Why we live in luxury and so many live in poverty. Why we are so spoiled and have everything that we ever wanted. Why most of the world continues to trust God daily for their necessities, health, and more while so many of us believe we do not even need God. Why so many children in this world go to sleep hungry, unsure of when their next meal might be. If you really think about it, I mean really think about how big this world is and how many people are broken and in need, it is substantially overwhelming. I cannot fix it by myself. Believe me, I would have already done so if I could. I am more than heartbroken by the fact that I cannot scour the earth finding every single person in need and bring them all home with me to a warm bed and a filling meal.

I find myself wondering why the Lord doesn't just step in and save the day. I know that His heart hurts so much more than mine does for the hungry and the captive. I know that He loves each person deeply, more than any of us could ever understand. And I also know that He is Sovereign, and that His ways are not our ways. I know that He has a reason behind all that He does. And I know that He never acts unjustly. These simply truths are trustworthy.

I may not fully know why so many are in need, but I think that it is partly because of how much we learn when we give of our time, resources, and efforts. I believe the vast difference between my luxury and their poverty is in part because God desires the fortunate to show His love and His provision to those less fortunate. It is a blessing to give more than it is to receive. Like so many say, “I need Africa more than Africa needs me”.

The people of Uganda were amazed that we came from so far away just to love them. They have told us that our work brought great hope to them. Andrew, one of our translators, told us that we taught him how to love children. But I truly feel as if they taught me more than I could have ever taught them. I saw God in Africa in a way I had never seen Him before. And I hope and pray that they saw Him in me through my love for them. Because if it wasn’t for God’s unconditional love for me, I would never have loved anyone as I should, especially them.

So why did I go to Uganda? And why do I so desperately long to return? And why does my heart continue to beat daily for the captive and the hungry? Because He told me to go. And He has made His heart my heart, so that He may be glorified through my efforts.

Eddie.

2010-07-28T11:01:00.008-05:00

If you are sitting in a room and hear everyone around you yell "Eddie!!!" then you know everyone is excited that Eddie has arrived.

Eddie might be the craziest person I've ever known. Everyone's face lights up when he is around. Whether he is singing, rapping, dancing, or preaching, the joy that he has in Christ is evident. And what amazes me the most about Eddie is how he has not allowed his circumstances to stifle that joy.

One day Eddie and I were sitting beside one another on the bus on the 2-hour drive to Luwero and he began to share his story with me. Eddie grew up at Bethany Children's Village. Growing up as an orphan at Bethany means a lot of hard work, and a lot of depending on the Lord and sponsors for your resources. But as I have mentioned before, growing up at Bethany also means making your service to the Lord a priority in your life. And service to the Lord remains evident in Eddie's life even today.

When Eddie turned 18, he lost his sponsorship. He was, therefore, no longer given some of the necessities that he needed in life because he had aged out of the program. At the same time, his first girlfriend broke up with him. He told me how difficult of a time that was for him. He didn't understand what the Lord was doing in his life. Then he said something that I think every young person needs to come to realize. The Lord told him that when he had those things, a sponsor to provide for him and a girlfriend to love him, he acted as if he no longer needed God. That he had found his provision and love in God's gifts rather than in God Himself. He said that he would rather be single and make sure that God was his life's priority, than have a girlfriend who doesn't understand his need to serve God as he should. What an incredible thing to realize at 18 years old.

Eddie now spends his time going on missions around Uganda, farming at Bethany, and saving money to get his pilot's license one day. His passion is to fly, and he plans on going to school to become a pilot. The hope that he has in the Lord and his drive towards a better future for himself was inspiring to say the least. He is not going to give up on his dreams.

When he shared his testimony in the homes of Namasujju, five people came to Christ. He is completely humbled by how the Lord uses him to share of Christ's incomprehensible love and provision.

Eddie and I became very close friends on the trip. We went to devotions together for the two nights that we were at Bethany. Having grown up in that exact environment, he was able to be very honest with the kids. So much so that by the second night, I just sat back and listened to him preach. He told them that they have been blessed to live in such a place. That they cannot live their lives with their hands stretched out begging for money, but that they have to learn to provide for themselves. He also told them of God's faithfulness. That He will never let them down, and that He is their unchanging Father.

Eddie & I with one of our devo houses at Bethany
I could sit and listen to Eddie for days. He is not only hilarious, but his honest heart for others and for the Lord motivated and encouraged me with every conversation that we had. I miss Eddie a lot. I hope to see him again. He sends me updates on Joel when he is able to see him because he understands just how much my heart hurts for that little boy. I am not the same person I was before I met Eddie. He has challenged me and inspired me in a way few others have, and for that I am eternally grateful.

Gene.

2010-07-24T20:06:00.016-05:00

Gene lived her life in poverty. After her husband died, she sacrificed what little she had to move to Bethany Village, an orphanage in southern Uganda, and become a House Mother. She is now a single mother to 14 kids. Each day the family wakes up before daylight to do their chores before Gene makes breakfast and gets the children ready to go to school. While the children are at school, Gene cleans, re-washes dishes and clothes that the children did not wash properly, prepares their meals, takes care of the compound, and more. Those children have become Gene's life. She loves them as if they were her own flesh and blood. Each night, the family gathers together for a time of worship. They sing and dance in praise to the Lord and often hear a testimony from either Gene or one of the older kids. These times with one another are sweet, and it is obvious that serving the One, True God is a priority in Gene's home.

That first night at Bethany, Rachel and Jonathan were sent to Gene's home for devotions. The family sang "I'm Trading My Sorrows", and Jonathan and Rachel could sense a spirit of authentic, heartfelt worship. It wasn't until later that they realized just how heartfelt their worship was.

About two months ago, a group of children were playing with one of Gene's daughters, and she was accidentally hit in the head with a rock. Everything seemed fine, but they decided to take the girl into the city to the hospital just in case. For days, Gene stayed there with her daughter, assuring her that everything would be okay and they would go home soon. But everything was not okay. Without much warning, her daughter passed away there in the hospital.

When we arrived at Bethany, we heard about that accident. It had only been two weeks, and the children were still mourning the loss of this loved one. We were shown a photo of that beautiful little girl, and asked to pray for her family. One afternoon, Rachel, Rosie, and I were sent to Gene's house to help her with her chores. We washed the dishes and clothes and swept the yard for her, but she soon felt as if she had asked too much of us (which she hadn't), and invited us in to visit. As we stood in the bedroom where the child's empty bed lay, we could see and feel her heartache. She began to cry as she shared part of her story with us. None of us knew what to do or say except to pray for her. As we gathered around her, we asked the Lord to comfort Gene and her children. We asked that He bring them that peace that cannot be explained apart from Him, and that He be glorified through the life of that child. We prayed against any guilt or regret, and begged our all-sufficient God to be her strength in the midst of these wearying days.

That moment will forever be burned in my mind. In my life, I have yet to experience great sorrow like Gene has. I cannot empathize with her about the loss of not only a spouse, but also a child. I cannot imagine the pain she feels. But I do know a God who can. I know that He is the only One who can empathize, comfort, and strengthen. And He alone is sufficient for her.

