It's feeling a bit like Fall!

We have been enjoying the feeling of fall (in between all the rain!) and taking some time to do some skating!
Our apartment has an awesome gathering area that has a sand volleyball area, LOTS of grass and a sidewalk trail that is great for biking and skating! The girls have enjoyed getting some fun family time outside.

Anli was going SO fast on this hill! She has her pink inline skates on! We are so ready for some consistent fall weather...it has been so nice!

We found these weird HUGE mushrooms...a little scary I must say! The rain brought out some funky things.

Home study visit!

This morning we had our first (well...actually our 3rd...if you count the other one we did) home study visit for our adoption. It was AWESOME! She knows that we have gone through this route before and were approved just a few months ago, so we were able to really truck through some remaining papers she needed and discuss a few things we need to still acquire.

She is so very nice and we just loved getting to know her. She is a sweet Christian stay-at-home mom who does this part time! She talked with all of us for a long time mainly talking and listening to the girls. She was wonderful with them and they loved talking...um...they are kin to me, you know!

She looked around the house and wrote up a description. Then, we made some copies of some records she needed (vet, insurance, tax forms, etc.) and then she was headed off. It was only an hour and 20 minutes!!! LOVE IT!!!

We will meet again next Monday and she will meet with Jay and I individually and then the last meeting will follow really quickly just answer any of our remaining questions...if we have them. It should be finished in the next 2-3 weeks! We can then send that off to the Department of Homeland Security to put with our I-600A form. One more step in the process (but one of the MOST vital!).

I know for many of you this language seems pretty foreign. But, it's really not that scary once you jump in with both feet! Thanks for those who send emails and e-cards to us today to remind us you were praying. They mean so much! We are trucking right along:)

Yumschool!

For the past few weeks, we have been studying about North America...especially the United States in Geography. So...our curriculum (which we LOVE) had us make an American flag dessert. And it was yuuuummmmy!

We started by lining a cookie sheet with a sugar cookie dough. Then, we made some homemade cream cheese icing and then got to decorating!
First, we got 50 blueberries to make the blue around the stars (we didn't make stars...so the white between the blueberries looked like the star!

Then, we made the stripes with cut strawberries. How incredible cute...and yes the flag is nice too:)

I tell ya...we love us some YUMschool!

First Home study visit Monday!

Hi all! Well, Monday we have our first home study visit with social worker. We have been through a home study before...as we were applying for foster care through DFCS. Actually...we just finished our last home study about 2 months ago. We were approved, so we are thinking this one will be pretty quick...at least that's what we are praying:)

We were on the road to being a foster care family from last April until we began applying to adopt from Uganda last month. The crazy thing is that...though we completed all the courses (7 weeks of 3 hours classes), did all the paper work, AND were approved in our home study...we NEVER have heard back from DFCS (Department of Family and Children Services). We were approved in our home study back in the summer around July...and DFCS has NEVER contacted us to see if we were registered foster parents.

So, those who knew about the foster care (I didn't write about it on the blog because we were waiting until it was all completed) wondered what we would do about being foster parents if we adopted. Well...I guess there is no need to worry! We have called and called and emailed and emailed them with no response!

I wonder if God held all that back so that we would be opened to adopting at this time. Honestly, if we had a little foster baby in the home right now we would have put the thought of adopting from Uganda away!

So, thought we have had our home study with DFCS recently, our social worker who did it was not certified to write international adoption home studies. So...we had to start over! Oh, well...we didn't have to pay for it anyway...so really it isn't even our property. It is hard to redo everything we have just finished (drug tests, fingerprints, references, paper work, etc.), but we want it done correctly and by someone who knows how to write international home studies!

So...Monday that begins again. Pray that all will go well and that it will be written very quickly! She said if we were willing to go quickly she was ready to do that also! Girl, we are READY!

It's like dominoes with international adoption. We have to complete the home study in order to send it to the US Department of Homeland Security...to get approval (for our I-600A) to bring back an orphan from another country. That approval takes like 2 months. So...that might put us not even getting approved until November...right before all the holidays.

We already sent off that form without the home study and hope to get logged in a little early and then will send off the home study when we get it. Well, that is all we have right now. Pray if you are led for our home study on Monday...gonna be organizing and cleaning on Sunday night (again). At least now I know what it's like!

