http://new.music.yahoo.com/videos/--218691370
I am praying that God opens a door and provides a way for our family to go to Haiti for Spring Break Missions!
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
Travelers...
Here I am 6 months later!!! This morning I heard the mountain moving testimony of the Mestas's, a precious family and Ethiopian adoptions; I am so inspired and encouraged... I was also reminded of the need to share our stories and tell of the wonderful things that the Lord has done!
To catch up on where we are in life...
John graduated from seminary with his masters and I started back to school full-time. I am wrapping up my associates degree which seems odd when you return to college after twelve years; now I have to transfer in order to complete my bachelors degree. I am initially majoring in Social Work. I will begin doing homestudies for adoption families as I complete my Masters in Social Work/Counseling...then, who knows maybe doctorite in Counseling. Some wise counsel told me that if you ever want to do Christian counseling then it brings legitimacy to the ministry. I have learned to join the Lord where he is and not plan too much but by faith, and prayer look to God in the present.
Our family is doing incredible. Jordan is flourishing in speech therapy. TK is a missionary daily, growing up, seeking justice and blessing us tremendously. Ava loves dance class and has started a two day class where she loves her friends and "school." We literally exsist in awe daily of God's work in life and ministry!
I want to share this week...
As I drove to get Ava from "school" I saw three travelers and felt strongly like I should stop for them...2 men, 1 female VERY pregnant. All I could think of as the got in the vehicle was a message from a mission trip to Chicago with Power Plant two years ago. In the Word, God's messengers would travel and were told to find homes of peace to go to and stay in as they went from place to place. I thought of so many who fear being a home of peace and therefore how do these vagabonds have a haven (especially in an area that has no shelters because they don't want to attract those kinds of people). They shared that they slept in an empty field the night before in the cold. I could tell how tired the pregnant young girl looked and knew that I should offer a meal and a place to shower. They were thankful and they came to our home to share God's blessings...as we shared life they showered and ate.
She shared life's road for her up to this point; she was traveling to AZ to go to her mom (who had her 4yr old) because they were going to be homeless in FL. The story was long and proved that life is hard. She was 8 months pregnant with her baby boy and we had some incredible conversations about our worth to God, his love for us and the gift of her children.
Then, there were the guys...One had been born and raised Hippie literally. He believed in Zen/Good people; feel good...led to good conversations of truth and Christ but mostly us living out the gospel and love in a tangible way! I got to dread his hair which was fun!
Then, there was Skye, the youngest of the crew, 19 and left home to travel and experience life (living off the land) after gradution rebelling against his Mormon upbringing, headed back to Utah to go home to a mom I know missed him and a little brother whom I could tell that he missed.
Our family was blessed as we shared our stories...they stayed the night and rested. We wrestled with obedience and faith, knowing that our mom's said to be safe but many times the Word challenges us to take risks of faith to be God's hands and feet and live out the kingdom of love. We took precautions and yet went to bed with such a peace and thankful that God chose our family to live out love with this group.
I was saddened that we knew more about them than most of the people we have superficially known for three years; we enjoyed a night of authenic transparency that we don't get often with "clean people who seem to have it together."
Then, as our friends and the body of Christ came together we were able to put them on a bus together the next morning to AZ. They were blown away; they never asked for anything and yet our paths crossed purposefully and she did not need to be traveling as close to having the baby as she was.
Then, one day later we enjoyed watching dad coach his basketball team. We went home thinking dad would be on his way soon after the game. Then, I got his call "Well, we've got another friend for the night. I'll be home soon."
And I smiled inside and began making preparations. John sweetly told me the story later for locking up the church after game and seeing the traveler. He said, "Really Lord? Again."
This was Chris and middle aged mentally handicap sweet Brother in Christ.
He needed a place to stay out of the cold and was going from church to church where he was finding no help. He told a funny story of his last stop before our church where they handed out gas cards to people who needed help. When he said he had no car they said sorry bye as he passed through crowds of people who just looked at him.
I think that God was messing with John because after sharing the he just got back from CA for his grandma's funeral and was on his way to Arkansas by bus, John asked, "Are you going back to family in AR? He said no, my mom and dad are dead but I was able to forgive my mom for abusing me before he died in jail. John said, Oh, that's good and what about your mom? He replied, "I killed her."
John thought, well I'm going to die and everyone is going to say, I knew those Barnes were crazy picking up people off the road, and I know where I'm going if I do or I'll live. He drove down the access road from the church and decided I am stopping at McDonald's before I take this guy home! So, they pulled in and Chris explained from John's prodding that his parents had him late in life and that weakend his mom who died early in his childhood. His dad always told him he killed his mom, resented him and that is why he abused him.
Then, as they sat to eat he says, Did you know I carry a weapon? John chokes on his food when he pulls out his Bible and says the sword! LOL! Chris shared about his work at his church with the youth group and it moved us as we were challenged by whether someone like Chris would be accepted among our parents working with the students? He wanted fellowship, acceptance and love and did not go to sleep until around 3a.m. (thankfully, he kept Earl -our oldest up!)
Chris's hygeine was the worst yet and I was brough to tears (and gags/literally!) as I washed his clothes because I was so blessed that God chose me to serve this sweet man.
As we went to bed that night, I said John, isn't it awesome to be God's hands and feet? He said, "Earlier this week we were Jesus but tonight we got to be with Jesus! He was so right!
