Water for Liberian Kids...

I received this letter from the Adoption Agency that we are adopting our son Prince from...this is the orphanage that Prince spent many years in. Please read below.
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"Water- for the majority of us, it is as easy to attain as the turn of a knob or the flip of a handle. Many of us watch it run steadily down the drain as we brush our teeth in the morning or water our bushes in the afternoon.

Try to imagine what it would be like if you we not able to simply walk into your kitchen for a glass of water. Instead, you must trek to an outside well and draw the water that you require for basic hygiene, consumption, and household cleaning throughout the day. Though this scenario is difficult for most of us to conceptualize, it is the current reality for the children at the Daniel Hoover Village Mission School in Monrovia , Liberia .

CAS is petitioning our friends and supporters to consider helping meet the needs of these Liberian children by donating money to repair their watermill. The repaired watermill will allow these children to have running water in their dorms. $8500 is needed for the repairs.

Think about the impact that the availability of running water within your home has upon your quality of life. This is the vision that the Daniel Hoover Mission School has for the children under their care…and you can help to make this vision a reality. Please prayerfully consider giving to this incredible cause and changing the lives of these children forever.

A team of 15 Americans will be traveling to work on this project June 17th-26th. If you feel led to contribute to this cause, please send tax deductible checks to CAS with "Liberia Trip Group Projects" written in the memo line. Thank you in advance for your prayers for the orphans in Liberia and any effort that you are able to take to provide them with one of the bare necessities of life- water. "

Sincerely,

Your friends at CAS

For more information about the Daniel Hoover Village Mission School , visit: www.africanchildsponsorship.com

Jessica Owanesian

Christian Adoption SErvices

624-134 Matthews-Mint Hill RD.

Matthews, NC 28105-1775

Tel: 704-847-0038

www.christianadopt.org


"Behold, children are a heritage of the Lord." -Psalm 127:3

It's almost here!!!!!! It's only taken us 6 months, but we are finally getting to celebrate my Mom's big 60th birthday! And so, this weekend, while the hubbies are home with the kids; my Mom and 3 sisters and I will be heading to the big apple to indulge in a total girls weekend!

We'll be staying at the New Yorker Hotel (just steps away from Macy's) and we'll be enjoying an off-broadway show of Stomp!!

However, I must admit, that though those things excite me - the thing I'm most excited about is finding the man in the white van who sells the purses!!! :) YIPPEE!!!

Of course, this amazing weekend will then be followed by a great birthday party for my big 5 year old on Monday! Can you believe that little Brekyn is 5??!! Where has the time gone?! I'll be sure to post pictures of my cutie's big day as soon as possible!

Have a great Memorial Day weekend!!

Oh Dear Blog...

Oh dear blog...I'm sorry I've betrayed you! Why can't you just be as easy as facebook and, dare I say, twitter (GASP)!?

Why do you require actual thoughts and more than 5 words to be formed together into a complete sentence? Do you think at the end of a long day in the office I have actual words still left in my head. Okay, so maybe I do have actual words left, but good grief!! Do you expect them to make any sense? Who are you kidding!

Why aren't you satisfied by allowing me to "like" certain things and simply type random phrases that take no more than 10 seconds to form?

Oh dear blog... I'm sorry that I've been distant but why do you have to be so high maintenance?

Where do you think I find the hours in my crazy day to sit down and be with you? Don't you realize that there are meetings to attend and toilets that still need cleaning??

Oh dear blog...please forgive me for I have wandered. I wish I could love you the way I used to but maybe, I don't know...just maybe...we ought to be friends. :)

(No - this doesn't mean I won't be blogging anymore...just a simple statement that when you're a busy working mom, facebook IS in fact, MUCH EASIER)!!

There, I've said it!!

Gasp...I may be banished to an underground world of bad bloggers now! :)

Amazing!!

Surreal...that was the feeling I had as I looked around at a room full of people who were laughing and talking as the vision of C1 was laid out before those whom God led us to invite to be part of our Advisory Team.

