Sudan Sneak Peek

I'll be posting thoughts and more pictures from Sudan but I wanted to just give you a peek for now. These sweet girls live in an orphanage close to where we stayed. They are precious.

300 Days.

Exactly 300 days ago, life as we knew it was forever changed.

300 days ago, I wasn't sure how many more days I would have with my husband.

300 days ago, I wasn't sure of the quality of those remaining days.

300 days later, my healthy, whole husband and I are boarding a plane for the other side of the world.

300 days later, we are preparing our hearts to refresh the saints and shine the light of the gospel in Sudan.

300 days ago, God was good and did good.

300 days later, God is good and does good.

May He be forever praised!

Sudan

A week from today, Matt and I will be heading out for 12 days of teaching, loving on and learning from the people of south Sudan. Our church, The Village Church, has become a partner in spreading the gospel in Sudan with a local church there. We will spend our time encouraging and refreshing the saints. Matt will be teaching the pastors theology and pastoral care. My dear friend Dawntoya and I will be teaching a women's conference on biblical womanhood and visiting a nearby orphanage.

On a more personal note, just before Matt's surgery in December last year, we received a humbling picture of the church in Sudan literally on their knees interceding on his behalf. If we can offer anything to these sweet brothers and sisters, it will not compare to what they have already given us! We are grateful and I can't wait to express my gratitude personally to them.

I share this news with you for two reasons: (1) that you would commit to pray for us before and during our trip (September 22 through October 3) and (2) if the Holy Spirit leads, that you would contribute financially to our team. There are ten of us making the trip. One of our team members is recording artist LeCrae. He has posted a link to make financial contributions through the web. If you feel led, please follow this link and scroll down to the bottom of the blog entry (which I highly recommend reading!) until you see "DONATE HERE". Remember that no matter what you are able to contribute (constant prayers to $1 to $1000), each "gift" will be equally accepted joyfully and gratefully.

Thank you in advance!

He is Able

Grateful.

That word pretty much sums it up.

Thank you for your prayers and your words. We feel carried by the Holy Spirit through the prayers of the saints!

I am grateful to know there is no evidence of recurrent tumor in my husband's brain.

He, the Lord our God, is able!

The Superfluous Shoot

The gardener's sharp-edged knife promotes the fruitfulness of the tree, by thinning the clusters, and by cutting off superfluous shoots. So is it, Christian, with that pruning which the Lord gives to thee. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit." John 15:1 - 2

As Matt's fourth (? I've lost count!) post-surgery MRI is only hours away, I've been hit with a curve-ball of anxiety. Until now, I've gone into each scan, appointment, or meeting with little fear. I'm not sure what's different this time aside from two things:

1. With the exception of the first MRI (in the ER after his seizure) and diagnosis, we've gotten nothing but good, hopeful news. I am so grateful for this and am asking and wanting to believe Matt's complete healing. However, it's as if there is a part of me that is waiting for the other shoe to drop. There's a little whisper saying, it really is too good to be true.

2. The Lord is wanting to expose the lie, however small, that I am believing. Let me tell you what the lie is NOT first.

The lie is not: God will not heal Matt. I believe the Lord can and will heal Matt but even if He doesn't heal him on earth, he will be perfectly healed in heaven.

The lie is this: God is not good and He does not want my good.

This is the lie that tripped up Eve in the garden. This is the lie that has plagued humankind ever since. This is the lie the Father exposed through His Son on the cross. "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay his life down for his friends." How can we not see through this lie? "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will he not also with Him graciously give us all things?"

So, the Lord reveals the lie that a small part of me still believes. He uses the anxiety to remind me to be rooted in Him and His truth: if He is for me, what can be against me? He prunes the branches. He gets rid of the "superfluous shoot."

Norah's First Birthday

On May 29, 2010, Norah turned one! Hopefully, since her first year is behind us, I will be making more contributions to this blog. Thank you to all who've continued to read and comment despite my meager entries!

I wanted to share some snapshots from Norah's party. It was a garden theme thus we celebrated in my parents' garden. Three-digit temperatures had yet to smother us...how I am dreaming of those days!

My parents and Matt's parents, sisters and their families joined us for a sweet little celebration. Our roommate Stephanie made the cupcakes and smash cake. She is incredibly talented and enjoys baking (hint, hint...shameless plug).

Norah's name means "light/torch" or "honor." She has been a huge

bright spot in the past year. Her smile lights up our world and we are honored to s

hepherd her little heart to trust in the Savior Shepherd who loves her even more than we do.

Norah, you are a joy to love!

Memorials

Have you ever anticipated an event, got there, experienced it, knew something monumental was stirring in you throughout it but were left with just a vague impression of all that had just transpired?

Maybe I'm the only one.

In my walk with Christ, there have been times when the Lord has whispered, savor this. In the moment, I can cognitively acknowledge its preciousness but my heart hasn't quite wrapped around it. I can tell myself, okay, one day, this is going to mean something beyond what it's meaning to me right now.

In the Old Testament, the Lord had His people, the Israelites, set up memorials to remind His people of all He had done for them. You'd think they'd just remember if it was such a big deal. But, not unlike myself, they got distracted by needs, wants and a deceitful heart that would lead them astray into trusting men instead of God. They forgot how perfectly the Lord delivered them from their enemies and provided for all the needs and wants. Since He knew them and knew that would happen, He was adamant about constructing a memorial as a physical, tangible evidence of His faithfulness.

Today, I glanced down at my phone and noticed the date: May 20, 2010. Ten years ago to the day, I was a part of an event that I knew would become a memorial in my heart but, at the time, hadn't quite had my heart wrap around it. I remember thinking it would be something monumental but had no idea how the Lord would flesh it out in me personally.

Ten years later, the Lord gave me a picture: a road, not so level in some places, winding, well-beaten with monuments marking every quarter mile or so. It was as if I heard Him say, that's the way you've come, that's the life you've lived, and the monuments are distinct evidences of My faithfulness to you...see what I've done? ...see how much I love you?

May 20, 2000 was one of those days He plucked from among many to show me His faithfulness. I couldn't grasp all that He was showing me that day, but looking back I can see it went beyond one day...beyond just me. It stands now in thousands of hearts among hundreds of other memorials to proclaim God's faithfulness. He was faithful then. He is faithful now. He will be faithful forever.