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WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A PART?

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As most of you know, my oldest daughter will be going to Swaziland, Southern Africa, next July to serve as an Adventures in Missions ambassador missionary for one month. While there, she'll primarily be ministering to children and teenagers who have been affected by the HIV/AIDS scourge and extreme poverty that is wrecking that nation.

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Her trip is going to cost her $4,500...that includes her airfare, 1 week of training at the AIM headquarters in Georgia, food, housing, transportation expenses in Swaziland, etc. One of the ways that we are raising her funds is by selling handcrafted GraceWorks jewelry. The pieces range in price from just $1 for some of our simply sweet little girl bracelets to $15 or $20 for some of our sets. Most of it, though, is in the $5 range making them affordable for most budgets. They make great gifts and people can buy them knowing that they're not just blessing the person receiving the gift, but also bless our daughter and those she'll be ministering to in Swaziland.

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Here's how you can be a part of this endeavor. If you're local, you can buy jewelry from us...we're even happy to custom-make items according to your preferences. If you're local or live anywhere in the Continental USA, you can SELL jewelry for us. We don't ask that you give us any money up front. Just tell us how many items you'd like to sell and let us know if there is a particular type you're interested in selling (for instance, jewelry that would appeal to children or certain colors to target a school or social organziation) then we'll get the jewelry to you. When you're finished selling the jewelry, you either send us a check or put the amount in my daughter's online account. And whatever you don't sell, just give back to us. That's it!

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BTW, our family doesn't benefit financially from the selling of the jewelry. ALL of the money that comes from the sales of the jewelry goes straight to the missions trip. We use very, very small amounts of profits to buy needed supplies or pay for shipping, but since almost all of our materials are donated to us, we can keep our jewelry prices down and use almost all of the proceeds to benefit the missions trip.

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Last year, my mom and a couple of friends sold jewelry to their friends and fellow church members. We made a few hundred dollars just through their efforts alone.

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Places and ways you can sell the jewelry:

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• Set up a table in your church foyer
• Sell it to your Sunday School friends
• Post pictures on your blog or website
• Sell to co-workers
• Take it to your homeschool group
• Set up a booth at a local craft fair or festival (many of these offer "free" booth space for non-profit purposes)
• Sell to social club or sorority sisters
• Make this a service or missions project for your church group or service organization
• Put up a display at your place of business
• Set up a table in the student center or dorm at your university
• Show them to your relatives at family get-togethers

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So whether you want to start small and try selling just 10 bracelets or you want to go big and sell a big lot of assorted items such as keychains, earrings, i.d. badge "necklaces", anklets, bracelets, chokers, and necklaces...it's all to eventually bless "the least of these" who urgently need to know that Jesus loves them and has an incredible plan for their lives....and to experience this love in practical and tangible ways through the ministry of my daughter and her AIM team.

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Thanks in advance and please feel free to let me know if you have any questions.

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To learn more about the upcoming missions trip, visit the team website at Adventures in Missions.

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Here are some examples of the jewelry we make:

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Also available are "letter" bracelets that can spell out school, organization, group, or country names as well as other words such as "love", "pray", "BFF", or "big sister".

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You just tell us what you want...color, words, style, size, WHATEVER...and we'll be glad to design special ones just for you!

PART II of the INDIANA JONES ADVENTURE

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A couple of weeks ago, my 2nd son, Patch, shared here on my blog his first installment of his Lego Indiana Jones WWII adventures. Today, we bring you the second part:
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"Where we left Indiana Jones and his dad in the last part,
they were escaping the exploding island in the boat.

When they made it to Mexico, Henry Jones left Indian Jones to
himself.

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Indiana Jones went to the airport and took the plane all the way to
China where he met Willie and Short Around.

They went to the hotel to spend the night. At 12:00, the hotel
was set on fire and the Nazis were seen leaving the scene.

So Indiana Jones and Willie swing out the window on the
electrical cord to the pole where they slid down to the car where Short
Around was waiting. They took off after the Nazis.

When they caught up to them, they were just about to head off
into the countryside. When they reached right next to them, Indy swerved the car into their car knocking them off into the swamp.

They grabbed the map that fell off the car's backseat and they
went driving away.

The Nazis were so-o-o-o-o-o-ooo angry, they started saying all
the cuss words they knew. And they finally got out of the swamp after some of them died...sinking to death because they never learned how to swim.

Indy, Willie, and Short Around went to the temple that was
hidden in the mountain. When they opened the door, the ground that they were standing on broke under their feet. The only one that didn't fall was Short Around. He was standing back when the ground broke.

So Short Around jumped over the hole and into the temple. Inside the
temple was a secret switch hidden behind the switches. When he
pulled the right switch forward and then the other switch back, the secret
switch popped up. It looked like a twig. When Short Around pulled it, the
door closed and the walls burst open.

Short Around took the right path and found Indiana Jones and
Willie inside a cage. Short Around opened the cage by busting the door and they climbed out of the cage. When they got out, they went back and took the left path. It was looking like a normal place of light. When they went on the light path, the light path door closed and the light disappeared.

Luckily, Indiana Jones had his flashlight with him and they explored the
tunnel. And when they got to the end, spears started flying from the back
towards them. The spears snapped the ropes, releasing the boulder after
them.

Will they escape the boulder or will they become a piece of paper? Find
out in Part III!"

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SUNDAY SMILES

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While in Swaziland, one of the most fun things we experienced was seeing the kids' joy over simple things that we as Americans take for granted.

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At one carepoint, the children received new underwear. The girls were happy and cute as they showed each other their new undies. Some of the boys promptly put their new underwear on their heads! Somethings, it seems, are just universal about boys the world over.

GOD IS MORE THAN ABLE AND WILLING

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As my regular Graceland visitors know, my oldest daughter is returning to Swaziland next summer to minister primarily to children whose lives have been horrifically affected by HIV/AIDS and extreme poverty. My regular visitors also know that I'm obsessed with doing what I can to help the children and their care providers even if I can't physically be there.

