The Importance of Dreaming

For years I have dreamed of making a difference in this world. For doing something beyond myself. Something big and meaningful and something I could never accomplish on my own. I read inspiring books and blogs about women who took risks and changed not only their world, but many lives around the globe. I was inspired. I was in awe. I yearned to make a difference. To really touch and affect other people. To make a tangible difference and make my mark on this world. 

I lost that dream. I began to believe that as a young stay-at-home, homeschooling mom to five kids that it just wasn’t my season. And being super introverted and indecisive that maybe it wasn’t in the cards for me at all. 

Then, one day I found out about a company called Trades of Hope and the mission that they have to make a tangible difference in women’s lives all over the world. And a little spark was ignited in my heart. A little voice in my head said, “This. This is something I can do with what I have where I’m at.” I don’t have to travel thousands of miles (although I would love to!!!) to have an impact on people on the other side of the world. All I have to do is invite people to buy better, to think about others outside of themselves, and to join me on this journey. 

I know my limitations as a salesperson, but I also know my level of passion that sometimes, quite frankly, overwhelms even me. And I made a choice to let my passion outweigh my fears. I’m not going to sit here and tell you that it’s been super easy and comfortable and that I haven’t had any doubts or lost faith in my ability to do this and make a real difference. But when I look back on the last 3.5 months and see that I have not only touched hundreds of artisans lives, but also donated over a dozen chicks to a family in Africa, provided a month’s worth of food to a child in Haiti, provided a waterwheel to a woman in India, donated 3 mama kits to impoverished pregnant women in Uganda and am thisclose to donating a bicycle to a girl in Cambodia. I am blown away by the way God has used me to change the world in the last 4 months. And for those who really know me know how much I have changed, grown, stretched, and stepped out of my comfort zone. All because my desire to live a life of significance and purpose is greater than my desire to stay comfortable. I am willing to become uncomfortable to make someone else’s life more comfortable. 

Because when you stop dreaming you lose hope. When you have no hope for the future you lose your joy. And when you have no joy for life, what do you have? This is the reality for so many women around the world. No dreams. No hope. No joy. So I’m on a mission to bring joy, restore hope, and ignite the ability to dream in others. I pray that each one of you finds that thing that you’re passionate about and allow yourself to dream about how you can change the world with those passions. And I challenge you to let the seemingly “impossible” inside of you spark and ignite someone else’s “impossible”. I believe in you! And I know your dreams can change the world! 

“I will bless you with a future filled with hope--a future of success, not of suffering.” 

-Jeremiah 29:11 CEV

Challenge Accepted

Sometimes God places desires and passions within you. Sometimes He gives you talents and gifts. Sometimes life gets busy. And sometimes someone comes along side you and reminds you of those things. Reminds you that things you do and say make a difference. That they touch people. That they change people. And then sometimes you’re reminded of why you do them. When passion and talents intersect there you will find purpose and destiny. Maybe it’s just a small part of it. Maybe there’s more. But that’s always at least one place your life will have meaning and bring you joy. Because if we aren’t here to reach and touch and affect other people then why are we here? So I challenge you. Get out of your comfort zone. Get out of your space. Get out of your self. Touch someone. Reach someone. Change a life. Maybe with just a word. Maybe with just an action. Maybe with something bigger. You never know where one choice and one step will take you. Take the step anyway. 

Where Do You Choose to Dwell?

After reading Psalm 23 I read Psalm 107 and I realized they both talked about us being in the shadow of death. But God revealed a difference in the two scriptures. Here is the following download. 

Psalm 107:10-16 talks about how there are those who live in darkness and the shadow of death because they have disobeyed and resisted God and rejected His guidance and direction. He allows their heart to be brought low through their toil and strife. But when they cry out to Him in their trouble He comes in and breaks their chains and brings them out of the darkness and shadow of death because of His lovingkindness. This gives me a new view of Psalms 23. It says that the Lord is my shepherd. He's who I look to to protect and provide for me. It says even though...EVEN THOUGH I walk through the VALLEY of the shadow of death. The deepest, darkest parts. He is with me! So despite the fact that I may walk through seasons of disobedience and resistance and have rejected His guidance and direction, He is still there. His Rod and His staff are still protecting me and keeping me going in the right direction. He prepares a table before me. He provides for me not only the physical food I need to stay nourished but also the spiritual food I need. He anoints my head with oil as they did the priests of God long ago. My calling as a priest is secure. He fills me to overflowing. He doesn't just give me enough to get by. He gives me more than enough that it flows out of me to those around me. Goodness and mercy follows me. Wherever I walk He is there with His lovingkindness and grace. And I have a hope and security knowing where I will spend eternity. So the thing I'm seeing is that if the Lord is your shepherd you'll only WALK through the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4), you won't DWELL there (Psalm 107:10). So I ask you, is He your shepherd? When you come to hard seasons, do you keep going and walk through them? Or do you tend to dwell there? If the Lord is our shepherd, we will dwell in the house of the Lord (Psalm 23:4) and not in the darkness and the shadow of death (Psalm 107:10). So when you hear the phrase, "don't dwell on it", don't dwell on it! Where you choose to dwell reveals who your shepherd is. Where do you choose to dwell? Let Psalm 23:6 be a declaration! I WILL dwell in the house of the Lord forever!

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." 

-1 Peter 2:9

For Our Nine Year Anniversary

To Troy Cowan, the one who stole my heart then and continues to steal it today.

You've laughed at me...when I told a joke that no one else got.

You've told me no...to protect me, sometimes from myself.

You've watched me throw up over and over again...because you blessed me with a life growing inside my womb.

At times, you've just stood there...and was my rock during our home birth.

You've yelled at me...when the kids were so loud we couldn't hear ourselves think.

