"Live Simply....So Others Can Simply Live"

 While in the Dominican Republic I was reminded how the kids are exactly like my kids.  They LOVE baseball and hanging out being a kid.

 
       And then in an instant I get a reality check of the differences between my daughter who is blessed enough to get an education.....



and the vulnerable young girls that have no choice but to step into the dark world of prostitution to help provide for their family.

 

   It was in that moment......I thanked God that He gave me the desire to give this up......





to help these beautiful babies..... know that they are precious children of God.

 

 

       

In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
Acts 20:35

This Wild Ride!

    I don't know about you but I love theme parks.  We went to many as a child and even during my adult life!  My favorites of course were when we went to Disneyland in California.  That was an amazing trip.  We drove to California with the Bell family which were dear friends of our family.  We camped all the way there and had picnics at local parks all the way there.  I highly recommend it for anybody wanting to give their children AWESOME memories. 


   

     One of the funny moments I remember was when we were on Splash Mountain.  I was about 10 years old and I was sitting in the front.  As we chugged along in the dark tunnels inside the mountain and banged from side to side I remember Vic Bell saying to me, "Jenny, you got this?  You are in the driver's seat.....you are in control!"   At that moment I was petrified!  I can't remember what I was holding onto ....maybe it was just or bar or perhaps it was a steering wheel.....but I felt like nothing I was doing was making this an easier ride.  Yep.....and then we dropped.  I remember laughing and being so scared all at the same time.  I'm not sure when I realized that I really wasn't in charge or if I pretty much knew I wasn't the whole time.   All I knew was that it was really cool.

    So here I am....today.....on the biggest ride of my life....heading onto the mission field and for the first time in my adult life depending on other's for our full financial support and leaving all of our comforts.  I am having the same feelings of thinking I'm in the driver's seat but everything I try to control isn't making this an easier ride. So I am the one that says, "God, you got this?  You are in the driver's seat...You are in control".

I am no longer petrified.  I am still human so I have a constant battle with myself to not get nervous but to sit back and ENJOY the ride, SEE the miracles, EMBRACE the hard lessons, deepening my FAITH and NEVER EVER forget how COOL this ride is!!!!

Psalm 28:7
7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.