Give Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope that you had a day full of family, laughter, good food and thanksgiving. I know that my day consisted of those things. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been thinking about the things that I’m thankful for. Topping the list were thing like: grace, forgiveness and my family. And then there were other things like clean drinking water, an education and access to healthcare. And then my mind drifted to a common prayer of thanksgiving in Liberia--”thank you God for life and breath.” Yes, God, thank you for life and breath.

But as I laid in bed this morning, thinking about things that I’m thankful for, my mind kept wandering away from the good stuff. I couldn’t help but think about the bad, hard and difficult. Times over the last few years where things seemed impossible, or I felt like I couldn’t take any more heartache. I thought about sickness, poverty, unfairness, loss and death. Faces of dearly loved friends, who have passed away without any explanation danced in my mind. Things that don’t or can’t make sense, or that prove just how much evil is in this world.

At first, I wanted to go back to the things--happy, good things--that I am incredibly grateful for. I wanted to celebrate with thanksgiving about God’s provision and protection. Or remember the miracles that have happened in my own life, or in the lives of those around me. But then God began to reveal something unexpected.

He began to speak to me about all of those bad, hard and difficult things. He began to whisper--be thankful for ALL things, because it ALL comes from Me. Once you make it through trying times, you eventually get to a place where you’re able to turn around and look back and see how God was present every step of the way. And that’s what I found myself doing this morning. Rejoicing in and thanking Him for the bad. I am able to see His presence in those difficult times. And I’m continuing to understand that He is always with me. And I’m continuing to believe that He does work all things together for our good. 

I am thankful for the difficult, hard and messy because I am continuing to learn that all of it is for my good and for His glory. I am able to find joy and thanksgiving, even when the good is missing. It’s a huge lesson to learn, but it’s also one that will wreck you and draw you closer to the Father at the same time. He is my good and faithful Father. And for that I am thankful!

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Announcing My New Ministry--Red Meets Green!

Liberia, West Africa is a beautiful, lush country with a violent and bloody past. After fourteen years of brutal civil war, no Liberian went unaffected. Poverty, disease, orphans and widows, those are the stories of Liberia’s people. Just recently, Liberia celebrated ten years of peace, and the people are at a place where they can hope and dream again. However, they still face so many challenges in making those dreams come true.

After spending four years in Liberia working with orphanages, God began to do something new in my heart. He gave me a deep desire to minister to my neighbors--to empower them and to help them achieve their dreams--and to help preserve families. That’s where Red Meets Green was born. Liberia’s past is stained in red because of all of the bloodshed and death, but the people are desperate to encounter green---life, hope and Truth. The people of the Cooper Beach community experienced terrible things during the war, but also in the four years that I have lived there. They will now be provided with the opportunity to ‘meet green’ at a community center in their own neighborhood. Red Meets Green is my new ministry in Liberia, where a community center will serve as a beacon of hope. Through building relationships and serving the people, it is my prayer that anyone who comes to the community center will meet and know the hope that can only be found in Christ.

Cooper Beach Community

In order to meet people right where they are, we will begin by offering adult literacy classes, as well as tutoring, art and sports for children. The literacy classes will be the start of relationships, as well as helping to assess the needs of the community. Over time, we will expand to vocational and business training programs and anything else that the people need. Red Meets Green is about the life-change that can only happen because of God’s mercy and love, and how that change affects individuals, families, a community and a country.

The Green House Community Center

Your continued prayers and support are incredibly important to me and the ministry in Liberia. I am currently raising the needed funds to open the community center, and hope to be back in Liberia full-time in Spring 2014. If you would like to be a part of all that God is doing in Liberia, please contact me!

I will continue to use Love in Liberia for my personal communications, but everything else will be under Red Meets Green. Check out the Red Meets Green website (redmeetsgreen.org) to learn more and find out how you can get involved!

Prayer Needs:
- That God would miraculously put my Tax-Exempt papers on the top of the stack at the IRS and that there wouldn't be any problems processing the paperwork.
- Miraculous provision from our Jehovah-Jirah! The balance due on the rent is roughly $7,700 and I would love to see it come in before the end of the year! That's the first 'chunk' needed...but there are many financial needs after that.
- Wisdom and creativity when it comes to fundraising!
- That God would stir the hearts of people to pray, give, get involved and go.
- Divine appointments with people, companies and organizations that we can partner with.
- Personnel needs: CPA, photographer/videographer, graphic/web designer and fundraisers.