Hey all, for any of you checking this on a regular basis (again my apologies offered), we have a group here now...MY PEEPS ARE HERE!!!! The group from my home church has come and they are terrific people who have loved and supported us through the living here and we could not have done what we do without them. And now...we are hitting the ground running...
We were at Didasko children's home on Saturday, spent the day at Casa yesterday with our kiddo's, today we'll be off to the hospital...Casitas Kennedy...and the blind school, so our days are being filled with the blessing of giving yourself away to some folks who steal your heart and end up giving you so much more than you could have ever given. It's a beautiful thing.
If you'd like to stay up to date on the daily happenings...my brother Chris (yeah I adopted him too, I told you I LIKE big families) and besides that he's just doggone good stuff, is posting on the Captured Heart website, missions tab.
Here's the link, Missions Trip Updates, click and read...enjoy...and most of all please pray as we continue to attempt to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
Be blessed as you are a blessing!
Monday, March 31, 2008
Saturday, March 08, 2008
May I Just Say...
She was beautiful...the day was blessed by God...Dorian was thrilled to behold his bride...and we were humbled to be a part of it.
I will post more pictures very soon, as for now the happy couple have set off for Costa Rica for 10 days.
Some things you just know were planned by God before the beginning of time. This is one of them!!
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Your Praying Hearts...
Before another day passes I want to just alert you all to a family that could certainly use an army of prayer warriors.
Most of you who know me well, have heard me talk about Mark and Lori Connell. They are pretty near and dear to the heart of this place. Our children adore them, and we're not far behind in the adoring category. We adore them too!!
For a long time now they have been feeling God tug on their hearts to be down here full time being a part of the work in Honduras. Lori is the executive director for the Mi Esperanza project which many of you are familiar with that helps impoverished women learn a trade and begin to be able to provide for their families through the skills they've learned. That is a very poor description of the multitude of things they're accomplishing, it's amazing, but you can check out more about it at their website...it's linked on the right of this page. Mark is nuts, that's all there is to it, but he's also got a heart as big as Texas and he would serve till his knuckles were raw and does sometimes. He is joy personified and we love having him around here. Every summer he helps TORCH teams, he for lack of a better word "mentors" some little guys in a poor community called San Miguel, he serves and when someone recently described some of what he was doing, one of his very good friends said "real ministry just speaks for itself huh??!!" It's true, and it fits him.
Anyway, future plans are to build an artisan center here in Santa Ana to teach and employ even more women and so we've been singing Mr. Rogers theme song to them for so long begging them to be our neighbor's and live across the street from our project here at Casa. Handy huh??!!
So just a few weeks ago they made an announcement to come on board full time in Honduras with Mi Esperanza and various other projects here and we are DELIGHTED to say the least. If you're looking for a good place to spend a few bucks right now they could use some help getting their things down here and all the start up expenses that come with a move like this. If you're interested let me know and I can get you some more information on all of that.
As so many of us know, Satan never turns his head for a moment to things like a passionate devotion to Christ and a willingness to leave it all and go and so the attacks have begun. This last week or so their family has had a rough time and that's a tremendous understatement...I could tell you what I know about it, but Lori did a beautiful job of sharing her heart and so I'd encourage you to read what she wrote on her blog.
Then I'd encourage you to be a part of an army of prayer warriors who are pleading fervently for the heart of this sweet new mommy who should be getting to enjoy the stuffin's out of her baby right now who is struggling in no uncertain terms. Pray for her dear parents too who are watching their baby struggle. Not an easy thing to do we know. They could just all use some folks to hold them up right now.
Rise up my friends it's time for battle...better yet let's bow on behalf of them!! We'll win the battle there. He is faithful!!
Most of you who know me well, have heard me talk about Mark and Lori Connell. They are pretty near and dear to the heart of this place. Our children adore them, and we're not far behind in the adoring category. We adore them too!!
