Haiti- Part "De"

...As if the drive up to Bohoc wasn't going to be breathtaking enough, we spent our first day in Haiti, in a local church surrounded by the most passionate, beautiful seekers of God. Their voice praised Him from a depth that you don't see too often in the states... a depth that has likely been reached through many, many years of trials and testing.

After church we were invited to the pastor's home where they served us rice and beans. If you could have seen the amount of food that was stacked high for us, you would know what a sacrifice this was. Everything they harvest, they eat. Offering such a large meal for us was like pouring perfume on Jesus' feet- a true sacrifice and gift of love.

Pastor washing our hands before we ate lunch in his home

After eating we began our first "Mission"- Home visits. These were probably the most touching for me, personally. We were so close to peoples homes in the villages- we were able to see and touch these beautiful people and pray for their needs, encourage them through scripture and offer up a bag of rice and beans as a gift.

They live such simple lives. Nothing to distract them. This can be good and unfortunate at times. Grief striken women and men cannot escape their pain for just a moment with a TV show or a car ride somewhere. Then again, they have a keen, spiritual awareness of the battle they are in and they are able to call it what it is. A common response I hear after coming back from the trip has been, "Doesn't it make you grateful for all we have?"- Yes and No. I am thankful beyond words for the ability to drink clean water and not think twice about it. I am thankful for my home. The safety of my children and family. I am thankful for law and order. I am extremely thankful for our military. I am thankful for an abundance of educational opportunities. I am thankful that we have no lack in food. I am thankful for medical care. The basics that all human beings should have, I am thankful. It's the "beyond's" that I am now, not so sure about. Don't get me wrong, life is much more comfortable with a nice car, a warm bed, an occasional vacation, tv, a smartphone, resturants, movie theaters, malls, computers, etc... but it just makes life/God/meaning so much easier to.....escape. Could a simpler life mean hearing from Him better? following Him without reluctance- answering His call- living our purpose with abandon- and remembering what this is all really about? On my way there, I thought that they were in a little bubble of the world. Coming back- I wonder if we are the ones in a bubble- trapped by our overpacked, busy lives, our calendar of events, our appointments, our 2nd and 3rd jobs that help us maintain our lifestyles, our phones that tells us every. single. time. someone comments on our lives... our drama and complaints. If this life is really about preparing for the next, are we truly better off?
I read somewhere on Facebook earlier today that someone visiting an underground church in China, asked them how we, as Americans, could be praying for them. The response was that we would pray for them to continue to be persecuted so that their faith would be strengthened and also that we, here in the States, would start to experience persecution ourselves for the same reasons. Is it possible that they have encountered something that we haven't? Something that is worth giving up all of the "luxuries" for? I can hardly wrap my own mind around that kind of faith.

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Monday was a school day at HAFF. I went to some of the classrooms and helped with an English class. I don't actually know how helpful I was though ;-) They asked me to teach a color song but I don't teach Kindergarten so I don't teach the colors; but from the depths of my memory, I drew up one song about colors. The students laughed. A lot. I'm pretty sure they were laughing at me, not with me. :) This trip also made me thankful for universal things that can connect us no matter our language or country. Things like...   laughter.     handshakes.       prayer.       worship.         smiling.         hugs.

Connecting with a smile :)

Monday afternoon I got my bags! Yay! They were banged up and handles broken, but I got them. I was very eager to get into the bags of teaching supplies. I had a few kids who I got to try out these math manipulatives on- they flourished with them! By the time we were done, they could: make patterns, continue patterns, count to 10, add, subtract, multiply, balance cubes with a scale and use reasoning.... all with me speaking English and them speaking Creole. It was awesome! 

