I Need Your Help

On July 16th, Audrey (my 9-year-old) and I will, Lord willing, be traveling with a small group of women to Kenya to love on some missionaries and orphans--one of whom has become particularly special to our family (she is pictured below). She lives in Naomi's Village--a home for children who have been orphaned or rescued from life-threatening circumstances. They receive love, care, support and discipleship.

The Lord put this trip on my heart in January, and He has been faithful to line up our schedule and place people to join us in the adventure--physically, spiritually and financially. However, we've run into a snag. With rising gas prices, our plane tickets are much higher than we initially planned.

When I first received the news, I was honestly discouraged. I felt sure that this is what the Lord had in store for us. Providentially, I was reading through a manuscript of an amazing new author who serves as a missionary with her husband and children in the Middle East (I cannot wait to recommend her book to you!). She recounts the story in Exodus 17:8-13 of the battle between the Israelites and the Amalekites. Joshua and a select group of men go out to fight their enemies. Moses, Aaron and Hur stand on the top of a hill nearby. Whenever Moses holds up the staff of God with his hands high in the air, Joshua and the Israelites prevail. As soon as his arms lower, their enemies prevail. Naturally, Moses' arms began to grow weary but they did not give up. They took a stone and put it under Moses, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands. It says, "So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun...and Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword."

Now, I know this story is ultimately a shadow of Christ's arms being outstretched on a cross on our behalf to utterly destroy our enemies of sin and death. Praise Him!! But, I also believe it is a portrait of how we may come alongside one another, "one on one side, and the other on the other side," to accomplish something we feel the Lord has put in our heart to do.

This is where you come in. Would you prayerfully consider giving to this trip? Would you stand with us, "one on one side, and the other on the other side" to see this come to fruition? If you can't give financially, will you pray for the Lord to provide? If you can give financially, there is one small incentive.

At the end of this month I am going into the studio to record my first EP (a collection of 5 or 6 songs that I have written and will perform). I would love to give you a copy of it (once it is printed, which would be some time toward the beginning of August...after our trip to Kenya), if you give $10 or more to our trip. 

Here's how you can give:

Online: go to  www.lostorphans.com - general donations tab - Naomi's Village - add to cart - select amount to donate - choose Naomi's Village again in the drop down menu - place order - put *Chandler* in the comment section when filling out the donate page.

By mail: Send a check payable to LOI with "Chandler" in the memo line to: LOI, P.O. Box 1388, McKinney, Texas 75070

***make sure you give them your address for tax purposes and (if you give $10 or more) so that I can send you your copy of the EP***

All contributions are tax-deductible.

Thank you for even considering this and especially for praying for us! I will be updating the blog in the coming weeks, during our trip and afterward.

Blessings!
Lauren


For more information on Naomi's Village, go to naomisvillage.com