The morning we were leaving, Rachel went back to visit with Gene and hear more of her story. As she left, she could hear Gene in her room weeping and crying out to God in desperation.

Gene needs our prayers. Her life is full of pain and grief, yet she has to continue to take care of so many children who depend on her to be their strength in the midst of their mourning. She needs someone to listen to her, to point her toward Christ, and to help her. Rachel and I wish we could be there now. We so wish that we could be the shoulders for her to cry on. But that is not the Lord's plan for our lives right now. We cannot physically help her at this time, but we can pray for her. I implore you to lift Gene up to our Heavenly Father and beg Him to lavish His comfort on her and on her children. It is the greatest gift that we could give her.

Rachel giving Gene a bag of goodies for her children

Rachel & Rosie sitting outside Gene's house

Joel.

2010-07-13T15:41:00.009-05:00

I am missing a certain little boy today.
His name is Joel (pronounced Joelle), and he has invaded my heart.

I first met Joel while worshiping in a sweltering tent church in Namasujju. We had arrived in Uganda only the previous day, and were attending the new church's third Sunday service ever held. As was the custom everywhere we went in Uganda, we were cared for far better than we ever deserved. We were led to the front of the tent where there were large, cozy couches waiting for us. Much to our dismay, everyone else sat on hard, plastic chairs. However, the children quickly learned of our undue luxury and those less shy began to join us on the couches. In the heat of that day, underneath an orange, plastic tent, I experienced the presence of God in Africa. We worshiped for hours, with song and dance, a children's choir performance, prayer, preaching, and testimonies. I was enthralled by the villagers' love for our Lord. They were on their faces before Him, crying out to Him in praise. When was the last time I had done that?

As Pastor Timothy stood to preach on Exodus' message of always moving forward in life and taking one step at a time, the cutest little boy in the tent timidly walked over to me with his hand in his mouth and looked up at me. Those big, beautiful brown eyes had a sense of longing. I picked him up, placed him in my lap and handed him a lollipop, thinking he needed to be entertained during the sermon. I quickly learned that he isn't like most children I know. None of the African children were. They did not need entertainment, but were always content. Joel sat in my lap for the rest of the service. When it was time to leave, I carried him out of the tent with me. I did not want to let him go, and he did not want to be let go.

Joel lives in the village of Namasujju with his 5-year-old cousin and his jaja (grandmother). Neither he nor his jaja speak English, so in order to find out Joel's story, I called my friend and translator Mary over.

His parents were not married when he was conceived and his father abandoned his mother before he was ever born. After months of struggling as a single parent, his mother gave up and left him in the care of his fragile jaja. He was abandoned. He is now two years old and obviously malnourished.

I spent the next four days with Joel. Every free moment that I had in Namasujju, I was either chasing him around the village, playing peek-a-boo with him, bathing him, or just sitting on the grass with him. We became fast friends, and my heart grew to love him more than I ever thought I could.

At some point in my broken conversations with his jaja, she asked me to take him back to the States with me. She could obviously see the love that I had for her grandson, and she hoped for a better future for him. After all, once his jaja passes, he will have no one to care for him. I told her that I would love to, but that I was unsure of how to go about it. A fellow team member, Bradley, and I discussed it with Pastor Timothy often. He begged and pleaded for us to take him. One afternoon as Joel and I and a few other girls from my trip were drinking from the village's new water well (also called a bora hole), his jaja came over with Pastor Timothy to translate what I was saying. She thought that I was discussing taking Joel home with me. The look on her face will forever be burned in my mind. She was so hopeful. When my answer was translated that I did not know yet what the Lord would have me do, her face fell and she walked away, leaving me there alone with Joel. All I could do was squeeze him, as I prayed over him and his jaja.

The day came when I knew I would not be back in Namasujju anytime soon. We had finished clearing the land to build the new church on, had washed up at the bora hole, and everyone was boarding the bus. As every other day, when I wasn't working, I had had Joel in my arms. I carried him over to the bus and gave him a squeeze, said goodbye, and put him down. His jaja was sitting nearby so I tried to send him to her. It was as if he knew I was going for good. He burst into tears and buried his face in my legs. I picked him up one last time, told him I loved him, said I would see him later, stood him up again, and reluctantly turned towards the bus. Everyone was on the bus waiting for me. I knew we had to leave. As I climbed into the bus, I could barely hear over the sound of Joel's screaming tears, and I could barely see through mine. Letting go of that boy was the hardest thing I have ever done.

I still do not know what the Lord has in store for me and Joel. That little boy on the other side of the world has a piece of my heart that can never be taken away. When his jaja asked me to take him, I knew that I needed to step away from the emotions of the situation to hear His voice. If God wants me to adopt Joel, I would leave today to go get him. If He has another plan for his life, I believe that He will give me a peace that passes all understanding. In the meantime, I know that the God who loves me unconditionally, loves Joel more than I ever could. The same arms that hold me on days like today when all I can think about is the possibility of living life as Joel's mother, are holding him. That is the hope that I cling to. And that is the only hope that I need.

Let's Go.

2010-07-06T13:15:00.011-05:00

Every day I tell myself that I am going to sit down and write about Uganda, and every day I find that my writings are insufficient. Maybe even trivial. Reading a well-written blog, looking at pictures on Facebook, or even briefly talking to me about my trip will not suffice. I have come to learn that no one will understand this heart of mine fully, except the Lord. My heart is changing daily. I feel as if more of my heart is in Africa now than here in the States. I just don't quite know how to make what I saw, felt, and learned in Uganda an every day part of my life here.

One thing I have learned that is screaming at me every moment of every day is that we have become too comfortable where we are. I somewhat knew this a year ago after having studied "Interrupted", and I didn't know what to do with it. Sometimes it can be difficult to figure out what exactly "too comfortable" means for you personally and what to do to change that. My suggestion? Travel. See the poverty not only in this world, but in your city. It doesn't take much to find it. So many people in the church feel as if they are pleasing the Lord by simply going to church twice a week and maybe participating in a weekly Bible Study. But we cannot stay in our "holy huddle" while this world that Christ came to save is lost and dying. We cannot ignore so much of Scripture that tells us to GO.

I am praying that the Lord makes me a sounding board to those who will listen so that together we can make a huge difference not only in Uganda, but in the rest of the world. There is so much more to obeying the Lord's call than looking at photos of someone else's trip and feeling sympathy. We must do more! I have said this before, and I believe it more now than ever: Alone we can affect a few, but together we can change the world, and obey God's calling to feed His sheep.

