Will it ever end?

I was simply devastated when I heard of the impending storm headed to the tiny island in the Caribbean.  I knew they couldn't handle anything else.  The country of Haiti is still recovering from the Earthquake of 2010 and now there was news of a giant Hurricane named Matthew headed their way.
Not only could they not handle any more destruction, but my oldest son was there.  I stalked the news.  I googled the storm path often.  And I prayed.....alot!
Well the storm did hit on October 4th and 5th and while it doesn't appear that way to some, I believe that God did have his hand in the path of the storm because it was predicted to be much worse that it ended up.  As the storm passed the Western side of Haiti, it veered off course away from the main part of the land.  The final reports after the storm were that the Southern most parts of the impoverished country were destroyed beyond belief but that the main part of the land, including where my son was, was in fact spared from the most destruction eye of the storm and only suffered immense amounts of rain.  Now, don't get me wrong-this was a disastrous storm.  Entire cities were wiped away.  Mud slides occurred.  Crops are destroyed.  Families are torn as a result of deaths and destruction.
I am simply saying that it could have been worse had God not interceded.

Fast forward to October 10th, not even a full week after the storm.  My friend, Connie, post on her Facebook wall that her, along with some family, were traveling to Haiti to not only see some people, but also to work down south where the devastation was the worst.

I simply commented on the post "Jealous.  Wish I could go."  And she responded with-"Why don't you?"

My wheels began to turn and the plans started flooding my mind.  I had my passport.  I didn't have any Scentsy parties scheduled.  The kids are old enough that it is not as big of a deal when I leave.  So I called Paul.  He is used to my crazy ideas and plans.  And he even humors me most of the time.  Upon a small discussion, the agreement was if the funding came in then I was meant to go.

Paul and I make enough money to pay our bills and raise our family.  But we do not have a bank account bursting with dough.  That has never stopped a mission trip before though.  I added it up not long ago and the Lord has provided somewhere around $25,000 to our family solely for mission work!  So my work in fundraising began!

Now I didn't want Louis, my son,  to know that I was coming.  My plan was to surprise him by just standing in front of him.  So I was being secretive on Facebook.  So I simply posted this:

The plans was that I needed roughly $900 to cover my flights.  I was going to room with my friend Jordan while there.  Beyond that, I would just need a bit of cash for some food.

The private messages started coming in and I would tell them the plan.  At first, I just wanted verbal commitments to see if I could even bring in that money that fast.  Within a few hours, I had $750 committed to me.  At that point, in my mind, it was a go.  I started messaging friends and asking them to go ahead and start sending the money my way.  I was confident!

But just when I started to feel confident and comfortable with the situation-Satan got pissed!

I got a message that the hotel would not let me just crash in Jordan's room.  They now charged per person and it would be another $390 to cover hotel and food.  (all-inclusive)  That was $390 + $150 not accounted for.  Over $500+ that we did not have in our family budget.  How was I going to make this work?  I didn't know.  

I began sending messages to friends and family.  I knew I was to go on this trip!!!

So I started thinking out side of the box.  

Ah-ha!  I figured it out!  LuLaRoe!  

For those of you that don't know, LLR is a clothing line that I love (and have too much to admit).  Well the deal is that LLR holds its value--something very odd for clothing.  If anything, sometimes the value increases on hard to find prints--some of which I had.

I started digging through my closet and pulling out some of my beloved clothing and photographing it.  I began writing descriptions of what I had on a LLR trading site.  I was just about to hit "POST" when a text came through on my phone.  It said "We would like to give you the $900 for flights."

WHAT?  OMGoodness!  Are you SERIOUS?

Yes-it was true.  $900 was sent via square cash in a matter of minutes!  That meant I had the $ for flights.  I had the $ for hotel and food.  AND I now had $$$ left over to buy supplies to pack and take there or buy when we arrived.

BUT WAIT--I AM NOT DONE WITH THIS PART OF THE STORY!

---REWIND---  A few days earlier, I had picked up a dining room table from a friend with the agreement that when my existing table sold, I would pay her $300 for hers.  Well my table sold and I had the money to pay her.  I had set up a coffee date with her to chit chat and give her the money.  Since I was so busy prepping for my trip now, I was canceling the coffee date but wanted to run the money by to her.  When I texted her, her response was "Nope.  God told me last night the money was yours.  I just didn't know why until now!"  

