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Guest Blogger:  Mason, our son, age 15   Recently I have been leading several devotions at my school. I have talked about being different and how to make a difference. Sadly, many American Christians think that in order to make a difference, they need to become a missionary, Christian musician, Christian author, or pastor. While all of these are great occupations, I think the best way to make a difference is to allow God to use you in your everyday life. God will not put you in a place where you cannot minister. He has put you where you are for a reason. If He calls you to a Christian occupation, great, but if not reach out from where you are.    Christianity should not be about a few Christians doing big things, but every Christian doing something.    As I was preparing my devotion for school I realized that so often, especially as youth, we hear "Make a difference, make a difference," but we have no idea how to do that. We often hear to jus...

Today I was o-v-e-r-c-o-m-e, o-v-e-r-w-h-e-l-m-e-d, and o-v-e-r-j-o-y-e-d. O-v-e-r-c-o-m-e with emotion. O-v-e-r-w-h-e-l-m-e-d by the preciousness of children. O-v-e-r-j-o-y-e-d by God's goodness evident throughout the day. I wrote about my experience as a teacher on the last day of our co-op in this post .  However, I also wanted to share all the ways the Lord ministered to me.   God’s goodness was continual throughout the day as He tenderly poured encouragement over my tears. When I stepped into my room yesterday morning, my eyes were shocked to see the surprise awaiting my arrival.  Sitting in the front of my room was a new set of nonstick cookware!  Brand new- in the box, with a note on top that blew me away! This surprise had been on my “wish list” because I knew water would be scarce and cleaning nonstick pans is significantly easier than regular pans!  Wow!  I was deeply touched to read that the TC Board had come together to bless us with this gift....

Today I was o-v-e-r-c-o-m-e, o-v-e-r-w-h-e-l-m-e-d, and o-v-e-r-j-o-y-e-d. O-v-e-r-c-o-m-e with emotion. O-v-e-r-w-h-e-l-m-e-d by the preciousness of children. O-v-e-r-j-o-y-e-d by God's goodness evident throughout the day. It was my last day to teach at Thursday Connection, the homeschool co-op where I have taught for four years.  The place where I have seen children grow, mature, and develop into strong young men and women of faith.  The people there have become my "Thursday Family" and it's been an honor to be a part of such an incredible group. A few blog posts I've written in the past about TC: Why I Love Thursdays A Few Reasons Why I Love Teaching And a Little Child Shall Lead Them Helping Orphans in Africa - Perspective from a Sixth Grader During my time at TC, unforgettable memories have been made. Sometimes, I can't believe the things I've done as a teacher.  Let's see...  I've led funerals for "banned words" laying them to rest ...

Several of my students at Thursday Connection asked how they could help us. We've been blessed by students bringing in some of the items we need.  A friend then said, "Well, I want to help too!" So, here it is.  A Wish List.  We will not have easy access to these things or if we do, we will pay a huge amount for them.  If you would like to help provide anything on the list, we would be very grateful!!  Anything helps!! Ink Cartridges for HP Office Jet Pro 8600 Transformers (110 v to 220 v) Batteries - all sizes needed  Multi-Vitamins for our family for at least one year (Adults and Kids) Probiotics for our entire family for at least one year (Adults and Kids) 3 Lightweight Twin sized blankets DVD Movies (Missionaries have told us these will be a treasure when we are craving a taste of America.) Sharp Knives Bibles to give away Gift Cards - SAMS, Walmart, Target, I-Tunes Headlamps and Flashlights Cool-Dri Shirts and Shorts for Boys (Childs 1- 5t, 1 - XL, Men...

Recently it's come to our attention that we've never defined on this blog what we expect to do in Ghana.  I've received two messages this week asking the question, "What exactly will you be doing there?"  (We've shared verbally with so many that I never realized we did not have it posted here.  Eeek!  So sorry!)  Therefore, we've updated our Ghana Mission page to share what God is leading us to do for Him, but today you can read it in the following post. Friends have asked, "What will you be doing in Ghana?" It's an easy answer,  "We will be living the gospel through LOVING orphans and  preaching the gospel by bringing HOPE to unreached people." (First picture we received of our son on May 27, 2010.  Heartbreaking.)  The Lord moved on our hearts through our adoption to recognize the truly difficult and sometimes horrifying plight of orphans.  (In Ghana, there is one orphan for every 23 people!)  Through an experience in ...

On February 25th, my granny left this earth to join her Savior.  She suffered a massive stroke the week before losing her ability to speak while laboring every movement of her frail body.  For eight days, I spent as much time as possible with her at the hospital.  Holding her hand, singing to her, stroking her hair, praying over her...all final moments to be cherished. At her funeral, each of my sisters and I shared precious memories and things we loved about our Granny.  I remember baby chicks at Easter, my first Mary Kay party (at age 14), back-to-school shopping for one new outfit, special meals with the counters overflowing with food my Granny had prepared for those she loved, purple earrings, her contagious giggle of excitement when we came to see her, and, mostly, I remember her generous heart .  She always gave anything she had to anyone who needed it. Over the last few years, I remember sitting with her at her nursing home.  She didn't know who I wa...

Guest blogger: Our oldest son, Mason, age 15.      In the American Christian world we hear the term "letting go" a lot, but this term has been meaningless to me until our family was well into this journey. In America, everything is taken care of for us; we never have to really rely on God. I would say everyone who is reading this, should they lose their home, could find a place to stay, easily. I would also say that everyone reading this, should they lose their income, would not be concerned about starving to death. It is great that we have these things to rely, but do they teach us to rely on God?       Before this adventure, I had thought of relying on God as having nothing and having to rely on God for every physical need, which is one way to view it. Now, I am realizing, that there are other things that I will have to rely on God for. Let's face it, I am a teen, and teen's want a lot. Teens want friendships, entertainment, fun, boyfriends, girlfriends,...

Reid returned yesterday from Ghana.  He had an amazing trip!  God was with him.  He met all of the staff he will be working with at MLI, visited orphanages and villages on behalf of Feeding the Orphans, saw the house where we will live, met with other missionaries currently serving in Ghana, saw Palm Sunday parades in the streets of Accra, researched the needed documentation for our permit, read the proposal for the FTO village homes for orphans, delivered supplies, collected items to bring back, hugged children, gave swimming lessons to two children from an orphanage, learned local transportation by riding a tro-tro, spent time with our Ghanaian friends, researched in-country banking, etc... (Several of you are wondering about our home.  It needs lots of cleaning, but will fit the needs of our family perfectly.  We need to purchase a stove and refrigerator, but are so thankful for God's provision!  Currently no air conditioning in the home, but it should b...

In my (Reid) "Chapter 1: My New Friend" post, I recounted the connection I have with one of my co-laborers, Wahab. That connection being the late Pastor William Lewis. (The memories I'm going to share here are quite personal but they have been stirred up on this most recent visit to our future home.) I remember Pastor Lewis as big teddy-bear of a man. He had a deep confident voice and that confidence was especially resounding when he spoke of His Lord and His Lord's Word. He was gifted at encouraging others. I will never forget his words as he prepared me for my first trip to Ghana, "God doesn't call the equipped. He equips the called!" I have borrowed those word on quite a few occasions. There are two specific memories that I believe the Spirit has brought to mind during my time in Ghana as I heard about my old friend from my new friend (Wahab). I remember driving home from the celebration of life service for my African-American brother, William Lewis. ...