thank you
Thank you to each of you who crocheted, bought, made blankets and sent them to me for Ecuador. Thank you for praying over those blankets and for the little ones who will be wrapped in them.
Father,
Thank you for this trip. Thank you for caring friends who sacrificed, who prayed, who are praying, and who tangibly did something for a little one. Thank you for the babies who will sleep in these blankets. Thank you that they will be healthy, that they will be warm, fed, and nurtured.
I pray for the team who are flying in from all over the nation to join with Compassion International. Thank you for showing us your heartbeat on this trip. May we listen, and respond.
In your amazing powerful and loving name, Amen.
And on a lighter note? I’m also thankful for space bags! (Thanks, Linda Au, for the suggestion.) You responded so well that I had more blankets than luggage. Look at the pic above, and then see what space bags did!
All fifty blankets made it into two space bags. They are heavy and they filled the suitcase, but they fit!
Posted by Suzie @
9:30 am |
what is ministry?
I found a group of photos and videos from our youth church from a long time ago on Facebook the other day.
I laughed at some of the fashions. I loved reading the comments. But the photos also made me pause. I loved these teens, now adults, and I still do. I know that some have had tough times. I know that others are still seeking. Please hear me. I’m not big enough, nor qualified, to look into the heart of any person and say where they are spiritually. But there’s something that happens when you kneel beside a teen as they weep and pray, soaking in God’s presence. Or you slide down Mud Mountain at youth camp, or listen to their struggles, or are the recipient of their hugs. I loved being a youth sponsor. I remember the light bulb going off when a Scripture made sense, or a teen grasped a truth that was life transforming.
Many have babies and families now. Some have gone on to ministry themselves. Others are living in different parts of the country. They have all changed. (more…)
Posted by Suzie @
9:28 am |
Inspiration Journey Day #4: LifeHouse
If you don’t want to get pregnant, you won’t.
This came up in a recent conversation about abortion, a topic I care about a lot.
“Let’s balance the “don’ts” with some tangible help,” I said. “What about the 13-year-old who is a victim of incest? What about the girl who is pregnant and doesn’t know where to live or find her next meal because she’s on the street if she keeps the baby. What do we do for that person?”
Thus, another inspiring person. Rather than pointing fingers, Becky Turner is changing lives. She’s passionately prolife and also provides assistance to young moms – get this, free of charge.
LifeHouse provides a Christian family home setting undergirded by counseling, instruction and post-partum support. LifeHouse relies on faith and the support of the Christian community to change and save lives.
They’ve been doing this since 1988 when a group of committed believers joined together to open a Christ-centered residential facility for pregnant teens and young women. The basis of their ministry comes from James 1:27 (Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world).
Becky Turner says, “As the church we proclaim that abortion is not an option – and this is true – but we do not always provide assistance to those mothers who do choose life for their baby. In the over 20 years of ministry we have shown the love of Christ to over 440 women and their precious unborn babies – these girls/women are our heroes.”
LifeHouse has two homes in South Houston, TX. One is a 4 bedroom, 3 bath home with an attached 2 bedroom/1 bath apartment that is fully paid for and can house up to six residents. The second home is in the middle of remodeling but will open on July 1st and will also house six residents.
Turner says, “These girls/women that come to our homes do not just receive room and board but are provided an example of what it is like to live in a family that cares for one another. The Houseparents’ role is critical as they demonstrate unconditional love to many who do not even want to be loved. It is an amazing thing to watch as the Holy Spirit begins to soften these women and the self-preservation walls begin to come down and the trust level is increased between the resident and the Housemom and Housedad. Many are then ripe to receive God’s free gift of salvation and are fertile ground for rich discipleship to occur.”
The heart of what they do at LifeHouse is to model family and community.
Check out LifeHouse here
If you want to do something, check out the registry for their 2nd LifeHouse home. You can buy something and it will be sent directly to LifeHouse!
Posted by Suzie @
6:53 am |
Women’s Bible Study Expo
Have you ever wondered what books you could use in your Bible study? Or in your women’s ministries or small cell group?
