25 Days Ya'll - 15 = 10 days!!!!!

Okay Friends! We leave in 10 days. We still need 23 21 more partners at $25 a month. All you last minute people join us! Click the DONATE button to partner with us tax-deductible:) *one-time donations greatly appreciated as well*

We have been asking for monthly partners to join us as we head off to Discipleship Training with YWAM and then onto full-time missions overseas. {location TBA} We started it HERE, Restarted it HERE, shared "Where We Stand" HERE. We've had 43 people partner with us, but we are still in need of monthly partners. We've tried all kinds of fun ways to get people to be a part of our God Story. Today with 25 days left 'til our departure we're going to do a fun giveaway....

When we get 25 more Partner's at $25 a month

we will give away a beautiful Noonday Collection Necklace

to the 25th person!!! So Fun!

That's just ONE New monthly partner each day until we leave!!!

If you're not a Go-er would you consider being a Send-er? 

It takes ALL of use to fulfill Matthew 28:16-20

Then Jesus came to them and said,“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” ~Matthew 28:16-20

Keeping it real ~ Adoption

Some days are just plan hard. You have this immense love for someone that you did not carry in your womb, but that your heart thinks has been a part of you forever.

Not flesh of my flesh, nor bone of my bone, but still miraculously my own. Never forget for a single minute you didn't grow under my heart but in it. ~ Fleur Conkling Heyliger

In the adoption community I've often heard people say, "Fake it 'til you make it."  It might seem harsh, but loving kids from hard places is sometimes just plain hard. You would die for the child, you can't imagine your life without the child, your passionate about helping them learn, grow & heal, you'll fight for them at ARD meetings, fight for therapies, argue with insurance companies, and educate, educate, educate the community; and then some days you want to flush them down the toilet with the box of wipes they just put in it.

In all honesty I've had to ask God and the child for forgiveness more times than I can even count. It's always a 3 steps forward 5 steps back life with a child from a tough place. Add Special Needs + non-verbal to that & it's all kinds of hard. God never said the 'yes' would be easy, but he did promise it would be worth it. 

It took 3 years for me to realize that a lot of the anger that had built up in my heart was not directly related to the child but from thoughts of his past. And even though I knew I could not change the past, the frustration with this child being abandoned, left to be cared for in an orphanage, and then only 2 days away from a transfer to an adult mental institution when I hugged him for the first time had taken it's toll. I was angry about the neglect, angry for the fear in his eyes, angry because he was seen as nothing. Then the what if's came, followed by the grief of all the children I had left behind. Then one morning as the frustration built over this child's behavior came, I became overwhelmed with the peace that only comes from God. My eyes were opened to all that the enemy was placing in my heart, and I knew that it was time to let it go & move forward with all that God has done for this child. He has been redeemed, he is loved, he is respected, he's a son, a brother, a nephew, and a grandchild. This child I have prayed for is perfect just the way God created him, his story has changed peoples lives, their hearts, and their view on adoption and special needs. His story has overlapped so many other peoples stories and it is beautiful, and messy, and sometimes ugly, but it is his story and we are blessed to be apart of it!

And he is worth it!

If your an adoptive momma who is struggling. I pray that you would trust God to give you the strength every day, that you will not try to be a super mom on your own, and that you will press into God daily. Remember Joy comes in the morning, every day you get to wake up & start over. And if you need a reminder of how far your child & you as a parent have come, go back and watch the videos & look through the photos from when you hugged your child those first times. It will do your heart good. Promise.

 What things have you found that promote healing? How do you refill when your drained? What things do you do to promote bonding?

Noonday Trunk Show ~ TONIGHT!!!!!!

So exciting to hear about the amazing work of Noonday Collection & International Justice Mission and how they are making such a difference. Here's just a little about what they are doing in Rwanda. These two ministries are making a huge impact globally. Watch & Shop to support the amazing women just like us living around the world. #purchasewithapurpose #ijm #noonday

If your in the Midland/Odessa Area

Join us TONIGHT for a Noonday Collection Trunk Show

Come see the beautiful Fall Line designed by artisans all over the world.

See You TONIGHT!!!

Can't make it? 
Click HERE to order online & mark Wendy Harper as hostess:)

Currently... purging, packing & pool hopping

Our 'currently' is looking a little different these days. Between feeding kids, doing laundry, cleaning up messes, entertaining kids, doctor appt, dentist appt, shot appt.'s, & therapies I'm trying to squeeze in figuring out what to pack, what to store & what to get rid of. It's been a bit of a challenge, but it's gettin' done a little at a time. This coming thursday we're having a moving sale so we are gearing up for that this week. If your local & want to join the craziness we could use the help:)

We know that through this past year and especially the last few months that the enemy has not wanted us to follow through with our 'YES' It has not been easy, but there has been no doubt. God has grown us, He has loved us, He has allowed us to see when the enemy is trying to steal & destroy & He has kept us strong. We are beyond excited for this next adventure & we are buckling down and gettin' 'er done. Thank you for your continued prayers as we wrap things up here in our little West Texas town -----> head to discipleship training in Kona, Hawaii -----> and then over the big pond to make our home among the unreached.

