Archive for August, 2011

The Loaves and the Fishes

// August 30th, 2011 // No Comments » // Loux Family News

“Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” – John 6:9

And you know the rest… Jesus multiplied the gift and it fed many with food to spare.

Yesterday many of you were provoked to give after hearing the story of my sister-in-laws beautiful friends, and the precious children they work with in Nepal.

As I write this $5,473 of the $7,000 needed to completed Ivan’s adoption fund has come in, leaving us with $1,527 left to raise. With the $10 challenge, that only requires 153 people to give $10. Easy!

This morning my sister-in-law checked her inbox and was greeted by an update from her missionary friend in Nepal. Tracie had shared the post that was posted yesterday with her, and asked her to read it to the children to let them know how grateful we all are and how much they are loved. Here is a summary of the update our friend’s in Nepal sent my sister-in-law this morning.

“In the group of precious children, there is a 15 year old boy, who had been abandoned by his father and is in the temporary care of a missionary family while working to build a relationship with his mother, who is currently unable to care for him. Abandoned at 7, he has had a very rough life and has struggled with anger because of the pain in his heart. When he came to know Jesus, he worked very hard to learn verses about anger and began asking God to take away his anger. He is now known among his friends as “the smiley one” and is the first to cry at sad movies. The missionary reports that in the past year “he has grown about a head taller and has grown so much spiritually!”

This morning as he was getting ready for school, he said to the missionary, “Auntie, you know that boy who needs to be adopted? I want to give him my 1000 rupees.” That is the equivalent of $15 and this young boy works very hard in order to earn that much in two months. When he was ten, he went on a trip to a children’s home because he and the other children had bought things to give the children in the home. He was So tiny for his age at the time, but he taught the others saying,“Everything we have is a gift from God. If we squeeze it and hold on to it, then we are like its slave. If we hold our hands out open to God and tell Him ‘Do whatever you want with this God!’ then we will be free!”

This money that he is now giving to “Ivan’s” adoption, he had been saving for clothes, shoes, etc., on top of the money he had already given every month to the giving envelope.

I’m drawing this post from what my sister-in-law posted on her blog today. She reiterated what this precious young boy said by asking, “What are we holding onto this morning? Are we squeezing so hard that we have become slaves to the very things that the Lord wants to use to help us find freedom?

I am so incredibly thankful to all of you for honoring the memory of Derek with the gift of life for precious little “Ivan.” Soon, he will have a home. He will be wanted, loved, needed and adored. He will come to know the love of Jesus…the most priceless gift of all.

Almost daily we read horrible stories in the news about all the hurt and violence that has been directed towards so many children. I want to shout to the world that God is good and He is faithful to work on behalf of these precious, priceless and forgotten ones.. They are forgotten no more! Thank you for hearing God’s voice, for having his incredible heart of compassion and for giving on behalf of this one who matters more than could be expressed to Jesus! You are beautiful to me and most of all to Jesus and I am in awe of the blessing you have been to this beautiful boy and his forever family! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Much love!

Renee’ and tribe

The Children’s Mite

// August 29th, 2011 // No Comments » // Loux Family News

Many of you who follow my blog, also follow my sister-in-law Tracie’s blog and read her incredible tribute to my precious husband, Derek, on his birthday (August 25th). Although my Derek is with Jesus now, Tracie still wanted to see Derek’s life and passion for the orphan honored by asking us all to partner together in giving the amazing gift of saving the life of an orphan. That little orphan’s name is Ivan.

If you haven’t read Tracie’s post yet, please READ IT by clicking HERE.

Since Tracie began this fundraiser in honor of Derek, $3,488 has come in toward the goal of $7,000 that is needed to complete sweet Ivan’s (an orphan in Eastern Europe) adoption fund. I am SO incredibly grateful and blessed by every single one of you who has given.

Tracie and I were talking about the rest of the funds needed the other day, and realized that if only 400 people gave $10 each, the rest of the funds could be raised in a minute, literally one minute! We felt like this challenge was something ANYONE could be part of, so we put it out there. We tried to figure out a way that would make it as easy as possible for everyone to be part of this amazing opportunity. It seems like we have come to a stand still though, and my heart is aching to see this little one come home to his new forever family’s arms, where he will be safe, wanted and loved. Little Ivan’s life matters so much to Jesus and it must matter to us. I know the majority of us all have financial burdens, but even in the middle of our own needs, I’m asking you to please consider this need and how you might be able to join with us in helping to save this little boy’s life.

