Sunflowers… An unexpected truth

Who would have thought that field of sunflowers we pass over & over throughout the years, would suddenly seem so much more meaningful in just one morning.

My mom decided to again "hack" my blog to post her thoughts, spurred on by a beautiful field of sunflowers.

***

I look forward to the sunflower fields this time of year.  

I watch as they stretch up to the sky so quickly.  

Each morning I check their progress… how long til they bloom, tomorrow, the next day.  

Because the season is brief.  

Miss a day watching, or a storm blows through and they have passed their peak.  

Their brilliance is past prime.  

This year I caught them. 

 I even stopped on the way to work and took pictures.  (Sorry for trespassing random field owner, but thanks!)

This morning, I passed them again.  

They are droopy now. 

 Heads bent down, brilliant yellow petals starting to fade.  

Soon, they will be down right UGLY.

But this morning they spoke to me in their droopiness.  

I drove by 

and thought, 

“I feel like those sunflowers”.  

I want everyone to see me at my best, 

like those beautiful tall proud sunflowers in full bloom.  

Strong.  

Tall.  

Beautiful.  

Confident.  

But the reality is often so different.  

I’m tired. 

 Stressed. 

 Lonely. 

 Feeling totally past my peak. 

Should I try to fake it.  

Try to put on a mask and make it all look lovely.  (I don’t think they make masks that good.)

That’s when the Holy Spirit started whispering to my heart.  

Yes, I am tired.  

I am incapable of doing everything that needs to be done. 

 I am lonely, even in a house full of kids, when my best friend and partner is on the other side of the world.

 I am struggling to stay upright some moments.  

There is still work to be done.  

80+ kids in Uganda to care for plus mine at home, a business to run, patients to care for.  

But He says, “It’s ok, My grace is sufficient for you”

I pondered on the sunflowers some more. 

 What is the purpose of a sunflower plant. 

 Beauty?  

Definitely!  

Scripture clearly states that creation is meant to glorify our God.

But is there more??  

There must be more my heart cries.  

Otherwise, why is the beauty so brief!  

But… 

thankfully… 

there is more.  

They provide shelter in the heat and FOOD.  

Nourishment for other creatures big and small.  

But still, 

there’s more…

 they exist to create more sunflowers!!  

As each seed falls to the ground, there is potential!!  

Each seed can fall to the ground and die to itself.  

As it does it is renewed and sprouts to life and grows into newness.  

That one sunflowers producing thousands of seeds each of which has the potential to produce thousands of more sunflowers.  

A simple truth, but one my soul needed this morning.

Then I reflected on my own life.  

I want to stay tall and confident and unflawed.  

But the reality is that is not the purpose of my life.  

Yes, there will be seasons where I pray I reflect the Glory of my Creator and shine His beauty. 

 But there will be other seasons that are different.  

Seasons where He calls me to feed His sheep.  

Literally?  Yes!  

Figuratively?  Yes!  

Its not just a lovely theory, 

its the reality where serving Him in tangible ways kicks in.  

Will it be hard, yes.  

(Like plucking the seeds off a sunflower head.)  

Is it necessary, 

absolutely.  

It is essential if I want to live the life He created me to live.  

Its sharing His love, being His hands and feet.  

It’s getting dirty and having my heart break over and over and over.  

But its ok, 

its His plan.  

Because, when I am weak, then He is strong!

Thankfully on days like this, 

deep down, 

I know there is still more.  

It’s His plan.  

I was also created to share His love, His plan for mankind.  

I am called to be a part of bringing His Kingdom to Earth.  

I am called to be a part of His divine plan to bring more of His children back into his fold.  I am called to be a part of repeating this pattern of living and dying to self to bring forth new life.  

Beautiful.  

Humbling.  

Hard.  

Worth it.

To be honest, I’m not always a fan of the hard stuff.  

I like those days when the sun shines,

 the skies are blue 

and I stand strong and lovely. 

 The other stuff… dying to self, pouring out my life, living to serve God and His children… 

It’s hard.  

We want to gloss over it, 

Christian it up.  

But I want to walk and speak in truth.  

It will be hard, 

and that’s ok.  

Serving Him is guaranteed to bring seasons of work and suffering.  

Jesus told us to take up our crosses, not settle into comfort.  

He promised difficulties and persecution.  

There is no part of the Bible where God told us that His ways would be easy.  

But, these seasons prepare us to be a part of an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  

I will strive to rejoice in the hard times and be thankful for this life that God called me into.  

I will continue to stand in His strength when mine is gone.  

I will continue to feed His sheep and live my life to bring His Kingdom to a hurting world. 

So, if I look ragged… I probably am.  

Stand with me. 

Together we will be stronger.  

We can bring His hope and glory and light into this darkness.

