Three great days!

These last three days have been very encouraging! First, we found out that all of our one-time needs for moving to Uganda have been covered! We are so thankful!!! Also, over 70% of our monthly need has been committed. The next day we heard that Good Shepherd's Fold has now purchased the land on which they plan to build a house for us. Then yesterday we heard about a vehicle in Uganda that will be available for purchase soon. It is a van which would enable us to transport more than just our family. Below are photos of the type of van that would be available there. We don't know many details yet other than the fact that is owned by a missionary family and has only been in Uganda for 1 year. We have also heard about a few possibilities for a place to rent in Jinja, but we are still looking into these and hoping for something a bit closer to GSF.
It is so exciting to have these details all coming together! We are so grateful! Please continue to pray for us as we learn to trust the Lord with everything!

My new motto: Give something away every day!

Since we have known that we are planning to move to Uganda and since we are not planning to take much with us, I have been in constant downsizing mode. At some point, I realized that even if I gave something away every day for this whole year of preparation we would still have much more than we need, and probably much more than we could even take with us to Uganda. It has been such a fun and freeing way to live, thinking, "what can I give away today?" I do not know if I have given something away every day since I began this new way of thinking, but I am so much happier than when I am thinking about what I want to acquire. Don't get me wrong, sometimes it is hard to get rid of things. But today I was encouraged as I listened to Laura Story singing, "this is not our home." This comes toward the end of her song, "Blessings" which completely turns our idea of blessings on its head. If you are going through any difficulty, or even if you are not, I encourage you to listen to this song. It definitely helps me with keeping perspective!

A full week with much thanksgiving

This week has been unusually crazy for our family, and that is saying something for a family with four kids 8 and under. But in the midst of it all we have so much for which to be thankful! One of the things going on this week is a tile and painting project in our laundry room and bathroom. So we have had a toilet on the front porch, a washer and dryer in our kitchen and all the other stuff usually in those rooms strewn throughout the house. As a person who enjoys organization, the clutter has been getting to me. But I am trying to be thankful that we have been given the money to do these projects in preparation for renting the house, and thankful that we can do them now rather than right before we leave. Below is a photo of our bathroom in process. The floor is done, the walls are prepped, and now we just need to paint and reinstall towel racks etc.

While the tile was being installed I tried to have naptime at other locations since I doubted the boys would rest with so much excitement and noise. So we have been all over town this week. I am thankful that we have so many friends and family who love us and let us crash at their houses. We truly are rich in relationships! Leaving these friends and family is the hardest part of going to Uganda. But I am trying to focus on being thankful right now, so I'm not going to think too much about that.

To add to the craziness this week, at a routine visit, the dentist noticed a sore in my mouth that looked suspicious. I was sent directly to the oral surgeon to see about a biopsy. Thankfully, the surgeon believes that everything will be fine, and I did not have to have a biopsy on my tongue, which sounded pretty painful and a bit scary. In the midst of that crazy day, after freaking out a bit, I was reminded that I have been learning to trust God with our health, and I could trust Him with this too. I could even thank Him for giving me the opportunity to meet this oral surgeon who has been on several short term medical missions trips. The next day, my Women's Bible study group was discussing the good, sovereign plan of our loving Heavenly Father as we see it in the book of Esther. We talked about so many different passages of Scripture in which God reminds us that He is in control of all things and is working for our good. The passage that I often go to is Romans chapter 8. This is one of my favorite passages. Here are a few excerpts:

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 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? For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:14, 15, 18, 26, 28, 29, 31, 32, 38, 39 ESV)

There are many other passages which have also encouraged me. I am so thankful for the many years of Christian school and Sunday School where I learned Scripture and was encouraged to "hide God's Word in my heart." It is amazing how often these verses come back to me.

I was also reminded this week of God's loving care for us through our monthly support update. We currently have about 70% of our needed monthly support committed. It is easy for me to worry about the other 30%, but I want to focus on thanking God for the 70% He has already provided.

