Thursday, July 09, 2009
Pictures of girls needing prayer
In my previous post, I shared the tragic story of sisters Ruth and Sarah. Here is their picture, along with another new girl who just arrived on Tuesday, with a similar background. Her name is Godiya. Beautiful smiles. Broken hearts. Please pray for restoration, healing, and complete freedom and deliverance.
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Urgent Prayer
I received the following message today....
City Ministries Nigeria just rescued two sisters who are in desperate need of prayer. Ruth (6) and Sarah (11) were lured into joining a secret witchcraft society. To enter this evil cult they had to sacrifice something of value to them. Brainwashed by the members, they gave permission for their mom to be murdered. This happened last week. The funeral took place Saturday.
Learning what had happened, their Uncle brought them to us immediately following the funeral services. Although finances have limited the amount of new kids we can take, we accepted these girls due to the urgency and nature of their situation. After an all day prayer session with the girls Sunday they gave their life to Christ...Hallelujah!
They are in desperate need of people interceding on their behalf. Here are some things you pray for:
~ Protection particularly between midnight and 3 AM (6 PM to 9 PM your time). Due to the nature of what they were involved in they are under heavy spiritual attack during the night.
~ Forgiveness. As the reality of what has taken place sinks in chances are the enemy will try and use guilt to lure them away from their freedom in Christ. Please pray that they grasp the concept that there sin has been paid for in full and they are blameless in the eyes of God.
~ Aunty Altine. She will be their new mother at the orphanage. Please pray for her and the other girls living in her house.
City Ministries Nigeria just rescued two sisters who are in desperate need of prayer. Ruth (6) and Sarah (11) were lured into joining a secret witchcraft society. To enter this evil cult they had to sacrifice something of value to them. Brainwashed by the members, they gave permission for their mom to be murdered. This happened last week. The funeral took place Saturday.
Learning what had happened, their Uncle brought them to us immediately following the funeral services. Although finances have limited the amount of new kids we can take, we accepted these girls due to the urgency and nature of their situation. After an all day prayer session with the girls Sunday they gave their life to Christ...Hallelujah!
They are in desperate need of people interceding on their behalf. Here are some things you pray for:
~ Protection particularly between midnight and 3 AM (6 PM to 9 PM your time). Due to the nature of what they were involved in they are under heavy spiritual attack during the night.
~ Forgiveness. As the reality of what has taken place sinks in chances are the enemy will try and use guilt to lure them away from their freedom in Christ. Please pray that they grasp the concept that there sin has been paid for in full and they are blameless in the eyes of God.
~ Aunty Altine. She will be their new mother at the orphanage. Please pray for her and the other girls living in her house.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
To my dad.....
During my years in Nigeria, I became more and more grateful for my childhood and for the loving father God gave me. The children I took care of have been beaten by their dads, have been thrown out on the streets by their dads, have been disowned by their dads because the child chose to follow Christ, have been starved by their dads, have been cursed by their dads. The one person in their life who was created to protect them, guide them, accept them, teach them, encourage them in a way no one can... for so many children all over the world, their fathers have caused unspeakable harm
In the midst of the sorrow I saw, God opened my eyes even more to what an amazing Dad I have.
~ It was him, not Mom, who first put my hair in pigtails when I was 1 years old.
~ When I was 3 years old, he let me sit on his lap and drive the riding lawn mower... right into a fence.
~ Some of my favorite childhood memories are when Dad and I would wake up super early and go fishing on his boat. It didn't matter if my cast was pathetic, if I caught a tree, or if I got the twine all tangled up - he was so patient with me and I knew that he loved those mornings just as much as me. One morning, we were fishing for white bass and man, they were biting. We started a competition to see who could catch the most by a certain time... and I won! I think I caught 31 and he caught 27. It was awesome.
~ Every Christmas for years, Shane and I would wake up and go into Mom and Dad's bedroom and crawl in bed with Mom while Dad went downstairs to turn on the heater, start the fire, make the coffee and get things all cozy for us. For years we made him be "Santa Claus" by handing our gifts to us, as we went around the circle and watched each other open one gift at a time. One Christmas morning, I caught him putting together a dollhouse for me. I think he was bummed that I caught him, but it's a special memory for me because I saw the joy in his face as he worked on the surprise.
~ He makes the BEST omelets. Dad loves to make "Big Breakfasts" and I love to eat them.
~ If he knew that mom or I needed to go somewhere and our car was dirty, many times I would go outside and find a sparkling clean car. He still does this!
