Faith Comes By Hearing

Did you know that despite today's amazing technology and the reaches of the internet, there are STILL more than 7 THOUSAND people groups that have never heard the name of Jesus?  How can this be when American Christians alone possess more than enough resources to spread the Gospel across the globe?

It can only be because we have not considered sharing Jesus a priority.

We're too busy.
We're too tired.
We're too...whatever.

I'm as guilty as my friend in the pew.

I've lived knowing people haven't heard the news, but not sacrificed as I could have.  And that makes my stomach turn.  How selfish I have been when people are literally dying apart from Christ and I've kept the news of forgiveness to myself. 

No longer!

This Sunday, our church launched a new ministry initiative; together we're going to raise enough money to translate the Bible into the language of a currently unreached people group.  What an amazing privilege to be able to share the most important thing ever!

We'll be working with Faith Comes By Hearing to make it happen.

Randall and I want to give towards this amazing goal, but our family's extra giving funds were recently depleted for Violet's adoption.  This means we have to get creative to give to this in addition to our tithe.  As a family, we brainstormed ways we could save/earn money to share.  Each pay period (every two weeks), we'll be doing something different and will we'll be donating what we save.   Some of our plans include:

*Live off half of our food budget (Otherwise known as rice and beans.  Hey, if half the world can do it, so can we).
*No electricity for wants, just needs (Now, is my ipad considered a want or need because I use that connection to stay SANE as an at-home mom?  Hmmm...)
*No coffee (As in, it's not brewed here, there or anywhere.  Good bye Starbucks; it's been so nice knowing you)

We'll be blogging about the adventures of life without perks.  That word makes me think of percolator...which makes me think of coffee...which I already miss just thinking about missing it.  This is going to be some kind of ride, but 

I can't wait to hear the stories that happen not just in THIS house, but ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GLOBE because a few kids and grownups were willing to go without.

Want to join in the fun?  What can you give will you give to share Jesus with someone else?

Note:  Please know our heart in this post is not to bring any glory to ourselves for giving.  To that end, we will not be posting how much we save and give.  We're simply sharing creative ways to raise funds and to teach children that sharing Jesus is more important than ANYTHING else.

First Moms and Forever Moms

The conversation in the girls' room last night was pretty appropriate considering this Sunday is Mother's Day.  Violet piped up that she had two Mamas, proudly holding up two little fingers.  And then came a conversation that broke my heart as the girls shared with each other where they were found, how big or little they were, and how they felt about it all.  They spoke in love and grief, emphatically expressing the realities of adoption.  Pain and loss.  Redemption and healing.  As the girls shared ideas for why their first moms had to give them up, I choked back my tears.

It's not fair.

It's not fair that their first moms can't see them now.  Matching jammies.  Pink blankets.  Dolls and stuffed animals surrounding them like guardian angels.

Violet's mom can't see her strength.  Her ever-positive attitude.  Her toothless grin.

Mia's mom can't see her desire to please.  Her joy in little things.  Her soft, shiny hair.

It's not fair that I have the money to care for these girls and she might not.
It's not fair that I have access to medical care and she might not.
It's not fair that I can have as many children as God blesses us with and she cannot.

While my life is easy, her life is controlled by others.  The injustice crushes me sometimes.

I know how we got here as a world.  Sin.  Selfishness.  Destructive choices.  There are days I want to fight with everything in me to change it all.  Work every bone to its weary core to save the weak and dying, free the oppressed.  God's return will bring the restoration, but sometimes I'm reluctant to pray for it because I know there are yet so many lost.  After a life of injustice, how can I be ok that their eternity be worse?

This Mother's Day will be bittersweet.  I have my 5 treasures, but somewhere half a world away two women do not.  My heart knows it, my girls know it, and most definitely...the precious women who chose life for my daughters know it.

To the Mothers of Our Daughters,

May you know somehow...through the whispering of the Holy Spirit, that your precious girls are loved beyond measure...not just by us, but by a Greater Father who holds them in His hands.  We are praying for you.  Praying for you to know the name of Jesus and to believe so that someday we can meet and share the treasure of life in these amazing girls.  Until then, Happy Mother's Day.