Category Archives: Adventure

{When the Basket is Full}

Adventure, Calling, Contentment;, Journey, Peace, Protection, redemption, Rest, ,

Laundry is common thing to every housewife and/or mama. Some days it may feel like a mundane task, because the laundry basket never seems to stay empty for very long at all. I mean, it just feels rather overwhelming at times.

But here’s the thing.

I love doing laundry.

I always have and probably always will.

What a joy to put smelly clothes into the washer and just an hour or so later, you have clean, fresh smelling laundry.

Ahh! So satisfying.

But here’s the kicker.

I don’t like folding laundry and putting it away.

I don’t like it sitting in the laundry basket either.

I enjoy the satisfying feeling of once it’s all done, as in folded and put away.

But folding and putting away, uhm meh😳🥴My general plan consists of just getting the laundry folded and put away as soon as it drys, that way it’s done and I can move on to other things. You know, fun things that I actually enjoy.

But God took me to a place far past the laundry basket being empty, far past being caught up with laundry, I mean it’s not like it’s a status thing to be caught up on laundry, yes it’s nice but there’s more important things.

Here’s where God took me and it challenged me. Would I rather have an overflowing laundry basket and my children’s hearts taken care of or an empty laundry basket and a child/children that feel unheard and misunderstood?

Oh Lord, give us grace, wisdom, courage and strength to keep our eyes focused on what’s important. You as a mama, are teaching and nurturing your children for all of life! And God’s Mercies are new every Morning!❤️

Maybe it’s the not the laundry basket for you, maybe it’s something else, but whatever it may be, just know it’s okay to not always have it perfect. You are human! God is the giver of much wisdom and grace! Ask Him and He will give it to you❤️

Africa-Part 3

Adventure, Calling, Journey, Protection, Rest, Safety

In Kenya, April is one of the months of the rainy season there, not to mention it rained almost daily while we were there. The mud was a constant challenge, but it added plenty of adventure to our African experience.

That Wednesday morning, we awoke to the sound of rain, so we waited until mid forenoon to head out, and still it was raining, so we had our first supermarket experience and each member of the team got a pair of boots, because there was mud everywhere.

Eventually we were on the road, heading back to the Masai village where we were to have a church service. It truly was a trip, we will never forget. Nine people packed into a vehicle (in Kenya there’s always room for one more), and once we hit the dirt roads the adventure began as we slid all over the muddy road, with 3 to 4 foot gullies on either side of the road.

We got stuck a number of times, I eventually lost track of how many times we got out and walked, the sticky mud slowing our walking progress. We were determined to not give up and about 4 hours after we first began the journey we reached our destination; tired, sweaty and covered in mud. We were served coffee and refreshments, then later a meal, by our dear African sister Ann, who served us so well. ❤

Our destination was a church in this particular Masai village and driving up to it, I didn’t see exactly what I expected but in that building was a service unlike I have ever experienced in my life. The building itself could not have been more then 14-16 feet wide and maybe 32 feet long, but it held over 250 adults plus all the darling children.

In this building is where I got my first experience of African worship, it was so amazing, God did incredible things there❤ Some of the girls on the team got to dress up as the Masai ladies do, plus we all got Masai jewelry, which is absolutely beautiful.

We had the opportunity to pass ou candy and some small gifts to the children, seeing their faces as each one was presented with something was incredible to see.

We then headed back to our hotel for the evening, this time we didn’t get stuck, although there was still so much mud everywhere. I am convinced the enemy was desperately trying to deter us from going. Praise God🙌 he was defeated and God did incredible things in each of our hearts and lives.

That evening as the team debriefed over the delightful evening meal they prepared for us, we all agreed our faith was strengthened, because of the experiences we had through the mud and mire on the road that day.

Below is a video that one of our incredibly talented team members did, and if you want a great visual of what all took place, please watch it 😊

https://youtu.be/d6ZgOCyIMzY

Africa- Part 2

Adventure, Calling, Journey, Rest

Before we continue, with our Kenyan adventures, would you take several minutes and pray for our African brothers and sisters❤ Their faith is incredible, but they need our prayers, so that they too, can finish strong.

Tuesday morning we awoke to hearing all the sounds of the town of Nairobi, plus the patter of heavy raindrops on the roof, and oh the bed felt so good, so getting our weary bodies moving was quite difficult. Our team met for a briefing for our week ahead, which then turned into a mini revival service right there in the hotel lobby.