~ He loves to make the outside of our home beautiful. Dad has a natch for landscaping and every house we've lived in has been blessed by dad's hands.
~ Whenever he would leave in the early mornings to go fishing (when I wouldn't go), he always came and kissed my forehead before he left.
~ He always knew when I was trying to pull a fast one on him during High School and he was quick to discipline, but always quicker to love me in the midst of it all.
~ He loves to drive me nuts by mispronouncing words on purpose... like "guacamala"
~ When I am crying, he will start crying with me. (and I think this is AWESOME for a man to do this!).
~ If he doesn't want to cry, he will start laughing.
~ Every morning for years, he goes on one hour 'power walks' - an hour of powerful prayer and intercession. Our dog, Bonnie, who has spent these special hours with him for many years, has sure been privy to to some incredible conversations between my Dad and the Lord.
~Dad is an extremely gracious man.
~ Dad loves his family with a passion and seeks to serve the Lord every day of his life.
~ He loves my mom dearly and has been faithful to her all 37 years of their marriage.
I love you Dad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love, Princess
In the midst of the sorrow I saw, God opened my eyes even more to what an amazing Dad I have.
~ It was him, not Mom, who first put my hair in pigtails when I was 1 years old.
~ When I was 3 years old, he let me sit on his lap and drive the riding lawn mower... right into a fence.
~ Some of my favorite childhood memories are when Dad and I would wake up super early and go fishing on his boat. It didn't matter if my cast was pathetic, if I caught a tree, or if I got the twine all tangled up - he was so patient with me and I knew that he loved those mornings just as much as me. One morning, we were fishing for white bass and man, they were biting. We started a competition to see who could catch the most by a certain time... and I won! I think I caught 31 and he caught 27. It was awesome.
~ Every Christmas for years, Shane and I would wake up and go into Mom and Dad's bedroom and crawl in bed with Mom while Dad went downstairs to turn on the heater, start the fire, make the coffee and get things all cozy for us. For years we made him be "Santa Claus" by handing our gifts to us, as we went around the circle and watched each other open one gift at a time. One Christmas morning, I caught him putting together a dollhouse for me. I think he was bummed that I caught him, but it's a special memory for me because I saw the joy in his face as he worked on the surprise.
~ He makes the BEST omelets. Dad loves to make "Big Breakfasts" and I love to eat them.
~ If he knew that mom or I needed to go somewhere and our car was dirty, many times I would go outside and find a sparkling clean car. He still does this!
~ He loves to make the outside of our home beautiful. Dad has a natch for landscaping and every house we've lived in has been blessed by dad's hands.
~ Whenever he would leave in the early mornings to go fishing (when I wouldn't go), he always came and kissed my forehead before he left.
~ He always knew when I was trying to pull a fast one on him during High School and he was quick to discipline, but always quicker to love me in the midst of it all.
~ He loves to drive me nuts by mispronouncing words on purpose... like "guacamala"
~ When I am crying, he will start crying with me. (and I think this is AWESOME for a man to do this!).
~ If he doesn't want to cry, he will start laughing.
~ Every morning for years, he goes on one hour 'power walks' - an hour of powerful prayer and intercession. Our dog, Bonnie, who has spent these special hours with him for many years, has sure been privy to to some incredible conversations between my Dad and the Lord.
~Dad is an extremely gracious man.
~ Dad loves his family with a passion and seeks to serve the Lord every day of his life.
~ He loves my mom dearly and has been faithful to her all 37 years of their marriage.
I love you Dad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love, Princess
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Don't Shrink Back
There are so many thoughts in my head and I've felt compelled to share this journey, with the prayer that God will use what I am learning to encourage others. I've found it difficult to know where to start, which has prevented me from even starting. So, I am just going to dive in and share bit by bit and hope it makes sense.
The last 10 years of my life have been focused on either preparing to go to Nigeria or actually living there. My years in Nigeria were life-changing. So many times while I was there I thought to myself "This is what I was made for" - loving on orphans and caring for people in their distress. I felt so alive there, so full of God's love for His people. I was constantly amazed that He would allow me to be a small part in the lives of the precious children whom He loves so much. He has given me such tremendous love and compassion for them that it sometimes hurts, it is that powerful - how much I love them, how much I want to see them cared for and protected - it is, at times, overwhelming to me as I considered His love for His children. That love has not been quelled, even though I am not physically in Nigeria anymore.
