Black Friday and I am in bed!

This is my view today.  I am in bed feeling very sick.  Today we were suppose to be working on our kitchen.  I was looking forward to it because I really want to get it done plus being sick often means I have time to reflect on life.  Reflection can be good but it's not what I need right now.  I will spare you the details of my illness but they are reminiscent of how I felt when I returned home from Ethiopia last March.  However, not near as severe.  Those first few weeks home were very difficult.  I blogged about it and quite honestly I just wanted to quit everything because it felt too hard.  Thankfully, I pulled through last spring and I am continuing with the good work that has been assigned for me to do.

I saw this quote on Twitter today. 

 

"You think you're gonna serve people out of your good example & expertise, but then God has you serve out of brokenness & disappointment."

 

That quote really hit home.  Almost three years ago I ventured off to Ethiopia with a desire to make a difference in the world.  I had no idea how involved I would become or how much I would change.  I really wish I was one of those matter of fact thinkers but I am not.  I have moments where I accept the harsh realities of this world but more often than not, I am emotionally drained by them.  I read a recent article about 13 things that mentally strong people don't do and to be honest I struggle with not all, but many things on that list.  Does it mean I am mentally weak?  Who knows for sure, but what I do know is that despite the struggle I am determined to push through my weakness by clinging to Jesus and striving to be obedient.  I love what Jesus had to say to the Apostle Paul in II Corinthians 12:9,

 

"My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness."

 

Therefore, Paul boasted in his weakness, he understood that what is done in his own strength would not be enough, he must rely on God.  I completely understand that truth and rest in God to help me continue this good work of helping care for these children in Ethiopia.

 

Right now I am working to raise $15,000, a much needed fund for my little friends over there.  I long to see...

 

 

Children enjoying childhood because their needs are being met.

 

 

Advanced medical care to address the needs of many children who are just receiving basic medical care at this point.

 

More nutrition on a daily basis.

 

 

I want to see this wonderful staff at FOVC Shanto continue to help these precious children.

I am participating in Children's HopeChest "Change Their Story" year end campaign.  My goal is to raise $15,000 for FOVC Shanto which will provide the children with a new school uniform.  It will help cover the cost of any unsponsored children now and in the future as FOVC potentially expands.  Finally, it will give FOVC a much needed medical fund.  Children currently receive basic medical care at the school but multiple needs have been identified and I would like to see these children get to the city for advanced medical care.

Donate TODAY and help make a difference in the lives of these precious children in Shanto, Ethiopia.

 

 



Plumpy Nut

I love this picture.  It was taken a couple days ago in Shanto, Ethiopia.  That precious little friend of mine is enjoying her first taste of Plumpy Nut. 

19 months ago I found myself on my knees diligently praying for these precious children.  The U.S.-based non-profit I was volunteering for announced they were shutting down, which meant the funding for these orphaned and vulnerable children would end.  In the months that followed I faced an extremely difficult situation.  I prayed like never before and watched God open doors I didn't even know existed. 

12 months ago I partnered with Children's HopeChest (a HUGE answer to prayer) to continue helping these precious children in Shanto.  One of many concerns I had was health care.  In Ethiopia, there is approximately one doctor for every 24,000 children.  Therefore, medical care for orphans in rural villages is almost non-existent.  I prayed that God would provide a doctor to come on my March 2013 trip; someone who could assess the children's health and advise my partner in Shanto, FOVC, on future medical care.  God TOTALLY provided and Dr. Rob came along.  I was so thankful for his hard work, diligent planning, and all the follow up he has done since March. 

One thing Dr. Rob suggested was a product called Plumpy Nut, which is a peanut-based paste.  FOVC has multiple partners which include Children's HopeChest, Ethiopian Orphan Relief (EOR), and a new non-profit called Partners With Ethiopia (of which I am a board member).  All three are staying connected and working in partnership to help FOVC.  EOR is funding the Plumpy Nut project and their team just delivered a three-month supply to the children in Shanto.  I am thrilled!

"The provision of the PlumpyNut is an essential part of the program to reduce protein-deficient malnutrition in the children of Shanto and enhance their health. It is produced in Ethiopia from Ethiopian peanuts and therefore is also stimulating the local economy."

- Dr. Rob

It's been amazing to watch everything unfold over the past 18 months.  God brought me through a very difficult and emotionally draining situation which immensely strengthened my faith in God and the power of prayer. 

To learn more about this story check out "My Journey" and "Child Sponsorship" tabs at the top of my blog.

How my new glasses help me see God

I got new glasses today.  These past couple years I've noticed a change in my eyesight.  Apparently, that is normal around age 40.  I'm unable to see close up with my glasses on so I've been constantly taking them off to see things within 3 feet.  I've even found myself taking them off when I'm sitting close to a person and talking, it's more comfortable.

During the eye exam, as I peered through the hole in the phoropter machine (yes, I googled that term) at the letter chart on the wall, I thought about why I believe there is a God.  While that may sound strange, that focused perspective is a picture of what plays into my belief in God.

To be honest, there are times I think that the idea of God and a spiritual realm is really far-fetched, along the lines of fantasy fiction.  When my perspective is focused, just like in that eye exam, on what I see straight in front of me the idea of God seems odd.  That "eye exam" perspective equals the normal tasks of life, things like getting up in the morning, going to work or school, running errands, staying healthy or heading to the doctor, laundry, paying bills, getting married, you know, normal life!  It's when my perspective changes, that I see God.

Death is definitely a perspective changer.  When someone dies, I really question the purpose of my existence.  I am mortal and the reality of death faces me, when it will come, I do not know but it will come.   Another perspective changer and the reason why I am convinced there is a God, is the universe.  

Alpha Centauri is the closet star to earth other than our sun.  The distance to reach it is mind-boggling.  NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is on it's way to Pluto as we speak.  It is traveling 37,000 miles per hour and will take over 9 years to reach Pluto.  If it continued on at that speed, it would take another 78,000 years to reach Alpha Centauri.  That is come serious distance, mind boggling and that is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the size of the universe.  Are you following me here?  When my perspective shifts from normal, daily life and I begin to focus on this incomprehensible universe, I see God.

God is said to be eternal, without a beginning or end.

Many people say the idea of an eternal God is impossible but isn't that what the universe is in regards to it's size?  We can't see a beginning or end to the universe, it goes on forever.  

The universe isn't God but a beautiful picture of Him, with no beginning or end, His existence expands forever.

I also think about how the universe got here.  There are many ideas, fascinating theories but in the end it had to come from something, right?  I see so much order and intelligent design in the universe and again, it points me to God.  Did you know that scientists estimate that earth travels 32,000,000 miles per day while we move through space and yet we don't feel a thing.  Think about our little tiny solar system, tiny in regards to the whole universe.  The diameter of our solar system is approximately 5 trillion miles and at the center of it is the sun.  The 8 planets revolve around the sun with amazing precision, I believe that scientist can calculate the exact moment the sun will rise at any given location on earth 100 years from today.  That is amazing!  I do not think that the sun is God but it is a beautiful picture of Him.  The sun is at the center of our solar system, because of gravity we revolve around it with precision, it is responsible for giving us life.  Without the sun we would not exist, a beautiful picture of God.

The next question is, how does God relate to us?  What was His purpose in creating all of this?  I hope to share more of my thoughts in the Fridays to come, after all, it's Faith-filled Friday, part of my blogging plan.