Want to Read this Book Together?

A friend of mine, from church, told me yesterday that she had ordered this book, Friendship for Grown-Ups, by Lisa Whelchel.  Michele (who has been a good friend for several years) said it had come highly recommended by an older woman in our church, that was longing to know how to have deeper and better friendships. This older woman is now in her 60's and still is hoping for a true-blue friend.  She was longing for deeper friendships and just plain tired of the constant longing for such a friend. She found this book and now has some tools to make it a reality.

Michele and I agreed that we could use the book.  We have many friends, or we decided to term them acquaintances, but very few intimate friends.  We have both found friendship to be hard ground.  We find that it is easy to give of ourselves, but harder to receive.  Sometimes the truth be told is that it just isn't reciprocated by the other person, which plainly just hurts.  Been there, done that, have the t-shirt as proof.  sigh.

There are many types of friends, but honestly the deep kind are hard to come by. The Bible tells us that Jesus had 3 intimate friends, then the next level were his disciples (students), then the next his followers (which made up a very large group).

 Friendship requires trust, it requires vulnerability, it requires risk (in putting yourself out there)...honestly, I am not sure I have what it takes.  I am hoping that in reading this book, Friendship for Grown-Ups, that I will see friendship in a new dimension and perhaps open myself up for deepening the relationships I have. 

Michele challenged me to go get my own copy, versus just reading her copy; as it would show that there was commitment on my part to be open to learning and perhaps to change that begins with me.  I am up for the challenge...

Anyone else want to join me?

You can buy your book here.

Do you think we should read it chapter by chapter and share our thoughts?  If yes, when do you want to start?  I am thinking to give everyone about 4 weeks to get a copy and then jump in, to see what we learn!

I'd love to hear from you...

For the Love of CLOGS!

I am a lover of clogs. 

I got my first pair when I was in the 2nd grade.  They were made of vinyl and were a lovely shade of purple.  Just one pair and I was hooked, I would choose a pair of clogs over any shoes;

though really I am a barefoot type of girl most moments of the day.

These are the sparkliest clogs I have ever owned. 

 Oh, all that glitters makes me smile.

And the BEST part is that I got them at a trip to Saver's (a huge thrift store). 

 They were all of $6.99 too!  Oh, happy day for Kimmie!

*If you were a shoe, what kind would you be?*

Thrift Store Bounty

Princess Mercy and I had fun at our local Saver's Thrift Shop. 

I am always so thankful for how God provides for our ever growing family.  This particular thrift shop is enormous, organized and clean!  It isn't too far from our house and it is very convenient to our wholesale food club (where we grocery shop). My family just loves shopping here and every once in a while my girlfriends and I find time to sneak out together for a thrifting night together!  My, how fun it is when we all get going through the store in search of the perfect deal!

I have made many friends of the staff, who are always so helpful and kind to me and my crew. (they just love our baby!)  I have been planting *seeds* too!  Not only do they know about my faith, our adoptions, our homeschool, but they are beginning to learn about a God who loves them too!

Keep your eyes open, you might find yourself a great deal, you might have the opportunity to make a new friend and you might be able to share the Gospel.  Really. 

Off to swim lessons...hope you have a wonderful day!

Sharing the Word

Don't you just love it when you read the Bible and it speaks to you. 


I mean not in a voice that says, "HEY!"

But a voice that grabs your heart, because it is just what the Holy Spirit has been whispering to you.

This morning I was finishing up the books of Thessalonians...I became exuberant when I got to this part...

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
*from The Message Bible:

Because we know that this extraordinary day is just ahead, we pray for you all the time-

----pray that our God will make you fit for what He's called you to be, pray that He'll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with His own energy so that it all amounts to something.  If your life honors the name of Jesus, He will honor you.  Grace is behind and through all of this, our God giving Himself freely, the Master, Jesus Christ, giving Himself freely.

Why does this make me giddy?

Well, God put it on my heart to do a series of posts on my blog on sharing our faith, kind of like a 101 on how to lead others to Christ.  I have been praying and asking God if this is really what He is asking me.  As I read this, God said, "I am praying for you...I am speaking this over your life." 

