SAD PRAYER REQUEST

We have found out that one of the young men who had frequently come to the inner city ministry that we attend and minister through was shot and killed earlier today by one of the other young men who I have met through the WE WILL GO ministry. What a horrific tragedy for all involved.

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Please pray for Chris' family as they grieve his loss. Just recently, Chris told Amy Lancaster, one of the ministry founders, that he was not interested in Jesus. Amy viewed Chris as one of her sons and she is broken hearted.

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Chris' killer, Hollywood, is also one of Amy's "sons". Now his life is destroyed and his family is scared, worried, and devastated as well. He is sitting in a jail right now desperately needing the kind of cleansing and freedom that only God can give.

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I held his grandmother today as she told us the news and cried. She is fearful about many things concerning this. Please, please, please pray for Hollywood but also pray for those like his grandmother who are now facing a lot of fears and heartache. She says that she has faith, but doesn't know if she has enough faith to handle "one more thing".

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Pray for her to allow this to be used by God to make her a mighty warrior for Him. Pray that she will learn to trust in God's provision as she never has before.

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Pray for all involved, all those who were a part of Chris and Hollywood's life, all those involved in the ministry, that what Satan has intended for evil will end up being used by God to stir up something powerful...something that will be of eternal significance.

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I've got to go for now. I'm worn out after church service this morning, the emotionally tough time of ministry at WE WILL GO, and then keeping up with Hurricane Gustav as it begins to affect our state. My brother's family and my parents have all evacuated to safe places and we're prepared for a few days of bad storms and possibly no power and/or water for a while.

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Please keep all these matters in your prayers. If I'm not back online for a couple of days, you can blame it on the weather.

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Thanks.

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Elysa

Child Prostitution

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From the Children's Cup "Forty Days of Prayer for the Children" website:
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God help us to be able to continue to discover ways to help the far-too-many children we encounter who are involved in child prostitution - whether they’re being forced by others, ruthless men who prey on children, or if they simply choose to sell themselves in order to feed themselves and their siblings…
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Regardless of why it is going on, it is unbearable and it is going on everywhere we go.
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God help us rescue and restore these kids by loving them with Your true grace and peace.
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Thank you for praying today. Feel free to leave a comment with a prayer or thought you would like to add. If you haven’t signed up yet, send Children's Cup an email to pray@childrenscup.org to let them know you are joining with them in prayer.

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http://fortydays.childrenscup.org/

AMERICA: MEET SARAH PALIN

For the first time, I'm excited about something this campaign season.

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PRAYING FOR THE WOMEN WHO CARRY THE LOAD

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From the Children's Cup "Forty Days of Prayer for the Children" website:

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Women in southern Africa, they carry a HUGE load.

- literally and figuratively -

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And yet they are not typically valued or appreciated in these cultures. As a result, many live lives that are empty and full of despair. Add to this a high frequency of children and loved ones dying from AIDS and other diseases - and there’s little cause for joy.

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But Jesus makes all the difference.

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Lord, help us continue to find ways to show your love and hope to these precious ladies you love so much.

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Thank you for praying today for the women of Southern Africa. Feel free to leave a comment with a prayer or thought you would like to add. And if you haven’t signed up yet, send an email to Children's Cup at pray@childrenscup.org and let them know you’re praying.
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YOU DIED FOR THEM

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From the Children's Cup "Forty Days of Prayer" website:
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Thank you, Lord for the opportunity to teach children who otherwise would not be getting an education because they are too poor or too sick or too rejected.
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Help us to reach into the hearts and minds of these precious kids You died for and show them Your love while we give them the hope of a better opportunity and future in their lives here.
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Most of all, let us show them the way to eternal life in JESUS.
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Thanks for praying today. Feel free to leave a comment with a prayer or thought you would like to add. And if you haven’t signed up yet, send an email to pray@childrenscup.org and let Children's Cup know you’re praying.
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The photos below were taken at a Children's Cup carepoint located across from the dump in Manzini, Swaziland, and adjacent to a squatter's village. The carepoint not only provides the area children with daily physical food, but spiritual food and education as well. I was so very impressed with the children and their ability to quote scripture verse after scripture verse as well as their progress in learning all the different phonics sounds...and these are kindegarten and first grade children growing up in a desperately poor environment surrounded by prostitution, addiction, alcoholism, abuse, and disease. God is doing beautiful things in the lives of these little ones through the ministry of Children's Cup and the dedicated Swazi teachers.

