Redemption Song :: Hope for Haiti

My heart continues to be pulled to Haiti, especially to all the new orphans this crisis has created. I went to Haiti when I was in high school on a mission's trip. It was there I fell in love with those who are poor - not just statistics, people with names and faces and stories. Perhaps it was there that God implanted in my heart a love for Africa [95% of Haitians are from African descent].

I heard Rihanna sing the redemption song [Bob Marley's], and wanted to post as a prayer for our brothers and sisters in Haiti. As Rihanna said, please don't think the problem will solve itself. Give in whatever way you can...we have much to share with those in need.

Joy

I received this quote from a friend I've never met named Andrea. We share infertility stories...

Joy is something that confronts my circumstances and occurs in spite of sadness, difficulty, or loss. It is an attitude I adopt in spite of how things go. Joy is a posture, a position; it’s the deep assurance I have, that the God who loves me is in control. Joy doesn’t happen to me one day and avoid me the next. Joy is the result of a choice, a choice I have to make every day. It’s a choice based on the knowledge that I belong to God, who is my Refuge. And nothing, not even death, can take God away from me.

Fil Anderson

Thoughts? Reflections?

The End of an Era

Today is the end of the first decade of the 21st century, and I'm celebrating!
There's so much to be grateful for this decade [a few notable highlights]...

• Marrying the best man in the world for me
• Graduating from college with an incredible education
  
• Working at two of the best churches in America who've allowed me to do what I love most with people I love dearly
• Moving to CA...I was made for this place!!!
• Buying our first home and making it truly ours little by little
• Traveling the world, especially Africa
  
• Walking with some of the best women in the world whom I love with my whole heart
  
• And of course...Beginning our adoption journey!!!!!!!

Obviously, this decade has been filled with challenges, raw pain, and heartache [see previous postings :)], but today I choose to celebrate the goodness of the 21st century's first decade.

Happy New Year!

P.S. Today is my 100th post!!!! Thanks to those of you who've read every single one [probably just my parents and maybe Brian]. And thanks to you who've joined along the way. I'm amazed that this blog has been read over 8000 times in the past 9 months. I hope it's been helpful, humorous, and healing...