A good friend from our gospel community group reminded me that God's Word often reminds us to offer a "sacrifice of thanksgiving." As you pray for our family, please pray that God would give us thankful, joyful hearts.

So today, I am thanking God, for the provision for home improvements, for my health, for the faith to trust Him, for friends and family, for many years of being taught His Word, for 70% of our needed support, and for reminders to be thankful. God has been very gracious in so many ways. But most of all, I am thankful that through Jesus and His sacrifice, I have peace with God and the promise that He loves me and is working for my good, to make me more like Jesus. I pray that you will know that peace and joy today too!

Chattanooga and The Good Shepherd

Right now I am sitting at Pasha's, a coffee shop in Chattanooga, reflecting on the loving care of my Good Shepherd. I just had a very encouraging meeting with a friend whom I have not seen in years. She shared with me a beautiful story of God's protection of another friend's two year old as their family was serving the Lord in India. Yesterday I had the joy of visiting with some faculty and staff at Covenant College. It was so very encouraging to reconnect with them! As I was talking with one professor he shared with me something he recently heard, maybe in a sermon. He said that the shepherd goes ahead of the sheep to prepare the way. The shepherd does this to protect the sheep and find the best pasture. It was so encouraging to remember that our Good Shepherd is going before us in Uganda to prepare the way. He is looking out for us. He is planning the best place for us to live while our house is being built. He is going before us to provide the support we need to raise. He has gone before us to prepare our hearts and our children's hearts for this ministry. He has gone before me to provide me with great encouragement during my meetings with friends here in Chattanooga. And most importantly, He has gone before us and provided salvation and righteousness for us through His life, death and resurrection. Here is what our Good Shepherd reminds us in His Word.

Here are some of the green pastures on the farm at GSF

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (Psalm 23:1-6 ESV)

I hope that you will remember God's gracious loving care as He goes before you this day!

Jehovah Jireh

Early on in my Christian life I learned a name for God, "Jehovah Jireh," which means the Lord is my provider. Lately, I have seen God's provision in our lives in many ways. The first is through His provision of financial support for the work we are going to do in Uganda. We are so encouraged to now have 58% of our monthly support committed. And our one-time support is around 75%! We are so thankful for God's provision in this way.

Soon after being brought to GSF

I can also see God's provision for a little boy who was recently taken in at Good Shepherd's Fold. He was 2 1/2 years old and weighed only 9 pounds. He is now being fed regularly, is gaining weight and is now able to crawl. I am so thankful that this boy is being cared for, and it breaks my heart to think of his first 30 months of life. This little boy must have spent much of that time hungry. But God has seen His need and has provided. He now has food and people demonstrating God's loving care for him.

The passage in the Bible where God is called Jehovah Jireh, is about much more than just God's material provision for His people, though. The name is mentioned in Genesis 22, when God spares the life of Isaac and provides a ram to be sacrificed in his place. This is a story of God saving his people and keeping his promises.

3 months later, gaining weight, crawling and smiling

To be honest, sometimes I struggle trusting God with the future. I forget that God is my Provider. He has loved us so much that He provided eternal life for us through the sacrifice of His own Son. When I fail to trust God with the future, it is usually because I am not trusting in His loving control. There are many things that I do not know about the future, but I do know that God is and will always be my Provider.

As the Apostle Paul says in Romans 8, "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? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,
"For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:31-39 ESV)

Be still my soul

This morning in church we sang this hymn. The lyrics meant a lot to me, so I thought I would share them.

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

The lush Ugandan countryside

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake

To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.

Scandalous mercy

Here is a link to a sermon by Ray Cortese, pastor of Seven Rivers Presbyterian Church on portions of the book of James. We have been listening to his sermons lately and have been very encouraged. I hope you listen and are encouraged too!


http://www.sevenrivers.org/mp3/2011/march/110320.mp3