PRAYERS FOR MISSIONARIES

From time to time, I like to ask my readers to pray for some of our missionary friends. Today is one of those days.

First, would you please pray for Inge Donaldson? Inge is pictured above in the blue outfit. We stayed with her and the mister while we were in Swaziland in January. Inge's dad passed away this week. This is one of those times that makes it extra hard for a missionary to be so far away from family in the States. Please pray for comfort and peace.

Second, please pray for the Brock Family? They serve as missionaries at the Sandra Lee Centre, an orphan home, in Mbabane, Swaziland. Zwakele and their baby Thandeka Grace keep getting nasty sinus crud and bouts of flu. This week Zwakele has been coughing like crazy. Dennis has been suffering from a horrific stomach bug of some sort. Please pray for their healing and that they will be blessed with strength and good health.

Thank you!

WHAT'S MAKING ME SMILE?

Remembering how 6 year old Merry, as she was pulling weeds in WE WILL GO's inner-city ministry garden, said it was her "best day ever".

What's making you smile today?

SADDLING UP ANYWAY

Today I was in inner-city Jackson at WE WILL GO. My family and I try to go there whenever we can to serve and to participate in prayer, worship, and Bible study.

I saw a quote from John Wayne on something, maybe a t-shirt in the clothes ministry? My Swiss cheese brain can't remember for sure where it was printed, but it was a strong enough message that I googled it to get the wording just right. Here's what it said:

“Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway”

Now I have to confess, I'm not scared to death right now, but I'd be lying if I said I never got worried or fearful about things, including things that God is asking us to do.

I've had people comment before on how brave I am. They say that they admire me because I'm so courageous and willing to go do some fairly adventurous, perhaps even downright, risky things. I've tried to tell them that I'm really a chicken at heart but they just don't believe me. Let me tell you, just ask my family and they will tell you that I'm a big-time, scaredy-cat, worry-wart. I'm the mom that carries two or three bottles of germ-gel in her purse, double and triple checks the door locks at night when Jim's not home, and used to sleep with a butcher knife by my bed when I lived in Swaziland. I make my teenagers call me when they leave someplace at night and I don't let my kids spend the night at other people's houses til I've known both parents for at least a year. I'm the woman who uses the shopping buggy seat belt to secure her purse. I always, always, always wear my seatbelt. I make my kids go to the public bathrooms as pairs til they're pre-teens and, heck, I even homeschool them.

Yes, I am that mom.

I am also the mom that is praying about moving with her family to live in the heart of a city with one of the highest crime rates in the nation. I'm the mom who just took all of her kids to Africa and zipped across mountain gorges on cables and went on a safari in a 4-wheel vehicle with no seatbelts and nothing between us and wild, threatening creatures except for several feet of bare space. I'm the mom who takes her kids into questionable neighborhoods in New Orleans and Africa, alike. I'm the mom who is moving all of her kids to live and serve in a nation that has the highest HIV/AIDS rate in the world, black and green mambas that kill you if they bite you, river crocodiles that still eat people (including children), burglar bars and alarm systems on a large percentage of the homes, and on and on I could go with the dangers. In fact, when we were in Africa four years ago, we almost walked in on burglars who were in the process of robbing our guest house.

Believe me, I sometimes freak out just a wee bit. Okay, a lot. I let my imagination start running wild and my give room for my fears to grow. I watch shows and documentaries that only feed those anxieties. I start dwelling on the horrific possibilities.

And then God reminds me of who He is and why He is calling me. He reminds me of those hurting and dying. He reminds me of those living in darkness. He reminds me of those who don't know that a savior lived and died for them and loves them tremendously. He reminds me of those precious little children who need a mama's lap to sit on and daddy's arms to swing them high. He reminds me of the heroes of the faith who have gone before me. Those Bible folks and those in modern history who've been willing to walk the hard path, even the path that lead to death, in order to set the captives free.

And most of all, He reminds me that He is worth it all. My loving Father sent His precious Son to this world. My beautiful Savior left all the glories in Heaven to walk a hard journey here on earth knowing all along that his life would end in the ultimate sacrifice on the cross.

When I remember all He has done for me, I am reminded that He loves me so much and He also loves those dwelling in darkness so very much. He has given us the task of taking His light and love to them.

