Overwhelmed.

I feel like every day there is something going on or something that needs to be done. Or something that's keeping me from getting things done that I need to get done. My sink is loaded with dirty dishes and my dryer is stuffed full of clean, dry clothes that are waiting to be folded. My dishwasher is chocked full of clean dishes just waiting for their home. I've switched out all the girls' clothes since it's freaking summer in March and I have yet to fold their winter stuff and put it in the basement. Why is my house in shambles? Because of my foot.

I'm just gonna go through last week because I feel like a lot happened and I haven't really shared much of our personal lives in a while. Or something like that.

Monday we didn't do much of anything. Just hung out at home for the day.

Tuesday we enjoyed the sunshine...took 50,000 walks and chalked up our driveway. It was beautiful and the weather did not disappoint! I also happened to get a wart removed from my foot. Gross, I know. I got it lasered off and it was SUPER painful. Well, not the lasering, but getting 7 shots in it beforehand was stinking painful. But at least I didn't feel the laser! So now, I can barely walk. It's been a fun week, let me tell ya! I limp everywhere and it hurts very badly. The doctor gave me Vicodin for the pain except that whenever I take it, I immediately fall asleep so then I'm rendered useless for my darling children. That's a no dice. Anyway, yeah. I'm happy to have finally gotten it removed, but I'm looking forward to the day when I don't have to limp around in pain. I've been doing a lot of sitting, hence the no dishes being done anywhere. I also went to Olive Garden with my girls, Ashley and Heidi. We've been friends since high school and we get together once a month to catch up on life. It's always a blast and we love closing out the OG! HAHA!

Wednesday my mom came over to help me out. It's a HUGE blessing living so close to her because she came over and took the girls outside on some walks and to chalk it up...while I rested inside. I'm not kidding...this sucker HURTS.

Thursday nothing happened. I've just been in pain, that's all.

Friday was a pretty eventful day! In the morning I went to get some shots for my upcoming mission trip. I got yellow fever, typhoid and Tdap. So I'm all covered now...between those and the ones I got at my doctor's office. Of course I had to go to the health department which means I had to pay out of pocket. I'm waiting to get the receipt in the mail so I can send it to our insurance company and get reimbursed for them. I hope it works out easily! I also went to get my malaria prescription filled and the pharmacy told me that our insurance only covers 5 pills at a time, so I get half now and half when I come back. Isn't that funny?

That evening, my mom came over to watch the girls while Adam and I headed to a marriage conference at our church. It was an evening full of information and we're going to go over everything together again because it was just so much.

While we were there, I called my mom to let her know that I didn't have my cell phone with me so if something happened to just call Adam's phone. Then she tells me that Makayla fell off her bike while they were on a walk. She said everything was okay, but M was banged up a bit. We stayed at the conference because I knew my mom could take care of it. And she did!

So Makayla is fine. The next day it was pretty swollen and today it's pretty black and blue, but it's getting better every day! She's such a little trooper!

Saturday we spent the day at the church for the rest of our marriage conference. It was a big day with so much information, but Adam and I really enjoyed it.

Sunday was a day of rest! Makayla and I stayed home from church because I didn't want to have to explain to everyone what happened to her face. Adam went and got my computer fixed because the mouse pad was sticking and going all random and wouldn't let me use it, etc. There was just some dust in there and I guess some contacts weren't connecting.

Anyway, that's been our week! I've been resting a lot and taking my time getting everywhere...like an old lady! HA! Now we're off to have dinner at our friends' house!!

Korah.

Here are some links for you to check out if you'd like to see where I'll be going on my mission trip to Ethiopia.

I get really excited and really nervous reading this stuff. I don't know how I'm going to keep it together while I'm there...only by the grace of God...

http://www.wakinggiants.com/tag/korah/

http://mycrazyadoption.org/a-boy-who-grew-up-in-korah/

And here is a little video about Korah.

Five Months DTE!

We are 5 months DTE today!! I'm feeling very hopeful and excited for what's in the future for our family.

