Life/Haiti/Water Project and New Opportunities...

Exhausted! Absolutely exhausted! I need to update this though so I will remain exhausted another 10 minutes then it's bedtime. I forget how wonderfully amazing my schedule in the summer is, when I am in it. Then, I hit these school months of juggling sports and carpool and sleepovers and errands and I appreciate and miss my summer days immensely!! They shall return again.... Until then....

Haiti! :) I got an email the other day letting me know that my passport application was approved and my book is en route. Although very disappointed in my passport photo, and will have to be for the next 10 years, I am so grateful that there haven't been any kinks in getting it. I kinda needed that to go smoothly. ;-)

I have my support letters typed up and will send them out soon. If you get one, you'll....get one, ;-) but if you don't then I will post here again soon on how you can support and pray for this trip. Too tired for now!

The "water project" has hit a stalling point on the final lap! We are almost one year into the project and have raised/donated over 80% towards our goal. I underestimated the amount of time and resources I would have (or not have) once school started. Whew! It's kinda like childbirth--somehow God let's you forget just how painful it was, so that you'll still have more one day. :) I still have faith that the radical sacrificing and giving and donating will continue and we will reach our goal. I am really hoping to see one of the Living Water Treatment Systems while I am in Haiti. Water Missions International has several systems installed there now and it would be so amazing to see one of them firsthand.

In other news....I'm exhausted! (did you know that yet??) ;-)
There is also some exciting stuff going on with my testimony. Last week, I read an article online called "How my Abortion Enabled Me to Be a Better Mother." I read it and my heart just sank. I won't go into details now but basically, this woman felt stuck- as many do in a crisis pregnancy- as I did in my own crisis pregnancy. I responded to "Live Action" (the group who shared the link) and directly to "Mommyish" (the site who published the story). I told them about my story some and expressed my desire to share more and provide an alternative view on this issue if they would be interested. Both companies/organizations wrote back with a "Yes!", so I have spent the past few days trying to find just the right words to really capture that time in my life. It is very hard to be so deeply personal on such a large "stage". I know that I'm exposing myself to criticism and likely hurtful responses..... but with great reward there must be great sacrifice and this is worth it. I'm just praying that God is glorified, women are encouraged, minds are changed and babies are saved through this. It is something that the church isn't really talking about. Families don't talk about it. And oftentimes, once a woman is on the other side of the circumstance, she doesn't talk about it either. And we know what popular culture and our society say about it. As I said months ago on a post, I want to live passionately in defense of hurting people, on land and in the womb.- there are just so many, it's overwhelming. When I told my aunt months back that I felt overwhelmed by all the pain everywhere and felt helpless to it all, she told me "Focus on what and who God has placed in front of you in the moment. And only focus on that." That was beautiful advice. Well, right now, this is an opportunity and a moment that is definitely in my face. It is here. And I will take it. I will post a link to the article when it comes out next week but I really hope it can reflect that above what our circumstances are, there is hope. Things can get better and life can be even more amazing than we ever imagined. It will be hard. There will be really, really rough days and nights; but the joy of knowing you gave a child life (whether by adoption or parenting) will make every other breath you take on this earth, worth it.

So these are the updates! Well, about 3/4's of them. I feel like there are a million things swirling around my head and I'm like one of those nasty frogs hoping to stick my tongue out at just the right time and catch something! (Terrible analogy. I know.... I could just delete that and start over.....nah) :-) ....what I meant to say is: Things are crazy around here and I have a lot going on physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally so please, please, please PRAY for me today. I am weak, but HE is strong! And I need His strength if I'm gonna keep trying to live in this crazy (yet meaningful) state!

Be blessed.....so you can bless.

Lindsey