Yesterday as we were flying home from Kenya so much was on my heart. This was an amazing trip, an easy trip as far as mission trips go with a small team. Simple travel was the result of a 4 member team. Yet this was a powerful team! Our trip was blessed but not without some challenges. Ed, I, Sam and Jennifer flowed well together in all we did. This was Jennifer’s first trip and she was faithful, available, teachable, flexible, relational, helpful, happy, loving and a great missionary. Sam was a huge blessing on this trip as on any trip he goes on. He has traveled with us enough that he knows the ins and outs of what we desire and he is always watching, always protecting, always praying, encouraging and helping. He knows what’s next and is always prepared. He is available, flexible and shares his heart of love and Jesus to all we minister to. Thank you both for making this trip a blessing to all.
The first night on the trip we received a phone call at 3 am that my Mom’s husband, Dave, had a heart attack. He had actually stopped breathing and had to be revived. I talked to my Mom and she was handling it okay but this day was exactly 16 years since my Dad had heart attack and passed away. My brothers and their wives were on their way to be with Mom who is still recuperating from the stroke last January and can’t walk without a walker and is in a wheelchair much of the time. She doesn’t drive and couldn’t go with Dave to the hospital. She sat at home praying. I stayed awake the rest of the night praying for Mom and Dave and wondering if I should go home. By the time we were leaving London to Kenya Dave was doing better and ALIVE! My brothers and their families were with Mom so they told me I could go ahead with the trip. I was torn but had a peace to go. It was a hard decision since I felt like I put something else before family but God is faithful. Then Ed ended up with a cold and was very hoarse a few days but always had a voice when sharing the Lord. He also ended up with an eye infection but got it healed real fast. Situations back home kept trying to distract our team but we trusted the Lord, listened to His Word and His voice and guarded our hearts. The whole time we were all busy ministering every day. Lives were changed daily – including our. People were encouraged, including ourselves. Prayers were answered, including ours and people healed, including our bodies and hearts. We all came home different and excited for the next trip.
One thing that the Lord spoke to me one morning was that I was living my call. He took me back to when I was a little girl and played missionary all the time. I saw myself with little African children as I played. I haven’t always known if I was in the right place and if there was a real call to African children or just something I love to do. But that morning He took me back and let me see what I saw 58 years ago. I saw my fair skin amongst little dark African children. It is hard to see myself as I saw me back then but He told me I am living today what I believed I would be then. I prophesied over my life so many years ago. That word made my heart jump. He said this is the time where my vision and destiny become clear. He told me to take my place and live in Him and to begin to see myself as He sees me. As I am seated with Him I am able to see how He sees and what I see in my heart. What I remember seeing in my dreams all those years ago is what He sees and the children see today. Definitely humbled me and I so thankful He showed me that. It changed the heart of my trip.
There were no Christmas lights up yet, no trees but they do that soon. It didn’t look or seem like Christmas except in the people’s hearts. One of the reasons I don’t like going to Kenya this time of year is because I love Christmas and don’t want to miss anything. But as I rested in Him daily and was seated with Him in the heavenly realm I saw the people differently. I want to say like He sees them but I don’t think so exactly. It was so amazing to care so much and see the Christmas Spirit in a way I probably wouldn’t see here because I would be caught up in the busyness of the season. I still have 2 weeks here and that sounds good. I have all my God moments and times to remember and ponder. Ed received the same revelation of being away this time of year and we didn’t realize it until we shared testimonies in London. So God!
We were able to help in so many ways financially. Many of you were a part of that. Thank you for your giving as we gave to them.
We’ve been talking about the names of the Jesus this Christmas. On this trip so many of His names came alive in our situations. Healer – Provider – Shepherd – Peace – Refuge – Strength. He was always with us and always powerful in each situation.
