sunday.

This weekend has been filled with more blessings than I can count.  Literally, at every turn I see God moving and advancing this journey of His, that I am so humbly a part of.  I’ll be totally transparent with you and admit that oftentimes I feel overwhelmingly unworthy of the abundance of love and support… and the continual gifts from our Father that keep flowing my way.  The only way I know to reply is to breathe in all of this goodness and to commit every exhale He provides me with in abundant thanksgiving.  My constant prayer is that He receives all of the glory, and honor, and praise due His name - in Birmingham, Alabama and among the Nations!     

I spent Saturday night with a room full of world-changers (many of which I have traveled to Africa with previously and share a similar passion with of spreading the gospel to the unreached) – it was awesome!  Phil Long (pastor / missions mentor / friend) hosted an evening to share about what God is doing around the world (specifically in India) through Global Action.  Phil left his position as Missions Pastor for Church of the Highlands here in Birmingham and followed God’s call to Global Action (based in Colorado Springs) just a few weeks ago.  (Check it: http://www.globalaction.com/)  Anyone that knows me well knows that I look up to Phil immensely.  He has dedicated his life to teaching/preaching/living the word of God, globally.  He has spent years in East Africa, Kenya specifically, and he has personally inspired me to follow God’s calling on my life as well.  I consider the two years that I have known Phil (we have been to Africa together twice) an enormous blessing – God clearly put him in my life for a very specific purpose and I am so thankful for every moment I have spent with he and his amazing wife, Shary.  I’m sure you will read many more Phil-isms as my journey progresses and maybe even learn some of the gold nuggets of the mission filed that Phil has shared with me along the way (including, but not limited to: the real reason I’m making sure to pack a Bible with an extra large maps section… why I already know all-to-well that I will “sling pants” if/when necessary… and how, because of Phil, I can exchange money with the best of em on the street corner, black market style)!  Seriously, the wisdom I have learned from Phil over the last two years will be my field-guide of sorts, and I am so thankful for it!!        


Phil ...

  

preaching.



teaching.

and LIVING the Word.

Busted!  Black Market style. 

Tonight, I traveled to Cullman for a visit at Desperation Church.  (Check them too: http://www.desperationchurch.tv/)  I was literally moved to tears, as I worshiped with 500+/- others in the small sanctuary in the church I helped pre-launch a few years back.   What amazing things God is doing in that city, and in that church!  I’ll have to blog later about my friend, Brittany Pelfrey – who is such an amazing woman of the Lord, and how we can almost finish each other’s sentences… we have such similar stories and I know the Lord placed her in my life at the exact moment I needed her.  She is such a blessing. 

While I wouldn’t have missed the special service at DC for the world, it was almost bitter sweet driving to and from Cullman alone.  You see, my precious family was getting together for dinner (as we do sometimes on Sunday evenings) and I wasn’t there.  I couldn’t help but think about all the times over the next two years where this will be the scene – my sweet family gathering… without me.  Sure I’m going to miss the taste of diet coke on ice, and the freedom of jumping in my own car and driving around town to clear my head, and Tootsie – whose fur I’ve buried my face in as I cry about broken relationships, and Ashley - whose incredible friendship I all to often take for granted, and tap water… but nothing, NOTHING, will I miss like my precious family.  I came home tonight and was all but rude to my mother (praise the Lord I already know she forgives me, and I haven’t even asked her yet).  My emotions have been on a roller coaster like I can not explain - and I am so thankful for the extra doses of grace I have received from everyone as March 28^th approaches.



Some, of my amazing family =)

 I text this quote to a few people when I found it this past week, but I wanted to share it here as well…

"The key to the missionary's work is the authority of Jesus Christ, not the needs of the lost.  We are inclined to look on our Lord as one who assists us in our endeavors for God.  Yet our Lord places Himself as the absolute sovereign and supreme Lord over his disciples.  He does not say that the lost will never be saved if we don't go - He simply says, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations..." He says, "Go on the basis of the revealed truth of My sovereignty, teaching and preaching out of your living experiences of Me."

- Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

word.

I've had this word on my heart today, just wanted to share:

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore,

and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."

Galatians 5:1

auburn.

I can't stop reflecting on all of the GOOD GIFTS that the Lord has provided for Dana and I so far on this journey.  Our time in Auburn yesterday was indeed a very good gift.  Thank you Father. 

samford lawn

meet Ben, the hipster behind our threads



told ya...



overwhelming Dove Love

"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,

how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!"

Matthew 7:11

exhausted.

