You Are Worth It!

This is just a short little post to share something God put in my heart today.  He's so awesome!  It's so funny how we(well, maybe it's just me, who knows) need pages and pages of words to get our point across...But God, well, He only needs a few words!  Most of the time when He speaks to me, it's simple, it's direct and it cuts right to the core of what I need to hear. 

This morning in my quiet time, the to-do list was looming large out on the horizon.  I sincerely try to focus on just Him.  But I'm a woman---and my brain is a plate of spaghetti---lots of thoughts all tangled together in a big ole pile of stuff I must take care of.  Anyway, I read.  I pray.  I even write a little.  And start to get up out my chair.  But, I'm finally learning, don't leave so quickly Dawn!  So, I tell God I'm sorry for just spilling my guts all over the place and not even asking what's on His mind.  And then I ask.

He replies... You.  Which just makes me cry.  Look up, I hear.  I look up and there on my wall I see the painting of the cross that says "Worth It".  And He says... You were worth it.  And I know I was.  Because He tells me over and over and over again in the Bible.  But I have to stop myself from shaking my head, not wanting to accept it.  Again, quietly, You were worth it....all.  I'll never be able to explain why and I should just give up trying to understand it because He's the one who made the decision I was worth it.  And you were worth it.

I am worth it.  You are worth it.  And, I'll tell you exactly what He told me this morning as I sat there staring at the cross, trying to understand it and being amazed by it once again.  He said, You are worth it all.  Think about that today.  Instead of all the other stuff....think about this....You were worth it all.

Here's a couple of scriptures that came to mind as I was writing this:

Isaiah 53:3-12 and Hebrews 4:14-16

I love you so much Jesus!

I Refuse--The update

Success! Amazing, wonderful, really awesome success!

I am just so pleased to be a part of the story of  Father's House Ghana.  And I am so thankful to my friends and family who caught hold of the vision to help supply the needs for boys they will most likely never meet in this life. 

Here's a picture of all that was collected:

 

Storage containers, spiral notebooks, composition notebooks, coloring books, threads and lacing to make crafts, ziplock bags, bandaids, medicines, toothpaste...things we take for granted that our family, our children will have whenever they need or want it. 

 

I imagine Ame' or Gods Way or Evans or any of the 8 precious little boys, being able to put their school supplies away neatly in those storage bins.  I can just see the pride on their faces to have a place to put their things. Can you imagine the laughter and giggles of the boys sitting around coloring together or the love they will feel when Chanda hangs up one of their colorings on the wall?  Let's think a little further....you see God has great plans for these boys.  They will grow up to do great and mighty things.  The ABC's and writing they practice today on those composition notebooks may very well turn into beautifully written, powerful speeches that change the culture of Ghana.  All because a few people from Charlotte NC were generous and gave when they saw a need.

 

You can meet the boys here.

 

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.  This is just the beginning!! 

 

 

I REFUSE!

I refuse to be the person that does nothing! I refuse to be the person who doesn’t have the time! I refuse to be the person that turns away from someone in need! I refuse to do nothing just because I can’t do everything!

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Several months ago, I watched a video from a friend about a children’s home in Ghana, Africa. The Father’s House would be a new home for boys that would be rescued from being sold (yes, SOLD!) into slavery (yes, SLAVERY!). Yes, these things happen…even if we don’t want to know about it. It happens; 3, 4, 5 year little boys sold by their parents to slave-masters. The masters work those little boys 14-20 hours a day on fishing boats on Lake Volta. The boys’ names are listed as property in spiral notebooks. It’s sickening. They are beaten, malnourished, neglected, and sometimes die trying to do the work. The video was heartbreaking. Something happened to me, inside of my heart, as I watched the video. It was a slide show of pictures and there was a boy whose picture I can still see in my mind. His eyes were deep, dark and sad. I could not turn away from the screen. God said, look at this. Don’t turn away because it’s too hard to see. Don’t turn away because you feel helpless to do anything. Don’t turn away!

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And that’s when it started. God revived a dream I had long ago buried in my heart. A dream to help children that have no voice, a dream to help children who think the whole world has just forgotten about them. A dream to make a significant difference in the world around me!

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It’s overwhelming, I know. I see the tragedy and hear the stories and all I want to do is get there, pick up every single child, and bring them to my house. But that’s not just unrealistic…it’s IMPOSSIBLE. And, even if were possible, it wouldn’t really help in the long term.

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So where does that leave me? What do I do? How can I, just one person, a wife and mother in Charlotte NC, help thousands and thousands of little children all the way across the world? I can help because I have a voice. I can speak up for these children who can’t speak up for themselves. I can say, HEY, look at them! Don’t turn away because you can’t bear to see it!

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What about you? Do you know that you can make a difference too? The Father’s House has already rescued 8 boys from the hands of slave-masters! 8 boys now have a chance for a long, productive, beautiful life! And the vision is to rescue many more, to raise them up to be men who understand that the culture of human slavery is wrong, to raise them up to be men who will change the future of Ghana, Africa!

