Courageous Life

So we are down to less than 24 hours... ...packing, repacking, packing, repacking, bank errands, last minute items, team is checking in online, receiving texts and calls,working my last day(full of meetings and turning over my workload) woo hoo, it is exciting and overwhelming. Here is our tenative Schedule: Leave Friday June 3rd 11:50am Delta Airlines, Nashville to Atlanta to Amsterdam. Change to KLM after 6 hour lay over and arrive in Nairobi Saturday June 4th 8pm ! Sunday: New Song Nairobi Church Service: John and Rhonda speaking; Beth leading worship. Sunday afternoon computer lab with Dave Lewis Monday: Marurui Slum and Jacaranda Head Office Tuesday: Alberts school and Tassia Slum Wednesday: Kaimbu Hospital Thursday: Massai Land Friday: Massai Market/ Sight Seeing/ Justin and Elijah Davis arrive Saturday: Marurui Outreach(sports and fun)Health Clinic Sunday: New Song Nairobi Justin speaking/Beth and Joby leading worship/ Afternoon Computer lab with Dave L...

It’s been an incredible journey the past 10 months. Last August no one knew how they would afford this trip, how they would leave family behind, how they would get off work. I personally didn’t know how to lead a team like this! I didn’t feel equipped, not popular enough, not young enough, etc, etc…. But God has proved to be in this journey. My faith with each mission trip I have taken has grown to new levels and my heart is changed. I now hope the changes never stop. The best part of this is trusting HIM. I love the part in the book, Sun Setting Prayer when he talks about stepping into the water, applying wisdom and then swimming like you never have before. And never, never turning back, because ultimately, HE is the wave jumper, not me. The great thing too for me is that my focus is so much more on what God has given me in life(my family) and what he has given me to do, (my service) and no longer on my outward appearance, my status economically or socially. It’s is ...

Yep, 2 Weeks until the "Africa Team" / "Nairobi Hope Now" team leaves for Nairobi, Kenya. Thank you to so many of you that have contributed through prayers, encouraging words, donations, and financial sacrifice! YOU are part of this team. I hope and pray you feel it. Once again, we will be working alongside Garry and Brenda Kean, their church, their sewing ministry(Jacaranda Creations) and their outreach in the slums. Our to do list is very long and possibly unrealistic. Garry and Brenda are in the process are coordinating the final daily schedule but here is the general activities: Speaking and leading worship at New Song Nairobi Speaking/Ministering to the Jacaranda Sewing ladies in their different communities Neighborhood door-to-door visitation Loving on and playing with the some kids including sports camp Computer training Visiting in homes located in the slums Volunteering with a mobile medical clinic. Visiting childrens ward in a local char...

Transitioning to a new role as a nurse I attended a health coach training. There I was exposed to a speaker by the name of Brene Brown, she spoke on connnectedness and vulnerabilty. Brene is a social worker turned reseacher setting herself on a journey to "cure" lack of connectedness. Guess what she learned? "VULNERABILITY: The Core of Relationship" Here is the deal, people who had more of sense of connectedness did not necessarily have less struggles. Instead she named this group of people "The Whole Hearted". Because these individuals had a strong sense of "worthiness". There are 4 strong characteristics of The Whole Hearted defining the worthiness they feel. 1. Courage: "Cour" latin word meaning who you are with your whole heart 2. Compassion: Treat yourself kind. If you can't treat yourself kind, how can you be truly kind to others? 3. Authenticity: Those who let themselves be seen loves greater 4. Vulnerab...

Lauryn and Jessica are well! Woo hoo! Lauryn's final testing for lupus was negative. She has had no further strange symptoms of an autoimmune dysfunction. Jessica developed viral hepatitis from mono, but that has resolved! She still has some moments of fatigue, but she is feeling great. In her words, " The fog has lifted. This fog I felt for a month finally gone." THANK YOU for your prayers!!!! I know there was power in them and am humbled and grateful for healing. We have also raised 9,000.00 of the 12, 000.00 needed for our trip to Africa. This means our plane fare is covered for sure and we just need the rest so that we can all have a safe place to lodge, transportation on the ground there, food, etc... Again: Woo Hoo! THANK YOU to all of you that have given us so much support! We are humbled greatly and grateful extremely. "Cease striving (let go, relax) and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10.

I thought I would write in here tonight to simply ask for your prayer. Its seems my sweet girls have strange unusual illnesses associated with us and trips to Africa. Last time is was bacterial pneumonia and H1N1 virus. This time the Raynaud's phenomena with the threat of associated lupus and now Mono with viral hepatitis. I honestly, have said, if this is because of my attempts to go to Kenya, forget it. But just maybe that is the whole purpose straight from the evil one himself. So, NO. He can't win. He has no stronghold over me or my family. The scripture says he flees at the mere mention of Jesus. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Take that! But with that being said, I covet your prayers at this time. We all need to be healthy and able to fully focus on the task before us. "Keep your eyes focused on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, our healer and redeemer." These words came to me in an email from my sweet friend Brenda. She was communicating detai...

Almost two years ago I had the opportunity to go visit my friend Brenda in Nairobi. What I experienced in Kenya was big movements of God. I heard stories from woman in desperate situations full of hope because of their faith. I also witnessed a woman my age with 5 kids, 2 of them critically ill and malnourished turn her heart over to Jesus. She was a "brew maker" with a bad reputation in the slum. Another woman my age dying in pain from untreated metastatic breast cancer relinquished what she called "a bitter heart" and "bent her knee" to accept Jesus. Now, I am leading a team of people back to Kenya this June. I am amazed, excited that God is allowing me to go back. Even greater, taking others with me. Life has been full lately with lots of distractions and worries, from sick children with possible autoimmune disorders and mono; to children traveling far distances for the first time alone; to children being away from home and under Tsunam...