Yes, I get fearful at times. I am even slightly tempted to just say "no" --- to stay living our wonderfully sweet and safe life on our little farm just serving in our local church and reaching out in non-scary ways. Sure, from time to time go deeper into the dark, but to have our comfortable place to always come back to.

But that's not what He's called us to do. He's called us to risk it all for the sake of the call. He's told us to go and love even when it is dangerous, even when it might cost us everything.

I heard a long time ago that courage didn't mean you never got scared, it just meant you did what you knew you needed to do anyway.

That's what I'm doing. I'm doing what I know I need to do anyway.

And you know what? I bet He's telling you to do the same thing.

It might not be moving to Africa or even an inner-city neighborhood.

But I bet, if you're perfectly honest, there are things you know He wants you to do but you've been letting worries and fears hold you back.

Don't say no to Him. Remember that He is worth it. And living life fully for Him, even when it is scary and sacrificial, is glorious.

Now put those boots on your trembling feet, get those shaking legs walking out the door, and saddle up that horse!

A NEW LOOK AT ROMANCE

"I don’t know about you, but when my husband sees a need and goes out of his way to meet it, I can barely contain my love for him!

His love, lived out in practical ways, is romantic. Why? Because true romance is love lived out. And real life includes dirty dishes and piles of laundry."

--- Heidi St. John, THAT GIRL

Believe me, I still love chocolates and romantic get-aways to New Orleans but Heidi is totally solid with her point, that "true romance is love lived out." Amen!

Want to read more? Visit Heidi St. John's blog: http://www.homeschoolconvention.com/blog/that-girl/

LITTLE HOUSE IN THE HOOD

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE ain't no match to our LITTLE HOUSE IN THE HOOD life we just experienced for the last four days.

Yeah, yeah, I know that Pa Ingalls had a panther encounter and the Ingalls were almost frozen a dozen times by various blizzards, but we not only had the excitement of a stolen bike, vomiting during worship service, a rotweiler who found my men to be more of a bite temptation than she could withstand, a dead vehichle battery, and a hit-and-run crunch in the side of our van, we also had the excitement of being a part of bringing the light and love of Jesus to a part of our state capital desperately hurting. We were blessed and honored to pray with folks, share food, paint houses, do light construction type work, and clean out the community garden. We were able to spend lots of time hanging out with the missionaries living there plus meeting folks visiting and hearing their amazing God stories.

Oh, and how could I forget the races?

Yep, the races each morning for the one toilet all nine of us shared in the yellow, restored, shotgun house.

Life is good with Jesus. Seriously, seriously good. I'm just so thankful and full of joy.

And part of that joy and thankfulness is that despite the "excitement" that could have been some "rain on our parade", instead, we all kept just being glad that we were there in inner-city Jackson. For this period of time, every single one of us was right where we were supposed to be ... and we knew it.

ANOTHER LESSON LEARNED IN THE DIRT

Recently, my Swaziland missionary friend Jenifer Peterson, shared this on her blog:

"A DEMON TORMENTS ME AT NIGHT"

Our family was visiting one of the widows in our community this past week. We go monthly to bring food and supplies for the homestead, and spend some time praying. As we sat in front of her home she shared her heart with us. How thankful she is that the Lord arranged events in such a way that a family from America came to Swaziland and eventually came upon this woman and the grandchildren she cares for. How the Holy Spirit pricked our hearts and compelled us to provide food and basic medical care for her and even had the distinct privilege of coordinating efforts to provide a new house for them to live in to replace a mud and stick hut that was literally falling down around them. She gave praise to God that this new house now stands firm on her homestead and served to protect her during a recent torrential downpour of rains and wind. She mentions how her neighbors often ask her: "How is it that the white people come to your house and always bring you gifts?" to which she humbly and correctly responds: "I prayed to God and He is answering my prayers." In fact, while we are sitting in the late afternoon African sun one of her neighbors wanders over with a huge grin on her distinctly lined face, hands placed together up in front of her chest as she is approaching us saying: "Siyabonga Jesus, Siyabonga Babe, Siyabonga!" (Thank you Jesus, Thank you Father, Thank you) She continues on in SiSwati and our ministry partner translates her message. "She is so thankful that you come and care for her neighbor, she is so grateful for that!" She is also a widow, left behind to care for several young grandchildren and great grand children. These women look out for each other. They share in one another's joys and sufferings. They encourage each other. Beautiful. The Church at it's most basic and organic level.