Today I sat in the International House of Prayer at the 6AM prayer set with my family, praying over Ivan’s adoption and asking God to reach hearts and cause His people to see the need and respond. Later in the morning, as I was going about my work day, I was checking emails and lost my breath, sobbing, as I read Tracie’s latest blog post below. It’s about a group of orphans in Nepal who literally gave their “widow’s mite” to help little Ivan. My heart is a wreck today over this story of how those with so little gave so much. I am moved beyond words…..

I desperately want to continue to challenge my own heart with the fact that even as a widow I am commanded by God to care for the orphan. He is Jehovah Jireh to me and to my 12 children and I must continue to trust Him to provide for every need in my life. I am often faced with the reality that here in America where we have so much, at times some may still struggle to give because of the fear of meeting their own needs. In this case of helping priceless little Ivan, who is in a desperate place, all we would have to do is link arms together, giving $10, which is the equivalent to giving up a dinner out, a fast-food drive up window meal, a couple of coffees, or the price of a movie ticket . The children in the story below gave the equivalent of $3,000 US dollars in their economy.

I’m asking that you would pray about what you might be able to do to help this little one. If you do choose to partner with us, please give at the Reece’s Rainbow link which you’ll find at the bottom of Tracie’s post below where it says, “Click here to give.”

Please take time to read the story below, about the children in Nepal who gave their “widow’s mite” to be a part of saving Ivan’s life.

God bless you and again, thank you so much to those of you who have already given! I am deeply moved by your love!

The Children’s Mite

Posted on August 29, 2011 by tracieloux

Mark 12: 42-44 “But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasure than all the others. They gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything- all she had to live on’.”

I want to tell you a story.

Once there were some beautiful young children in a land far away. They lived on two meals a day and received one new outfit a year. They worked hard for very little money, and they used the money they earned to buy clothing, shoes, and school supplies, not toys or candy, or movie tickets like many children might do. These beautiful children heard a story about an orphan boy miles and miles away from them. They learned that a mother was coming to rescue him and call him her very own. They learned that she needed money for the long journey and they wanted to be part of helping this sweet boy find his way home.

So they gave. They gave from their hard earned money. The dug into their pockets and between them all, they gave $100 to help a little boy who had less than they, find his way home.

The $100 they gave was equal to 2 months salary for an uneducated adult in their country. One of these beautiful young girls cleans rabbit cages 6 days a week in order to earn $2/month. Another boy’s weekly allowance for the chores he is able to find is $1.30/week. When asked by an American, if he was rich, the boy replied, “Nahhh, but I am rich in heaven.”

Every month when these children are paid for the chores that they do, they put some of their money into a giving envelope, and when the money in the envelope builds, they find a child in need to give the money to. When they were told about “Ivan” from a missionary, who is a friend of mine, they decided to give the money that was in their giving envelope to help with his adoption.

I can barely finish writing this and I have no words to explain how humbled and CHALLENGED I am by their gift.

I hope that you are challenged too. Challenged to give. Challenged to love.
I encourage you to challenge your own heart in giving today.
I encourage you to read this to your children and encourage them to give.

And now I’d like you to meet these beautiful children. The children of Nepal, who will always and forever be my friends. I’m sure I will probably never meet them this side of heaven, but when I do meet them, I am certain that their crowns will be dripping with jewels, and I will wrap my arms around them all and thank them for reflecting the very heart of Jesus to me.

If you feel challenged by these beautiful children and would like to join them by giving $10, $100, or even $1000, please READ IVAN’S STORY HERE, and then CLICK HERE to give.

Happy Birthday My Love…..

// August 25th, 2011 // 11 Comments » // Loux Family News

I’ve always been one who loves to celebrate birthdays. I enjoy making the people I love feel treasured and loved on their special day. I love celebrating the gift of life and the blessings God has given to our family with each special family member. I love buying gifts, preparing a favorite birthday meal, decorating the house with streamers, balloons, and confetti.

