Cause for Celebration

I hope you all had a truly wonderful Christmas full of great times with people you love and most especially times where you connected in a very real way with God.

As I have been bringing Christmas to a close and preparing to close out 2009 I wanted to update you on what we accomplished in our efforts to help Nancy and Monica build a house and start a new business.

We raised a total of $155. Which means that with the matching donation we were given, we have met our goal and Nancy and Monica will have the $305 they need.

"Thank you" doesn't begin to express how much I have appreciated the opportunity to participate in this effort with you. Every single donation has a story behind it and I have been moved to tears more than once as I saw people give.

Thank you! Thank you! What a great gift to give these two lovely ladies on the other side of the globe.

[image by McLoy2008]

The Main Thing

God loves me. He loves me so much that He created a way to save me. That is the point. That is why I worship. That is why others who know of His love worship. That is why the earth and all of creation cries out in worship.

All of my efforts to worship cannot measure up to His amazing-ness. They simply can't.

They can make me miss the point though.

I can get so caught up in worship that I am focused on the worship and what I'm doing to worship that I take my eyes off the One I'm worshiping.

Lord, help me today to see only You and let the worship result. Let the joyful noise be. It's not about whether the worship is good enough. It's all about that You are more than enough.

[image by ChrisMoncusPhoto.com]

Big Announcement on our House!

I just had a really exciting conversation with someone that made my day! It involves a very cool development in our efforts to raise funds for Nancy and Monica to build their house and start a new business.

Someone has stepped up and said that they will match all the funds we are able to raise up to $300. So, if we raise the full $305 they will donate an additional $300 to Springs of Hope to go to the orphans that have recently joined Molly and Joe!

This is so exciting! I hope you'll get in on this and be a part of impacting the lives of Nancy, Monica and several orphans.

If you'd like to get in on this chance to build a house and start a business on the other side of the world, please email me and let me know.

Good reminders

This morning as I was getting dressed for the day God gave me a few reminders that have already come in handy.

Maybe they would be helpful to you to.

My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.
2 Corinthians 12:9

Jesus was blunt: "No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it."
Mark 10:27

Gratituesday - Building a new house

Today my Gratituesday is dedicated to overwhelming gratitude for the generous hearts of the people I'm surrounded by.

Last week I rolled out the challenge to help build a house and start a business for two ladies in Nakuru, Kenya and I have been amazed and humbled by the responses I have received.

I have had some folks approach me quietly and behind the scenes and simply hand me an envelope. I have had people who have personally been hit the hardest by these economic times say that they will help. And the list goes on. In fact, I'm hoping tomorrow to let you know of a huge surprise in our efforts to build this house.

I am confident that we will reach our goal of raising $305 to help Nancy and Monica start a new life. And I'm tickled with gratitude for the privilege of being a part of it.

If you'd like to get in on this chance to build a house and start a business on the other side of the world, please email me and let me know.

[image is of Nancy and her son Caleb with Molly Bail]

Let's build a house and start a business together this Christmas!

Last year at this time I was getting to know someone a world away who ended up making quite an impact on me.

Her name is Nancy. She told her story as part of our Christmas production, Wonder.

She is an amazing lady. Nancy, her mother Monica and her son Caleb live a world away in Nakuru, Kenya. You can read more of her story here.

Recently I got an email from our mutual friend, Molly Bail, asking me if I could enlist some friends to help Nancy and Monica. Nancy and Monica are working to save enough money to build a mud house on a piece of land that they have. Nancy is working 30 days as a house girl and will make the equivalent of about $26. They have $66 set aside already and have asked Molly to hold this money for them so that they will not spend it on food. In order to buy the tin sheets and wood they will need to build their house they will need another $105.

I know that the economy is incredibly difficult for many of us and this time of year is extra tight. But I would like to ask if you can give even $10 toward helping Nancy and Monica.

I found out later from Molly that an additional $200 would fund the starting of a business for Nancy and Monica.

So, my hope is that together we can raise the $305 needed to accomplish both the building of their home and the funds to launch their business.

It's amazing to me, in my corner of the world, to think that $305 can accomplish so much because it seems to be so little.

If you can help in any way at all, please email me and let me know.