HAFF does a milk program where mothers and caretakers can bring their children each week to be weighed and evaluated, then given milk for the week and a plant called Chiah. This is a miracle plant that Echo helped plant years ago in Haiti. It's a wonderful source of protein and vitamins and flourishes in the soil there. So these babies would get weighed, be prayed for, then take a blanket and stalk of Chiah with them. I was in charge of trying to speak some Creole phrases and give instructions for the women: "Please take a blanket", "God Bless You", and "Next one please". I'm pretty sure between my Southern accent and rearranging of sounds and words, I butchered these phrases but it got the job done ;-)

The miracle plant!

Tuesday, I met a wonderful man, Met Justin Mompremier. He does training for teachers in Haiti, covering nearly 50 schools in the Bohoc/Pignon area. He gets on his sturdy motorcycle everyday and rides around to the schools offering support, encouragement and training. It was an honor that he asked me to go around with him one day to 3 of those schools. At first, I assumed we would walk but when he handed me a helmet, I tried to contain the shock in my eyes. You know those "Watch for Motorcycles" stickers that seem to be everywhere in America? Yea, well Haiti needs "Watch for Motorcycles" billboards, public service announcements, stickers, t-shirts and picket signs. They are no joke there---they will go as fast as they want and around (or over) whatever they want. I was shocked at how everyone seems to just calmly move over as they speed by. So, when Met Justin handed me a helmet, I kinda got nervous. When we loaded up on a 4-wheeler, I felt much better. :)


We traveled to the schools and I saw smiling face, after smiling face. Children eager to learn- some who walked hours to get to school every single day. They were all so diligently working when I walked in. They weren't playing or goofing off. I saw no fighting in any of the schools, classrooms or recess areas. They took great pride in their uniforms and I was very impressed by how neat and clean they were. In a country where they live in homes made of dirt, clay and rocks and walk dirtroads, their white socks were the whitest I've ever seen. Tide has nothing on the Haitians laundry! :) 


Just as amazing as the children, was the environment they were working in. Natural sunlight beaming through the windows, doors open to a breeze, no computers or posters or perfectly spaced desks; no carpets or reading areas and a landscape outside of the school that many here would pay a lot of money to see everyday. 


Here are some of the precious children and classrooms:

While I was working in the schools, Tom was busy making chalkboards! His company donated enough money to make nearly 20 boards. They ended up making 14 this week. A future group will have supplies to make the rest, and then some. Very cool project!
At the same time, Dr. Jerry was heading up the "Dental Clinic" on site at HAFF. People walked for miles to come for dental work. The group from Iowa was such a blessing. Yet another reminder that God has gifted us with all kinds of talents and occupations that can be used according to His purpose! 

Wednesday we did a lot of home visits. This was a time to really be the hands and feet of Jesus to the village and meet the people who make up this community. Every person we visited seem very grateful that we took time to come to their homes and pray with them for their specific needs. "Mesi, Mesi" we would be told as many held their hands close to their hearts. There is so much less to do there, which leaves so much time on a daily basis, to do really important things like this. There is such a decrease in pressure to be anywhere but where you are. 


I tried to study the faces. Each wrinkle that told a story. Many faces seemed so burdened. Many also seem so, deeply in love with Jesus. As we sang "Amazing Grace", many would recognize the tune, close their eyes and hum along. Most times we did this right outside of their homes so chickens would pass by, a breeze would come through and you could hear the trees through the wind. It was such a natural, authentic environment and although there was a language barrier- we were joined by one Spirit for one purpose. This was a revelation for me about how amazing and infinitely available and in control, our God is. The same exact Savior that rescued my own life in a little town in Alabama, had also captured the hearts of these precious people in a tiny, little village on top of a great, big mountain, on a small island in the middle of the ocean. So in the moment of this home visit, we were able to be of one heart and one mind. What a beautiful glimpse into our eternal life to come....