Today is another special birthday. Today we would have been celebrating Derek’s 39th birthday. I would have made his favorite dinner and I would have surprised him with a gift I knew he would love. Our children would have lavished him with handmade cards and sweet gifts of their own and I would have teased him about the growing number of candles on his cake. I would have written in his card all the wonderful things I feel about him. One more time I would have told him that he was the most amazing husband and the best father on the planet. I would have told him that I was honored to be his wife and so blessed by all that he poured into our family. I would have told him that his passions in life were my passions. I would have told him that I was so excited to see what the Lord had for him in the coming year. We would have prayed blessings over him as a family. We would have celebrated his life in every possible way!

I find myself paralyzed on his birthday this year as I think about yet another birthday without him here.

But, I will still celebrate his life. It’s a life worth celebrating. I will still give him the best gift I know to give him. I will love our children and I will carry on the vision we shared. We will still have cake, German Chocolate, his favorite. We will still make cards. We will place them on his grave because it’s all we know to do.

I will tell him….

My Precious Derek,

Your life was the greatest gift the Lord has ever given me. I am so grateful for the years spent with you as my best friend, my sweetest love. Next to Jesus, you were the one who knew me and loved me best of all. You were an amazing husband. Every day I miss you.

Every day I long to share the thoughts of my heart with you. You were the best father ever and your children are such a beautiful reflection of your faithfulness, your leadership, your love, and your commitment. They miss you so much. I can barely stand the pain of watching them struggle without you. I pray each day that they will cling to all that you have sown into their lives and that they will remember God’s goodness and His love in the midst of this heartbreaking struggle. They are so beautiful and you would be so proud of how they’ve postured their hearts in the middle of the pain.

The passions of our lives have not been laid to rest my darling. I am forging ahead. I’m pretty sure you are able to see this all unfolding. I know you are beaming with joy and cheering us all on, as you see the fight continue for the orphan, the widow, and those bound by sex trafficking. I can only imagine the thrill in your heart every time you hear the heavenly announcement that one more child is an orphan no more, that one more widow has been embraced and loved, and that one more prisoner has been set free. Keep interceding for us, my love. There is so much work to do. We feel your love, your encouragement, and your intercession even now.

Oh my love, to say that I miss you falls so short. There is an ache in my heart that no words can explain. I will always and forever be changed by your love and I will continue to thank Jesus every day for the priceless gift of you.

You are beautiful and I will always remember…

Forever yours,

Renee’

My sister-in-law Tracie has written a birthday post in honor of Derek on her BLOG (click here). In her post she has asked that we all join together to celebrate Derek’s birthday by helping to bring one special orphan HOME. I would like to join her in asking that you help our family celebrate Derek’s birthday in this incredible way!

A visit with Great Grandma McNally and her friends

// August 23rd, 2011 // 14 Comments » // Loux Family News

Our Michaela (on the left) has such an amazing heart of compassion. She has done her part to raise money for orphans, helped fund people’s adoptions through bake sales, making jewelry and selling her drawings. Her sister Sana (seen here on the right) was also a recipient of Michaela’s love. Michaela helped raised money for Sana’s airline ticket home and stood at the front of the welcome line at the airport beaming, as she welcomed her new sister into her arms!

Michaela’s compassion and love have also recently reached out to her great grandmother and her friends. When Grandma McNally started showing signs of Alzheimers, it broke Michaela’s heart. Grandma was once a vibrant school teacher with a sharp mind. When Michaela started seeing the toll this horrible disease was taking on her grandma, it was very hard for her to understand. She’d never personally interacted with someone who had Alzheimers and it was confusing for her to see the great change that had taken place in her grandma.

Grandma McNally spent many years living with my in-laws, John and Miriam (Grandma’s daughter) Loux. She was given such great care and love by Mom and Dad Loux and was and remains cherished in every way. Recently though, it became apparent that Grandma needed 24/7 care because she was becoming a danger to herself. The very hard decision was made to move her to an assisted living home. Grandma is very loved and visited often by family members. The home she is in is filled with great staff who do a wonderful job at showing compassion and care to their residents.

Recently Michaela decided that she wanted to be an official volunteer at the home where her great grandma is now living. She filled out the necessary paperwork and began helping the residents every Thursday. She gives them hand and head massages, paints their nails and takes her grandma on walks. She doesn’t ever want Grandma and the other residents to feel forgotten or alone. It matters so much for her to be a part of their lives.

