Your Miracle--I want to pray for it

If you read this post, then you know I believe God does the miraculous. I was up early (and all night) with my kiddos and when everyone was finally asleep I was wide awake. All I could think about is how much God loves you, how much he wants to move in your life. 

Result: I want to pray for your miracle.

Is there is something in your life that seems impossible? Please let me pray. 

Please.

Do you have a sweet friend who is struggling with an addiction? 

Is someone you love suffering from sickness? 

Do you want Jesus to show up in your living room. (I think I would pee myself, but how legit would that be…the Jesus part, not the me needing a change of clothes part.)

Whatever it is, I just want to give God the opportunity to do the miraculous. 

Maybe we don’t know each other. No problem. 

Maybe you don’t believe in miracles. Also no problem. 

Maybe you don’t believe in a good God. Again, no problem. 

As promised, here’s another testimony I’ve been meaning to share. If you need a boost of faith, I hope you find it encouraging. 

Faustino, one of our student leaders, is from a different province, but is here in Maputo on a scholarship. Because of a lack of space in the dorms, he was having to rent a small room at the back of someone’s home. (He's the one kneeling in the picture below.)

Mozambique is in an economic crisis right now, and although Faustino student teaches three classes at the university, they stopped paying him. (The government has stopped paying almost everyone.)

Faustino was in desperate need of money so he could have a place to sleep and food to eat. 

This wasn’t just an issue of finishing school; it was an issue of being in serious danger of having to live on the street. He, Matt, and a couple of our other guy leaders spent some time praying and asked God to provide a solution. Specifically, a housing solution. 

THE NEXT DAY Faustino was approved to live in dorm housing, which provides a room and meals. It’s three fourths of the way through the semester and there are TONS of students on a waiting list for campus housing. There is no reason Faustino was chosen—usually the students have to pay bribes to get these spots—but God provided a miracle!!! 

A MIRACLE!!!

To add some icing to an already sweet cake (I vote carrot cake!): 

The dorm he got into is a dorm we have spent two years praying for. We no longer need to find a person of peace so we can start a Bible study. God sent one of our own and Faustino has already started a group. 

Whatever it is, God can do it. He wants to move. And he loves you.

I’m serious about wanting to pray for you.

Message me on FaceBook, email me, or comment below. Nothing is too big or too small. 

How can I pray for you?

A Name and A Date...Part 2

Part two! (If you didn’t read part one and are currently super bored, click here.) Ok, so whoops, I forgot to mention last time that Cedar was born perfect and healthy, small, but healthy. He’s still little and actually at his last appointment the doctor said he was, “in the negative 30th percentile…but, hmmm…he doesn’t look like a dwarf.” My sweet friend Amanda pointed out that, “negative 30” isn’t even a percentile, so ha, take that doctor pants. I was going to use that as a transition and I’m losing my way…where was I? Oh, right, Cedar’s check up was right after another appointment, one we had gone into with lots of prayer: It was for our new baby on the way. I had been hemorrhaging for two weeks and I will leave out most of the gross details, even though I am pretty sure 99.9% of the people reading this are females. 

First photo as a family of four! Matt hates his face in this pic.

I need to back track a bit to my last plane ride after traveling from Vietnam-Qatar-South Africa. My thirteen weeks pregnant self was finally on a one hour flight home (that had been delayed three times) to wonderful Mozambique. It was a hallelujah moment until twenty minutes in when I was pretty sure my water broke. You can use your imagination. Now add in a plane 3 seats wide, a one year old who just started walking, exhaustion for two, a tiny bathroom with no sink or trashcan, and one male flight attendant…he may have also been the pilot, not sure. ;) I scooped Cedar up, rushed to the bathroom and tried to cry. TRIED! Nothing. I couldn't. Despite being a complete mess (told you, gross) and almost positive I was loosing another baby, I felt peace. Complete peace.

That's my Beband sticking out because my pants totally don't zip all the way now.

I'll fast forward through the ride home which includes us getting pulled over twice for bribes and Matt insulting a cop...stress guys, it gets to the coolest of cucumbers, but he did apologize. The next day at a medical clinic here in Maputo the doctor tells us the bleeding is normal and not to worry. Two weeks later I am still bleeding, so we make an appointment in South Africa. This doctor tells me that the hemorrhage on my uterus isn't normal at all and is likely caused by genetic abnormalities in the baby. Not what we were expecting to hear. Lots of blah-blah medical jargon later, and we leave with tests to run and a handful of prescriptions. We said a short prayer of trust in God before heading to the appointment I mentioned, the one where we find out Cedar is a "dwarf." As we left the parking lot, we found ourselves having a conversation with God very similar to that of months earlier with Cedar. No matter what, we trusted God, but we weren't owning the report.  

Two weeks later we were back for a follow-up and you know what the doctor said, "Wow! The hemorrhage is one third the size. Everything looks better." We ran more tests, but the results came back perfect. Even if they hadn't, our God would still be good. I have had enough experiences in my life--like we all have--to know that. He is always so good.

Praise God, right!?!! Our already-so-prayed-for-and-loved Cypress (we don't have a middle name yet) Marlin will be here around January 21. A little girl. I know what you are all thinking: "What's their thing with wood?" Themes...I am never into them, but here I am naming my kids after trees. Weirdo. So there it is, the whole story and a testament to who Jesus is. 

But one more thing. I know some of you out there haven't had good results, and still others would do anything just to have tests to run. For those of you in that place, there are no words, my heart hurts with you. So I ask, before you click out of this post, please take a minute to pray. Pray comfort for those who have lost children, pray healing and strength for those that are facing difficulties, and for those who desire a child, believe for them to have a name and a date. Our God is big enough and prayer is our most powerful tool. We are together. Estamos juntos.