EXCEL is starting on Monday......I will be there!  I would ask for all of you guys' prayers as I began this next "step" in life..... Watch out.....here I come!  (I will be returning home 11-14 in case anyone was wondering!)

May the Lord bless you with overflowing joy as you serve Him where He has placed you right now......SMILE!

Ps- Thanks to all who prayed for the foster meeting....it was broken up into two parts, the second to happen on Tuesday.....please be in prayer again if you would!   Thanks so much! 

Trials come in all shapes and sizes!

The title pretty much explains what has been happening lately in regards to foster care.....It seems every time we even blink our agency slaps our hands.  We have been trying to get out for some time now and they are NOT letting us go.  Not because they think we are so wonderful but rather because they refuse to put girls in our home!  Three times we have tried to "get out" (as we are continually being told to do by others in the system) and this makes the third time we have been "rejected" and then slapped with an "investigation". (Both of the earlier ones were ludicrous...so much so the agency later admitted as such ....however that does not change our record!)  Our heart's desire is to help little girls who have not had a chance to learn about Jesus and just to have a "nice" life....Where is God?  Let me tell you.....

He is holding our hand.....carrying us when we can not go any further.....filling us up with Himself as we have no more of ourselves to give.....teaching us to rely on Him for our needs.....and surprising us with blessings through the trials......laughter through our tears....and a deeper longing for one day being able to look Him in the face because of His grace!  Oh, what a mighty God we serve! 

As we have walked hand-in-hand with Him, God has reminded us of His faithfulness in keeping His promises and what to do in trials. 

James 1:2-"My brethen, count it ALL JOY when you fall into various trials.  KNOWING that the testing of your faith produces patience....."  Then in Matthew 5-"Blessed are you when men revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil agaisnt you for my names sake.  Rejoice and be EXCEEDINGLY GLAD for great is your reward in Heaven!"  And again in Hebrews 13- "The Lord is my Helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"  Also, in Romans 8:18- "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." 

Thus, we rejoice through our tears....knowing our faith is being refined in the fire that more of the dross might be wiped away.  

PLEASE PRAY ON THURSDAY, August 16 for my family as we will be facing yet another trumped up investigation.   May we be a blessing on those who hear us and may their eyes be opened to the lies.  Also, may we keep our focus on Jesus who is our final Judge....and bring glory to His name!  For wisdom is seeing life from God's perspective! (which is difficult to do when you are in the midst of a trial!) 

May God bless ALL who read this with an overwhelming sense of His love, mercy, and peace....even in the midst of their storms.  Thank you Lord for Your promises which You are faithful to keep!  With God's peace...Karady

Edit The meeting was changed once again to TUESDAY, August 20.....Thanks!

God is strong...

Those three words sum up the past month for me as over and over He showed Himself strong.  A good friend reminded me I should not be focusing on all of my weaknesses but rather on God's strength.  Wise words....

Novo camp - (June 12 - July 1, 2007)

     WOW!  How do I even begin!  God blessed us with an INCREDIBLE group of counselors, support staff and maintenance.  Each one of them was such a blessing to me as I watched them interacting with the children and with each other in a loving manner.  Every time I turned around it seemed there was someone around to give me an encouraging word, smile or action!  They truly showed God's love to those around them!

      The children....need SO MUCH love!  They are crying out for attention, approval and acceptance....who are they receiving that from when we are not around?  Their peers, gangs, and anyone who will give them the time of day!  However, Jesus is waiting for each of these precious children to open up their lives to His love.  We had the opportunity to share that LOVE for 5 straight days....an immersion into God's love!  I am SO excited to see how God will use these past weeks for His glory, their good, and my instruction! 

    To sum it all up......Satan fought hard, but God has the final victory.  As I drove away from the drop-off place, I realized that although I had to leave them, God will NEVER leave them.  He can be their helper, whispering in their ear, reminding them to make the right choice.  We all gave of ourselves but God gave all of Himself.  I pray that is the impact the kids walked away with these two week.

Sacramento ATI Conference 2007 - (July 3 - July 6, 2007)

     So much information in such a small amount of time is overwhelming!  However, the encouragement of this week has lifted me up.  I was sick the entire conference .... however God allowed  me to work as a COMMIT leader with six precious girls.  Two of them informed me to my face that they were bored and by their actions did NOT want to be there.  However, God was good.....as by the end of the week, both of them gave me big hugs, telling me they were missing me already! 

     At first it was difficult going from working with 9-11 year olds to 12-14 year olds.  However, despite the great differences in age and backgrounds there was a common thread...All of the girls had a desire for LOVE and APPROVAL.  Once they realized that nothing was going to change my love for them, they were able to see how nothing was going to change God's love for them!  What a GREAT picture.....God was SO good to not allow my humanness get in the way of the lesson He desired to teach them.

     It was also GREAT to see some friends on the last day of the conference who I had not expected to see!  God is SO good at encouraging me at the right moments.

So I sum up this post with a verse God revealed to me this morning..... 1 Thessalonians 4:3-  "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication."
   When I looked up fornication in Strongs Concordance this was the definition: idolatry or harlotry.
And the definition of idolatry according to a sermon delivered by Jim Sammons is....
        Putting people, possessions, or positions ahead of God!!! 
Thus, we are playing the "harlot" with God when we choose to place an "idol" in His place!

Well, that is just a little of my past month.......May God bless you with a contagious enthusiasm as you choose to spend time with Him each day!     In God's love......Karady

Currently Listening Newsies By Original Soundtrack, Jack Feldman 8 see related

God works in some mysterious.....

And not so mysterious ways!

       I have been needing a solo for my sign language group for about three months now.....Every April I teach kids sign language on Saturday and then perform a solo the first Saturday in May for the performance.  I really enjoy being in this program and wanted my last solo for the group to gloriy God.

      So when my leader told me the theme was entertainment I hung my head.....and suggested an upbeat Christian song which I thought was entertaining!  My leader however had other ideas as she told me, actually the song is supposed to be from a movie.....a popular movie!  Now my chances were REALLY slim.....so once agan I prayed and I thought....and I prayed some more.  NOTHING CAME! 

      The next week I suggested two songs "In My Own Little Corner"  and "I Just Got Back From the Windy City"  I know real fun....however after MUCH searching online, I came to the conclusion that the songtracks for these two particular movies DID NOT EXIST!!!!!   NOW WHAT!   I now had three days to come up with a solo and get the music to my director!  YIKES!

      Late that same night my Mom and I sat down to think about what song I should do now!  After much deliberation my Mom suggested "My Favorite Things" from Sound of Music, which my Granddad had also suggested one week earlier.  Great idea.......now how was I supposed to get the CD when we were not supposed to be going anywhere that week?

      My sister solved my problem by exclaming, " I bought the CD on Amazon.com two weeks ago....however it is not supposed to arrive until next Friday" (I needed it on Monday!)  Thus, I turned it over to God right then and asked Him to have already prompted the people to send it early so I could have the CD by Monday.

     God answered my prayer as the CD arrived Monday morning thus enabling me to get the music to my director!  GOD IS SO GOOD!  He watches out for even the smallest details.... and He knows what I am going to need before I pray......Praying is me stepping out in faith, rather than just supposing God will provide.   Prayer builds faith in God more than anything else in this life!

May the Lord bless you as you shine for Him in the places He has placed you right now!

Karady