Today, on the drive home from school, I had to give Michaela the sad news that one of her friends, Mr. Don, had passed away. Her eyes filled up with tears and she buried her head in her lap. She knows this is one of the hard realities she will have to face often with her new and precious friends at the home.

I took these photos (below) the last time Michaela and her newest volunteer recruit (sister Sana) went for a visit at the home. I love my daughter and the heart of compassion she has! I celebrate her, our precious Grandma McNally and her friends in this post!

Ready to get to work!

Michaela painting her great grandma's (Derek's grandma) nails

Beautiful!

Lovin on Ms. Maria

Listening to pretty music and giving Ms. Maria a head rub

Soaking Ms. Essie's hands

I love you sweet friend!

Taking Grandma on a walk

Getting ready to go to the lunchroom

Ms. Essie waited patiently for her turn to get beautified!

Talking with precious Mr. John

Getting some lovin from Grandma in the lunchroom

We love you Grandma! See you again soon!

Run your race well!

// August 14th, 2011 // 2 Comments » // Loux Family News

Starting our race is easy. Finishing it is much, much harder…especially when we’re talking about finishing well. Most likely, at some point in our lives, we’ve all read or heard these words… Hold on! Don’t shrink back! Endure the hardships! Don’t grow weary! Be patient, diligent to the end…! Aye yi yi..so much easier to read those words than to walk them out. Help me Jesus! I seriously need you, every minute of every day!

In James 1:2-4,12 it says, “Consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you will be mature and complete, not lacking anything… Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

I hear Jesus saying to me, “Hang in there Renee’! Be patient through the suffering! Some days you feel miserable, but don‟t give in. I am with you. I have never forgotten you. Others may forget, but me? Never! You are never on a back shelf in my mind somewhere…no, never….always on the forefront….never alone…NEVER!”

Oh, and it’s very encouraging to know that I never have to do anything in my own strength. Thank God for that. I’d be a mess if that were the case. Jesus is so kind to remind me daily of this. Do I always walk this out perfectly? NO! My faith is weak but His is strong. What a gift!

I am reminded by Jesus that those who persevere are blessed! When you endure, you will get something good from God….more of Him…more understanding of His great love…more understanding of truth..more wisdom. I often try to think about what the Lord is still bringing about through the trials. He is trying to do something great in me. I have to wait for it. The Lord is so full of compassion and mercy. There are times He may seem far away, but He’s not and He understands your sorrow, all the hardships and suffering. It matters to Him. He cares. He REALLY cares!

Jesus has invited us to run a race and He promises to run it with us. He won’t force us to finish the race. He won’t run it for us. He will do all he can to give us the strength we need to continue on. I keep going because He says His grace is sufficient. Each day that I wake up and each night that I go to bed, I miss my Derek and there are many times I still physically ache because of the pain. I miss him..I miss him…, YES, I STILL MISS HIM! It’s hard and it hurts. I long to feel his love. I miss his voice, his humor, his laugh…everything about him. There are some who I’m sure wonder why I’ve not moved on…after all it’s been 17 months. I can only say that those precious ones feeling, saying or thinking that have never lost someone they adored and loved the way I loved my Derek. It’s quite a process, this “walking through the valley of the shadow of death” thing….quite a process indeed.

There are times I feel like quitting and giving up my race, but then I hear that soft whisper…I love you, I’m with you, I’ve not left you alone. Through my tears, I remember….I remember you my precious Jesus, the one who is so faithful to strengthen me with your love. What would I do without you? I can’t begin to imagine.

Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus.” Jesus was our greatest example of endurance. Think about how He endured the cross. He endured it so well and He showed us how to.

We were under great pressure far beyond our ability to endure… but this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God… on him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us… as you help us by your prayers…” (2 Corinthians 1:8-11)

The Christian life is not hard to live, it’s IMPOSSIBLE! Only God can do it and He does it while living in us. It’s far beyond our ability…we can NOT do anything in our own strength. We have to completely rely on Him. My hope in Jesus inspires me to keep going until hope is fulfilled!

In one of John Piper’s teachings on endurance, he lists several “Don’ts” for us to ponder as we run our race.