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RADICAL FOR JESUS AND HIS LITTLE ONES

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If you're a regular visitor to Graceland, then you've already heard about Kevin and Christi Bowman...those fun-loving, radically passionate folks I was blessed to travel around Swaziland with back in January. But if you're new here, and even if you're not, you might not know that they are planning on moving their family to Swaziland to live among and minister to orphans and those who care for them.

Here's a short video that highlights the situation in Swaziland and what they hope to do about it:

To learn more about their lives and ministry, visit their websites at:
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http://www.kevinjbowman.com/index.cfm
http://www.christibowman.com/
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THIRSTING FOR CLEAN WATER

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From the Children's Cup website:
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Just a cup of clean water. We can take it for granted.

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But we can also make it possible for those who don’t have access to clean water to actually have it flowing from a well right in their own community. Putting a well at a local church or CarePoint gives a clear message about the hope we have in Christ that we are there to give freely.

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God help us know where, when, and provide the resources for digging wells, and use them to draw people to you.

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-For Your Glory-

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Thanks for praying today. Feel free to leave a comment with a prayer or thought you would like to add. If you haven’t signed up yet, send an email to pray@childrenscup.org

and let the folks at Children's Cup know you’re praying.

CARE TO JOIN US?

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We will be taking our 7 kids and heading to an inner-city ministry in Jackson this weekend called WE WILL GO. It's a time to worship alongside a wonderful bunch of folks who already know the Lord and also mingle and minister to a whole bunch of others who are desperately in need of a relationship with God.

We usually arrive at The Lancasters' around 2 or 2:30 so we can help with set-up and just visit with folks. The actual service starts at 3:00 and runs til around 5:00. I bring books, crayons, pipe cleaners, and small toys for my little ones to play with during this time.

Once the service is over, it's time to feed scores of hungry people...homeless people, neighbors, prostitutes, children from desperately poor homes, addicts...all people created in God's image, loved immensely by Him, but knocked around by bad, sin choices or just the circumstances they were born into.

And after feeding them, we get the privilege and blessing of laughing with them, praying for them, helping them find some clothes to wear, and the kids all play with each other jumping on the Lancaster's trampoline like there is no tomorrow. It's a lot of fun many times. Other times, it's very sad as you hear some of the heartbreaking stories. But through it all, it's so evident that God is there and His strong and mighty angels are about us.

Then, we usually stay and help clean up...washing dishes, moving chairs, picking up trash, whatever.

It's one of those ministries that you can come and go as needed...stay the whole time, leave early, or come late. And it's also one of those ministries that your whole family really can be a part of. My kids give hugs, serve food, carry stuff, give smiles, fill up cups of ice water...all things done for Jesus and His "least of these".

We'd love to have you join us. You can come once or keep on coming.

Let me know if I can answer any more questions. The Lancasters' website is: http://www.wewillgo.org/Site/Welcome.html

Honored to be serving His little ones,
Elysa

PRAYING FOR MOZAMBIQUE

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From the Children's Cup "Forty Days of Praying for the Children":
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As Christians, we are called to be in the world, but not of the world. We are also called to “go and make disciples of all nations.” HPC Mozambique is doing just that. Through Isaac & Carol Williams, the message of hope, renewal, & transformation is being taught in a whole different world, in an entirely different nation!

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We pray for HPC Mozambique as the church continues to reach out & change lives. We pray for the children who come to learn & get fed, and we pray for the leadership as Isaac & Carol find new ways to reach the community they serve!

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We pray for the physical needs of HPC Mozambique as more & more are drawn by its servant mentality. We pray for the spiritual needs of all those who come & near the truth of Jesus Christ!
Finally we pray that HPC Mozambique will continue to be a healing place for a hurting world!

