Circle Your Need and Pray Like Mad

It's Tuesday. We've spent 6 hours in the ER - trying to figure out what's going on with Garth.  High, ridiculous fever that is giving him chills that literally lift him off the bed.  The doctor sat with me, just watching him breathe and shiver and watch his teeth shake like a cartoon figure - only this was my sick, sick husband.

After deciding to admit him and just watch him --- The Dr. came in and said we had to make a decision --- the chest xray had come back abnormal (but not a normal abnormal), he wanted the radiologist to reread it in the hospital, but they wouldn't be in for 6 hours or more. He was wanting to start IV antibiotics but wasn't exactly sure we should because we didn't have any concrete answers and they couldn't figure out what was wrong.

What we DID know is that Garth's vital signs weren't right nor was this high fever.  And as he said we had a choice (Garth was way out of it at this point - so my choice basically).....

"You need to understand if we DON'T start antibiotics, we can NEVER get back these 6 hours of waiting to see"

Pretty scary statement by the doctor that he repeated to me several times.  The choice was made to start antibiotics immediately and 2 different big guns. At this point, he was on hourly monitoring of vitals.  I began to realize how sick he really was.

Our small group has been doing a very challenging study called Circle Maker and the idea is to draw a circle around your need and pray specifically for it, while waiting expectantly for God to work.  And waiting does not mean sitting and doing nothing.  Waiting means preparing.  Preparing takes work.  I realized I needed to put this learning into action and God placed this challenge in our path. This is where rubber meets the road when you are working on an area of your life.

I formed a small group of people on a text group. I began to send updates WITH a specific prayer request of urgent needs.  Just one at a time.  Here's part of my list

• Vitals to be stabilized - we were on an hourly monitoring - later on we were able to spread that out. 
• Prayer for answers on the chest xray - it was then confirmed that the xray abnormality was due to lack of a deep breath -- but I knew then that that misreading was a miracle -- because we could not wait the amount of time to get him on antibiotics, he didn't have that much time. 
• Fever to be resolved -- this I asked for multiple times as it would be gone, but then would return with a vengance of pain and chills. Eventually it resolved. Persistent prayer. 
• Blood Glucose was 148 - at 150 because of his condition, they would need to administer insulin. Immediately asked for prayer just for this - next reading was also 148 and again asked for prayer - next reading was 90. 

I know that God doesn't always immediately answer and I know that there are a lot of times He doesn't answer in healing - but gives the ultimate healing.  But by praying specifically for things, I wanted this difficulty and hardship to be His story (history). I wanted God to be glorified through it and that his getting better had everything to do with God answering prayer. 

My challenge to you is to pray specific -- wait expectantly -- God WILL reveal Himself to you if you ask.  Recently I've been praying Ephesians 3:20 in my circumstances.  Asking God to do abundantly more as well as Revelations 3:7 to shut the door or open it by His power alone. 

What can I pray with you and for you in your life?  Let's be specific.  Let's drill down and make an impact.  Your prayers or lack of prayer has eternal consequences.  

Excellence vs Perfection

I'm reading a super cool book!  It's more of a "fun" in between book club reads.  The caption from Lisa's blog post grabbed my attention ---- your home should tell your story.  Not exact words - but that's what I took from it.  Being someone who loves words and pictures and remembering memories --- this screamed READ ME!

The Nesting Place has been a sweet surprise of life lessons.  I honestly thought it was a "how to" decorate your home, but instead is full of advice to life life now and the true meaning of hospitality and entertaining.

The author in her books expands on this thought -- and my challenge to you -- (from the Reluctant Entertainer by Sandy Coughlin) Sandy Coughlin writes: "Excellence is working toward an attainable goal that benefits everyone, while perfection comes from a place of great need -- usually the need to avoid criticism and gain praise and approval from others (selfish desires)"

Ouch.  Perfection may happen in very narrow circumstances in a very narrow place.  Which to me means narrow thinking? Granted, when we are talking brain surgery - perfection is what I want it to be.  But while the surgeon is perfect in his procedure, his home life may not be or even his office staff issues might be a mess.  My point is that not in all areas of our life can we have perfection.  Yet we continue to strive for it.  Selfish.

