All 3 families from Texas shipped out all our belongings to Kona last night!
It should be there shortly after we arrive :) (prayers)
WE ARE REALLY DOING THIS THING, Y'ALL!
On a really cool God side note, another family will be caravanning with us from Texas to Cali, to Kona! That's a total of 24 of us leaving here and road tripping our way to Kona! We will go from Dallas, to Albuquerque, to the Grand Canyon, to Cali, and then fly out from there. The Wilkins family found us through this blog, and joined the Fire and Fragrance DTS.....CRAZY! What's even crazier??? They are from CANADA but happen to be spending Christmas with their family here in the DFW area. They booked the same flight as us, and will be joining us on our road trip. It's so wild how God connected our families through modern technology. We met on the blog and then all 4 families have been communicating through facebook. This is going to be an adventure for sure with 16 out of the 24 of us being children :) Our caravan leaves December 27th. Please keep praying for us!
Today is such an important day to acknowledge. Not only is it a celebration of the lives of children who use to be orphaned and their lives are now redeemed by God and set in families, but it's also a day to educate everyone on the huge world-wide orphan crisis that is ever- so- real. May we not see videos like the one below and shed a few tears, and then forget about all the children out there who need someone to step up and be a difference in their lives. May our hearts be moved to action. I remember as vivid as it were yesterday, almost 4 years ago, when I was worshipping at my friend Alicia's house with a group of ladies, and singing the song "Hosanna" sung by Brook Frasier( Hillsong). I had sung it a hundred times but this time was different. I cried out the words to Jesus "Fill my heart and make me clean,open up my eyes to the things unseen, show me how to love like you, have loved me. Break my heart for what breaks yours, everything I am for your kingdom's cause. As I walk from earth into eternity." This time I was singing it with my whole heart. I meant it, and I wanted His heart and to be more like Him, and care about the things He cares about. His presence fell on me, and I started sobbing. One of those ugly cries where I couldn't stop. And my heart broke. From that day on, every time I heard that song, I would sob and cry out "Break my heart for what breaks yours" with all that I had. And you know what? He did. My eyes were really opened for the first time. I knew about orphans, but from a distance. I cared enough to feel sad, during a "save the children commercial." But I remember turning the channel quickly because I didn't want to feel sad, and then I would forget about it. Out of sight, out of mind. Can any of you relate to that? But then when I started crying out to Jesus to give me more of His heart, it became very real to me. He broke my heart for the orphan and the fatherless just as His is breaking. He answered my cries to Him during that song. My heart broke so much that it was moved to action. I was a crying mess from then on until the day we brought JoMo home from Ethiopia, and what a blessing that little boy is to our whole family! That song to this day, still gets me. I know God FOREVER changed my heart and opened my eyes that day through that song, and I am so grateful He did. If your church doesn't acknowledge National Orphan Sunday, step up and make them aware. Start the tradition of acknowledging it every year by dedicating a service to bring awareness. It's such an important issue on God's heart. Be the change for at least one or more orphans in this world. If God can use our family, trust me, He can surely use yours, or you ;)
