Prairie Gold

"The Golden Time of Day"  ~  I think I'm made for "such a time as this".

So as we were driving along and they asked to stop here in this grassy prairie field to chase and play around...I couldn't resist!

They burst out of the van ~ all loud and full of puppy energy...or maybe they were horses...galloping across the pastures...or fleet-footed like deer...or little rabbits making cozy nests all hidden within swaying walls of tall grass...but in a moment they looked so small as they headed for the horizon and their voices blended in with the sound of wind brushing through the tall grassy weeds and wild grains.

Go my beauties...run for the horizon...

  Like a day at the beach does, nature's vastness hushed us and swallowed us up in beauty. We were lost in the gentle majesty of reeds bowing down  in the late afternoon sun.

  This was yet another tabernacle.

  Another place TO tabernacle with the creator who cannot be contained in buildings or structures--who bursts forth in in majesty and heart-pounding wonder.   It felt so sacred, standing here, brushing my hands lightly across fuzzy dried seed stems, stroking them, petting them...and considering the weight of glory of a moment and a place... meditating upon the ONE who IS Beauty...who was blowing wind all over us in this gentle,golden moment... loosing strands of my brown hair to play and dance across my face... to join in on the choreography  of life all around me...

I spun around, like the little girl who used to spin around in the shallow end of the pool, splashing my hands all across the surface of the water...and when the world drew into horizontal lines again of stripes of amber and tan and cobalt and white, I heard them calling me, a further invitation into the sacredness of this moment..."Mom, PLAY with us!!...CHASE US, MOM!!..."for a moment, I held back.  But my heart overcame my default setting of "staid adultland" and I ran...

The boys are faster and finer than Mama in all things athletic but we laughed and teased and they LET me catch them after they hid in the grasses and it got SO quiet that all that I could hear was the sound of the wind breathing over the prairie and the sound of some sweet bird song near a thrush of creek nearby.  I caught them and spun some until we were all dizzy and the sky touched the Earth in slants and circles.  It was glorious!

And look, do you see the light on Bruik's face?  Highlighting him?  In this moment...all his tender beauty shone forth...I want to ever see my children in golden light.

Big brother Graham had his turn shaking out his little siblings and swooped them all up with muscles that have grown strong with service and discipline over the last season.  He's a kind sheepherder of the youngers, a strong young man, a diligent laborer.  We are so very proud of him.  He's amazing at industry.  At this time in life, one does not impart manhood to the son for it should already have been formed over the years into his very nature.  But it is almost time for the blessing and the release.  He has become aware of it...so have we.  It catches in my heart when I see him at full run.  It won't be long...  In this moment,  I saw the man to be.  Running for that horizon...into the golden light....across  swaying harvest fields...with purpose, with fire in his eyes...

And my heart beats so fast, with such awareness in these moments, for I know that we are made for golden light...that our lives are being refined "like the gold" if we are setting our gaze on the beautiful one, Christ Jesus...that we tabernacle with a God who has a golden sash around His waist, who IS the Beloved of Heaven...who prepares a place for us with Him...in His tent with Him...NOW, it is possible in every day, in every moment...

and forever...

My heart worships, it sings like the wind blowing over the prairie fields...how can it not?!

Love and Blessing,

GG

P.S.  Hopefully in the next days and weeks we will be journaling here about our current ministry calling and more stories about this. :)

Big Announcement from the Tucker Family :)

Our Journey continues...



Hey, Everyone!

WELLL, if it has seemed to some--even those of you closest to our family-- that we have had something "under wraps" for a while--we have!

We have an announcement of sorts. :)

Our family is being sent to become missionaries through the International House of Prayer Ministry in Kansas City, Mo.

YES! As soon as we sell our home, we are packing up our six kiddos and are heading out to Missouri.

As we have sought after and journeyed with God this year, He has used International House of Prayer's podcasts,music, teachings,conference as a tool over and over to help us know Him more--to introduce us more and more to who He is and what our identity in Him is.

As we have been encouraged to dive into prayer, fasting, receiving of the Holy Spirit, deep times digging in the Word of God...We have been smitten with His heart, filled with His spirit. God's power and personality has been SO near. A fountain of revival, passion after His heart that has brought such power has sprung up among our family after we have "laid it all down", counted the cost, and have remained at His feet--there's just so much to the Presence of the Living God--we echo Psalm 27, what we truly desire most--each one of us is to seek His face--to enjoy Him in His holy place--this ONE thing we seek. Christ has made Himself our ONE THING this year.
He has been our reward.

He has brought other rewards--some of which you have witnessed here on our blog--like a flood of physical healings, restoration and salvation of our foster children's lives, and a literal,dramatic saving from the Nashville Flood. We have heard His voice and have received precious promises. We have delighted in finding Him in worship times that He overflowed to places like the local grocery stores--where He would bring us to people to lay hands on and pray for--this is just the tip of the ice berg--we are a people ON FIRE with the realness and the goodness of a very REAL God.

He saves,
He is SO loving--
He burns with holiness and glory.

He has revealed so much of our deepened and transformed hearts through a flow from secret,intimate times with Him-- Overall--this HAS BEEN A MIRACULOUS YEAR!! THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO GOING BACK!!

Soooooo....We have shared with a few close friends and family members about this new call and the next question of course is , "what will you be DOING there?..."

Firstly and most importantly, the most special thing about the ministry of the International House of Prayer can be gathered by its name--

We will be PRAYING.

10 years ago, a prayer meeting was established at IHOP that has been going on non-stop, 24/7 ever since. (There are prayer/worship/word teams that come into the prayer room in 2 hours blocks around the clock.)

And you know what?

If you spend THAT much time with God in intercession, adoration, and worship, He is going to share and download ALOT into your heart, mind, and will.

And He has.

Just some examples of how God has responded to a people who's hearts are tender to His heart are--

A ton of new music, straight from the heart of God, from the Word, from the Holy Spirit is flowing out of the prayer room--we have been incredibly touched by this precious gift.--

There have been incredible answers to prayers and petitions--much favor even in foreign nations--even among unsaved leaders for the sharing of the gospel.--

God's been so sweet in bringing His Presence among a people who are seeking HIm in this way--many other prayer furnaces that are bringing glory to God are being established all over the Earth as well--.