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Thanks for praying today. Feel free to leave a comment with a prayer or thought you would like to add. And if you haven’t signed up yet, send us an email to pray@childrenscup.org to let them know you’re praying.

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To read more about the Williams ministry in Mozambique, visit their website at http://isaacandcarol.blogspot.com/ .

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THANK YOU FOR YESTERDAY
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I want to thank all of you who prayed for us yesterday and sent messages of support. It meant so very much.
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As an aside, when 4 year old T saw his Papa Roy's picture below, he said, "is that a picture of Papa Roy in Heaven?" I, of course, said "no", but it is comforting to know that even if we don't have a picture, we can know that he is in Heaven because of his faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Praise God for that.

IN MEMORY OF PAPA ROY

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Today marks the one year anniversary of Roy Clark's passing. Roy was my step-dad, my kids' grandpa, a friend to so many, my mom's husband of over 20 years, and someone loved by many, many others who knew him.

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Please pray for my family and Roy's close friends as we still miss him. Please especially pray for my mom as this day is especially hard for her. She still grieves for him deeply.

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THE NEED IS REAL

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From the Children's Cup "Forty Days of Praying for the Children" website:

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Lord Jesus, please help us communicate this cause. Help us to find ways to write it down and make it plain so that others will see and join us in the fight for the children.

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The need is real. It is life and death. And the strategy, opportunity, favor, and passion are all converging for a truly powerful response. Help us tell the story for Your glory and for Your people to see and rejoice as they join the fight.
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Thanks for praying today. Feel free to leave a comment with a prayer or thought you would like to add. I you haven’t signed up yet, send an email to pray@childrenscup.org and let the folks at Children's Cup know you're praying with them.

I'M POSTING ON ANOTHER BLOG...Check it out!

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Let's Talk Homeschool features several homeschool mommies and their writings about, well, er, ummm... homeschooling! Go over and give it a gander and then we surely would appreciate it if you told your homeschool friends about this new online resource. Because as you can tell from this post, we homeschool moms are always frightfully eloquent.

YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE DANCING



I'm laughing uproariously at my teenage daughters' reactions to this video. The 14 year old says "this is not rock". Okay...so I do love the song, but I'm thinking these birds look like something from The Village. I'm wondering if movie maker M. Night Shyalaman watched a wee bit too much of The Muppet Show in his formative years.

Oldest daughter is traumatized.

Oldest daughter's mother is cracking up. It's so fun torturing teenagers. Mw-aah-ha-ha-ha!
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SCENES FROM THREE YEARS AGO

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Exactly three years ago, Little Miss M entered the world. Here are some pictures of the precious darling and some of her many admirers from that day.
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Happy Birthday, sweetie! We love you so very much and were given such an amazing gift from God on the day you were born.

GIVE THEM DREAMS

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From Children's Cup and their "Forty Days of Praying for the Children"---

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Lord Jesus, help these children to dream. Give them dreams of doing something bigger than they possibly could do on their own without You. Help them to develop a relentless passion for pursuing You and the destiny You have for them.

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In a place where hopes and dreams are typically united to survival, make these kids champions of HOPE IN JESUS. And let us be a part of making those dreams come true.

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Give us all HUGE DREAMS.
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Thanks for praying today. Feel free to leave a comment with a prayer or thought you would like to add. And if you haven’t signed up yet, send an email to pray@childrenscup.org to let the folks at Children's Cup know you’re praying.
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BOUNDING ALONG THE PATH

"We must remember that God will never drag us along the path of true-hearted discipleship. This would greatly lack the moral excellency which characterizes all the ways of God. He does not drag, but draws us along the path which leads to ineffable blessedness in Himself; and if we do see that it is for our real advantage to break through all the barriers of nature, in order to respond to Gods' call, we forsake our own mercies. But alas! our hearts little enter into this. We begin to calculate about the sacrifices, the hindrances, and the difficulties, instead of bounding along the path, in eagerness of soul, as knowing and loving the One whose call has sounded in our ears."