It's War Eagle Time!

Well, it is that time of year again! The time of year when we wear LOTS of orange, cheer for Tigers, get to see Jay's family almost every weekend...and love college football!
I met my sweet hubby at Auburn University...that is reason enough to believe that Auburn is NUMBER ONE!

Anli loves her Auburn Tigers so much...she's turning into one!

Look at the cutie pie! Before long she will be getting her braces and she will look so grown up. She is one cute Tiger!

Grammy painted all their toenails orange in honor of the first game a few weeks ago. I just love this little picture. I also LOVE Grammy's flip flops!

War Eagle, Y'all!

Some Homeschool fun

We have so enjoyed our year of homeschool this year. We have changed curriculum and are so very glad that we did! It just fits where we are this year. We (with much help from my friend Brooke) chose Apologia for our science. It focuses a year of immersed study following the days of creation. This year we are immersed into Astronomy. We LOVE it! I feel like finally we are "getting" something...instead of just getting a little bit here and there.

Each week or so we have an activity to get our "hands on" learning. Recently (since I'm a little behind on posting) we all worked together to make a solar system. We try to make Fridays our experiment days...since Jay is home on those days to do school with us!

We used all sizes of balloons to make a scale model of the planets. It gave us measurements and we blew the balloons up to that size and then we hung it up in our sunroom/classroom. It was such fun...and we ALL got involved!
Jay was in charge of measuring and hanging up the planets. He is our resident engineer brain...so we give him all the "boring" stuff...and we got to work on decorating them to look like the planets!

That big one is Saturn. We enjoyed drawing the rings on it. I love teaching the girls! I love seeing them enjoy learning...and you know what...I am learning SO much too. There is so much I don't know about Astronomy...and I have a minor in science!!!

There will be many more fun experiments and homeschool posts to come as we truly enjoy our new year of learning and growing. What a blessed momma I am! I thank Him every day...

Pictures of Amani Baby Cottage!

I have met LOTS of new "bloggie" friends who are adopting from Amani! I have been reading all their stories since our kids are on break this week from school. God was good to give me a whole week to really absorb lots of information, fill out lots of forms, mail lots of paper work, right big checks, and literally cry with joy and sadness as I read others journeys through the world of adoption. I think we are about the most blessed people in the world to be adopting!!

Well, as I have found and been sent lots of Amani family blogs (there are 15 of us in the process of adopting from Amani...so it's a small little group) I have been reading one of a mom who is there picking up her little boy Asher. I went through her blog reading old posts to follow her journey. I came across some great photos of Amani...but you have to go to her like to see the photos...they are protected by copyright.

So...take a little trip to Jinja, Uganda and smile at the beautiful piece of Africa that our little one is living in. We should get photos of our own little one within the next 2-3 WEEKS! Can't wait!

Enjoy...

http://mightytosave-keckadoption.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html

Labor Day catch up!

On Labor day we joined some of our good friends at Amicalola State park and had a wonderful afternoon! It was a wonderfully cool afternoon and that was good because we had quite a hike. We have been here several times and enjoy the beautiful falls and the exercise!
The girls did a great job! Anli went about 100 miles an hour (as usual) right at the beginning and rock climbing all over the place. But, as we began to climb all those stairs...she got a little tired. But...she stayed with it and did great! We always enjoy the beauty of those falls!

On the way back our friends showed us a "secret" path that led us down the mountain through the woods instead of the stairs. No one was on this trail...and it MADE the whole thing! We found some cool trees...

We enjoyed the coolness of the tree cover. We saw so many neat things along the way and met a few new friends...
like a little baby lizard...a teeny tine frog...

and a lot of fun!

After the hike down the mountain, we got out our blankets and picnic dinner and enjoyed an evening of relaxing and catching up. It was about the most perfect day I could have imagined. The kids played forever in the creek right by where we ate. What a wonderful Labor Day!

PLEASE PRAY!!!