I like that this statement suggests we strive for excellence.  Strive is a verb.  It means action.  It means working toward something, I believe in all areas of our life we should be striving.

That says we can't stay stuck. We can't be in this same place in 5 years.  We should be striving internally and externally to make a difference.

Thoughts? Do you struggle with perfection?  Easy to stay status quo?

Firsts.......Firsts..........Firsts...

Life is racing by.  Sometimes I just want to press "pause". The kids are both in a phase of changing rapidly, experiencing new things constantly and just growing up and up..

 Hunter is junior lifeguarding - learning to teach swim lessons and paving the way to becoming a full fledged life guard when he turns 16 in June.  He does this 2 nights a week.  A great experience, and is learning a lot about teaching kids to swim. 

This says Hello Straight Teeth on the welcome board. 

Lindsay with her 4 braces on her front teeth. She has head gear to wear for sleeping. 

These new adventures in their lives mean bigger things are around the bend.  They are milestones into becoming adults.  And this mama can't help but to be proud and sad all at once! Today while at the doctor's office, someone was bringing in their 6 mo old baby boy for a well check.  As I talked to the mom and enjoyed the baby -- I thought don't blink ---- it goes so fast.  My babies were both just 6 months old the other day....

Life lessons to stop and enjoy these moments and milestones.  Thankful I have a job that is flexible to allow me to not miss these moments.  The small moments add up to who they'll be someday - what they will stand for, how they will live, and the impact they will have.

I saw an article that caught my eye this morning that said -- you think you are a bad parent? Or you question your parenting effectiveness?  I do this all the time --- wonder if when they are 35 they will laugh at me or need therapy for all the dysfunctional moments we have.  But this article said that by questioning yourself --- you are proving that you are a good parent by questioning yourself and rechecking in with yourself.  Constant tweeking.

I think that's what parenting takes -- constant tweeking.  Just when I think I have one of the kids figured out, they change and outgrow that stage.  So again we are reconfiguring.

Tweek on......

Obstacles that are really lies

I shared with you last week some notes from my bible study Undanted By Christine Caine.

This was our final lesson today. I have to say this bible study has made a lot of things clear, but also muddied the water as well as stirred it all up together.  I see clearly that I have a purpose and that I think I need to go after that purpose, but the HOW always halts you in your tracks.

One of the final thoughts (how I interpreted it, not the rest of the group - I know, shocker) was about obstacles.  It was a list of common obstacles.  I looked at these obstacles and thought, "what do each of these things look like in real life"?

For example - unforgiveness.  What would a person that has trouble forgiving look like on the inside? Maybe hard hearted.  Maybe bitter.  And so on and so on.  I kind of did a character sketch on each one of these.  My reasoning? To be able to help people more effectively.

Here's the list we had:

• Unforgiveness
• Bitterness
• Shame
• Fear
• Guilt
• Rejection 
• Hurt

2 points to these that I realized after doing my study and my sketches.  IF you have these in your life AND we ALL do........ 

YOU ARE STUCK.  

The stronghold of this list are LIES. 

We learned last Sunday at Church that all a stronghold is - is a LIE.  It is meant to deceive you.  It is meant to make you STUCK.  Nothing on this list is from God. 

No more.  It's time to be free.  No more duct tape, packing tape, webs. 

FREE to do what God has next in your life.  Are you free?  

Austin, here we come!

Insane.... insane......insane. Loving my insane life.

A few weeks ago, I was feeling very discontent. I posted about that in  my post called God's Up to Something Big

Fast forward ----- I received a personal phone call from IF: Gather saying that Jen's registration was processed as was mine.  We are IN!! We are going to Austin!

What is this conference?  It's called IF:Gather.  Founded by Jennie Allen IF exists to:

• GATHER &
• EQUIP &
• UNLEASH next generation of women to live out their purpose

Sounds like what should be next, don't you think?  

You too can participate in this.  It will be simulcast. Stay tuned for more information about this.  

I can't wait to see how God's going to use this.  Airline tickets are booked and we are ready to go learn and soak it all up to figure out how to leak it all out.  

