Surprise....

Well, for most of you it is probably not a surprise but....we are in the process of adopting from Ethiopia. We are so excited and thrilled about getting our little girl home. We are at the very beginning of the process which takes about 18 months from start to finish. God has worked in amazing ways and we know that He will continue to do so. We look forward to telling her story on this blog. Please pray for God's favor to be on her and us throughout the entire process. We randomly picked our blog title out several years ago, but it seems that for the next year we will definitely be exploring, dreaming, and discovering... and we couldn't be any more excited about it!!!

love,

Anna


You can go here to check out our agency!!

Happy Anniversary!

Russ and I have known each other almost 9 years. And I must say...I have loved him from the beginning.

I just finished reading Pride and Prejudice and there was a quote from Mr. Darcy to Elizabeth. When asked how long he had loved Elizabeth he said, " I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun." No words could better describe how my love for Russ started. I think he would feel the same way.

Yesterday we celebrated being married four years. While I cannot believe that it has been that long, I must say it has been a journey. An amazing journey. Seeing our relationship grow and change deepens my trust in our God that put it together. While I cannot wait for the many years to come...I will start with today. I will love him harder, hug him longer, and serve him more today all the while knowing that he is doing the exact same for me. What a true blessing.

I love you, Russ!!

African Children's Choir

I got a text message from Russ. It read..."want to go on a date Friday night?" I thought maybe that meant dinner or a movie. Then it said "To see the African Children's Choir." I could hardly breathe I was so excited. So Russ and I went on a date to see the African Children's Choir in Tupelo last month. The African Children's Choir was started by Ray Barnett and was started to give hope to the hundreds of thousands of children orphaned in Uganda. I did not realize what all being in the choir did for them. They are taken out of their unbearable circumstances and given a chance to better themselves. They are even given an education.

I had heard them sing before at a leadership conference...even purchased their CD. So, needless to say, I was very excited to see them in person. Russ and I got there early just to get a good seat. And I must say....they were PRECIOUS!!!! The best part was a video they showed. It was of previous choir members talking about where they came from and what being a choir member did for them. Then they told what they had become...doctors, lawyers, teachers, bus drivers, etc. At the end of the show, the little kids in the choir came out, introduced themselves and told what they wanted to become. Such great examples of hope!

After the concert, we were invited to hang out with a few of the choir members. We got to meet and hang out with three of the sweet little boys. Red light, green light has never been so fun!!!

A-mazing.

I was reading this blog....and saw the story of Susan Boyle. I watched her video and literally BAWLED at work. For some reason it took me by surprise. First impressions are not accurate and it made me realize how much I judge people before knowing their hearts. Click here to watch the video!!!

Molly Update

Just thought I would pass on to you an updated photo of Molly. Just look at her profile pic..she looks so serious, doesn't she?? She had surgery last week to ensure that we don't have any little Molly's running around. Don't worry...she made it through great :) Russ said he thought I was in surgery the way that the vet acted when they called. They called to let him know she made it out of surgery, that she behaved well and that they were waiting on her to wake up. Don't get me wrong..I LOVE Molly...but I forget sometimes how serious some people are about their dogs!! Shh....don't tell anyone but I might be becoming one of those people...which is evident by the fact that I have a post titled Molly Update.

Wow. Tupelo.

This aired on Tupelo's Morning Show. Wow. I have no words!! Too funny!!

40 days of water

Blood: Water Mission provides clean drinking water to the people of Africa. How many times during the day do we spend money on something to drink--instead of drinking water? $4 per latte (times 2 or 3 per week), $1.50 per coke or $4.00 for a case, well...you get the point. We spend lots of money on drinks...when water is free.

Blood: Water Mission is calling people to only drink water for 40 days. During these 40 days, they want you to put aside the money you would normally spend on drinks...then at the end of the 40 days...give the money to help African communities get clean drinking water. Remember $1 will help one person in Africa get clean drinking water for 1 year.

Now, will this be easy?? I am going to have to answer a big NO for us. We love coffee, tea, diet coke and Dr. Pepper. We have at least one of these per day..if not more. But, we are interested to see how much we will be able to give away at the end of the 40 days. Everytime we have the thought "I want a _______" then the money we would have spent on that drink will go in our Clean Water Jar.

