Sunday....

I love Sunday. I think it's my favorite day of the week. Mostly because it means Iget to go to church. I'm a very forgetful person & I need a nearly constant reminder of what I'm here for.

I'm so glad I've had the chance to attend church while in Ethiopia. There's a great church here - the IEC - International Evangelical Church. It's truly international. Today there were German's sitting in front of me :) Along with lots of Ethiopians and Americans. The pastor is from North Carolina.

I walked into church today so heavy. My heart felt like it was suffocating. I can barely say good bye to my kids for a long weekend...and now I'm faced with at least 2 months...The overwhelming thought in my head was how do I fit 2 months of loving into 2 days?

Buzena has become so snuggly. She is constantly holding my hand, climbing in my lap, or putting my arm around her. Bona and I are communicating better every day. He said his first sentence today - Bona cheerios NO, Buzena cheerios YES! He wanted a granola bar instead :)

So I walked into church with all of THAT weighing on me....then....

We sang The Stand by Hillsong United.

"So I'll stand
with arms high & heart abandoned
in awe of the one who gave it all

I'll stand
My soul Lord to you surrendered
all I am is yours"

The pastor challenged us to ask ourselves -

What is different in my life because of Jesus?

Ha! Where do I start?!?!?! I'm in AFRICA, adopting #6 and #7! Doing the hardest thing I've EVER done in my life - being nearly consumed & overwhelmed by it!

Why?

Because of Jesus.

All I am is yours

All I HAVE is yours

Nearly consumed, overwhelmed....heart on 2 continents....full of more love than I knew was possible! Filled with a nearly overwhelming sense of purpose & commitment to something that is SO much bigger than myself.

Why do I keep writing on this blog?

I NEVER want to forget how God has worked in my life. I never want to forget how hard it was....how consuming and emotional and HARD it's been....how stretched and challenged I have felt....

and how God ALWAYS shows up! Often in crazy generous ways!

So I left church yet again with a renewed sense of purpose :)

I was a bit frustrated with our driver - he didn't seem to know where any of the places I wanted to eat were...so I told him to just drop us off at Lime Tree - a 10 minute walk from our guest house.

But the closer we got to Lime Tree the deeper & darker the clouds looked. It would be best to go back to the GH & get on rain gear and THEN go to Lime Tree.....it's almost comical now that I think back to how this timeline evolved.

So, we pull up to the guest house & we're right behind another van that is unloading white people! I hear one of them gasp as we get out of the car. I assume it's because of how cute my kids are!!!! But NO - it's because one of the gals reads my blog!!!! Gretchen Almquist - you have NO idea how God ministered to me through you today! I'm so glad we didn't go out to lunch and got to have lunch with YOU instead!!!

She is here with a non-profit she started after adopting her Ethiopian daughter in Feb 2010 (just a month after we got back with Ellie). They brought a huge amount of donations for the orphanages here.

Gretchen thank you for reminding me of the amazing plans that God has for us - WAY out of our comfort zone - WAY beyond ANYTHING we'd have chosen by ourselves - and the incredible amount of purpose we feel as a result!

So....I love Sunday's even more :)