(men and) women of action

"A woman named Mukankusi lived in the Bugesera District with her three malnourished children. They didn’t know where their next meal would come from and lived without any shelter. Food for the Hungry began a program called 'kitchen gardens'. It helps impoverished women to feed their families and sell produce for income. A kitchen garden is ideal for dry regions because they are filled with kitchen wastes, like vegetables and other compost materials. They require very little maintenance and remain humid with less watering.

Mukankusi successfully started a kitchen garden and began selling her vegetables in the market. With her profits, she applied for a small business loan and bought her own house. Her three children now have permanent shelter and are no longer malnourished.

Mukankusi has become an empowered, self-sustaining businesswoman with the ability to provide for her family."

That story was recently shared with me by a friend who works for Food for the Hungry. Incredible, isn't it?

There is untapped, God-given potential in the lives of poverty-stricken women around the world... Potential that has the power to eradicate poverty and change the future for generations of women to come.

Food for the Hungry is doing an incredible work with impoverished women in some of the poorest regions. Through their Women of Action program, they help disadvantaged women in Bangladesh to discover their potential, restore their dignity, and transform their communities.

That is worth celebrating!

Just around the corner is International Women's Day.

March 8th is a day dedicated to celebrating the economic, political, and social achievements of women, past, present, and future. Women's Day is something we honored in South Africa, so even though it isn't a widely recognized holiday here in the States, it remains dear to my heart.

And I love what Food for the Hungry is doing to celebrate.

In honor of International Women's Day, they are hosting a 5K Walk in Phoenix to raise funds for Women of Action. They even have a generous donor who has committed to match the first $10,000 raised!

A 5K Walk to raise 10K that instantly becomes 20K... I love God's ways of multiplying our efforts!

Celebrate with us by...

• Participating in the 5K Walk. If you live anywhere near Phoenix, join on March 11th for the 5K. This is open to women and men!
• Sponsoring women in Bangladesh through Women of Action. Directly impact a family and community in dire need.
• Donating to the 5K Fundraiser Walk. Your donation will double in impact with the matching grant!
• Spreading the word. Use Twitter, Facebook, your blog, and your voice to let others know they can help.

Together, we can make a huge impact.

Would you share how you feel you can get involved? Also, I'd love to hear about a significant woman in your life & how she has impacted you.

on choosing your own adventure

Remember reading Choose Your Own Adventure storybooks when you were a kid? I loved those books. But I cheated.

I'd read ahead and skim the different options to see how they all panned out. And then pick the best one. I wanted the most ideal outcome to every situation — the best story possible.

In some ways, I've tried doing the same exact thing with my life.

When faced with choices, I wish I could peek ahead and see how all the options will turn out. (I'm not talking about moral issues, but things like where I live and what job I take.) I want to make sure I pick the one that is God's perfect will for me. I want to stay in line with exactly what He wants me to do.

But that way of thinking paints a picture of God having one ultimate plan for my life, which includes specific choices in even the smallest of decisions. And while that may sound holy, it leaves me feeling a bit like a puppet. As though if I get one thing wrong in my attempts to navigate His will, the rest of my life is basically a wash.

I'm not sure that's how it works. Maybe God doesn't hold my future in the balance based on where I choose to live. Or what career I step into.

In the midst of navigating the greatest transitions of my life, there is freedom in realizing God isn't controlling me. My prayers don't need to be, "Tell me what to do, God, and I'll do it." I can operate in the gifts, abilities, and common senses He's given me. Maybe He just wants me to discover and embrace who I am and what I would enjoy.

That doesn't mean my decisions are devoid of God. Quite the contrary. It requires an enormous sense of trust in Him as my Shepherd and guide. "Christ in me, the hope of glory..."

So maybe He really is letting me "choose my own adventure", guiding me with the desires, dreams, vision, and wisdom He's placed inside me. And maybe I don't need to strive so hard to peek ahead and confirm the outcome in advance, because no matter what, I remain in His hands.

I am still trying to nail down specific thoughts on all this... I'm in no way implying that we shouldn't pray or seek God's specific guidance. I'm not saying we can do whatever we want because His grace will carry us regardless of our willful choices to sin or disobey or go our own way.

I'm just saying I think there may be more lateral freedom in "God's will for my life" than I've ever before grasped.

What's your take on all this? I'd truly love to hear your thoughts.

Originally posted at Deeper Story. Read the comments there >

help wanted

Asking for help is not my strong suit. No, seriously. It's reeeeeeeally hard for me.

After a lifetime of advocating for a cause I believe in, it's painfully difficult to advocate for myself. I'm actually tempted to unpack the reasons behind that, but I recognize that it would be just a procrastination tactic, keeping me from what this post is really supposed to focus on.

Asking for help.

Oi vey!

So here goes...

I moved to Africa when I was 19, and lived there as a missionary for 13 years. And then my husband left, and a year ago we were forced to shut down the ministry.

When I left Africa last December to move back to the States, I had to leave behind everything but the clothes, shoes, and few valuables I could fit in my suitcases.