On a popular TV show I like --- a firefighter was having a hard time overcoming his grief and doing things that weren't healthy in combating it. His boss called him in and his argument was that he was on the job, showing up.  The boss said -- It's NOT about showing up - it's MORE than that.  People count on you! 

Yes -- this is true to all areas of our lives. Are you just showing up? Soaking it up and not sharing it? 

Are you making a difference or an appearance? 

I will not show up in Austin.  It's time for more.  I want to live my life trusting in Ephesians 3:20.  

Limitless

Undaunted means not intimidated or discouraged by difficulties, danger or disappointment.

Are you living life undaunted? I'm in the middle of a great study by Christine Caine (http://christinecaine.com).  Really looking at my life and realizing that I don't trust as much as I should.

Do you limit yourself? Do you limit others around you? What about what God can do in your life if you let Him truly in?  I do.  In a lot of ways.  I'm tired of it.

I tell myself - I don't have time to add one more thing, do I really have time for that thing or is that something that is worthy of my time? All kinds of questions that keep me down in my rut and running as usual.  I'm done.

One of my family's favorite movies is We Bought a Zoo.  (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1389137/)
This is a great movie that shows the choices you can take when tragedy strikes.  It's inspiring to watch someone take a great risk and take their hurt and pain and invest it. There are 2 lines in that movie that I'm trying to incorporate in my life......

• Benjamin Mee: You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.
• Katherine Mee: Why not?

Have you done something that takes insane courage? I would like to say that I have.... and I would like to live my life being willing to take risks and being open to what God is asking of me.  And ask myself - why not? What do I have to lose? 

This study is encouraging you to do something for God.  So many of us say what can I do?  I'm just 1 person and I only have this much time and this much influence.  My answer to this is -- you touch and help change 1 person's life, they then help someone else or even 5 people, then they reach out to others.  It's exponential.  It's unstoppable.  It's Ephesians 3:20.  Obeying God's calling has NO LIMITS.  

I know what my next step is and I know it's huge and it's going to impact.  Are there obstacles?  Yes.  Does it feel overwhelming?  Yes, because it's bigger than myself.  And when doing something for God, realizing the battles are really against the flesh, not against Tonya Mosher. But I'm asking God to help me be undaunted. 

Instead of asking yourself, why?  Ask why not? Just 20 seconds of insane courage!! You can endure anything for 20 seconds!!! 

Waiting to hear your stories.........

God's up to big stuff

S.T.R.E.S.S. --- in my own life that means that God is up to something good and there is resistance against it.

For awhile I have felt discontent.  I think the "moving" time of the 7 study really made me look at things differently in my life.  It pointed out areas of my life that aren't quite inline.  We then took a very good vacation, and came back to reality where life just hasn't felt like it's back together.  And I don't think God wants it to go back together.  Do you ever get that feeling?

A few weeks ago I started reading and studying the book Undaunted by Christine Caine.  It's a pretty intense study - the first week was taking segments of your life, listing something tragic or rough that happened (childhood, teen, young adult, etc) and asking how you dealt with it, how you saw God and lessons learned.  No one else in our group liked the section.  I wouldn't say I liked it --- but when forced to go back in time -- it was super cool to see the pattern of growth.  A feeling like - yes, I am making progress in my faith -- but still feeling this lack of contentment yet trying to tell myself that when life gets hard, I'm growing.

But - once again - struggling with issues with my bio mom.  I'm tired of these struggles - God is continuing to work in me in this area and I am making progress --- but I'm weary of the thoughts and weary of the situation.  Church this weekend kind of nailed it - the question was asked -- are you only fighting your battle or are you winning? Identify the battle (that's the hard part for me - what is it I'm bothered about other than just being literally bothered and this takes time dwelling in it which I'm not a fan of) and CRY it out to God.  Speak it. Identify it. CRY it out. REVEALING the FEELING is the beginning of HEALING.

Ephesians 3:20 says through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish INFINITELY MORE than we might ask or think.  Yes please.  Realizing our power fades over time when God's power increases over time.  I'm weary of this - God please take it from me.  I then asked for prayer in this situation.  Step one - spoke it.

