Recap Of God's Faithfulness

It's been awhile.

The past few months (ok, almost a year) have tried and tested our faith.

Our family has seen the faithfulness of God in a hospital in Romania, where we rushed Ellie after a freak seizure.

Continued grace as we completed our 6 weeks in this beautiful country we came to understand and embrace, with beautiful souls we connected with and still pray over.

Clarity in the midst of frustration as I rushed Ellie through a thunderstorm 5 hours back to our hometown from a beach retreat with XMC students.  She had had another seizure.

Guidance to the right doctor, the right neurologist, the right dosage of meds.

God spoke to me through my amazing daughter's perspective.

I was scheduled to minister in Australia for a month following XMC graduation, June/July.

With all the challenges our newfound diagnosis had brought, I seriously was considering canceling the trip.

Talking my decision through with Ellie (because that's how we roll in our house), I began giving her my concerns of why I probably shouldn't go overseas when we were still navigating the waters of uncertainty following her diagnosis.

Ellie put her hand on my arm and leaned in to look me directly in the eyes.

"Mom. Don't be dramatic."

"Excuse me?"

"I'll be fine."

"Well, I'm sure. Daddy will be here, but I was just worried about leaving you. I don't want to leave you when we're still not sure about all this..."

"Mom." Ellie interrupted. "God has a plan and a purpose for everyone. You know He has a purpose for my life, and even if I have another seizure, I know good will come out of it. The Bible says God works everything out for good."

"Well, yes, I know that..."

"...and Mom," she continued earnestly, "you shouldn't worry about me. Jesus will take care of me. You need to go lead worship. Go sing and tell people about Jesus. I'm seriously fine."

Well.

I did go to Australia for a month. 

I ministered over 14 times in 4 cities, various smaller towns, and saw salvations, healings, and true worship birthed in the hearts of those who had been hurting, depressed and alone.

Upon my return, we geared up for another year of XMC to start, and welcomed 65 students.

I have had the privilege and honor of working not only with Pastors Shawn and Nichole Marcell again this year, but my wonderful husband, Biker Man joined the staff this year! How cool is God's goodness.

I've taken students to a few different churches, Teen Challenge, a weekly chapel at a small school, as well as our weekly classes and rehearsals.

In the midst of it all, I've seen Ellie grow both discouraged (after having another seizure) and then more determined to not accept the diagnosis as a permanent fixture in her life. The latter attitude came as a result of her going off by herself to think and pray about whether or not she should take ownership of said diagnosis.

Her decision?

"The doctor said I can outgrow this. I have decided not to blame every time I'm tired or feeling weak on a diagnosis."

Biker Man, Drummer Boy and I are backing her decision.

She will continue to take her meds, and follow the guidelines from her neurologist, until his diagnosis is the same as hers. Healed.

I just took Ellie with me two weeks ago to speak at a camp in Sydney, Australia.

She had a blast. The most rewarding part of the week there, for me, was seeing her receive the love of God in a deeper way. Pressing in to worship, sharing what Jesus means to her with other students, competing in squadron battles, and just hanging out with me in our off time was a gift to this mom's heart.

She is still somewhat recovering from jet lag, but back to her sweet, caring-although-sometimes-sarcastic self.

As I sit here, pondering the past few months and the immense changes they have wrought in all four of us, I know these changes are for the better. 

Because they brought about a sharper awareness of God's presence and present mercies on our lives. 

A firmer understanding of His love that shapes our hearts. 

A fiercer trust in Jesus and His faithfulness to us.

And I know these changes were brought about, not just by what happened to Ellie, but mostly, by our reaction to it.

God has been giving me songs during this past year. Part of the "one more reason to worship" time in my life, I guess! I'll share one next blog.

Thanks for reading!

No Substitute

There is no substitute for these amazing world changers surrounding me.

My investment in them is immeasurable.

We have laughed until we can't breathe at inside jokes.

We have cried as loss, casually and indiscriminately, takes someone from our lives.

We have hurled words of anger in the heat of the moment, out loud, or under our breath.

We have taken back those same words in repentant realization that we didn't mean it, that nothing is worth hurting those you are closest to.

We have watched in wonder as one of us grows closer to Jesus through sacrifice and prayer.

No one can replace the fiercely loyal and joyously abandoned love we have for each other.

We have traversed miles upon miles over mountains, deserts, snowy plains, and beaches....

Around the globe, hearing various languages, seeing different nationalities.

We have worshiped with brothers and sisters we didn't know we had, until we met...with only Christ as our common denominator.

I'm so very thankful to begin yet another year with my family at my side.

And I'm on their side.

As we are on the Lord's side.

Doing life together.

Until God calls us Home.

And we're off!

After months of phone calls, fundraising, and prayer, we are leaving.