For a long time now they have been feeling God tug on their hearts to be down here full time being a part of the work in Honduras. Lori is the executive director for the Mi Esperanza project which many of you are familiar with that helps impoverished women learn a trade and begin to be able to provide for their families through the skills they've learned. That is a very poor description of the multitude of things they're accomplishing, it's amazing, but you can check out more about it at their website...it's linked on the right of this page. Mark is nuts, that's all there is to it, but he's also got a heart as big as Texas and he would serve till his knuckles were raw and does sometimes. He is joy personified and we love having him around here. Every summer he helps TORCH teams, he for lack of a better word "mentors" some little guys in a poor community called San Miguel, he serves and when someone recently described some of what he was doing, one of his very good friends said "real ministry just speaks for itself huh??!!" It's true, and it fits him.
Anyway, future plans are to build an artisan center here in Santa Ana to teach and employ even more women and so we've been singing Mr. Rogers theme song to them for so long begging them to be our neighbor's and live across the street from our project here at Casa. Handy huh??!!
So just a few weeks ago they made an announcement to come on board full time in Honduras with Mi Esperanza and various other projects here and we are DELIGHTED to say the least. If you're looking for a good place to spend a few bucks right now they could use some help getting their things down here and all the start up expenses that come with a move like this. If you're interested let me know and I can get you some more information on all of that.
As so many of us know, Satan never turns his head for a moment to things like a passionate devotion to Christ and a willingness to leave it all and go and so the attacks have begun. This last week or so their family has had a rough time and that's a tremendous understatement...I could tell you what I know about it, but Lori did a beautiful job of sharing her heart and so I'd encourage you to read what she wrote on her blog.
Then I'd encourage you to be a part of an army of prayer warriors who are pleading fervently for the heart of this sweet new mommy who should be getting to enjoy the stuffin's out of her baby right now who is struggling in no uncertain terms. Pray for her dear parents too who are watching their baby struggle. Not an easy thing to do we know. They could just all use some folks to hold them up right now.
Rise up my friends it's time for battle...better yet let's bow on behalf of them!! We'll win the battle there. He is faithful!!
Is it too late???
So my question is, is it too late to make a New Years Resolution??
Cause if it isn't I am RESOLVED to doing better about this daggone blog. Goodness, I used to write on here all the time and update you all. I have been so slacking, and it's not for a lack of things to tell you about. For one thing, our internet (which comes from satellite) has been undergoing rough times...slow as Moses times, so it takes 3 hours for a post to upload sometimes, which talks you clear out of the notion of wanting to post anything for sure. However, it is NO excuse for not filling you in on some way wonderful stuff that's been going on.
So my resolution is this...(Ashley inspired me)...that at least half the days of the month I'm putting something on here. 15 posts a month, yep gonna do it!! May be a one liner some days ... but you deserve better than I've done and so I'm buckling down, fighting off the demon that interferes with our satellite signal and producing some posts.
Think I'll start now. Might do a few today to catch up and we'll see what happens from here.
Much love!
Cause if it isn't I am RESOLVED to doing better about this daggone blog. Goodness, I used to write on here all the time and update you all. I have been so slacking, and it's not for a lack of things to tell you about. For one thing, our internet (which comes from satellite) has been undergoing rough times...slow as Moses times, so it takes 3 hours for a post to upload sometimes, which talks you clear out of the notion of wanting to post anything for sure. However, it is NO excuse for not filling you in on some way wonderful stuff that's been going on.
So my resolution is this...(Ashley inspired me)...that at least half the days of the month I'm putting something on here. 15 posts a month, yep gonna do it!! May be a one liner some days ... but you deserve better than I've done and so I'm buckling down, fighting off the demon that interferes with our satellite signal and producing some posts.
Think I'll start now. Might do a few today to catch up and we'll see what happens from here.
Much love!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Spoiled Rotten...