I did (thankfully) get to secure some square footage on a shipping container for all of my irreplaceables: Like family heirlooms, priceless (to me) African pieces I've collected over the years, handcrafted baskets, photos and framed art, some large wooden furniture pieces, and my Big Easy. But this was over a year ago, and the shipping container still hasn't left South Africa. At this point, I have to wonder if it ever will...

For now, all I have is what I managed to take home in my luggage on that last flight from Africa.

I couldn't bring my cozy couches or my stash of throw blankets or my DVD player. I had to ditch my pots, plates, glasses, and silverware. There was no way to save my appliances, kitchen gadgets, bedding, towels...

The list of what I had to walk away from is seemingly endless.

I've been living on the generosity of friends-who-are-like-family for the past year. I am beyond grateful for the ways they have opened their hearts and home to me, loving me through such a difficult season. I wouldn't have made it through without them. Truly.

And now... in just two weeks... on February 18th... I move into an apartment. Here in Nashville.

I can't tell you how equally exciting and frightening that step is. But I can tell you it feels good. Really good.

I have an apartment! And that's more than I've "had" for a long time.

I get overwhelmed though when I think about the fact that I basically have an empty apartment. (And I'm battling the deep missing of my old "stuff", which really just signals the missing of the life I lost...But I'm trying not to spiral. Not today anyway.)

The business of starting over from scratch is a difficult one, let me tell you.

And I can't do it alone. It's impossible.

So I'm asking for help.

If you live in the Nashville area, would you look through your house for furniture and kitchen/house stuff that you'd be willing to part with?

If you know someone who lives here, would you ask them if they have anything they'd like to "donate to the cause"? (Heh. Old habits die hard...)

If you or someone you know has a pick-up truck to help on move-in day (Feb. 18th), that is needed as well.

Would you spread the word in whatever way you can?

I can't even tell you how big a help this would be to me right now.

But it would be enormously BIG.

Thank you, friends. Really.

perspective changer

I struggle with jealousy more than I'd like to admit.

I want to be the friend who gets the call first. The one who's told the big/important/great/awful news first. I want to be somebody's somebody. Their best, favorite, whatever...

And He is jealous for me...

I find myself feeling hurt when I'm left out or disregarded, or when I realize a relationship isn't as close as I thought it was. I want to feel like others are pursuing and investing in friendship as much as I am.

And He is jealous for me...

I see what others have — in things, in strengths, in relationships, in ministry, in influence, in personality — and I secretly wish I had them too.

And He is jealous for me...

I look back over a lifetime of living in others' shadows. And while I actually prefer not being the one in the spotlight, I realize how often it's left me feeling invisible. And how much I long to simply be seen.

And He is jealous for me...

My heart is filled with jealousy... Over things and people and callings and opportunities.

And He is jealous for me...

He.

Is jealous.

For me.

acquired taste

I met my friend Jen Price on Twitter. (Story of my life these days... And I love it!) After a few Tweet convos, blog visits, and emails, I knew we were kindred spirits. She and her husband Jeremy pioneered a ministry in South Africa a decade+ ago and are currently back in the States on sabbatical. Jeremy just finished up work on his debut EP project, and I got a sneak peek a few weeks ago.

Now, those who know me well know I have zero music skills, but that I love love love good music.

Believe me when I tell you, Jeremy's EP Acquired Taste is definitely good music.

I love the irony of the album name, because it's certainly anything but an acquired taste. Right off the bat, Jeremy drew me in with his raw honesty, the simplicity of his acoustic style, and his poignant lyrics. (I'm such a words girl!)

Acquired Taste is peaceful and profound. It is compelling,  unique, and soul-stirring.

I asked Jeremy about his heart and journey with this project, and how his work in Africa ties in with it all. In his own words---

I have been writing songs for over 15 years and spent much of my early adult life playing music all over the world. The last few years I have set it aside while building Ten Thousand Homes. But now is the time. Ten Thousand Homes is a movement of ordinary people actively building HOPE and creating HOMES for Africa’s orphans and vulnerable children. In creating home for these children we try to inspire them to pursue joy. In the midst of great tragedy and loss, we desire for them to pursue their dreams, that which gives them joy. My pursuit in joy has always led me to music. And one day I realized that to really help these guys I must all out pursue that which gives me joy. So for the first time, freaked out and completely blessed, I am releasing my first EP, Acquired Taste. I chose songs that were not all written recently. One was written this year, while others go back as far as 8 years ago. The title track Acquired Taste was written while in the bush of Africa. I really wanted to represent a journey, and while this is a simple recording, I am extremely proud of it! What I know now is that this is only the beginning! I continue to work in Africa, and while Ten Thousand Homes has no paid staff, the sale of these albums does help the work continue. Thank you for listening. Thank you for investing in dreams. Now, go pursue that which brings you joy!

So do yourself a favor, and go listen to Jeremy's incredible album. If you like what you hear, and I know you will, you can download it for as little as $3! You can't beat that!

Listen to and Download Acquired Taste.

Follow Jeremy on Twitter.

Like him on Facebook.

Then share with the rest of the class...

What is it that brings you joy?