Baldwin {for runners and readers}

Runners...
In just about two weeks Matt and I will take off at the starting line in the Baldwin Park races (him a half marathon and me a 5k).  We're excited and also fairly confident that we just weren't built to be runners.  The joy in this for us right now is getting all our morning practice runs and the race on Nov 11 here in Central Florida: absolutely beautiful, mild fall.    The moon was glowing fantastically and there were stars shining over me at 7am this morning!  Such a privilege to run in this beauty!

Plus, add the great joy and honor of running for Premila and having this running as a lesson compelling me to wear myself out well.   We're still raising money for  As Our Own with this run.   If you'd like to donate for Premila, the 14 year-old girl we're pledging our run-funds towards, please check here.  There will be no more mentioning this fundraiser here at the blog....  this is your last reminder, friends!  :)

In our city home in China, we rarely ever see a star.  This time to be in creation, to think, to pray, to take in spiritual nourishment (the moonlight, magnificent creation, or a sermon on the ipod) is such a gift.  We are so grateful.  Come January, I'll be back to my silly exercises with the kiddos in the living room (and there's a heap of joy in that too.)

Readers...
From Ambleside Online, I came across the Baldwin Project, whose slogan is "Bringing Yesterday's Classics to Today's Children."  We've loved the reading primer by Harriet Treadwell (came in super handy when the Veritas Press primers I ordered were several grade levels above what I expected!)  and also the fantastic stories (read with a tiny bit of mama censoring) in In Story-land.  This site is another fantastic find for readers overseas and everyone interesested in classic literature.  I'm so excited about this resource for our family!    

Well Worthy.... Would you please give?

I've never posted anything like this before, but I must share this opportunity with you..... even though I only have a minute and it'll be a brief sweet post today!  (More to the story and more photos soon...)

Matt and I are going to run on November 11 (a 5k for me and a half marathon for him)  as a fundraiser for As Our Own.  This organization works in India to provide rescue, aftercare and preventive care for young girls who are vulnerable to abuse and trafficking in India's sex industry.  The way they love and demonstrate the Gospel of Christ is *Beautiful*.

If you're interested... will you please visit my race page at As Our Own to read about Premila, the sweet 14 year-old girl we're running for, and consider donating to our fundraising effort? 

Here's the link friends!

You can give right there.    I haven't raised anything yet....  sigh.... but man, I'd be so grateful to start making my way towards our fundraising goal of $750 with your help!  (Of course, we'll be donating to it too but we haven't even done that yet!)  The money donated goes 100% to As Our Own for their efforts of love and serve these precious, needy girls.

Thanks friends!  We're so grateful to get to do this together with you for these precious girls and for the Lord!

Money is Dirt : Giving Radically

Eric Metaxas tells the story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer traveling with his students on a short trip and then- to their surprise- buying their return train tickets for them.  One of the students protested modestly, offering to repay the teacher for his ticket.  Bonhoeffer told him simply, "Money is dirt."

Who says that? 

Only a man who lives gloriously freed from the snare,  a man who doesn't love it.  (And that's a crucial mark for a man of God because if down deep he’s (or... I’m) really clammering for the stuff.... if the stuff of the world is really my heart's aim, well then, it’s been said plainly enough:  I'm an enemy of God.)

But really, dirt?  Money is Dirt?   Of course it's about that precious where we live all well fed, air conditioned, pampered, and fashionable.  And I love Dietrich Bonhoeffer and I light up with joy at these words of his.  But this freeing truth isn’t all, always true.  The problem is that most of the world needs that dirt for food and water and a roof and education and medical attention just to live.  

Once again sweet Ann has posted some outstanding exhortation on giving and living radically.  Here are the points that speak the clearest, loudest to me... (my notes in parentheses) 

1. Pray.

This is doing something — the first thing.

Prayer isn’t a substitute for action — prayer is the source of action. Pick a country to pray for, a person, a people group — make it a habit of your day to wear compassion and justice and prayer.

2. Make it your goal to tithe 10% (And what a joy to get to give 20%, 30%, even more of our income as He enables?!)  

The Average American? Gives 3.2% of their income. And if every committed Christian in America tithed 10% from whatever their income is — we’d give $85 billion dollars a year. And the United Nations states the world only needs $30 billion dollars a year to end world hunger.

