//the journey begins.

i'm going to ethiopia.

anyone that has been around me or creeped my facebook these last few months knows i'm sold out for orphans + adoption + africa.

it all started when my hubby + i were seriously blessed with the opportunity to serve in ghana this past january.

and let me tell you God did major 

demolision in this sinner's heart.

ouch.

Hallelujah.

JESUS, I AM YOURS!

(you can read all about my experience in my previous blog post!)

then a lot of stuff happened so for the sake of keeping people happy + giving you the "reader's digest" version, we were supposed to go back this summer but now we're not.  

sometimes things don't always work out. 

people refuse to work together.

feelings + politics get in the way.

meh.
(i tell it like it is)

....to God be the glory!


anyways...

sooo around the same time that i fell in love with africa 
and God opened my eyes to the plight of widows + orphans, 
i was blessed to watch not one...not two...but three african adoptions take place.

(there's also a fourth one going down! PRAISE JESUS!)

I WAS IN.

I AM IN.


for africa, for orphans, for adoption.

now here's my thing...i totally get that this whole africa + orphan advocacy + adoption thing is soooo not glamorous.

this deal is hard work.

painful.

sacrificial.

scary.

expensive.

grueling.

i'm watching people give up so much out of 

love + obedience.

because God called them.

and i promise you every single one of them will agree,

it's not about glamour.
or attention.

someone recently told me that they feel like going to africa is "the cool" thing to do like only wearing TOMS or drinking fair-trade coffee.

um, what?

(imma hit you upside your head!)

(...in love!)

this is a calling.
this is obedience.
this is the gospel.

not shoes.

not coffee.
PEOPLE.
created in the image of a God who is SO concerned for them.

do me a favor...look up "poor" in the Bible.

BAM.

there's like 95897593758765 verses.

i am not telling anybody to go to africa and start adopting 10,000 babies.
(wouldn't that be awesome, though??)

that is some serious business you need to figure out 

on your own and with Jesus.

i'm just saying God is all out for the poor + orphans + widows.

and the church needs to step it up.

these are some bold words, i know.

and i'm just as guilty of sitting on my rear end as anybody.

instead of doing nothing...

do something.

anything.

pray.

spread the word.

come alongside an adopting family.
head to a shelter.
reach out.

donate.

get involved.

DO SOMETHING.


open up God's word...open up your heart.
allow Him to call you some place beautiful.
maybe it's across the ocean.
maybe it's next door.
just say "HERE I AM, LORD...SEND ME"
and i PROMISE you, He WILL send you.

i'm going to ethiopia.

and i thought ya'll should know.