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Today, my oldest daughter and I had the chance to set up a booth at a local arts and crafts day as part a local town festival. I've been selling our handcrafted GraceWorks jewelry for about a year now to both raise support money for missions trips and to benefit ministries to the Swazi people. Before, I've always just sold at church or to friends or through friends. This was the first time we'd gone out to sell our stuff to strangers and I honestly didn't know what to expect. I knew that I wanted at least to make enough money to make the registration fee of $12.50 (I split the booth space and price with a pal from church) and gas money worth shelling out. I was paying for those expenses willingly out of my pocket as an investment into this aspect of ministry.

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And I can tell you this, my investment paid off much higher than most investments are paying off on Wall Street these days.

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I'm very sunburned from the 8 hours in the hot sun, but also very happy about the $200 we made today!!!!

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And let me tell you...this was a GOD thing! That $200 was more than the two booths next to us made COMBINED! Folks just weren't buying much at all today in general. Ours was mostly bought by children (with their mamas and grandmas toting the money) and teenagers who loved all the bracelets selling anywhere from 25 cents to 5 or 6 dollars. We also sold beautifully, handstitched pillows that a friend made to donate to the cause and Timbali Swazi purses. These purses are made by the Swazi women who feed the children at some of the Adventures in Missions carepoints! WOO-HOO!

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God is more than able and willing to provide!

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Tomorrow I'll be selling more at church. And if any of you know me "in real life" and are interested in a purse, handmade pillow, or some jewelry, just let me know!
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OH! I was also able to tell a lot of people about the ministries of Children's HopeChest, A Child's Hope, and Adventures In Missions. Plus, I've probably lined up some speaking engagements.

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God is so good and I'm so thankful to be a part of His amazing plans!

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FREE!

"Believers sometimes forget that we have been set free. Freedom scares us
and more important, it scares those religious leaders who are into
control. Jesus said, 'Therefore if the Son sets you free, you shall be
free indeed.' We want to change that, to create some parameters and to
ameliorate the dangers of the freedom Jesus gives. When we do that, we
miss the joys of being free from the bondage of our slavery to rules and
manipulation...Being free enables us to go to God without the need to act like a
proper slave...Being free means that , in prayer, we don't have to work for
'slave's wages'...Being free means that we don't have to worry about every word
and every thought that is uttered in the presence of God...God says...'You
aren't a slave, Quit acting like one".

Steve Brown --- WHEN BEING GOOD ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH.

WHAT IS CHURCH?

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Jeff Goins is one of my favorite writers. No, you won't find his name on the covers of any bestsellers (yet) nor does his byline grace any big city newspapers. But his name does top many, many online articles and blog posts...and many of those have touched me profoundly.

Since returning from Swaziland, my life has been turned upside down. God was already pretty much messing with my mind for several months leading up to last January's trip, but actually going there and seeing what I did, was the tipping point. In some ways I've stabilized a bit, but in other ways, I'm still struggling. I'm struggling with a myriad of issues...such as how do I reconcile my relatively luxurious life with children and widows starving to death in Africa. I also struggle with what is the role of the church here in America? How do we really become the body of Christ here on earth?

Jeff Goins is the writer that God has gifted my life with. He is not afraid to ask hard questions and touch on taboo subjects. He is passionate about God and passionate about church. But like me and so many others, he's starting to wonder if the modern American church on the whole is on the right path.

In some ways, we are. American churches and Americans in general give more money to help the poor in the world than any other people group. In fact, the fellow people of my state, give more money per capita than anyone else on the planet! And we're the poorest state, but also one of the most churched parts of the world.

So obviously, we're doing some things right.

But yet, among many of us, there still lingers dissatisfaction. For some of us, it's just twinges here and there...wonders of "is this all there is". For others, the dissatisfaction has turned to full-blown rejection...sometimes of the institutional church, sadly, sometimes of God Himself.

In Jeff's most recent blog post on the church he says this:

"These days, I'm learning two things about church: 1) that community without going deep is not community worth having, and 2) that church looks different to different people (while still being legitimate, biblical church)."

To read the rest of Jeff's article and others on this issue, go to his website, Pilgrimage of the Heart.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

(well, almost wordless)

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"Redneck Swimming Pool" that Super Dad set up for the kids a few years back.

Wanna Help with the Hurricane Ike Relief Efforts?

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I received this today from the folks at Adventures in Missions:

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Over the weekend, we received a report about the devastation caused by Hurricane Ike from Athol Barnes, an AIM staff member who was investigating the damage caused by the hurricane in Galveston, Texas. He writes:

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The damage is very similar to Katrina and the New Orleans Gulf coast area. We went through houses and neighborhoods today that had four to five feet of water in them. There will be hundreds, if not thousands, of homes that need gutting, something our teams do really well.

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The area of damage is very widespread; the storm was 600 miles across. Many of the areas between Houston and the Louisiana line are economically depressed and the people might have insurance, but the insurance covers only current cash value (this was the case with a family we visited today in Galveston).

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The immediate need is for volunteers. We are asking you to come to Houston and stay with our partner church that is helping with these relief efforts. We will have a volunteer coordinator in place to facilitate the work crews and make sure their food and lodging are provided. It will be only $30 per day, and that will include: a place to sleep, three meals each day, a ministry coordinator, and non-specialized tools. We are also in need of general contractors, roofers, and anyone else with specialized construction skills. We need your help!

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The volunteers will do:
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Gutting and demolition
Yard clean-up
Roofing
General construction projects
Food distribution and ministering to those affected by the storm
Prayer-walking and evangelism
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[Can] you help [to bring] the hope of Christ to those in dire need?
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Call 800-881-2461 (ext. 212) or send us an email for more information on how you can help.
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Visit the Hurricane Ike Relief blog for daily updates.

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Adventures in Missions

1-800-881-2461 ext. 212
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CELEBRATING THE FIRST DAY OF FALL
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I love this time of year. In fact, Fall is my very favorite season followed by Winter and then Spring. Summer is not even my number 4 favorite season as it's not a favorite at all. I admit it, I'm a temp wimp (though not as much as I used to be thanks to my tough ole green beret hubby) and so the deep South HOT AND HUMID summers are just not something I look forward to each year. But FALL....aa-a-a-h...