Please pray for the Islamic Day of Prayer on September 25, 2009 anytime from 4am - 7pm for the over 50,000 Muslims that will be gathering on the west front lawn of the Capital Hill. Please pray especially at 1pm when the actual prayer service will begin. We need to be on our knees in deep pray for those 50,000 and for our country. We know that He is in us is greater than he who is in the world! May we be faithfully be found praying without ceasing!

Rain, rain, rain...

For the past few day it has rained, rained, and well...rained! Yesterday we headed out to go get our adoption homestudy drug test at our doctor's office. We really thought it would not be a big deal...what's a little rain? Um...well...our HUGE road Highway 92 was closed due to the road being completely flooded!
We got to the doctor's office about 15 minutes late, but when we tried to get home...it took us 2 HOURS!!!!! We could not find a route where the roads were not closed and flooded. It was crazy! This is the parking log of the Ruby Tuesdays down the road from us.

This is the Checkers parking lot with a car submerged...can you believe it?

Here is part of Highway 92..look how deep those road signs are submerged! I tell you it was a bit scary driving around and wondering if we were going to be able to get home tonight. We thought we might have to get a hotel!

This kept rising and rising and we hoped we would be able to get across safely. We finally found a route that was above the flooding and made it safely home. We did manage to stop by and get some ice cream...well, we had to have a little fun in there!

Please pray for those whose houses are flooding and cars that are being washed away. Our co-op that we attend at FBC Woodstock is canceled due to terrible weather and flooding. This is one time when we are SO happy we are on the third floor!!

What a difference a day makes!

Well, I know my last post was sharing about how tough our last week has been. But, as I was talking to a close friend I shared that sometimes those tough weeks are a good thing.

This past week I have wept over racism. When was the last time I had truly wept over the effects and the destruction of racism...I don't know that I ever had.

This past week I wept over HIV positive children and the sickness they endure, the heartache they feel over not being "adoptable" to many families, and the loneliness that they feel as they are ostracized and misunderstood and feared. When was the last time I had truly wept over the effects of HIV on children around this world...I don't know that I ever had.

This past week I wept over a little one who will be left behind as her sweet family returns to the States to desperately find a way to bring her home.

This past week I wept over soon coming death of a little one who has cancer...and will die without a forever family.

Jesus tells us that it is blessed to weep. Really? Many times in my own life I run fast from weeping. I desperately pray to escape suffering loss, enduring hard things, and weeping. It is hard to walk the road of weeping...and believe that it is blessed...and that one day we will laugh!

But, that is part of our journey in the fellowship of the sufferings of Christ. It is blessed to weep over the deep destruction of racism alive and active in our churches and in each of our lives. It is blessed to weep over the sickness and disease that racks the bodies of sweet babies, little toddlers, precious children, teens, and adults. It is blessed to weep over the plight of orphans and widows and immigrants and the poor.

Jesus wept. That is the most quoted verse in the Bible...and I wrote another whole post about this same topic. And yet, when week of weeping myself to sleep visits me...how quickly I forget those lessons learned. How I forget that this week was a blessed time. It was hard...but it was blessed...because it means we loved much.

Adoption has opened our eyes and our lives to a reality...and we can't go back. We can't live in ignorance that seems to create bliss. We just can't anymore. We can't act like we're going to be the same after this journey. We will weep, we will love, and one day oh how we will laugh with the sheer JOY of sweet fellowship of Jesus Christ.

So, as this week comes to an end...many things have changed and our prayers answered...and many things have stayed just the same. But, we pray that though there be 147 million orphans in this world...there will be one less very soon!

Thank you for praying with us. Thank you for all those who are traveling a similar road and have emailed me. I am gaining so much knowledge from those who have traveled the road. Thank you for sharing life with us.

Tough week...

Please continue to pray over our journey. We have had a tough week...but God still continues to bless us with peace and joy in the journey. There is sweet fellowship in His sufferings. Thank you for walking this road with us in prayer.

Beautiful...

Why Africa? Because we have been there and see beautiful gifts of God that have forever changed us...see for yourself...





I have had the tremendous honor of spending an afternoon with women from Rwanda and heard their stories. What faith they have! What joy inspires me. What love of a Savior they have seen on their journey. What sweet fellowship they have with Jesus in His sufferings. I find myself seeking that kind of fellowship...counting the cost...yet knowing that the sweetness of that kind of journey can only be found in loosing it all to gain your soul.

