#2 of 10 Days of Prayer for Our Trip: Wisdom

Wisdom.  This one was a group effort.  I think between the boys realizing we may say or do things that are not customary, and myself just being a mommy who so often doubts that I have an ounce of wisdom in my normal day, we recognized our need for wisdom in another culture out of our ordinary day.  The great thing is that wisdom is available to us no matter where we are because it is an offering of God who is everywhere....He's pretty great like that.

I'm going to let you prayer warriors in on a bit of our conversation last night so you can pray specifically for my guy.  Jonathan specifically told me NOT to give him directions on things to do or not to do.  I will not listen to him, but let me shed a bit of light on why he said this.  He has some difficulty processing directions at home.  Most of us have a tough time following directions (how many of you have followed God's Word without messing up....in the last 5 minutes?!?!?)  BUT he knows this about himself and he is nervous about messing something up.  Proverbs 4:5 says, "Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them." Jonathan is subscribing to ignorance and asking for the negative of this verse, "no wisdom given, no understanding expected."  I promise, he is brilliant....in a twisted way sometimes.  Last night he was openly emotional that he is afraid of messing something up.  I know....tough stuff.  The truth is, he will mess up.  But so will I.  And Joshua.  And Aimee and anyone else on this earth.  But I trust that we will get through and rest in God's hands....Jonathan isn't so sure at times.

So pray for wisdom.  Pray for our spirits to be ready to accept wisdom.  The book of Proverbs talks about the protection wisdom provides.  We want that protection....deep down Jonathan does want it....and that is why he was emotional about it.  We want the promises of beautiful amazing things that come when lives yield to wisdom.

Proverbs 3:13-18 Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

Proverbs 4:6  Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. 

#1 of 10 Days of Prayer for our Trip: Joy

Joy.  This one came from Joshua.  He was mostly thinking about the very long plane ride ahead of us.  I think he has concern about getting a wee-bit grumpy!  In requesting he originally said "happiness" and I asked if he meant "joy".  He asked, "aren't they the same thing...." and before he even finished he remembered being taught the difference.  I reminded him of the definitions; that happiness relies on circumstances and then he finished, "Joy comes from God."  Oh, how I am thankful for these sweet moments of highlighting some of our faith's foundational topics right along side my precious little men.

Our request is that we will have JOY... regardless of circumstances....not settle for happiness....that we will have peace in our hearts from the Lord.....that when situations which may normally rattle our souls come (and we are bound to have them!) that the JOY only He can provide will prevail and radiate, that we will stop and pray for where He wants to lead in that moment, and that we will have hearts of thankfulness....all starting with His JOY.



Psalm 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.


1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

10 Days of Prayer Requests

Tonight, the boys and I came up with a list of things we want to pray about over these next 10 days in the States before we leave....so will you join us in praying for these things on our hearts? Each day, I may share in a bit more detail about the topic requested for prayer.  But you can use this as a general guide and find scripture to encourage us in these areas. 

~~10 Days of Prayer For our Tanzania Trip ~~

Sunday, March 30- Joy
Monday, March 31- Wisdom 
Tuesday, April 1- Patience 
Wednesday, April 2- Good Attitudes
Thursday, April 3- Responsibility
Friday, April 4- Unity
Saturday, April 5- Willingness to be out of our comfort zone
Sunday, April 6- Kind Hearts
Monday, April 7- Safety
Tuesday, April 8- Trust in God

Comment below with scripture that may encourage us in each of these areas.  Thank you for joining us on this journey!

THANK YOU!  

9 Days till Travel!

9 days?!?!?  This is a trip that God began in my heart 6 years ago and in 9 days, we will begin our travels to the other side of the world.  Three years ago as I sat and talked to my boys of this hope in my heart to someday travel with them to Africa, Jonathan spoke of his vision to bring Legos and share the love of Jesus with children in the orphanage....God provided thousands of Legos that are now packed in luggage awaiting our trip in 9 days.  15 months prior to our leaving North America, Jesus used a my baby boy and a sweet tiny baby in Tanzania to burden my heart and make this whole dream a live plan, and that live plan has grown over those months and will leave this continent in just 9 days!  July 2013, Aimee's dream of someday returning to Africa joined my dream, and in 9 days, this uniting of our little team will take flight.  September 2013, the boys and our family and friends and neighbors all started collecting bottles and cans to raise money.....(God provided over 36,000 cans!).....and cashed them in to be used in just 9 days. This past November, just 5 months prior to take off, we made our trip official and booked our tickets that are dated April 8th, 2014....9 days away.  Over these last 5 months, I have seen people God has given me throughout my entire life take part in this trip....literally, my.entire.life....from family immediate and extended, elementary school, middle school, high school, college, Missouri, Delaware, mamas who have lost children, our current church, homeschool families....all have been used to humble my heart to realize this whole plan is way way WAY bigger than I have written in my itinerary....and in 9 days, carried by that lifetime of love and support, we board a plane. 16 pieces of luggage filled with our things and gifts for friends and for faces we have never met await checked baggage....

....in 9 days.  

Will you pray for us over these next 9 days and into our 12 days of travel.  We would be honored to be added to your daily prayer lists, group prayer requests as well as your day to day talk with the Creator of all things.  April 20th, just 21 days from today we are back in the states.  This journey has been so intricately woven thus far....I cannot wait to share what life is like in 21 days!

*If you have legos in your home, would you place one in a spot you look frequently (bathroom mirror, windowsill, car cup holder, refrigerator, etc) and use it as a reminder to pray for us???  THANK YOU so so so much!

Delighted in Him,
Karen


Psalm 37:4
'Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.'