Here are a few of my favorite things about this beautiful season:

Cooler temperatures...long-sleeve shirts...campfires...spider lilies...homeschoolers camping at Camp Dixon...state fair...cinnamon and pumpkin spices...fireplaces ablaze...lots of family birthdays...Fall Festivals...colorful leaves...sweet potatoes...sweaters...soup in the crock pot...sunflowers...Indian corn...cranberry sauce...leaf piles with jumping kids...Macy's parade...acorns...Mississippi State cowbells...s'mores...scarecrows...cranberries...pilgrims...mosquitoes depart...blue ribbons for crafts...Thanksgiving...boots...new Troubadour pledges...toe socks...pumpkins and gourds...and the Advent season, too.

JOIN US IN DREAMING

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I received this today from the folks at Adventures in Missions:
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"I have a dream that when God remembers Swaziland, there will be spiritual freedom. This spiritual freedom will manifest in the physical. There will be no more hungry children on the streets, prostitution for food will stop, HIV/AIDS will be overcome and people will live long and see their children's children." Pastor Gift Dlamini
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We here at Adventures in Missions are so blessed to have people like you who stand in agreement with Pastor Gift's dream. We are excited to report the progress that has happened in the past few months in Nsoko, thanks to much prayer and willing hands and hearts.

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Nsoko is a place of vision; a vision "to disciple a million orphans, using Jesus' model, to become world changers." The vision is becoming a reality, and many efforts are being put into action recently with the construction of a community center and the digging of a much needed well, as well as the construction of cooking shelters. We are continuing to raise funds for the construction of orphan homes, a marketplace and a team house. Once those are complete the vision will continue with the training of the mothers and grandmothers who are willingly taking on 6 - 8 children and building a safe, God centered home. Here the children can grow in Christ and in community, where they are provided meals, education and love. As they move into adolescence they will be given opportunities to become apprentices for small businesses and schools, and will be taken on short term missions to be shown how to plant the kingdom all around them. What an amazing blessing and addition to the kingdom they will be!
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We currently run eight care points around Nsoko, where the beginnings of this vision are taking place. We serve 500 - 600 children a day at our care points. More and more children, and now even adults are walking miles to reach these care points for their one daily meal. And you are part of this; you are making all this possible with your generous donations.
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We are pleased to report that we have received word that four projects which were being worked on over the past couple months have been completed. Our first big praise is for the Community center that was just finished. The overall vision for this community center is to be a place to feed hundreds of orphans, hold training classes for teachers, AIDS workshops, house 'Handy Crafts' and a place to hold worship. As of now the building is being used as a church for the surrounding community. In addition to the Community Center the amazing gift of water was given to the community. The well has been dug on the property, and the man who dug the well claims that this is the first time for his company to discover such a great flow of water in Swaziland! They are now able to pump out thousands of liters per minute; better than any well dug by this company in Swaziland. The Lord's hand has truly been on this place.
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There have also been kitchen shelter's constructed at all eight care points. Now the only current issue facing the use of these shelters is the lack of firewood. A solution has been offered by the chairman of the Community Fund. They are clearing trees for farming and have offered to sell Pastor Gift bags of fire wood for a small fee. This has been an example of how the local business men have taken interest in this project and are becoming involved in resolving issues. Pastor Gift now has to consider how to get the firewood to the different care points that are spread out. Please pray with us that they will find a solution.
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The last accomplishment has been Pastor Gift's own home. The completion of the house allows Pastor Gift to move his wife and children onto the property, allowing him to be able to manage this project on site, and be able to minister to the community from within. All of these construction projects and those yet to be finished are supported by serving hearts like yours.
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We at AIM along with Pastor Gift have a dream and a vision. You have become part of that dream when you decided to help support and care for the children in Swaziland. This community needs a light in the darkness, and it is you who are bringing hope to a seemingly hopeless situation. Pastor Gift continues on to say in his report back to us that, "I am in dilemma but I still have hope. I have hope because I have a dream. I can dream because there are people I am in covenant with. I praise God for people like you because you encourage me to hope against hope. I do have faith in God. I do have faith in His prophets. I still believe something can be done. Please dream with me that the people in dilemma will soon see the light of day."
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May this report and Pastor Gift's dream inspire you to continue partnering with us as God leads you to. We believe the Nsoko Project is the answer to the dilemma the people of Swaziland are facing. Your heart for the children of Swaziland is encouraging to us all. Thank you for your commitment to help us care for the least of these.
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Ali Sellers

Donor Relations Team

Adventures In Missions

http://www.adventures.org/

1-800-881-2461

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THIS IS GRACE,
AN INVITATION TO BE BEAUTIFUL


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ADD TO THE BEAUTY by Sara Groves
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We come with beautiful secrets
We come with purposes written on our hearts, written on our souls
We come to every new morning
With possibilities only we can hold, that only we can hold
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Redemption comes in strange place, small spaces
Calling out the best of who we are
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And I want to add to the beauty
To tell a better story
I want to shine with the light
That's burning up inside
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It comes in small inspirations
It brings redemption to life and work
To our lives and our work
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It comes in loving community
It comes in helping a soul find it's worth
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Redemption comes in strange places, small spaces
Calling out the best of who we are
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And I want to add to the beauty
To tell a better story
I want to shine with the light
That's burning up inside
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This is grace, an invitation to be beautiful
This is grace, an invitation
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Redemption comes in strange places, small spaces
Calling out our best
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And I want to add to the beauty
To tell a better story
I want to shine with the light
That's burning up inside

Want to get involved in bringing God's beauty and redemption to desperate places? One way to get started is to visit the BLOOD:WATER MISSION website.

I WILL DO
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"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I should do and , with the help of God, I will do."

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Everett Hale, American author
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Serving His beloved ones at WE WILL GO , inner-city Jackson.