Somehow, the building that felt so barren and stale just hours earlier seemed transformed as about 30 people heard the hearts of our "core" team and learned more about the mission to reach Gloversville.

As I sat and listened to the stories of how God brought our core team together and called each one of our families into this ministry, I couldn't help but sit in awe. There are so many details that have been playing out for years that brought us to this point today. We truly serve a big and mighty God!

Despite the fact that I told myself I wouldn't cry; I couldn't help but get choked up while thanking our advisory team for committing to the work. Just a short 8 months ago, Donn and I sat on our back patio in sunny Charlotte and committed to follow God's leading to Gloversville.

The road has not been easy and it has not been without trials, questions and tears, but it has been God's road. As I looked out at those in ministry alongside of us last night, I was reminded and overwhelmed by how miraculous our God is!

"And by faith, Abraham, when called, went to a place he did not know..."

Lord, let us keep the faith...let our lives be used for the change of 1.

Big Night!

Tonight is a big night in the "history" of C1. Yes, I realize that the C1 history doesn't exactly go back as far as George Washington or the Titanic, but everything starts somewhere right?

Tonight is the first C1 Advisory Board meeting!

What's the advisory board?? Funny you asked...

The Advisory Board is a group of people whom we are inviting to come along on this journey with us. This group of about 30 people have been prayed very specifically over and we have invited them because we feel that they have some area of insight that could be helpful as we launch this new ministry. The group consists of committed Christians who range from local pastors to teenagers; business-men to teachers; moms to grandmas and everything in between.

We have prayed very hard over this meeting and are looking forward to casting the vision that God has laid on our hearts to these people and then asking them to stand in the gap for us in prayer and service.

Please pray alongside of us that God will be glorified during this time and that we will communicate clearly and effectively.

It's a monumental night for Donn and I...our first meeting in the C1 storefront! It ain't pretty but it will do! :) Praise God!

My little girl!

Just couldn't resist!

My little girl recently went to visit Nana (who is the church secretary) at work.

Who wouldn't love getting a phonecall from this girl?? :)

Beyond a shadow of a doubt...

Some days are just harder than others. Some days I miss my "old" life more. Some days the weight of the calling here seems heavier. Some days I long to walk through my old front door and pass by my flower beds. Some days I would give anything to sit around my table with all my old friends and laugh until we cry.

Some days...

Life has certainly gone in a direction that I could never have predicted and there are definitely days when I wish I could wake up, get the kids ready for the day, run off to my old Bible study or Mom's group and re-live that life that I grew so accustomed to.

It could be really easy to focus on all of those things that I miss and 'pity-party' myself into a pile of mush...but then I remember one very important thing...

Beyond a shadow of a doubt.

You see, in every major decision in our marriage, Donn and I have always said that we will not "go" unless we are certain that God has called us. We trust that if God is calling us in a direction, He will give us peace "beyond a shadow of a doubt."

Sometimes this has meant we have chosen NOT to move forward with a decision or plan. Other times God has given us that absolute certainty and we've taken the steps that He's ordained.

I'm grateful for the "beyond a shadow of a doubt" factor in our lives.

This road has already been (and will likely continue to be) the hardest road we have ever walked. The path that has been set before us is windy, rocky and at times unclear - but, in the midst of it all; we know we have been called.

We know that the Lord brought our family to this place at this very time and we trust that He has ordained the steps He wants taken.

He gave us the "beyond a shadow of a doubt" - way back in September...while standing in our kitchen - praying, hugging and crying. We "knew" at that moment that the Lord had truly ordained this "calling."

It was not man-made. It was not man-pursued. It was nothing short of a miracle.

Thank you Lord for the 'Beyond a shadow of a doubt.'

May we cling tightly to it.

On this day of prayer...

Billy Graham's Prayer For Our Nation:

'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare... We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.. We have abused power and called it politics... We have coveted our neighbour's possessions and called it ambition.. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honoured values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free.. Amen!'