The intensity of my emotions have made it difficult for me to express into words how I am feeling and what God is doing in the very deepest parts of my soul. I am resisting allowing myself to blend into the fabric of the culture in America. I feel like I have tasted the life God has available for all of His children - a life of adventure, freedom, intensity, surrender, miracles, and power - that I don't want to lose it, but continue to live a life of complete abandon, regardless of my location on this earth. I have wrestled with how to keep feeding the flame of passion the Lord has given me for Him and for His people, in the midst of a culture that seeks to distract me from Him.
Last Sunday at church, a lady stopped me in the hallway to encourage me and she said
"Don't shrink back". When I heard these three words, I felt knocked off my feet. YES! THAT is what I have been praying, crying out to God about - that I won't shrink back, away from the life He desires for all of His children. I don't want to shrink back into a life of self-serving rituals that extinguish the flames, where just cinders of rememberance are left. I don't want to shrink back into a place where I am so surrounded by distraction and meaningless pursuits, that I can't hear His voice and even come to a place where I would rather not hear what He has to say because I prefer to live life on my own terms.
I mentioned to my mom how powerful these three words are to me, and being the amazing and godly woman of the Word, she soon came to me with her Bible opened to Hebrews 10:36-39:
The last 10 years of my life have been focused on either preparing to go to Nigeria or actually living there. My years in Nigeria were life-changing. So many times while I was there I thought to myself "This is what I was made for" - loving on orphans and caring for people in their distress. I felt so alive there, so full of God's love for His people. I was constantly amazed that He would allow me to be a small part in the lives of the precious children whom He loves so much. He has given me such tremendous love and compassion for them that it sometimes hurts, it is that powerful - how much I love them, how much I want to see them cared for and protected - it is, at times, overwhelming to me as I considered His love for His children. That love has not been quelled, even though I am not physically in Nigeria anymore.
The intensity of my emotions have made it difficult for me to express into words how I am feeling and what God is doing in the very deepest parts of my soul. I am resisting allowing myself to blend into the fabric of the culture in America. I feel like I have tasted the life God has available for all of His children - a life of adventure, freedom, intensity, surrender, miracles, and power - that I don't want to lose it, but continue to live a life of complete abandon, regardless of my location on this earth. I have wrestled with how to keep feeding the flame of passion the Lord has given me for Him and for His people, in the midst of a culture that seeks to distract me from Him.
Last Sunday at church, a lady stopped me in the hallway to encourage me and she said
"Don't shrink back". When I heard these three words, I felt knocked off my feet. YES! THAT is what I have been praying, crying out to God about - that I won't shrink back, away from the life He desires for all of His children. I don't want to shrink back into a life of self-serving rituals that extinguish the flames, where just cinders of rememberance are left. I don't want to shrink back into a place where I am so surrounded by distraction and meaningless pursuits, that I can't hear His voice and even come to a place where I would rather not hear what He has to say because I prefer to live life on my own terms.
I mentioned to my mom how powerful these three words are to me, and being the amazing and godly woman of the Word, she soon came to me with her Bible opened to Hebrews 10:36-39:
"For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, 'Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.' But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed,
but of those who have faith and preserve their souls."
Friends, may I encourage you who have received Christ's sacrifice for your sins and are seen as righteous in the eyes of God...
Endure. Do the will of God. Live by faith. Don't shrink back. Preserve your souls.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
I asked God
Yesterday I went in search for a journal, for fresh, clean pages to hold the emotions, prayers, questions, and tears of this season in my life. The first journal I saw had this poem on the front of it.... I couldn't have said it better myself... how I feel now, and the hope I have in God's promises.
I Asked God
I asked God for strength
that I might achieve.
I was made weak
that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for health
that I might do greater things.
I was given infirmity
that I might do better things.
I asked for riches
that I might be happy.
I was given poverty
that I might be wise.
I asked for power
that I might have the praise of men.
I was given weakness
that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things
that I might enjoy life.
I was given life
that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for,
but everything I had hoped for.
He desires obedience.
Today marks the one year anniversary of my lung surgery. It has been quite a year. It's fitting that today, I share with you another milestone in this journey.
After a lot of tears, prayers, tears, counsel, tears, wrestling with God... I know that He is closing the door on my return to Nigeria.
Did I actually just type that???
I was able to surrender last week and every minute since... I am in the midst of intense grieving... a death has happened... and yet, He promises strength and peace, which I receive and praise Him for.
The basic explanation is that I know God has shut the door, that He has clearly spoken to me, and it was one of the hardest decisions of my life... but I desire to obey and that obedience requires putting the kids, my home, my life in Nigeria... on the altar... to love Jesus more than them... That my desires will die and be stripped away, as I keep my eyes on my first Love.
