Off to Kenya in 19 days!!!

I know I haven't blogged about anything personal so far, but the purpose of this blog is to chronicle our family's journey in attempting to live out Isaiah 58. Last October, Sean visited India and Sri Lanka. He was able to fellowship with brothers and sisters who must meet in remote jungle areas due to persecution. He also visited an orphanage. Happily, he will be able to drop in for another visit on the way back from Kenya! We found that it was actually cheaper to fly this route, which ended up being a huge blessing.

It was so awesome to see how God not only provided the funds for that trip, but also covered the wages Sean was unable to earn while he was away. When we seek our Father's kingdom and righteousness first, He truly does supply all our needs. I love His ways!

I will share more details on the Kenya trip soon! In the meantime, we appreciate your prayers for continued guidance and provision for His will to be done!

Watoto Children's Choir | Not Forgotten

We are going to see the Watoto Children's Choir tonight. It is such a blessing to see these beautiful children who have been rescued from unspeakable horrors praise their Redeemer Jesus. The story of Watoto is an incredible testimony (see the Watoto Documentary below). These children were once orphans but never forgotten by their heavenly Father. He sets the solitary in families!

Watoto Documentary

Kisses from Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption

Here is another example of what God will do when we just say "Yes, Lord" and obey the command to love others as He loves us. I just finished reading the book~and words can't express how powerful her testimony is.

Loving the Least of These

Every Single One

Forty pairs of little eyes
Stared into this heart of mine
A memory burned inside my soul
One that never has let go
I looked into the face of need
The least of these looked back at me
I was unprepared and overwhelmed
With little time and much to tell

I’ve seen Jesus standing all alone
I’ve seen Jesus, He was young and He was old
I’ve seen Jesus in the eyes of all His daughters and sons
Every single one

In a world away from luxury
Is where I found prosperity
Where greater love laid down His life
For the orphan and the widowed wife

I found Jesus
He’s living with the poor
I’ve found Jesus
He’s easy to ignore
I’ve found Jesus in the eyes of all His daughters and sons
Every single one

By Geoff Moore and Ben Glover

How do we care for the least of these?

By loving the stranger:

For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Deuteronomy 10:17-19

By giving of our increase to feed the stranger, the fatherless, the widow and the full time ministers of the Lord:

At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates: And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest. Deuteronomy 14:28-29

By treating them justly and sharing our increase with them, remembering that we were once in bondage:

Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow's raiment to pledge: But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing. When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands. When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing. Deuteronomy 24:17-22

By defending them, delivering and rescuing the poor, afflicted and needy:

Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. Psalm 82:3-4

By relieving them and advocating for them:

Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Isaiah 1:17

By sharing our bread with the hungry, bringing the homeless into our homes, and covering the naked:

Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Isaiah 58:7 By showing mercy and compassion to them:

Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. Zechariah 7:9-10

By visiting them in their affliction:

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. James 1:27