And the things that God's heart yearns after and beats for-- He has readily shared with people who are giving such focus and attention to HIm--

Now, ten years after establishing the prayer room, International House of Prayer also has an incredible Bible University to equip young people to find their identity in Christ, to restore broken lives,to be built up in God's living Word, the Bible--

Many times then these same young people that fall passionately in love with Jesus are bringing this love to their families, cities, and even specific nations. God has pressed justice movements as well--VERY strongly on the intercessors at International House of Prayer-

-as of course He naturally would--

For if you spend ALOT of time talking with a good friend--you are going to get to know his or her heart--

You will receive powerful awareness of God's glory and identity--

That God's heart truly beats after the lost, the hurting, the weak, the hungry, the orphaned, the widowed, the helpless...AND yes, YOU!

...and this is what has happened with people who spend hours with God during the week--He has talked back! ... He has answered the desires He has placed on hearts!

He has pressed specific movements so powerfully that now International House of Prayer has established --24/7 ACTS of justice to match the 24/7 ACTION of Prayer.

Those who are on staff are in the prayer room for 24 hours a week and are required to give 24 hours of service to justice.

And what is neat about this is that this requirement is actually is a perfect fit for the way we are already choosing to order our days and to what we are already pursuing after in God today.

We have found that justice (like our experiences with M and M--our foster kids this year-- and other such experiences) so MIGHTILY springs up from time with our Father--and this is the best way to enter in to justice, be it loving your neighbor down the street,caring for that specific person that He brings you to in the grocery line, feeding the hungry, or even adopting--for God then can send you just where He wants you--to the tasks He's uniquely set out for you before He made the world--as the Bible would say.

Now PLEASE don't get me wrong--we are NOT YET spending this type of time in prayer--24 hours a week-- with God --but we desire to. We actually found that much of the power behind our incredible year (and at all the other precious seasons in our life) has stemmed from an obedience to a time in prayer.

About a year ago this week, God told me clearly in a time with Him to give Him my Tuesdays and my Thursdays--to give them over to Him in fasting and prayer. No lunches out with friends, no hanging out on the computer ,let go of the hobbies during that time, no chatting on the phone,leaving the errands alone for a while, no catching up to get "ahead" while the kids were in school those mornings--

It was incredible--

Only God could lead you into such things for in the natural--how in the world could a mom of 8 children pull this off? BUT He knew...this was EXACTLY where I needed to be--

If I had NOT been on my knees and in worship and deep times in the Word and intercession I would not have had the specific direction and strength and Presence of the Holy Spirit's power that I DESPERATELY needed to parent all the issues and details and burden that this melding of kiddos brought to our lives this year.

(And I'm not the first by far that God has specifically given this calling to!--One of my heros is Susannah Wesley--mother to Charles and John who's sons God used in one of the most powerful awakenings the world has ever seen for Christ--Her TWELVE children knew that when mother pulled her apron over her head she was in intercession and was not to be interrupted--what fruit those prayers brought to the World!!)

On Tuesdays and Thursdays I would drop the little kids off at school, dress, start my dishwasher and laundry machines and then would "hit the carpet". Some mornings He led into worship, others into writing to HIm,other mornings He gave me new songs to sing to Him as I read certain parts of scripture to Him, others times specific Word for the people I was praying for, other times he astounded my heart with His very real nearness and word to me--

He's just SO real and near to us--ready to meet us when we come to seek Him out--its SOOO true. I've really lived and experienced this!!!!

By the time it was time to pick up the preschoolers and minister to all the other kiddos, I was completely prepared to serve in my home and had received instruction from God in how to parent for the day, where the needs in my home were, where He was sending us out into our community that day, how to love my husband best, how exactly He wanted me to apportion my time, my chores, my menu.--He's the real deal! He REALLY speaks to us. In worship--He healed me of thyroid disease,planter faciotis, a 5 pound tumor in my abdomen, and an achy tired body (among other things--I was a mess health-wise previously!--being sick took up so much of my time and thought, effort and energy)--I know He loved healing me--for I have learned that He loves us so, and delights in healing bodies. He is SO real.

As my life was being flooded with God's presence, we also witnessed God's Spirit fall on each of my children, on my husband, on our foster children, and on our family as a whole--its been a new and living way--immersion in Him brings such life--

This does not mean that we are not fun or that we do not live life in a natural way--we have laughed more and had more to give in this joyful season here--On the other hand, PLEASE don't think either that we have got things "all figured out" --my children can argue amongst themselves like any other siblings, we get cranky, we have to ask for forgiveness ALOT--:) But in the midst of much humanness we are getting SUCH an awareness that God not only loves us but that He likes us and that He has great things in store for us --that His glory is going to shine out of all of our "cracks" (we've got alot of them!) more and more until the "full light of day".

So we are already living this intercessory life that will be going on on this missions' base--and we are thrilled about that.

When we arrive, there will be a training phase via a wonderful Bible University on campus,to be trained to equip young people to seek the Lord with all their hearts, to be restored and healed emotionally and spiritually (restored--we will love counseling and loving on these teens and college age kids.--this is perfectly made for Richard's pastoring heart and mine as well)

Next the students are sent out to testify/bring the glory of Christ to the nations locally, nationally, and internationally in missions and Christ- centered and filled justice initiatives.

We are personally being called to be involved in justice initiatives that war against human trafficking and abortion. We greatly desire to tell people about Jesus--who He is --bringing the Gospel-to people that hunger for Him--who may have never been introduced to Him.

Most likely this will take our family out around this nation and to other destinations around the world in differing ways--this call is a launch pad for so much to come through the members of our family.

We are very excited to have found a ministry that matches our musical giftings--there is ALOT of music coming out of the International House of Prayer and we all will be diving into this.

We will have a greater platform to advocate for orphans-- There is an adoption ministry there on the mission's base that our hearts are smitten with-- and that we will be plunging in to support. Our hearts continue to beat wildly for God's saving heart for the helpless.

If you have been following our blog, you may have gotten the sense that this has been an incredible miracle year in our life this year. It has!!

Much of God's movement has been behind the scenes--some of which we really desire to share with you and will very soon--its been powerful, transforming,and it truly has knocked our socks off!! I promise to share more details SOON!! As we dove into the heart of God this year, He brought a call that is so perfectly tailored for us. There is MUCH behind the "anatomy" to this call that I have not been able to share here because it stems from intimate places with God and it would just take to long to express--some of this we will be sharing later--there are many cool stories that are FULL of miracles, word from God, neat confirmations--

We'll share some of them soon--but mostly, I think there are many more stories to come. Its like we are at the beginning point of a roller coaster ride--we are going up that first hill and are hearing and feeling the "click, click, click" of the ascent to the first tummy turning hill. This is going to be an incredible ride!!