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C H Macintosh, Notes on Deuteronomy

THE RESPONSE

by Elton Veals

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From Children's Cup:
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"A land once divided by poverty and shame, will now be united to praise God’s name
For those are the faces of Christ who died, to now bring redemption to the lost in doubt
With a heart of compassion and the purest flame, their hearts will burn brighter
THROUGH AIDS AND PAIN
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For the lost and forgotten, they surely will rise.
To awaken a nation with soverign sound
We have seen, we have heard, we have felt a call that’s greater than our yearn
We reach out with God’s touch to heal a land that’s known
NO GREATER LOVE
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If the poor is love, You are with them
If their shame is grace, You are with them
If their pain bleeds faith, You are with them
AND WE WILL RESPOND…we will respond…
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As the tears of the widow, they fall to the ground
She embraces the orphan who now is found.
For Jesus has given his hands and feet to reach this nation and those in need."
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Thank you for praying today. Feel free to leave a comment with a prayer or thought you would like to add. And if you haven’t signed up yet, send the folks at Children's Cup and the "Forty Days of Prayer" an email at pray@childrenscup.org to let us know you’re praying.

PRAY FOR ZIMBABWE

From the Children's Cup "Forty Days for Praying for the Children" website:
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ZIMBABWE is such an amazingly beautiful country, but is going through an unbelievable tragic season. Political turmoil and civil unrest are translating into unfathomable and horrible violence.
God, protect Your people and let Your light shine in this incredibly dark time for Zimbabwe. Let Your church be safehouses for the hurting. And let this dark season pass quickly.
In Jesus’ name.

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Thank you for joining me and so many others in praying today. Feel free to leave a comment with a prayer or thought you would like to add. And if you haven’t signed up yet, send an email to the folks at Children's Cup and let them know you are praying. Their email address is pray@childrenscup.org .

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PRAY FOR THE RODGERS FAMILY

MISSIONARIES TO SWAZILAND

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-Ben

-Susan

-Kayla

-Levi

-Trinity

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From the Children's Cup website:

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Lord we ask You to keep Your hand on them - not just for their safety, but for an anointing to lead the work You are doing in Africa.

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Uphold them with strength and joy and creativity and discernment and a deep connection with others You have brought them into relationship with.

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Be obvious to them. Bless them.

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Thank you for praying today. I don't know The Rodgers Family personally, but after having lived in Swaziland and then visiting several carepoints, including 2 Children's Cup carepoints, in January. I have an understanding in part of what they are facing. It's hard. It's hard to be called to love a people group, that unless a miracle happens, is basically becoming extinct due to HIV/AIDs. It's not that it's hard to love the Swazi people, not at all. The Swazis, in general, are some of the most friendliest, hospitable, and happy people you could ever meet. Their smiles in the midst of such hardship are startingly beautiful...and common. And because they are so easy to love, it makes it even harder for me to know that they are living and dying as they are.

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Susan Rodgers shared this on her blog:

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Last Thursday I took a sick friend to our family doctor. Conclusion? She is HIV+, has pneumonia, and most likely has TB “underneath all this pneumonia.” Ugh. The Lord had been preparing me for this, yet still when the official news came, it was not easy to hear.

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He did an instant HIV test. Reminded me of a pregnancy test in how it looked. But pregnancy tests check for new life; this test checks for a killer inside. And AIDS has done its work in Swaziland, wiping out as much as 1/3 of its population in the past four years.

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When the doctor let us know the test results, my friend simply stared at the wall. It reminded me very much of a scene from the movie “Yesterday” (a must-see movie!). No emotion was evident on her face, yet surely there was so much going on underneath. I went over, sat next to her on the examination table, and put my arms around her.

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She has eight children, the youngest of which is three years old. Husband is dead. My eyes burn with tears as I type this. So much suffering! UGH! This is NOT the way God meant for our world to be when He created it.

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When I consider the pandemic of AIDS that is leaving so many orphans, I struggle with feeling overwhelmed and hopeless. Perhaps reading this is making YOU feel that way. Please read on. It does get better!