*part 3/3 of Haiti posts are continued on the next page, or you can click on this link: Haiti- Part "Twa"

Haiti- Part "Twa"

Thursday was our last full day in Haiti and would be one of the most special. Thanks to Dr. Jerry Pennington, Tom and I were able to get a ride north through the rugged mountainside to Mombin-Crochu. This is the village where my grandfather, Dr. Hank Watt spent many years as a surgeon in the hospital there. He was able to put in solar panels, generators, dorm facilities and help countless people in the Mombin area. It was sad to see since his work there, how the state of Haiti (who runs the hospital now) has let it go. They don't perform surgeries, their ambulance is broken, solar panels have been stolen, the roof is leaking, only one generator works, and the well/cistern needs cleaning so there is a shortage of clean water. Actually, the entire village of Mombin has a shortage of clean water. It's sad. Very sad. I remember Tom mentioning that it would take about $50K to get that hospital in the condition to really help again. When I hear that, I think $50,000? To get a hospital working again?!? Which will save lives? Let's do it! I mean, think of what we spend thousands and thousands of dollars on here: upgrades to our kitchen, new cars, additions to our home, plastic surgery, pools in our yards, vacations for our families... I'm not saying that any of those things are bad but it really made me think of all things we use our resources on. It made me think of how my life and my resources and my goals need to be reevaluated. There is this tiny village, home to thousands of people, who are not able to get the medical care (or even the clean water) that they need to live a basic, healthy life. I wish I had the resources to help get them a new ambulance, or fix the leaky roof. I wish I could find a way to get companies on board to donate generators and solar panels. I pray that the billions of dollars in aid could and would get to these people. It's maddening that these funds are tied up in red tape and corruption. Beyond maddening.

....but, as far as the experience goes, being able to see this hospital and walk where my grandfather walked, was a once in a lifetime experience. I'm sure there are people in my family who have wanted to visit this place their entire lives. Not only did Tom and I get to see it but we were able to meet the new administrator and have Dr. Jerry translate everything for us into English so we could get updates on the hospital and the future plans for it. That was such a gift. Priceless.

I pray that the God who can multiply loaves of bread and fish, will send this town water and resources and his Spirit. The more time I spent there and the more reflection since being home, the more I believe with all my heart that God is in complete control and He is truly our only hope. We, mere humans, can do things to alleviate some suffering and help in the lives around us, but really and truly, the harvest is so plentiful and the workers are so few....the needs are so, so great and the resources seem so small in comparison. I don't want to live or speak in discouragement, but in hope- Hope that He promised to rescue the faithful and prepare a place of milk and honey, rivers of life and streets of gold, and He will fulfill that one day. That is ultimately, our only hope.

Thank you, Dr. Jerry for making this experience in Mombin possible:

Thursday night was our last meal as a "family". Our meals each day were prepared by a staff of local, Haitian women with huge hearts and amazing culinary skills. :) The staple food is rice and beans with a variation of sauces and toppings. They had fresh, local coffee every meal, freshly squeezed juice and a beautifully set table for us. They even made 2 pumpkin pies for us Thanksgiving Day! They took great pride in serving us. What a blessing!!

Dinner was a good time to talk about our days activites. What each of us did and what we enjoyed and learned. Again, this is a universal thing: Table time. From the kitchen in America to the outdoor table in Bohoc, this is a great time to connect. Now, the topics are pretty different. It isn't every day in America when you hear this exchange:

Greg: So what did you do today, honey?
Barb: Well, we went to that house I told you about. The witch doctors wife. She asked Jesus into her heart and wanted us to come over and get all of her Voudu stuff out and burn it.
Greg: Wow, awesome.
Barb: So we did. And then she asked us to cut down a tree and we did. It was amazing... So what did you do today?

....you get it now right?! The things they do everyday are pretty incredible.

Devotion on our last night was special. Dr. Jerry spoke about our faith. We all prayed. During prayer, the generator shut off and it was pitch black. No one skipped a beat praying. It was a very special time of communion with everyone in a very natural environment. We didn't need worship music to lead us into communion with God, we didn't need comfortable chairs or lights or cool air conditioning.... we just needed tender, seeking hearts.