ELIMINATE APATHY

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One of the things I love about the Internet is the chance it gives me to connect with so many incredible people. I can be a part of their lives in ways that I never could before. One of these people that I've been introduced to is Angela Tibbo. She's part of a World Race team with Adventures in Missions. These racers spend a year going around the globe changing the world for Jesus, and in the process, having their hearts changed in immeasurable ways.
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A couple of months ago, Angela found herself in Swaziland. While there, she came face-to-face with some of the worst poverty in the world. But she also came face-to-face with some of the most beautiful people, too. Here is one story that she shares about loving "the least of these" in that mountain kingdom:
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I found someone who makes Jesus' heart melt, someone who makes His face light up with one look from her eyes, a little someone who fits perfectly into His arms, and a smile that makes Him want to give up everything for her. I know this to be true because Christ's' passion lives and breathes in my heart.
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At "Care-Point" #3 in Nsoko Swaziland, I met her, and the smile that took me thousands of miles deep into the heart of The Father. Baby is her name. Right away when you meet Baby you can see that life is harder than it's supposed to be for her. Baby suffers from respiratory problems that have plagued her from birth. Her chest is misshapen and protrudes beyond normality. Asthma often sends her to the clinic because her family cannot afford a supply of medications at home. Baby also lives with chronic tonsillitis that often steals away her ability to eat when food is available. She is often too weak to walk to the G42 Care-Point. Baby is four years old and lingers around the size of a 2-1/2 year old. She is in desperate need of surgery to remove her tonsils, a simple enough procedure that could make all the difference in her precious life.
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I befriended Baby right away. My natural instinct to comfort collided with The Fathers heart of compassion and drew me close to her. I assumed that she couldn't talk because I had not heard her utter a noise the entire time, but occasionally she would reveal the greatest smile I have ever known. One day I walked to her house to meet her family and learn more about her situation. I learned that Baby talks up a storm at home, she loves to sing, and hasn't stopped talking about her new friend since the first day she met me. "I have a new friend, and she's the small one, just like me!" she expressed with excitement to her mother. With that one little line, she stole my heart for good. I had no idea, my petite presence could make such an impact on a child's heart. I love my little friend too.
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I'm sure it's easy to read about Baby and feel the strings of your heart being plucked. I'm almost certain you will feel like making a difference in this world, even if only for a mere 5 seconds before the overwhelming feeling of inability and helplessness leaks into your thoughts. We are so often immobilized by the sly voice of darkness that subliminally tells us we couldn't possibly make a difference, it's only one kid out of millions, and besides, your hands are tied with your own bills to pay, not to mention your own kids to feed. We know this is not our Father speaking, if we were to take a moment to find the still small voice, I know that He is telling us that there is hope in one little face, freedom in giving, enough money to finance the entire Kingdom of God, and His everlasting life breathes out of our outstretched, unwavering hands... if only we could manage to get them out from under our butts.
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I once fell victim to this voice of reason and doubt after the Lord told me to financially give to a ministry in Bangladesh over a year ago, and my decision plagued me for months. I knew I heard God's voice and still turned to partner with helplessness. Where was my faith? And really, how big is my faith if it runs and hides when asked to act? I eventually repented, and right away the Lord redeemed that moment by randomly placing a photo of a young girl from Bangladesh in my hands giving me the chance to once again give financially to someone in need. Only this time I was without job. But the Lord reassured me that it's Him who wants to provide for this child, He will always provide the money. And He has. He wants to do the same for Baby.
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It honestly takes a big shift in our hearts and minds to begin to understand what the Father is about. I am beginning to see that God's desire for me is to be shaped into a vessel that can and will conduct His love in a just and life giving fashion. I am really starting to see that my relationship with God isn't all about me and what He can do for me and my future, but it's about Him being the future to a hurting world through the hands and feet of a person broken for Him. It starts with us being willing to feel His love for His children, and holding our hands out to those in need instead of folded inward. In turn He will always provide for us, He will be our future, and will lavish us with unending love. Think about it, a church that instead of meeting in a building for a cutsie service, the body of Christ, Christ in Body, meeting at the feet of the diseased, the poor, and the abandoned. A shift that will usher in the presence of God in an unmistakable way. Lets prepare the way of the Lord. Beginning in our hearts, pouring out to those around us. This is where taking back nations for the Kingdom begins.
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I also credit my amazing World Race squad for being conductors of God's love to me, preparing the way for God to make greater moves in my heart. My hands are open to you always, G squad.
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If you want to start your change with the beautiful children of Swaziland, please go to the G42 website. Photos of the children and opportunities to sponsor them will be available in the near future. If you would like to give to the General Fund for the children of the NSoko care points click here.
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THE BLOG POST MY TEENAGER IS HELPING ME WRITE

How's that for random? See, I need to write a post. And I realize that most of my posts lately have been very heavy. And that's okay. Because sometimes things ARE heavy. But today I'm in the mood to just be a bit of a goof...probably because I spent most of the day shopping with my kids and now hubby is gone to Scouts with 2nd son so anyway.

Let's see where this random adventure in blogging takes us.

So Indie (we'll use that as her top secret blog name for now), what do you think I should blog about?

(Indie gets an evil grin on her face).....Uh--h-hhh....what ever you want to blog about, I guess.

Hmmm...very helpful isn't she.

So....anything...

You use "so" a lot.

Okay, so anything...

You did it again. "So" is a place holder, it's taking up space you could be using for intelligent...

"Using for intelligent"...what?

Never mind.

C'mon. Help me write a blog post.

"

Okay, what is your favorite part about living in Mississippi?

(She looks up at the ceiling with a very perplexed face)

I guess the only good thing about Mississippi is SOME of the friends I have here.

So, you don't like how safe it is in general or that everyone is friendly or....

JACKSON HAS THE FOURTH HIGHEST RATE OF MURDER IN THE COUNTRY!

...or that there are some really good restaurants and we can let y'all roam the countryside and...

I could do that in Montana, too.

....and most people believe in God and...

They SAY they do. That doesn't really MEAN they do.

Hmm....I see a trend not just developing, but the trend is here! I wanted to write a fun, goofy post with my 14 year old daughter....

FINE! Let's talk about the Jonas Bros. (I'm almost 15.) You like to talk about the Jonas Bros. more than I like to.

Uhh...no. They're fun. But you do it more. So, let's talk about the Jonas Bros.

Okay.

Talk.

There's a cover on PopStar magazine that Betsie was looking at and Joe kind of looked like a vampire...

I'm NOT going to write about that.

...and he looked like he had guyliner on and his skin was really pale. It was cool.

Rolling my eyes here. And we've not even let her read the TWILIGHT BOOKS (said in a very quiet voice).

