See You Later, Alligator! After Awhile, Crocodile!

My Granny Pat turned 91 last weekend!  Wow!  I am thankful for her life and the many ways she has served her family and others over her lifetime.  She was a mother and a nurse and worked late, long hours to meet the needs of her children and her patients.  If I had to guess, I would say her primary way of showing love is performing acts of service.  Of course, at 91 that gets a bit more difficult but I still see it happening.  She lives in a adorable little barn house behind my parents.  This past year while we have been in Gatesville, she has been loving me with encouragement.  Each time I see her, she reminds me that she is proud of me and my little family.  I see love shining from her eyes when she looks at me, my husband or my boys. 

We celebrated her birthday this past weekend with a family gathering at Hay Valley Baptist Church.  This is the little country church that my mom grew up in…although the outhouses are gone, it still has an outdoor tabernacle!  It also now boasts a really fun playground and large kitchen/gathering area, making it an ideal place for a large family get together. 

We had a birthday/thanksgiving/going away party which equaled lots of delicious food, homemade from scratch cakes baked by my Uncle Doug, and lots of family! 

I am thankful for a large family of faith that will rally around us and cover us in prayer and encouragement.  I am also thankful that when my family prays, I know that voices and hearts of all ages (toddlers, children, teens, adults, elderly) will be joining in.  What a sweet legacy my Grandmothers carry.

Here is an overview:

September 11th, 2012. A Day of Life!

September 11th now symbolizes life in our family!  This is the day Josiah chose the Kingdom of Light and received the ultimate gift:  salvation from his sins.  We are so thankful!  Since Josiah was a baby we have been praying that he would accept Jesus as his Savior at the earliest possible age, but to be honest there have been plenty of times in the past 1 1/2 years that we have put him off. in making this decision.  We wanted him to have a true understanding of the decision he was making.  Here is how it happened…

Josiah came into the living room that evening to where Jody & I were working.  He asked Jody to read to him “that thing on your phone that has a bridge”.  Jody has a “Steps to Peace with God” app on his iPhone and he used to go over it with Josiah regularly but it has been months since I have seen them look at it.  It was a bit random for Josiah to mention it out of the blue but Jody pulled it out and started reading it with him.  It discusses how we are separated from God because of our sins and even if we try to do good things, go to church, etc., nothing WE can do will bridge the gap between us and God.  The cross is the only acceptable bridge that crosses the gap between us and God.  Jesus’ death on the cross is the only way that we will be found acceptable in God’s presence.

When Jody got to the end, Josiah said, “I don’t want to be on the enemy’s side, want to be on God’s side!”  After discussing more with him, we felt peace that Josiah truly had an understanding of his sin and his need for Jesus.  He prayed to receive Jesus!  When he was done praying he started laughing and jumping and kept saying over and over, “I just have so much joy!”  It was precious because we know that the Holy Spirit visited our boy that night in a way that he hadn’t experienced before.  He not only experienced salvation through Jesus but he experienced a taste of the Holy Spirit.  And I must say, his joy was contagious!  It was a really fun experience for our whole family.  Lucas was there watching and learning and Josiah quickly ran into my parents room to tell Grandmom and Grandaddy all about his decision.

Yesterday, November 4th, Josiah was baptized.  Here is a picture of him  being interviewed for a short video that was played just prior to his baptism at church last night.  It is him talking about his decision to accept Jesus and about why he wants to be baptized. 

This was a fun night!  We are overjoyed for our little boy to be a mighty warrior in the Kingdom.  Pray for Josiah that he will be filled with the Holy Spirit and have a deep burning passion for the Lord, for His Word and for His Church.

'Cause I Gotta Have Faith

Being the youngest of 4 has it's benefits and it's downfalls. It allowed me numerous opportunities to learn from my older siblings...and for better or worse, introduced me to things I otherwise might have been clueless about. Things such as bad 1980's fashion and music. I adored my older sisters and thought what they did was as good as gold. This resulted in me having my Barbie and The Rocker's dolls sing and dance to music via Y 95...THE radio station of choice in the DFW area. This brings me to my point: George Michael's song Faith. What?!? I know...strange point.

Today I have been telling myself, "I gotta have faith"....and who can think that phrase and not think of that song, right?

I gotta have faith...I gotta have faith.

What is faith?

Hebrews 11:1~ Now FAITH is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see.

I have been wrestling with my ability to do this today. Do I trust God. Do I really have faith in Him...to be who He says He is? Do I have faith and trust in His character. In His ability to be both just AND merciful? Do I trust Him? Is He faithful? I am talking beyond the nice, religious, pat answer of His general faithfulness. I am talking about trusting Him to be faithful to ME. To my family. To trust Him with my life.

Our family is on a journey to raise support through a team of people who will partner with us during our time in Haiti. This process is...um...well, it depends on the day you ask me! Some days I am FULL of faith that God is moving on our behalf and orchestrating His plan to bring our team together and get us fully funded by August (the date I am BELIEVING for!). But other days, if I am honest, I struggle to have faith. Because I am believing for something that I DO NOT see. Sometimes it is difficult to be "certain of what we do not see". It is difficult to have faith.

I have seen the absolutly delightful character of God. His love for me and my family. I have seen His provision and I have seen Him do amazing things that were completely out of my control and unexplainable. But at the same time, I feel like the world around me is screaming to trust MYSELF and MY abilities...To trust my logic and what I can see, hear, taste, smell and touch. Surely, I can trust those things, right?

Oh, but faith. I gotta have faith...I gotta have faith. And I know that faith is not always seeing. Faith is being SURE of what we HOPE for and being CERTAIN of what we DO NOT see.

Today I have been in a fight. A fight with myself and the choice that lays before me. Faith or Fear? Trust or Disbelief?

I do not see how we will be 100% funded to leave for Haiti by August. But I can hope for it, right? And I can be certain of it, right? Even if my human eyes don't see or understand.

I choose to believe. I choose to trust. 'Cause I gotta have faith. Jesus tells us that with a minute amount of faith we can move mountians. Lord, help my unbelief...because there is a mountain to move!

Haiti. August 2012. Gonna Be there.