*********

Friday morning was a 4am wake up and a 4:30 departure for Port au Prince and our planes. The drive back down was very reflective for me. I tried to absorb everything I was seeing. The beauty of this country. The faces we would pass. The two little boys who were riding a bike to school. And their beaming smiles from the back window to me. The cow we almost hit.....followed by the rooster......and then the stray dog. :) ....the diligence of the workers and walkers, who were up so early to start their day. The school children walking to a school that was nowhere in sight for me. The mountains that were fading from the backdrop, the further south we got. The beautiful lake we passed. The small children lining the streets or stepping out from their homes. The laundry that hung on the trees. The breeze that came through the truck..... I wanted to take it all in, 100%. I wish I could have captured everything I saw for everyone who is reading and for my own children. It was incredible.

I went to Haiti knowing I would grow but thinking I would have things to offer as well. I left taking so much more from the people there, than what I was able to give to them. From the loss of my luggage and the missing of my plane, the Lord was impressing on me that this trip would not be about me. It wouldn't be about my abilities or anything I had to offer. It was about Him. His beauty. His grace. His love. His power. His will....

I was just willing to go...

********

Last but not least, I am blown away at the support I received prior to my trip. I mailed out about 40 support letters asking for prayer, encouragement and financial contribution if you were able and/or felt led. 3 weeks before the trip, I was still about $800 away from what I needed. I had to trust that "If God led me to it, he'd lead me through it." and the money would come from working and donations. I ended up going to Haiti completely debt free. Even when I missed my flight and had to purchase another ticket, I had just gotten paid for tutoring nearly the exact amount of my ticket. He provided! So thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your support- financially and spiritually. I feel very loved. It is my sincere prayer that everyone, at some point in their lives, is able to experience a world- a community, outside of their comfort zone. Not just to have had the "experience" but to be stretched, strengthened and changed and to grow in our understanding of how unique and incredible our Creator is. He has made too big of a world for us to stay in our own little cul-de-sac. :)

Bondje beni ou,
(God Bless You)

Lindsey

"I am the 10%"

Between 84-91% of children identified with Down Syndrome through pre-natal testing, are killed in the womb.  Stolen from them forever, is the chance to live life- A life that 99% of children living with Downs, say makes them "happy".  Look at this child and ask yourself how in the world we can be a nation that, not only destroys life in the womb day. after. day. after day.... but destroys a life because we deem it not good enough. Little Boaz's smile below looks pretty perfect to me!!!!

We can't all adopt a child. But, as the video points out below, we can all do something. We can help fund the adoption of a child with Downs, or any adoption for that matter. We can pray. We can repost articles and statistics. We can be more informed. We can volunteer. Donate...and yes, some of us can actually adopt!

One can't do all, but all can do some.

With love,
Lindsey

Thus says the Lord, 'Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor. Also do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place." Jeremiah 22:3

*Pause the music player at the bottom of the blog to hear the video.*

http://reecesrainbow.org/

The truly brave...

I have received so many precious words of encouragement since the article posted on Live Action and Lifesitenews.com. I have been called brave and courageous and yet, the woman in the video below is truly brave. I never feared that someone would force me to an abortion clinic. I never even thought about having to flee the town I was in or live the rest of my life looking behind my shoulder. I live in a country which allows me to make decisions about my family- whether the road that led me to those decisions was planned or unplanned. I am reminded after watching this, that although we have a lot of things messed up in this country, I am so grateful to live here.

We need to vigorously pray for the women and men in China- they are truly suffering from their lack of freedoms. Their vicious "One Child Policy" has forced MILLIONS of babies to be aborted at all stages of pregnancy....and some while being born--All while the mother's desperately cry for mercy. It's absolutely terrible what is happening there and I am almost ashamed to admit that I hadn't given this situation more thought before now.

