be grounded

Church this morning really spoke to me and i wanted to share with ya. Pastor Purkey preached on Mark, chapter 4, The Parable of the Sower.

He spoke on the power of words and speaking God's word. At some point, no matter who you are, we will all be overwhelmed by our responsibilities and the world. You need to ask yourself... Am i on good ground? It is entirely possible to come to church and still be of the world.

If you are in the word, they will not understand your faith and your commitment. They wonder why you go to church on Sundays or whenever. But those of you who are there know that LIFE is being spoken. Mark also spoke about the possibility of being excited about the word, but lacking "roots". Do not mistake emotional reaction for spiritual depth.

It is essential that you have enough roots to withstand. Ground yourself to be able to take the next step. Some of you are just a step or two away from a blessing. There are so many cares of the world to get caught up in... whether it's emotional, financial, spiritual, success, lust, money, work, home, etc. The enemy is trying to wear you out! But if you seek the kingdom of God, everything else will fall into place. God doesn't mind you having things... He minds things having you!

God will provide. You can't just say 'I want my blessing' and leave the blesser... or 'I want to be healed' and leave the the healer.

It is up to us to be spiritually mature enough to discern what is choking you? What are you worried about? Pastor Purkey spoke on how we should be grateful for what we have... That none of us rode to church on a bike (and the church laughed)... That none of us live in a tent (and i cried). Yes, i tie everything back to Haiti in my mind.

There are so many people who only dream of having what we have on what we think is our very worst days. We should strive to praise and thank the Lord and to stand grounded in His word no matter our circumstances. Because if you treasure something other than Him, you can be sure He knows how to take that away.

Ima leave you with a video that Isaac and i listen to just about everyday by Wyclef and Mavado... both talented artists that sing meaning into many of their songs.

This only takes 5 seconds

This month, world leaders will map out Haiti's future. But no one has given Haiti's poor a seat at the table. Send a msg to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

If we don't act now, the inequality & poverty that plagued this country for so long could be built into the very fabric of Haiti's reconstruction process.

Click HERE to sign a petition with Oxfam to give the Haitian people a voice in their own future.

Déjà vu?... Terremoto en Chile

I will never know how to put into words the way my life has been affected and forever changed by the quake in Haiti. But now another in Tokyo and in Chile.

When I heard last night my heart dropped. I felt sick again. All I keep thinking thru it all is how I have no need to prove myself. Why does my strength need to be tested? It takes me back to the question: Why is the Lord entrusting me with such difficult things?

I lived in Santiago de Chile after college. I spent one month in Buenos Aires, Argentina and then worked in Santiago. I learned so much in my time there and made such wonderful friends. This tragedy feels eerily like places and people I love are being rocked to their very core. Really? Are Italy and the US next?

As I've been thru various emotions since last night again. I realize that I am not worried for my friends too terribly. They love the Lord and our lives are in His hands. Chile has an amazing infrastructure and the contrast between reactions from both the people and the government is already so drastic.

This quake was a magnitude of 8.8. I think most people know by now... that is not big, it's MASSIVE. It's confusing the way they work, but the 7.0 in Haiti was more shallow and the shaking was actually greater. Cement buildings, as in Haiti, are also the most dangerous. Many people in Haiti did not know what an earthquake was, let alone what to do in an occurrence. The quake at 3:35 a.m. in Chile, a dangerous time because most people are inside their homes asleep, took place south of Santiago near Concepci ón. It would take nearly EVERY PERSON in Concepci ón to die in the quake to equal the death toll in Port-au-Prince.

As you can imagine, I couldn't sleep again last night. Knowing that there is very little communication and seeing how long it took to get info from the devastation in Haiti, I know we are just waiting to hear the reality. And even then the news portray a half-truth and partial story of it all.