As my friend Rhonda emailed me a video I can wholly agree...We just may need Africa more than Africa needs us.

The latest news...

Well, I am way behind on all the updates from the past week. We have been wading through paperwork, meeting new adoption families, reading lots and lots about African adult adoptees, and trying to get our brains around the fact that we were APPROVED!

Today I am going to share the story up until now. How did we get to Uganda? I'm so glad you asked...

August 20, 2009 - My precious Internet savvy friend Rhonda sends me a link to a blog telling me that this girl (Katie Davis) is NOT wasting her life! I go immediately to the site...because I'm all about knowing people who are not wasting their lives. I am captured by her story. I am also interested because one of my close friends Amanda Hill lived in Uganda for 3-4 months and is not writing a book in NYC on the story of orphans in Uganda. A bond is forged that I do not understand.

August 21, 2009 - Send off an email to Amanda to find out what she knows about Amazima Ministries. I sit with the girls and begin to read Katie's blog to Anli and Virginia Grace. We are all captured by the passion this young girl has for the least of these. I want the girls to hear and know about young women of today that are living with "Crazy Love." I learn that Katie Davis is also reading the book "Crazy Love" just like me. We are both stirred to live beyond ourselves.

August 27, 2009 - Leave for Athens, Alabama to visit friends Brooke and Joey...and the kiddos! We talk a LOT about God's desire for us to pour out and what it looks like to love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves. We are all of one heart burning to have a wild adventure loving God and others. I give Brooke the book "Crazy Love" and tell her about Amazima Ministries and Katie Davis.

August 28, 2009 - Amanda texts Brooke while we are there at her house. I tell her to ask Amanda to call me as soon as she can! I am totally connected to the work in Uganda...and Jay can't deny that he is too.

September 1, 2009 - Talk to Amanda on the phone and find out lots about Uganda! I don't even know at this time that you can adopt from Uganda. I learn about what she is writing and all she learned in Uganda. She doesn't know Katie personally, but she has friend in Jinja, Uganda (this means nothing to me at the time). We have to get off before I can talk to her about adoption.

September 3, 2009 - The girls and I sit down to read new posts from Katie during our Bible time to pray for the work going on there. We see they have posted a list of items they need. The girls decide that when they are able to get out there savings on the 5th of September that they will use their $35 to buy the items these little ones need...Jay and I stand amazed in tears. Our family is suddenly partnering with the work in Uganda.

September 4, 2009 - I email the contact info on Amazima Ministries' website to get more info on sending the supplies. The administrator Gwen emails me back...and I noticed that she has a blog...and is adopting from Uganda. So...though I am not currently able to read blogs...I go. I see that she and her husband have adopted 2 little girls from China (where we started) and now are adopting 2 little ones from Uganda...along with 2 biological boys about our girls' ages. For the first time I realize you can adopt from Uganda. WE PRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

September 7, 2009 - We go shopping for the Ugandan orphans. God stretches our dollars to buy almost everything on the list!!! We couldn't find the ringworm cream:)

September 7, 2009 - I receive an email that tells me all about how she adopted from Uganda. She tells us that she is working through Amani Baby Cottage. She gives us as many details as she can about her adoption (she has not traveled to get her children yet). We google Amani and begin reading information. There is a phone number on the website...it's Labor day...but the director answers the phone!!! I tell him our story, about the skin cancer, about the denials...everything. He tells me..."it's no problem." He gives me the phone number of the adoption coordinator named Mary. We are in shock! We pray...

September 8, 2009 - We mail off the package of goodies for the little ones in Uganda. We pray over those children...knowing that we are more than connected. We pray...

September 9, 2009 - I talk with Mary from Amani for about an hour. I share our history, our challenges, our fears. She is thrilled to hear from us and encourages us that all of this will not be a problem in Uganda. I ask about cost...it's about half to a third of the cost of China. We still don't have the money to begin. Dave Ramsey is in our heads and we know that God will provide the provision when our child is ready. We tell them we will have to move slowly until we have the money to be matched and file for custody.