MOM! I can't hear you!!! If you want me to answer you, you have to talk louder!!!

OKAY!

So....light, fun subjects...NO VAMPIRES AND GUYLINER! (said thru gritted teeth)

I like guyliner (said in a false, sweetie-pie voice). It's cute.

Teenager grins at me over the top of my beach monkey bedding.

Well, this random blog post has just been interrupted by wild creatures running into the house. Oh, those are my children.

Monsters, I tell you.

No Indie, they are NOT monsters. They are my precious blessings. Really.

Like the ring was Gollum's "Precious"?

On that note, we say adieu. Say goodnite, Indie.

No.

Sigh.............
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A mini MONDAY MUSING

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Who needs tv when there's always YouTube?

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(Note Little Miss M's sweet face peeking a look at me between Daddy and Big Sister Princess LG)
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FAITH BOOST
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Many times, the news coming out of Swaziland is sad...another mother dead, more children orphaned, someone else diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. On August 22 of this year, during the "Forty Days of Prayer for the Children", I shared a story about one such woman. She had received the kind of news that people in Swaziland dread hearing, but unfortunately, is all too common. This widowed mother of eight was told that She was not only HIV+, but had pneumonia, and most likely had TB “underneath all this pneumonia.”
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Now I want to share the rest of the story as told by Children's Cup missionary Susan Rodgers on her blog:
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In my last post I shared about my friend who was very sick. Well, this past Monday she came to me, and I was floored by how healthy she was. No TB in her lungs (per an x-ray). No need for ARVs. No more sores in her mouth. She was feeling strong, and her face was beaming. I couldn’t believe it! We stopped and prayed together, thanking God for helping her back to health so quickly.
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Then that same day, Ben and I visited an orphanage in Bulembu (a city in remote Swaziland) run by two amazing people, Gerry and Robyn Richter of ABC Ministry who have committed their lives to caring for orphans. I met several children whom God has miraculously healed. Several doctors have just shaken their heads in awe. One little boy is completely healed of AIDs, having no more need for ARVs or any medication whatsoever.
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Now isn’t that cool timing for us to witness such a phenomenon on the heels of my plea for the Lord to help my unbelief? My faith is certainly boosted.
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God is so good. Really, really, really good. He does hear our prayers. Gerry and Robyn are living in the midst of so many answered prayers every day. What an exciting way to do life!!
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Lord, please bless them. And thank You for this faith boost! May everyone who reads this news also experience a swell of faith inside their hearts. You do awesome things, Father. We praise You for all You’ve done!
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SURRENDER TO SHEER GRACE
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"Even though we are now in faith, the heart is always ready to boast itself before God and say, 'After all, I have preached the law, lived so well and done so much that surely He will take this into account '. We even want to haggle with God to make Him regard our life, but it cannot be done. With men you may boast, I have done the best I could...If anything is lacking, I will still try to make recompense, but when you come before God, leave all that boasting at home. Remember to appeal from justice into grace. But let anybody try this and he will see and experience how exceedingly hard and bitter a thing it is for a man, who all his life, has been marred and has worked righteousness to pull himself out of it with all his heart would rise up through faith in the one mediator. I myself have been preaching and cultivating it through reading and writing for almost twenty years and still feel the old clinging dirt of wanting to deal so with God that I may contribute something so that He will give me His grace in exchange for my holiness. Still I cannot get it into my head that I should surrender myself completely to sheer grace, yet I know that this is what I should and must do."

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Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians

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AN INCREDULUOUS T'ISM

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As mentioned in a previous blog, we've been watching The Wiggles this week. In the new one, YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE DANCING, the credits are used to showcase some behind-the-scenes action such as introducing Sam Wiggle's son and showing the actors who play the costumed characters...Captain Feathersword, Dorothy the Dinosaur, and Wags the Dog. Well, when 4 year old T saw this he exclaimed in an incredulous voice:
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"You mean there's a HUMAN inside Wags the Dog? How did a HUMAN get in there?! Did he eat the human?"

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I don't know if any of us will ever be able to watch Wags dance about in quite the same way ever again.

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PLEASE PRAY FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY IKE

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I've received word from a pal on the Mississippi Gulf Coast that Hurricane Ike is already making his presence known even though they are not in his direct path. Sheri reports that Hwy. 90 along the beach is underwater as well as parts of Graveline Road in Gautier and the River Road in Mosspoint. Also, some of the roads in south Pascagoula are underwater. Her house, which is built up 9 feet, already has 8 inches of water under it. And it's not even raining!

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This is crazy!

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Please pray for all those who are about to be affected by Hurricane Ike. We here in Mississippi remember all too well the devastation of Katrina and know that many are still recovering from Gustav.

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Lord, have mercy.

LAUGHING BECAUSE I CAN
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One of my favorite things to do most days is listen to online Bible teaching compliments of KeyLife. Today, the statement was made that because of grace, we have something to laugh about even though this world can suck rotten eggs at times. Okay, okay...so they didn't say the "suck rotten eggs" part, but that was the Elysa Mac paraphrase. Some days I do cry a lot. I hear of marriages in trouble, loved ones facing grave physical challenges, friends who are struggling financially, hurricanes hitting, and even deaths and killings.

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But there is still room for laughter. No, I'm not happy that those I care about are suffering. My heart breaks for them. And yes, I want to always "mourn with those who mourn" but I also need to be able to "rejoice with those who rejoice". I need to be able to give my 9 year old son the happy, proud-of-him praises he needs when he does well in math. I need to be able to cheer whole heartedly (and very loudly too) when my daughter steals a base and scores a run. I need to throw birthday parties for kids and take tons of photos while they squeal over gifts and smear frosting everywhere. I need to act goofy and watch a Wiggles video with my little ones.

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Jesus cried and mourned...but he also partyed! He rejoiced despite the fact that He knew the pain around Him as no one else walking this earth could ever or would ever know. He would literally carry that pain for the world.

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And yet he still was able to rejoice with those who rejoiced.

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The other night I did a little silly rejoicing with my little ones when we watched that aforementioned Wiggles video. We didn't just watch it, we got up and moved to it...and laughed and laughed and laughed.

