I don't often post requests (because I do get a lot), but every once in a while one will tug at my heart … MOM to MOM … woman to woman … sister to sister … If you have a moment check out sweet Heather's journey and struggle … SHE IS BATTLING … so proud of you girl !!!

The newest journey God has called us to will surely break our hearts, cause us much joy and tears, fill our plates to the point of OVERFLOWING, make us want to turn back, run forward, laugh, jump, and cheer … It will bring every emotion like no other project we have ever done at 147 and we are humbled and honored God called us to it … Not gonna lie, we are bit scared and have no idea what is around the corner, but the PEACE THAT COMES FROM KNOWING GOD HAS CALLED US TO IT and he's got it all covered excites us to the core … WE ARE ALL IN … We can can't predict what the future will hold, but we know God is in the day to day LOVE and CARE we are giving … We have talked, prayed, and told the students in the program that we are their family and we here or the long haul … WE ARE IN THEIR CORNER !!!  WE GOT YOUR BACK !!!  And the look in their eyes when they finally believed it was priceless and a gift that we will keep in our hearts forever … Check it out and pray, donate or go on a Serving Trip and meet these amazing young people … Join the 147 Team as we take each day that God has given us to be IMPACTFUL FOR HIM !!!

http://147million.org/our-projects/current-projects/love-1-madrina-college-program/

I love how we all run to the NEW YEAR with lots of changes, challenges, and resolutions … We want to be better at something that we are struggling in … I usually dissect it into something with my MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT … What do I want to improve and challenge myself in, but in reality I start each day with a cup full of GRACE … I don't have to wait for the beginning of a NEW YEAR or a special occasion because I have a heavenly FATHER who renews me each morning and gives me the TOOLS I need to make changes and improvements daily to bring him GLORY, so like you I am making a list of things, but when I fall (and I WILL FALL BIG) in one of those areas this year I won't abandon the WHOLE concept.  I will try again the next day and give it more because I know God has given me what HE NEEDS ME TO HAVE to be the whole person HE wants me to be …

MIND - work on my spelling in all SOCIAL MEDIA (hee hee per Michelle the slave driver)
BODY - Scott and I are both on a transformation program together (with his new job) and loving how we are feeling and how it has connected us (started that last summer)
SPIRIT - I bought two devos that I want to read through and finish the CIRCLE MAKER … I want to take the thoughts that pop in my head that are negative and pray through them so they don't damage my spirit. I am excited to begin saving funds take my children on a 147 serving trip this summer.

I have seen people all over this world that wake up each day wondering about some very scary things - like will I GET TO EAT TODAY … will I BE ABLE TO NURSE MY CHILD … will MY MOTHER LIVE … will THE ELEMENTS BE TO HARSH TODAY … will MY LACK OF EDUCATION DESTITUTE ME … will I SURVIVE TODAY …

Take the start of this new year and remember that Jesus meets you at the beginning of each day … DON'T GIVE UP ON THE CHANGES AND CHALLENGES that he puts in front of you … LISTEN to his truths in scripture not the chattering of the world … The world wants you to give up and the world wants you to feel like a mistake means complete failure and that you should give up … DON'T !!! Go forward with a peace that only comes from him and MAKE A REAL change !!!

Each day serving, working, crying, or laughing with 147 is a joy and honor … We remind ourselves and others daily, "IT IS ALL IN HOW YOU LOOK AT IT."  … I believe there is two ways to look at any one situation and both are good - it just really depends on what your heart needs and how God is trying to move you to his greater GLORY …

For example - The LOVE+1 MEDICAL CENTER in Haiti - You can look at the 6500 sq foot building with all its amazing medical equipment and the doctors/nurses that will be busy at work daily treating people or you can think about the first lil sick boy/girl that walks through the doors with a worried mother …

or

You can take a breath taking look at the village in Honduras where 28 homes are being completed or you can take the hand of a little boy on a rainy day as he brings you into his new home and grabs you a chair …

or

Our newest "Love+1 Madrina Project" that will send young adults aging out of a children's home to college and provide for their daily needs or you can picture a young woman walking her first day into college w/ her new bag, computer, and phone knowing she has hope and someone in her corner to believe in her …

Whether you are more bent toward the big picture or the small picture doesn't really matter … WHAT MATTERS IS THAT YOU ARE BENT to serve God's people and share HIS PROMISES with whoever he puts in front of you … We have always been thankful at 147 that God continues to put ONE in front of us to love, meet their needs, share the word with, and WATCH THEM go with HOPE to begin a RIPPLE EFFECT that can only be traced back to JESUS !!!

Help us make that RIPPLE EFFECT BIGGER … 147millionorphans.org   check out all that we are doing and find a place to join us … HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A BLESSED NEW YEAR !!!

One of the many things I have come to learn especially through my marriage and my ministry with 147 is that it is vital to understand ones strengths and weaknesses … It is in both that you begin to understand HOW GOD CAN USE YOU and when you would only be a stumbling block …

I can honestly say that I have pretty much ignored the lines between the two in myself until the last 10 years or so … I chose to stay blind to my weaknesses and in turn I was NOT allowing God to fully use me … As in scripture, it is very clear that "in our weakness HE is made strong" … So by not acknowledging my weaknesses in my marriage and in my ministry, I have robbed people and experiences from the POWER AND LOVE OF CHRIST … Perhaps it is age or just GOD putting to light my weaknesses that a few years ago, I began to understand my weaknesses and strengths in the way I feel the LORD created me to be …

I  am thankful for my sweet husband, who has never pointed at my weaknesses, but just picked up the slack or went before me to make a path … We are partners and encouragers … We share many of the same strengths, which can also be a weakness (lol) … It takes us both submitting to Christ to journey our family in the right direction … I am so thankful we both want WHAT HE WANTS …

And when I look at 147 Million Orphans - I can see how God placed Suzanne and Michelle and I together … We are so similar in heart, but gifted so DIFFERENTLY !!! We each have tasks to work on in our strengths and it simply WORKS SO WELL !!!  And when a new project, new ministry, or new idea emerges, we throw it on the table and talk it out … We take what we each bring to the table and pray through what God would have … There is such wisdom in the 3 CORD STRAND (scriptures says it is NOT EASILY BROKEN) … Now don't think for one moment that we always agree and that a rainbow follows us around while we sing "Jesus Loves You" … We get into some heated and passionate discussions, but at the end of the day we have come know each others strengths and weakness and our love for one another points us to Jesus 1st ...  We are fortunate that God has brought wise people to surround us during different times of our journey … AND WE LISTEN !!!  We all want WHAT GOD WANTS for 147 … And to accomplish all that he has set before us requires that we surrender to our weaknesses and lean on each other and HIM … AND when we are in our strengths, it is important we remain humble and graceful to point others to him …

I can admit one of my weaknesses is that I am a HOTHEAD at times and too passionate about somethings and issues to the point that I may not be very kind or gracious … We often laugh and kid Suzanne that she is POLLYANNA, because she is always the gracious, kind one that is the peacemaker … And Michelle is the SEE BOTH SIDES one and loves to play the fair police … SO YOU CAN IMAGINE that during certain situations we will sometimes take turns taking the lead depending on the situation (cause we always have each others back)  … And at the end of the day we all want to glorify the LORD … WE want 147 to point people to JESUS …

I am so thankful for these women and for what they bring to my life … In my weakness, I don't feel alone anymore, because I know God built me to be weak, so I could DESIRE him in a way that only weaknesses brings … A CORD OF THREE STRAND IS NOT EASILY BROKEN … How many cords are you working with ????