She said it, I knew it.

I am a missionary kid. Raised by parents who traveled the globe, mostly before I was born, but we moved to Australia when I was fifteen. I have it in my blood to travel to the furthest regions, and minister in the process. (And I get that if I didn't embrace the way I was raised, and appreciate it, I would want no part of it now.)
Well, I have always wanted to go to Africa. My parents ministered there in the 60's. (Long, long before I was born, so I never had the chance.) Mom and Dad were in Nigeria and the Congo. I have a little elephant my dad gave me when I was younger that I used to play with. Now it sits on the cabinet in the living room, a reminder of what is still in me to do. I have no idea what God has planned when (yes, I said when, not if) we go to Africa, I only know it's in my heart. Especially Kenya and Uganda.
Monday, some of our Master's Commission students left for Kenya. I wish I was going.
We have some dear friends from Uganda, Elisabeth and Moses Kitakule. I was their children's piano teacher for awhile. Thanksgiving day, Elisabeth called to see if I wanted to meet their dear friends, Hazel and Peter from Kenya.
Oh boy, you bet!
So Ellie has been longing to go to Africa since she met the Kitakule's. Now she wants to go to not only Uganda, but Kenya as well. I love the fact that she is expressing what I already know. We are going to do missions. As a family!! Just as I cannot escape the calling and burden for the lost I was raised with, neither will my children.
Ellie looked up at me after her friends left and said, "Now we HAVE to go to Africa."
I feel exactly the same way.

In Our Midst

Tonight, I led a night of worship in Ville Platte, Louisiana. If you don't know where that is, it's north of Lafayette. A small town, a small church, with a youth group of HUGE hearts. Pastor Chad Davis from New Life Assembly called me a few weeks ago, and asked if I could come lead a night of worship for his students in January. They will be doing this every month, building upon what they've been doing weekly, what we did tonight, and hopefully it will grow to include more than just youth, and more than just this one church. It's really exciting!

All I can say is, God had a plan tonight! We worshiped with no time limitations, or order of service, and it was wonderful. I had the amazing privilege of praying with some young ladies who definitely have the call of God on their lives!! Bo, our drummer, and Lee Blakney (that's right!) got to pray with some guys as well.

The word for tonight I kept hearing was "I joy over you. I long to tell you the secrets of My heart." My prayer is that these students keep pressing in to hear what the Father has in store for them. New Life students, I hope to see you at Hungry Retreat in March!!
I posted some pics of tonight. We will be doing this again, for sure!

The Big Plan

The other morning I was getting ready for work, and Little Drummer Boy was putting on his shoes. He paused while tying his shoes to give me a brief theological analogy.
"Mom, do you know what I think?"
"No, what?"
"I think that God doesn't make stuff happen. He PLANS stuff to happen."

Oh. Wow.
"Really? How do you mean?"
"Well, like the electricity going out last night. God didn't make that happen, but He PLANNED for it to happen."

Okay. This was a nice, clean statement wrapped up in an explanation I would have expected from my six year old son. I turned back to the sink, putting toothpaste on my toothbrush.

"And when Adam and Eve sinned, God didn't make them disobey. But He planned for it. Because God plans everything."

Wait, what??
I paused, toothbrush held over the sink, just staring at him for literally 30 seconds or so.
This is some deep thinking. My son is always asking about Heaven, Jesus, the Bible, why are we called Christians, why did God make mosquitoes (and did they come after Adam and Eve disobeyed), and a thousand other questions about this life we've chosen. But for him to put this together in his mind, and come up with such a simple and logical interpretation of something that has troubled mankind for centuries, just blew me away.
And I have. Struggled with that question. You know the one. "Why does bad stuff happen to people who follow Christ? Who have made Jesus Lord of their lives, no turning back? Why ?"
I thought of my firstborn son, lying in my arms, helpless against the disease taking him from us just hours after we welcomed him into our lives. Staring down at his beautiful face scrunched up with pain, praying, "Dear God, please please, anything but this. Please..." Wondering why for years afterwards.
And looking down at my six year old son, this bright eyed, busy, amazing blessing from Jesus, so full of child like faith, I saw the greater plan. The appreciation I have for the children He's given me. The closer walk I have with Him.
This miracle of hope looked up at me and grinned, two teeth missing in front.
"Thank you, so much, son," I said as a wave of emotion grabbed my heart, "Thanks so much. You really were listening to the Holy Spirit today. You made my day."
"I love you, mom."

THANKFUL

I am thankful.

Not for circumstances, but for the One Who has given me reason to be thankful. Because He has given me joy. Not happiness. Happiness is dependent upon circumstances. Joy is unchanging, from within.

Now, when I say "within", I'm not talking about the humanistic, self-realization, man is his own god kind of within.

Without Jesus, you can't have joy. He gives you the very reason for living, for getting up in the morning, serving your family, loving on those unlovable, and being moved to act on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves.

If I was simply moved by my emotions, then my happiness would depend upon if everything in my life was in order. My life should revolve around the strength of my life, Jesus.

That's what I'm striving for. And I'm so very thankful He's with me every step of the way.