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Here’s the vision God has given me. Become a fundraiser for The Father’s House. To shout out to everyone I know…HEY, they need help! I will begin a monthly collection for supplies that we will ship to The Father’s House. It’s expensive to ship to Africa by regular mail, so we will most likely send the items with volunteers who are travelling there. However, we may have to ship the items to the volunteers within the US. So, we not only need supplies, we need money to help cover the shipping costs. You may be a person with a gift for smart-shopping…you can find great deals on all kinds of things. PERFECT! Find those great deals and donate those things to help supply the needs of The Father’s House. Or, you may not like to shop at all, shopping is simply a chore that you’d rather pay someone else to take care of. PERFECT! We need you too! You fit in by helping provide the financial means necessary to make this vision a reality.

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Here’s the list of needs as of now:

Rubbermaid shoebox size, CLEAR, storage bins to put craft supplies, etc. in (8 or more of these)

Composition books for the boys to practice writing

Coloring books(child appropriate material please)

Chalk for chalkboard (colored, but NOT sidewalk chalk)

Embroidery thread in various colors for making bracelets

Plastic lacing in various colors for making lanyards

Ziploc style freezer bags (quart and gallon size)

Chewable Pepto-Bismol

Chewable children's Tylenol

Beef jerky

Basketball shorts (drawstring waist is best)

(1 Large/size 12)

(5 Medium/8-10)

(1 Small/6-7)

(1 X-small/4-5)

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There is a small group of volunteers travelling the 1st week of March and we’d like to send these items with them, so we need to have these things ready to go by February 28th. If you’d like to make a monetary donation to cover shipping or help purchase these items, you can write a check to The Father’s House and it is 100% tax deductible!

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All I ask is that you take a look at that list, see that really it’s just things that we toss out because we have too much of it! See that if we all work together in small ways, we can make a huge difference. See that just because we can’t do everything, we shouldn’t do nothing.

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WILL YOU REFUSE TO DO NOTHING WITH ME?

If you'd like to help, reply with a comment on this blog and I'll be in touch to meet with you. Or you may email me at dawnmoyer5@gmail.com.

Here's the VIDEO that made such an impact on me. Make sure to have your sound on.

Here's the WEBSITE to find out more about The Father's House Ghana.

What Else Can I Do?

I was a broken, hurt, empty shell walking through life pretending everything was okay.

My mouth, my face, my actions would say "I'm doing great". But my heart, my emotions, my being was wandering stranded out in the desert of nothingness, searching for worth and purpose and life.

In one simple act of desperation.... "I can't go on like this anymore, please save me."

You rushed in.

You gently picked up my heart, put it back into my shell.

You extravagantly loved me...when I didn't even know what love was.

You filled my brokenness with hope.

You healed my hurt with your sweet love.

You showed me my value, my worth.

You said no longer will the outside lie about the inside.

You taught me how to trust by never failing me.

You delivered me from addiction.

You unlocked the cage around my life with forgiveness.

You brought freedom to my spirit by teaching me to forgive.

And still You take me further....it's not just fixing the broken.

It's crafting a new vessel.

You put dreams inside me.

You put belief that I can make a difference.

You say open your mind and your eyes, there's more, there's deep significance out there.

The broken, hurt, empty shell is no more.

What can I ever say or ever do to thank you or repay you?

Nothing.

What else can I do then, but offer this new heart, new life back to you?

What else can I do but be completely surrendered to You?

As a lover of You!

This song tore out my heart this morning. So I'm sharing it with you and I pray it does the same for you. Oh, that we could ever understand the love Jesus, the King, has for us. Oh, that we could ever return just a fraction of that love to Him. This is my hearts prayer that His fire and jealous flame consumes all that keeps me from being a totally abandoned lover of God!

Come break the chains,

The chains that hinder love.

All that remains of yesteryear.

Come break the chains,

The chains that pull me down.

Come break the chains and draw me near.

Let Your fire burn consuming me,

Let Your jealous flame

Come take away everything!

Let Your fire burn consuming me,

Let Your jealous flame

Come write Your name upon my heart,

Until all that remains

Is the Light of Your countenance

And I will be satisfied when I awaken

As a lover of You!

Who is this is garments stained red

Who is this crowns on His head

Who is this He running like a lion

Who is this He's roaring from Zion,

He's roaring from Zion

Who is this King of glory

He is mighty to save all who call on His name

In righteousness He is mighty to save

He's mighty to save all who call on His name

But woe to the enemy

Of the King on His Wedding day

But woe to the enemy

Of the King on His Wedding day

All of your judgments... are just and true.

Un-Resolutions

I used to make a lot of resolutions. All the classics like lose weight, eat healthier, exercise more. Or some different ones like spend more time with family, remember friends and family's birthdays. But, like a lot of people, the resolutions usually went out the window by Valentine's Day. Plenty of good intentions but very little follow through.

This year, I'm trying a new thing. I like new things. A fresh perspective on an old idea. How about this... An UNresolution.

Here's my list of UNresolutions:

1. I break my resolution to engage in critical, negative thinking and speaking. Out the window goes the words "I can't", "I could never" and other similar statements and thoughts.