Before we leave we ask if we can pray for anything specific. Her face becomes very serious and she begins to speak and request prayer. "A demon torments me in the night..."

She proceeds to tell us that for the past several nights she has been gripped with fear and terror in the middle of the night. She has not been able to sleep. She believes an evil spirit is coming to her after dark to attack her. She knows prayer is the only way to stop it.

My heart breaks for this precious, vulnerable woman who has endured so much loss and hardship in her life. She has buried children, nursed HIV infected grandchildren, gone to bed hungry and listened to the cries of her granddaughter's as they try to ignore the empty gnawing hunger in their bellies, walked over rocky and uneven terrain to find a place in the bush to relieve herself...Through it all, she has never lost her faith. She continues to cry out to Jehovah God to sustain her. As a reward for that faithfulness He has in fact provided for her in amazing and unbelievable ways!

I have pondered this often in the days since we've visited with her and each time my anger grows a bit more. Seriously, pathetic enemy of our souls, the best you can do is harass an old lady in her bed after dark? Really? Each time it is brought to mind, I am sure to pray for this woman; asking God to bring her HIS peace and serenity. When I've woken up in the night, this woman heavy on my heart, I pray. I know that HE is greater than the one that is in the world. It just is another reminder that we are not only battling against the physical realm, even though that is so often what we are faced with on a day to day basis. Not enough food, not enough water, inadequate medical care, broken families, no money for school fees, houses literally falling down around grandmas and their kids...the list goes on and on. And over the past year we have been amazed and humbled to watch and be a small part of seeing God address and provide for each of these physical areas! With seven intense words, this Gogo serves to remind me that the real battle is in the spiritual realm.

"A demon torments me in the night..."

Ephesians 6:12 says this: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." We do not have to fear this fact but we do have to understand it. It is very easy to get caught up in the physical needs of those around us because it is something we can wrap our minds around put our hands to. Often, we can do something to meet at least part of that physical need. And I'm not suggesting that we stop doing that. It is when we grow complacent in our efforts and satisfied with the fact that we have done something because what I am learning more and more is that even our best efforts are nothing apart from the touch of the Holy Spirit. We can do nothing apart from God's power; at least nothing that is of any true importance. I must daily, sometimes several times daily, lift my hands and ask God to fill them with what is eternally significant. Then and only then will I have something to deliver. In fact, it has been the times when I have nothing left to give and the Lord pours out His mercy in full that I have experienced peace in knowing that together with Him we are doing something. I have to do my part, but I must guard from believing my part is enough or even the most important thing. Of course my family will continue to do our best to connect the needs of the people we serve to the generous outpouring of provision that God allows to flow through us and others. However, at the end of the day, the most important and valuable thing I can give is time on my knees praying protection and peace over them; claiming the promises from Scripture that nothing, no thing will ever separate them from the love of God. ...neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, not any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation...(Romans 8:38)

Just another lesson learned in the dirt, under the late afternoon African sun...

To read more about the Peterson's life in Swaziland, visit their blog: http://ericandjen.myadventures.org/

HEADING INTO THE HEART

This week, our family will be heading into the heart of our state's capital to spend some extra time at an inner-city ministry. We'll be serving and hoping to bless many but we'll also be going with another purpose in mind.

We are praying about moving there to live and work with a ministry focused on bringing the light, love, and truth of Jesus to those who live there and those who come from other parts to serve there. Would you please pray for us during this time? Pray that we'll do all the Lord has for us during this time but that we'll also clearly hear confirmation from God if this is truly the next step He has for us on our journey towards serving in Swaziland. Living there would be a time for us to minister to the heart of our state, but also a time of transition and training as we prepare to live and serve in Africa.

Thank you!
Elysa

MARDI PARTY MacSTYLE

My brother and his family live on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and one of the perks that coastal living is that they get an extra holiday that isn't even on the radar of most Americans --- Mardi Gras. Down there, it seems like almost everything shuts down or at least modifies a bit to reflect the carnival atmosphere whether it is blocked streets for parade routes, green and purple wreathes on doors, or grocery stores selling King Cakes.

