Truth

I love reading the Word. When I do, I find I am always challenged, refreshed, and at times comforted. After my Dad passed, (I hate thinking that, saying that, and writing that, so I will say “graduated” from here on out) I made it my goal to read through the entire bible. How can I say I’m a believer if I’ve never done that? If I’ve never read God’s entire word? He knew it so well. He had read through it several times and listened to it in the car several more times. His encouragement ALWAYS came from Truth. Always!! I miss that more than words can say.

I’ve started with the New Testament this time. Admittedly, the Old Testament takes perseverance and I don’t have any extra to spare right now.

So today I was reading in Acts about Paul and his ministry. His story amazes me. It proves that God’s plan WILL be accomplished and there is nothing we can do to stop it. Paul was persecuting new believers/followers of Christ after the resurrection and Jesus stopped him (literally, as he was traveling) and rocked his world. How can you see and hear Christ and not be changed? Paul then believed and took his story and the good news of Christ’s resurrection throughout much of Asia and some of Europe. As he was about to return to Jerusalem, a friend warned him not to go. He knew that Paul would be persecuted and imprisoned there, but Paul said, “I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Going on further to say how he would not be persuaded those gathered said, “The will of the Lord be done.”

For some reason that line struck a cord today. The will of the Lord be done.

At first I was burdened, thinking, what if God calls me to do something difficult like Paul and countless others through the centuries who have suffered for their faith. I really thought about that for a while. Okay. The will of the Lord be done. This is not my home. The only reason I’m here is because God has placed me here for Him. For His purpose. It’s so freeing when I actually stop and think about that. Should more illness or death come... The will of the Lord be done. Should blessing abound even more.... The will of the Lord be done. Soak that in. We have nothing to fear, The will of the Lord be done!!

Amazing Accident

To begin, here are some fun new pics of E! Playing in laundry, resting (for 0.5 seconds) and playing some more. Love it!

E and Dad getting ready to go out on a rainy day! We were so thankful for the rain last week! Loved it, fall is finally here!

As for my amazing accident, they are pictured above!! In the middle of making some chocolate chip cookies, I realized I was short 1 egg. Run to the store? No, sleeping baby. Neighbor? Nope, not home. Google? Yes!! I found that I could substitute 2 Tbs water and 1/2 tsp of baking power for an egg. I then remembered Michael wanted oatmeal choc chip cookies and I experimented by adding a little less flour and some oats and they turned out amazing!! Crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside! I'm not a baker, so I must brag. To prove, I had to wipe the dust off my Kitchen Aid mixer (after dragging it out from the back of a bottom cabinet).

#Ask5for5

Guest Blogger: Sarah Lenssen from #Ask5for5
Family photos by Mike Fiechtner Photography

Thank you Amy and nearly 150 other bloggers from around the world for allowing me to share a story with you today, during Social Media Week.

A hungry child in East Africa can't wait. Her hunger consumes her while we decide if we'll respond and save her life. In Somalia, children are stumbling along for days, even weeks, on dangerous roads and with empty stomachs in search of food and water. Their crops failed for the third year in a row. All their animals died. They lost everything. Thousands are dying along the road before they find help in refugee camps.

At my house, when my three children are hungry, they wait minutes for food, maybe an hour if dinner is approaching. Children affected by the food crisis in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia aren't so lucky. Did you know that the worst drought in 60 years is ravaging whole countries right now, as you read this? Famine, a term not used lightly, has been declared in Somalia. This is the world's first famine in 20 years.12.4 million people are in need of emergency assistance and over 29,000 children have died in the last three months alone. A child is dying every 5 minutes. It it estimated that 750,000 people could die before this famine is over. Take a moment and let that settle in.

The media plays a major role in disasters. They have the power to draw the attention of society to respond--or not. Unfortunately, this horrific disaster has become merely a footnote in most national media outlets. News of the U.S. national debt squabble and the latest celebrity's baby bump dominate headlines. That is why I am thrilled that nearly 150 bloggers from all over the world are joining together today to use the power of social media to make their own headlines; to share the urgent need of the almost forgotten with their blog readers. Humans have the capacity to care deeply for those who are suffering, but in a situation like this when the numbers are too huge to grasp and the people so far away, we often feel like the little we can do will be a drop in the ocean, and don't do anything at all.

When news of the famine first hit the news in late July, I selfishly avoided it. I didn't want to read about it or hear about it because I knew I would feel overwhelmed and uncomfortable. I wanted to protect myself. I knew I would need to do something if I knew what was really happening. You see, this food crisis is personal. I have a 4-year-old son and a 1 yr-old daughter who were adopted from Ethiopia and born in regions now affected by the drought. If my children still lived in their home villages, they would be two of the 12.4 million. My children: extremely hungry and malnourished? Gulp. I think any one of us would do anything we could for our hungry child. But would you do something for another mother's hungry child?