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Yes, life is hard sometimes...."sucking rotten eggs" hard sometimes. But God is good all the time. And His unmerited favor, His grace, the hope and peace that he gives me means that I can still smile...even still laugh a lot...maybe not always, but enough.

UPDATE ON FRIEND'S HUSBAND
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I've received a news update about Joe. He had a stable night, but is still not stable enough to do surgery. It is still a "wait and see" situation.
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Please continue to pray.
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Thanks,
Elysa

SON P PRESENTS....
LEGO INDIANA JONES AND THE WAR WAR 2 TREASURE
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You know, I gotta hand it to the marketing and product dev'p folks who handle the Indiana Jones franchise. My kids have never seen the big-screen movies yet they all are obsessed with this American icon. My 4 year old can be heard singing the theme song and as soon as my boys were able, they bought the related Lego Wii game. The kids can be frequently seen acting out Indiana Jones adventures and we have a puppy, a GIRL puppy, named Indie. 13 year old daughter B recently wrecked her bike and got some nasty scrapes due to daydreaming about this dashing figure.
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On top of all this, my son P has started writing his own Indiana Jones stories and wanted me to post this one on my blog:
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A normal day at the boarding college. Indie was writing a letter to his dad asking him if he would come meet him at New York. He also sent a package with two plane tickets. Then his dad sent him a letter saying "I will come and I have a surprise for you".
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So Indiana Jones packed his bags and went to find Jock in the college.
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Then they were off to New York.

When they got there, they found Henry Jones at the airport. They went to the greatest pizza restaurant in New York City. Then, when they made it there, Henry Jones told them the surprise. He said, "I've been looking around some mountains and found out something. There is a treasure behind War War 2, The Golden City".
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So after the restaurant, they went out to find The Golden City. But once they were in the plane, they were attacked by the Nazis and Germans. So they had to seek shelter quick. They were shot down not too long from when they left New York.
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They crashed down on an abandoned island where they found the first key of the map inside the volcano. Then they set off the booby-traps.
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First the place started caving in and lava was shooting out everywhere. Then, before they knew it, the place was flooded with lava. Just as they escaped through the little hole in the mountain, they ran as fast as they could through the forest to the boats that they left from the plane.
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As soon as they took off, the island exploded and they sailed safely away.
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That's the end of part 1.
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DAY 40: THE LORD'S PROVISION FOR THE VISION

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From the Children's Cup website:
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God, You have already planned out how you will provide for the vision you have given Children’s Cup. You know our need for manpower on the field, for resources to fund the work, and for those who will faithfully uphold us in prayer.
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Today, we simply ask you to provide these needs according to Your riches - Your people.

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Thank You for the honor of serving You.
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URGENT PRAYER REQUEST!
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I just received this via email:
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The son-in-law of Billy and Kris Allen, Joe Pitt (the husband of Patty), has had an accident and prayers have been requested. He fell off a two story building, face down onto concrete. He has bleeding on the brain and is in a "wait-and-see" status at the present time.
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Please pray for Joe, the medical personnel involved in his care and for the family."
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Patty is a dear friend of mine from my teenage years at First Baptist Gautier. She tragically lost her first husband several years ago. Please pray for Joe's complete healing! Nothing is too big for our God!

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THE ART OF LISTENING PRAYER
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I want to tell you about a book I'm reading...actually, I should say working through as it's not just something that you pick up and read from cover to cover but instead, you read each chapter and spend time meditating and praying and journaling about the points made and the questions asked.
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Here's an excerpt from the beginning of Seth Barnes book:
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To me, India during the summer of 2001 might as well have been Mars. I felt so separated from familiar ground. As I walked in the gray, predawn light, the beaches of Bombay began filling up with walkers and joggers and an occasional pack of dogs. Very little of what I saw that morning fit with my experience.
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It appeared as though most people were there for exercise, a clearing of the head, and perhaps some conversation with companions.
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I observed Hindu temples spaced along the beach. The devout would pause along their route, face the temple, and pray to the gods inside. However, as far as I could tell, none of them either expected or received any answers.
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The prayer life of many Christians in America is not unlike that of the devout Hindu on the beaches of Bombay. Yes, we pray to God, not some man-made idol; however, the way in which we pray is surprisingly similar.
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Often, our prayers are not like any other normal conversation. For many of us, they are the rote pleadings of children who know well their own needs, but understand little about their Father. Our prayers are the symptoms of shallow, impersonal relationships with Jesus. We expect God to answer through circumstances and events, perhaps, but never in an actual dialogue.
Most of my life I struggled with the vague notion that God wanted to talk to me and I just wasn't listening hard enough. The God I read about in the Bible regularly interacts not only with mankind, but with specific men and women. The common denominator I saw in Scripture was that these people who conversed with God were intentional and earnest in their pursuit of a relationship with him. So, I decided to pursue him like that. At the same time I became more aware that he was pursuing me.
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While I had talked to God and heard his voice in a variety of ways previously, in 1991 I heard him speak to me in a profoundly personal and unmistakable way. At a time when I most needed to hear it, my Creator told me that he loved me! I don't know that I ever intellectually doubted that, but to hear it from God directly was an overwhelming experience. It changed my life forever - I can't go back! The two-way communication that is foundational to all relationships is no less important for our relationship with the God who created us to be relational beings. We need to see for ourselves that he wants to talk with us. He wants to put the "personal" back in the personal relationship with Jesus that we tell others we have.
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As I said, this book is work. It requires a commitment of time plus spiritual and mental effort. I hate to admit that I've not made as much progress as I would have liked to due to laziness and just being pooped much of the time when I do get some downtime. But if you're tired of feeling like your prayers are just bouncing off the ceiling, if you're looking for answers but wondering if you're ever going to get any, The Art of Listening Prayer may just be what you need.
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By the way, author Seth Barnes is with Adventures in Missions and you can read more of his thoughts on prayer, parenting, the church, caring for the poor, culture, missions, and so much more over at his blog, http://www.sethbarnes.com/ .

ONE SIMPLE PRAYER

.From the Children's Cup website:

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Lord, guide Children’s Cup into the future to do everything and serve every child that you have ordained for us to reach for Your name.

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No matter where, when, how - we depend on You to lead us where You want us to go.

