Well, here I am, sitting at work and feeling like I should post here, but not exactly sure what to say.

Yesterday I saw five cardinals and a blue jay.  They were so beautiful.  I think I shocked Rachel, because we were in the van at the time.  But she saw them too.  I hope she thought they were as awesome as I did.  The cardinals were so red, they almost didn't look real.  They were beautiful.  I think God just let me see them to remind me that he loves me, and that he hasn't forgotten about me.  I wish I had a picture of them.

I'm still trying to find my passion, and the longer it takes, the worse I feel.  I've heard some good words the past few weeks.  Like ... why be content at ankle deep or knee deep or waist deep when we can swim in the Spirit (referring to Ezekiel 47).  We need to have a deeper pursuit of God.  That one really hit home. We long to be taken out of the battle, those who have been injured.  But God is sending us back into the battle so we can strengthen our brothers and sisters. (Luke 22:31)  What better way for the enemy to divide and conquer than to make us feel guilty when we fall in the battle.  He wants to keep us from returning to the battle.  To keep us strapped down with guilt and failure.  I'm pretty sure God knows how weak we are.  And he chooses to use us anyway.  That just blows my mind.  And he says, when you have turned back (made a change, decided to go the right way, not the wrong way, go the right direction) strengthen the brothers (and sisters).  God, please use me in the whinny state that I am in to strengthen my brothers and sisters. 

Remember, there is no Geneva Convention with the Enemy.  There is no United Nations.  The enemy does not play fair.  And we know he doesn't.  How deep is your desperation?  I will be honest, mine hasn't been too deep lately.  I told someone not too long ago, that God was showing me things that I thought I had already worked through.  And then he told me, it's time to go deeper.  And I hesitated.  Like I'm in a better, safer place because I hesitated.  No way.  I think that is part of the reason I don't feel passion.

So, I'm on two missions - first, to find my passion again and second, to go deeper.  If you are with me and you want to go deeper, let's strengthen the brothers and sisters together. 

Keep looking for your "cardinals and blue jays" for God to show you how much he loves you.

Blessings, Mindie

W

Well, I don't know what to say.  We are here safe and sound.  It was an awesome time getting here, but walking in the door and being greeted by so many hugs and kisses was awesome.  It is so awesome to see how the kids have grown and changed in a year.

One of the things that blesses me so much about Joshua House is seeing what the love of God has done for these kids.  By all rights, some of them shouldn't be alive.  If they were in America, they would have been in foster care, seeing a therapist for the rest of their life, and totally messed up.  But they are none of those things.  They are beautiful healthy children who want to bless others.  They have been served, and they want to serve.  It is so great.

The weather has been cold.  We went to the town today.  Open market is so cool.  Matt is goofing with one of the kids and needs to be reminded to stay quiet.  We don't want to draw attention to ourselves as Americans ... but you know Matt.  Of course the fact that I am not a size 3 kind of makes me stand out too.  Everyone is so skinny here. 

Worship today was awesome, of course.  To see these kids, now teen and young adults, leading worship was awesome.  Since we were here last year, three of them have learned to play new instruments on their praise team.  They just want to serve us while we are here and let us have a time of refreshing.  We want to do so much for them.  We will go to the mountains on Tuesday (I will write after that experience) and visit some of the places we didn't see the last time.  I can't prepare myself for that.  I don't know what to expect.  We are going to the boarding school, and that might be a little more than I can handle.  We will see.

Until then, please pray for Matt and I and our ministry with Joshua House.  They would let us stay if we could.  Wow.  What a mission field and harvest.    More to come .......

Blessings, Mindie