2. I break my resolution to be in control of everything. This is a difficult one for me, but in the end I know I'm not in control and trying to pretend I am only separates me from the One who is.

3. I break my resolution to worry. Again, not easy. But worry, like wanting to be in control, just causes separation between me and God.

4. I break my resolution to relive my past. I am a new creation in Christ and focusing on my past mistakes and heartbreaks negates the price Jesus paid for me.

5. I break my resolution to see my future through my own eyes. That's much too small! Instead I think I'll use God's vision for my future this year.

I think I'll end there. I'm sure I could go on and on, but a small, manageable list is usually best for me.

What about you? Is there anything you want to unresolve for this year? I'd love to hear about it.

I'm not perfect BUT God is AWESOME!!

Here's a quick run-down of how my day started:

• Alarm. And before my eyes even open I say, Good Morning God, I love you! And I want you in my day. (wow, I'm a really good Christian, aren't I?)


• Go downstairs, pray with my husband, snuggle up w/ my little guy, Zachery, and read a few chapters in my Bible. (WOW, I REALLY am a GREAT Christian!)


• make some breakfast, make lunch for Zach, make a shopping list for after the preschool drop off (WOW...not only am I a great Christian, I'm also organized!)


• head back upstairs to get ready for school...... and if this blog had sound effects you'd hear the screeching of tires bringing this awesome and organized day to an abrupt halt!

Because right then is when my precious little 4 yr old begins tap dancing on my every nerve. No, I don't want to get dressed. Then he proceeds to hide in the closet, under my bed, beside a cabinet that's in the hallway. After hiding, he lies on the floor... I'm tired, I don't want to go to school. We'll just fast forward past all the details and get right to the point.... I quickly began losing my patience. Which quickly takes me to raising my voice and threatening spankings and going to your room...blah blah blah.

Okay, Wow, I'm a really bad Christian because I can't even remain patient with a 4 year old! And, none of this would be happening if I would have been organized enough to get him dressed and ready for school before we came downstairs in the morning.

So, with lots of tears, we finally make it through getting dressed, brushing teeth and hair. Back downstairs, I decide to make a coffee for the road....and proceed to spill the entire HUGE travel cup of coffee all over the counter top, down the front of the cabinets and onto the floor. Yeah, this day is just awesome and it's not even 9AM yet! Right then Zach comes around the corner and says... what happened? I respond, I just spilled the coffee everywhere. His response to that? "yeah, you're not awesome anymore Mom."

Deep breath.... Then I, sort of in a huff, start praying out loud, something like this... okay, this is ridiculous, what in the world is happening to this day? I'm not handling any of this well! I need Zachery to be obedient, I need me to NOT lose my patience and go off handle. I need YOU to be strong right now because apparently I'm right smack in the middle of all my weaknesses!

And, I hear quietly, Go worship me. WHAT??? But even as I said what, I knew it was right. It connected to a place in my heart that just fit. I can't explain it, but I just knew that's what I needed. But of course, it didn't seem to make sense. I mean, really, how do I go spend time worshipping God when I've just completely lost my mind? I don't deserve to be able to go worship Him. And, so I told Him that.... "Well, this is just going to feel WEIRD! I don't deserve to be worshipping you. But I'm going to do it."

I head to the CD's in the living room and open the door to the TV cabinet where they are. My eyes immediately fell to an old CD by NewSong. Yeah, that's what I need a New Song in my mouth!!! I go upstairs to the only CD player we have, sit on my bedroom floor and put the volume really loud and start singing. I wonder about Zachery.... a quiet whisper in my heart, he'll come, give him time. I close my eyes. And sing. "You put a new song in my mouth."(See Psalm 40) I "feel" someone looking at me and open my eyes. There stands Zach, with his jacket and shoes on. I smile and he sits in my lap. We hug and I sing. At the end of the song, he says... I want to go to school Mommy. We talk about things a little and seriously we both had a HUGE change in our moods and attitudes. It was a brand new beginning full of mercy and grace from God.

I'm not proud that I lose my patience so easily. I know that God is dealing with me about this situation big time right now. Which, I think, is why Zach has a way of just pushing my buttons into overdrive faster than a Porsche with nitro right now. God says, you're weak in this area...let me be strong. I go a few days handling it all fairly well on my own and then slip right back into my old habits. But God! But God! But God!

I just can't believe how quickly, virtually instantly, things changed once I started singing along and focusing on Him. And really, it didn't feel that weird. God inhabits the praises of His people, the Bible says in Psalm 22:3. So it's simply impossible to remain angry and impatient while praising Him, because God is slow to anger, abounding in love and compassion (Psalm 86:15).

Anyway, I'm not sure to how to end this, except to say that in my great moment of weakness in handling a normal everyday problem God rescued me. And it's these moments that I fall in love with Him more and learn more about His character... That He is faithful, kind, true, merciful and gracious. I didn't deserve for Him to speak so kindly to me when He said go worship me. I deserved what I had been doing to my son, raising my voice, threatening discipline. I didn't deserve for Him to love me right there in my pit, but He did and once again He, the Holy King, came down into my unholy, ugly mess and sat me on His lap and rescued me.

God is awesome!