Orphans

What is happening to orphans right now as I write?

They are hungry.

They are eating trash.

They are chased away from the trash.

They are naked.

They are exhausted from running scared all the time.

They are tied up.

They live without shelter.

They live in fear of being abducted.

They live in fear of being eaten by wild animals.

They are raped.

They are prostituted.

They are beaten---in unimaginable ways.

They witness their friends being sold.

They live in fear being sold themselves.

They are forced to lie.

They steal out of necessity.

They are burned.

They are bruised.

Sometimes they wish they were never born.

They feel invisible.

They wonder why God doesn't like them.

They are crying out to the Lord because of their oppressor. Isaiah 19:20

Cannot Recover

4 Things You Cannot Recover

Take a minute to think about these four things that are not recoverable. Live each minute like it is your last and live it as if Christ was physically right beside you.

1. The stone………..after the throw.
2. The word………after it’s said.
3. The occasion……..after it’s missed.
4. The time……….after it’s gone.

Official FREEDOM!

Tonight is very quite in the ThreeSixty House. Summer term has ended and there is a two week break before the fall semester begins. It is so extremely hot that I can't believe it is almost fall.

Bullen and Andrew (my Sudanese students) have gone to work for a couple of weeks in Wadley, Alabama.

Stephen left today - never to return to the ThreeSixty house. He flew to Minnesota at 5am this morning to begin a new life up north. Stephen officially lived with our family for one year and 3 days. During this time, we grew to love his humor and silliness so much. There was really never a dull moment. He didn't sleep at night, he didn't eat during mealtime, he cooked the greatest food, he used Vaseline for lotion, he wore a skull cap most of the time, he didn't cut his hair starting the day he moved in, he pulled and twisted his hair unconsciously, he never washed or folded his clothes, his room looked similar to a hoarder, he had a beautiful testimony, he would not sing in church, he was dark as night and soft as a baby, he loved junk food, especially fruit snacks, he fought with my youngest son constantly, he has never met his birth mom or dad, he loves loves his adopted mom, he struggled with communication, he hated walking to school, he was a great cleaner, he laughed at the Sudanese vocabulary, he could beat the socks off of me in Bejeweled, he slept with his cell phone, he could dress so sharp, he detested sitting in the middle, he has a huge heart, he is great with children, he would throw a punch at the drop of a hat, he is very rambuncious, he could break a steel ball with a rubber hammer, he is very adventurous, he was unsettled with his decisions, he was such a caring person, he is very strong willed, he wants freedom, he is so goooood in math, not so good in English, the spoke in half-words, he is very competitive, he loves basketball and football, he was an avid Alabama fan, he loves to fish and hunt, he had to really really think about sacrifice and he was very focused when reading the Word of God. I know there is much more to describe this young man but its not coming to my mind right now. I am so thankful for the year I got to spend with Stephen. Stephen taught me so many new things about life and the African-American race. I will miss you so much and I pray that God will use you in a mighty way for His Glory.

HEAT in Alabama!

Are you thankful for the heat? A pastor, Ben DeLoach, was reminded of the trip he took to Jordan two years ago. He had the opportunity to visit Mount Nebo and to see the plains of Moab where the people of Israel spent so much quality time grumbling and complaining. It was so hot there that at one point he turned and asked his guide, "Have you brought us out into this wilderness to die?"

May we all remember the mighty works that God has done and is doing among us. Let us be thankful for the heat and then for the relief we have from it. Much fruit is born in the heat by the tree that is rooted near streams of water - such is the one that trusts in the Lord. (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

Kill the Spider!

I read this today and it totally exemplified what I have been experiencing lately with stress and worry. I am the biggest worrier ever and I give it to My Lord all the time, but then it creeps back little by little.

I suffer with anxiety, known professionally as GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder)

My heart begins beating really fast and I become light headed.

My hands tingle and my face burns.

I fear that I will lose control.

The truth is I won’t lose control.

That’s because I am not in control.

So I don’t have it to lose.

I only think I am.

You have your thing. You are fighting so hard to maintain control of it. It might not take the form of anxiety. But it takes the form of something. Something that you take “control” of that belongs to God. The manifestation is not the sin. My anxiety symptoms are not the sin. Your depression symptoms is not the sin. Your constant focus on the problem is not the sin. They are symptoms of the sin.

The sin of wanting to be God in your life instead of letting God be God. So instead of praying for God to clean the cobwebs out of your life. Just ask God to kill the spider.

Kill the spider!

Thank you, Jesus, for amazing, honest, raw, inspirational, unashamed, unafraid people to challenge my faith everyday. Lord, You know our problems long before they are our “problems.” I ask You right now to kill the spider, and give me the strength and the faith to depend FULLY on you. I love You and worship You. I am in awe of Your Grace… Amen.

Weekly Wisdom

• Does the fear of God or the fear of man rule your life?
• Every problem is an opportunity to trust God.

First Year

Today marks one year since four young men moved into our home, aka THREESIXTY HOUSE. This year has been such a learning experience for our family. We have learned what it is like to live multi-culturally, we have learned how other cultures eat, walk, talk and sleep, we have experienced how others worship our Lord, we have cried together, disagreed with one another, studied The Word of God together, been to the beach, lake and Six Flags together, we have fed and prayed with the homeless in downtown Birmingham together and the list goes on and on.

As our children grow, we teach them to share. I can remember learning to share (my room, candy, toys) with my brother and sister. I can remember learning to share (toys, colors) at Sunday School. I can remember learning to share (lockers, notes) at school. In American, we really haven't had to share our entire life or whole house and everything in it. We don't have to share our food because there isn't enough. We don't have to eat left-overs because there is more where that came from. Our family has learned to SHARE this past year. We know in our minds that EVERYTHING is God's and is to be shared, but we never really had to share it all. Have you ever shared everything? Think about this for a minute and I will share more in another post about the Word Everything!

I have learned that each and every one of us desires to be loved unconditionally.

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Thank You Lord for the blessing of sharing life with others. Thank You for the lessons learned, a faith that has enlarged and the relationships that will last forever. Thank You for Your unconditional love for us and growing us for Your Glory.