She tries to send me the application...it doesn't come. BUT...Gwen just happens (Um...can you say GOD!!!) to send me an application in an email. I thought she might have talked with Mary and had sent it on her behalf...she did not. She just sent it because she felt led! We fill out the application on the email form and send it off. We head to church for AWANA that night and stop by the church office to fax a hard copy to them. We still haven't had time to get references together, mail the application money check, and write our autobiographies. But...we will as we can.

September 10, 2009 - At 1:51pm we get the follow email:

Greetings,
Your application has been approved!

Less than 24 hours after emailing in our form...we are APPROVED! Remember we still haven't sent in our money, references, or autobiographies!!! We find out that there are not any girls at this time...but we don't have any money...so we'll just see what God does!!!

That night I call my mom. She is thrilled! God provides the money to go ahead with the process through my precious mother from my grandmother who passed away in April. God is too GOOD! We call lots of people and celebrate!

September 11, 2009 - Work on finding out about the status of our homestudy through DFCS for fostering. This begins a hunt for a homestudy agency who IS certified to do international adoptions. We spend the afternoon celebrating!!! We are APPROVED!
We send off an email to Mary to let her know that we have the provision to move ahead...AND that if God brought the provision, we are opened to seeing who God has for us to adopt...boy or girl!

September 14, 2009 - I talk with Mary at Amani and talk with her about the good news of provision to move ahead. She and I are so thrilled to see God at work so quickly! She shares that they do have some boys in our approved age range (from our foster homestudy). In Uganda they must (and SHOULD)do everything they can to make sure there is not a family member that wants to care for the children. They place ads in all the papers to let everyone know. This must last for 4 weeks. She tells me that it would be between now and 4 weeks for the match! We begin to turn our attention towards the fun of paperwork and homestudy!

That afternoon...a trail hits. A very hard night. But...the Spirit is at work! The day ends with joy and peace...praise God!

September 15, 2009 - We get the following email from Mary:

"Greetings precious amani families,
I want to give you an update to three families that have recently gone to court. One family, Arnold's family, has received their ruling and now wait for the written order. He will be coming home soon!

Two other families, Josephine and Asharif families, went to court on Monday. We are so grateful that the judge gave the time frame for their ruling: 2 weeks. This has been the normal turn around for rulings, so we are so glad there is not a delay. Sometimes, a judge will give the ruling a bit quicker, but we are thankful there are no delays. The judge used the word "deferred", but this means the ruling was not given immediately, but in two weeks. This is a great thing!

We have another family, Luke and Benjamin's family, that just had their care order papers signed!! They now have custody of two precious little boys.

We have two other families waiting for court dates: Marvin's family, and Matthias and Daisy's family. We hope to have those court dates soon...it seems Marvin's judge may have a large docket and will give a date when cleared. We know God has an appointed day!!!!

Two more families, Gift's family and Max and Gavin's family, have their care order(custody) papers in the probation office to get signed.

Bobby's family and Patrick and Nathan's family are sending their papers by Fed Ex.

Another family, Nathan's family, is sending their care order papers today by Fed EX. This family are missionaries in Mongolia!! How awesome is that!

Four more families have been approved and are waiting to be matched!! God has truly been amazing and blessed the children at Amani Baby Cottage."

That is us at the very bottom! We are just out of the gates and it's great to begin to talk with so many that are going before us on this journey! We know many of these families through email and phone calls. We can't wait to meet the others and form a group that can support and encourage each other as we travel this road...and when we come home!

Whew...well...that is the journey up until this morning! Who knows what each day from now will bring! We have learned to just enjoy the journey. We don't know where this will take us. We learned that the hard way this year. It has been a roller coaster. This one might not go all the way through either. But, we are walking...step by step...with the light of His Word of love for the orphans.

It has already been a mix of celebration and trial. But, when we see the walk of Christ how dare we expect an easy road? For the joy set before Him Jesus endured the cross!!! Hush my mouth.

Thanks for joining the journey. Thanks for praying. Thanks for supporting. Thanks for your interest. Thanks for your own walk of faith that challenges us. Thanks for your friendship. Praise God from whom all blessing flow.