So please, those of you who know us or love us from afar in the FB/ bloggy world--please pray for us. There is alot that is to come together in the next weeks. We totally trust that we are going to see powerfully movement from God as He completes the details to what He's called us to.

Things you can pray over for us or if led give to:

We need to sell our home before we go.

We will need to raise financial partnership--all the staff positions at IHOP are volunteer--not paid positions. To enter in fully to what we will be doing there we could not hold a full-time job in the market-place--we are thinking over part-time job options combined with a sending base of partners who are excited about what God is sending us out to.

We are raising education funding for our children as well. We will need to raise 11,000 dollars to send our children to a Christian school in the area--currently there is not a public school option for our children. 26 of the local schools in this area of MO have recently been closed down --we will be combining homeschooling with a Christian school that we have found that really supports people who come on staff at IHOP. The children only have 8,000 more dollars to raise in their education fund--contributions toward reaching this final goal can be reached via the chip in widgit on our blog or at tuckersplash.chipin.com They are excited about and Trusting God to reach their goal by August 8th.

That's ALOT! Stay posted--I believe we are all going to see God provide here in huge ways. If God is pressing on your heart in some way to give to what He is up to in our midst, please feel free to call us at 615-567-6633 or tuckergillian@comcast.net or please feel free to use our Pay Pal button on the side bar that is related to donations.

Even before some of you have heard our full story, you have contributed to our family by your love to us, your prayers over us, loving emails and kind comments, and donations --thank you--we treasure how God has been using you to bring out a "new thing" in our family. God's hug has been felt through your willingness and love.

Many Blessings and Love to You!
Love,
Gillian

A 5 minute gift to you about intimacy with God--so sweet!

We love you M and M

Love is the river than flows through
Love is the arms that are holding you
Love is the place you will fly to
Love never fails you




Love is not proud
Love does not boast
Love after all
Matters the most

Love does not run
Love does not hide
Love does not keep
Locked inside

Love is the river that flows through
Love never fails you

Love will sustain
Love will provide
Love will not cease
At the end of time

Love will protect
Love always hopes
Love still believes
When you don’t

Love is the arms that are holding you
Love never fails you

When my heart won’t make a sound
When I can’t turn back around
When the sky is falling down
Nothing is greater than this
Greater than this