SSince my niece and nephews were out of school for three days this week as a result, their mama loaded them and a bunch of Mardi Gras supplies up in their mini-van and headed up here for three days of cousin-fun. Our kids decorated their own "floats", held a parade on the dead-end road next to our house, threw beads, and --- in lieu of King Cake --- decorated cookies with lots of purple and green frosting.

So does your area of the world celebrate any holidays that most of the rest of us don't observe or maybe have never even heard of?

TWO DAYS LATE

I know that President's Day was two days ago, but tonight I came across this photo from our recent trip to Swaziland and wanted to post it here.



Isn't he adorable in his "President of the U.S.A." shirt? America is well liked by most Swazis and, on the whole, they thought it was pretty great that someone of African descent was elected president of America. I think its pretty fun that somehow this little fellow ended up wearing this shirt to the Bheveni Carepoint on the day that we Americans paid a surprise visit.

BOOKS: WAS, WHILE, WILL

What I was reading last week:

The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow by Joyce Magnin

What I'm reading while this week passes:

Third Culture Kids by David C. Pollock and Ruth van Reken

What I will be reading:

Say Yes to God by Kay Warren

What are you reading this week and what do you want to be reading?

HOW HAVE YOU SPENT YOUR MONDAY?

A lot of folks I know, including my hunky hubby, have been enjoying a day off thanks to President's Day. Others I know, have been loving some vacation days thanks to Mardi Gras. My sister-in-law and her three kids are some of those folks.

With them being here, I've been cooking for an even bigger army, doing a 4 mile walk with Stephanie as we're both working towards getting healthier, and I'm continuing to work on editing and upload photos from our Swaziland trip.

I can't just leave them as is or just let them show up on facebook any old way because I'm just OCD that way. I've said it before, but I'm going to be doing good to have all these pics edited and uploaded by the time we move to Africa in 2 years.

And what's adding to the length of time its taking? My dear Picnik.com photo-editing website is shutting down soon which means I'm going to be needing to find another option soon. I've been spending some time looking around the web for other offerings and have been messing about on BeFunky.com with some fun results.

So how have you spent this 3rd Monday in February?

ORDERED STEPS

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD,

and He delighteth in his way.

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;

for the LORD upholdeth him with His hand.

Psalm 37:23-24

MY "MADE ME SMILE LATELY" LIST

*Dark Chocolate Covered Zapp's Cajun Crawtaters from Blue Frog Chocolates

*Listening to my kids howl with laughter as they look through photo albums showing them as babies and little kids.

*My hunky hubby getting home today from his work-related conference in Mardi Gras-crazed New Orleans.

*Our fuzzy calico cuddled up on the cracked-vinyl tractor seat.

*A nice, fun chat with my BFF Rhonda while lounging all comfy on my brown leather couch.

*A very sweet and very funny Valentine's Day video made by some Adventures in Missions World Racers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fH5QY_I3BU&feature=youtu.be

*My 13 year old son Patrick singing a very unique version of Lee Greenwood's I'M PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN including "I paid my bills and taxes and now I'm eternally free".

*Running down the road to our neighbors' driveway and back just because its good for me and the weather was courteous.

*Getting to sleep extra late on a rainy Saturday while my teenaged daughter makes a big ole pancake breakfast for her brothers and sisters.

*Hearing how God is moving in the life of my Troubadour Grandbaby Stefanie and her family. God is definitely up to something as He turns the hearts of His children back to the least and the lost, even in our inner-cities that so many have given up on.

*Pictures from Thailand on my Betsie's Tumblr. Sure hope she lives there again one day so I have more excuses to visit that beautiful country.

*The antics of Fred and Lamont on SANFORD AND SON.

*Finding out that one friend is heading to a Middle-Eastern nation to show some Jesus love while a Troubadour friend, LeAnn, is heading out on her very first mission trip ever.

*Goodnight hugs and kisses from my three youngest.

*My husband switching to KEEPING UP WITH APPEARANCES all on his own...and keeping it there. Love that PBS doesn't have commercials to encourage channel surfing.

*Birdhouses painted by earnest, messy fingers.

“Withhold a smile only when the smile can hurt someone. Otherwise, let it bloom forth in a riot.” ---Vera Nazarian

So share your smiles. What's lifting your spirits these days?

LIVE IT

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." -- Helen Keller

(And yes, that is this middle-aged mama riding a zip line over a mountain gorge at Malalotja Canopy Tour in Swaziland! )