We don't know how, where, when, or what this road will bring. We do know God opened what seemed like a shut door to adoption right now, provided the funds, and now has just said to walk.
As my very wise and wonderful hubby said..."It's about how we walk the journey...God knows the destination." Amen.

I'm Pregnant...

...PAPER pregnant!!!!!! For those who don't have any idea what that means...we have been officially APPROVED to adopt a precious new little Worthington from Uganda!

We are in a state of shock...and JOY unspeakable! It has almost been a year since we began this journey of adoption with doors shut time after time. But, on Monday our new Worthington journey began. A journey that will lead us to our precious Africa...and to our little one.

We don't have any more information at this time. We just know that for once we have been OFFICIALLY APPROVED! We will be adopting from Amani Baby Cottage in Jinja, Uganda. Oh, what a precious group of amazing Christian people work there...and here in the States to bring orphans to their forever families.

Our hearts overflow. Our lives are taking a new turn. Our God is so good. Our joy is in His timing.

But, you just gotta see a glimpse of where our little ones lives and thrives! Grab a tissue and smile as you see God's love for the orphans....it's the call for ALL of us in some way. You can pray, you can give, or you can bring one home forever. But, you can't ignore and do nothing...how could you after seeing this?

I'm Home...

I am back from an amazing trip to the Appalachian region! This group of women were absolutely awesome and the ministry sites we visited were truly life-changing. I will be sharing about my trip and some fun things we have been doing over the next week.

Know that my posting might be a little irregular...God may be up to something HUGE in our lives! We are in prayer! Keep watching for exciting news to come in the upcoming week...should God choose to open doors. Thanks for praying so faithfully for our trip to love those in Appalachia!

Prayer Requests Day #5

I'm coming HOME today! Praise God for a wonderful week and for time to return to those I have missed so very much! Here is the schedule for today:

7:30 a.m. Debriefing and breakfast
9 a.m. Depart for the GBC in Duluth, Georgia
1 p.m. Arrive at the GBC in Duluth

Prayer Requests:
*God's will to be revealed in our travel time.
*Good time of sharing together as the trip ends.
*Friendships to grow though our week is over.

Thanks to each of you who have been praying! Thank you for taking your precious time to faithful lift up this trip. I can't wait to share all that God did this week in our lives and those we met and served. Have a wonderful weekend...I'm going to spend it loving on my family:)

Prayer Requests Day #4

I pray that God is richly blessing you as you intercede on my behalf! Here is our schedule for today:

Thursday, September 3, 2009

8:30 a.m. Depart hotel for Elizabethton, Tennessee
9a.m. Arrive at Hale Community Center in Elizabethton, Tennessee
9:30 a.m. Visit ministry sites and have lunch
4 p.m. Depart for Johnson City, Tennessee
4:15 p.m. Meeting on site at a ministry center in
Johnson City, Tennessee


Prayer Requests:
*Loving hearts for those we will serve today.
*Unity among the group as we serve together.
*God's glory to be our singular vision.
*Humble hearts and minds to focus on others before ourselves.
*Jay, Anli, and Virginia as they work, play, and learn!
*That I will trust God with those that I love while I am away today...as I am missing them!

Prayer Requests Day #3

Thank you for lifting me up this week! I can't wait to share God's glory revealed through this trip! Here is our schedule for today:

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

8:30 a.m. Depart from Princeton, West Virginia
9a.m. Meeting at the Bland Ministry Center in Bland, Virginia
11 a.m. Depart for Princeton, West Virginia for lunch
11:30 a.m. Arrive for lunch in Princeton, West Virginia
3 p.m. Meeting at First Baptist Church, Coeburn, Virginia
Two other churches will be a part of this meeting.
5 p.m. Depart for Johnson City, Tennessee
6:30 p.m. Arrive in Johnson City, Tennessee

Prayer Requests:

*Unity of Spirit among our group as we minister and serve together.
*The Fruit of the Spirit to be evident in my life as I lean on His strength all day.
*Precious moments in His Word throughout the week even with the busy schedule.
*God's glory to be revealed in our travel times.
*Ears to hear the hearts of those who will share about their ministries.
*Jay, Anli and Virginia as they work, play, and attend AWANA tonight.

I love you all...thanks again for holding the ropes!