Love is right here
Love is alive
Love is the way
The truth the life

Love is the river than flows through
Love is the arms that are holding you
Love is the place you will fly to
Love never fails you


~~~~~~~~~
Glory to God!
THE God of Love.
We have seen His Mighty, Searching Love
Here
Among Us
Salvation is SOOOO Real
and NEAR
Salvation IS a personal God
We can know HIM
and touch Him
and see Him.
He is Jesus.
He IS the way
He is the only solution
He is what all Life is about
THE Truth
OF Abundant,Real Life.
We praise His name
New members to the family!
It IS harvest time
Glory to God!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I took you from the ends of the earth,

from its farthest corners I called you.

I said, ‘You are my servant’;

I have chosen you and have not rejected you.

So do not fear, for I am with you;

do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

“All who rage against you

will surely be ashamed and disgraced;

those who oppose you

will be as nothing and perish.

Though you search for your enemies,

you will not find them.

Those who wage war against you

will be as nothing at all.

For I am the Lord, your God,

who takes hold of your right hand

and says to you, Do not fear;

I will help you.

Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob,

O little Israel,

for I myself will help you,” declares the Lord,

your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

“See, I will make you into a threshing sledge,

new and sharp, with many teeth.

You will thresh the mountains and crush them,

and reduce the hills to chaff.

You will winnow them, the wind will pick them up,

and a gale will blow them away.

But you will rejoice in the Lord

and glory in the Holy One of Israel.

“The poor and needy search for water,

but there is none;

their tongues are parched with thirst.

But I the Lord will answer them;

I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

I will make rivers flow on barren heights,

and springs within the valleys.

I will turn the desert into pools of water,

and the parched ground into springs.

I will put in the desert

the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive.

I will set pines in the wasteland,

the fir and the cypress together,

so that people may see and know,

may consider and understand,

that the hand of the Lord has done this,

that the Holy One of Israel has created it."

(Isaiah 41:9-20)

We KNOW who holds you
He holds us too

Love for ALWAYS,

Mama GG and Daddy Richard

The waters did not pass our threshold--although our garage area took about 5 feet of water and we are pumping out the crawl space--our house is dry. This is especially humbling for our home is the only dry home on our road. About 20-30 other homes have lost their entire first floors in their homes. We have spent the day working among our dear neighbors. Three families around us have lost their homes to fire as well. Please pray for them. Many people have been very tender to reaching out toward Jesus in this time.

We are thanking Him and serving in whatever way we can--only one family of many lost in a flow of outpouring today--we have seen the National Guard, police, electric company, contractors offering free services, young people with gloves on, cars filled with water bottles, a lady who had fixed sandwhiches and the back of her car looked like a vendor on wheels--just giving it away...such manpower as well--about 100s of people are ripping out wet insulation, floor boards, dry wall down our street--children are drying personal photos on towels and are running errands for bigger people--it is breathtaking--. Real Life, y'all--we are amazed and blown away by the love that God is pouring out through people today.

Blessings,

gillian

The Beautiful One

What I'm singing today...





Acts 17:28 For in him we live and move and have our being

Love,

Gillian

Grace Times Five :)

Yes, this only lasted one night, until we had to separate them--but how cute are they?!


Sorry Graham, someone in the family has to bunk on the palate on the floor--it will make for a great family story someday though, right? Thanks for the sacrefice!


Not enough space for all? Jack was in heaven to get to bunk in with Mom and Dad for 4 whole nights--snuggle monster that he is!

Ashley and Anderson snuggling late one night




BRRRRR. it was COLD in Kansas City but we had packed a tub of cold stuff!! The kiddos got to have lots of snowball fights and got to do some AWESOME sledding too!!

Hello, friends!----The end of 09 and the beginning of 10---- or do you say, twenty ten? ----we have not received a clear answer on what to call this new decade!----but regardless the past few weeks have been very special in the Tucker family~~as we hope it was for you as well~~

We had another time of miracles among our family here just a few days ago. Richard and I had been led to go to Kansas City to be part of a worship/prayer/equipping conference there, called One Thing. It was put on by the International House of Prayer in KC. I just want to share an excerpt I recently wrote to a leader of that ministry...

"Recently we were prompted to head up to the One Thing conference in thankful response to all God has been doing via IHOP's ministry here. As we backed out of the driveway--packed to the gills in our Suburban with 6 of our 8 children, the check engine light went on! After a disappointing diagnostic hours later, we were told that it would take 555 dollars to fix our car. We got very quiet and before Richard and I discussed what to do next we each went to a different nook of the shop--me behind a pile of Firestone tires and Richard staring out of the advertisements on the glass front window of the Firestone store. The Lord's message to us was different than the mechanic. He spoke something else, "Go anyway" individually to each of our hearts, and , "I'm up to something big in your lives with this trip--you could miss out on it if you do not go". Next, he told Richard to lay hands on the car and then to drive 55 miles an hour up 550 miles to KC. (do you notice all the 5's?--this is God's # of grace) We obeyed--with much joy and anticipation--and had a very SCENIC trip on our slow drive up to KC. Not too long into our obedience, God turned off the check engine light--we did not see it for the remainder of the trip!
We have been living a missionary lifestyle of service and intercession here in Franklin and as we arrived in KC, we tried to purchase an item and found out that our TN bank account was completely depleted several large payments at home had hit our account early and all at once --now, at the beginning of the trip-- we only had enough for our hotel and no money to get back home.--We thanked God for a Breckfast bar at the Hampton hotel that provided what we call-"Breckfast and breckfast and breckfast" for each of our meals in KC! :) HEE!! (And for His grace on our children who did not complain once about sausage egg biscuits and muffins for dinner)! Next, as only God can do, He provided provision miracle after provision miracle,caused answers to prayers that have been prayed for 18 years, quite beautifully and right along with His timing of how He has so been on the move for our hearts and His power in our lives lately commissioned us for service as intercessionary missionaries, and spoke prophetic Word into us in the prayer room--the trip became a pilgrimage of sorts--it definitely was the trip of our lives!!"
God's miracles in our family were not just financial and protection over us physically and over our car (alot of miracles involving that car recently, huh?). The movement from the Lord that caused us great thankfulness and awe was being encountered powerfully by His loving,burning heart. Also, watching Him encounter our children. One special morning we asked for prayer from some intercessory missionaries who serve in the healing/prayer room at the International House of Prayer's Mission base--three incredibly dear people laid hands on our family and on Richard and I and then on our children as individuals--we heard MUCH encouragement and prophecy over each person in this time but most incredibly were the moments as they prayed over our little Ava. As they laid hands gently on her and quietly prayed for her the WEIGHTY presence of the Lord entered the room--I can't describe it well-- but we strongly experienced the presence of the Lord--it was peace and overwhelm at once. Ava's little body began shaking under the presence of the Lord--His Spirit was manifesting His glory on our little girl!!--this was happening while prophecy about her journey before the Lord, her giftings and callings were being prayed over her and pulled forth out of her as well --those minutes of prayer could have been days or years for we got lost in the Joy of His presence...as He danced openly over our little songbird