You know every once in a while, God shows us how incredibly spoiled we are and we have the sense to recognize it, and then there are those times in life when He overwhelmingly seems set upon it being in your face in HUGE ways. When your blessings could not be denied if you wanted to try, and where you feel so incredibly small as you run through the record of your spoiledness.
It's a fact, I am a spoiled girl. Sometimes a spoiled brat, I'd like to think most often I'm just a spoiled girl who is learning how better to handle that and share it and be a blessing because of it. I could spend a lot of time listing just the ways I'm aware of that I have been blessed far beyond anything I deserve, but it would leave out soooo many ways I still don't have sense to see, and it would take an awfully long time to list just the ones I do.
God help us. Help us to never believe we have any of this because we've done something to deserve it or because someone came along before us and was able to create for us a land that was entitled to blessings while others weren't. Help us to understand, to really get that You are the giver of every single one of them and you've asked one single thing of us in them...to be a blessing as we have been blessed.
Help us to understand that better every day that we live!!
It's a fact, I am a spoiled girl. Sometimes a spoiled brat, I'd like to think most often I'm just a spoiled girl who is learning how better to handle that and share it and be a blessing because of it. I could spend a lot of time listing just the ways I'm aware of that I have been blessed far beyond anything I deserve, but it would leave out soooo many ways I still don't have sense to see, and it would take an awfully long time to list just the ones I do.
God help us. Help us to never believe we have any of this because we've done something to deserve it or because someone came along before us and was able to create for us a land that was entitled to blessings while others weren't. Help us to understand, to really get that You are the giver of every single one of them and you've asked one single thing of us in them...to be a blessing as we have been blessed.
Help us to understand that better every day that we live!!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
LUVIN...
Well today was the 31st day and we were supposed to be able to go and visit Luvin today. I called the gentleman who has Luvin in his center and he told me that unfortunately a couple weeks ago, Luvin had one of his "moments" when he decided he wanted to run away from the center where he is and so it was decided best if we give him a bit more time to adjust and reprogram some of the junk.
We set up a date and time for a week from Saturday to visit, so we're looking forward to that. They have him in an intense bible program right now to help him work through some things that his heart needs to sort out. He will love getting to learn the Bible, he is so sensitive to things of God. I've said for a LONG time that he's going to be a little preacher someday. May it be so Lord that he preaches you whether from a pulpit or with his life.
Anyway just wanted to give you an update, he is doing well, and is safe and sound still at the center, praise God. We appreciate your prayers on his behalf so much and beg for you to continue. God is going to do amazing things in the life of this little guy, I have believed that fro the moment he looked into these eyes and asked if he could call me mom the first day I met him. Good stuff in there, God's just uncovering the diamond that's been covered up with dirt.
I can't wait to watch him shine!!
We set up a date and time for a week from Saturday to visit, so we're looking forward to that. They have him in an intense bible program right now to help him work through some things that his heart needs to sort out. He will love getting to learn the Bible, he is so sensitive to things of God. I've said for a LONG time that he's going to be a little preacher someday. May it be so Lord that he preaches you whether from a pulpit or with his life.
Anyway just wanted to give you an update, he is doing well, and is safe and sound still at the center, praise God. We appreciate your prayers on his behalf so much and beg for you to continue. God is going to do amazing things in the life of this little guy, I have believed that fro the moment he looked into these eyes and asked if he could call me mom the first day I met him. Good stuff in there, God's just uncovering the diamond that's been covered up with dirt.
I can't wait to watch him shine!!
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Prayers Please...
And by the way, we started with chicken pox yesterday in the house, so if you could all just pray us through that potential epidemic that would be great. :):) I mean with 2 or 3 it is a potential problem, but with 15 well yeah, nuff said!
All will be just fine but for now Fito is scratching and itching with those little lovely bumps all over his chest and arms and we're waiting to see who else will develop them in the days to come.
We appreciate your prayers. Love you all.