So guess what...I am going to be seeking Him and asking Him the best way, to simply share what's on my heart with you!  I've asked a friend to join me in this venture...would you pray for her to hear from God on this too?  Let nothing hinder us preaching the Word to the ends of the earth.  Indeed a blog is one way to go into all the world and preach the gospel (the Good News of Jesus!)

My life verse is Matthew 4:19, God spoke it to me when I was thirteen years old; I have been holding it tightly since then..

"Come, follow Me,"  Jesus said,  "and I will make you fishers of men."

This Mama Can Braid!

She was very happy to have me box braid her hair.  She said, "Good job Mama."

I still have much to learn.

Thankfully, she sits still, unlike her 2 year old Ethiopian sister. 

These were my very first attempt at cornrows (I think these are cornrows?)...boy was it tiring on my fingers.  It took me about an hour and a half to do her whole head...but pretty good considering I had only watched a couple of videos online on how to. 

Hopefully, I get better over time. 

 I have seen so many creative styles over at Happy Girl Hair- boy, is that Katie amazing with styles.  She is an inspiration for sure and if you haven't met her Ethiopian twin daughters; you are in for a treat! 

 I love gleaning information on the web...how blessed I am to live in such a time as this.  I can imagine if you adopted an African daughter 10 years ago, it was much harder to learn hair care for them.  Another reason to give thanks for today and the knowledge that God has given to man.

Of course I love her hair natural. I am still trying to convince Princess Sweetness, who continues to tell me that they took her to straighten it in Ethiopia and that this is much nicer.

 (Go figure, no food to eat,

but money to straighten the girls hair??)

  She will never convince me.

never. 

I will continue to tell her how beautiful she is just the way God made her and believe that she will start believing it herself. 

After all, it is the truth.

So How's Your Passion?

Today's Prayer Request Sunday ...

My leaning for today, is to pray for your passion for God.  As I have spent time in the Word and in prayer this week, I had an overwhelming feeling to pray for more passion.  Would you like me to pray for you too?  Please leave me a comment, if you'd like to stand with me in believing God to up our passion for Him and His Kingdom. 

Hey and if you don't know God in an intimate and passionate way...today is the day my friend.  Drop me a line and we will pray to ask Jesus to wipe away all of your sins and accept Him as your Lord and Savior of your life.  Passion begins with a real relationship with Jesus.  It comes with the deposit of the Holy Spirit within us, upon our salvation.

... But,
but it needs to be fed, it needs to grow with time with Him.  If we want to hear His voice and hear his heartbeat, we need to press in harder. 

If you are with me in this, give me a shout out...let's press on and see God's hand working in our midst!!!

A Firefly Story that will Encourage You!

This really happened to me...thought I would share it with you...

You know I have a household of sick kids (well only 2 left now)...but when I went to bed at after 11 PM, I was really tired. As I was falling asleep, a bright-bright light kept shining in my window. It kept disappearing before I could focus on what it was. It was so very bright when it did shine, then it was really really dark again. I forced my eyes to stay open and watch to see if I could see it again. I did and still couldn't figure out what it was, so I got out of bed.

I walked to the window and do you know what I saw? Fireflies. A whole bunch of them outside of my window.

I stayed quiet, in the dark , trying to figure out what was going on. Outside the window a couple of fireflies were making a circle pattern around my window. It continued for a while, I was amazed that they could make such a good circle-about the size of a dinner plate. I wondered why though. Usually you don't spot fireflies so high up (they prefer the ground). As my eyes adjusted to their brightness (and they were blinking in unison on top of it all)...

...I noticed that there was one constant light on the bottom of my window. Upon closer investigation, I realized the little guy was trapped between the inside portion of our glass and screen. His light was left on...it was dim, but very on. I slid the window up and talked to him (her?) gently. I told him I had seen his friends rescue signal and was here to bring him *OUT.* He hid in a corner for a while, but I persuaded him to climb in my hands. I stood there in amazement, as now his light was of a soft greenish glow and was growing ever brighter.

I carried him downstairs and let him out the front door. Thanking him for the light show and blessing his little lightening bug life. I told him he had really nice friends.

When I got back into bed his friends had left, only darkness and sleep were calling me. But the Lord really spoke to me in this little mini-drama.