I've watched you leave...to go to a job you hated so you could provide for us.

You've woke me up every morning...to tell me goodbye, kiss me, and pray for me.

You've watched me cry...and held me close when I've had enough and my heart was breaking.

You've even made me cry...with sweet declarations of your love.

And you've rushed me...back to a place of peace when I thought all hope was gone.

And so I thank you for all the times you've laughed at me, told me no, watched me throw up, just stood there, yelled at me, left me, woke me up, watched me cry, made me cry and rushed me. For those are the times I really needed you and you've shown me what you're made of...

fun

protection

sympathy

strength

patience

endurance

love

compassion

adoration

hope

Nine is the number of choice, so for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, til death do us part, as long as we both shall live...I DO...choose you. Everyday, over and over again, forever and ever! 

Happy Anniversary Honey, I love you.

On Giving Birth Naturally & Other Things

Because of the invitation the Lord extended, our courage to say 'yes', our faith in His ability to keep us, and His grace and strength to see us through, I was able to accomplish something I never thought possible. Give. Birth. Naturally. And in MY home no less! With God ALL things are possible. And I can't wait to see what He has planned for us!


Things I learned:

1. The Lord extends invitations to us everyday. Some days they're big. Some days they're small. But they all lead us to intimacy with the Father and His will done for our lives.

2. We have to have the courage to say 'yes'. God wants to use you to accomplish great and mighty things, but He can't do it without your yes. You have free will, but what amazing things will you miss out on if you say no??

3. You have to trust that He will keep you. Don't back down when things don't go exactly the way everybody thinks they should. God loves you and will keep you! Take a risk for Him!

4. He will give you grace and strength to see it through to completion if you stand fast in Him. If He brings you to it, He will see you through it.

Now, what is it that God has invited you to do??

Sukkot 2011/5772

Sundown tonight marks the beginning of the Jewish feast of Sukkot. (Also known as Tabernacles because we are to "Tabernacle with God").

For forty years, the Jewish people traversed the Sinai Desert, following the Exodus from Egypt. During this time miraculous "clouds of Glory" surrounded and hovered over them, shielding them from the dangers and discomforts of the desert. Ever since, we remember God's kindness and reaffirm our trust in His providence by dwelling in a sukkah--a hut of temporary construction with a roof covering of branches--for the duration of the Sukkot Festival (on the Jewish calendar Tishrei 15-21). For seven days and nights, we are to eat all our meals in the sukkah and otherwise regard it as our home.

Sukkot is also called The Time of Our Joy; indeed, a special joy pervades the festival. People fill the synagogues and streets with song, music, and dance until the wee hours of the morning.

This time also represents our becoming one flesh with God (through Jesus Christ/Yeshua our Messiah) and is a "dress rehearsal" for the wedding feast when Jesus comes back for his bride!

Sukkot Blessing (in traditional Hebrew, Transliteration, and English Translation.)

Blessing for dwelling in the Sukkah

Baruch ata Adonai Elohanu melech ha-olam asher kedshanu b'mitsvotav vetsevanu leisheiv ba-sukkah. Blessed are you Adonai, king of the universe who has sanctified us with your commandments and commanded us to dwell in the sukkah.

This is how we celebrated Sukkot in our home today. We did this instead of our traditional workbooks for homeschool. Hannah was glad for the break!


Our Sukkah:

 Inside the Sukkah:

Crafts we did to decorate:

Hannah relaxing and enjoying her homeschool day:

Caleb having a blast:

Here is a good picture of a "traditional" outdoor Sukkah:





I hope you guys have enjoyed this look into our day and maybe learned something new!


To learn more about Sukkot/Tabernacles visit this website:
http://www.chabad.org/holidays/JewishNewYear/template_cdo/aid/4457/jewish/How-is-Sukkot-Observed.htm

Scriptures that reference Sukkot:
Deuteronomy 16:13-15
Zechariah 14:16-17

Saying "Yes" to Pappa

One of my prayers lately has been for God to break my heart for what breaks His. To give me the eyes to see people the way He sees them and to love them the way He does. Basically, just to have His heart and love for those hurting, suffering, and seeking anything of meaning in this life. I have also been telling God that I am an empty vessel open and willing to be used by Him.

If I am being completely honest there are a few things I didn't expect...
For one, I didn't expect to have to make good on my promise so soon. Two, I didn't expect to have to die (to self, sometimes daily) and how truly hard that would be. Even if it meant doing something I am excited about but still having to give up something in return. And finally, as we humans are so notorious for doing, I think I completely underestimated what God has planned for me.

I've grown quite accustom to this life and I'm more than a little apprehensive about change, but I feel like I am standing on the edge of a precipice. I have the choice to stay safely on the ledge loving my life, refusing change, and trying to peer into the future God has prepared for me, but never being able to see it clearly. Or...I can let go of everything I have ever known and dive unabated into what God has created me to be and destined me to do. Yes, it will be an unknown and maybe a little bit scary at times, but I also know it will be exciting, exhilarating, and all together glorious! I have a feeling one of my frequent sayings will be, "You can't make this stuff up!".

I have made my decision. Have you?

They won the victory over him because of the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony. They didn't love their life so much that they refused to give it up.
-Revelation 12:11 (God's Word Translation)

I leave you with two songs of inspiration...

Give Me Your Eyes by Brandon Heath

Give me your eyes for just one second

Give me your eyes so I can see

Everything that I keep missing

Give me your love for humanity

Give me your arms for the broken hearted

The ones that are far beyond my reach

Give me your heart for the one's forgotten

Give me your eyes so I can see

Hosanna by Hillsong United

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart from what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdoms cause
As I go from nothing to
Eternity