--we were all overcome with the JOY of the Lord and laughter bubbled up as well as many tears--it was an utterly beautiful experience among MANY others over the course of our trip and related to His movement in our family lately--We had seen other adults come under the influence of the Holy Spirit but to watch Him awaken our little girl was a blessing beyond measure. She is so pure before Him that her open heart was easy and accessible for Him to pour into--I want Ava to be my model before the Lord--to be so childlike and simple and receiving before Him that He can mightily move in and through my frame--to pour in at Will whenever He so desires. And this is how I will be pushing in to His presence in this new year. God is REAL--His Spirit walks among us and wants to encounter us--just as He did in the past in the OT. and more--just like He did through the apostles and in Acts--He's as fresh and willing to move in us and through us and with us in power today as in any other time in history--time and time again this week we realized and experience His love among us. Among wonderful praise, encountering prayer, we also witnessed college age students, 20,000 of them reaching toward the pursuit of God. They were precious "kids"--full of the Spirit of Christ--engaging others, bibles were out instead of blackberries--there was hardly a text message in sight--a generation unplugged from the world's draw and charged up with the love for Christ and taking that love in vast acts of justice to His world. We did not hear a cross word among this large crowd for 4 days and joyed in overhearing young people's conversations in which they spoke of WHO they wanted to be in God (first commandment) and how that fueled their love for His Word and His world. We witnessed people taking off their glasses and taking off their casts to reveal healed arms, several crooked backs were made straight and several legs even GREW several inches to even out bodies--Christ loves to make us whole--that's why He went to the cross for us--and His power from the cross's payment for us was so powerfully moving among a receiving worshiping people WOW...I believe this is what Christ's body should appropriately look like and how it should operate. And I will be encouraging His body to take place before Him in these ways in the upcoming seasons of my life--you included, with much tenderness and love to you, my bloggy friends!!
Stay tuned for other movement of our family in Him and please keep us and calling in Him in your prayers.
Blessings in these first days of 2010!
Love, Gillian

All We Want for Christmas

All we want for Christmas...is to encounter Jesus.



Lately we have been well-fed by the Ministry of The International House of Prayer in Kansas City, MO. and wanted to share this resource with you. They have an incredible vision for raising up a passion for Christ in this generation--here in our nation and in the world. Their love for Christ is also poured out in movements for justice in arenas such as the human trafficking epidemic and a vision to have one million babies adopted into Christian families instead of aborted. Ten years ago they were called to raise up 24/7 prayer,worship, and intercession on thier campus and it has continued daily from that point! To add power and confirmation to their search after God's heart, God brought revival to their bible University campus on Nov. 11th and has continued a special outpouring ever since that is spreading to other university campuses. Historically in America and England many of the great awakenings in our nations have been sparked on college campuses. We have been blessed by God's work at the International House of Prayer via the web stream--it has been a vital,real touch of His Spirit that has been splashing on us "older folk" as well. :) We will be bringing our kiddos to the One Thing Conference in Kansas City, MO --we invite you to join us via web cast for a time to soak up God's Word, live worship of our Saviour and inspired, biblical teaching--the registration is free!


Now that's a present we ALL can afford!!


Love, Gillian

Extreme Light

Blessed Friday to you!

Has anyone commented on your "light quotient" recently? A little while back, I was reminded of this, as a neighbor stopped my husband in a local parking lot with a devastating prayer request. "I'm telling this to you, Richard, because I know you are a 'real Christian'". He knew that Richard was a source of God's light. He sensed he desperately needed that light--that it was his only hope in this situation. Previously, this guy had written us off as "crazy" for our heart for adoption, "kinda weird, Y'all", and "you guys are just...different--how do ya do it?" "Your life would drive me nuts!!"(ouch)--Now he was asking for the very thing he had thought was "quirky". We love this neighbor and are AMAZED with how simple, Godly lives matter so much in this world -- so THRILLED he's searching for God's light!! May this be compounded by all of our lives in Him!! Think about how many could be brought to Him!!
Several weekends ago we were having a hot dog roast with a couple friends and neighbors--kids were running around and jumping on the trampoline--a typical happy time. We may have not "looked" all that typical :) about 4 or 5 nationalities of children played in the sandbox--some adopted some not--some with physical challenges--others not. Big families, small families --as I write this--I'm reminding myself of "Go Dog Go"--you know, the children's book that talks of all sorts of dogs, Big Dogs, Little Dogs, Blue Dogs, and Red Dogs all at a (emphasis here please as you read it out loud!)--A DOG PARTY!! We were having a great time. Well, some of our sweet neighbors stepped outside and really were floored--they were just hangin' out at their fence--just taking the scene in. It turns out they knew one of my dearest friends, Heather, at our party and as they visited with her, listen to some of the chat,it went something like this--"This is cool--I mean look at ALL these kids running around. And they are all getting along! Really different but really great, I mean it! Hey, I know your husband, Scott from the hospital (aside--Scott is an amazing pediatric RN and loves Jesus--ALOT--by the way) he is just different--tender--an amazing guy...there's something just so different about him...and how's Richard, Gillian...I mean that guy--he always has a smile on his face--he's a unique guy--(are you sensing a theme here?)
People are watching. And they see. They see the light even if they cannot comprehend it. (John 1:5) And we who love Christ are ever giving off His light--EVEN WHEN WE ARE NOT AWARE OF IT. That so encourages me!! For I would not know where to start to TRY to become a light-producer. NO, its GRACE. Like a little lightening bug, as we become His children, by believing in Jesus, AT THAT POINT we are given this "glow light"--its a part of us--it glows the brightest in the dark. A signal to where life can be found. "And the light that came into the world was the light of life" Light chases away the dark places of our Daddy's world, spotlighting His handiwork and will here. That's an amazing thing. To know that as we stepped foot into God's kingdom by our belief in Jesus, we His light just became a part of us--that it shines "ever brighter and brighter until the full light of day "-- till His return--Its happening RIGHT NOW if you know and love Christ!! Be assured, PLEASE have settled hearts as you hear reports on T.V. about this or that or about fear, or darkness, or unrest--we are children of the Father of the Heavenly Lights--we are citizens of a kingdom of Light. We just do not belong to the dark. I love hearing my little children sing, "Even the darkness is light to you and light is as bright as the dawn." This light in us will draw men to our Father's salvation even as little moths are drawn to our outside house lights. In a way, darkness is an excellent contrast/background to truly see light. He is the darkness chaser and pursuer--He WILL NOT let darkness remain or reign--in our hearts and it will not overcome this world--"take heart, I have overcome the world", He says.--Praise Him!!--Thank Him for His light in you!! Thank Him that He is coming back!! and so look forward to that day--encourage one another with this Truth. Thank Him for his kingdom that has come and is coming in more fullness every day.

Here's a powerful devotional from Voice of the Martyrs this is taken from their Extreme Devotion devotional booklet.

"Faith is the invisible expression of our personal relationship with Christ. The Bible characterizes people's faith as light -- a diffusion of hope that affects everyone around them. Jesus chose this illustration because of light's inability to be restrained. For example, reading by flashlight under the covers, unknown to the average child, is hardly effective in terms of disguising late night activity! Light simply shines by its very nature -- despite our attempts to restrain it. Likewise, tension arises in believers' lives when they must choose to fully express their faith or attempt to muffle it someway. With the reliability of the daily sunrise, those who have affirmed their decision once and for all find shining their light to be second nature."