On the other hand, I'm trying to enjoy every single moment with the two special little girls I have at home already. I know what a whirlwind life will be once our third precious babe comes home. I know it's going to be stressful. We are going to be going through attachment and I don't know how much individual attention I will be able to give the girls.

So for now, in this wait, I am taking more time to read more books, rubbing backs and holding my girls longer before bedtime (and any other time they want it), taking them outside to play and chalk and letting them enjoy just a little bit more tv.

It's nice to get a little perspective every once in a while. I'm thankful for this time to just focus on my sweet girls and love on them while we wait. I want them to feel secure in their places here at home before their world gets flipped upside down.

I'm excited to be one month closer to seeing our little boy or girl's face!!

Noonday Giveaway!!! *ENDED*

*Congratulations to Aubrey Laine!!*

Alright chicas, this is big. I mean, really BIG.

I have the chance to give one of you lucky ladies a $50 gift card to Noonday Collection!!!

If you don't know who they are or what they do, I'll share a little bit right now for ya!

"After visiting Uganda in February of 2010 and holding hundreds of children without moms and dads, Joe and Jessica Honegger (the founder) decided to adopt internationally (from Rwanda). Also on that visit, they met up with long time friends who had lived in Uganda for many years trying to create sustainable income opportunities for the Ugandan people. They asked Jessica if she would like to sell the fair-trade locally made goods in Austin, in order to raise money for the costly adoption process. Jessica agreed and the first Noonday Collection trunk show was born!"

How awesome, right? You can check out more information on their website here.

Coincidentally, I am having a trunk show with the lovely Lisa to help raise funds for my mission trip!! So awesome, right? Well, if you'd like to purchase something from their fabulous site, you can do so right through here and in the special instructions part during checkout, just write 'Lindsey Crockett' and it will go towards my trunk show so I can receive the benefits.

Now that that's out of the way, let's get back to this giveaway!!! Yes, you heard me right...$50!!!

Here are a couple of the items that they have for sale...and they all benefit women in different countries and help them make a living for their families!!!

Ready to hear how you can enter to win this $50 gift certificate??

Mandatory Entry: Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect. If you already do, just comment saying that you do!

Extra Entries:
1. Write a blog post about this giveaway...make sure you link back to this post! Then leave a comment.

2. Share this on Facebook and/or Twitter. Leave one comment for each. Make sure to link back to this post. And don't forget to comment! You can do this once a day until the giveaway ends!!

3. Go to the Noonday website and tell me what your favorite piece is. Comment!

4. Here's the biggie...purchase something from Noonday (be sure to include my name in the special instructions!!) and come back and tell me! This one will get you TEN entries into this giveaway!!

Giveaway ends next Friday, March 16th, so get started with your entries!!! Share, share, share!! :)

Saturday Funday!

We had an awesome fun filled Saturday!

We went to the Smuckers' store in Orrville. It's so cute and we had so much fun looking around at everything. It's huge!

Oh yeah! We got Makayla's hair cut yesterday, too! How adorable is she?!

Best family ever.

Playing with the chalk table at Smuckers.

Love my girl. <3

Headed to Pizza Hut for lunch and while it was jam packed with some high school sports team, we had a blast there, too!

Then we came home, dropped Daddy and Addi off for nap time and Makayla and I headed out to see The Lorax! She had so much fun and we had a little snack of pretzel bites with cheese. She laid on me almost the whole movie. It was so much fun and I loved having a little time with my girl.

She LOVED it!!!

After that we headed to the library to pick out some new books and then headed over to Nana's for a little extra fun!

We came home to a very excited Addi and enjoyed the rest of the evening until bed time. It was such a fun day!!

Then, I found this out and I could not be more excited for this amazing family!!!! How awesome is it when God uses His people to bring families together! I'm so happy that I had a teeny tiny part in this beautiful story.

WOO!

Update on Life.

Finally, right? I know I've been bombarding you all with some awesome quotes from some awesome authors, but I haven't updated on the happs around these parts!

Well, at the beginning of this week, I was feeling pretty discouraged about my mission trip funding. I mean, I know God is going to fund it. There's no question about that. He had already come through immensely. And hello? Look at our adoption fundraiser! That can only come from God.

Anyway.