Matthew 25
I was hungry and you gave me something to eat...I was a stranger and you invited me in.
Whatever you did for the least of these you did for me!
To catch up on where we are in life...
John graduated from seminary with his masters and I started back to school full-time. I am wrapping up my associates degree which seems odd when you return to college after twelve years; now I have to transfer in order to complete my bachelors degree. I am initially majoring in Social Work. I will begin doing homestudies for adoption families as I complete my Masters in Social Work/Counseling...then, who knows maybe doctorite in Counseling. Some wise counsel told me that if you ever want to do Christian counseling then it brings legitimacy to the ministry. I have learned to join the Lord where he is and not plan too much but by faith, and prayer look to God in the present.
Our family is doing incredible. Jordan is flourishing in speech therapy. TK is a missionary daily, growing up, seeking justice and blessing us tremendously. Ava loves dance class and has started a two day class where she loves her friends and "school." We literally exsist in awe daily of God's work in life and ministry!
I want to share this week...
As I drove to get Ava from "school" I saw three travelers and felt strongly like I should stop for them...2 men, 1 female VERY pregnant. All I could think of as the got in the vehicle was a message from a mission trip to Chicago with Power Plant two years ago. In the Word, God's messengers would travel and were told to find homes of peace to go to and stay in as they went from place to place. I thought of so many who fear being a home of peace and therefore how do these vagabonds have a haven (especially in an area that has no shelters because they don't want to attract those kinds of people). They shared that they slept in an empty field the night before in the cold. I could tell how tired the pregnant young girl looked and knew that I should offer a meal and a place to shower. They were thankful and they came to our home to share God's blessings...as we shared life they showered and ate.
She shared life's road for her up to this point; she was traveling to AZ to go to her mom (who had her 4yr old) because they were going to be homeless in FL. The story was long and proved that life is hard. She was 8 months pregnant with her baby boy and we had some incredible conversations about our worth to God, his love for us and the gift of her children.
Then, there were the guys...One had been born and raised Hippie literally. He believed in Zen/Good people; feel good...led to good conversations of truth and Christ but mostly us living out the gospel and love in a tangible way! I got to dread his hair which was fun!
Then, there was Skye, the youngest of the crew, 19 and left home to travel and experience life (living off the land) after gradution rebelling against his Mormon upbringing, headed back to Utah to go home to a mom I know missed him and a little brother whom I could tell that he missed.
Our family was blessed as we shared our stories...they stayed the night and rested. We wrestled with obedience and faith, knowing that our mom's said to be safe but many times the Word challenges us to take risks of faith to be God's hands and feet and live out the kingdom of love. We took precautions and yet went to bed with such a peace and thankful that God chose our family to live out love with this group.
I was saddened that we knew more about them than most of the people we have superficially known for three years; we enjoyed a night of authenic transparency that we don't get often with "clean people who seem to have it together."
Then, as our friends and the body of Christ came together we were able to put them on a bus together the next morning to AZ. They were blown away; they never asked for anything and yet our paths crossed purposefully and she did not need to be traveling as close to having the baby as she was.
Then, one day later we enjoyed watching dad coach his basketball team. We went home thinking dad would be on his way soon after the game. Then, I got his call "Well, we've got another friend for the night. I'll be home soon."
And I smiled inside and began making preparations. John sweetly told me the story later for locking up the church after game and seeing the traveler. He said, "Really Lord? Again."
This was Chris and middle aged mentally handicap sweet Brother in Christ.
He needed a place to stay out of the cold and was going from church to church where he was finding no help. He told a funny story of his last stop before our church where they handed out gas cards to people who needed help. When he said he had no car they said sorry bye as he passed through crowds of people who just looked at him.
I think that God was messing with John because after sharing the he just got back from CA for his grandma's funeral and was on his way to Arkansas by bus, John asked, "Are you going back to family in AR? He said no, my mom and dad are dead but I was able to forgive my mom for abusing me before he died in jail. John said, Oh, that's good and what about your mom? He replied, "I killed her."
John thought, well I'm going to die and everyone is going to say, I knew those Barnes were crazy picking up people off the road, and I know where I'm going if I do or I'll live. He drove down the access road from the church and decided I am stopping at McDonald's before I take this guy home! So, they pulled in and Chris explained from John's prodding that his parents had him late in life and that weakend his mom who died early in his childhood. His dad always told him he killed his mom, resented him and that is why he abused him.
Then, as they sat to eat he says, Did you know I carry a weapon? John chokes on his food when he pulls out his Bible and says the sword! LOL! Chris shared about his work at his church with the youth group and it moved us as we were challenged by whether someone like Chris would be accepted among our parents working with the students? He wanted fellowship, acceptance and love and did not go to sleep until around 3a.m. (thankfully, he kept Earl -our oldest up!)
Chris's hygeine was the worst yet and I was brough to tears (and gags/literally!) as I washed his clothes because I was so blessed that God chose me to serve this sweet man.
As we went to bed that night, I said John, isn't it awesome to be God's hands and feet? He said, "Earlier this week we were Jesus but tonight we got to be with Jesus! He was so right!
Matthew 25
I was hungry and you gave me something to eat...I was a stranger and you invited me in.
Whatever you did for the least of these you did for me!
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