I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty.
- 2 Corinthians 6:18

Friday, November 14, 2014

Sometimes God Answers Prayers Quicker Than Expected.

 I thought about titling this post 'In Which I'm Going to do Something Crazy and Pray that God Comes Through,' but it seemed a little wordy. But you see, when I was writing this previous post just a few days ago, I honest to goodness had no clue God would answer my plea for radical living in the here and now in such a... Well, in such a crazy radical way.

 If you don't know by now, I am passionate about the ministry of Compassion International. But even more so than that, I'm passionate about the children, teens, and families whose lives they are changing. Poverty feeds lies to these children and teens- lies that tell them they have no potential. That they aren't worth anything.

 I mean think about it for a second. Most teens here in first-world America don't have to worry about dropping out of school so they can support their families financially. But for that 15 year old over in Columbia, it is a very real possibility. With little schooling though, it's hard for them to find jobs that will provide substantial income. So they're left to rummaging through garbage, begging on the streets, drug dealing, prostitution. And that breaks my heart.

 Christ calls us to speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves. He calls us to holy burdens for those living in poverty- right here in America and to the ends of the earth. And Compassion is giving us a simple, but so incredibly important way to respond to the Great Commission and combat the poverty in the lives of His children.

 And it's as easy as giving twenty-five dollars.

 That's all it takes for you to change the life of a child in poverty. Because there's this thing called vocational training. Compassion is providing teens with training in fields that interest them, teaching them skills to secure jobs as adults. Compassion is working alongside these teens to give them the confidence and skills needed to break the cycle of poverty.

 The cost to provide teens with vocational training, such as cooking, tailoring, and computer skills, is $500. And when I first looked at that number, I thought, "That's way too much, God. I couldn't do that." But our relentless Lord continued to press this on my heart and I truly believe He will see it through to completion.

 Here's where I need your help, friends. All I need is twenty people to give $25. That's it. Just twenty people to skip dinner out for one night and instead support this mission. If you're not sure yet about the monthly commitment of sponsoring a child, but want to do something, this is for you. If you already sponsor a child and want to do more, this is for you, too.

 My goal is to collect all 500 dollars by December 31st. If you want to walk alongside me and this incredible ministry in releasing these teens from poverty, would you please consider supporting this cause? We have set up a secure PayPal account to make giving as easy as possible for you. Any amount is of course appreciated and needed.

 Also, please be praying with me through this. This is God calling me to radical living and I'm not taking it lightly. Pray for the teens that will receive this training- that God would open doors to break the cycle and open hearts to know Him. And most importantly, pray that this would be used for His glory and to further His Kingdom. Because that's really what it's all about.

 So, give through our PayPal account here, send a check (email me at conversefamily{at}yahoo{dot}com for our mailing address), or hand it directly to me if you see me around. If you have questions, leave a comment below, send me a message, or find me in person- I'd love to chat! Thank you in advance for partnering with me for His glory!

 To further His Kingdom,
 Abigail

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

When My Comfort Zone Became the Third World

 Dear October + nearly half of November, where did you go? Really. I feel like I blinked and it just flew right past me. Once upon a time I thought I could blog on a single topic for 31 days straight with no planning whatsoever. We all know how well that worked out. But although I only wrote 11 days out of 31, change happened. This heart of mine was opened and broken. It was brought to a deeper understanding and awareness of God's great love. And in this awareness of Him, He placed this little question in my heart.

 What if I asked you to stay?

 As in stay here. In Georgia. As in no mission trip next summer. The question literally stopped me in my tracks while I was fixing lunch a couple weeks ago. I mean seriously. Come on, God. You're the one who placed this passion for the world in my heart. And now You're asking if I would stay?!

 I've just been so positive I'd be going somewhere. Whether it be Ethiopia or the Dominican Republic or somewhere else. So here I am shaking my head at God because how could I not go?

 A sweet friend of mine kinda brought this revelation to a whole new level when she told me, "When we talk about stepping out of our comfort zones and doing the hard thing, our comfort zones have become the third world. The foreign country. And sometimes the hardest thing and the place we'll end up being stretched the most is here."

 At home.

 I'm all about stepping out in faith and going outside my comfort zone. But what happens when the foreign country becomes my comfort zone? Because no matter how heartbreaking and challenging it is, it's where I want to be.