3. Give Wisely (I’ve adjusted some of the links from Ann’s original post)

When giving, Tim Keller says, the most effective way to make to give, to support is:

Straight Relief = immediate aid  (put food on a plate of a hungry child, give medical care, give water to a neighborhood whose been death beaten simply by dirty water) 

Societal Development= micro enterprise loans, educational and  infrastructure development.

Soul Reform = evangelism and discipleship. 

“There is no better way for Christians to lay a foundation for evangelism than doing justice,” write Keller. “On paper we may ask, ‘Should Christians do evangelism or social justice?’ But in real life, these things go together,” offers Keller.

I can't help but add one more point too....  4.  Buy Less (much less).   Such joy and freedom to not have to hunt for stuff, pour money out on it, maintain it, clean it, organize it, store it, repair it, resell it....   So few things are actually needful in the first place!   It has been such a glad, freeing gift for me to not have any place to go shopping in the town we live in.  I have so much time without wasting it there and more money to give.  Yes, I hope to be something of a Proverbs 31 woman who provides well for my family's needs, but... needs.  We don't need every pretty thing.   Buying less makes rare buys (wants) all the more special and gratefully enjoyed.  We've found this little tip to be all around gladness.  

Let's give, friends!  Invest in eternal joy!

We've got a great group of links that we love, organizations that we delight to give to or groups that our friends work with or have commended to us.   I can't post the list of links here but I can email it to you if you're interested or you can find it on my first pinboard.    Please take a look.... such beautiful org.s to give to!  Such joy to be had in giving to His glory!

There are several groups that are quite sensitive to mention but this is one group we can shout out.  

Abba Fund   is just one of many agencies that give grants to families to help cover the costs of adopting a new baby into their family.  We recently had the joy of meeting this family as they came to our town to bring their new baby girl into their family.  I don't know if they received grants, and if they did- I don't know which ones, but they did say that the cost of their adoption was largely supplemented with donations.

What an Awesome Joy to see....  No more orphanage for you, Mattie Grace.  You have a hope and future.  You are forever loved and you will grow up knowing it, hearing it, seeing it... the Gospel of Jesus.  We are so sooo glad for you, darling girl!

And ohhhh.... for the millions more orphans waiting.  What is the heart of God for them but that his people love and care for these little ones!?  Oh move us to action for Your name, Jesus, and for these little ones!

My Mama

Ann Voskamp has invited her reader community to post their tributes to their moms and her family wants to respond with generous giving to a maternal child heath project in Haiti with Compassion.  I love it.  Love my mama and helping other mamas...

But in this season of motherhood for me, I just can't set aside a month to write a tribute that might just pass as barely worthy of posting in my mom's honor.  There will never really be adequate words from me....

I was born out of my mom's brokenness, neediness while she searched for love.... and found only a chincy knock-of of the real deal.  He was married and I don't think he ever looked at me (I met him when I was 22 but that's a different story.)  My mom raised me alone.... except that with all the weight of new mothering responsibilities she decided she needed some help and started visiting churches for a free hour of babysitting; she could sit still and think for an hour every Sunday morning.   By the time I was seven (yes, it took that long) she heard the Gospel on a Sunday morning:  that God has provided for our sin by giving Jesus.  And my mom and I trusted Christ together.

My childhood is best told in this picture:  my mom and I flying downhill on a bobsled, wind in our hair, smiles and eyes all alight with joy.  She was a flight attendant so we travelled (for free... snatching up any empty seats) to Mexico, Hawaii, London, Budapest, Bombay.

She was broken and I was broken and we grew in Christ together.   She shared with me all she was learning from radio Bible teachings during her commute to work, she shared and modeled how she was learning to give of herself in every way.  She sent me off to the ends of the earth and supported me in every way I could dream.

And there was conflict and continued giving (Such Generous Giving!), there was hospitality and hostility, and forgiveness.... There was great forgiveness  (Thanks be to God!)  and great joy (pure gift!).  There was always an adventure.  Soon after our wedding she hinted at her hope for a grandchild.  And then too soon there was the unexpected, sudden heart trouble and now there is the legacy and the longing....  me longing for her friendship, advice, encouragement, help, love.  She would have been here with us probably every month for those free tickets of hers and she would have eaten up these four grandkids of hers.