I was just getting sad because I sent out this crazy awesome email to everyone I know ever telling them about my trip and blah blah blah and a lot of people responded and said how awesome it was, but no donations were coming in. (Yes, I have gotten a couple donations {for which I am very thankful}, but most of this was our own money from selling my jewelry, etc.) And since I sent out this letter and told everyone how they can donate online, I have been checking my little online thing daily and more than once a day. It was getting unhealthy. On Monday morning, I asked God to bless me in the form of just one donation through my online link. That's it. Just one. I was very bold about it and held nothing back.

And you know what? TWO different people have donated $100 each to my mission trip fund THIS WEEK. How amazing is that?! And it's all totally God. He knew I needed that encouragement and He totally delivered...like He does every. time. AWESOME.

Also, Makayla is really funny and super cute. I mean, duh. But she totally is.

We had this conversation in the car on the way to preschool this morning.

M: I'm getting rid of my bike because I'm too big for it.
Me: You're not too big for it. Wait, which bike?
M: My Dora one.
Me: But you aren't too big for it.
M: I wanna get rid of it for our garage sale for our Ethiopia Baby.

AWWWWWWWW, right?! She is so precious and I am in awe of how much she loves this baby.

And here's another convo we had this afternoon while going to get Nana for some lunch. Our lunch was delicious and totally fun, by the way. I love that I can text my mom and tell her I'm bored and then we can just go to lunch. :)

Okay, a little back story. M and I have been talking about her cutting her hair this summer. And the only reason I suggested this summer was because it's still cold and having long hair keeps you warm. Or something. And plus people usually cut their hair short in the summer. So I've been telling her that she can get it cut after I get back from my trip and she always gets really excited about getting her hair cut AND about my trip. She thinks I'm going to see our Ethiopia Baby. It's so sweet. :)


Me: So do you want to get your haircut before I go to Ethiopia?
M: Yeah I do!
Me: You're going to have to sit really still so they can cut it straight.
M: Yeah! I'll sit still like Laney (our neighbor friend) did! Nana didn't sit still...her hair is all curgly because she didn't sit still.

And cue the laughter!!! BAHAHAHAHA!! It was hilarious. And I was literally LOLing and Makayla said, 'Stop laughing!' while she was laughing. It was an awesome day today. And also, my mom's hair is wavy...that's why M said that.

Oh this kid. She cracks me up.

Addison is a walking fool! She is all over the place and hardly ever crawls anymore. She's even to the point where I can (usually) put her down and stand her up instead of sitting her down. I've been waiting for this for so long! I love watching her walk all over the place. It's super cute.

And M and Addi play this game that M calls 'Stroller Game' where they run around with their grocery cart and stroller all over the house. I love watching them play together.

Sometimes I feel like I get so caught up in life that I forget some stuff that happens. But I guess that's the point of living life, right?

One more precious little moment that happened today and then I'm off to watch How I Met Your Mother with my fabulous husband...

Addison got up from her nap earlier than usual and she was crank butt. She was m.a.d. So Adam turned the boob tube on because, really, who does that not soothe, right? Adam was holding Addi on the loveseat and they were laying down. So I asked Makayla if she wanted to come lay with me and so we were laying on the big couch. And we were all just watching Wonder Pets together. It was a beautiful moment and one that I wish I could have captured on film to look back on in the future. It was so wonderful and even though I don't have it for everyone else to see, I have it in my mind and those are some of the best memories anyway. <3

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." -Winston Churchill

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that." -1 Timothy 6:6-8

Weird. Part Two.

"The current of normalcy will pull you away from God at every opportunity if you let it. When we allow ourselves to go with the flow, literally, then we're moving away from the solid rock of God's presence in our lives. Oh, he's still there--right where he's always been and always will be. We're the ones riding the waves in pursuit of other destinations, whether we deliberately chart a course for other locales or, more likely, just allow ourselves to float away to wherever the tied takes us."

‎"I'm asking God to give you a Popeye moment. A moment when God blesses you with a divine burden: something that bothers you so deeply, you're moved from complacency to action. I'm asking God to bless you with something that unsettles you, disturbs you, and upsets you. If you listen, God will show you something that makes your heart ache on behalf of his. He will bless you with a burden."

