Refreshing

Can I just tell you all- I am feeling so encouraged after these two speaking engagements. They were so different from each other, and the combination of the two so nurtured my heart for this ministry, and especially for the kids I am called to serve.

First, at JMU- a small group of college-aged girls. I don't know if there is a group I would rather talk to more. I just loved the chance to tune their radar to what is going on with orphans and vulnerable children who have special needs, though that was not a difficult thing to do with a group of mostly pre-Occupational Therapists and pre-Special Educators. It was so fun to challenge them to think outside of the box and to dream big for the kingdom of God on this earth. It was also just so refreshing for me to think back to when I was a college-aged girl (not very long ago) and how much this particular dream meant to me, and how so many pieces have already been fleshed out. Praise the Lord for what He has done and continues to do.

Then, in Cville- with Special Hope family and friends. An incredibly close, and maybe not even, second to the group at JMU. As I stood on that stage and remembered back to a year ago, I absolutely could not believe how far God had led us. Before, we were just starry-eyed talkers, and now that we have been knocked down a couple times, I got to stand there as someone who knew the reality of the difficulty before us, but one still eager to take it on. I guarantee that I would not have felt that way except for the fact that the faces in that audience were people I knew were doing it with us. They might not ever step foot in Africa, but oh, we know that God is using you. To open your mouths, to defend, to act for these kids- thank you for the way you do it everyday. Again, I am so refreshed by talking with you all. Thank you for being excited and with us as Special Hope molds and grows.

Thank you to all who were involved with the planning (Christine and Kate) and to all who came!!! Joab and I loved getting to meet/see you!