Bolivia~

Our friend, Kees left for Bolivia on the 23rd. He will be spending 3 months there. He will be working in the Compassion project that Erik is at....

We are very excited. Kees loves to take pics and videos. He asked us to take a few video clips and email them to him and he would show Erik!!!

Here is one of the video clips I made of Wyatt & Wesley saying Hi to Erik!

I will keep you posted .....   I know Kees made it to Cochabamba, Bolivia! God continues to change our lives through these children, Compassion International and so many people who love Jesus and want to help release children from poverty.

I never imagined by sponsoring our very first child back in 2008...  how God would use that to change our whole perspective in life.  These children are being changed and so are we!

You can change a life forever... sponsor a child today!
Grace~

A Great Week....

We have been at the beach for the past week....

Would love to hear how the start of your summer is?    I haven't had many comments....   been missing all of you!  I hope to have a give away next week!  Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!

Change the life for a child today!
Grace~

How Real Is It?

I shared with all of you that last week I was following the Compassion Bloggers as they went to Tanzania.  I love following and reading when bloggers make these trips with Compassion International  because.... it breaks me open, reminds me over and over why I speak out on behalf of the children...   and... honestly....

it makes it MORE real! 


Please take a few minutes and read some of the stories....   watch some of the video clips. Even if you do not sponsor a child through Compassion International... take a few minutes and read how others  live in poverty AND PRAISE GOD IN ALL THINGS.

One blogger shared about meeting her sponsored child (teenager) whose name was Topiwo.. He is 15. She shared how they went to visit his home....  and he lives in a mud hut. She shared how on the outside of his home ... he had written the words of the 23rd Psalm.

He lives in a mud hut.....  and on his house is ...

"The Lord is my Shepherd... I have everything I need."


To read the whole story.....  go over to Nester's blog and read about Topiwo... it is so worth it!

Another thing that Nester shared that spoke volumes to me was... something Topiwo aunt shared with her...

She talked and talked and told us how Compassion has helped their family over the last seven years, and oh my goodness this is the part where I tried to hold back tears. That area of Tanzania has experienced drought so Compassion has supplied the family with food. Maasai live off the land so they are immediately affected by drought. Even though Topiwo is the one sponsored, Compassion visits the home of all their children (his last home visit was in April) and they assess any needs of the family because they want to make sure that no one goes without food and basic health care.


When you sponsor through Compassion International....  you sponsor ONE CHILD but their WHOLE family benefits! Isn't that amazing!  I just love this! How great is that? 


We step out in faith to change a child's life.... and they change our life! God is faithful!


You can change a life today.... just like Topiwo's life is changed forever!
Grace~

What Really Matters~

   Our blonde Wyatt....  back in 2003.....    memories.....   how blessed I am!

I had a wonderful Mother's Day. I hope all of you did too!  I received several *gifts* that I just love but the best gift was their *words* to me!

You know as moms ....  for years and years we do our best and sometimes not our best, we make mistakes...  get angry... mess up....   and so on.  Through the years we may hear some negativity from family or friends....    we continue on ...  pouring into them.  We pray and ask God to lead, guide and direct us.  We pray for wisdom. We laugh and we cry....

Years later....  or even through the years we wonder....   Am I really doing it *right?* Am I messing them up? So when we hear words of affirmation.... it really touches us deep.

Michael (Mike) our oldest who lives in Florida with Amber his wife wrote,

happy mom's day to my mom/teacher/mentor/friend/hero. i would not be who i am today without her. love you, mom! — 


Dakota (just finished first year of college) wrote,

my mother is the best ever. The end

Lysa gave me a big musical card that when you open it a flower garden pops up... it  plays "Over the Rainbow." She wrote,

Thanks for everything! You don't even know how great you are. I love you! Have a great day.

Mandi gave me a musical card too....  that played "Wind beneath my Wings." She wrote,

Rain or shine, loving or fighting, your still my hero!


Amber (Mike's wife) also sent me a message saying, 


Happy Mother's Day! Thank you for being amazing! I couldn't .have asked for a better one than you :) You are awesome and I love you. 


I share all of this to encourage you .... what you are doing now.... will last for eternity. In Wess Stafford's book "Just a Minute" he says


"I have become convinced that if God stands a child before you for even just a minute its a divine appointment."

Being a mom is the greatest gift God has ever given me... other than His son. I am so thankful for each one of them. They love me in spite of my faults .....   God has blessed me more then I could ever imagine!

Thanks for letting me share....


Change a life sponsor a child today!
Grace~