Prayer Requests Day #2

Good morning faithful prayer partners! Here is our schedule for today and a few prayer requests:

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

8 a.m. Depart hotel for Denmar, West Virginia
9 a.m. Arrive at the Federal Women’s Prison Birthing Center in Denmar, WV
10:30 a.m. Depart from the Federal Women’s Prison Birthing Center
11:30 a.m. Lunch in Marlinton, West Virginia
1 p.m. Depart for Bolair, West Virginia and meeting at Mountain Market Place
Ministries
3 p.m. Arrive at Mountain Market Place Ministries in Bolair, West Virginia
4:30 p.m. Depart for Summersville, West Virginia
5:30 p.m. Dinner in Summersville, West Virginia
This association has 17 ministry sites including three visited earlier today.
7 p.m. Depart for Princeton, West Virginia
Stop at the New River Bridge
9 p.m. Arrive in Princeton, West Virginia

WHEW! Talk about a FULL day!

Prayer Requests:
*Restful sleep each night.
*God's strength to travel, minister, love, serve, and keep up the pace of such a busy day!
*For us to be a city of light on a hill as we meet women in the prisons filled with darkness.
*Jay, Anli, and Virginia as they go to Timothy Ministry and work.
*To love the Lord my God with all my heart, mind, soul and strength...and to love my neighbor as myself.

Appalachian Vision Trip Prayer Day 1

Today I am leaving on a vision trip with the leadership of WMU at the Georgia Baptist Convention along with a few other ladies that I haven't met yet. I am so thrilled to be among this group and to travel throughout the Appalachian region in order to pray how God would lead us to partner with the work going on in that region as a state...and as women!

Would you pray with me?

Each day the post will contain my itinerary for the day and a few prayer requests. I don't know how often I will be able to check emails and blog on the trip...so I will post these ahead of time and they will automatically come up each morning.

Today's itinerary and requests:
Monday, August 31, 2009

9 a.m. Depart Georgia Baptist Missions and Ministry Center in Duluth
6 p.m. Arrive in Lewisburg, West Virginia

Please Pray:
*God's glory to be revealed in our travel time.
*Relationships to begin and friendships to grow.
*Eyes to see and ears to hear and hearts to discern His will all day long.
*Jay, Anli, and Virginia as they stay home...and I MISS them already!
*Our hearts to be singular for God's work among those we meet along this long trip.

Thank you for partnering with me on this trip!

Family Focused Friday!

For the past several months we have been participants in a program from Voices of the Martyrs called prisoner alert. Voices of the Martyrs works closely with churches and individuals around the world who are persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. When we get the alerts of either a new person who has been persecuted for their faith...or an update on their sentence...we have the opportunity to write a letter to them in prison.

They have pre-chosen sentences and verses that are able to be translated into their language that you can choose from online. It then composes the message and allows you to print off the letter and the address.

This is our way, as a family with younger children, to "visit those in prison" and to help set the oppressed free. We also send pre-made letters online to their officials asking for the release of those Christians. It is a way we can be involved with the kind of "fasting" God desires and outlines in Isaiah 58.

Here is the link and you can check it out for yourself:
http://www.prisoneralert.com/

If you sign up they will always update you on what the status is on individuals in prison...and also remind you to pray and write. We choose the wording of the letter together (like I said, the sentences are pre-written you just get to choose the ones you want) and then the girls always add stickers and pictures to brighten the day of those in prison.

There are rules to sending these letters on the website...please read those for your own safety and the safety of those who work for this agency and those in prison. I NEVER put my home return address. They tell you that anyone in that prison could take that letter and then have access to your personal info. Other than that...I just use our first names to sign the letters and mail it off...praying over it with our family.

Will every letter that we write get to the person...who knows. But, we can only be faithful to the commands God has given us in His Word about caring for our neighbors all over the world as we care for ourselves and our families. Please check this out...it's a great kid-friendly way to get involved with what is going on in God's church around the world! It will open your kids eyes to the blessings we experience here as Christians compared to what it costs those around the world.

Have a family-focused Friday idea of your own? Leave a comment and let us all know! Let's encourage each other in this journey of obedience to spend our vapor life on what is eternal!