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord...Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Be very careful,then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil...Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (from Ephesians 5)

Shine on, followers of Christ!! Let them ask, "what's so different about that one?"--don't be embarrassed about your light--they need it.
Listen to this powerful Word:

"Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.
For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness over the peoples;
but the LORD will arise upon you,
and His glory will be seen upon you.
And nations ahall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
Lift up your eyes all around, and see;
they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from afar,
and your daughters shall be carried on the hip.
Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and exult"
Isaiah 60:1-5

Love, Gillian

His Bundle on my Back--From my Ethiopian Journal

"He takes care of his flock like a shepherd.
He gathers the lambs in his arms.
He carries them close to his heart.
He gently leads those that have little ones. " (Isaiah 40:11)

African women carry their babies within long fabric pieces on their back. Like these children, as a child of God, since I was five, I have been securely wrapped up within the love of incredible Father God. First He saved me and simply asked me to love Him and to love others. To walk out my life as He did. He named this love, "adoption", as He wrapped me close to His heart. In time and by degree, He lovingly secured a bundle to my back as well. It is so much smaller but looks like the one my Father carries. I love to walk through His world with Him. Within this bundle He has placed Adoption , Rescue, Care for the Orphan--the desire to give place to the lonely--to set them in families--love for His hurting world. This, He has lovingly has wrapped to my back since I was a tiny girl. He has so much more to fit into my bundle. I gaze in there and marvel and wonder at its beauty -- the honor of carrying a likeness to my Father. Other times it has been very heavy to carry. But then, the gold of His Kingdom can be weighty.

I hope you can see her. She is my heart for adoption, for adoption in Ethiopia. A beautiful African woman stands with dignity under a brilliant, cobalt sky. She is dressed in humble garments and is wrapped in a long piece of colorful fabric. With skillful ease, she bends over gracefully to take the ends of the fabric. Seamlessly, she wraps the fabric over a baby on her back or front until the baby has the cosiest of perches to view the market before them. They walk down dusty streets, past baskets of food on blankets, among begging people with gentle eyes and past the man with withered polio legs dragging his torso to the injera stall (Ethiopian bread). Her baby blinks at the sun and is covered with a light shawl. She jostles to sleep, secured on her Mother's back. On they go through the aroma of Ethiopian "Boona"--the most delicious coffee you could ever imagine, around a young goatherd, coaxing his goats through the crowded, bustling market streets. Lilting music plays out of shanty-type one-room buildings covered in tin roofs lining the street, making up the market's stalls --this is the the vast "Merkato".

Her beauty belies the secret of her heart, greyer than the afternoon storm clouds that sweep across Addis Ababa each day at this time. The German medical lab has given her grave news. She is not the first of her family to receive such news--in fact she has watched all of her family members perish after similar reports. Some lived several years--others just weeks. Their arms--asleep in quiet graves--unable to help her. Unable to come to her aid. And no arms to receive her precious Rekeb. Rekeb, full of life and energy with the cry so loud and lively her Mama's name's meaning fits her well, "one who cries out". In different times there were many loving arms to soothe Rekeb's cries. She would have been passed around to bring Joy to every heart. In this land, there is no original word for "orphan" for children are the treasure of their family circles. Rekeb stirs in her cosy sleep, soon she will want to nurse. Who will feed her? Who will hold her? Will she live? Oh, God, help her, see my child. Let her live...
The mother reaches her destination, the outer wall of the local Orthodox church. She can hear the sound of singing. The daily services must not yet be over. She has heard this is a good place. Surely they will hear her. Will they? Or will the wild dogs who run the streets find her first? She shivers. She unwraps her incredible bundle and ...we do not watch the most private and excruciating of moments between a loving mother and child.

With the greatest of care she finds a gap under the wall and makes a bed of colorful fabric for her little one. Rekeb. Will she live? She stays, until Rekab's cries draw a crowd of street children. They pick her up. One older girl wraps her on her back ,in the colorful fabric. They speak of an orphanage not far away. A good place. She will live...

Across the world, my bundle comes to life! It is full, pregnant with a referral of two babies!! I sense the loving arms that brought these children to my Father even as I see their photos on my computer screen for the first moment and I love them even as love swells for these precious babies. Big brown eyes stare sadly at me from the first photo I open. It is a little boy, he is 2 years old. His parents are deceased. As we have nested we did what many parents do and have looked at Ethiopian name lists. We decided quickly and firmly months back upon the name, Bruik, meaning, "gift of God." I wrestle my eyes off of his photo to glean my first bit of information of my new son. And as I scroll down, I gasp and cry,shout and jump up and down--in Joy-- African woman-style!! His name, before me on the screen is...Bruik. Oh, my little son. Placed "on my back" and in my heart since I was a little girl...
The next image is a tiny little baby girl. Her velvet brown legs and arms are so thin they make me ache--with a mother's longing to tend and to nurture. Her cheeks are so kissable -- I can't stand it. Little...Rekab. Captivator of my heart---so dear to another that she was brought to my arms... I stumble around for weeks--dizzy with love and the closeness of the Father--soaring, sometimes staggering under the glory's weight.
Soon we are on a plane, watching a tiny electric airplane model on a map on the screen fly increasingly quickly away from my land. My daily world shrinks away...I turn toward the land of my new children.

There is no sleep for me, I toss in our hotel bed--tomorrow--we'll meet them tomorrow!! It is like the night before I was married--full of mystery, hope, and elation. My mind jumping to the future and savouring the present all at once.
I rearrange baby bibs and formula and tiny outfits and shoes. I pray and thank my Father. I lay out my" bundle" before me and tenderly consider it. Excited to further fill it tomorrow as we love on the orphans we meet and greet our babies for the first time.

On the following day we pile into a bright blue and white van and bump through the streets. We pull up to a walled orphanage and my stomach leaps, "Kids Care Orphanage" says the painted metal gate.

Bruik awaits us, dressed in a crisp oxford shirt and little blue sweat pants. We gently touch and hug. He smiles brightly and jumps into His Daddy's arms. Richard swings him up onto 6 foot 5 shoulders and Bruik looks triumphantly down at his new family.

Rekeb is waiting for us in a walker in the baby room. Her nannies say to me with laughing eyes, "you must pick out your baby now". Oh, no! I know the baby girl which I believe is mine...but she is the loveliest of all the babies in their white metal cribs--what if I am wrong and she is another? The joke is on me--I have hesitated too long. A nanny reaches down to the beautiful baby in the walker and secures her in my arms. I breathe her in. We sway to the musical sound of children's voices and Amharic speech. A first dance...

We drive away from the chorus of children but they remain still in our "bundles". How God presses them on our hearts.

We rename our Rekeb, Ava Aday, meaning, "breath of life, precious flower." She will live. Our Father.our Savior, has promised "life abundant" for her. And as we carry our children close to our hearts and walk through their lovely people, taking in their beautiful land,filled with pain, awe, and joy, we sense our Father, securing our bundles, walking beside us, sharing His heart with us...