We then began our journey over to the first village where we would spend a few days. God allowed us to find this incredible hotel, right in the village, and we were taken care of so well, the food, hospitality and their ever welcoming smiles when we would come back in the evenings, after a long day, were so amazing.

We also experienced our first meal at a Kenyan restaurant, which was a unique experience but the food was so good.

Whenever we would come back to the hotel the children from the village would come running to see if we had anything for them. Pictured below is me with Angel, she was the first little girl we met when we arrived at the hotel and she was always among the first to greet us when we would come back in the evenings. She had very little, but she always had the sweetest smile. ❤ Several different times we passed out candy and balloons to the children which was a huge hit for all of them.

Those of us who had never been to another country were quite shocked by how many people could fit into one small vehicle, not to mention the driving in Kenya, there were a number of times we all held our breath as mere inches were between us and the vehicle beside us. We soon got used to it tho and by the end of the week we didn’t even think about it.

Our first full day in Kenya was incredible and heading to bed that night we were super thankful for soft beds and hot showers (for those that figured out how to turn the hot water on, some of us had to experience cold showers). We didn’t know what that the next day was going to be day filled with many challenges, including lots mud😏

So in part three you will hear more about our African adventures and what incredible things God allowed us to be a part of.

Africa-part 1

Adventure, Calling, Freedom, Healing, Journey

Such a God-orchestrated trip! Such an incredible team! Such a journey of preparation! I will attempt to document highlights of our incredible trip to the villages of Kenya, so you as the reader may get a glimpse of it too.

From the first time back in October 2017, when I first heard about Africa and the mission there, to the beginning stages of planning the trip in January, to the work God did in my own heart before we went, to each incredible moment of our time together as a team, it truly was a trip I will never forget!

As I mentioned above, last fall was the first time I heard of the mission in Africa, through the stories shared by our team leader, and in that moment something on the inside of me was stirred and I knew I wanted to go to Africa, although I had no idea that 6 months later I would be on my way there.

In January I had the opportunity to meet up with our team leader Matt and his brother Ken at a conference. The conference was incredible but church service the following day was even more amazing and that is where God really began to speak to me about going to Africa. And the question that I asked myself as I was wrestling with what God was asking me to do was:

“Do we miss opportunities by not being obedient immediately to what we know the Father is asking us to do?”

I could not deny that God was calling me to go, although I had no idea what all I was committing to. Before I left the church that afternoon the beginning stages of a trip to Africa were in motion and as I drove home, God gave me a theme, #aboveandbeyond for the trip, which was from Ephesians 3:20-21:

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” -Ephesians 3:20‭-‬21

I was unaware of just how exceedingly, abundantly above all that I could ever ask or think, the Father was going to do things. GOD IS SO GOOD🙌❤

The excitement began to rise as the 7 members of the team were asked and then committed to going, passports were applied for and processed in a very timely manner, which was definitely a work of the Father himself.

Planning was in full swing on our end, as we planned a t-shirt fundraiser, which totally went #aboveandbeyond what we ever dreamt of, it was absolutely incredible at the amount of support we received from people all across the U.S.

And most importantly, the work the Father was doing in our hearts as members of the team, the emptying of ourselves, surrendering to Him and allowing Him to renew our spirits and hearts. The journey was hard and lots of tears were shed before we even begin our trip, but the preparation was essential for the work the Father had for us to do.

The days and weeks passed ever so swiftly and finally the day came! Our excitement knew no bounds as we arrived at the airport, met up with members of the team. Oh, it was exciting to know that we were about to embark on a journey, a work that only the Father could orchestrate.

Boarding the plane for that 13 hour flight, was an experience in itself. We had the best stewardess and we were served so incredibly well, amazing service and delicious food, including ice cream that was served to us at 2 AM. That stuff was incredible 🍦

After 13 hours, we were ready to get our feet on solid ground for a short time and so with swollen feet and weary bodies, we traipsed through an airport in Doha, to meet up with the remainder of our team, and then boarded a plane for the last 5 hours to our final destination, which would be Nairobi, Kenya.

Landing there at midnight, stepping on African soil, oh my heart felt like it could burst, as I took in all the smells and sounds of that land, clothed under the cover of night. Checking into our rooms for the night we rested our weary bodies on those beds that felt much better than the airplane seats that reclined only a few inches. and there was Wi-Fi to connect too, total American, I know😁

And then the next day, the adventures were about to go to a whole other level. But that’s coming in the next post… 😁

But I do have to show a photo of our incredible #dreamteam, along with our incredible safari guide. 😍 we made so many memories together in the beautiful country of Africa!