Sunday night as we said goodbye to our company and I had a few minutes to sit on my bed before head hitting the pillow --- my dear friend from Tucson wrote on my FB (jokingly) let's go to this conference in Austin, TX.  I texted her immediately and said I'm in.  Let's go.  I then asked -- Now --- what's this conference about?  It has my favorite bible study teachers --- and the theme is God working in greater ways.  Greater than you could ever imagine.  We begin to plan our scheme.

Tuesday morning rolls around to register for the conference. This is how the day has gone:

•  I wake up to ants in the kitchen (we've never had ants in the house in the 12 years we've lived here) and yes I'm itching for no reason at all
•  then have difficulties registering (website crashed 10 servers and had more than 38,000 hits),
• then Hunter telling me the freezer isn't cold or frozen (lost a lot of food)
• spent the afternoon cooking meat so we didn't lose it (not on my plan today) 
• having argument with Hunter that I really didn't want to have
• realizing I made a mistake on someone's payroll this week
• did my friend's registration go through or not because the system was so unstable? They charged me, but we still haven't heard she's in for sure. 

Do I think this is a coincidence? Thinking I would wake up this morning and start planning with my friend and thinking about ways God was going to work in us -- to having the day go like this. Not even being able to celebrate us going because we don't know if she's in or not.  No coincidence. God is doing a huge work in the both of us -- her family's story these past few weeks is nothing short of the miracles of God.  

We both agreed to host a monthly "table" where we bring members of the community in to our home to ask tough questions and make connections to do great things for our community and for the Lord. This is huge because 2 weeks ago in my bible study, they asked the question what would bring you the greatest joy? To me, connecting people to each other to make a difference. So when I read about hosting this group, it was like the light went off! The basis of these groups come from Acts 2:46 in opening our homes to meet together.  We are praying about who it is we are to invite.  That God appoints just the right people and does a work.  

James 1:2 says to have joy when having trials because they develop your faith.  I have joy in today because God is up to something more than awesome and these trials are because of it.  Vs. 12 talks about the reward of having withstood the test, you will receive the crown.  

I dare you --- identify your  struggle. Speak it. Cry out to Him. Let's see what happens.  Do I have all the answers? Do I feel like I've solved my adoption issues? No -- but I'm taking it to the next step. I'm going to win it instead of fight it.  Stay tuned...... 

Did I read that right?

My last post was on the purging that has been going on in the Mosher household.  It's still going on in huge ways and has become life changing.  (More on the new way of purging in a later post).

As a lot of you know, I will soon be leading a small group study on 7.  It's designed as a weekly fast from 7 things.  I feel very inadequate and unworthy in leading such a study, but it's very full of grace and for that I'm very thankful!

I watched the first 2 videos in preparation of leading this, knowing how long it will be and what it will be like. I was very convicted, as the leader - the shepherd in watching the first video.  And again felt unworthy and so small.

I read 7 while I was in Guatemala.  While we were saving money and fundraising to go.  While so many things in my life felt out of order and overwhelmed with every day life, I was reading this book on purging.  At least that was my perspective.  Nothing wrong with that, right?  Doing clean up in your daily life to allow more room for the good God would bring.

But I kind of lost my focus in the purging.  Do you ever do that?  Start something with such great intentions on doing it right, then either get lost in the details or lose focus of the larger goal?  I had even promised myself I wouldn't do that.  I would keep my eye on the prize - more time in my life for God and tasks He has for me.

So, what happened to me during my preparation was the question ---- what is your larger goal of 7?  What is God wanting to do in your life without these distractions?  And the biggie --- what are you going to do in your life each week IN PLACE of your fast?  Ouch.  I just wanted the fast, the break and play this by ear.  (For those of you in my study --- this is NOT required -- this was God speaking directly to me).

Ouch. Yuck. I don't do well with big thinking.  I began praying - thinking maybe I hadn't heard right.  Praying. Nothing. Praying.  Nothing. Maybe I'm off the hook here.  Praying. Facebook.........

A post I'm tagged in is an inspirational story.  A vlog of an accomplishment.  I ask why did you post this to me?  Response... you've got great stories to tell.

Seriously.  Some day I might be able to do something with these stories -- because they are very true works of God in my life. Someday but not now.  A lot of those things aren't complete  in my life.