All will be just fine but for now Fito is scratching and itching with those little lovely bumps all over his chest and arms and we're waiting to see who else will develop them in the days to come.
We appreciate your prayers. Love you all.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
I have so much to write to you, and pictures to show you, and I can't find my camera cord at the moment and no one has one to fit my camera so say some prayers it shows up and I'll get on that, but I wanted to pass along this to you today.
Maybe I'm passing it along cause I read it a year or so ago and loved it and when I read it this week I realized how much my heart needed to hear and proclaim it again. I was touched in deep places the first time by it and maybe in deeper places this time, as I realized how desperately I want this, to live this way, be this way, surrender this way, and how difficult that is to do most often.
I've printed it out and put it in my journal to read and reread and reread and reread, maybe daily...think it sums up the best of anything else I've read what my hearts cry really is when it comes to walking this thing out passionately.
So I pass it on to you in the hopes that it touches you as well...and causes you to live differently in pursuit of Him.
A Call to Radical Commitment
by Rick Warren
Today I am stepping across the line. I'm tired of waffling, and I'm finished with wavering. I've made my choice; the verdict is in; and my decision is irrevocable. I'm going God's way. There's no turning back now!
I will live the rest of my life serving God's purposes with God's people on God's planet for God's glory. I will use my life to celebrate his presence, cultivate his character, participate in his family, demonstrate his love, and communicate his Word.
Since my past has been forgiven, and I have a purpose for living and a home awaiting in heaven, I refuse to waste any more time or energy on shallow living, petty thinking, trivial talking, thoughtless doing, useless regretting, hurtful resenting, or faithless worrying.Instead I will magnify God, grow to maturity, serve in ministry, and fulfill my mission in the membership of his family.
Because this life is preparation for the next, I will value worship over wealth, “we” over “me,” character over comfort, service over status, and people over possessions, position, and pleasures. I know what matters most, and I'll give it all I've got. I'll do the best I can with what I have for Jesus Christ today.
I won't be captivated by culture, manipulated by critics, motivated by praise, frustrated by problems, debilitated by temptation, or intimidated by the devil. I'll keep running my race with my eyes on the goal, not the sidelines or those running by me. When times get tough, and I get tired, I won't back up, back off, back down, back out, or backslide. I'll just keep moving forward by God's grace.
I'm Spirit-led, purpose-driven and mission-focused, so I cannot be bought, I will not be compromised, and I shall not quit until I finish the race.I'm a trophy of God's amazing grace, so I will be gracious to everyone, grateful for everyday, and generous with everything that God entrusts to me.
To my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I say: However, whenever, wherever, and whatever you ask me to do, my answer in advance is yes! Wherever you lead and whatever the cost, I'm ready. Anytime. Anywhere. Anyway. Whatever it takes Lord; whatever it takes!
I want to be used by you in such a way, that on that final day I'll hear you say, "Well done, thou good and faithful one.
Come on in, and let the eternal party begin!"
Maybe I'm passing it along cause I read it a year or so ago and loved it and when I read it this week I realized how much my heart needed to hear and proclaim it again. I was touched in deep places the first time by it and maybe in deeper places this time, as I realized how desperately I want this, to live this way, be this way, surrender this way, and how difficult that is to do most often.
I've printed it out and put it in my journal to read and reread and reread and reread, maybe daily...think it sums up the best of anything else I've read what my hearts cry really is when it comes to walking this thing out passionately.
So I pass it on to you in the hopes that it touches you as well...and causes you to live differently in pursuit of Him.
A Call to Radical Commitment
by Rick Warren
Today I am stepping across the line. I'm tired of waffling, and I'm finished with wavering. I've made my choice; the verdict is in; and my decision is irrevocable. I'm going God's way. There's no turning back now!
I will live the rest of my life serving God's purposes with God's people on God's planet for God's glory. I will use my life to celebrate his presence, cultivate his character, participate in his family, demonstrate his love, and communicate his Word.