Today... has been an absolute whirlwind.  I've scaled the wall to break into Jordan-Hare Stadium and hugged the hipster that designed our new threads.  I've sold random Craigslist items in the Wal-Mart parking lot (what's new?) and proudly sported my alumnae pin in my first post-graduation Sigma Kappa chapter (dove love)!   I've cried uncontrollably and laughed hysterically - literally, back to back.  I've called my brother in an absolute panic after my car QUIT on me in the Post Office parking lot, and prayed over 100+ sisters as they listened to Dana and I plea for the advance of the Kingdom in Africa.  I've made our first joint-checking deposit today from monies collected for fundraising shirts at Charles Schwab - an absolutely unexpected honeyhole filled with encouragers, supporters, and new friends; an obvious God-inspired arrangement.  To end it all - I enjoyed a two hour blessing of a conversation, being reminded of how precious life is.  Life, is but a breath - a vapor - scripture tells us, and tonight I am on my knees thanking the Lord Almighty for every breath I was able to enjoy today... and for every breath (God-willing) I will take tomorrow.   Today... has been a whirlwind, and while I don't even have the energy to write an adequate blog about it all (I will tomorrow, I promise)- I do want to jot down my spotty emotions at this moment, before I head to bed. 

Humbled. Amazed. Honored. Blessed. Overjoyed. Inspired. Worshiping.

Jesus. Father. Provider. Cup-runneth-OVER.

I have to share with you possibly my favorite moment from today:

I let Dana borrow one of my 3 Sigma Kappa pins to wear to chapter tonight... and as I explained to everyone over lunch - yes, these are some of the few items I own that appear on the DO NOT SELL list.  One was my sisters - which I was proudly pinned with on my initiation day (10/15/00).  One was my legit EK pin, and one is my alumnae pin - all of which are proudly displayed on my cheesy Sigma Kappa purple "pin pillow."   Anyway, as Dana and I were leaving Auburn and I was reminding her to carefully take off my EK pin so I could return it to its pillow she commented: 

 "Laura, I can see it now - fifty years from now your grand-daughter is going to be selling these 10K gold pins for their melt down value, desperately trying to get cash for her upcoming mission trip to Africa!"

At the moment I found it hysterical, that I have been so sentimental about these pins.  The truth is: If I am indeed blessed with grand-daughters, and they are ever in doubt... SELL THE PIN (and everything else )! 

 MAKE THE CASH.  GET TO AFRICA.  AND SPREAD THE WORD!

faith.

"To In-fin'ne. Ah. Be... NOW!!"
I've spent the better part of this evening listening out for these words. Also known as "To infinity... and beyond!" these are the words that my favorite person on this earth screams as he straps on his imaginary flight belt and prepares to jump - from whatever, whenever. You have to always be on guard.  At only 2 years old Colt already knows that I love him more than life itself. Whether I'm in the other room or even half asleep (both of which have happened tonight) I'll come running at the sound of these precious words. He never hesitates, and he never second guesses that I'll be right there under him to catch him mid-flight before he jumps. Thanks to the good Lord (and socked-feet on hardwood floors) I haven't missed yet - and don't plan to. I love how Colt, and Buzz Lightyear, are fearless. He's too young to think about what would happen if I missed. Me not being there isn't an option for Colt, and that truth tickles me pink and scares me to death at the same time.

Grace makes sense to kids. They’ve got the imagination and creativity and “anything is possible” attitude that can accept the unbelievable nature of grace, and it overflows into their faith. We adults are the ones who have a hard time with it. Somewhere mid-flight tonight I thought about how I want to be more like Colt. I want to strap on my flight belt and just jump into the arms of Jesus. Just as sure as Colt knows that I will always be there to catch him, I know that Christ has me before I even commit to jumping.  He's been waiting my whole life with open arms, just in case.  I love what He said in Matthew 18:3 - “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

Kids get grace.  They have faith.

I think Christ wants us to get it too.

That’s why I think he wants us to have faith like a child.

special delivery.

So- I just went by "Lee's House" (wow, I have to get used to saying that) to see if my W-2 had arrived in the mail (yes, I'm chomping at the bit to get my taxes done this year)... and what do I find waiting on the doorstep?!?  SHIRTS!!  Our shirts have arrived, and they look fabulous!!!  Go ahead, take a sneak peek... you know you want to...

I couldn't even wait to get inside!

Comment below with your shirt size if you would like to place an order, they are $25 each, and we have sizes S, M, L, XL, and 2XL.  I am super excited to see everyone in our shirts - and as always, thank you for your love & support! 

my new fav shirt

comfortable.

It’s official – Tootsie and I have moved in with my mother, and this is my first blog from our new home in Hoover.  This is another huge step in my journey to Uganda!  I’ll be shacking up with mom until my departure in late March to save a little cash, and let my brother get settled into his new home… my house in Helena.  This is all getting very real now.  I’ve left my comfortable home, and soon will be leaving this comfortable country.  I went to bed last night looking around the room I lived in while in High School and I couldn’t help but praise my Savior.  You see, I don’t want to be comfortable anymore.  I don’t want the false sense of security that has come for too long because of the house I own, the car I drive,  or the corporate career I have.  I want every ounce of enjoyment that God has planned out for my life – and I know it is will require me to surrender my "comfortable" American Dream.  I love this quote by Francis Chan:

“But God doesn't call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn't come through.”