Don’t rely on good beginnings. Good beginnings don‟t insure good endings. Doing well at the middle and end of a race is as important as beginning well. Whatever trophies you have from past successes are fine, but they won‟t give you a lasting legacy. A legacy that lasts requires a strong finish.
Don’t coast your way to the finish line. Momentum early in the race won‟t suffice later in the race. You can‟t count on the rest of the race being downhill from now on.
Don’t get off track. I‟ve never left the track entirely, but I‟ve sure fallen down on it a lot! I‟ve certainly made more than my share of bad choices. I‟ve repeatedly slowed my progress down by self-centered living. Remember that when you get off track, you have to come back to the place you left in order to continue. Opportunities have been missed, habits have been formed, and the race went on without you. It makes it that much harder to finish well. Stay on track!
Don’t give up when it gets hard – and it will get hard at some points along the way. A true Marathon is 26.2 miles. Marathoners use the phrase, “hitting the wall” to describe the dreaded point during a race when your muscle glycogen reserves become depleted, and a feeling of fatigue engulfs you. I only know about this from reading about it. I have no intention of running anywhere farther than to the kitchen at mealtime. But they say it‟s an awful feeling similar to what your body would feel like if you ran into a wall. That right there is the kind of thing that keeps me from running long (or short) distances. The race you‟re in for Christ is a marathon and it will have some uphill points. Don‟t give up! Good beginnings don’t insure good endings.
Don’t quit before the finish line. As they say in sports, “Leave nothin‟ on the field (or in this case, the track)!” So many Christians feel as though they‟ve already paid their dues; that what they once did for Christ was all they need to do for the rest of their lives. They ran a good first lap or two, and they‟re satisfied with that. I don‟t want to retire early and be taken to heaven while on a spiritual nap. I‟d rather cross the finish line winded from giving it all I had!
Don’t overestimate your ability. ―Don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought… If you think you’re standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall…‖ (Romans 12:3; 1 Corinthians 10:12). Don‟t get cocky! It wasn‟t your ability that got you started or kept you going so far, and it won‟t take you home either. Like I said, “The Christian life is impossible!‖ You can‟t live it. Only Jesus can do it, and he does it in you if you‟ll let him.
Don’t underestimate your opponent’s ability. I‟m not referring to the other runners (they‟re not your enemies), but to the one who sneaks onto the track to trip up the runners. ―Be self controlled and alert. You’re enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).

King David’s brutal honesty in Psalm 55 is encouraging to my heart. as I think about enduring hardships in spite of my fears. David’s life was almost always on the line. When he was scared of Saul, the Philistines, and even of some members of his own family, he wrote: My heart is in anguish within me, the terrors of death assail me. Fear and trembling have beset me. Horror has overwhelmed me. I said, ―Oh that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest – I would flee far away and be in the desert. As we walk through our fears, we can rely on the fact that although we don’t know what’s around the corner, we know this. We can trust Him.

God is for us, not against us. We do have a great hope and a future in Him (Jeremiah 29:11)! Let’s run our race well and stop self medicating ourselves with other things. Let’s get to the finish line where He will be waiting with open arms to say, “Well done,” as He welcomes us into His Kingdom, where all the wrongs will be made right and justice will reign forever!

I’m ending this post with a great quote by John Piper and an incredible video (see the link below) on endurance (be sure and get out the tissues).

Living knowing that your life is a vapor is different than just living. Things here are passing away. You’ve got to hold on to what will stand. Savor what matters. Life Is Short. Eternity Is Long. Live Like It.

http://youtu.be/64A_AJjj8M4

All for love…

// August 2nd, 2011 // 13 Comments » // Loux Family News

I'll love you forever....

Today (August 1st) would have been mine and Derek’s 19th wedding anniversary. I am heartbroken that we are not celebrating this day together. Derek was so great at celebrating life. He was very intentional about planning our birthdays and anniversary celebrations and always made me feel so loved and treasured. I loved being ”his” and he loved being ”mine.”

As I faced this extremely hard and sad day without my Love, I chose to look at the fruit that has come from our union. The beauty that has come from the Lord joining my life with Derek’s is immeasurable. As I was re-living so many precious memories today, I could so clearly see the hand of the Lord in bringing us together.

Twenty years ago, Derek was a young musician who had just been accepted into Berkley School of Music. Shortly after his acceptance letter arrived in the mail, a guest speaker at his church in rural Pennsylvania (who actually happened to be a friend of my dad’s) spoke into his life in a very powerful way. The Lord apprehended Derek and changed the course of his life, which in turn changed the course of mine.