I posted and asked for $900 for flights.  God provided well over $2000 along with other friends bringing items like soap, deodorant,  medicine, hygiene items, and clothing.

2 days later, I was at the airport at 4am ready to board a flight to Port au Prince, Haiti!

(To Be Continued...)

Ministry

What is ministry and what makes a minister?

I looked up the definitions of both and disagree with the more traditional definitions that pretty much state that ministers have to work for the church.  My perception in past has been somewhat of the same.  I have always thought ministers were stuffy, drab, poised, and proper.  Kind of like this:

However, lately, my eyes have been opened and my perception is changing.  I have come to realize that each and every one of us can have a ministry.  And these ministries don't have to be stuffy, formal, or pre-planned.  I have come to realize that my life and how I choose to live it is a ministry in itself!

This is my new definition of ministry:
When you take your God-given talents and gifts and use them to serve others under God's purpose.

I have also come to realize that God calls ALL OF US to be ministers!

That thought can be overwhelming and scary for sure.  But I want to encourage you that God's call for your life shouldn't be scary.  It shouldn't be overwhelming.  Because God would never call you for something that he won't prepare you for.  
Remember:

Also Remember:

So today, I encourage you to consider your ministry.  Perhaps  you are living out your ministry in full-force right now.  You know what it is and you are working it to the fullest.  Perhaps you know what God has called your ministry to be and you are scared to live it out.  I want to encourage you to take a step.  Even if it is just talking to someone about it.  (message me if you don't know who to talk to).  Or perhaps you have NO IDEA what God has in store for you.  No matter which is the case, KNOW THAT GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOU!  He created you for a reason!

Homesick

I am incredibly homesick!

Yet I am here, in Oklahoma, in the building called my house.

How can I feel like a foreign country is home when I haven't ever "lived" there for more than 9 days at a time?  But it's true.

I miss Haiti!

I miss the hustle and bustle of the Haitian market.

Yet, I miss the peace that is found in His word.

This is a photo of a Creole bible belonging to one of the guards at the orphanage we were staying at. Sevete, the owner of this book, changed my thinking.  He was a simple man who struggled to understand us and our language yet was eager to help.  He was quick to jump up and help, learning by watching.  But every minute his hands were not busy, he was on his knees in front of this book.  A powerful example of Christ in a human! 

I miss the peace that comes from holding one of Christ's children.

He calls us in his word to care for the widows and orphans.  The moment I have a child in my arms, I feel his presence in me refilling what the world strips everyday.

I miss the food!!!!!

A plate of FRESH (and I mean FRESH) lobster and vegetables.

If I recall correctly, this meal only cost me the equivalent of $6 American dollars.

While that sounds super cheap, that is more that one full day's wage in Haiti.  I truly was being a "spoiled American" when I ordered this but it sure was yummy!

Pickleez is a very hot relish that is served often.  

I LOVE this stuff but Paul says "No merci".

I have tried to make it here at home, but it is never quite right.

My all time favorite Haitian food is a pate bought on the street.

It is the item in the front left of this photo.  

Similar to a fry bread and filled with whatever meat they find that day along with fresh vegetables then deep fried.  (However, it is a great disappointment when it is filled with hot dog)

Two words.....Fruit Champagne!

Also known as Coronna or Coronne.

I miss traveling around the towns and countryside in "public transportation".

This is a tap-tap.  Not my favorite way to get around, but it is affordable and convenient.

The downfalls--

They are usually CRAM-PACKED full of people with no concept of personal space.

You never know what the person next to you just bought at market.  Could be a chicken or goat.  Maybe a huge bunch of plantains.  We have even seen a cow in one of these!

Motos are a bit more personal, but I still was WAY close to this driver!

And they are not used to the passengers hanging on for dear life like I was.

Most Haitian ride these "no hands", but that is just not my style.

I miss God's beauty exemplified through the land!

Haiti truly is an amazing place!

My heart longs to be there.

Listen More

Something to think about.....

We were created with two ears and only one mouth.  Why is that?

I could go into the Science of it all, but I really don't know all that are really, who cares about the anatomy of it all.  I care about how I can take this odd fact about ourselves and implement it into my daily life.