Alone sometimes our lights are dim, during trials or hardship, but if we have that Light within us, it shines out and God sends help ;-) And even when we don't know it our light is shining among men, who hopefully are awake enough to see and take notice of the Holy Spirit that resides within us as Believers.

It is so good to have friends, it is good to have friends who willingly shine into our dark places-even when there seems to be no hope. How thankful I am that we don't walk this road alone, but that we are surrounded by our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Hope this ministers to you as much as it is still ministering to me.

Shine on my friends, shine on!

Adoption...

Today's thought from my heart:

Adoption isn't a destination, it is a life long journey into Love.

Adoption and my life-a story that is still being written:

...I share with you my family

...made by adoption

...some came as babies, some as preschoolers, some as adolescents, one as a teen...

...they came from 3 great nations:  America, Ethiopia and Hungary

7 of my 8 children once were orphans...

...each of them have been given to me by God

I stand here looking in for a minute and I am in awe of what God has done!

So wouldn't you like to adopt? 

 Join the *Love journey*

...let me know if I can help you jump into adoption!

The End of a New Day

The baby woke up crying, several hours after her bedtime.  Our 13 year old Ethiopian came downstairs rubbing her eyes, telling us she was crying.  We hadn't heard her, but her loving sister had and came to tell us we were needed.

My Knight made our Baby Mercy, some juice in a sippy cup and also brewed her a cup of tea with honey.  As we sat in the dark living room, sipping her beverage of choice, she confiscated her Papa's flashlight.  She turned it on with help and played happily in the dark, her breathing slightly labored, but captivated by the soft glow of the flashlight.

She eventually drifted my way and skooched her hand up to look at my belly button.  She was giggling as she studied it.  It made me think of the years of my infertility treatments.  It brought back memories of laparoscopies and all the poking I endured for a decade in hopes of pregnancy that never came. 

Tonight a tiny brown hand poked at my scars and pondered my belly button with her dim little light.  Funny, but suddenly a light went on in my spirit that I never knew was there, a light of understanding that all of that infertility treatment and its failures, brought me to one of the greatest successes of my life-my sweet Ethiopian daughter Mihret.

Thank you God for giving me infertility.  Thank you for calling me to adoption, even prior to finding out that I had secondary infertility.  Thank you for giving me the answers to my prayers in the 8 beautiful children that call me Mama.

I'm going to bed, not sure if it will be for the night, as the baby is sick...but now that the light is on deep within in that hurting place that often I hide; I think sleep, however long, will be sweet indeed.

A New Day

Sweet Baby Mercy is sick. It was a looooooonnnng night with croup like coughing.  This morning she seems to be doing better.  The cough is loosened and she is currently eating a handful of pretzels while sipping some chamomile tea with honey.

As I held her last night and walked around outside in the pitch black of night with her, I was thinking how blessed I am that God has allowed me to be her Mama.  Outside, with only the crickets chirping away and her Mama and Papa rocking her on the old metal yellow couch-swing on the porch, we both though SO tired were so very thankful God let her be ours through the wonder of adoption (Ethiopia-through Celebrate Children International).

Thought you'd like to see some of her face this morning. 

(And don't you wish you looked this cute when you had a fever and were sick?)

Her sweet brother King Bonkie (7) is in bed with a fever, while all the others have gone out to enjoy a week of Vacation Bible School at our church.  Not the summer I was hoping for, but seems we got smacked at the last V.B.S. with some powerful germs.  Hoping that a quiet day of extra napping gets us on the mend quick. 

 Of course we'd love prayer.

And we are working on this too...

Which of course means we are busy doing all sorts of business.

And just so you know...I love toddlers in cotton training pants.  Too cute.  Even though I am really tired from very little sleep, just one look at her sweet chocolate body in those training pants and my heart is jumping with love!

Prayer Request Sunday!!

Prayer Request Sunday @ Over the Moon with Joy

Welcome...

it has been too long since I jumped back into taking your prayer requests, but as you know adopting a 13 year old isn't something you get to do everyday ;-)  I didn't feel like I had the energy (or the memory) to be able to commit to praying beyond our own family needs ...but now I am READY!