Derek’s change of plans involved his decision to attend Last Days Ministries Training School in Texas. It was there where Derek sat under a teaching by my father, Sam Sasser, that would further impact his course. The Lord used this encounter with my dad to cause Derek’s heart to become burdened for missions and within a very short period of time, Derek made a commitment to do a 1 year internship in the ministry my father had planted in the Marshall Islands.

As many of you may already know, I spent the first ten years of my life in the Marshall Islands where my parents were missionaries, moving there when I was just 9 months old. This laid the foundation for my heart to be captured and burdened for missions and for children. From the time I was a very young girl I had a deep passion for orphans.

In the Summer of 1991, My dad was scheduled to take Derek and a few other interns to the Marshall Islands to get them oriented by introducing them to the culture, the leaders and all the beautiful people they would be working with. Just a few weeks before the trip, Dad became very ill and he called me asking if I would accompany these interns on the trip and help them get settled. I was living in Silver Spring Maryland at the time and was heavily involved on staff at my church and in the school I was teaching at. I told my dad I didn’t think I could go. He asked me if I would pray about it and I agreed.

The next day I went to church and there was a guest speaker who was very prophetic. During the service, he looked at me and said, “You, in the bright pink top, please stand up, I have a word from the Lord for you.” I nervously stood up and he said, “The Lord says that you are going to be asked to go on a short term mission’s trip and you are to say yes because it’s going to change your life forever.” Wow! I was very curious at this point over all the Lord had planned for me on this trip. I couldn’t have even begun to imagine what was up ahead!

Today as I sit here thinking through all of the events that happened leading up to our meeting each other, I am so amazed at the hand of God. Derek and I met and fell in love. In fact, he asked me to marry him just 8 days after we met and I said ”YES!” We endured a long distance courtship over the next year. Please keep in mind that this was before the days of social networking, Skype and all the other great ways we now have to communicate long distance. We relied on the very slow mail that traveled between the US and the Marshall Islands, sending letters and videos to each other, as well as recording 42 audio tapes (entitled “I’m on fire for your love”…volumes 1-42) and making a few very costly phone calls at almost $4 a minute!

It was also during this time that Derek met and held in his arms the beautiful twin baby girls who would one day become our daughters (Teyolla and Keyolla). This was also the season that the first seeds were planted in Derek’s heart in regards to loving and caring for orphans. I am writing all of this not just to tell a story or to remember our anniversary, but to share the goodness of the Lord in our lives and the incredible fruit that has come as a result of our marriage. In Isaiah 61:3 the Lord declares that He will: “bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

I miss Derek every day, more than any words could begin to express…but….. I know that the Lord desires to make something beautiful out of the ashes of grief and longs to continue to restore my heart to a steadfast place of joy and praise. I lean on Him for this and trust Him to complete this work in my heart and in the hearts of our children. I will never understand this side of heaven, why Derek had to die, but, I know my God is sovereign and I can trust him. And, even without an answer to the “why”, I can see the fruit of his beautiful life. I see it in the eyes of our amazing children. I feel it in my own heart every day when I face difficulty and hear his words of encouragement that have been stored in my heart for 19 years. I hear it in the voices of those who share with me how their own lives were impacted by Derek’s passion and vision for loving, caring for, and restoring orphans. I see it as I remember what once was just a dream in our hearts, taking root and becoming reality as we rescued 10 children, teaching them along with our biological children, to be rooted and grounded in the love of Christ Jesus, which would help restore them all.

When God writes the story it’s beautiful and it’s perfect. How rich I am because I have Jesus. Our love story is what it is because it’s God who joined our hearts together and our story continues to grow and blossom before my very eyes.

There’s a quote by Charles Spurgeon that I love. ”Those who dive in the sea of affliction bring up rare pearls.” They are indeed the rarest of pearls. They are the things that I will never take for granted because of the depth of the journey that uncovered them for me.

Thank you Jesus for the priceless gift you gave me in my precious husband.

Happy Anniversary my darling Derek. You are never forgotten. You are always loved and always remembered. I love you and am longing for eternity…

I’ve included a video in this post which shows some of the fruit that came from our beautiful union. If you’d like to view it, please click on this link: All For Love…