Since my past has been forgiven, and I have a purpose for living and a home awaiting in heaven, I refuse to waste any more time or energy on shallow living, petty thinking, trivial talking, thoughtless doing, useless regretting, hurtful resenting, or faithless worrying.Instead I will magnify God, grow to maturity, serve in ministry, and fulfill my mission in the membership of his family.
Because this life is preparation for the next, I will value worship over wealth, “we” over “me,” character over comfort, service over status, and people over possessions, position, and pleasures. I know what matters most, and I'll give it all I've got. I'll do the best I can with what I have for Jesus Christ today.
I won't be captivated by culture, manipulated by critics, motivated by praise, frustrated by problems, debilitated by temptation, or intimidated by the devil. I'll keep running my race with my eyes on the goal, not the sidelines or those running by me. When times get tough, and I get tired, I won't back up, back off, back down, back out, or backslide. I'll just keep moving forward by God's grace.
I'm Spirit-led, purpose-driven and mission-focused, so I cannot be bought, I will not be compromised, and I shall not quit until I finish the race.I'm a trophy of God's amazing grace, so I will be gracious to everyone, grateful for everyday, and generous with everything that God entrusts to me.
To my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I say: However, whenever, wherever, and whatever you ask me to do, my answer in advance is yes! Wherever you lead and whatever the cost, I'm ready. Anytime. Anywhere. Anyway. Whatever it takes Lord; whatever it takes!
I want to be used by you in such a way, that on that final day I'll hear you say, "Well done, thou good and faithful one.
Come on in, and let the eternal party begin!"
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Luvin's Adventure...
Well as of about 7:30 last night Luvin is at his new "home." I pray it feels like home soon. Not easy to watch a little guy who has about perfected tough and street kid standing there crying because he's scared and because he really really thinks he wants to stay with people that he knows love him. Certainly not easy to drive away.
Regardless the new adventure begins and we pray that this sweet place called "Arca de Noe" (Noah's ark) will be a vivid reminder that God keeps His promises faithfully.
Last year for my birthday Momma Grose gave me a music box and wrote a precious note and put inside it. It plays Jesus Loves Me. How fitting is that. Didn't have any idea that God would use it as a symbol to remind me that He is with us through this. Gina took it off my shelf last night when she saw it and handed it to me and said here it's a sign. On the top of the music box it has this precious little picture of the ark and at the top says, "Noah's Ark" and at the bottom it says, "God Keeps His Promises." I held onto it last night while the song played and we prayed and cried. Have a feeling I'll hold it close to my chest a few times this week to remind myself that He is faithful and that God planned all this before time and will carry Him through.
Please please please continue to pray for Luvin. Scary stuff for a 10 year old who has never had a safe place in his life. Praying for God to wrap him up, please join me in that prayer. This one could use an army of prayer warriors.
I love you all. Blessings on your day.
Regardless the new adventure begins and we pray that this sweet place called "Arca de Noe" (Noah's ark) will be a vivid reminder that God keeps His promises faithfully.
Last year for my birthday Momma Grose gave me a music box and wrote a precious note and put inside it. It plays Jesus Loves Me. How fitting is that. Didn't have any idea that God would use it as a symbol to remind me that He is with us through this. Gina took it off my shelf last night when she saw it and handed it to me and said here it's a sign. On the top of the music box it has this precious little picture of the ark and at the top says, "Noah's Ark" and at the bottom it says, "God Keeps His Promises." I held onto it last night while the song played and we prayed and cried. Have a feeling I'll hold it close to my chest a few times this week to remind myself that He is faithful and that God planned all this before time and will carry Him through.
Please please please continue to pray for Luvin. Scary stuff for a 10 year old who has never had a safe place in his life. Praying for God to wrap him up, please join me in that prayer. This one could use an army of prayer warriors.
I love you all. Blessings on your day.
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