"Normal people want to live a burden-free life. By nature, we tend to think of ourselves first. It's unquestionably normal. But thankfully, God didn't call us to be normal. Paul said in Ephesians that 'we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do' (Eph. 2:10). Imagine: before you were born, God knew what he wanted you to do. God decided that this time in history was perfect for you to glorify him and make an eternal difference. So God gave you unique gifts, talents, passions, and experiences to propel you into your life purpose."

"Normal people attempt countless goals with limited success. WEird people focus on just one God-given objective with tremendous results. Instead of trying to take in the entire scope of your life's mural, maybe it's time to zero in on one major detail, one significant color, one delicate brushstroke. Focus all your attention on it. Let God create in you his masterpiece. He will make you truly different and joyfully weird."

"Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the Beginning and the End. He is the First and the Last. He said, 'I am the true vine,' 'I am the door,' 'I am the gate,' 'I am the way, the truth, and the life,' 'I am the bread of life,' 'I am the good shepherd.' Who is he? He is the one who was humble enough to come riding on a donkey. And yet, when he returns, he will be riding a white horse, wearing a robe dipped in blood. On his thigh will be written, 'The King of kinds and the Lord of lords.' Out of his mouth will come a sword with which to judge the nations. He is the lion and he is the lamb of God. He is the one who was without sin, born in a cave, so that no one would ever feel too low for him. Yet he called the religious people a brood of vipers. They didn't get him. He told the sinners, 'I love you.' He told the rich it would be hard for them to enter the kingdom of God. He is the one who was beaten and bled and suffered and died and rose again--so that we could have life.

When you know him and when you recognize all that you've been forgiven, it changes everything. You cannot be the same. His power sets you free. His power forgives you, and all of a sudden you cannot be lukewarm. You have to tell people about him because of all that he's done in your life. You can't contain him. You can't keep him to yourself. You're not that selfish. He has changed you. You'll want others to know so badly that you won't care what people think. You'll care only what he thinks, because you'll understand that he's your audience of one. He's not just your Savior. He is your Lord, the King of kings of your life. Your life is no longer your own, but his. You'll live only for him.

When you know him and follow him, this world no longer feels like your home. You find yourself more uncomfortable being normal and more comfortable being weird. You realize that the things of this world will burn away. No one wants to be foolish enough to sell out for something that won't last.

Instead you're heavenly minded. You set your mind on things above. Because of that, you're radically generous. You see your money and possessions as tools for you to use to advance his kingdom, to bring glory to him. When you do sin, you repent. You want to change. But it's not because you're afraid he might not forgive you. You know there's no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. No, you hate to disappoint him, and you hate to live in the low life of sin."

"But let me warn you. When you escape normal and become a person who is God's kind of weird, some people will make fun of you. Don't worry when they do. That's part of following Christ."

And that's that! Whew, right? I know it's a lot to read, but if you read every quote, I hope that it has touched you and let you see just a glimpse of who Jesus really is. And, as always, if you have any questions, please feel free to email me or ask me in the comments section! :)

Weird (it's a book) Quotes.

Alright, I just finished another book called Weird and it's by Craig Groeschel. It's been amazing to be reading these books that are just speaking. my. heart. So obviously I have to share with you guys. Clearly I can't keep all this good knowledge to myself! Plus since I borrowed it from the library (as I do with almost every book I read these days) I'd like to keep these quotes somewhere where I can look back on them someday. Now keep in mind while reading these quotes that this book is called 'Weird', so he talks a lot about 'normal' and 'weird'. It'll make sense, don't worry. :) With that being said, let's jump right in!!

"Most normal people believe that God will never give us more than we can handle. The problem is, God never said that. He said he would not let you be tempted without a way out (see 1 Cor. 10:13), but he never said he wouldn't give you more than you can handle. Ready for a weird take on this?

God will often give you more than you can handle so you can learn to depend on him rather than on yourself."