I had the most fun yesterday talking with Marnie Swedberg and her audience of women’s ministry leaders. But I was only one of many, including Hearts at Home founder Jill Savage, authors and speakers Jennifer Rothschild, Lysa TerKeurst, Nancy Stafford, Nancy Leigh DeMoss, and many others.
Check out this great site and listen to the interviews, read about the books, and see if any of these women or topics might be great for your group (or you!).
Link: Women’s Bible Study Expo. Oh, and did I mention they are giving away prizes? That just makes it more fun!
Posted by Suzie @
7:03 am |
Another resource for women
Have you ever felt alone as a mom? Lost in your chosen field of mothering?
There is an organization that was created to encourage, educate and equip women in the profession of motherhood. Hearts at Home helps thousands of moms love their lives through their many resources including conferences, website, and books.
I’ve had the privilege of speaking at Hearts at Home several times. I’ve even traveled to Europe twice to speak to moms in Hungary, Austria, and Germany with Hearts at Home Intl. They are the real deal!
Recently I partnered up with this organization as a blogger. I know. I blog here, at Christian Momlogic, at Real Teen Faith, for Christianity Today’s Gifted for Leadership.
One more blog, Suzie? Are you kidding?
I’m just passionate about connecting with great organizations that really do care about women of faith.
From time to time I will share with you the many resources this ministry has to offer (old ones and new). To learn more about the Hearts at Home Blogging team go here. In the meantime I would like to encourage you to explore their website and blog for an immediate dose of mothering encouragement.
Posted by Suzie @
7:02 am |
good friends
Baby showers. Wedding showers. Wedding for my nephew, Mitch. Speaking at a retreat. Speaking at a university. Attending my son’s 1st full marathon in another city. Speaking at two writer’s conferences in Colorado and Pennsylvania. A church board member retreat in Missouri. Graduation commencement for my SIL, Josh, in Arkansas. These are events that fill my weekend calendar from now until mid-June.
All amazing things, but somewhere in that busy calendar something is missing.
Friendship.
When Richard and I moved last year to be closer to the university, we left a community we’d lived in for two decades.
Though our calendar is filled with events and special family functions, we’ve struggled to figure out how to connect with people in our new community, and to keep the bonds strong in our old one.
That’s something we didn’t have to do in our old community, but we are slowly realizing that connecting with new friends is intentional.
So we took two steps this week, long overdue.
We met a cool couple who are pastors of the college campus ministry at the university two miles from us. He’s working full-time as a campus pastor. She’s working full time in a local church as a secretary, and due to have a baby any second tomorrow.
I asked Amanda if she’d like us to host an enchilada and ping pong ministry. (No, you don’t do them at the same time. ♥) I explained that when we lived in Muskogee, some of the most fun times were when people came over and I cooked for them and we ate and played cards and ping pong and games and just hung out. It was relational. It was the best way to talk about faith and life.
Just talking about it makes me realize how much I miss that all over again.
Amanda and Jeff were excited and said yes! So, on May 1st I’m cooking a ton of enchiladas for Amanda and Jeff and 40 to 50 in their campus ministry. We’ll set up the ping pong table. (I love, love to play!) We’ll create a fire pit in the back for S’mores, and I’ll even dust a little around the place to make it homey. The back deck is ready for music and worship and good conversation.
And as busy as my calendar is, I think this is the brightest spot on it.
And this Friday we are having friends over. Old friends from Muskogee that I haven’t seen in at least three years and who I miss. Busy life and distance have kept us apart physically, though the strong bond hasn’t went anywhere.
More cooking. More dusting. I’ll throw a roast, potatoes, carrots in the crockpot and make a fruit pizza for desert. A game of Wii bowling will top off the night!
Can you tell I’m excited?
Yes, my calendar is full. I don’t think that’s going to change any time soon, but the Eller house is going to be full again and that just makes me happy.
Posted by Suzie @
7:09 am |