I could write pages and pages of what I have learned, what I experienced, stories I heard, and more. I could share with you the heartbreak that I felt and continue to feel for those in need. I could share with you about the joy that I saw there. I was overwhelmed by the amount of hope and joy that these people have. It was contagious. And I could share with you about the thickness of the presence of God in Africa. I felt the Lord in a way I had never felt Him before. I felt Him in their hopefulness, and I felt Him in their heartbreak. His presence was strong as I worshiped with the orphans of Bethany Village. When I could not sing, and all I could do was say over and over "God, You are here. You are in Africa, and it is evident that You love these people." I could share these things in great detail, for they are forever burned in my memory and in my heart. But now is not the time. Now is when you must choose for yourself today whom you will serve. Because serving my God requires a life change and a selflessness that only comes through Him. And serving the one, true God, requires us to go into the world with His light. Will you go?

You Are Not Alone in This.

2010-06-28T13:09:00.001-05:00

Uganda. A land in need of healing. How will you help? Visit www.SafeWaterNexus.org for more information.

My Heart is Full. Uganda.

2010-06-18T10:38:00.005-05:00

I am alive. I made it home from Uganda. At this point, it would take me hours to figure out exactly what to share with you about my trip. I am still processing it all, and trying to figure out what is next for my life. I hope to sit down and just start typing, but that may be a while. In the meantime, I will share some pictures with you. I hope this suffices. Thanks for being patient with me. :)

Radically Courageous in Uganda

2010-05-19T08:33:00.010-05:00

Wow I have been a horrible blogger lately. But I have an excuse! We are in the process of filming Courageous! We are on week 3 and its going splendidly! We have had the privilege to see the Lord work in MIGHTY ways. Already, we have seen two salvations! And we are trusting God for many more! He has moved the clouds and the rain, given rest and peace, and quickly provided a sense of unity. But while He has been working, the enemy has as well. We have had a lot of sickness on set already. So please be in prayer for each person involved. For health, for endurance, for understanding, and that each of us will be hard to offend and quick to forgive.

My brother-in-law, Bill, keeping me cool on set :)

On another note, I leave in exactly one week to go to Uganda! Time really has flown by. I feel like I just got the phone call from Matt asking me to be a part of this team, and here I am, leaving in a week! I fluctuate from being somewhat nervous to really excited about this new adventure in life. I got my itinerary recently, which made me REALLY excited. We are going to meet and hang out with Katie and her beautiful family, we're passing out mosquito nets, working on a church, and spending time at a children's home! We also have a 24 hour layover in London, so that will be fun!

(Side note: I have been working with Katie's ex-boyfriend, Ben Davies, on Courageous. He is playing a sheriff's deputy in the film. So I will leave Ben on set on Wednesday and go hang out with his ex-girlfriend, in UGANDA. Such a small world.)

There isn't a better way to prepare for this trip, other than reading the Word and prayer. I have no idea what exactly I will experience, see, or feel. I do know that I am going to be emotionally exhausted. It will be so incredibly hard to leave those babies at that orphanage. Especially since one day I plan on having a family that looks like the chorus of "Jesus Loves the Little Children" - "Red & yellow, black & white". I have been privileged to know some amazing families who have adopted internationally, and I think that it is just SO beautiful. I can't wait.

A friend of mine sent me a copy of David Platt's new book, Radical, for my birthday last week. I am about 50 pages from being done with it, and have already gone through two highlighters and am working on my third. I really should have just highlighted the entire book. Every word in it is life changing. I have to read a paragraph, re-read it, and then stop and think about what that means for me and my faith. I recommend that every believer read this book. It will shake your world and help you refocus your life on what the Lord really called all of us to do. If we could adopt this radical mindset, we could see every tribe & every nation worship the One True God. When I went to visit Brook Hills last November, they were in the middle of the Radical sermon series, and I remember David saying that he believes that Satan has plastered Revelation 7:9-10 on the walls of hell:

"After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: 'Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.'"

He believes this because Satan knows that one day he will be destroyed, and his destruction will come when every nation and people group has heard about the living God and each people group will be represented in Heaven. And he can stop this from happening by keeping us from sharing with them. He has done a pretty good job so far. There are still millions of people who have not heard the name of Jesus. But I could go on and on with this, so I'm going to let you buy the book and read about it yourself. Seriously, stop reading this blog, and go buy it. Now.

And when you take a break from reading, please pray for me and Jonathan as we travel to Uganda. Pray for my teammates. For safety, security, health, sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, and a receptivity by the people. For an abundance of love, that our lives would never be the same and our hearts would forever be bent towards the least of the world. That when we return, we will help those who "just don't understand" to understand. That it doesn't become a pride issue, but a sense of urgency to come to the aid of those in need. That we constantly align ourselves with the Lord's will, and live our lives in selflessness. I really appreciate your prayers. It is greatly needed! The next time you hear from me, I will be a different person. I welcome this change wholeheartedly. :)

Family Photoshoot Fundraiser #11 | Shelly, Riley, & L!

2010-04-08T18:52:00.009-05:00

Shelly has been a friend since Middle School. I think she just gets more beautiful with age, inside and out. It is very sad that we live in the same town and do not see each other as often as we should. But this photoshoot was a fun excuse to get together! L. lives with Shelly and her husband Riley, and is in fact Riley's little sis. They are a cute little family!

Can you tell that I enjoyed the shoot?? I had so many shots that I liked!

Family Photoshoot Fundraiser #10 | The Sutherlands

2010-04-07T10:31:00.005-05:00

We had SO much fun with the Sutherlands! Little A is such a beautiful little girl. At first, she was super shy, but by the end, she was coming up with poses herself! The shoot was very relaxed and enjoyable. There was a lot of laughter involved. Frances (my assistant for the day) and I both left wanting to be friends with them.

Family Photoshoot Fundraiser #9 | Carters & Pups!

2010-04-01T17:09:00.004-05:00

Photographing this family and their 2 cute Boston Terriers was a first for me! I'm not much of an animal photographer. Okay, I'd never done it before this! But it turned out to be fun. I just don't think I will make it my profession any time soon.

Family Photoshoot Fundraiser #8 | The Wilsons

2010-03-29T11:04:00.005-05:00

The Wilsons were a lot of fun. Each person has a great, unique personality, and they are right in the middle of those fun teenage years! Mom & Dad had not had photos taken together since their wedding day, so this was much needed for them!

My favorite..

Family Photoshoot Fundraiser #7 | The Joiners

2010-03-25T15:25:00.005-05:00

These two have been praying for the Lord to give them a child for many years, and last year, He answered with a resounding "yes!" when she gave birth to little KJ. They love each other and little KJ so much, it is such a beautiful thing, and they are a beautiful family.

One of my favorites...

Another favorite...

This is a movement.

2010-03-17T15:56:00.004-05:00

God is moving, and I don't want to get in the way. This weekend, our church had our annual Disciple Now. I went into the weekend as I do every year, excited, but dreading the exhaustion that would ensue. Honestly, I had not given it as much thought as I should have. That is, until Wednesday. Wednesday night, God began to break hearts, mine especially. We had a worship service/kick off rally to prepare us for the weekend. The room seemed so dead while the band led us in worship. No one seemed to desire to worship their Savior. And then something happened. Eyes were opened and hearts were cracked. I ran to the altar to beg God to draw near. We needed Him. And He surely showed up. Or, as Ed Newton said, He showed up, showed out, and showed off. The altars were flooded before Ed ever got up to speak on Saturday night. He called many into missions and the ministry. He called many to repent and recommit. He called me to soak in the vastness of His glory and give Him all of the praise.