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You see, God is in the redeeming business. He is all about bringing healing. The Bible, from cover to cover, shouts the message of His huge love and desire to buy us back from the enemy’s grasp. He is our Healer, and He is Mighty to save.

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So many times healing is a simple act of faith away--choosing to believe that the God Who created the Universe can heal us. Of course He can. And we ask for Him to do so.

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I talked with the Lord about this last Friday, the first day of our 40 Days of Prayer. “Lord, I know You can do anything. ANYTHING. I’ve just seen so much death, and I’m not sure why You’re allowing it. Please will You help me know what to pray for, what to believe for?”

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He so loudly yet simply voiced in my spirit, “Healing.”

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Yes, He is the God that heals. He is ALWAYS in the healing business. Healing may look different in each situation, but His objective is ALWAYS healing. Do we believe Him for it?

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I share sentiments with the man in Mark 9:24 who said, “Lord, I believe! Help me overcome my unbelief!”

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Lord, please show up and do Your thing. Please HEAL Africa. Help us believe You for it!

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“Jesus said, “‘Everything is possible for him who believes.’” Mark 9:23

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Thank you again for praying. Feel free to leave a comment with a prayer or thought you would like to add. If you haven’t signed up yet, send us an email to pray@childrenscup.org and let them know you’re praying.
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A STAR DANCED

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There was a star danced, and under that was I born.
- William Shakespeare

Four very special females in my life were born this month. We celebrated B's 13th birthday earlier in the month, tomorrow is my sister-in-law Deidra's birthday, and we'll celebrate the 3rd birthday of little Miss M, pictured above, in just a couple of days. But today I want to take the time to rejoice in the life of my Cousin Beth who is holding my last baby in her arms. Beth and I were blessed to be born in the same year. During the first years of our life, our relationship was often not that great. She thought I was jealous of her and that I was copycatting her, and I, of course, just knew it was the opposite.

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But when we were both 11 years old, my parents made the important decision to move us back to my dad's old stomping grounds, the gulf coast where he had grown up and the majority of his kin folks still lived. On one fateful day, as my brother and I waited at my cousins house for my parents to get back from going somewhere or other, we three got very, very silly. Beth lived in a very tiny house, probably only 4 rooms big. This was before the days of cable, VCRs, and Wii games. So...we had to make up our own fun and we sure did. We still to this day remember one of us saying to eat a banana "in your ear".

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On that day, something changed. And the two cousins who had been rivals up til that point, became best friends....closer than just cousins, true sisters of the heart.

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During our college and early adult years, we grew apart as sadly happens sometimes when life (and boyfriends) seem to take us in different directions. By our mid-20's, Beth was married and had already started a family. I was off gallivanting as a single missionary in Africa.

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But somehow, someway, we figured out that the old saying, "blood is thicker than water" definitely applied to us. And bit by bit we found each other, and our unique friendship, over again.

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We don't get to talk or see each other nearly as much as I'd like. Calling each day to report on and analyze the day's happenings after just riding home on the same school bus from the same school is something long ago relegated to the memories of the teenage years. Its been over 20 years since I slept over at her house and listened to Aku-Aku by Styx repeat over and over again on the tape she had recorded as we talked and giggled about boys til late in to the night.

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But now we're here. We've both been through things harder than we could ever imagine...back in those days when the hardest thing we faced was a break-up with a boyfriend. Our scars are there to prove it...but so are our years of experience, and growth, and even wisdom. And so is the depth of our love...for our children, our husbands, our friends, and in our case, for each other...uniquely cousin-friend-sisters.

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I love you , Beth, and look forward to the years to come. Who knows where life will take us...but I know one thing, I never again want to let it take me away from you.

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Happy Birthday, Beautiful One!

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YES, EVEN UNWORTHILY

"The man who has been born again, and who has the divine nature within him, is a man who is righteous and his righteousness does exceed that of the Pharisees. He is no longer living for self and his own attainments, he is no longer self-righteous and self satisfied. He has become poor in spirit, meek and merciful. He hungers and thirsts after righteousness. He loves God, yes, unworthily, alas, but he loves Him and longs for His glory. [This] is a righteousness that far exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees."