So let's go!!

Do you have a prayer need? 

I'd love to join you in praying for God to come and to minister His life into your situation.  Leave me a comment, with your prayer request and we can jump in believing for God to put His touch onto your life (or whatever situation you have.)

God is so good and so very, very, very faithful to His children.

If you don't know if you are a Christian, or if when you die you would go to heaven...email me and I will happily share how to enter into a real-ationship with God.  Being a Christian doesn't mean you go to church, or that you belong to a *religion* (which are manmade), but it means that you have been saved by Grace through the Life of Jesus. 

Praying for God to draw you closer to Himself this week and I am always waiting to hear that your prayers have been answered by Him~ So please do share with all of us!

My Biggest Baby is off to Costa Rica!

I miss her already! 

 She left the house at 3:30 a.m., first I kissed her, then the Knight drover her to the drop off point at our church.  She will be gone for 10 days, spreading the gospel and God's love to the people of Costa Rica.

How blessed we are to have children who love to serve God with all they have. 

This Mama says, "Thank you Jesus!"

Have you read my baby's blog?

A Little Creativity-Homeschool Art

Just when you think you have thought of every way to teach your kids art...whallah!

My little artists sketched out their pictures in pencil and then Mama gave them little bowls of Elmer's glue.  They applied their glue with a small paintbrush and poked their beans, straws, popcorn, macaroni, and  rice into the glue, with the help of a popsicle stick (which we had previously enjoyed and cleaned for such a day as today!). 

 A little of this, a little of that and there you have it; a masterpiece!

My kids worked on their art for hours, they love this.  And it is art on the cheap, as everything was already in the cupboard and the cardboard was going out to recycling.

 Oh  Happy, happy, loved cardboard. 

Prayer Update

I wanted to update all of you on my visit to the hospital.

I didn't get the opportunity to go in to see Chris.  I didn't get to pray with any of the family either.  There were many people who came to sit and wait with the family, which was nice, but no opportunity to pray.

 I did get to know Chris's mom much better; I am hoping God makes us friends.  She has been through so much in the last few years, watching her husband struggle with various forms of cancer and then last year (after a 10 year battle) he died.  Praise God, she had 4 of her 6 children sitting in the ICU waiting room with her last night.  What a beautiful family she is blessed with and what a mother's heart she has, such a devoted loving Mama. She needs Jesus though, as does all of her family.

Please keep praying for Chris and his family...as I will.  He will be in ICU for a while, so perhaps the next visit will give me a different opportunity to minister God's love to them. 

Yesterday for a few moments Chris opened his eyes up!  The MRI (first of 2) showed no trace of seizures, though they saw what looked like many Grand Mal Seizures (not sure I spelled that right?).  They now think that as they reduce his meds. of sedation, that the pain level soars and that the shaking his body manifests, is from the pain he is in. 

Please pray for healing for him (physically and spiritually) and for strength for his family as they wait.  They have been told that on Monday, that they will no longer have a suite at the hospital to stay in...which will make it so much harder on all of them.  Praying that God shows them favor and lets them stay close to Chris.

Thank you friends!

Join Me in Prayer Today (PLEASE!)

A need for prayer...

I have a friend who has a huge need...her husband was crushed under her car, July 4th. He was trying to work on her muffler and then the car fell on him.
We need to pray, as Chris and Lodamia don't know Jesus.

They have two small children who are really having a hard time. Lodamia is struggling because she didn't hear Chris's yells for help (but luckily before he lost consciousness, a neighbor did).  He was flown to the hospital in Lifestar (his second time that he has been flown to the hospital in bad shape!)

God has put it on my heart to go pray with Chris (and Lo)...but honestly without God making a way I won't be able to, as Chris isn't allowed to have visitors due to the seizures.  Even Lodamia isn't allowed to go into his room very often due to the great number of seizures he is having.

God has showed me a vision of praying for Chris and walking him through accepting Jesus as Savior.  He has told me that though Chris is unresponsive, that he is still able to hear and understand.  I am willing, if He makes a way.

The plan is to go sometime tonight with my sister in law and my friend Brent's (see yesterday's post)...wife. 