So that is what I am doing. Sunday morning, we had about 30 kids stand up and share what the Lord had done in their life over the last few days. We had siblings apologizing to one another, middle school boys apologizing to peers for making fun of them, the girl known as the "bad girl" claiming that her last 3 months of high school would not be wasted & would be lived for Christ, forgiveness of poor fathers, release from bondage, begging for accountability. God's presence is evident in their lives. Since that time, we have had students praying and fasting for their campuses. This is a movement that cannot be stopped, and I am jumping on board! Will you?

Family Photoshoot Fundraiser #6 | M. Bailey

2010-03-17T15:29:00.005-05:00

M. is the CUTEST. We had a lot of fun with her! Any time I pulled the camera up to my face, she was posing. We never had to force it, she just knew what to do! It was SO funny. And I think she looks exactly like Michelle Tanner on Full House. :)

Family Photoshoot Fundraiser #6 | L. Mercer

2010-03-10T12:14:00.002-05:00

L looked SO pretty in her dress, but she is a tomboy at heart, and all she wanted to do was run around and play with the dogs at the park. Needless to say, she was a lot of fun to photograph.

She was sick of my camera being in her face... :)

My favorite..

Family Photoshoot Fundraiser #5 | The Bevels

2010-03-10T12:07:00.004-05:00

I had a lot of fun with this beautiful family! They are some of the sweetest, kindest, most encouraging people you will ever meet!

God Really Does Answer Prayer.

2010-03-08T12:17:00.006-05:00

I leave for Israel in 4 weeks, and Uganda in 10.

I am so looking forward to going back to Israel for the third time. It is like going home. It is a country that has stolen my heart. But I have a feeling that Africa will steal my heart even more. I won't have much of my heart left to give anyone else after June, I just know it.

I cannot WAIT to go. It cannot come soon enough. It is all that I think about, especially since I recently found out that all of the funds for my trip have been raised! I knew when I decided to obey the Lord's call that He would provide, but He has provided above and beyond what I could have ever imagined. I still have to pay for shots (which won't be cheap) but the "hard" part is over! I am overwhelmed with gratitude. Words cannot express how grateful I am to everyone who has donated. Now all that is standing between me and some African babies, is time. And today I am grateful that time flies.

So thank you so much to everyone for your prayers, your donations, and your support. This is my prayer for you:

"May the LORD bless you and protect you. May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you. May the LORD show you His favor and give you His peace." Numbers 6:24-26

Here are some ways that you can pray for me:
-That everyone in our group makes prayer a priority before, during, and after the trip.
-For great ministry opportunities. That God would begin to prepare the hearts of those we come in contact with even now.
-Safe travel to and from Africa.
-For physical, spiritual, and relational health among everyone on the team.
-That everything that we do or say points to the glory of Christ.
-That we would be sensitive to His Spirit.
-That others will hear of what the Lord is doing and their hearts will be softened towards those in need.

Thank you for your prayer. We desperately need it.

Family Photoshoot Fundraiser #4 | The Dappers

2010-03-01T13:47:00.004-05:00

We had lots of fun photographing the Dappers. Especially little Ashlynn. She definitely liked to strike a pose!

I couldn't decide if I liked this shot better in black and white or color. Thoughts?

I am a modern-day Israelite.

2010-02-25T11:08:00.008-05:00

I have been reading through the Bible this year. It is something that I have always wanted to do, and the Lord finally just told me that it was time. I purchased a One Year Bible and have really enjoyed the format so far. I read a few chapters from an Old Testament book, a few from a New Testament book, verses from Psalms, and one or two verses from Proverbs every day. So far it is February 25 and I have already read through Genesis, Exodus, and Matthew. I am now in Leviticus and Mark, as well as Psalms and Proverbs.

I have loved reading through the New Testament. I am falling more and more in love with Jesus as I read about His ministry, His personality, His teachings, and His perfection. I wish that I could have been there, to see Him among His people. And I long for the day when I will be with Him.

At the time, I couldn't get enough of Genesis and the story of the Israelites' Exodus. I have been hearing these stories since I was a baby, but reading through them from beginning to end changed a lot of what I thought about them. I find myself identifying with the people. I am able to see how each circumstance brought them closer to the Lord, and how He was bringing glory to Himself in every situation. I ask a lot of questions and I write my observations beside the text so that I can soon go back and study it more in-depth.

In Exodus 23 and following, Moses has just spent time with the Lord on top of Mount Sinai. He was given specific instructions from God to share with the Israelites. When he descended from the mountain, he shared the Book of the Covenant given by the Lord with the Israelites, and they all responded "We will do everything the Lord has commanded. We will obey" (24:7). Then He ascended back up to the mountain to received the tablets on which the commands were written. He spent 40 days and 40 nights on the mountain, in the glory of the Lord, where he was given more instructions. He left the Israelites in the hands of Aaron, the soon-to-be Priest, and his sons.

When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and begged him to make a god for them to be their leader. "We don't know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt" (32:1). So Aaron took gold from the people and molded it into the shape of a calf. Then the people exclaimed "O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!" (32:4). And they began to sacrifice burnt offerings to this golden calf, worshiping it and indulging in their pagan revelry.

Now, every time I had heard this story, I thought how ludicrous the Israelites' actions were. They were able to see the glory of the Lord in the form of a cloud and in the form of fire. They followed a man who spent significant time with the trustworthy Creator of the Universe. And they spent their entire time in the wilderness complaining. And time after time, the Lord provided for them when they least deserved it (manna anyone?). But as I was reading, I was convicted. How many times have I been right with the Lord, and gotten distracted? How many times have I complained when God's timing is not in line with my desires? How many times have I gone to a church camp or a conference and said "This time, it will be different. I will do everything the Lord has commanded. I will obey," only to return home and immediately go back to my "normal" life, forgetting all that God had taught me? It only took 40 days for the Israelites to forget what God had done for them, and what they had promised Him. In my past, it has taken only 40 hours for me to forget.

However, this is the beautiful thing about grace. God could have destroyed the Israelites and never brought them into the Promised Land. He had every right to. And He could destroy me for promising time and time again that I will change, and quickly forgetting that promise. He has every right to. Yet He continues to lavish His grace upon me, as He did on them. He continues to pour out mercy. He continues to mold me. He continues to teach me. And He continues to forgive me when I fail.

I constantly ask myself why such a wonderful Creator would care so much about me. I do not deserve His favor. Nothing about me is good. The only thing that I have that is promising is His Spirit, living inside of me, loving others through me, and leading me through this life. And thank the Lord, I will never get over it.

Family Photoshoot Fundraiser #3 | The Millers

2010-02-24T20:04:00.006-05:00

The Miller family was to much fun! I just couldn't get enough of that RED hair! #1 wanted his picture taken by himself most of the time, and had a LOT of suggestions for poses! It was cute. Anyway, thanks Millers for another great shoot! Hope you enjoy these!

