Perspective

A few weeks ago I sat in this room in São Paulo Brazil. I sat as our pastor filmed the story of these two men. A story that challenged me ... because it gave me a huge slice of perspective.

You see the man in the pink shirt is an alcoholic and once was a bad criminal. The man in the aqua shirt is now a pastor who was once a police man who tried to kill the man in the pink shirt many times for his criminal acts .... They are now friends! Oh the story is amazing and I won't spoil it as soon it will be put to video where you can hear in their own words, their story. But for me it was crazy perspective ... Our family has been walking through something over the past few months that has really been challenging to me. It has rocked my world in ways that I really can't even put words to.

Yet as I sat in that room and listened to a language I didn't understand and then heard an interpretation and began to understand this man's story ... God spoke to me. I went up to the room that we were staying in and looked out over the favellas. Looked out over the streets and at the people who were milling around in the streets. It was there that God showed me how wonderful it is that I live in a place where no matter what I may face there is help available for that and a community who surrounds me and supports me.

This man and his wife are both battling addictions and help is just not as easy for them to find. To break the cycle of addiction to alcohol and drugs they need help and it's just not right around the corner. They live in the favella where rats steal what little bit of food that they have ... yeah it offered me a huge slice of perspective.

Can't wait for you to hear this story ... hopefully, each day we look around at what we have and are thankful because no matter our story, no matter where we are now ... there is someone somewhere who has a story that is worse off. And I'd be willing to bet that no matter your story, no matter how hard it is right now, there is someone who would trade places with you in a heartbeat - a HEARTBEAT ... even if your story is not wrapped up with a pretty bow on top ...

Going to Brazil

 Last October I had the opportunity to go to São Paulo, Brazil. We partnered with a church in the flavellas (slums) and we just went down to love on the people there. We worked on some physical things around the church one day, went to an orphanage, played with babies, handed out necessities, and participated in a children's festival. It was a trip that changed me in many ways. When I boarded the plane to come home to my family, it was hard. I was leaving a part of me in Brazil. I knew I wanted to return ....

Fast forward to this past may when a team from our church went back ... I wasn't able to be a part of that team - May is a crazy month for our family. I got texts of pictures of kids who asked about me and updates on kids I asked about. I even got a text of a kid from our pastor who said that he could play Jeremy if there was ever a Brazilian movie made about his life :) I just longed to be on that team. However, that trip I was not meant to go on.

I began pestering :) my pastor about the October dates as soon as he returned from the May trip. I knew that there was this longing in me to go. Finally, last month he said it would be October, but no definite dates just around the Children's day like last year. So, I sent out my prayer letter and gave a middle of the month time frame to last years supporters.

As the last month has gone by more and more I have wondered if God really wanted me on this trip in October. We have had medical bills out the nose lately and it seems that one is paid and another comes in. As soon as we have done one test they want to do two more. Do not get me wrong, I want to find out what it wrong with my baby and will do whatever necessary no mater the cost, it just began to make me wonder if this was my time to go to Brazil or not.

I began to pray that God would just show me what he wanted from me. Did he want me in Brazil in October? Were these His desires in me or were they my selfish ones?

Over and over again God has confirmed that Brazil in October is where he wants me. Over and over as I would doubt God would confirm that this was where He wanted me. Yet, I still doubted. Then yesterday, a friend texted to say she had bought some bath and body work lotions and soaps for me to take with me. And then today I got an email from a friend telling me that he will support my trip again. Two back to back confirmations that God used to tell me that this is HIS desire in my heart and that he will pave the way. I am not to worry about the finances, they are in his court. He will take care of my family here at home and he will take care of me. I will not doubt anymore - forgive me Lord for my lack of faith!

I love how He is involved in the intimate details. I love how He confirms a prayer that I've prayed and not shared with anyone else. I love that He chooses to use me and that He speaks in a still small voice. I look forward to going back and seeing the smiling faces of the boys below. One is Gustavo and he holds a piece of many on my teams heart, not just mine! Just something special about that kid and I pray that God will use him to do great things in his flavella!

If you would like to know more about São Paulo, Brazil, if you would like to join my team through prayer or financial giving ... just shoot me an e-mail and I can answer any questions you may have. I'd love to have you join my team!

Looking forward to both the journey to Brazil - (what God does in me before we even leave) and what God does while our team is there!

Raising support ....

Raising support is not something I enjoy. I am blown away by friends of mine that do it for their lively hood. It scares me honestly. I have had to raise support several times for mission trips and it is always the part I dread the most yet it is always the first part of the life changing part of any trip I have been on. I say the first part because it is not just a thing I do to get to go, it is the first part of my trip. I'm still state side but the process of growing and God working in my life and heart begins here. I go on the trip to be used as a tool for God's purpose but every single time the trip is a tool used by God in my life. I know this time will be no different.

 When I first heard about this trip to Brazil my heart had this huge tug on it. I wasnt really sure why. Was it God telling me he wanted me to go or was my heart pulled because of the orphans that those on the trip would meet? I think the fact that I was adopted has placed a huge desire in my heart to care for orphans. Having four children of my own, I don't know how this desire will be fulfilled in my life. Until God is clear about what he desires from my family in this area, I know that I can help others in their journey. So when this trip came I knew that I could do something with what was welling up inside me ... To love on the least of these that many forget about. However, I was still unsure about whether this was the trip, or if this was the right time. Going without Jeremy was something I really didn't want to do. But this tug wouldn't leave me alone.

On faith I put down my deposit knowing God would clarify what he was asking of me. If he wanted me to go he would show me and would help me with the support raising that I really do not like.

We got home from vacation and I had a support check waiting in the mail from a friend from Atlanta. Then yesterday I received two more checks and with them a peace that yes God is asking me to go. I still have support to raise in order to go, but I have a peace that has calmed me that I can't explain.

I am looking forward with great expectation to what God will do in my life this trip and also how he will use me to love on the people of São Paulo, Brazil. I look forward to sharing more with you about this trip and how God works in and through me. I look forward to loving on the least of these in Brazil and I look forward to my God loving on me and my heart at the same time. To God be the glory!