Choose to make water your only beverage for 40 Days between March 1 & April 9 to help Blood:Water Mission provide clean water for people in Africa who don’t have a choice. Click here to find out more info!! Let me know if you decide to do this!!

love,

anna

Bethel Home

I want to share with you a place that has captured my heart. While in China in October I had the privilege of getting to visit Bethel Home. Bethel is the only home for blind orphans in all of China. They provide for them in amazing ways and truly care for them. Bethel cares for almost 50 children but...there are millions more that need a caring home. I was able to meet the director and see his heart. He and his wife have an amazing story of obedience and hearing God's call for their lives. Russ and I are praying for ways to financially help Bethel...they are in need and I feel like God is calling me to share their story and find others that want to help. Please take 10 minutes to watch this incredible video. I will post more once Russ and I figure out how God wants to use us to help Bethel. If you want more info...please contact us!!! (or go here and see the different ways you can help).

anna

Called Out of Darkness

As Anna has recently informed you, one of her Christmas presents to me was a book by Anne Rice.  Called Out of Darkness was the title.  It's a spiritual memoir.  It's a story of a girl who grew up steeped in Catholic tradition in New Orleans, rejected her faith for almost 50 years, and then returned very late in life.

I had never read anything by Anne Rice.  Ever.  This was a great kickstart at a point in my life when I needed a little bit of a jolt.  

There is one quote in the entire book that I cannot get out of my skull.  

"I stopped talking to God long before I became an atheist."  

Although surrounded by symbols and Mass and reminders of who Jesus was, she stopped talking to God.  She stopped praying.  She halted the connection that she had with her creator God.

In the world of someone who works at a church, it's easy to assume that you're talking to God just because you spend so much time talking about him.  I realized that I go a long time asking God for stuff.  Then I spend a lot of time talking about God.  There are long stretches, too long, that I don't actually talk to God.

That scared me.  That revelation also challenged me.  It's crazy that I do that.  It's even crazier what happens when you actually make it a priority to talk TO him.  Sometimes it feels like he's not even there, but others he reveals himself to you.  In those times that he does reveal himself, I know he's there.

All the time.  

Does that make sense? Or does that sound like 60% of the time it works every time?

 

waiting

I have known of Jesus for a long time now. I would even go as far to say...I know Him well, or so I thought. For the last 2 months now, I have been on a journey of knowing Him better. I have known for a while now that my perceptions of Him were not accurate. While, we can never fully know and comprehend who Jesus is...my perceptions of Him have been off. There are people in my life and things that I have heard that have pushed me to see God as someone that likes to push me around and tell me what to do. I have also had this intense feeling of not being good enough. Now, while I must say--we will never be good enough...forcing myself to try and be good enough takes away the need for God sending Jesus and for His redeeming grace.

"Be still and know that I am God" has been a verse God has shown me for the last year. This year I feel like He is calling me to "be still and know Him." That's right--learn to know WHO He is instead of who I perceive Him to be in all of my insecurities.

I have tried to put into words the way that I feel sometimes. As I watched a beautiful sunset this week, the vision came to me. I am a bride at the alter waiting for my husband to show up. In this vision--my husband is Jesus. I wait anxiously, nervously, wondering if He will show up. Am I good enough, did I do everything right, am I beautiful enough, did I wear the right dress, did I say the right things? What if I am not.

Then the most beautiful words were spoken to me. "Anna, I will always show up. You will never be good enough but that's okay. Enter into this love relationship with me. Let me be the lover of your soul. I've covered all the bases..I sent Jesus."

And then...I opened up my Bible and this verse was there on the pages...in all His glory.

Hosea 2: 14- 16

"But then I will win her back once again. I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there. I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope. She will give herself to me there, as she did long ago when she was young, when I freed her form her captivity in Egypt. When that day comes, "says the Lord," you will cal me 'MY HUSBAND' instead of 'MY MASTER.'

So, this year, I long to continue on this road of seeing Jesus as a husband instead of a master. How freeing to take the pressure off of me and how good I am and place it on Him--the only one that is perfect and loves perfectly.

anna