Where's the strength I should have?

Have you ever picked up items in your home and are instantly transported to a place and time in your past?  Such as a little blanket that is no longer in use because your child has grown too large to use it. As you brush your fingers over the stitching you remember the smell of your baby after they got out of the bath.  The smell of baby lotion fills your memory.  They would stretch out that little arm as far as it would go and yawn as big as they could.  The sound of the wind exiting their lungs fills your ears and just as their arm would drop down to the blanket they would fall asleep.  A little coo warms  the heart.  Then you nuzzle your nose on the top of their soft head and your lips remember the feather soft fuzz tickling them.

These flashes happened in rapid succession for me over the past week with the numerous items in my home until my mind was in a state of being stress paralyzed.  Thankfully my mother-in-law Della, father-in-law Daniel, and brother and sister-in-law Matthew and Amber came to KC this last weekend to help us get everything either out to the garage, into a moving truck, or to Goodwill.  Words can never completely express my gratitude for them during this time.  I do not know how I would have ever been able to get it even halfway done if they had not been there.

Sunday I woke with a terrible cold and feeling like I had been in a car wreck my body ached so much.  The kids and I rested on Sunday while Chris worked a 48 hour shift at the ER in the hospital.  Monday the work week started and I was still sick, but being the last week of work I could not justify missing any days. Tuesday on the drive to work I was still not improved and really struggling with all the things still left to do at the house and working full time.  I was listening to the local Christian radio station and the verse of the day was Psalms 73:26- My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart: He is mine forever.  Immediately I was encouraged and thought about how this is so true.  I thanked God for putting that out there for me to hear and know that once again He is my strength and portion. 

I want you to encourage you saying the same thing. Christ is with you! Even if you are selling/getting rid of the majority of your things to follow Him.  Or if your health is failing you to the point of exhaustion and irritability is abounding.  Christ is your strength and HIS strength is unending and in abundance!

As always please continue to pray for us.  We thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers as we continue on this journey to Cameroon.   Please feel free to email us at emergent2016@gmail.com if there is anything we can pray for you about or if you just want to say, “Hey”. 

Ashley and Family

“The Will of God will NOT take you, where the Grace of God cannot protect you.”

Are We Really Safe?

I thought I was prepared for the upcoming moments of the day.  They told me it would be this way. And yet the moment the AK-47 and the shot gun fired I jump out of my  seat and hit the floor face down.   Heart racing, pounding in my ears, hands shaking I sneak a look at the one’s firing the guns.  They yell, “Don’t look at me!!  Give me your phone and money!”  I slide my bag as gently as possible across the floor and with trembling hands reach into my bag and get out my wallet and set it on the desk for the ones that are robbing me.   I rest my head on the floor and wait for it to end.  The yelling quiets and I hear, “Let’s get out of here! The cops are coming!”  One guy flies by me and then………SILENCE.

“ACEDEMIC MODE!”

This was the first of many situational role playing models that were simulated during the next 6 hours for our safety /security training.  They explained the importance of being prepared and not paranoid.  The goal is to know that we are able to go to Cameroon with a plan of action and awareness of situations that may occur.  We were told over and over again to remember Matthew 10:16- Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

This was just part of the 11 days in training with CMDA and Samaritans Purse for our medical mission work.  Chris and I were taught about cultural awareness and the differences that we may experience while abroad. We were given a tour of Samaritans Purse and shown the many aspects of the organization that is sending us.  Let me just announce that we were given wonderful training and information, and  I personally came away from the experience encouraged and at the same time slightly overwhelmed by the gravity of moving. 

I am extremely thankful that we are going with an organization that tracks their Missionaries and makes safety a priority.  This gives me great comfort as that is one concern that not just myself but almost every other family there expressed.  I know that ultimately safety can be an illusion, but in Christ is the safest place anyone can be.  I found this scripture; or rather this scripture found me and it brings me back to place that I can be assured.  Joshua 1:9- Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. Isn’t that awesome!! 

As always please keep us in your prayers during this time of preparation and transition.  If you will look to the right column there is now a space where you can enter your email address and it will add you to the loop to be notified when a post is made.  Please feel free to enter your email address there.  If you have any questions or things that you would like us to join you in prayer about you can email us.  It would be our honor to pray for you. 

The Giffords

“The Will of God will not take you where the Grace of God cannot protect you.”