"Visiting a small settlement in a developing country last year, I was struck by the way one of the villagers shared his knowledge of the world beyond his homeland. Since more than half the world lives on less money than most Americans pay for cable TV, you can only imagine how they might describe us. Many would likely say, 'there are some people who are so rich, they own a car! It's not a lot of people, of course. I read it's only 3 to 5 percent in the world who owns a car. But some people in the world are so rich, they have two cars! Some of these people even have a house for their cars! It's called a garage, and it's like a little house to protect their cars from the elements! You know what else they do? These rich people, they get in their cars, and they drive past twenty or more food places-they call them restaurants-and they're so rich that they pay other people to make their food and serve it to them! That's how rich they are.

Some of these rich people eat some much food in so many restaurants that they get fat but keep eating more and more. Then they have to go to these places called gyms, and they pay people to help them exercise! That's how rich they are.

Some of these rich people have special rooms at home called closets. This little room inside their house is just for their clothes! Nobody sleeps in there-only clothes on hangers and shelves like in a store. Some people are so rich, they even have one big clothes room for the man and one for the woman. So many clothes-some for hot, some for cold, some for work, and some for church. It's crazy! That's how rich people live. I've never seen it with my own eyes. No, no, no. But I've heard about it.'"

"If you've never traveled to a third world country, I'd really encourage you to visit sometime (preferably on a mission where you actually get to serve the people who live there). Every time I go, I see people who literally have nothing. I'm talking nothing. Like not even a floor-nothing. Like living on dirt-nothing. Like no indoor toilet-nothing. Like we don't know if we'll be eating today-nothing.

They're different. They're well...weird. Really weird. 'Weirder than anyone I've ever known' weird. So many of these people, all they have is Jesus and each other. It freaks me out every time how full their lives feel despite how little they seem to have that we would consider essential. I find myself strangely jealous of their joy, peace, and simplicity-until I get back home, that is. Then I find myself right back on my iPad, thinking that all the things I've surrounded myself with are key to my happiness."

"When you're generous, you will be blessed, whether it comes to you materially, spiritually, emotionally, relationally, or some other way."

"When you let God's blessings flow through you, and you give generously as his conduit of blessing, then you will radically depart from the typical mindset of 'what's in it for me?' Which means most normal people won't get it. They won't understand-why in the world would you give away so much of what you have? But you'll definitely have their attention with your supernatural generosity, and they'll want to know what's so different about you. They'll ask how you can give-and live-so freely. And you'll have an opportunity to explain why you're so weird and why they might want to consider being weird too. Why? It's not just because normal isn't working. More important, it's because God is our only true source of life."

"Jesus said, 'What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?' (Luke 9:25). If we raise our children to become well-adjusted, materially comfortable, professionally successful adults, but they don't know the One who created them or live for him, then all the success in the world is for nothing. Psalm 127 tells us that sons are like arrows in the hands of a warrior. What if we're pointing our arrows in the wrong direction?
    Normal is to strive for the center of what the world lives like.
    Weird is to live to be in the center of God's will."

"Our heavenly Father is the creator and sustainer of the universe. He is all knowing, all powerful, and ever present. He is so holy that mortals cannot look upon him in his purest essence and live. The same God who spoke everything into existence knew you before you were formed in your mother's womb. He is simultaneously the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, and the intimate lover of your soul.

He knows every hair on your head, and he sees every tear you shed. He is the great 'I Am.' He is called a consuming fire, the rock, the shelter, the hiding place, the healer, the provider. He is the God who loved you so much that his Son stripped himself of all heavenly glory to live as an impoverished Jewish carpenter so he could shed his blood, suffer, and die for the forgiveness of sins. He is a God beyond description--and he loves us."

Part Two coming soon....

Not A Fan. Quotes.

I'm reading this awesome book called Not A Fan. and it is amazing. There are SO many good quotes that I couldn't not share with you all! Please take the time to read these and really let them soak in...

"Most of us don't mind Jesus making some minor change in our lives but Jesus wants to turn our lives upside down. Fans don't mind him doing a little touch-up work, but Jesus wants complete renovation. Fans come to Jesus thinking tune-up, but Jesus is thinking overhaul. Fans think a little makeup is fine, but Jesus is thinking makeover. Fans think a little decorating is required, but Jesus wants a complete remodel. Fans want Jesus to inspire them, but Jesus wants to interfere with their lives."