Family Photoshoot Fundraiser #2 | Kevin + Kristen

2010-02-24T14:31:00.004-05:00

My first shoot of the day was with Kevin + Kristen. They got into town Friday night around 2:30 am and were up and looking beautiful for our 8:00 am session! They were such troopers! These newlyweds were very comfortable in front of the camera, which made it really easy for me. Thanks guys for a GREAT first shoot!

You can just tell how much they love each other.

This one is one of my favorites...

Family Photoshoot Fundraiser #1 | Garrett & Traci

2010-02-21T23:21:00.005-05:00

On Saturday, Jonathan and I spent the day downtown for a day of photoshoots in an effort to raise money for our trip to Africa. Thanks to the beautiful weather, the help of Jonathan, Stephanie, and Ryan, and some great clients, the day went perfectly!

I edited Garrett and Traci's photos first, as they are adopting and needed some photos for their portfolio. :) They are such wonderful people and wonderful parents, I know they just cannot wait to get this baby! So without further adieu, enjoy a few shots from our fun shoot!

Thanks again Garrett & Traci!

The Halfway Point

2010-02-16T10:16:00.003-05:00

Friday night, we hosted a Valentines Weekend Childcare Night. We had 16 wonderful volunteers show up to hang out with the kids for four hours, playing games, eating snacks, coloring, and watching movies. It had snowed pretty much all day, so the kids were obviously excited. This was the first time since the 70's that snow was falling hard in SOWEGA and actually sticking! It was a wonderful surprise! Well, because of the snow, only 29 of our 61 registered kids showed up, but we still had a very fun night! We raised $400 for our trip, putting me over the halfway mark in giving! I am SO grateful for everyone who has been so generous, giving of their time and money.

I was recently talking to a friend about how much money I have left to raise. I must admit, I was on the verge of complaining. I had forgotten how generous so many have been. I had forgotten that the Lord is Jehovah Jireh. I had forgotten the widow and her mite. I had forgotten what it means to give joyfully and wholeheartedly, no matter the cost. Well, he got in my face and said, “Hayley, did God call you to go to Africa?” I said, “Yes He did.” And he said, “Well, then He will provide.” And He has, despite my stupidity.

Until that point, I had yet to actually worry about receiving the funds. The moment I put down the $150 deposit a month ago, the Lord told me that I would not have to pay another dime out of pocket. So I am believing it. I know that people have a heart for the Lord’s people. Not everyone can physically meet their needs, but so many can monetarily. I have seen this time and time again in the past month. People want to make a difference. We see what the Lord is doing and where He is working, and want to be there in the midst of it. We want to do something bigger than ourselves for His Kingdom. We want to see His Kingdom come to earth. We want His will to be done on this earth. And His will is that His justice and His love be shown to the nations.

I am not saying that I am righteous because I am obedient. I am obviously not perfect. All I am saying is that the Lord has called this imperfect person to go. And as our missionary to Brazil Eric Reese says, I am more scared to not do what God has called me to do, than to do it. Yes, going to Uganda makes me a bit nervous. Not knowing where I will be staying, what I will be eating, who I will love on and what diseases I will be exposed to makes me somewhat uneasy. As much as I am excited, I am a bit nervous. But I would be miserable outside of the will of God. And I would be so much more anxious were it not for the fact that He is already there. He already loves on those children. He already comforts His people. He doesn’t need me to go. He wants me to go, because He wants me to be obedient to Him. He wants me to see His people in their desperation. He wants me to understand exactly how much He has been Jehovah Jireh for me. He wants me to not let them be forgotten. And He wants me to never be the same. And for that and so many other things, I love Him more every day.

A Child Soldier No More

2010-02-09T11:06:00.007-05:00

"Uganda is a beautiful country, but the world needs to know that this country is badly in need of healing."

One of the breakouts for Passion 2010 involved Justice and Worship. In the session, the Watoto Children's Village in Uganda was highlighted. As I watched this video, my heart began to break even more for the children of Uganda. I cannot imagine what they deal with every day, and I'm not really sure I want to.

The Watoto organization has an incredible ministry to a tattered and war-torn country. Their mission? "Rescue a Child | Raise a Leader | Rebuild a Nation." Be sure to check out their website and see the many ways we can support them.

Africa Needs Me...?

2010-01-26T16:56:00.006-05:00

Tomorrow will be three weeks since I got the phone call inviting me to go to Africa, and two weeks since the LORD answered with a resounding "YES". Since then, my life has become a whirlwind of events. The Spring of 2010, which was fairly clear on my calendar as of late December, has now filled up immensely. From photo sessions and babysitting nights to yard sales and benefit shows, we are doing a lot of fund-raising over the next few months, and I couldn't be more excited!

Already, in two short weeks, I have seen God provide in every way possible. In one of the toughest times in our economy, I have seen generosity that only a loving God of justice could explain. Whether people have donated, pledged to donate, offered their services, willingly given me the time off of work, or lifted me up in prayer, I am seeing the Lord's favor in every aspect of this journey. The word grateful does not even begin to explain how I feel.

Everyone who hears about this journey I am headed on, seems to agree that this is God's will for me at this time. This is where He has brought me. It is like all of a sudden a light bulb turned on for everyone as we all say in unison "Oh yeah! That's it!" I can look back over the past three years and see how God has shaped me into who I am for such a time as this.

But as I told a few guys who have graciously offered to help me with an upcoming fund-raising project and were asking about my heart behind this mission... the t-shirt I purchased yesterday says it all. I need Africa more than Africa needs me. I need to be ripped out of the American Dream, away from the average American life overloaded with consumerism, reality television, Facebook and Twitter. I need to witness how this world lives and suffers. I need to see God being worshiped in the poorest places on earth. I need to understand what it is like to only have God to depend on in the midst of disease and poverty. I need the joy of the African people. And I need to be His hands and His feet.

This world is not my home, but while I am here, I will not allow it to remain stagnant. I will not enter Heaven and see the face of my Glorious Creator without having done His work. I will obey Him by bringing His love and His justice to His children. Whether they live in Kampala, Uganda or Albany, Georgia, His ever-present love must be shown.

Home to Africa

2010-01-13T16:24:00.005-05:00

I have an exciting opportunity coming up this summer that I would like to share with you. But first, I would like to give you a little background information on what God has been doing in my life. Over the past year or so, the Lord has been turning my heart towards what it means to really be His hands and His feet to this world, particularly to those who cannot help themselves. He has instilled in me a passion for “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40), and for social justice. He has commanded each of us to share His love and His justice with the world, and He has already given me amazing opportunities to do so in my community.

As a part of my growing desire to join God in serving people in need all over the world, I will be traveling to Uganda, Africa, alongside others from Safe Water Nexus, for a 2-week mission trip.

We will be showing the love of Christ to orphans at Bethany Children's Village outside of the capital city of Kampala, passing out mosquito nets and hopefully TOMS shoes to several villages, teaching hygiene, and more.