D. Martin Lloyd-Jones

REQUEST FROM THE RODGERS

AT CHILDREN'S CUP

"Are you really ready to pray THIS prayer??

Lord, use our children to reach the world, to change the world, to serve You
ANY WAY YOU WANT TO.
And do the same with us. WHATEVER You need.

Thanks for praying today."

Feel free to leave a comment with a prayer or thought you would like to add. And if you haven’t signed up yet, send the folks at Children's Cup an email to pray@childrenscup.org to let them know you’re praying.

And I just had to add that I read an excellent article today on trusting God with our kids while they are serving him. Read LETTING GO OF YOUR CHLDREN: OFF TO THE MISSION FIELD by Lorie Newman at the online magazine, WRECKED FOR THE ORDINARY.

PRAYING FOR SALVATIONS

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. From Children's Cup and their Forty Days of Prayer for the Children:

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Ultimately, this is what it is all about - seeing people give their lives to You, Jesus. And to see them grow in the life You give. We ask You, today, to help the kids & their caregivers meet You and find salvation in Jesus’ name.
Amen.

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Thank you for praying today. Feel free to leave a comment with a prayer or thought you would like to add. If you haven’t signed up yet, send an email to pray@childrenscup.org to let the folks at Children's Cup know you’re praying. I know it would encourage them.

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FEELING THE BLOGGY LOVE

ALONG THE JOURNEY
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I admit it, I am an ENFP and I need love. Don't know what an ENFP is? Its the way that a couple of really smart women, long before I was even a chubby cheeked baby, came up with describing people like me. They have come up with an amazing system that profiles different personality types and helps them understand why they behave and think and feel the way they do, and what this means to the world around them.


We ENFP types are THE personification of "people people". ENFP stands for Extroverted INtuitive Feeling Perceptive. Sounds complicated, I know, but it basically boils down to a few simple characteristics...we love people, we find joy easily in life, we feel deeply, and we love to feel loved. There are a few other characteristics thrown in there that can be bothersome such as the fact that we're almost always really messy (cause we do people better than stuff) and time can be a relative issue for us.



But since I'm an optomistic ENFP, let's forget about those nasty trivialities and concentrate on happy things...'cause that's one of the things we often do best.



And today I'm feeling the love. My husband is crazy for me. We had a great weekend together and really made some amazing break throughs when I was willing to be honest and talk about hard stuff, something that doesn't come easily for me.



I've also had some wonderful times with my children. Little Miss M said that she loves me more than chocolate, Dora the Explorer, The Jonas Brothers (sorry Kevin, Nick, and Joe), and even Hannah Montana though she did hesitate a bit on that one.



My teenage daughters have me on their friends facebook list and even say nice things about me there...and you know people ONLY put people on their friends list that they truly care about and love.

My boys are turning into such gentlemen, my sweet princess loves the books I read her, my 4 year old T loves more than anyone else in the world "except for God", and on and on and on.



And then my friends Rhonda and Jeff mentioned me in their blogs today and it just tickled me pink. I know...its sounds really silly. In fact, I feel really silly even posting this. But friends are my treasures. I really and truly mean it when I say they are one of my most precious gifts from God. Its more than just a Hallmark cliche for me. One of the hardest things I'd ever have to deal with would be if God sent me to live somewhere with an unfriendly culture that didn't want to be my friend. One of the hardest seasons I ever went thru was when we left a church and I lost almost all of my friends as a result and then we moved out into the middle of the country where everyone was friendly but no one needed me as a friend. That was a truly difficult and lonely year of life.



But God has gotten me through it and he's blessing me with new friends. Friends like Rhonda that I get to see on a regular basis as we hang out at the park, make bead jewelry, and swap crazy parenting stories over coffee or tea . And people like the Bowmans, Lisa Samson, Claudia Mair Burney, Erin Wilson, and Jeff Goins...that though we don't get to see each other nearly enough in real life, they are pilgrims going thru the same journey I am...trying to figure out what living radically openhanded and in crazy love with Jesus and His "least of these" look like in our modern day, "looking out for number 1" culture.