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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 them an email at pray@childrenscup.org

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

STUCK BETWEEN A CATERPILLAR AND A BUTTERFLY
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My beautifully talented daughter wrote this at her blog and I wanted to share it here. As I post it, she's playing THE ENTERTAINER at breakneck speed on the piano. I love that girl. She's so much fun to share life with.
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"When we were children, everything was spelled out for us. We knew the rules and we followed them without question. We went through each day the same, testing out mudpie recipes, catching grasshoppers, picking flowers that will wilt in a second to give to our mothers, and then being tucked in. It was pretty much ignorance and bliss.

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But now I'm older and I have a lot of questions. And my days aren't filled with catching grasshoppers or feasting on mudpies anymore. I'm in that stage where I'm stuck between a caterpillar and a butterfly. I've made my cacoon but I haven't immerged yet as a radiant new creature. I'm still a little of the old me, but I'm also a little of the new me. I'm split between and time is running out for me to be neutril. Things have changed and I need to figure things out. I still, thankfully, have my childhood imagination, I haven't lost that, yet, to the sensible way adult's think. I'm still me. But, I'm not.

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Just this Spring people could pass me up as an eleven year old sunshinee girl, but now postladies are asking me if I'm the eldest over my fourteen year old sister (yeah, she wasn't happy about that).

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I have a lot of questions without answers, I have a lot of ideas and dreams that I can't fulfill because I'm too young. I'm stuck in the middle and I don't know how to get out. "

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To read more of daughter B's writings, visit her blog at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/BelieveinDreams .

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HE HAD A DREAM

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My family often goes to inner-city Jackson for some lovin'....we love and get loved back. By the end of the weekend, we're usually completely exhausted. But the blessings we receive from going are so worth the effort.
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And seeing scenes such as these, absolutely confirm in my heart that we are going where we are supposed to be. I can't help but think of Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream that one day little black boys and girls would play alongside little white boys and girls. If he could see what I'm seeing, I can't help but think he'd be smiling. Because I know I do...and I know my Jesus smiles. And that is what really makes it all worth while.
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Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world.

Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight.

Jesus loves the little children of the world.

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Mbekelweni Medical Clinic

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From the Children's Cup "Forty Days of Praying for the Children" website:
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Thank You Lord so much for the partnerships that have made the medical clinic at our Mbekelweni CarePoint in Swaziland such a tremendous advantage-giver to the children at all the Swazi CarePoints.

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Please continue to provide laborers to help the amazing ministry that goes on at this clinic. Give our medical team wisdom and show Yourself strong as the Healer for so many sicknesses these beautiful kids battle.

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Do it for Your glory.

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In Jesus’ name.

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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 the folks at Children's Cup an email to pray@childrenscup.org and let them know you’re praying.

GIVE US ALL HUGE DREAMS

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From the "Forty Days of Prayer for the Children" website:
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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 the folks at Children's Cup an email to pray@childrenscup.org to let them know you’re praying.

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FOOD...IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THIS WAY

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

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Such a simple request. Such an important part of all our lives.

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Amazing how so much of it is available but there are so many people who have too little.

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CHILDREN GO HUNGRY EVERY DAY THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN.

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GOD HELP US CHANGE HUNGER IN AFRICA.

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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 them know you’re praying.

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The children above are fed at a Children's Cup Carepoint in Manzini.

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The children below are fed at Pastor Peter Langa's Enaleni Carepoint.

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FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NO HOPE HOPE OF COMFORT

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In remembrance of those who are mourning today, especially the WE WILL GO ministry family as they grieve concerning the death of Chris and the self-inflicted destruction of Hollywood's life, I share this prayer sent to me by my long-time friend Stacy:

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"Father, tonight we lift up those who have no hope of comfort, no consolation, no warmth, only the crumbs of despair and the hiss of distance. Let the power of your fatherly love break through their isolation and bond them again to your whole family in heaven and on earth. We join our hearts as your heart is joined to the bereaved and for their sake we cry out:
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For the widow and the orphan whom you bind to your very heart
For the parents who will never see their little ones grow up
For brothers and sisters separated by accident, murder, suicide or sickness,
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Lord comfort those who cannot be comforted.
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For families still waiting for their loved ones to come home
For the mothers of the disappeared
For the fathers of the silent bitterness
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Lord comfort those who cannot be comforted.
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For friends who gather at the graves of their fallen comrades
For grandsons and daughters who no longer hear the voice of their elders
For those who wail in grief and for those who have no more tears
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Lord comfort those who cannot be comforted.
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Lord Jesus we pray for the miracle of your risen life to manifest tonight on these, that you would be the resurrection and the life to them; that they would experience the living hope of resurrection and reuniting in the life to come.
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Holy Spirit take this prayer and make it a multiplied seed in the hearts of the grieving. Cause our prayer of hope against all hope to be a part of the world's healing tonight.
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Amen.
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---David Morrison

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SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

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From the Children's Cup "40 Days of Prayer for the Children" website:
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SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

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Such a huge priority for our work with the kids.

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We want them to find hope in Jesus. And that will be the beginning of a life-long journey of discovering the fullness of God’s love and destiny for their lives.

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Lord guide us in helping them along that AMAZING JOURNEY.

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In Jesus’ name.

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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 at pray@childrenscup.org to let us know you’re praying.

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THANKFUL FOR SWEET MOMENTS
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Despite the hard and sad things touching my life right now, I'm thankful for those sweet moments that minister to my heart in such beautiful ways. One such moment happened this morning. I was in the kitchen and looked out our big window to see my two youngest daughters, both blonde headed and almost twin-like in appearance, walking across the driveway on the way to the compost pile. Big sister L had a kitten in her arms while Little Miss M carried a bucket in one hand, walking almost tippy-toed, while our black and white border collie pup frolicked around her. Big sister has decided it is time that she start teaches her baby sister how to do the jobs she will one day grow into. And Little Miss M thinks its all a wonderful game.

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It wasn't anything incredibly complicated. This farm scene won't make all the world's woes go away. But this precious scene of two darling, beautiful girls brought joy to my heart and a smile to my middle-aged mommy face and reminded me yet again, that life is beautiful...despite the pain.