‎"These religious types were the fans that Jesus seems to have the most trouble with (in Matthew 23). Fans who will walk into a restaurant and bow their heads to pray before a meal just in case someone is watching. Fans who won't go to R-rated movies at the theater, but have a number of them saved on their DVR at home. Fans who may feed the hungry and help the needy, and then they make sure they work it into every conversation for the next two weeks. Fans who make sure people see them put in their offering at church, but they haven't considered reaching out to their neighbor who lost a job and can't pay the bills. Fans who like seeing other people fail because in their minds it makes them look better. Fans whose primary concern in raising their children is what other people think. Fans who are reading this and assuming I'm describing someone else. Fans who have worn the mask for so long they have fooled even themselves.

Jesus has harsh words for these fans who were trying to impress others through their religious credentials. It's interesting to note that as severe as Jesus was with these religious leaders he is just as tender and encouraging to those who have genuinely given him their hearts, even if they don't have it all together on the outside. Please don't miss this: Jesus doesn't expect followers to be perfect, but he does call them to be authentic." 

"When we learn to truly follow Jesus, we find that obedience to God comes from the inside out. Submission to what God wants for our lives flows naturally out of that relationship. It's not to say that what we do or don't do doesn't matter, but what we do or don't do must come from who we are as followers of Jesus."

"Fans who follow the rules instead of following Jesus find that they are weighed down with guilt. Every time they come to church they find that the preacher has another weight to add to the bar. They keyword for fear and guilt is 'do.' We try and do enough to make up for our mistakes and earn God's favor. Instead of following Christ we are determined to make our own way. They keyword for grace is 'done.' Our punishment was taken by Christ. He has made a way where there was no way so we live with a freedom and an appreciation for what has been done. Fans are all about the 'do', but followers celebrate the 'done.'"

"If Jesus were preaching this sermon today (Matthew 23), I think he might say something like:

       "Woe to you fans, if you would be as passionate about feeding the poor as you are your church's style of worship, then world hunger would end this week. Woe to you fans, if you sacrificed as much to care for the homeless and hungry in the community as you do for your church building or place of worship, the need would be wiped out. Woe to you fans, if you would be as zealous about caring for the sick as you are about a 'Christmas tree' being called a 'holiday tree', health insurance wouldn't be a problem."

We end up straining a gnat but not really paying any attention to the camel."

"Fans trying to follow without being filled with the power of the Holy Spirit become overwhelmed by life's circumstances. They seem to be following Christ, but then something in lofe goes wrong and they don't have the power to overcome it. Instead of following Christ and sticking close to him in the storm the become discourage and keep their distance.

Eventually something happens and you can't get through it on your own. Followers have discovered that it doesn't work without the powere of the Spirit."

"Sometimes I hear people talk about the different men and women of the Old Testament, and there is a hint of jealousy. The may say it, or just insinuate it, but here's what they communicate...

What would it have been like to hear God's voice and see him move in such powerful ways? I wish it was the same for us as it was for those whose stories we read about in Scripture. When I get to heaven I can't wait to ask David, Elijah, or Moses what it was like.

But I think it will be just the opposite in heaven. Before we can ask David what it was like to slay the giant, to win the battles, he'll say, Tell me what it was like on earth to have the Holy Spirit living inside of you, giving you strength when you are weak. We might say to Elijah, What was it like to call down fire from heaven before the prophets of Baal and to raise that boy from the dead? And I think Elijah might say, Yeah, he actually ended up dying again. You tell me what it's like to have God living inside of you. What was it like to live life on earth with the Holy Spirit giving you joy when you're depressed or giving you the power to overcome that sin in your life? We might say to Moses, What was it like to follow the cloud by day and the fire by night? What was it like to meet with God on that mountain? And Moses might say, I had to climb that mountain to meet with God. You tell me what it was like to have him dwell within you every day. What was it like to have the Holy Spirit giving you directions when you didn't know what to do or where to go?"