“For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His Name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:4
So what does Mighty God and Everlasting Father mean? As I studied this out I found that Mighty God in this text means “strong man, a leader, a chief” because this is the general sense in which the Jews viewed the coming Messiah. He would be a strong leader like Moses, or Abraham, or David in their eyes. For us the name Mighty God means He is our leader, our strength, our protector, our shield. He is mighty in all His ways and always there for us.
Everlasting Father- means Jesus is forever. Christ has no beginning and has no end. He is the source of time, space and creation. He is everlasting – eternal – always and forever. For me, that is so valuable and important in my life. To know that no matter what He is there with me, never leaves me, will never end no matter what is happening around me. This truly brings peace in my heart. I don’t worry about traveling other places if He called me to go because He is with me. I am listening to Him instead of the media. I know it should be a given that He is my Everlasting Father but there are definitely moments and times in my life that I don’t think, act, talk or seem to believe He is Everlasting Father. I get into fear, doubt and try doing things on my own especially when I listen to other voices filled with fear. If I listen to the media or look at world situations I could wonder – as much of the world wonders – where is Jesus and why has He forsaken us now? I know He hasn’t but sometimes my thoughts and reactions to things could make others think I don’t believe. It can be easy to get caught up in the doubt and fear but on trips we know that guarding our hearts to the distractions and listening to Him is the greatest thing we can do. The enemy’s only weapon is to lie and deceive us into thinking that Jesus did not come as our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
I hope this makes sense to you. Sometimes it is hard for me to write in words what I am feeling in my heart. I just want you to take time to meditate on Who Jesus is in your life every moment of every day. Mediate and ponder His name and what it really means. There is power in the name of Jesus. Not just the name “Jesus” but in every part of Who He is and what each part of His name represents.
Enjoy this season of love and be seated next to Him in heavenly places and see the season and people from His heart and everything around you that distracts will be gone. Blessings and thank you again for helping us take the Good News to Kenya!
The first night on the trip we received a phone call at 3 am that my Mom’s husband, Dave, had a heart attack. He had actually stopped breathing and had to be revived. I talked to my Mom and she was handling it okay but this day was exactly 16 years since my Dad had heart attack and passed away. My brothers and their wives were on their way to be with Mom who is still recuperating from the stroke last January and can’t walk without a walker and is in a wheelchair much of the time. She doesn’t drive and couldn’t go with Dave to the hospital. She sat at home praying. I stayed awake the rest of the night praying for Mom and Dave and wondering if I should go home. By the time we were leaving London to Kenya Dave was doing better and ALIVE! My brothers and their families were with Mom so they told me I could go ahead with the trip. I was torn but had a peace to go. It was a hard decision since I felt like I put something else before family but God is faithful. Then Ed ended up with a cold and was very hoarse a few days but always had a voice when sharing the Lord. He also ended up with an eye infection but got it healed real fast. Situations back home kept trying to distract our team but we trusted the Lord, listened to His Word and His voice and guarded our hearts. The whole time we were all busy ministering every day. Lives were changed daily – including our. People were encouraged, including ourselves. Prayers were answered, including ours and people healed, including our bodies and hearts. We all came home different and excited for the next trip.
One thing that the Lord spoke to me one morning was that I was living my call. He took me back to when I was a little girl and played missionary all the time. I saw myself with little African children as I played. I haven’t always known if I was in the right place and if there was a real call to African children or just something I love to do. But that morning He took me back and let me see what I saw 58 years ago. I saw my fair skin amongst little dark African children. It is hard to see myself as I saw me back then but He told me I am living today what I believed I would be then. I prophesied over my life so many years ago. That word made my heart jump. He said this is the time where my vision and destiny become clear. He told me to take my place and live in Him and to begin to see myself as He sees me. As I am seated with Him I am able to see how He sees and what I see in my heart. What I remember seeing in my dreams all those years ago is what He sees and the children see today. Definitely humbled me and I so thankful He showed me that. It changed the heart of my trip.