Watch the video and pray for this woman and the millions of others just like her. HER testimony is the real one of courage and bravery. God bless her....

Pray also for the persecuted church in China and around the world. I read David Platt's book, "Radical- Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream" over a year ago and it was really the launching pad for this blog, water project, Haiti trip and shift in thinking. He has what is called "Secret Church" where his church congregation in Birmingham, AL meets with nothing more than the Word of God- no flashy music, no preaching, no comfy pews, etc... they read and pray for the persecuted/"underground" churches around the world- China is one of them. Actually, I read today that more Christians have been persecuted and detained in China than in any other country. (http://www.persecution.net/china.htm) Below is also a video about the "Secret Church".

I know this isn't a "feel-good" post but it's necessary. We need to remember these precious people.


Romans 12:21: "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil by doing good."


~Lindsey

Welcome Visitors :)

I've noticed that I am getting a lot of traffic via the story that was posted on Live Action. I also noticed today that Lifesitenews.com has picked up our story as well which is amazing! I am honored and humbled to have so many people reading about our family. It's not easy to share about something so personal but knowing that others may be encouraged through it, makes it all worth it.

Our blog is somewhat a "smorgasbord" of life centered around one concept: Living and raising my kids in the most meaningful way possible. I definitely won't be perfect at this task but I will try! I wanted to put some links here to my blog posts that I think describe what we have been doing the past year. There have been some amazing things happen. To sum it up, we have raised almost $3,000 for Water Missions International through a "Radical Project" of fundraising and giving up things that we don't really need in order for people to have something they absolutely do need: clean drinking water.

Part 2 of this project is a trip I am taking to Haiti over Thanksgiving. I will be working with a local organization there called the Haitian American Friendship Foundation and working with school children and teachers there. I also hope to visit one of the Living Water Treatment Systems put in place there by Water Missions International. This has been a family project and all the way down to my smallest (he is 4 years old now)- have been deeply touched and impacted. His sweet little prayer at dinner is "God, pwease help people who have to dwink dirty water" followed by thanking Him for the nearest 10 objects around him :-) My 8 year old has a very generous heart and donated all of his Christmas money to the water project. These kids are such a blessing to me and it's such an honor to try and lead them through this life in meaningful ways.

It means a lot that you have visited our blog and I hope you enjoy reading some of the highlights of our year!

~Lindsey

Click on some of the links below to read about our past year:

"Getting ready, Getting set, Going!"

"Our 'Radical' Christmas!"

"Life is Precious- Sanctity of Life"

"Water Missions International- Haiti Video"

"The Experiment"

Nick Vujicic: From No Limbs to No Limits

This video goes along perfectly with the "Thanking God for the thorn..." post last week. My church showed this video this morning and I had to share it. Well worth your 8 minutes. I hope you are encouraged through it. This guy is living a truly Radical life!

Go to the bottom of the blog and pause the music player- you have to hear this one!

~Lindsey

"There's no point in being whole on the outside when I'm broken on the inside... I didn't need my circumstances to change- I don't need arms and legs- I need the wings of the Holy Spirit and I'm flying because I know Jesus is holding me up." - Nick Vujicic

Live Action Article-My Story

The post on Live Action is up that I mentioned a couple weeks ago.. Just wanted to share it with my fellow blog readers. It's a pretty long story but I'm grateful it's being shared....

http://liveaction.org/blog/how-walking-through-adoption-changed-my-life-and-made-me-a-better-mother/

Hope you all have a great day and wonderful, Fall weekend!

~Lindsey

Thanking God for the thorn....

"Thank you God for this thorn in my side. It makes me long for You. It makes me trust in You. Call on You. Depend on Your strength, not my own.... because I'm out of strength. I need You...."