Just like that field of sunflowers!!

It's Time

34 cents a day.

What can you do with 34 cents a day??

I'm headed back to Uganda in roughly 6 weeks, but for now, here's a guest post from my mom, giving you a good idea of how you can change the world and future for someone, for only 34 cents a day...

***

You know those thoughts that you have… 

the ones you push back down… 

because you don’t want to be too pushy or offensive.  

You don’t want to come across as being too “negative” (when really its just your heart that’s breaking.)  

You don’t want to “bring people down” (when its just children’s lives at risk.)

Have you been there?? 

 I have. 

Over and over again in the past 5 years.

5 years.  

Has it really been that long since God broke in to my safe little world and started breaking my heart?  

It seems like yesterday and it seems like a lifetime.

It started out innocent enough.  

Just a few rag dolls.  

A fun mother-daughter project. 

 I didn’t realize that it would change my life.  Change the direction of our entire family.  That’s God for ya!  

Using the small things to create big change.

Our hearts have been broken, but we’ve repeatedly told stories of hope.  

 The pain is real, but so is hope.  

After reeling from push back early in our journey, we’ve held back.  

We’ve shared mostly the good parts, 

trying to inspire people to help.

But maybe its time for a reality check.

The reality is that there are plenty of problems in the world. 

 All you have to do is turn on the TV or computer and its overwhelming.  

School girls are abducted from their classes; their parents die of grief or at the hands of the kidnappers. 

 Planes disappear, and fall out of the sky.  

Wars rage, while innocent children are caught in the cross fire.  

Natural disasters continue to destroy lives and dreams.

It’s real.  But it’s not hopeless. 

These words from Ann Voskamp resonated deep in my heart this week.  

“there is enough loveliness, enough beauty, enough peace, enough love in this world — enough food in this world —- if we would just share?

And not the royal we.   

What if I shared.  

What if you shared.  

Even if just our excess.  

It would change the world for one or two or more.

So, I’ve concluded its time to be a little more blunt.  A little more direct.  

It’s time.

I was asked this week what our most pressing need is at Future Hope Ministries.  

The reality is that its money.  

That’s not romantic.  Its not inspirational.  

But its reality.  

It takes money to feed our kids and pay for their safe place to live.  It takes money to pay their school fees and pay our incredible staff in Uganda.  It takes money to be able to help children in the community who have little hope without outside help.

But if we work together 

(and by “we” I mean every follower of Jesus, everyone who claims to be a child of God. Or any other compassionate person.)

We can be the answers this world desperately needs.

So here’s the hard reality.  

We have about 50 community kids currently enrolled at Future Hope Nursery and Primary School.  

Of those, probably 40 haven’t paid any or all of their school fees.  

This semester fees were really cheap, and they will stay inexpensive by our standards,

 but if you have nothing… 

or if the choice is eating the next meal or school fees… 

cheap/inexpensive is still unattainable.

We have difficult choices to make.  

Our teachers still need to be paid.  

We still have to buy food.  All of our kids eat two meals at school.  

(Community kids often don’t eat two meals in two days.)  

And, the money has to come from somewhere.  

If not, 

then students will have to be sent home—uneducated and hungry.

 Teachers will have to be fired.   

What does this have to do with you??  

Everything!!

It costs 34 cents a day to educate and feed one child.

34 cents!

What can you do with 34 cents?  Buy part of a candy bar? 

But 34 cents a day can change the entire future of a child.

The reality is that without an education they will never leave the slum they were born in. 

Any hopes they have now will die the slow death of reality.

But, we have a chance to change that.  

Keep their hopes and dreams alive. 

 Create ripples that can change lives and communities.

For 34 cents a day.

It’s time. 

These kids are real and they matter!    

They have names and their own stories.    

They didn’t choose to be born in a slum in Kampala instead of Kentucky.

Neither did you… 

Each of us on this side of the ocean have been blessed with abundance & plenty!!

What are we going to do with it?

We have the resources to change lives and futures.

What are you going to choose to do about it? 

What are you going to do with 34 cents a day?  

Visit our website for more information about our story and ministry.

www.isaiah117.org

And, consider making a difference.  You can sign up to educate and feed TWO children for just $20 a month.  34 cents per child per day.  

Visit our online store at 

http://loveuganda.storenvy.com

~ Laura

{Uganda Edits}

I like to think that I'm pretty good at the editing photos thing, 

and I very much enjoy it, 

so you can often find me spending hours doing nothing but it.

And today I thought I'd share some of them ;)

I made a whole bunch of ones like this, but this one is my favorite

Does her smile not just make your heart happy?

Love this one, and this picture <3

I ADORE this picture 

Not my favorite of the edits, but love this quote.

This kid ♥♥♥