In one hour.

For Australia.

We are so excited!

We will be partnering with pastors and ministers over there, traveling, leading worship, and teaching.

The pastors' conference in New Guinea was cancelled, due to two earthquakes, and some unrest in the country. Pray for the Bible college and churches there.

We thought that cancellation would give us some downtime during which we could hang out with my parents (whom we haven't seen in two years!).

But, almost immediately, those slots were filled within Australia. The wonderful news is that those services are in Toowoomba, where my parents are! God definitely has a plan in us going at this time.

Ellie and Drummer Boy wanted to start a blog/club, as they cannot have a clubhouse at home. They just aren't here that much. Please go check it out and leave an encouraging message for them. There are games for you (or your kids) to play, and they will be posting pictures from the road (or foreign country). Check it out here.

Also, our itinerary is up. It's still missing some details, but you can see when where we will be in your area, so come see us! And please visit our website, nocompromiseintl.com and pray for us.

I will post pictures and news as I can.

Here we go!

Wake Up

I have come to my garden, my sister my spouse;

I have gathered my myrrh with my spice....

I sleep, but my heart is awake;

It is the voice of my beloved!

He knocks, saying,

"Open for me, my sister, my love,

My dove, my perfect one;

For my head is covered with dew,

My locks with the drops of the night."

I have taken off my robe;

How can I put it on again?

I have washed my feet;

How can I defile them?

My beloved put his hand

By the latch of the door,

And my heart yearned for him.

I arose to open for my beloved,

And my hands dripped with myrrh,

My fingers with liquid myrrh,

On the handles of the lock.

I opened for my beloved,

But my beloved had turned away and was gone.

My heart leaped up when he spoke.

I sought him, but I could not find him;

I called him, but he gave me no answer.

(Song of Solomon 5:1-6)

I was reading this a few weeks ago, and the Holy Spirit spoke to me.

How many times does God ask me to do something for Him, and the timing seems off to me?

I sleep, but my heart is awake....

I'm settled.

Comfortable.

My prayer life is lacking in fervor.

I know God is speaking, but it seems distant, far away.

I have taken off my robe; how can I put it on again?

I have delegated out what God told me to do.

It's getting done, but I'm on auto pilot.

I'm tired of the responsibility of leading.

I have lost passion, and am no longer walking in God's authority.

I have washed my feet, how can I defile them?

I'm in the groove of doing ministry on my own terms, and what God is asking doesn't seem ideal.

I'll have to get my feet dirty to walk where He walked.

To touch the untouchable.

My beloved put His hand by the latch of the door, and my heart yearned for him...

I see evidence of God's power.

I'm finally moved to action.

I'm ready to go where He wants me to.

My hands dripped with myrrh...on the handles of the lock.

I opened for my beloved, but my beloved had turned away and was gone.

I miss God's timing.

I miss receiving His myrrh, His anointing on my life, which He already has waiting for me to walk in once I open the door.

I want to bring along all the stuff I was already doing for Him when He called.

All the works I had "anointed" myself.

I can't open the door He's wanting me to, because my hands are slippery with works of my own.

I have to drop everything He hasn't called me to do, in order to go where He calls me to go.

And I must fall in love with Him daily.

I'm ready for His myrrh, His anointing oil to flow over me as I sit at His feet and listen to His voice calling me His beloved.

Two Weeks Ago

So, from my last blog, you know we were in Tulsa after leaving Colorado.

On the way, we stopped in Hays, Kansas.

We took the kids to the Sternberg Museum of Natural History.

It was very educational.

Especially since secular Science doesn't believe The Great Flood happened. (read all about it in Genesis 6.)

All of these fish bones were found in the middle of Kansas!

Crazy, right?

I won't give a geology lesson, I promise.

But Ellie and Drummer Boy sure got one!

After the field trip stop, it was on to Tulsa, Oklahoma for a night of worship, and weekend services with some wonderful people.

Because I am the main photographer, and I was onstage the entire time, there are no pictures with Pastor Bill Story or Pastor Paul Aelmore from Bethel Worship Center.

It was truly a memorable time in God's presence. We just have to work on photographic evidence.

We stopped in on Pastor Danny and Sarah Borrell at Faith Center in Tulsa.

I really really love them.

Now we are back home.

I tried to blog about this a few days ago, and then a couple days ago again, but couldn't attach any pictures.

From now on, I guess I'll have to blog without photos to stay current.

It's just not as fun.

Wednesday, I have an interview with a local radio station, KAJN (102.9 fm).

They have been playing "Stars" from Declaration.

I hope I don't ramble.

Why are you laughing?

I can do that, right?

Since We've Been Gone...

A LOT has happened.

I mean, a lot.

