You know me, just "kidding" around!

Greetings Once Again From The Southern Hemisphere!

Well almost, as I am working my way home to Sudan and am presently sitting in the London Heathrow Airport.  I feel like I have been out of touch with you all for so long.  My month home in Texas turned into six weeks, which was good and needed but hard for me to not want to be in Sudan.  My heart is ever drawn there.  I mentioned in my last update that a family situation occurred that rocked my world and it was the reason for the added two weeks at the end of my trip.

I remembered the words that the Lord had spoken to me when I was at International House of Prayer on New Year’s Eve 2010.  He spoke to me strongly concerning the Isaiah 58 fast and how it is about loosing the chains of injustice and setting the oppressed free and caring for the poor.  He highlighted to me:

Isaiah 58:7 “Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter- when you see the naked, to clothe them, AND NOT TO TURN AWAY FROM YOUR OWN FLESH AND BLOOD”.

I thought about how I had grown so focused on my Sudan family that I hadn’t been consistent about praying for my blood family back home this year.  God is so faithful even when we aren’t isn’t He?

I originally was not going to come home in August but was going to wait until December.  I kept feeling this prodding to come home in August and didn’t know why.  I thought it was to celebrate my 50^th birthday, finish my book, work on my 501c3…  My birthday came and three different people wanted to throw me a big party and I all of a sudden realized I didn’t want a big party.  What was I doing here then???  Well, two days before my birthday I received news that a situation had occurred in my family leaving my 16 year old niece all alone.  No one died, but the situation could be long term.  She immediately called me.  I was her first and only choice.

The last three weeks have been a whirlwind of activity, me trying to cover all bases and sort things out and get her settled and situated in a very good place.  I even told the Lord that I would give up my call in Sudan if this was what He needed from me for this season.  Isaiah 58:7 rolled around in my heart and mind.  I had to be still and listen for His voice and He released me to return to Sudan.  Over the last few days I wondered, “What if I hadn’t been here when all this happened?”  God knows all things and He knew what was going to happen.  I was able to really minister to all people involved and I know that amazing things will come of this.

I also remembered the most important word the Lord spoke to me and I believe to many in the body of Christ for this year.  This year will be the hardest year yet BUT we will know His peace more than ever before.  This year I have lost two Sudanese children who were close to me, my leg was infected by a poisonous spider that took 64 days and major prayer and antibiotics to heal, and then this with my family.  Through it all I have experienced such peace, truly I have.  Peace is never automatic.  God says to “pursue” peace and when these things were happening to me I always reminded God that he promised me peace through it all.  He never failed to respond.

Over the last two weeks, 40 children on our base in Sudan were infected with Malaria and Typhoid.  That’s crazy!  That never happens in that magnitude.  Praise Jesus that all are now on the tail end of the sickness and on the mend.  There is so much going on all over the world concerning the attack of the devil.  It is everywhere.  All who know me, know that my way of spiritual warfare is through focusing on Jesus and His endless love for us and simply declaring His light and goodness and love and grace into all situations.  I think though that we are going to see more of this darkness trying to invade light.

I believe that there will be seasons coming up where we will have to keep our focus on Jesus always but we will also have to have His sight for what’s on the perimeter, what’s on the peripheral of our line of sight.  God is calling us to be more aware and more discerning but to always keep our focus on Him.  I want to encourage you to stay alert and to not get sleepy.  In all things, stay in His peace.  When we are in that place of peace it is a whole lot easier to think on our feet and get things done.  It is a whole lot easier to hear His voice.

I am so very excited to be heading home to Sudan.  I am bringing 145 hot wheel cars and cannot wait to see their faces.  They love cars more than anything, except soccer.  This will be the first time each child gets their own toy car.  Yay!  I have also heard from the Lord that I will remain at Iris Yei at least for the next six months.  After that, He will let me know.  I have learned that it is so much better to wait for His timing, even though my heart yearns to do so much more.  He is preparing the way for me and so I am rejoicing and totally enjoying the children and staff and missionaries in Yei.  I really am excited to be staying.  We are a great family and love each other so much.

Thank you to all who have prayed over me, spoken into my life, supported me, housed me, fed me and loved me during my time home.  I am truly so blessed to have such a big family in America.  I am praying that next year I can meet those in my family in the UK.  I love you all so much and pray huge blessings on you and that the best of this year is yet to come.  Expect it!