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THOSE LITTLE FEET HAD NEVER WALKED

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From the Children's Cup "40 Days of Prayer for the Children" website:
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He was sitting there in the doorway of his humble home. He smiled really big when I stopped by to say hello to him and take his picture. His mother told me he had never walked, that he was born with something wrong with his feet. I think he is about six or seven years old.

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I quickly spoke with the mother, patted the little boy, and went on to the CarePoint down the road, where Children’s Cup was holding a clinic with Dr. Beyda and his team.

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When I arrived at the clinic, something in the back of my mind kept nagging me. Not bothering to concentrate on what it was, I began chatting with the patients and the visiting medical staff. I took some pictures of the kids and moms. I loved on one of the teachers and encouraged her with some verses from the Word.

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The little nag was still there.

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After about an hour, however, we were hurried on to the car because we were leaving the country to return to the States. The time had come to go.

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As we carefully stepped over the ruts in the dirt road and around the trash that littered between, I glanced at the little house where the crippled boy lives. He wasn’t in the doorway.

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As I stepped onto the plane and settled into my seat, I took a deep breath. And that silent nag came back. This time I figured out what it was.

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“Why didn’t you pray for that little guy?”

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As we taxied down the runway in Matsapha, I recalled an incident when I was a kid. The family attended a special meeting with an evangelist who prayed for the sick and many of them were healed.

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We sat in the balcony. I was about eight years old.

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The long line of sick people zigzagged its way from the stage, down the steps, and into the aisles. A young mother and father stood there with a little boy in their arms. When the minister asked the need, they told how their son, about 3 years old, was born with club feet, and that he’d never walked.

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Carefully placing the child on the edge of the stage so that his twisted feet were visible to the audience, the minister knelt beside the boy and prayed. Not a loud and demanding prayer, just a simple prayer, asking Jesus to touch and heal him.

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I watched closely. I didn’t even close my eyes to pray. And I saw it happen. With my own eyes I saw it. Those little feet twisted themselves back into a normal position. I saw it!

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Of course, so did the audience, who began shouting praises to the Lord.

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Then the minister lifted the boy to his feet, the ones he’d never walked on, and the child took off running across the stage - back and forth, back and forth.

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His mom and dad stood there and cried. The audience went wild with praising God.

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I stook there wondering if that was what it was like when Jesus touched and healed the crippled ones when he was on the earth.

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Suddenly my attention was drawn back to the plane ride from Swaziland to Johannesburg. We were ready to land.

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But my mind can’t forget that boy in the doorway in Swaziland.

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When I go back, I hope to find him. And I will pray for him. I don’t know what will happen. I just know I’m not the healer, Jesus is. If he’s asking me to pray for the little crippled feet to be healed, I will be obedient. I know God can do anything.

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But like the man who went to Jesus to heal his daughter said, “Lord, I do believe. Help my unbelief.”

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I will pray for him. What will God do?

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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 them know you’re praying.

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A MIRACLE AND A PRAYER REQUEST

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One of the inner-city ministries that we are involved with is Wingard Home. In light of the tragic news related to the other ministry we serve through, WE WILL GO, I wanted to share a little good news. Actually, some BIG good news. Because though there will be defeats in this war against sin and destruction, there will also be many, many victories! Here's what co-founder Charlotte Wingard sent me:

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To all who support this ministry- by prayer, by funds, with things, or good words to others:

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We had a miracle from God yesterday through a precious lady named Betty Hodge*, whom we met a church car wash. Please allow me to share our miracle with you...all to God's mighty power and His glory!
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I had a young woman of 33 come to me, homeless with nothing and NO hope of getting a job (in her opinion) because she has a felony on her record from the past. For weeks, she has been looking and looking for a job to no avail. I got her in G.E.D. classes believing that it would increase her potential for employment and encourage her to push forward.
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Yesterday, God reminded me of a lady at Restoration Fellowship Church who had previously called me on behalf of one of her workers at Will Staff who needed a place to live. Her name was Betty Hodge: and she was appointed and chosen by God to be in our "pathway" at this particular time. I called her as quickly as God told me to with the story of Bobbie Jo and the request for help. She said bring her to Will Staff office......she would introduce her to the people in the industrial division.
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Well, my friends, God gave her a job with Nissan on the spot and Will Staff gave her a few days to get steel toed boots and a ride. She will begin as temp and, after three months, if she has proven herself, she will be hired as permanent. What an opportunity God has laid at her feet!
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Jamie Letson, our community liaison & grant writer began to make calls to some of the "help agencies" and churches to try to find someone who would get Bobbie Jo a pair of steel toed boots for work. She got a resounding NO! No! & No! from everyone she called. a little disgruntled, she determined to try again later.
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This morning, she called Galloway UMC and asked the secretary about helping with "shoes for work". She said apologetically that Galloway no longer helped with things like that. Then, she said, "but, wait, I have a pair of shoes stuck here under my desk- they were left over from when we did help with that.....it is a pair of steel toed boots and I have been meaning to get rid of them for months, but, for some reason, I have been putting it off. When Jamie told her that Bobbie Jo wore a 6 1/2 to a 7 and the lady looked at the shoes under her desk.....all she could say is "Oh! my goodness! it has to be God! They are a size 7! We are all shouting Yeah! God and praise Him for miracles and signs and wonders!! Is that not the coolest thing you have heard today?
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I love this job sometimes, I really do. Now all we have to do is find her a little car, because CARES of Mississippi has agreed to give her gas money until she gets her first pay check if we can find a car for her to take to Nissan every day......."that, too, is a piece of cake for God"!
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We would ask that you put Bobbie Jo on your prayer list and keep lifting her up to God for healing in her mental and spiritual life. God can take the mistakes we have made from our past and forgive them.....then take the situations we face each day and be glorified in them if we just forgive ourselves, the ones who have wronged us, and let God take control of the whole situation.
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I am your eye-witness reporter, because, this day, I have, once again, watched God work His life changing miracles, signs, and wonders!!
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In awe, I am!
Charlotte Wingard

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*From Elysa---Betty goes to church with our family and has faithfully ensured that her teenage nephew has been able to participate in our youth group's "Summer of Significance", including him ministering to the folks who live at Wingard Home, especially the boys he energetically played basketball with as pictured below.