Would you boldly believe with me for a way into Chris's room tonight.  Would you believe with me for their hearts to be prepared (for Lo, for Chris, for Chris's mom, who recently lost her husband to cancer).

In my own strength my prayers are just words...but in God's power they are words of Life. 

I will confess that though I LOVE to share the gospel and am not afraid to pray with anyone at any time, that this situation has me feeling a bit undone around the edges of my heart.  I seriously could use some prayer warriors to join me in this mission.

Thank you in advance...

Let the Kingdom of God come today for Chris and his family as it is in heaven.  Seeking God for His will to be done on earth, as it is in heaven today for this family.

Faith...Knowing Jesus!

This post is subtitled:  The Most Wonderful Day

Did you hear me yesterday?

I gave a loud shout of Praise to my God...it was about 11 a.m eastern standard time. 

Do you want to know why?

Well, this year God has allowed me to lead 5 people into His family.  Five dear people were led into God's family through repentance of their sins and asking Jesus to take up residence in their hearts.  Yesterday, one of my best friends (after more than 20 years of prayer) accepted Jesus as their Savior! 

 Brent has been my friend since I was sixteen years old.  Many years I have spoken to him about having Jesus become His Savior. He married one of my best friends (Beth) and has been surrounded by Christians who have been praying and planting seeds for salvation.  Praise God, yesterday was the day Brent said yes!! 

Brent's family was also rejoicing...as each of us for years and years have been waiting for him to join our family.  I can't even tell you the number of times post Brent's decision that I spoke out *Praise God!!!* throughout the day.  I couldn't be happier for him, for his sweet wife Beth (who is a Christian) and for his 3 small children, who now will have a dad who loves and serves Jesus!!

After church each week our Pastor asks us to ask those around us if they'd like to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  If they say yes, we are to walk them down.  Brent has been coming to church for several months, many times I have wanted to ask him, but each week he was sitting to far away from me and he would leave before I could get over to him.

This week, I literally announced to my children that I needed to get to *Uncle Brent*...at Pastor's last words I flew over my children (I think literally) and grabbed Brent.  He was already making his way out of the sanctuary, toting his sister in laws car seat and a diaper bag.  I grabbed him and said, "Please, please, please Brent, let's go forward today.  Let's not wait another day.  You want to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior today. Please, please, please.  You heard Pastor say I needed to ask you.  Come on let's go."

To which he began to make excuses.  How he needed to get his kids, how today just wouldn't work....but I refused to let him go.  You see I had heard the Holy Spirit speak to me about Brent and walking him up today and there was NO WAY I was going to let him out of that building without Jesus.

Probably not the typical way to lead someone to Christ, but we are close friends and have a love for each other that overcomes any way that I would get him to walk up front.

Somewhere in the process of him saying yes He would go, his sweet wife Beth came alongside of us.  I told her what we were discussing and she began to cry.  The three of us walked up front and I began to pray over Brent as we waited for a prayer minister to come and pray with Brent.  Beth was crying quietly and holding her husband so tight.  I was standing at his other side, praying and also quietly hearing God's heart for Brent.  Post Brent confessing his sin and inviting Jesus into his life...I began to Praise my wonderful God out loud.  I let out a very loud shout of Praise, as my heart couldn't hold it in any longer!!  Twenty plus years of prayer had been answered and the angels and I were rejoicing greatly.

I got to spend the day with Brent and his family (we all went to me mum's house)...I introduced him as my new brother in Christ and just went about the day with a huge smile and thankfulness oozing out of my every ounce of being.

God is so faithful!

And just so you know.  After we prayed together....Brent said, "Thank you, I have wanted to go up for weeks now!" 

YIPPEE~ my God is so good!

And I also would add, that the night before, the enemy was trying to keep me from going to church.  I had a very bad nightmare, which I woke myself up from, as I just didn't want to have it play out in full. I got up and got a drink and do you know what...I went back into dreaming the same nightmare.  I was so tired from lack of sleep and disturbance of mind, that I pondered staying home from church.  I talked myself into pushing through the exhaustion and now I am so glad that I did.

God is so good!

Do you want to know Jesus too...send me an email and we can pray too!