This is so hard.
The finances that pile up. The marriage that is falling apart. The kids that always need you. The job that drains you...or the job that you need. The dream that you had, that seems to be slipping away from your grip. Losing someone you loved- by death or betrayal. The trench you are in---and can't seem to get out of. It's radical and crazy to thank God for it. No one wants to suffer. No one wants to hurt.... but what if THIS place- the trench- is exactly where God wants to meet you. Grow you. Strip you of your dependence on your own efforts and strength so He can clothe you with His righteousness....His glory....His purpose? The things we try so hard to move on from and push with aggression out of our lives, are the things and places where God is. "How could a loving God want me to hurt?" Maybe He sees something we cannot see yet. Maybe He knows that our happiness is second, third, maybe not even on the list, to the importance of developing His character in us. And His character cannot be developed without our surrender- without our neediness- without our trench moments- without the thorns.

One of the most heartbreaking, yet encouraging parts of the Bible is when Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10:

 "Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take the thorn away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

It's heartbreaking because it means we have to endure the pain. Yet encouraging, because it means God is doing something supernatural in our weakness; but if we try to take a shortcut out of the pain, we will miss it.

When did I learn the most about real love?  When I was faced with the decision to love someone who was unlovable towards me.
When did I learn joy? When I realized that joy is more about contentment and gratefulness and less about happiness.
When have I learned about thankfulness and gratitude? When I have stopped complaining about the things I don't have and started thanking Him for everything that I do....
When is peace developed? When I am forced to let go of my circumstances and trust my Father-- trust that He will work things together for my good---whether I see it or not.
Self control? When the circumstance arises and I think "Ooh, I know how to fix this!" and that little voice inside my head tells me to "Back off". Sometimes I've listened, sometimes I haven't. Every time I haven't, I fail.

The thorns aren't ever over for good and we never fully "get it". I can think I have learned all the lessons I need to for my character, but I'm wrong. There will be more to come. Mainly because I think we forget where God has already taken us. We are double minded. Doubtful. And we think we have so much more control than we actually have.

Surrender is a HARD thing to learn- it is more than lyrics to a song....it's painful; But it will always produce righteousness, deeper faith and a more meaningful life....

Years ago, I found myself begging God- "Please Lord, take me around another mountain, I am so tired of this same mountain.....over and over and over and over. Lord, I can't take it anymore." Looking back now, I know God was far more concerned with what He wanted to teach me through it and less concerned with how I felt in it. I can relate to this as a parent myself...

The bible is FULL of great people who suffered. Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Paul, Job.....Jesus. 

James 1:2
"Consider it pure joy when you face trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance which must finish its work (no shortcuts!) in order for you to be mature and complete, lacking nothing.
...Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that was promised to him through Christ Jesus."

Romans 5:3-5
"We also glory in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character, character, hope, and hope does not put us to shame because God's love has been poured out into our hearts." 

Romans 8:18
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that is to come."

Oswald Chambers- My Utmost for His Highest:

If you are going to be used by God, He will take you through a number of experiences that are not meant for you personally at all. They are designed to make you useful in His hands, and to enable you to understand what takes place in the lives of others. Because of this process, you will never be surprised by what comes your way. You say, “Oh, I can’t deal with that.” Why can’t you? God gave you sufficient opportunities to learn from Him about that problem; but you turned away, not heeding the lesson, because it seemed foolish to spend your time that way.

Are we partakers of Christ’s sufferings? Are we prepared for God to stamp out our personal ambitions? Are we prepared for God to destroy our individual decisions by supernaturally transforming them? It will mean not knowing why God is taking us that way, because knowing would make us spiritually proud. We never realize at the time what God is putting us through— we go through it more or less without understanding. Then suddenly we come to a place of enlightenment, and realize— “God has strengthened me and I didn’t even know it!”

And last but not least, one of the most beautiful promises in Scripture:

Revelation 21:4:
"...And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away."

 One day, this will all be over. The thorns will be gone. The trenches removed. And we will live from glory to glory, forever and ever...


~Lindsey

(Pause the music player at the bottom of this page to hear the video)

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