Regarding my health, my recent breathing test results are the same as last October. Thankfully not worse. Wish they were better. My CT scan is clear, praise God. One doctor is adamant I not return. The others say it is up to me. I still have symptoms that come and go and my breathing is affected by the air quality around me.
I don't know if God has closed the door due to my health or not... I just know that He has spoken.
SIM has been very gracious and patient with me. We are looking at various ministry opportunities for me with SIM in the US. At this time, I am still a missionary with SIM, supported by individuals, through my Support Account. Funds sent to my Ministry Account are still being sent to my SIM colleagues in Nigeria to cover the medical and nutrition costs of the kids. To my financial team... I appreciate your continued financial support during this time. I will keep you posted as decisions are made.
I am not at a place to make big decisions about my future. I still need to process this decision.
I will be flying to Tennessee on Saturday for a week of grief counseling at Fairhaven Ministries It will be very intense, but greatly needed, and I am very thankful for this opportunity.
When the time is right and if God releases me to return to Nigeria, whether just to say good-bye and get closure, or to move back... you can bet I will be on the next plane.
Until then, step by step.
I wanted to inform you and thank you for walking through this grieving process with me.
Specific prayer requests... There are many layers to this grief:
1) I wrote a letter to the children. Please pray for their tender hearts, as it must be hard for them to understand and comprehend. Pray they will know my love for them, but most importantly that they will desire to follow Jesus in their own lives, no matter the cost.
2) I will not return to pack up my house, sell my dogs, sell my truck, etc. These temporal things tug at my heart, as they symbolize my home and sanctuary in Jos. Pray that I will have clarity to make decisions from here and for strength for those in Jos who will do all the work.
3) Please pray that I will allow the grief to come when I am in Tennessee. I've been holding back because I am not sure how to handle it, but I desire to meet it head on and I know that Jesus has allowed this storm and will meet me in the midst of it. Praise Him. (Matthew 14:22-33)
Erin
After a lot of tears, prayers, tears, counsel, tears, wrestling with God... I know that He is closing the door on my return to Nigeria.
Did I actually just type that???
I was able to surrender last week and every minute since... I am in the midst of intense grieving... a death has happened... and yet, He promises strength and peace, which I receive and praise Him for.
The basic explanation is that I know God has shut the door, that He has clearly spoken to me, and it was one of the hardest decisions of my life... but I desire to obey and that obedience requires putting the kids, my home, my life in Nigeria... on the altar... to love Jesus more than them... That my desires will die and be stripped away, as I keep my eyes on my first Love.
Regarding my health, my recent breathing test results are the same as last October. Thankfully not worse. Wish they were better. My CT scan is clear, praise God. One doctor is adamant I not return. The others say it is up to me. I still have symptoms that come and go and my breathing is affected by the air quality around me.
I don't know if God has closed the door due to my health or not... I just know that He has spoken.
SIM has been very gracious and patient with me. We are looking at various ministry opportunities for me with SIM in the US. At this time, I am still a missionary with SIM, supported by individuals, through my Support Account. Funds sent to my Ministry Account are still being sent to my SIM colleagues in Nigeria to cover the medical and nutrition costs of the kids. To my financial team... I appreciate your continued financial support during this time. I will keep you posted as decisions are made.
I am not at a place to make big decisions about my future. I still need to process this decision.
I will be flying to Tennessee on Saturday for a week of grief counseling at Fairhaven Ministries It will be very intense, but greatly needed, and I am very thankful for this opportunity.
When the time is right and if God releases me to return to Nigeria, whether just to say good-bye and get closure, or to move back... you can bet I will be on the next plane.
Until then, step by step.
I wanted to inform you and thank you for walking through this grieving process with me.
Specific prayer requests... There are many layers to this grief:
1) I wrote a letter to the children. Please pray for their tender hearts, as it must be hard for them to understand and comprehend. Pray they will know my love for them, but most importantly that they will desire to follow Jesus in their own lives, no matter the cost.
2) I will not return to pack up my house, sell my dogs, sell my truck, etc. These temporal things tug at my heart, as they symbolize my home and sanctuary in Jos. Pray that I will have clarity to make decisions from here and for strength for those in Jos who will do all the work.
3) Please pray that I will allow the grief to come when I am in Tennessee. I've been holding back because I am not sure how to handle it, but I desire to meet it head on and I know that Jesus has allowed this storm and will meet me in the midst of it. Praise Him. (Matthew 14:22-33)
Erin
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