Love, Gillian

Scrub-a -Dub, Dub, Our 6 Kids in a Tub

Anderson's prayer (our 2nd grader) at the breckfast table this morning with the littles (our 3,4,and 5 year olds):

"O.K.QUIET!!(He hollors)" "Let's pray...(everybody, CLOSE YOUR EYES!!), Dear God, really you are Mighty!! We thank you this morning that we are alive and that you brought Daddy, Mommy, and Graham safely home to us. Thank you for not letting the Bridgestone building fall down when Daddy was in it and the tornado got so close to it. You only let the sign blow down--and some bricks--on some cars. You made RUSHING winds last night,RAINS, and STORMS and TORNADOS! You are SO powerful, God. And you gave us T.V. warnings to keep us safe. And we were hiding,in our safe place, but you were strong and you knew where we were. You even kept us from getting slashed with glass (the biggest fear of Anderson's day yesterday). Thank you also for the Cheerios we got to eat in the bathtub and that Annie (our dog) was safe. But most of all, God, thank you because I really like the bathtub so I can snuggle up with my family in it."

In the midst of a scary storm, so many things to smile about--one announcement said that most injuries from tornados are caused by head injury--so someone suggested we all wear our bike helmets :)--this was AFTER the storm warning was over--ever try slurpping up spagetti through the straps of a bike helmet? HEE! They were so funny with their big ole heads all around the table last night. And aren't they silly in the tub photo above--snuggled in the nest in the midst of a terrible storm... I love being God's child.

Love,Gillian

The Bread Lady

Women Making Injera Bread in Ethiopia


O.K., y'all, my children have asked me several times since entering "blog land", "Have you told them about the bread lady?" Well...(smile), let me tell you...the "bread lady" is a very special person around here. Funny though...we have never seen her! Just huge bags of bread in black Glad bags that arrive at our door..a new game of Easter bunny or Tooth Fairy but just really odd over at the Tuckers' house? No, let me rewind a bit...

Love costs. It can be expensive. That's a distubing thought isn't it? But its true. Of course the most amazing cost has been spent on the cross for our buying back for an eternal relationship with God. Yet, even in our lives, love can be costly. And it should be as we are to be living mirrors of God on the Earth--living out before the world what Christ looks like, what He stands for. And, I'm not talking about jewlery or cards or presents here --I'm thinking of the redemption costs that God places before us, here, on this Earth. Many examples come to mind--the patience that we must "save up" to bear with daily interactions with our sandpaper relationships--you know, the "gratey" ones that really rub us the wrong way--its costly to bite our tongue or perhaps to become "bankrupt" popularity-wise for living out our lives in a way that is set apart (holy) for God. There's also the cost of keeping an open heart and hand outstreched to the things of God--it may just break your heart even as it expands it. I will never forget the day I announced to my mentor for adoption that we were adopting--I was glowing --on cloud nine with dreams dancing in my heart and most likely in my eyes. She hugged me and then said, "Gillian, once you go forward with this, you can never go back again. Once you look 'under the rock' your heart will never be the same again. It will slay your heart. Get ready to be changed forever. It will be one of the best and the hardest rides of your life." Costly. Yet what is the price of a life? Sometimes we joke with people who come us to us in stores and ask in a light, joking way "how much to take this one home with me?" and we have always grinned and replied, "oh, you don't have enough!!this one's priceless!!" Adoption is one example of --the purchase of a redemption price to save -- quite literally-- a life. Though I have heard of other redemption costs, such as those that are going to dig fresh water wells to bring living water to people or those who bring justice to children trapped in slavery, or those who give every Saturday night to read to thier friend in the nursing home down the street, this cost, the one for Adoption and for the saving of two lives, two names -- two little sets of hands in mine, this recently has been our specific call. And it has been worth every hour of completing ALL the paperwork to complete the dossier. It was worth every tear and every torn place in my Mother's heart. It was worth the dusty, incredible trip -- high altitude sickness, 5 children with Hepetitis A, 3 sets of poopie diapers for (forever! it seemed),rearraging our schedule--no, lets say, demolishing it!, stretching my waistline (stress can do that to me),the angst and concern first over skinny under weight babies we could not get to until travel date and now an ache that will never go away for thier precious families--is the birth mother who has Hep. C still alive?--I hold her heart in my arms I'm sure,the probing and searing looks and comments, the loss of place/identity, to a degree in a culture (my own) in which I once flowed around so easily within--being the big, racially mixed bunch really gets you over your fear of being stared at!! to think I once was shy!!:)

But the cost--it is worth it. Let me shout that, "IT IS WORTH IT !!" For we know, inherently so, for what has high value can bring high cost. And what God's heart is after is what is of highest value. I'll count the cost as being so "worth" it!!

I'm going to be spending alot of time in the blog being thankful for the amazing blessing of adoption--showing the incredible value of it. But to display my heart with honesty--the cost needs to be shown a bit --its o.k.--its just part of the story of redemption. And my Father, God loves redemption. And, after all, I'm not "spending" my resources at all--they all come from my Father--that's where this really get good. Poopie diapers? He gives me patience--when I allow Him too.-- Sickness? Over and over He is showing us His willingness and delight to heal our bodies.-- Wisdom to raise 6 kiddos? Well, that's James 1--He gives us wisdom generously if we ask, believing...and the money? the redemption price we had to gather together to save two lives from a desparate situation--it came from Him--it was miraculous and it still is. We are wowed EVERY day by His provision.--and that's where the bread lady comes in!... :)

You can look up how much it costs to adopt two children internationally--lets just say--its alot. Its alot for those who are not already taking care of a brood of kids on one income in an expensive school district. And yet, as each round of checks came, God provided for the liquid funding for each set. You know those finacial systems that speak of having "cushions" financially? ...well, we never "sat" on cushie cushions but now I know we are sitting on a pretty firm "bench". HA! Add the current financial state of the country to adopting 2 children, raising 6, and moving all in the past 18 months and we are in great need of God to really "show up" and "show off" on a daily basis. And, we are loving it! Yes, that wasn't a typo. It is so awesome to live each day really getting "give me this day my daily bread". Ah, bread!! so tell me about the bread lady, Gill!

(I share this with permission and prompting from my sweet Richard).
This Fall was an especially challenging time for us finacially for all the reasons mentioned above. We became completely drained due to the cost of our adoption plus a move last spring. We were experiencing shortages that were the type that make a Mother's pulse race--yet we stood on the fact that God promises to take care of His own.--there was this one period that was incredibly tight--at one point there was just nothing left--and there wasn't going to be anything coming in for days. We prayed. We prayed simply with the kids. Richard went and laid hands (literally) on an ATM machine for gas money. God made just what he needed come out that day, no more, no less --Manna. We thanked and jumped around with the kids. "Man! I wonder how God's going to take care of us next!!" Anderson shouted. Jack wanted to go back to the bank to watch the miracle machine spit some more money out! Within the next few days first Richard ran into a deer with our Suburban--smashing in its nose and putting it out of comission. We walked to school--it was fun--an adventure we shared praises and swang hands and had a little more time to connect in the morning--and we prayed and trusted that our Father was taking care of us. We experimented with all sorts of bean soups, baked bread, picked apples from Kathleen's tree--alot! Ate LOTS of applesauce :). God extended the harvest of our little garden and we thanked Him around the table. And we sang. Then a few days later, our green, wonderful free car from Richard's family lived out its final moments --as Richard backed out of the driveway for work, plumes of smoke and weird noises came out of the engine--it was