Sometimes it's really, really hard. The issues I struggle with are not ones that this normally content, Pollyanna gal struggles with. As my husband says, I've always been the most content person he's ever met. But since the Swaziland trip in January, I've not been able to return to that happy-go-lucky state of contentment. I love my life. Its an incredibly good one. I'm more satisfied with ever with so many things. I no longer want new carpet, a couch without stains, and all dark chocolate M&M's I can eat. That's not the kind of discontentment I struggle with. I am discontent now because I'm just no longer satisfied with the same-ole-same-ole status quo. And its really hard sometimes. And it really hurts some days. And I cry...a lot. Waterproof mascara has become a frequent companion.



And often those around me don't understand. They miss the old "girls just wanna have fun" Elysa. I miss her, too, sometimes. But I can't go back. I just can't. I'm too in love with Jesus and what He's done for me and I'm too in love with those least of these that He has broken my heart over.



And so for those other pilgrims that He has brought into my life on this journey, I am so very thankful. I'm grateful for my husband who takes our family regularly to minister in inner-city Jackson and is willing to go wherever God leads us. I'm blessed by my friend Rhonda and her help with the GraceWorks jewelry we make and sell to benefit the orphans and ministries caring for them. I'm motivated by The Lancaster's and their life of radical sacrifice as they left the "good life" in suburbia and moved into the place that others have fled because the Lancasters wanted the "best" life God had for them. I'm inspired by Lisa Samson and the books she writes, especially QUAKER SUMMER. I'm moved by Claudia Mair Burney and her crazy and sometimes painful authenticity as she struggles with the same issues and writes about it so poignantly. I'm inspired (and a wee bit jealous) as I watch Christi and Kevin Bowman prepare to take their family to live and love among the orphans in Swaziland. I'm encouraged by the moms at Five in a Row and my Bracelet Babe e-loop mommy pals who are seeking to raise children who are not comfortable with an "it's all about me" brand of Christianity. I'm seeing a kindred spirit in my friend Drewe Llyn that though she lives in a teeny tiny community refuses to have a teeny tiny outlook on the world and ministry. And I read the other blogs, like ones written by Tom Davis and Seth Barnes and Deidra, and see thru their postings that I'm not alone on this journey. God is moving His people. He's turning our hearts in the direction He is passionate about.

And I'm humbled while at the same time honored to be counted by those pilgrims as a friend and sister. Because someone like me needs this very important provision of companions who allow me to be and become what God is calling me to be.

To read Jeff's blog and find out about some other "pilgrims" go to his website aptly named, Pilgrimage of the Heart.



To read the blog post he excerpts there, go to this Musings from Graceland post: http://elysasmusingsfromgraceland.blogspot.com/2008/07/attic.html



And to have fun with a down-to-earth and adorably funny mom and one of my best IRL friends, check out Rhonda's blog, JUST A THOUGHT.

And on that happy note, a place that we ENFPs crave to be, I will close and go love on some babies and primp before my true love hubby gets home. Life is good.

Even when God is breaking my heart.

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PRAY FOR THOSE IN POVERTY

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From the Children's Cup website:

Such a hard thing to totally understand what it really is like. When we think of ‘poor’ here in our communities, it is so much different than ‘poor’ in Africa.
Help me to understand poverty, Lord.

To see the true ‘poor’ that you see so clearly every day; those who have not found the wealth of Your love and forgiveness. Then let me show them with my life. Your grace.
Amen.

Thank you for praying today. Feel free to leave a comment with a prayer or thought you would like to add. And if you haven’t signed up yet, send the folks at Children's Cup an email at pray@childrenscup.org to let them know you’re praying.