So as I think about it, I think there is one reason--

God wants us to--

I believe this little principle of life can help us in all aspects of our life:

-Spiritually

-Marriage

-Parenting

-Friendship

-Business

This post could go many different ways and I could write a whole book on this topic, but today I will focus on business.  Direct Sales and Recruiting to be specific.  

You see, in my experience with my Scentsy business, I have recruited somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 new consultants.  Some recruited themselves, some were easy to introduce to the business, but then some took work.  Some took time.  I think listening more and talking less were the essential ideas that helped me in this aspect of business.

You see, a recruit won't sign up because I need them to.  They won't sign up because I want that next promotion or next incentive.  They don't care about what is in it for my business.  They want to know how my business can benefit THEM!  I could go through the laundry list of all the benefits of the business, but I might lose them at the second or third "perk" if it doesn't apply to them specifically.

As a recruiter (and hopeful mentor), we need to listen.  We need to find out how our business can benefit his/her life.  We need to find out what they need from the business and from us as a leader.

How do you find this out?  YOU LISTEN.  SHUT UP AND LISTEN!

Ask open ended questions such as:

     -If you had an extra $200 every month what would you do with it?

     -If you could alleviate one negative factor of your life, what would it be?

     -Do you enjoy going to work?  Why or Why not?

     -If you could vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go?

     -Do you feel appreciated at work?  Why or Why not?

These questions can give you so much insight into someone's current life and their desires for change within that life.

My goal is to better the lives of others, and in turn, better my life as well.

Reminded

We are taught things daily.  Some things we remember from the first time we are told.  Other things we memorize while needed and then they leave our thoughts.  Yet more important things we are lucky enough to hear over and over as a reminder for our well-being and safety.

I was reminded of something this weekend that has changed my life, yet I still love reminders over again.  At church, we are in the midst of a series called Prepared.  Really, I haven't learned anything new rather I have been reminded of a practice that saved me while on my first trip to Haiti.

I took my first trip to Haiti in March of 2012.  I took this trip ALONE because everyone else backed out of the trip last minute.  Yes, I said ALONE.  Now I didn't know at the time how dangerous that decision was and trust me, I will not do that again.  However, I knew I was in the will of God and that I was called to be there so I went.

What I saw when I stepped off that American plane was shocking!  I was accosted with smells (not so pleasant), sounds, and visions which wrecked my soul.  Again, I knew I was in the will of God and protected, but I was terrified!
I had never experienced anything like this, and here I was experiencing it with only the Lord with me.

While this is not a picture that I personally took, this show the abundance of people waiting just outside the Port au Prince airport!

BUT-this picture was taken from in front of the airport where it is the wealthy people who are able to purchase plane tickets.

The sights that greeted me on the other side (while I didn't feel comfortable whipping out my camera) where just as chaotic but with a more questionable crowd.

I was filled with fear and doubt.  I couldn't find the men that were helping me find my transportation.  I was desperate yet trying to look in control.  I wanted to crawl into a fetal position and cry for my husband or my daddy.  Instead, I stood tall and called to my Heavenly Father.

Pastor George has spoken many times about how verses will come in a storm.  Well, a spoken word did not come to my head but a song did.  A song filled with verses speaking the Truth of the promises.  In my head, I sang The Lord is my Light and Salvation. Whom Shall I fear? Whom Shall I be Afraid?  As these word resonated through my soul, a calm swept over me.  As soon as I stopped the lyrics, fear and doubt crept in.  

You see, my pastor has taught me.  I do not have to convince the world to believe the word.  I have to remind myself what the word says and use it to stomp on the devil's face.  

So I have a few questions for you.....

-Do you have a church that is feeding you the word AND teaching you how to use it?  If not and you are in Tulsa, I would love to have you join me some Sunday.

-Are you spending time learning the word?  Do you have a scheduled time to replenish your soul?  It doesn't have to take hours.  Just 10-15 minutes a day.

-Are you conscious of what you feed into your mind?  The words of a praise and worship song saved my spirit that day.  If I hadn't filled my mind with those lyrics, what would have come to my mind?

So I close in asking this question?

What do you speak in time of tragedy and/or fear?

Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

A few days ago I wrote about how little things add into big things.  It was a positive "Get it done" type of blog urging you to do those things which seem insignificant because they can add up to become big things.
The saying could be illustrated like this...

But today, that same saying came blaring at me like this...

LITTLE THINGS BECOME BIG THINGS!

This same idea which was a happy little baby bird maturing, a sweet little seed becoming a beautiful tree, became something nasty, something awful, something I dread.  

A confession.....I procrastinate things that I dread.  I am pretty sure that we all do.  I have a large dislike for some things in life.....laundry (cleaning in general), paying bills, the "female" doctor, the dentist.  Well today, one of those dislikes, one of those things I procrastinate about smacked me in the face.

I went to the dentist this morning.  I went for just a normal routine cleaning that should be scheduled every 6 months.  (Remember how I said I procrastinate things I dread.  Yep.  Hadn't been for that 6 month cleaning in 18 months.)  Then he said the C word.  That's right!  C.A.V.I.T.Y.

EVEN WORSE...4 cavities.

Yuck. Ouch.  Ugh.

There is that idea again--Little things become big things.

Now I ask myself, "If I would have just sucked up my dread and gone a year ago like I should have, would I have these 4 cavities now?"  Lesson learned.

So, today, in the words of Ice Cube-

Calling today to make "that other" appointment that I dread.  (Maybe I should do the laundry too.)

Gods Gift

I have been asked many times why I spend my free time in front of a sewing machine making items to sell when I have a very successful business already.

The answer is really three-fold:

          1. Believe it or not, it is like stress relief to hear the soft hum of my           sewing machine.

          2. Crafting is my hobby (aside from shopping)

          3. God told me to.

Yes-you read that correctly.  No-I am not one of those bible-thumpin' crazies, but I do believe the Lord will answer when you ask a question.

So let me take you back a few years.  In March of 2012, I travelled to Haiti for the first time.  It was an interesting story of how I ended up there.  (Maybe I will pour my heart out and tell the story here someday.)  That trip was the first of many.  So my first trip was fully funded from very generous donations from friends and family.  My second trip was funded again from donations.  When I agreed to a third trip, my heart began to wonder.  I wondered if asking for donations was the right thing to do.  You see I fully believe that some people are "funders" of the work of the Lord and some are "doers" of the work of the Lord.  Both are needed!!!  And I didn't want to take away that opportunity for those generous people to give, but I also didn't want to take advantage of the relationships I had with people both so close to me and people I barely even knew.  I needed to make sure that I was doing this the correct way.

(This is me wondering.....)

But we do not have the money to fund these trips.

What will I do if I don't ask for donations?

Then as I thought and thought even more, I realized that this was not my problem to solve.

This was my opportunity to ask God what he wants me to do.

So I went to God in prayer asking how we were going to fund these trips.  I asked and I waited.  I waited for an answer like many of us do.  I waited.  I waited.  I waited.  

Then one day while I was working on a Pinterest project (follow me!), God spoke to me!

Now when I say he spoke to me-I didn't hear a voice from the skies.  It was not an audible voice at all.  It was a thought.  A thought that God placed inside of me to answer the question I had asked him weeks ago.

The thought?

I CAN SEW!

God's gifts come in a wide range of talents and passions.  I am filled with gifts from God, but the one he was urging me to use in this instance was my ability to craft.  Yes, God cares about crafting!  It was a talent He placed in me.

I had been crafting and sewing for years.  I would give items as gifts or just give items away to people so I could make something else.  Now I had a purpose for my crafting.  I could sell these items to fund my trips!

Well, Paul and I have not been to Haiti since last November.  I would leave today if I had the chance!  I miss that place.  I miss my friends.  I miss the smells.  I miss the sounds.  I miss the commotion and I miss the peace.  We don't know what God has planned for us in the "NOW" but we know that God has given us a heart for missions.  He has given us a purpose--to help others better their lives.  We also know that if an opportunity were to come before us today, we do not have the funds to say YES.  Therefore, I sew.  I craft.  I sell.

All the monies raised from selling my hand-crafted items goes into a fund specifically set aside for missions.  We couldn't do this without the help of each and every one of you and so I thank you for your contributions.

Wondering how you can help?  Go to your facebook account and "Like" Crafted for Hope.  Then tell all your friends to do the same thing.