I've recently spoke with my bestest, Carmen. She is in Peru and her family in Chile is okay. I've also heard via fb from my friend Cecy and she is fine but without communication. Right now we must all continue to pray for the people who've lost loved ones. Under 200 known at this point. And to pray for those who are now homeless, jobless, etc. Tsunami headed towards Hawaii. I hope that everyone has had sufficient time to get their things in order and head to somewhere safe.

Dios bendiga a Chile y todo nos conocidos del areas de terremotos.

Rice and Beans

diri ak pwa

Thank you to all of the wonderful people who came to our baby showers and donated rice and beans to Haiti. We were able to drop them off at the First Baptist Haitian church this past Sunday. You guys are wonderful!

(¯`v´¯)
.`·.¸.·´

We Shall Rise Again

A video with a song for Haiti made by Carribean artists Sean Paul, Shaggy, Sean Kingston, Etanna, Tessane Chin, David Rudder, Kes, Allison Hinds & Destra, Mika & Belo. Better than we are the world... Check it.

nou se mond la

So this has been a tough week for me. I've had the flu and to make it sound worse H1N1. I've never been down and out this long before. My mind has been all over the place and I go between grateful and distraught often. I'm grateful for the many gifts Isaac has received from our friends and family. Then i'm overwhelmed by how much we have when so many have so little. I'm grateful for those who care to help me get to the doctor, care for my baby, n understanding while i'm so sick. Then i'm burdened with morbid thoughts about people who don't have that. I'm stressed thinking about falling behind on more of my daily chores. Then i think about how blessed i am to be sick and have access to a hospital and water and crackers. Then i think about how little i've eaten and how this skinny look is not cute. But it is temporary and i know that with a certainty others do not have. Those of you who know me know i get restless legs. Idleness, lack of sleep, dehydration, etc all make it worse. It's really miserable. Then i imagine how those buried alive under rubble felt... miserable and fearful. This is just all part of my thoughts and thoughts i know many others deal with at some point in time.

I wish i could share with all the beautiful children in Haiti how much the world cares about them and loves them. There is so much sympathy that i am inspired each day. In feeling the earth shake, knowing the fear n the stench, in my sickness, and now missing haiti and my kids i am somewhat empathetic.... with a rare glimpse into the plight of the people.... i am humbled.

Here's a short video of the boys the morning we went up the hill to pray together.... lol and i put Ronal's favorite song in the background :)

Awwww Jennifer Hudson wow. What beautiful voices! And of course I love me some Wyclef. My favorite line of this touching song redone is... "someone to help you rebuild after the rubble's gone"

President Preval Accepts Christ

Newletter from a missionary I know in Haiti, Dottie Diehl.


PRAISE THE LORD.............PRESIDENT PRUEVAL JUST OPENLY, PUBLICLY ACCEPTED CHRIST INTO HIS HEART. IT WAS SAID HE SAID THAT HAITI MUST TURN BACK TO GOD, AND SOMETHING ABOUT THE YOUTH OF HAITI BEING THE FUTURE EVERYONE MUST REPENT AND CHANGE THEIR WAYS!!!! 

I'm sure it will be on TV, it is already on radio here. I was not there, do not know what church, but he was at a church somewhere this morning.

MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ALL OVER HAITI BEGAN PRAYING BEFORE SUNUP THIS MORNING. I KNOW IT WAS THE MOST SIGNIFIGANT PART OF MY PRAYER, FOR THE GOVERNMENT AND PRUEVAL HIMSELF TO ACCEPT CHRIST. THANK YOU JESUS, THANK YOU JESUS A MILLION TIMES OVER.

NOW DON'T STOP PRAYING.............. BEGIN TO PRAY FOR HIS PROTECTION AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUE SAVIOR. GIVE HIM STRONG GODLY MEN TO UPHOLD HIS DECISIONS AND TO STAND STRONG AND TO BE BOLD FOR THE COUNTRY.

THIS IS A WONDERFUL BEGINNING, LETS SEE WHAT THE NEXT TWO DAYS MAY BRING..........

Dottie

www.tlcbarefootschool.com