He said He would do it...

There it was again...

Doubt

It came thundering down, questions went up, no answers came

But He is faithful

A few weeks ago the let down came in a big way. I am constantly amazed how over and over God shows us that He is here and how over and over we doubt. (smack your forehead here).

The passion that he deeply embedded in my heart at a young age for Africa is stronger even as an adult. If you even know who I am you know this because it seems I am obsessed at times.

When God tells you His plans, He isn't playing

Tuesday there was a text sent that said something like "I am sitting in Kansas City having lunch with a man who has had a heart for Ghana for 20 years. He has land there but no one to run it. I mentioned about your mission and he wants to meet".

One week earlier and one week later Craig would NOT have been in Kansas City... Divine appointment

We scheduled a meeting for Saturday evening. However, God knew I would drive myself and everyone around me crazy until that time so He changed it to Thursday.

Laszlo has led many crusades. He was on TBN twelve years ago when an man approached him and told him he needs to go to Ghana. He went, he led a crusade and many miracles happened there. He gained favor with the King's and business men. They gave him 10 acres of land. He promised to build an orphanage. He searched for partners in this mission.... nothing happened. So he quit praying about it. Hasn't been back for seven years. He has kept in contact with the people he met but that is it.

So here we are meeting with him and he said "I thank God that he dropped this in my lap". I want to give you the land... GIVE us 10 acres that we have been searching for! He wants us to travel with him to make sure it is suitable for our mission. There was no hesitation, the plans were made.

There are many more confirmations made as I threw out the fleece. I am amazed, in awe, and just SO thankful that a BIG God would think of this meeting ten years earlier when he gave the land to Laszlo. I think of where I was ten years ago and I never dreamed anything like this would happen.

We covet your prayers as we plan and raise money quickly for this trip. So many have already gone out of their way to help and take this passion of ours into their hearts and homes. For that I am greatful.


"When you fall asleep tonight
In your warm and cozy room
Know that I'm awake
And I've got no shelter and no food

I am not alone
My friends are broke and lost
Looking for someone to lead them to my cross
I need your help, I need your help

Won't you be My voice calling
Won't you be My hands healing
Won't you be My feet walking into a broken world
Won't you be My chain-breaker
Won't you be My peacemaker
Won't you be My hope and joy
Won't you be My Love

The other side of the world
She is just a few days old
A helpless little girl
With no family of her own

She is not to blame for the journey she is on
Her life is no mistake
Won't you lead her to My cross?

To those I call My own
To those I've set aside
As spotless without blame
The chosen ones My bride

We will be Your voice calling
We will be Your hands healing
We will be Your feet walking into a broken world
We will be Your chain-breaker
We will be Your peacemaker
We will be Your hope and joy
We will be Your love"

Community pride...

I want to tell you a story. A story of a little girl that had much adversity in her life, she wasn't the smartest girl and she wasn't the most athletic girl but she had one thing...determination. This stubborn, strong willed girl started playing basketball in the 4th grade. It was a horrible season, they barely knew how to dribble a basketball but this team had a coach who knew that to be successful you had to teach the kids how to win. The first season wasn't a good one until they found a team they could beat and they scheduled them for AAU games as much a possible so that the girls knew what it felt like to win. The 5th grade season rolled around and the team went undefeated. AAU continued in the spring and summer. The 6th grade season they had a new coach but still only lost one game that year. Jr. High years, they had their old coach and went undefeated in 7th grade, and lost two games in the 8th grade. This team was a family, the parents encouraged the team & coaches even through the losses. They made it to AAU state tournament every year but one.

Then high school rolled around and a lot of changes happened, the athletic side of it was disappointing a lot but that little girl continued to work hard because you see talent didn't come natural for her. She had to work to get anywhere. Her parents knew that the school couldn't be responsible for her total success so they spent a lot of time and money in travel sports, it wasn't always easy and it was very tiring but they were committed to seeing it through. Coaches don't do it for the money, they do it because they love the game and they care about the kids.

This little girl went on to play NCAA Division 2 softball. Her school didn't get her looked at, her travel sports did and her parents making the effort to get recurring forms filled out did.

That little girl is my daughter, Aimee. The coach... Her dad.

You see I tell you that story because that team that became family made a lot of people believe in them and the sense of pride for Shoals improved because of that. Aimee is a junior at OCU still playing softball and she came from Shoals and didn't have to move to get where she is.

I was born & raised in Bedford. I went to high school during the Damon Bailey era. I know what pride is about. I have lived in Shoals for 15 years and I am proud to say I am from here. It saddens me when I see others trash our small community and to see people that live here do it devastates me.

Shoals is a wonderful place to raise a family. My kids have thrived living here. Community pride goes way beyond athletics. It's about how we treat others, how we rally around people when the storms of life overtake them, I have seen some amazing things done out of the love that people in Shoals have for each other.

So, I challenge you to do one thing. Find something in your community that you can be proud of and celebrate it.

I am proud to live in Shoals, Indiana. I hope you can say the same.

Taking a stand, tolerance, hate...

Before I even start let me say that I believe Chick-fil-A (CFA) is a great company & I admire their taking a stand however my issue comes in the fact that the response it has caused from some people is less than appealing. As a matter of fact it is downright disgusting how some have turned this into hate.

 Now I don't believe in same sex marriage and I believe what the Bible says about it. 


Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NKJV)


I am all for Christians taking a stand but what I'm not for is the hate this whole CFA thing has brought about by some NOT all. Jesus ate with sinners and the last time I checked I am a sinner. Stealing an ink pen knowingly from the bank is no less a sin than murder, adultery, or homosexuality. 


To quote a movie that most Emmaus people know "Jesus loves just about everyone". 


The other irony is there are people standing behind a $5.00 sandwich but will not stand up to the church conforming to the world. There are denominations approving things that re clearly against what the Bible teaches and even some that say the Bible isn't 100% true. 


And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? (Matthew 7:3, 4 NKJV)


Kudos to you Chick-Fil-A for taking a stand. Shame on you that have taken what they have done and turned it into something I am sure they never intended it to be.