Oh I love, I love, I love and I miss my mama.

I'm glad she told me she loved how I called her mama.   And I praise God that she is LIVING now more than she ever has, with Him.   And I rejoice that we will be together when we see the Lord.

my mama in the middle with her two sisters, (L, R) Blythe and Gayle

a good fun old photo booth strip with her little brother Brian
(who I grew up thinking just might be the tallest man alive)

I am so happy Matt got to meet my mom.  So glad my best friend knew my first friend.  Oh how she shaped me!  How gracious the Lord was to draw us to Himself together!

Mama, I'm so very grateful for you, so grateful the Lord gave me to you.  I wish I had words to thank you and honor you more as you're due...  I love you and miss you so...

This is post is for the  The Thousand Moms Project.... 
in the community of blog friends who gather at  www.aholyexperience.com

It Must Not Be

I'm in agony over these faces, this horror holding over 12 million people.  I'm shaking my head that in the few hours I've spent online this week, I didn't check far enough into world events to see this...

photo taken from The Atlantic article

The worst drought in 60 years, striking across the Horn of Africa, bringing malnourishment, starvation, death to thousands.


This devastation should not be.... and it will not go without this family turning themselves inside out- everything we can think of- to give all that we can.


Whatever it takes Lord!  Lead us with wisdom to give to groups that will use gifts wisely, to your glory.   Help us to cut back every penny we can to GIVE! our all for their sakes.


For the story in pictures, one of which is above:  This article from The Atlantic  (HT:  Ann Voskamp)


For ways to help the "nearly half a million children... at risk of dying of malnutrition and disease" and the 12 million people bound in this horror:  This CNN post.

Two more Christian groups serving here:  Kidmia- see the post below, and the Mennonite Central Committee that has developed food-for-work projects in Ethiopia.


Now... off to pray for Somalia, Ethiopia, the Horn of Africa, these children, these mamas, for rain and wisdom and integrity for leaders to come and help and humbly serve...

Kidmia

Just found this org that I think looks like an absolute winner.  Really...   far better than candy.


This makes my heart for Jesus and my head for public health SING.


Kidmia works with Ethiopian churches and pastors, providing training to understand a Biblical view of orphans and adoption and they also provide housing, food, education and discipleship for these kids and so much more.  I am really impressed with the little I know.... can't wait to learn more and start getting involved!

one more most excellent find

Any one whose read a bit of our blog will know that I (Jill) count Ann Voskamp- just through her blog- as a dear friend and mentor. Right now, as she's visiting Guatemala, meeting Xiomara, the child they sponsor there, and writing about it, I'm reading and weeping and deeply moved.

We've supported Compassion for as long as we've been married- Daniel in Kenya who is thirteen years old now. We got to bless a girl, Agnes, at the same Kenya site in honor of my mom, when she went to be with the Lord. And recently, we've decided that this is really a priority, we simply want to be connected like this to more kids.... It's so worth tightening up the belt strap for...


We look forward to the day when we'll have the language to connect with more poor people here, but we'll be glad to continue giving to these Compassion kids even when our studying and God's grace has finally gotten us there.

We've liked Compassion for all these six plus years. But after reading Ann's post here, I am more a believer than I've ever been. May the Lord continue to connect these field servants to local churches that will run hard and serve simply, humbly these little ones. And may the Lord move our hearts to give generously and pray earnestly for these precious lives, these children, their families.

Move us Lord.

funding a family in Tajikistan

Thanks CS for tipping us off to a really cool organization that connects people like us to folks around the world who are needing a small loan. Matt and I are really excited to have been able to give to such a worthy need. We made a small loan to a lady who is starting her own business selling dried fruits in Tajikistan and we will be able to track with her business progress at this site. The goal is that she will repay us and then we can reinvest the money with another family/ individual. Check it out if you're at all interested... it's an excellent education just to get to learn about this kind of work, and it's an excellent, exciting opportunity to give. And you can give gift certificates to people so they can give to the person of their choice on the kiva site. super cool.

www.kiva.org