This little girl is fed and ministered to through the Moriah Centre, a carepoint located in SE Swaziland in Big Bend. Moriah Centre is not a Children's Cup sponsored one but we were able to visit it back in January. Di Hampson is the director. She is a white South African woman living in Swaziland. Her husband is employed by the local sugar company. She and the Swazi teachers and other volunteers feed and minister to the children faithfully. Some of the children are totally orphaned and live with at the centre. Others are orphaned or have lost one parent but still live with relatives. They are all facing dire poverty and disease. Many of them will not live to see adulthood. It truly is heartbreaking but I'm so thankful to women like Di and so many others who are pouring their lives out because of love of the Father and His precious little ones.

IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU JESUS

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From Children's Cup and their "Forty Days of Praying for the Children"---

Lord, pour out Your Spirit on the people of Healing Place Church in Swaziland.Bless this campus with an amazing, God-given, Holy ability to deliver hope to those who are hurting and to teach the joy of serving in the style of Jesus.
Be glorified in this place.

IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU, JESUS.
Amen.

Thanks for praying today. Feel free to leave a comment with a prayer or thought you would like to add. If you haven’t signed up yet, send an email to Children's Cup at pray@childrenscup.org to let them know you’re praying.

A FOUR YEAR-OLD'S TAKE ON THE OLYMPICS

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Our family is not big on sports. We might watch a total of 6 to 10 hours worth of sports in a whole year. The last week has definitely been a completely different scenario as we've been watching the Olympics basically whenever they're on...even past midnight on several occasions. It's been fun watching 3 year old Miss M and 6 year old Princess LG try to tumble along with the gymnasts, the oldest teenager having meltdowns when the Americans don't get gold, and the whole family (well, almost the whole family) cheering along for Michael Phelp's and his incredible wins. But not every single member of the family is quite as enamored.

This morning, I'm interviewing four year old T and his reaction to the whole thing.

Good morning, T. Are you enjoying the Olympics?

No.

Why not?

Because we always watch it.

But why don't you want to always watch it?

Because I want to watch another movie instead. I want to watch Extreme Home Makeover.

Well alrighty then. Obviously, NBC hopes that he is in the very, very, very tiny majority of potential viewers.

Now for an entirely different viewpoint, here's the 14 year old.

I'm almost 15.

So give me your reaction to the Olympics.

I've been journaling every night how many medals and records Michael Phelps has gotten that night so my kids can be like "Oh my gosh, you were there for that historical event?" and I'll be like "I kn-o-w" but I get a little bit too much into the gymnastics. Last night I went up to my room and cried after we didn't get the gold and Sasha (Alexander Artemov) fell off the pommel horse. Sniff. This has been the most interesting Summer Olympics because before this I've always liked the Winter Olympics WAY more.

So there you have it sports fans...and even those of you who aren't...our reflections on the Olympic games thus far. GO USA!!!

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PRAY FOR THE KINGDOM OF SWAZILAND

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From the Children's Cup website:
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God, we are praying for the Kingdom of Swaziland today.
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You are the one who cares the most for the precious people of this small but beautiful country that has been so ravaged by AIDS and the horrible effects of having over 40% of the nation HIV-positive.
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You alone are able to resolve these problems, so we call on You, Almighty Lord.
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Touch this nation. Bless Swaziland with your presence in Your people.
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In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Thank you for praying today. Feel free to leave a comment with a prayer or thought you would like to add. And if you haven’t signed up yet, send an email to pray@childrenscup.org and let them know you’re praying.
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Here are some photographs from our January 2008 trip that highlight both the beautiful people and their beautiful land:
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Prceious Banks, a dear lady I met dressed in the colorful, traditional Swazi garb.

Brett Irwin of Saints Coffee with children at a carepoint who benefit from the profits made with each pound of coffee sold. Over 4, 000 children have been fed as a result so far.

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A very talented artist at Swazi Candles.

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Absolutely gorgeous, green mountains and hills reminded early Scottish missionaries and other immigrants of their homes they'd left behind.

An absolutely darling gogo (grandmother) I met at the craft market in Manzini.

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A child dancing with her teacher at a carepoint. The Swazi people, despite the horrible circumstances facing their nation, do not forget to rejoice and enjoy life whenever possible.