dead". But our faith wasn't. Its in moments like these that Faith's really real--its a gift from God and really is there right as we need it. We asked God for a car. And even asked for a VERY low price for it and waited. He gave it! Within a week, one of my dearest friends, Eliana,you'd just love her--she walks with Jesus so simply but winsomely-- was driving us to school, as we sat in the car I laugh, sighed over our cars and she asked, "what about this one?" "what would you like for it?" in faith I mentioned our VERY low idea for a price and within a few days the car was in our driveway -- a gift from God. We all gathered inside it to praise God and thank Him for taking care of us. You could cut the Joy with a knife and serve it on a plate with some ice cream for dessert!! It was wonderful--it was how God takes care of His people. Provision continued, different faces, different stories but daily during that time. Friends dropping by with coolers full of food --a friend had just defrosted a freezer for moving and our freezer was stuffed with its contents--we praised--we thanked --and we ate WELL--fun, really yum food. My friend, Eliana "just" popped by to make and share her excellent cooking several times. And when the pantry got low another week we were invited to spur of the moment dinners--who "just" invites 8 people over?--thanks God! and other such happenings but what we loved most was the bread lady.

Early in this time, my precious friend, Laura dropped by my house one night. I just love her! "Does your family eat bread?" YES!! And boy do we love it even more now!! "Well, there's this lady..."she said, "we call her the bread lady. We don't really know her well. She showed up at a yard sale we were having a couple weeks back with a trunk full of bread. She has some deal with Publix where they give her thier day old bread (its very fresh bread)" And you know I said, sure! we'd LOVE some!! "Well, you better go get the kids to bring it in." she told me. What? and then she opened the back of her mini van (my stomach just lept mentioning this)--inside were bags and bags--we are talkin' grocery bags--maybe 5? just filled with bread. We lugged them all inside. Just overcome. Manna does fall in Williamson County --just sometimes in the form of Pepperidge Farms Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread and Country Oatmeal with extra fiber and Poppy Seed Multi-Grain Bagels and Italien Bake and Eat Deluxe Loaf--oh my!! It wasn't just any ole bread--it was the best!! So we had the most fun pulling out all those loaves and sorting them in lines of like items--like a little bread store. Everyone exclaiming--OHHHH--I love this kind! and hand me some more of that one! look here's some MORE!! We stuffed our freezer--we put loaves in the pantry and loaves in the garage (it was wintery in there). We made plans for bagel pizzas and french toast and pannini sandwhiches...and lots of pb and j!! But we STILL had loads--I mean grocery bags worth left over. Thinking of how God instructed the Israelites to not hoard up the blessing of food that He gave them in the wilderness journey, I knew we would neither hoard the blessing or waste it either. So all loaded up our red wagon and handed out bread to the neighbors, and to our friends, and to contract workers in the neighborhood, and to some roofers who softened thier rough exteriors as they saw that wagon full of bread rolling up (the next morning)...You can imagine how we hit our knees that night in thanks and praise to God!! a shower of provision -- so much that we were able to pour it out all over others as well--we became bread distributors--crazy ,wonderful!! and the bread kept being brought by for weeks and weeks. Varying amounts--ALWAYS at the right time and just what and more than we needed. The children are completely in awe of God's hand. What He has allowed us to walk through--the cost, the wait on Him, the awesome provision it ALL is meaningful and fits together to create a faith that is unshakable no matter what the times are around us. We are standing on His provision. Its just there. Believe it. Fall on it. He's right here. He REALLY is. Ask, expect Him to show up on time and take care of you. Man! Showers of bread?!! He really is an awesome Father.

"Rejoice in the Lord,O you righteous! Praise benefits the upright....Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him. on those who hope in His steadfast love, that He may deliver their soul from death, and keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and shield. Yea, our heart is glad in Him, because we trust in His holy name. Let thy steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in thee."

Muli Mutya! Selam! Hey Y'all!

Hello to you in greetings from Uganda, Ethiopia, Franklin,Tn . :)

God continues to press Africa on our hearts and this summer He will be sending my oldest child, Ashley (14 years) and I over to Uganda and Ethiopia on a Mission Trip with America World.

His call into this trip was unexpected and so clear--so like Him! We are trusting for Him to provide all we need to be launched off. I'll share the story of our separate callings in a different post...

We have met a number of our incredible team members via phone conferencing and many come from our local area and so we are really enjoying getting together regularily to plan, pray, and break bread together. How beautiful unity is!

A bit of a description in the words of Amanda Lawrence, the leader of the trip and also a dear friend:

Our 2009 Visiting Orphans trip to Ethiopia and Uganda will be from June 20th to July 2nd. We will visit Amazima Ministries in Uganda. You can read more about this wonderful orphanage at http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/. We will also visit and care for the orphaned babies at Amani Baby Cottage and teach VBS to older orphans at the Canaan Children's Home. All of these orphanages are in Jinja, Uganda. We will then travel to Luweero to work with the children at New Hope. (read Amanda's blog, listed link on the right of this post, "Bright Future".)

When we travel toAddis Ababa, Ethiopia and work with many school and orphanages, one of the places we will visit is the very orphanage that my two youngest children were cared for in, Kids Care, and the transition home that dear friends from America World have poured so much love into. I can't wait to walk through the blue metal gate of Kids Care and wrap my arms around those dear children and nannies.

I would like to introduce you to our team members who have blogs--I will be carrying thier blog links as I receive them in the list of blogs to the right of my posting.

Ashley's blog is the "Captivated" one. Leave her messages--she'll love it !!!

And for the "why" of why we are going...here's a bit from a previous trip..Please do take another look at the photo above before reading the following written by Amanda...

God's touch opens our eyes:


"The story on this picture....hhhmm...this one makes me think! Here I am, praying spontaneously for this woman who we saw crouching on the side of the street. She was blind and my heart just literally went out to her. And I spontaneously obeyed...stepped out in faith. What I felt was that I was to touch her..to tell her how beautiful she was. I couldn't imagine the last time someone touched her or told her this. She was probably younger than I was...How long had she been blind? How long had she been homeless? Did she have kids? I watched as she took the money and snacks I gave her and very quickly brushed them inside her skirt so that no one would steal them. As I began to pray for her, I of course, prayed for her healing...but I touched her eyes. When was the last time someone touched her eyes?! You know, I hope God heals her, but what mattered most in that moment was that she felt God in that touch. I prayed she would know how beautiful she was and how much God loved her...even if by that one moment...that someone felt compelled to stop and talk to her and touch her. She truly was beautiful. Beautiful in her weakness and her complete humbleness. As I left she tried to give me her ring. It must have been the last valuable possession she owned and she wanted to give it me. I was glad that she was unable to get it off her finger, but maybe it would have blessed her to have been able to give it to me. For some reason as I write this post, I miss her. I wish I had spent the day with her. Listening to her story and just sitting with her. I feel God's presence in these times."

Touch the eyes of my heart, Lord. Touch and heal my understanding. May we see you. Open our eyes to those who need our touch--your touch--in front of us in the grocery line, at the library, next to us at the breakfast table today.

Omukwaano! Love, Gillian