Uganda is a country affected by great civil war and AIDS. AIDS has had a devastating impact on Uganda. It has killed approximately one million people, and significantly reduced life expectancy. The large number of AIDS related deaths amongst young adults has left behind over a million orphaned children. Recently, grassroots organizations have been attempting to raise awareness about the children who were kidnapped by the Lord's Resistance Army to work as soldiers or be used as wives. Thousands of children as young as eight were captured and forced to kill. Currently, up to 1.4 million people have been displaced from their homes because of the LRA.

It is estimated that 76% of the population of the country lives slightly below the international poverty line of US $2.00 a day. The country is currently subject to a severe food crisis. And we want to help. This trip is unique in that we can offer support and necessities, as well as the good news of Jesus Christ to many who need to hear it.

I am grateful that the Lord has called me to see first-hand what poverty really looks like. I pray that He will expand my heart and yours to give us a broader perspective of His involvement in the whole world.

It is going to be two of the most amazing weeks of my life. I cannot wait to see what the Lord does. In the meantime, I have to come up with a lot of money, and pretty fast. If you would like to know how you can help, leave me a comment with your email address and I will send you information!

Two Must-Read Articles

2010-01-06T16:25:00.002-05:00

An interesting take on life from an African.

John Piper's message from Passion 2010: Is Jesus an Egomaniac?

Holt Siblings

2010-01-01T22:51:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago I went out with T and J Holt for a photoshoot as a Christmas gift to their mother. They were good sports, posing with Santa and climbing all over the place. :) Enjoy!

Crews Family

2009-12-10T10:13:00.004-05:00

Amy Lynn and I went out to Abigail Plantation a few weeks ago to shoot the Crews family's Christmas pictures. It was a lot of fun, and a beautiful location!

We just loved this bridge.

Gotta get Mom in there!

Is he not the cutest thing??

Thanks for a FUN time, Crews family! :)

20th Anniversary of Pastor and People

2009-12-05T13:46:00.009-05:00

My family and I have lived in our current city and my father has served at our current church now for 20 years. I couldn't have asked for a better place to grow up, and a better church who loved me and my family more. We actually pulled off a surprise (which, if you know my Dad, is basically impossible) and conducted our very own version of the old TV show "This Is Your Life".

We brought in people from his past from all over the country, including his former youth minister, a few of his best friends, the men who shaped him in his early years of ministry, the man who started our Intercessory Prayer Ministry at the church, thus changing the future of our church forever, some men and women who were called into ministry under his teaching, and more. With every person who walked out on stage, he was so surprised. It was an emotional evening, overwhelming at best. My mother was also recognized by the Staff Wives and Women's Ministry Team as the Proverbs 31 and Titus 2 woman that she is. We even had a mini sermon preached via video by Warren Wiersbe, and an original song written by our music minister and former 4HIM member Mark Harris. Everything was perfect.

We had a reception following the service, featuring my dad's favorite foods: Sweet potato pancakes, Hawaiian Ribeye Skewers, Red Velvet Cake, Chips & Salsa, Cheesecake, and Edd's chili cheese burgers and glass bottle Barq's Root Beer, flown all the way in from his home town in Mississippi.

He and my mom were able to just be loved on and shown how much we all appreciate them. I do not think it could have gone any smoother.

So I can breathe again. Now you may understand why I have gone silent for the past month in blogland! Now that the secret is out, I am back to work. But not before I show you a few photos of the night... (click to make them a bit larger)

At the end of the night, this is just a small part of his legacy, filling up the stage and choir loft...

Let Not Your Heart...

2009-10-30T11:39:00.003-05:00

Over the past week, two friends and I have attended meetings with the city Homeless Coalition and a faith-based Task Force branch of the Coalition, educating ourselves on what needs to be done to end homelessness in our community. Two weeks ago, ABC News sent out a story on the Top 10 poorest cities in our country, and to our surprise, Albany was on that list!

The Lord has given us a heart to see homelessness and poverty end in our city, but we were not sure what to do with our passion. However, the moment we heard that we are living in one of the poorest cities in the nation, we knew we had to do something. We had to put hands and feet to what our heart was telling us. And we are taking steps in the right direction. We are making contacts, educating ourselves on the resources and organizations available to us, and making our presence known as young adults who want to make a difference.

In the last meeting we attended, we found that there is a lot of meeting and not enough doing. That people are voicing their worries and concerns and not their prayers. There is too much bureaucracy and not enough faith. And the more I considered this, the more I realized how easily each of us can fall into that same mindset. We can get caught up in the "red tape" of life and not take it a God who longs to hear from us. A God who created us, loves us, and wants the best for us.

We must have faith. Faith that He can MOVE MOUNTAINS. That He will provide. As Ed Litton said at ReFRESH this year, "He's on it!". There is no reason to worry!(By the way, Ed's recent blog is a must-read).

This has become one of my favorite passages of Scripture. Imagine just how much God cares for every living thing. If He cares for the bird's needs, don't you think he would care for yours?

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is life not more important than food and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life." Matthew 6:25-27

So, in the small things in life, and in the big, let not your heart be troubled. Believe in Him. Believe in His omnipotence, His care, His love, His providence, and His goodness. Lift your requests up to Him, pour out your heart to Him, your Helpmate. He will direct your path.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." Proverbs 3:5-6

"So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34

"Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

T's Senior Session #2:: Favorites

2009-10-27T14:56:00.006-05:00

Due to the lack of sunlight towards the end of last week's session, Amy Lynn and I did a second session this week with T. Here are a few of my favorites..

T's Senior Session:: Favorites

2009-10-22T11:16:00.004-05:00

Here are a few of my favorite shots from T's senior session. We are hoping to do a second session soon, but in the meantime, enjoy these!

My favorite...

T Senior Session Sneak Peek!

2009-10-21T23:04:00.003-05:00

Amy Lynn and I teamed up tonight for a Senior session, and had so much fun with T and her Mom! As I was scrolling through the photos tonight, I fell in love with this one, so I just had to post it!

LOVE her blue eyes! As always, click on it to enlarge.

Anyway, more to come!

H

He is Good.

2009-09-28T22:25:00.005-05:00

So I wanted to give you guys an update on what God has been doing with the passions He has instilled in me...

Our Bible Study group has begun what we call "The Granola Project", thanks to Jackie's grand idea. Basically, we all carry granola bars, $2, and a tract in our cars and purses to hand out to the homeless. I have given out four bundles since we began, and it has been such a blessing! It is so interesting to hear stories from others as well. I don't think a day goes by that I don't get a text from someone who has handed out a bundle. Of course, sometimes we get rejected and even spit upon, sometimes we hear "I love you! Merry Christmas!", and sometimes four of us give out a bundle to the same person at four different times. And that is beautiful, because through the Granola Project, we have gotten to know Max and are working on helping him get a job. We have been so blessed and have loved every minute of it.