When last I wrote, we were preparing for a weekend worship seminar with our friends

Worship pastors Marty and Amy Gonzales:

It went awesome.

The entire weekend was amazing.

I taught two workshops the Saturday morning, one of which was a songwriting session. They wrote a song, "Heaven Is Falling." I loooved being part of the process as God poured through their worship team. We introduced the song during the Saturday night worship service, and then again to their church body on Sunday morning. The entire church really embraced the song.

God spoke the entire weekend. Not just during the services, which were refreshing and real. We were ready to hear what the Holy Spirit wanted to say. And He spoke.

We can't wait to go back.

Before leaving for Tulsa we took a couple days to see the Colorado Rocky Mountains...

Can I just say...WOW.

Ellie enjoying the view.

A lake. A beautiful, pristine, clear, probably freezing, lake.

Again. WOW.

Biker Man and Drummer Boy.

Ellie made a snowball. A snowball. In July.

Ellie also took this well composed photograph of Biker Man and myself.

We saw elk.

Up close.

Of course, Biker Man bemoaned the fact that we had obviously arranged a Colorado trip at the wrong time of year. He loves to hunt, and was understandably bitter the remainder of the afternoon.

Our smiles prove we had no idea that in two days we would be in 106 degree heat.

Which is another blog.

Mercy

Here are the promised pictures from the chapel at Mercy Ministries in Nashville.

It was an incredible time in the presence of God.

I was honored to be a part of what Jesus is doing in the lives of these amazing women.

Singing a song over the girls.

Teaching on worship, our worth and "worth-ship"-- we worship God because He is worthy, not based on our cirsumstances.

Then we opened it up for a Q & A session, and that's when it got really good.

We had a time at the end for the girls to talk and pray with me individually.

I stayed to eat lunch with them, then it was time to go.

I can't wait to go back.

God is without a doubt working in this wonderful place.

God is using Nancy Alcorn and every leader at Mercy Ministries to bring about change for His purpose and plan in the hearts and lives of these brave ladies.

Only Jesus can make the difference.

In Tennessee

We had a wonderful time in Tennessee. Here are some highlights of our time in Greeneville. We spent time with my dear friend, Jennifer Hillman, and her incredibly talented husband, Pastor Scott. Their church, River of Praise AG, was amazing. We arrived a couple days early to reconnect with our friends (I hadn't seen them in 17 years!). The tour around Greeneville became a history lesson for Ellie and Drummer Boy. And their parents as well.

Ellie girl with her new friends, Abbie and Mrs. Jennifer Hillman. We went to the Andrew Johnson Museum. Ellie is in period dress, part of the educational exhibit.

I think the stovepipe hat should make a comeback. At least on this kid. He can pull it off.

"Oh no! We're stuck in jail! Let us out!!!"

Enjoying the springtime feeling of almost zero humidity. Really.

A cannon ball lodged in this brick wall since the Civil War. Amazing.

Pastor Scott and Jennifer Hillman. Two of the most incredible people ever called into ministry.

Drummer Boy at Andrew Johnson's family grave site.

Biker Man and Drummer Boy studying history.

The service that Wednesday night was anointed, powerful, and had no time constraints.

We started at 7pm, and when Biker Man glanced at the clock a few minutes later, it was actually 9:20pm. We got so lost in the presence of God, that nothing else mattered. Pastor Scott sang and played guitar with me. And blew me away with his God-given abilities. Plural. Because he made that guitar sing beyond what I've thought humanly possible.

After altar time, and praying over needs, people meeting with Jesus on a more intimate level, it was time to leave. Around 11pm. (We had to get on the road and drive four and a half hours to Nashville. So I could be at Mercy Ministries the next morning. At nine. I'll post pictures of the chapel at Mercy in another post.)

I leave you with this picture of Jennifer and me at the close of the night at River of Praise.

Update

We thoroughly enjoyed having Tanya and Sergii come to stay. Our kids were influenced somewhat by the Australian company, as it seemed to creep into their speech. "Mum, I want to go fuusst!" said my daughter, apparently unaware she sounded as Aussie as they come.

It was a blast. Here are some pictures of the Susidko's visit.

The Susidkos

At Jungle Gardens on Avery Island, Susidko and Campbell children

Elijah and Annasophia

At the Tabasco plant, Avery Island

Elijah, Annasophia, & Nikita

The lovely Annasophia

Tanya and her daughter

On another note, we have been traveling since June 18th, working our way from Mobile, Alabama, to Charlotte, North Carolina, and now we are in the mountains of Greeneville, Tennessee. Blogger was not cooperating last week during the five minutes of internet service I had.

We have seen some amazing times of prayer and worship. I love getting into God's presence with other worshipers! I will post more soon. Please keep us in your prayers as we continue to be a voice of God's love to His body.