There were no Christmas lights up yet, no trees but they do that soon. It didn’t look or seem like Christmas except in the people’s hearts. One of the reasons I don’t like going to Kenya this time of year is because I love Christmas and don’t want to miss anything. But as I rested in Him daily and was seated with Him in the heavenly realm I saw the people differently. I want to say like He sees them but I don’t think so exactly. It was so amazing to care so much and see the Christmas Spirit in a way I probably wouldn’t see here because I would be caught up in the busyness of the season. I still have 2 weeks here and that sounds good. I have all my God moments and times to remember and ponder. Ed received the same revelation of being away this time of year and we didn’t realize it until we shared testimonies in London. So God!
We were able to help in so many ways financially. Many of you were a part of that. Thank you for your giving as we gave to them.
- During breakfast one morning Ed felt compelled to give Bill money. Bill then told us he had just gotten off the phone with Lenah, who was still at the school preparing for a week long Youth Bible School. She had to replace the water tank. It cost almost the same amount we planned to give Bill and the $32 more dollars he needed came from our team.
- As a team we took an offering and came up with enough to send 4 of the Youth in the children’s home to the Bible camp this week. We will send more in April and August when they do more Youth Bible schools.
- We had finances come in so we could help Vincent and Alice send their 11 year old son to a good school for children with autism. Charles has it quite bad and this school will be a blessing. The school is $1000 for 1 year and we paid 1/3. We give Him honor and glory.
- We bought lots of food, left clothes, left extra money, bought the kids a Christmas cake and some bottled pop. What a treat that was.
- We blessed Alice with a money gift just for herself. How does a Mom of almost 70 kids get to do anything for themselves?! I’m believing she will.
- We are praying to help them with a solar system that will help save money and be helpful when the power goes out.
- Both families were blessed with phones, notebook – Kindle Fire, etc, a new laptop for Vincent and much more - thank you for your giving. They were all so excited.
We’ve been talking about the names of the Jesus this Christmas. On this trip so many of His names came alive in our situations. Healer – Provider – Shepherd – Peace – Refuge – Strength. He was always with us and always powerful in each situation.
“For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His Name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:4
So what does Mighty God and Everlasting Father mean? As I studied this out I found that Mighty God in this text means “strong man, a leader, a chief” because this is the general sense in which the Jews viewed the coming Messiah. He would be a strong leader like Moses, or Abraham, or David in their eyes. For us the name Mighty God means He is our leader, our strength, our protector, our shield. He is mighty in all His ways and always there for us.
Everlasting Father- means Jesus is forever. Christ has no beginning and has no end. He is the source of time, space and creation. He is everlasting – eternal – always and forever. For me, that is so valuable and important in my life. To know that no matter what He is there with me, never leaves me, will never end no matter what is happening around me. This truly brings peace in my heart. I don’t worry about traveling other places if He called me to go because He is with me. I am listening to Him instead of the media. I know it should be a given that He is my Everlasting Father but there are definitely moments and times in my life that I don’t think, act, talk or seem to believe He is Everlasting Father. I get into fear, doubt and try doing things on my own especially when I listen to other voices filled with fear. If I listen to the media or look at world situations I could wonder – as much of the world wonders – where is Jesus and why has He forsaken us now? I know He hasn’t but sometimes my thoughts and reactions to things could make others think I don’t believe. It can be easy to get caught up in the doubt and fear but on trips we know that guarding our hearts to the distractions and listening to Him is the greatest thing we can do. The enemy’s only weapon is to lie and deceive us into thinking that Jesus did not come as our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
I hope this makes sense to you. Sometimes it is hard for me to write in words what I am feeling in my heart. I just want you to take time to meditate on Who Jesus is in your life every moment of every day. Mediate and ponder His name and what it really means. There is power in the name of Jesus. Not just the name “Jesus” but in every part of Who He is and what each part of His name represents.
Enjoy this season of love and be seated next to Him in heavenly places and see the season and people from His heart and everything around you that distracts will be gone. Blessings and thank you again for helping us take the Good News to Kenya!