In addition to TGP, last weekend a group from Mission:Change teamed up with some of us from the College | Career department at my church and we went to the Food Bank of Southwest Georgia to hand out packages of food and pack more for the next time around. In all, our group packed up 960 boxes worth of food, and gave away free food to 357 families (most of them averaging 6 people per household). And that doesn't include the group from Mission: Change who were at a separate location handing out food!

Three of us actually worked the Registration table where we got to see the faces of those in need. We laughed with them, cried with them, and just got to love them. It was amazing. Words cannot describe what a blessing it was. We had planned to be there from 9 am - 12 pm, and ended up giving away food until 3:30! I wouldn't have done it any differently. I could have stayed out there ALL day.

So that has been my life lately! The Lord is doing a MIGHTY work in me, in my friends, and in my church, and I cannot WAIT to see what He does next!!! In the meantime, I'll continue on with what He has called me to do!

Dating vs. Hanging Out

2009-08-21T07:27:00.003-05:00

This article about Dating vs. Hanging Out is for all of my single friends. I think we've all been here, and it is usually a miserable experience. At least it has been for me, and all of the misery never resulted in anything fulfilling.

So men, it is time to step it up a notch. Pursue. Women everywhere are waiting for men to stand up and be men. To take responsibility and be ready to lead.

And women, be confident in who you are! Marriage isn't the end-all, be-all of life. Like the article says, find something that you are passionate about and pursue it. Don't just sit and wait to be swept off your feet. Seek out and serve your Heavenly Helpmate.

Am I Less Wise??

2009-08-11T15:33:00.003-05:00

So I've been a pretty big blog slacker. Life is crazy as we near my sister's wedding. So here are a few updates I thought I should share.

Last Wednesday I had my wisdom teeth out. It really wasn't that bad. I was pretty drugged up. :) I do remember, while I was in surgery, waking up and hearing my dental hygienist say to a nurse, "I'm doing my job, I need you to do yours". Even on drugs I thought "oohhhh". :) So I came home (apparently I was alert and talking to my mother on the drive home, but I sure enough don't remember one single thing) and I slept through Wednesday into Thursday. Then I slept some more. I did enjoy the drugs, I'm not going to lie. :) I finally got up and visited with my family, watched some movies, and continued on my routine of: drugs, gauze, ice, salt water, sleep, drugs for the next few days.... and some times ice cream or jello or something. It was much easier than I thought. I did all I could not to get dry sockets or have any type of problems, so I just took it easy for the rest of the week.

One movie that I watched, that affected me more than a movie has in a long time, was The Soloist. My heart broke as I saw the clear depiction of homelessness in America, and I am praying for God to show me what to do with this passion He has placed in my heart for "the least of these". It is easy to have a passion for something, but it isn't always easy to know what to do with it in a hands-on type of way. I am giving monetarily, but I want to love on others, and give of my time. If anyone reading this happens to have any ideas, let me know!

Well, while looking like I had gotten into a fight with my dentist, I did all that I could to make sure to feel well enough to go to church this past Sunday, because I knew that God was going to do something big, and I did not want to miss it. And He definitely did not disappoint. The church leadership announced some really great things about where we are headed, and I could not be more excited. We have paid off our debt after only NINE years in our new building, when we thought it would take 20, therefore allowing us to better focus on those outside the walls of our church. We are helping start churches in Baltimore and San Francisco, we are expanding the Sports Park ministry to the community, and we are really ramping up our focus on missions, now that we have a Missions and Evangelism pastor full-time.

Sunday was a GREAT day for me, and for my church. I am still healing from the wisdom teeth, but had my first bite of "real" food today. It wasn't easy, but it was satisfactory. And I am headed to Atlanta to see Paul McCartney in concert this weekend!!! So that's my update. What is going on with everyone else out there??

Blood:Water Mission

2009-08-10T08:32:00.002-05:00

Our kids don't have to be the only ones going back to school this year. Instead of buying your child one more shirt, pay for a girl in Africa to go to school this year. It only costs $12.

http://www.bloodwatermission.com/backtoschool/

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An Update on Life Interrupted

2009-07-28T21:33:00.004-05:00

So I recently posted a blog about our need for understanding God's command to care for His people who are in need. And I got the neatest email in response to my posting. It came from a man named Milky who lives in the Philippines. Apparently he has been following my blog for quite some time and has been meaning to email me, but when he read that particular post, really felt led to share his thoughts with me. And I am so grateful that he has. So, he has given me permission to share some of his email with you, if you don't mind.

I have long been planning to write you, well just to thank you for sharing your life through your blog. You may have not realized it, but because of the wonders of technology, you are doing an international witnessing. Wow! Maybe, this was never one of your agenda when you started blogging but then again, now it has served that purpose. Thank you also for sharing other insightful sites like 'stuff christians like.' Somehow, through the net I could see that there are people all over the world who share the same struggles and joy of walking with the Lord.

But it was only after I have read your article. "Life Interrupted" that I have been encourage to do the writing now! I realized that not only have I found a blog written by a young Christian woman who walks with God but this person also understands the disparity not just of the rich and poor in general but also in terms of developed and developing countries.

The Philippines, my country, is a third world country that has been colonized by three countries in the past. Though, it has gained its freedom more than a hundred years ago, and is known to be rich in natural resources, it still is a poor country... economic, political system, education, morality, and even our identity as a country... The Christians here are also finding it hard to fight the good fight for our nation. It is hard especially that a lot of issues are intertwined with each other. And if you are not careful, you could easily be segued with other issues. That's why it is so important that you do not lose sight of God.

That's why i am proud of you to have written that article and prouder still for that bible study that you handle. It is much easier to study Christ and the bible if we put the study in the context of everyday life. . that's why i am so proud of you. i mean, really.. for me, that's real humility especially for posting that statistics. I am just amazed that Christians in a developed countries like yours also see the poverty experienced by developing countries like mine. And that you struggle to do something about it. We pray and seek for our national transformation and you also pray and seek for yours. Hmm, it's like seeing the hand of God working among all nations to establish the new heaven and earth.Ü

I am blessed to have found your site, i hope you can be my friend because i sure will be honored to meet you in heaven one day.Ü

God bless you and your family and your church always!Ü

Ü,
Milky

This email touched my heart in such a mighty way, and I wanted to share it with my other readers, to show you that there are people who can be influenced, and who long to see us do what we can to help them. Milky is one of millions of people who need to know how much we love them and want to help them improve their way of life in any way possible. That America isn't just a selfish nation. And that the church, especially, longs to see a change. It was just so great to actually put a name and a situation to this issue, and be in immediate contact with someone on the other end of the spectrum. I am so grateful to have gotten to speak with him, and really look forward to our correspondence.

So, have you decided what you are going to do to start your ripple?

Past, Present, & Future Sins

2009-07-27T20:47:00.004-05:00

Romans 8.1 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus"

Two weeks ago I attended a few days of Student Life at the Beach with our high schoolers. A few of us went over there to hang out with the rising college freshmen and hear Matt Chandler speak. Matt Chandler is the pastor of The Village Church, and has been one of my favorite speakers since my Junior year of high school, where he spoke at our Student Life camp. He speaks the truth, no matter how harsh, he is passionate about living life for Christ, and he is hilarious. Put together, he makes a great speaker.

