Wow! What a blessing it was to have Claire Henderson, the founder and director of Helping Hands Healing Hearts with us last week. It was great to get to spend time getting to know each others’ stories, personalities, gifts and abilities better. We were able to work out more specifics on what we will be best fit for within the ministry. Having her recognize our strengths and how they will be used for specific tasks really recharged our excitement to get to Baguio and get started with this awesome ministry!
A few things we learned from this visit:
- Apparently we are incredibly organized and hospitable. We discussed the ways these gifts can be used as a strength in our new roles as well as how to prepare for challenges they could present.
- Our new lives will rarely have a dull moment and will be filled with meaningful work, love, tears and laughter.
- We will have an awesome team to work alongside.
Today we left for Orlando, FL to attend the Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit. This is basically a locally and globally minded “best practices” in foster and orphan care conference. There will be general sessions and LOTS of break out classes. A few of the classes we are most looking forward to include:
- Raising Your Next Generation to be Missions Minded
- Aging out: What Works (international orphan care)
- Understanding and Embracing the Inherent Loss and Grief in Adoption
-Men Wanted: Why Orphan Care Needs Testosterone (and Vice-Versa)
-Strengthening Attachment in Everyday Moments
It is going to be a FULL 2 days. We look forward to what God is going to teach us.
Please pray for us as God works in our hearts and minds to prepare us for the work He has called us to do. There are moments/days where we are overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by the details of getting there and of what life will look like when we get there. It is easy to feel like the job is too large or that we are utterly unqualified. Pray for us to trust in The Lord in each moment and each day; in every detail and every insecurity. We know God is at work and we see it daily. However, some days we can identify with the Israelites in the desert. God was leading them with a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day. He was raining down manna and quail from Heaven. He was going before and behind them- guiding and protecting (Exodus 13:21-22)…and yet… the Israelites had days where they questioned His provision and leadership. It is all to easy to get caught up in the emotion and stress and forget how greatly God is at work guiding and leading our lives. We strive daily to keep this in focus and to keep our own emotions and struggles in check with the ultimate provision of our Lord. When we make ourselves step back we can see… God is providing for and leading both us and those in ministry as well as those who support us. He has gone before and behind us. Let us not lose sight of this.
Psalm 139:5- You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
Deuteronomy 31:8 The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
Exodus 13:21-22 By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.
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