"We are saved by God's grace when we believe in Jesus and put our faith in him, but biblical belief is more than something we confess with our mouths; it's something we confess with our lives.

So a fan may say 'Lord, Lord', but a fan doesn't live 'Lord, Lord.' You say, 'I am a follower.' I hear you, but when is the last time you fed the hungry, clothed the naked, visited the prisoner? You say, 'I am a follower.' Well that's great, but what do you do when you get in an argument with your spouse? I want to know if you're the one who reaches over and puts a gentle hand on the back of your husband or wife and says, 'I'm sorry.' What do you do when a neighbor starts to gossip about a friend? What do you do when the movie you're watching continues to take God's name in vain? A belief is more than what we say."

"I said to this lady who had been in church most of her life, 'In Revelation 3 Jesus says to the Christians in Laodicea, "You are neither hot or cold but because you are lukewarm-I'm about to spit you out of my mouth." Jesus doesn't say, "Everything in moderation"; he says you can't be my follower if you don't give up everything. His invitation is an all or nothing invitation.'

Jesus has defined the relationship he wants with you. He is not interested in enthusiastic admirers who practice everything in moderation and don't get carried away. He wants completely committed followers."

"Jesus invites you to deny yourself. He invites you to be a slave. But as a slave may I tell you about my master. My master will provide for you. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills; he can take care of your needs. My master will protect you. He speaks and even the wind and the waves obey him. My master has the power to forgive sins. If being a slave to sin has left you broken and bruised and you find your life is in pieces, my master can take the pieces of your life and turn them into a beautiful mosaic. If you are worn out and exhausted, my master gives rest to those who are weary and heavy burdened.

One more thing. When you became a slave to my master, he makes you his son. He makes you his daughter. He calls you a friend."

"Dying to yourself may mean walking by that empty room in your house and asking God if there is an orphan child in another country that should be sleeping in that bed."

"The most literal way to define a 'Follower of Jesus' is 'Someone who goes where Jesus goes.' I'm not sure how you can call yourself a follower of Jesus if you refuse to go where Jesus went. If you are following Jesus 'wherever', he will take you towards a sinner that others wouldn't want to be seen with. You will find yourself among the sick that others try to avoid. If you follow Jesus, expect to find yourself being criticized by some of the religious people in your life. If you follow Jesus you may find that your family thinks you're crazy...his did. You may find yourself being unfairly accused and unjustly treated by those in political office. Ultimately if you follow Jesus 'wherever', you won't just end up covered in his dust, you will end up covered in his blood."

"The reason Jesus is so adamant about followers surrendering everything is because the reality is this: the one thing we are most reluctant to give up is the one thing that has the most potential to become a substitute for him. Really what we're talking about here is idolatry. When we are to be following Jesus, who is ahead of us, but find ourselves looking behind us, we are revealing that we are substituting something or someone for him.

When we finally surrender that one thing, we discover the satisfaction that comes from following Jesus that was always missing when we were holding something back."

WHEW. That was a lot of quotes typed out over a lot of days! So, my point is, this book is good. Really, really good. You should all go to your local library and borrow a copy...or buy one if that's your thing! Not A Fan. by Kyle Idleman

It'll rock your world, but in the best way possible. :)

FULLY FUNDED!!!! (Referral Fee)

Well, you guys, the day has finally come!!!

We are fully funded for our referral fee!! And it was pretty awesome because the person who donated, donated exactly how much we needed ($229) to be fully funded through our referral!!!!

Oh man, I am SO excited!!!!

Now we are going to just focus on my mission trip until that is fully funded...then we'll get back to raising the last $10,000 (or so) for our plane tickets, in-country expenses, etc.

I can't believe that in less than a year, we are completely funded through our referral. I'm just in awe of how God has brought SO many people together to help us bring this baby home! It has been a huge outpouring of love on us and our future child. We seriously have not had to worry at all through this whole process! Not to say that we haven't because I've had my share of wondering where the rest of this money is going to come from, but WOW, it really has been amazing to witness...and to be a part of it all!!

Gah, I am so stoked right now!!!!

Onto mission trip fundraising.... :)

"And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:19

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." -Romans 8:28