Two Weeks and a Day!

I can't believe it. It's actually coming. Before I give my specific prayer requests, I wanted to update a bit about our team going to Liberia. Angel wrote it so well that I am just going to defer to her post about it.



"Such Highs and Lows

I did not understand how many times my heart could be broken or how often it could burst with joy, often on the same day, until I got involved in what God is doing in Liberia. Today, I learned that our team will make our goal for funds to work on special projects. This is huge. Really it seems to me, how did that happen? Clearly, God brought it together.

But also today, I learned that some dear team members will not be able to go with us. Our team that will be traveling is now at 10. Some of the things you would think would be discouraging, less people to share the work, less bags to take over, have not actually been what has hit me hard. What hurts much more is that a couple of families who are dear to me are really, really struggling.

And I find myself wondering, why does Liberia seem to have this affect? I cannot even count the number of families I've interacted with who had such a desire to care for unparented children only to end up with broken families of their own. It is a hard reality I can never seem to grasp.

Once again, I am believing that all my hope, all of my teammates' hopes must rest in Christ alone the author and perfecter of our faith.

2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:2-3

Jesus faced many more hard realities than I ever will and yet He trusted His father completely. I pray that I will do the same.

9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 2:9-10

Please keep praying for our team, for those who are going and those who are not. I am confident that this has not taken God by surprise. Already, He is showing me ways that this will work for the best. One praise is that I believe we will all be praying much more now and eagerly looking for God's power to be made perfect in our weaknesses. "



So, while we are now a team of 10 instead of 15, we trust that God will be with us, and will allow us to accomplish HIS purposes, even if some of our own must be let go. So- here are several prayer requests for the week, for those of you who have committed to pray for us.... and for those of you who just feel led to do it in this moment:

~ Pray for the team members that are not going to be traveling to Liberia, for God's healing and covering, for his grace and goodness to lead them, and for hearts that desire to be obedient to whatever he has for them.

~Pray that we can miraculously fit all the supplies into the bags we can take over. We can bring 500 lbs less now of baggage, and need God to help us prioritize what's most important. I figure God can multiply loaves and fish, so he can multiply suitcase space too, right?

~Please just always bring our health and protection before the Lord. I know we all desire to be fully healthy during our short time there, and to be protected from all sorts of things, not the least of which would be the enemy's schemes.

~ I found out in the last 2 weeks or so that I have a large fibroid tumor on my uterus (sorry if that's too much info... but it is what it is). It's actually grapefruit sized. It doesn't cause me pain, and it's not cancerous. (Thank you, Lord) I will eventually need ot have it removed b/c of its size, and the knowledge that if it continues to grow, it will begin to cause pain. I'm really not freaking out about it at all... I'm quite peaceful, but I'd love to know that people are praying for us to have wisdom in the decisions we need to make about what to do. I don't want to be anxious about the surgery or worry about all that. I want to focus on what God has put before me in Liberia for now.

~Pray that God will prepare our hearts for what is to come; for what we will see and hear and feel in Liberia. We know that this will be difficult. Experiencing extreme poverty and need always is, I assume, but it will also be incredible. We know that God has so much to teach us from our Liberian brothers and sisters, and from the children that he loves so deeply. We want to be teachable, and not assume that WE (the Americans) are the only ones who have things figured out. Cuz, WHOA... that would be a big whopper, wouldn't it?

Well, 5 prayer requests are enough for now. Check back for more as days go on. :) THANK YOU for lifting us up before the Lord. It encourages us and strengthens us!


"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. "
Ephesians 3:20-21