It's About the Children

Friday, January 25, 2008

Challenges ....Is that a Good thing????

In the past month I have had several friends tell me "I pray 2008 will bring you challenges, joy and adventure" and "I pray that 2008 will be a great year for you, full of challenges and victories". So I called up my enlightening friend (yes you know who you are Queen Amidala :)) today and said do I really want a year full of challenges, she told me she would have to get back to me on that. So I have spent the evening pondering that question and well I have decided yes I do! It is those challenges that will stretch me and grow me this year. I need to be stretched and I need to grow in order to get another step closer to what God has for me. It's overcoming the challenges that helps me feel another step closer to my destiny. So bring on the challenges I'm ready to get closer!!!

Monday, January 21, 2008

My Day Off!!!!!

Today was full of comedy as we drove to Montgomery, Alabama to pick up Carly after she had spent the weekend at her dads house.

We had CJ in the backseat getting car sick from watching his monkey spin around.

We had Carly busting at the seams to get home and play her new Guitar Hero III that she had gotten for Christmas from her dad.

Then I had Cindy trying to convince me that the sour cherries were not sour!!

Look at that face, do you believe that?? :)

So as soon as we got home we all took a turn at Guitar Hero, those of you who know me know my turn did not last very long before I was boo-ed off the stage. It requires way too much coordination for me!!!! But we had a blast trying!!!!

Friday, January 18, 2008

Grayson Turns 8 Today!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRAYSON!!!!!!

My little money maker!!!!

How many 8 year olds do you know who would choose the cash over a birthday party???

My birthday present to him was this 6 ft target he can use his paintball gun on!!!!

Putting all 8 of his candles on his cake!!!!

Staff Retreat 2008

The past 24 hours have been packed with great worship, awesome words from Pastor, fun, fellowship and a little HPC serving. We started the retreat with an awesome worship service that led us into a time of learning from pastor. It is our 15th Birthday this year so Pastor shared with us 15 traits necessary to be in it for the long haul. This morning he shared with us about expectation. We need to expect great things from God!!! We then served at Winbourne by working to get the Women's Shelter closer to being operational. We ended the day with a 15th Birthday Celebration.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Where Are Your Eyes Fixed????

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith..." Hebrews 12:1

My Testimony

I grew up in a Christian home where I was drug to church every time the doors were open. I spent my childhood trying to follow the Christian ways that my parents had drilled into my head, but when I was 10 I made a choice all on my own to accept Christ as my Savior and follow and serve Him for the rest of my life. I continued to follow after God, and when I was 15 I knew God was calling me into full time ministry. In my mind I believed their were only 2 options for me; a children’s pastor or a youth pastor. For 10 years I went around and around and around because I let fear stop me from doing what God created me to do. Finally I got tired of not going anywhere and I asked God what is it that you want me to do. He told me He wanted me on the mission field. This was very hard for me to hear because I spent my entire life with a fear of leaving the United States, I grew up saying I was never going to another country. I put aside all my fears and said O.K. God I will go. My first trip out of the United States God sends me by myself, I cried for a week before I left, I cried on the plane the whole way down to Honduras, but once I got there and I experienced what God had waiting for me it was greater than anything I had experienced in the States. After setting foot on foreign soil I knew thats where I was spending the rest of my life. I still was not completely open to what God had for me I still had some restrictions. We had a sermon series called The HPC Apprentice; 4 people out of the church were chosen and I was 1 of the 4, we spent several weeks just doing whatever was asked of us, serving the church, serving the community and then at the end the church voted on who they thought should win. I did not win, but the guy who did win won a trip to Swaziland, Africa. After finding out what the prize was I was so glad I did not win, because I had also spent my entire life saying I was never going to Africa. Well, over the next 6 months God begins to work on me and all of a sudden I am now telling my sister I really want to go to Africa. My sister had a friend who was going to Africa in 2 months so she called her up and told her I wanted to go to Africa, so she said let me see what I can do. Next thing I know I’m receiving a phone call saying I hear you want to go to Africa. Within a month I had raised every penny I needed for the trip and within another month I was on a plane to Africa. Do you know I made it to Africa before the guy who won the trip to Africa? When God has a plan He makes away. So 2005 was the first year I went to Africa, I went home from that trip with a calling on my life to reach, serve, nurture and love the children of Africa. I spent six months living in Mozambique, Africa I returned with an even greater passion to reach the unforgotten children around the world. After returning from Africa I co-founded Red Thread Ministries to help those who are without means to help themselves. We work with children domestic and international, sharing the love of Jesus. For more information and ways to get invovled checkout our website at www.redthreadministries.org