My friend and World Vision staffer, Jon Warren, was recently in Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya--the largest refugee camp in the world with over 400,000 people. He told me the story of Isnino Siyat, 22, a mother who walked for 10 days and nights with her husband, 1 yr-old-baby, Suleiman, and 4 yr.-old son Adan Hussein, fleeing the drought in Somalia. When she arrived at Dadaab, she built the family a shelter with borrowed materials while carrying her baby on her back. Even her dress is borrowed. As she sat in the shelter on her second night in camp she told Jon, "I left because of hunger. It is a very horrible drought which finished both our livestock and our farm." The family lost their 5 cows and 10 goats one by one over 3 months, as grazing lands dried up. "We don't have enough food now...our food is finished. I am really worried about the future of my children and myself if the situation continues."

Will you help a child like Baby Suleiman? Ask5for5 is a dream built upon the belief that you will.

That something I knew I would need to do became a campaign called #Ask5for5 to raise awareness and funds for famine and drought victims. The concept is simple, give $5 and ask five of your friends to give $5, and then they each ask five of their friends to give $5 and so on--in nine generations of 5x5x5...we could raise $2.4 Million! In one month, over 750 people have donated over $25,000! I set up a fundraiser at See Your Impact and 100% of the funds will go to World Vision, an organization that has been fighting hunger in the Horn of Africa for decades and will continue long after this famine has ended. Donations can multiply up to 5 times in impact by government grants to help provide emergency food, clean water, agricultural support, healthcare, and other vital assistance to children and families suffering in the Horn.

I need you to help me save lives. It's so so simple; here's what you need to do:

1. Donate $5 or more on this page (http://seeyourimpact.org/members/ask5for5)
2. Send an email to your friends and ask them to join us.
3. Share #Ask5for5 on Facebook and Twitter!

I'm looking for another 100 bloggers to share this post on their blogs throughout Social Media Week. Email me at ask5for5@gmail.com if you're interested in participating this week.

A hungry child doesn't wait. She doesn't wait for us to finish the other things on our to-do list, or get to it next month when we might have a little more money to give. She doesn't wait for us to decide if she's important enough to deserve a response. She will only wait as long as her weakened little body will hold on...please respond now and help save her life. Ask 5 for 5.

Thank you on behalf of all of those who will be helped--you are saving lives and changing history.


p.s. Please don't move on to the next website before you donate and email your friends right now. It only takes 5 minutes and just $5, and if you're life is busy like mine, you probably won't get back to it later. Let's not be a generation that ignores hundreds of thousands of starving people, instead let's leave a legacy of compassion. You have the opportunity to save a life today

Still learning toddler lessons

Our precious baby turned ONE today! And I learned a hard lesson. I looked at him today and felt this crazy, incredible love for him. I thought, how can my heart even know a love this deep and wide...my heart is overflowing. I tried to imagine how this is God’s love for us, His children. Wow. Too much. Then I had a little scare with E tonight. He got sick, fever, ect, had a little spell after bath that freaked me out- literally almost taking him to the ER. My better half, stopped me, calmed me down, and once I came back down to earth I reassessed Eli and realized he was ok. But man! It was scary. I kept thinking, what if some happens to MY baby. And you know how it can go after the fact, all the what ifs can flood your mind and I was beside myself. I couldn't’t even imagine living life without him. Is that really how God see’s us? Yes. He can’t imagine us not spending eternity with Him, the loving Father that has numbered every hair on our head. Wow. Too much. Then I realized, Eli isn't mine. He is the Father’s. And I am overwhelmingly thankful that I have been entrusted to be his mother, to raise a man who knows Jesus, trusts God, and serves others...still too much to think about at times. And that was my toddler lesson for today- he’s really not mine. When I am tempted to have a mom freak out moment, when my heart begins to race, like it did tonight, I have to trust that he is in the hands of a God who loves him more than I can imagine. He protects him. I do trust. I will trust. We prayed Psalm 91 over our sweet baby and he is resting, healing..I trust.

For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in ALL your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, that you do not strike your foot against a stone...Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him...I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. Psalm 91: 11,12,14,15

***I had that verse engraved on a money clip when I was a child for my dad, he traveled a lot and I wanted the Lord to always keep him safe. I now have it again and can’t wait to give it to Eli some day...a treasure from his Papa.