I'm putzing along in the book I received for mother's day - slowly processing this idea of writing a book.  Slowly trying to even understand what the book is saying (I was given the title of this book by a great author who said it's the best).  A book where you literally read a page and have to reread it to get it. (At least that's true for me - cause I have very simplistic thought processes, no judging please. :))

Guess what's on the next page?

As you begin this journey --- the next part of the book is written for 7 weeks of writing/organizing/analyzing your thoughts into a formalized book.  You can end up with 7 chapters, an outline for it or a much clearer idea of what to do next after 7 weeks.

I rubbed my eyes.  Did that say 7?  7 weeks?  No.  I'm sure it didn't. Yes it did.

I've downloaded an app to help organize my thoughts. Heaven help me.

Guatemala Raffle!!

Hi all! We are selling raffle tickets!
You can purchase these for $10 each OR donation amounts in increments of $10.

Check out our event on Facebook for a description and photo of these items!


https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=GQY7H28GB56YY&lc=US&item_name=Guatemala%202014&currency_code=USD&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF%3abtn_donateCC_LG%2egif%3aNonHosted

February 1st AgAiN.........

Three years ago I got a phone call that has changed my life more than any other phone call.  This is Beverly, I have found your birth mother.  She wants you to know she loves you and thinks of you every day but can't have contact with you.  Unfortunately your birth father died in 2002, but you have 2 full blood siblings.
Do you have any questions?

Literally.

I had embarked on this journey starting August 12, 2009.  12:00 pm.  God called me to find her. I refused and wrestled for a few months.  In the wrestling, God won before I was too bruised and battered.  You see, if you don't let God have his way with you, it only becomes more painful.

I followed the steps.  I applied for my birth certificate, the original one.  It came and was not blocked.

I then called the post adoption agency on December 2nd, 2009.  Said I had my original birth certificate, what was next.  She faxed me a form to fill out. I faxed it back.  She explained to me that the wait is 2-5 years.  Really?  That seemed like such a long time off when I knew God had called me to do this.  But whatever, what were you going to do? She went to put it into the computer and informed me I had been waiting for 13 years for this.  What?!?! In fact, in 2 weeks I was going to be removed from the list because they had not been able to locate me.

14 years earlier, I had applied for "non-identifying" information.  Garth and I felt it was important to have information before having our kids.  At that time-- they automatically put you on a list to be "found". Which means if my birth mom or any one from my birth family wanted to contact you, they could through the social worker.  Well, at the time, I was not ready for this and had an unfortunate situation occur that sent me into a downward spiral.  So, I wrote a letter asking to be removed from that "open" list.  I got confirmation letter back saying I was taken off the list.

Well, God had already been working on this and I had no idea.  I was never removed from the list. But I didn't know this.  So, after turning in that form, I was next in line.  But what does "next" mean?  I went about my daily life and you kind of forget off and on about it.

Fast forward to February 1st ,2010.  The call came. I thought I would have a "session" with my social worker assigned to me first and know her a bit. Nope.

When I realized that --- my worse dream had come true, my birth mom rejected me and this time as an adult, in the next breath I realized I was still standing, kids were laughing in the next room, I WOULD work through this.  My second thought, was that I had to offer grace to this woman.  She literally got a cold call that uprooted her life as she knew it too.

Thus began new chapters in my life.  Chapters of ups and downs.  Chapters of learning true meaning of God's grace, frustration, defeat, my true identity is in Christ, He's the only one to fill the void.  Lots and lots
of new lessons to be learned.  Some very painful, and some very rewarding.

I would love to tell you this great story of where things are 3 years later, but I can tell you that Christ has done a work in my life and is continuing to do so.  I have no regrets, I know He called me to do this (still don't know the WHY, but that doesn't matter), I've obeyed.  I really was nieve in thinking that if you did exactly what God called you to do, you would get the outcome you dreamed of.  I've had to grieve that and realize His outcome is what I desire more than my dream of one.

And I have THE coolest social worker in the entire universe.  She has listened, encouraged, nailed me to the wall when I've needed it, loved me despite my faults.  As well as the best support team one could hope for.

Philippians 1:6
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus