Journey to Haiti: Day One

What a day! I woke up this morning, with my wonderful husband, at 4:30am. Got things together, said good-bye to family and off we went to the airport. Of course, I had coffee in hand. I needed it after yesterday, the whole graduation thing and all. 

We got through Atlanta security in record time and boarded our plane. We had a lay over in Miami where we got to talk to Elizabeth. She is a 25 year old Haitian women. She was visiting the states for her cousin's first communion. She was skeptical about our trip to Haiti. She didn't think we cared about anyone as a person; we were just going over to do some things and leave. We talked to her and really communicated that we cared. Craig shared the gospel with her too, totally cool.

We boarded the plane and landed in Port Au Prince, Haiti. The flight was really quick. Getting through immigration wasn't bad. In fact, the attendant there asked me if this was my first time in Haiti. Then again I ran into a person who was skeptical. He asked if I was ever going to come back. I guess with everyone in and out of the country so often they are just skeptical. 

Everyone wanted to carry our bags. Talk about an over load of people! When we were driving to our place, kids were banging on the car asking for things, probably money. I would have given them the world.

When we arrived at the guest house, there were several young children. In fact, there were two sets of twins. One set is five months old. The mother is staying here until the babies' adoption is finalized on the Haiti end. The selfless heart that she has for her children. Keeping them for five months, plus more to come, until the people from New York can get the adoption finalized. Not to mention they were so tiny! The other set of twins were 11 months old. They only weighed 10 and 12 pounds. 

Seeing all of the children, orphans at that, broke my heart. I'm sure that Josh and I would take as many home as possible--if it were only that easy. 

Tomorrow we're going to a children's home. I can't wait. Check in tomorrow night for another update! Pictures to come tomorrow too!

One Step Closer

God is simply amazing. I've started my job as a Children's Director at Fellowship Church. Such great things are happening there and I'm so pumped to be a part of it. If you're in the area, come check it out.

 

It's incredible. Really. It's my dream job, right out of college. Oh, wait. I haven't even graduated yet. I am so excited that one, I even got a job, but two, I get to help kids learn about Jesus. Josh and I are one step closer to where God wants us in life. I stand astonished in what God is doing right before my eyes. On top of that, we're leaving for Haiti on Sunday! More about that soon!

Monday Wrap-it-all-up

Wow today has been an incredibly busy day! Not to mention how busy the weekend was! This is what happened.
Friday we traveled over to Foothills in Seneca for our meeting about Haiti! Man am I getting pumped about it! I'm going to be teaching English at an orphanage! Josh and I are leaving the morning after graduation. What a crazy weekend that is going to be!

Saturday was my last night at Applebees, where I have worked for the last three years. I actually think I might miss the place a little bit.

Sunday was Josh and I's last Sunday at Foothills Community Church-Toccoa. What an incredible experience we've had there. The church sent us off and prayed for us. What a loving family we have had with them! If you are in the Toccoa area, you must go check it out! God is making great things happen there and you don't want to miss it. Back to the story. God has called Josh and I away from FCC to Fellowship Church. It was my last day at Bees because I have accepted a Children's Ministry position at Fellowship Church. I'll be starting things up on Wednesday there, I couldn't be more excited!  More to come on that!

Finally, today I finished up my last portfolio for school. Holy smokes! That's it! I just have to turn that baby in and I am done! Four years ago I felt like it was going to be an eternity to get to this point. Now I wonder where the time has gone. The best part of today was hanging out with my WIM (women's intentional ministry) girls! These girls have blessed me so much being able to work with them the past two years. They all came over to our house and we had a YUMMY dinner!

That's what has gone on in four days! So many big things are happening I'm just hanging on and letting God drive!

I love JJ Heller, you should check her out! One of my favorite songs of hers is Only Love Remains. This is the longing of my heart. I want to have a heart that is so pure that only love remains.  My favorite part of the song is this:

Teach me to be humble
Call me from the grave
Show me how to walk with you upon the waves
Breathe into my spirit
Breathe into my veins
Until only love remains

Check her out on youtube.  She's wonderful. And so are you. That's all for today!

Warm and Cozy

I'm one of those several cups of coffee a day addict-type people.  

There's nothing I wouldn't do in the mornings and several times throughout the day for that cup of fuel.  When you go to Starbucks or Café Káva they give you those cardboard holders to put around your cup.  

It serves a wonderful purpose! But one thing makes me so sad; they are so wasteful! 

So, I grabbed my knitting needles in an attempt to be green and domestic at the same time and tada!

I created this simple coffee cozy that I can take to the coffee shops and save the planet while enjoying my coffee! Want to give it a go?

What you need: size 10 needles, an embellishment of some sort, two big buttons, thread,and bulky yarn

CO 18 and knit in garter stitch for 9"
K2, BO 3, K7, BO 3, K1
K2, CO 3, K7, CO 3, K2
Knit 4 more rows of garter stitch and BO
Sew on your buttons and attach your embellishment.

That's it! It's a piece of cake! Now you can enjoy your coffee while enjoying the fact you are saving the planet! 

Upside Down

Josh and I have been doing a small group study on the book Radical. David Platt is totally rocking our world. It's amazing that we have read the Bible and know what it says. But then we choose to not apply the whole Gospel to our lives. Why do we end up picking and choosing the pieces of the Bible we want? The reality of it is, I don't think we're the only ones who have been buying into this "American Gospel". It's easy to pick the verses about grace and forgiveness and apply them to my life. 

But then I read Luke 18:22:

"There is still one thing you haven't done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

 It's sad that the Bible has gotten so watered down to what people have liked over time that I have just read over this for essentially my whole life. Then when David Platt puts this passage into perspective it's absolutely life changing.

What is stopping me from this life that God has designed for me? Maybe it's my disobedience. Maybe it is my desire for comfort? For certainty? For predictability? Maybe it is out of selfishness? 

God has called his followers to live a radical life that glorifies him.

A life where a Christian is called to get up off the couch and get dirty. 

A life that makes you second guess everything you've ever been taught about the way you live. 

A life that is lived simply so the poor can have what they need.

A life that is lived with sacrifice so hungry children are fed.  

A life that is turned Upside Down.