And in case you were wondering... This is what pictures really look like:)

Currently...

appreciating ~  my hard working hubby

watching ~ Jen Hatmaker on HGTV. Ha!

reading ~ Restless by Jennie Allen

laughing ~ at how difficult it is to keep a bag/trunk under the 50lb limit

eating ~ horribly

attempting ~ to exercise more:) 3 out 7 days so far. Gotta start somewhere

dreaming ~ of life across the BIG pond

planning ~ homeschool curriculum

wondering ~ if I'll survive this final yard sale. Ha!

brainstorming ~ OT, PT, Speech ideas

wearing ~ t-shirts everyday!

preparing ~ for a yard sale to part with all our loot

continuing ~ to thank God for His timing

making ~ memories

remembering ~ it's all 'Just Stuff'

getting ~ ready for a Noonday Collection Trunk show TOMORROW night!

studying ~ Hebrews with She Reads Truth

loving ~  sweet notes from sweet friends & sweet strangers

wishing ~ i had a maid, yep! kept this one. Still wishing...

listening ~ to Unspoken's "Walking Away"

enjoying ~ counting down the days

hoping ~ Charlie finds a new addiction. This mama's sick of Barney Songs

missing ~ my trusty sidekick Megan Elkins

praying ~ against the enemy! He will not squelch our JOY as we prepare to move

knowing ~ God's hand is on all this

So proud of this crew & how God is working in each of you!

Making The Need Known ~48 days

We are 48 40 days from our departure to YWAM!!!

Here's where we stand:

We need to raise $5000 in monthly support

We currently have $2300 in monthly support

This leaves $2700/monthly partnerships needed to reach our goal

As we venture into these final days would you consider partnering with us 
MONTHLY in any amount or making a ONE TIME donation?

*We have committed to 3yr minimum and would love to have you as partners as we spread the gospel

Tax deductible donations can be made HERE:

Or tax deductible checks can be mailed to:

Links USA
PO Box 1223
San Marcos, TX 78667

You can read our UPDATE HERE

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." ~Mark 16:15

On My Heart...

My prayer time has been filled with the heartbreaking things that you’ve probably seen in the recent headlines. Hate, War, Poverty, Disease, Persecution. It makes my daily struggles of preparing to move, piles of laundry, broken things, whiney children & spilled milk seem so trivial. My heart aches for what the mothers and fathers in these areas are dealing with on a moment by moment basis.

May I challenge each of you to pray for these countries, or pick a different country to pray for each day. This week Honduras & Guatemala have been added to my list. Please pray for the lost, pray for those who are unreached, pray daily for those who have no bible in their language, no church, no missionaries, no believers, and no access to Jesus. Pray for Jesus' hand to be on these countries that are at war, pray for peace, pray for hearts to be transformed, pray for salvation. The battle has already been won ya'll!

"When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you. ~Deut 20:1

Ukraine. Yes, I fell in love with you through a ‘Yes’ I spent 46 days walking the streets of Kyiv, walking through the doors of an orphanage and falling in love with two little boys. It’s heartbreaking to see what is being stolen from you, heartbreaking to see the loss of life, and heartbreaking to see orphans in the line of fire. But it’s been incredibly inspiring to see you stand up for your freedom, to speak truth, to protect what is yours. I pray that peace will overcome your country & that your people will become united and stronger because of the tragedies that have occurred.

Independence Square where I spent so much time;(

Oh, South Sudan. You captured my heart the moment I stepped off the plane and planted my feet on your hard red clay soil. This was a marker in my life where I could hear God clearly speaking to me, the place where He stripped me of every fear, every excuse, every no & brought me to a place of complete obedience. This was the place where my ‘Yes’ would change the direction of my life and the lives of my entire family. I grieve every time I read about the tribal conflict, the needless killing & now famine. I pray for a peace that South Sudan has never truly known, for God to tear down the walls of ethnic differences, and for the country to be filled with the Spirit of the only One that can give them the freedom they are searching for.

South Sudanese Mama

           "Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God 
                   is the one who goes with you He will not fail you or forsake you."~Deut 31:6

Israel. My feet will one-day walk on your holy ground...

I placed an app called 'Red Alert' on my phone that alarms every time a missile is shot at Israel. A reminder to pray for this holy land that was given to Abraham and his seed through Isaac and Jacob, with an everlasting and unconditional covenant. It's a constant reminder to pray for Israel, and I have seriously never prayed so much for a country. The app is free. Find it. Download it. Pray.

We know that God will never abandon Israel and in the end, Israel will be saved by God Almighty. (Malachi 3:6, Romans 11:1)

Bomb Shelter

Jerusalem

“Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.” ~Romans 10:1

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. ~John 14:27