Matt said something in one of his messages that has stuck with me ever since. It seems like such a simple concept, yet it is so amazing when you really think about it. He said that, at the cross of Christ, when the Creator of the Universe died to forgive each one of us for our sins, our sins were all future sins. Therefore, we can do NOTHING to change God's mind about us. Think about it, when He sacrificed His life, it wasn't like He said "okay, I'll die for these sins over here, but if he/she does anything else, it's not forgiven". No, every single sin we have ever sinned, and will sin in the future, is covered by His blood. He will not change His mind about how much He loves us, no matter what! Now, this is no reason to go out and abuse His grace. In fact, Galatians says quite the opposite. We are not to indulge in our sin, but serve others in our freedom!
"You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. (Gal 5:14)"

This should give us a hope, that even when we feel like we have failed miserably, He still loves us. No matter how we feel.

As Romans 8 says, there is no condemnation for those who are in Him. In fact, God has promised us mercy for today. For when we feel like failures, He has given us mercy. And He will give us new mercy every single day. New mercy, new strength, and new grace is available to us every day.

I love the Message version of Lamentations 3:22-24:
"God's loyal love couldn't have run out,
his merciful love couldn't have dried up.
They're created new every morning.
How great your faithfulness!
I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over).
He's all I've got left."

Therefore, we are not to feel condemned, but grateful, repentant, faithful, and hopeful that He has forgiven us of our sin, and He continues to give us mercy and grace each day of our lives. What a blessing!

Life Interrupted

2009-07-22T09:00:00.006-05:00

I have recently started a Bible Study entitled "Interrupted". It is a part of Threads, the Young Adult ministry of LifeWay. It is written by Jen Hatmaker, a Pastor's wife, author, and speaker, whose world was completely changed when she realized the life change that she needed to experience after she prayed for God to give her a holy passion, which He definitely did. I have only just begun this study, but have already been greatly affected by the reality that has set in. Too often we read Scriptures about caring for the poor and needy and assume it is in the spiritual sense. We read John 21: "The third time he said to him, 'Simon son of John, do you love me?' Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, 'Do you love me?' He said, 'Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.' Jesus said, 'Feed my sheep.'" We read this and assume that Jesus meant to take care of the church by leading them spiritually and making sure they are on the right path with God, but He meant it to be literal! There are millions of souls around this world and around each one of us who need food, water, and necessities.

America is obsessed with getting the next best thing, and satisfying ourselves. We probably all know the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Well, Ezekiel 16:49 claims that Sodom was destroyed because of her sin... "she and her daughters had pride, plenty of food, and comfortable security, but didn't support the poor and needy". Sound familiar?

Let's look at some facts about how the rest of the world lives:
-Of the 6 billion people on planet Earth, about 1.2 billion live on 23 cents a day
-Half of the world lives on less than $2 a day
-The wealthiest one billion people average $70 a day (This places us in the upper, upper, upper percentages of global population)
-Someone dies of hunger every 16 seconds
-22 million people died of preventable diseases last year; 10 million were children
-27 million children and adults are trapped in slavery because of economic crisis. More slaves exist today than ever before in human history.
-More than 143 million children in the world have been orphaned or abandoned (more than 1/2 of the US population)
-Roughly 1 billion people in the world do not have suitable housing, and 100 million are entirely homeless
-In the last hour:: More than 1600 children were forced to the streets by the death or abuse of an adult, At least 115 children became prostitutes, and More than 66 children younger than 15 years of age were infected with HIV.

Now, let's look at the world vs. the United States::
-40% of the world lacks basic water sanitation, resulting in disease, death, wastewater for drinking, and loss of immunity. Americans spent $16 billion on bottled water in 2008.
-We spend more annually on trash bags than nearly half the world spends on goods combined.
-The US makes up 5% of the global population, but we consume 25% of the world's oil, 20 million barrels of oil a DAY; next is China at just 6.9 million a day.

And these are just a few. When a group of leaders from developing nations begged US government leaders to explore intervention options for their countries in crisis, a US official was quoted as saying "The American lifestyle is not up for negotiation". What a terrible thing! Now, I am not completely hating on America. I do know that we do a LOT to help other nations, but are we doing enough? Are you?

This world sees us as a Christian nation who is not living up to God's calling to care for their needs, it is no wonder so many are turned off to Christianity! They hear this false prosperity message that is being preached and think that Jesus Christ must not love them, because they are suffering and poor! Jen Hatmaker says, "it's easy to see how the nations of the world simply cannot square how much money we have with how we spend it. Global church leaders are dumbfounded at our excess while their people are dying and starving, especially when so many leading spiritual voices here are proclaiming the prosperity gospel".

Joel Osteen was quoted as saying "I preach that anybody can improve their lives. I think God wants us to be prosperous. I think He wants us to be happy. To me, you need to have money to pay your bills. I think God wants us to send our kids to college".

Joyce Meyer once said, "Who would want to get in on something where you're miserable, poor, broke and ugly and you just have to muddle through until you get to heaven? I believe God wants to give us nice things."

And Creflo Dollar, of World Changers International, stated, "Now, last night we began to deal with the relationship between peace and prosperity... and we'll look at it again tonight. It says, 'My soul is far from prosperity.' Why? My soul is far from peace because I forgot prosperity. We established last night that you are not whole until you get your money".

These quotes appalled me! And this is preached all over our nation! I agree with Rick Warren, who said "This idea that God wants everybody to be wealthy? There is a word for that: baloney. It's creating a false idol. You don't measure your self-worth by your net wort. I can show you millions of faithful followers of Christ who live in poverty. Why isn't everyone in the church a millionaire?"

So we must make a change. We must change the way that the world views our nation. Think about it, it is harder to hate a rich country that is feeding you, adopting your orphans, building schools in your villages, and caring for your sick. It is harder, then, to dismiss the idea of a redeeming Christ when His followers are pouring their lives out for the last and least. And it is harder to hate the Christian church when her members are pouring out compassion and resources to those who need it the most.

I, myself, can only make a small ripple in the ocean. I can do my part by supporting organizations like Invisible Children, World Vision, Compassion International, The Water Project, Sari Bari, Living Water International, and so many others. My small ripple, added to your small ripple, and so many others, can make a huge difference. Alone we can affect a few, but together we can change the world, and obey God's calling to feed His sheep!

A Great Article & A Great Video

2009-07-16T09:29:00.003-05:00

So You Think You Can Dance was great last night, but there was one particular performance that I just loved. It was choreographed by Season 2 favorite Travis Wall. He performed the Emmy award winning bench routine by Mia Michaels. And he really has blossomed as a choreographer. This was his first attempt, and I'd say it was incredible.

Secondly, if you don't read anything else this week, read this article. It is an interesting perspective on becoming numb to sin.