Truth is, I will be in trouble if He doesn’t come through.  But I know He will. Like I replied to a CraigsList buyer today when I met up to sell a $10 plate at the Panera Bread parking lot “No, I’m not afraid at all, I’m actually really excited.  The more I have emptied myself of my earthly possessions, the more I have  been filled with the reassuring presence of the Holy Spirit”.  If I know anything at all about the character of God Almighty, the Creator of the Universe,  I know this: His greatest desire is for His name be worshiped in every corner of this world, by every tribe, by every tongue, and by every people group on this planet.  Everyone.  He deserves nothing less.  So no, tonight I’m not curled up in the comfort of my own home,  on my overpriced fancy pillow top queen-sized, mattress that I was so proud to purchase 7 years ago, but I am snuggled up “back home” surrounded with things that remind me of how much I am loved and what an awesome support group I have backing me as I prepare to leave for Africa.  God knew exactly what He was doing when he planned this all out – I’m at home right now for a reason.  My mom and I are enjoying dinners  together, having deep conversations about life/God/family/etc. and I’m getting to be pampered for my last home-stretch (no pun intended) before I head out!  It’s actually perfect...  just like the rest of this crazy process has been!

Sneak preview of my prayer cards!

rejoicing.

re·joice  (r-jois)

v. re·joiced, re·joic·ing, re·joic·es

v.intr.

To feel joyful; be delighted: rejoiced at the news; rejoiced in her friend's good fortune.

v.tr.

To fill with joy; gladden.



this just happened



"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice!" Philippians 4:4

 





followed by this...



and then this!!





c-listing.

“Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. 

Provide yourself with moneybags that do not grow old,

with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail,

where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.” 

Luke 12:33

This verse has been somewhat of an anthem for Dana and I over the last few months.  “Sell your possessions... and give to the needy.”  We’re taking these instructions quite literally, as Francis Chan pointed out in a conference we attended last week – “It’s not difficult, so let’s not make this hard: read the word of God, and obey.”  It has been an interesting journey to say the least; this process of de-“stuff”ing myself.  I wish I could upload my 6-page color-coded spreadsheet for you to marvel at.  It’s been emotional.  It’s been hysterical.  It’s been chaotic.  It’s been freeing.  But most of all, it’s been one step closer to Uganda, and the amazing plans that God has for us there.  It’s been a true reminder (yet again) of God’s faithfulness; He has been in every crazy encounter, and every divine connection along the way!  Dana blogged about this crazy Craigslist journey last week, and I wanted to share her words with you, she sums it up a whole lot better than I could…

I could tell you about “Rick the bracelet hoarder” who bought a David Yurman from Laura, wanted another Yurman of hers for CHEAP [basically trying to steal it out from under her while not noticing via email it was the same chica selling all these blasted bracelets], and when they finally met up for a THIRD bracelet, he didn’t even know who she was. I could tell you about our first CL sale - a young man buying a purse for his mom who asked why we were selling our stuff - Me: “We are moving out of the country” - Him: “Oh, I just moved out of the country closer into town”. Bless him. There are mannequin-lovers in the CL world. There’s also quite a laugh in how someone is rejoicing over Laura’s collection of nutcrackers including the beloved “Rat King” who requires no further comment. Sometimes people come shopping in your house and it’s pretty liberating to be able to say “If it's not spell-o-taped to the wall, floor, or ceiling you can make me an offer”. If you’re in the market for cash - electronics are selling like hot cakes. You can’t answer these people’s emails quickly enough! Unless you’re Dana or Laura and you stalk your inbox every 3.5 minutes. But we just need to make it clear that we didn’t list our items on this site to trade you for anything. Except cash. A $15 clear vinyl chair mat for your office - SOLD! If that isn’t the Lord telling us He will provide, I don’t know what is. And just when CL dies down for the day and we say a quick prayer for people to stop updating their business spreadsheets in the office and hop on the site - they do. And they email us with an insanely low offer. We’re asking you to purchase our possessions, not steal them from us! We do; however, perform frequent price-slashing, giving hope to the penny-pinchers. Ok, jokes aside...

We have more Craigslist stories than I could tell you in 24 hours. It’s undeniable how the Lord truly is working in every aspect of this journey. It sounds a bit silly and strange to say, but He has connected us with so many amazing people through Craigslist and eBay. People more generous than we expected and more understanding, giving, loving and appreciative than we anticipated. This experience is simply another way of God reminding me that each and every one of His children is special and unique. I’m so blessed to have met these people and to have these memories. I love strangers. Yes, my mother taught me well, but I think it was sooner rather than later that I began striking up conversations with random humans out of the blue. I’ll assure you, it’s the way to go because sometimes... you sell kayaks to a mother and son with hearts for adventure. Sometimes you meet a woman making a man-cave in her basement for her husband in the military before he is deployed. Sometimes you sell an iBook to a mother with foster children. Sometimes you sell the watch off your wrist you think you couldn’t part with to a precious eBayer in Texas who promises to take good care of it. Sometimes you meet a husband and wife to buy a sofa and it turns out they’re truly wonderful people with hearts for Jesus. And, Rick, you-bracelet-hoarder-you, we love you and are thankful for you, Darwin bumper sticker and all.

first CL mo-nay

gonna miss these yaks!

late night listing

He is so good to us!

I wasn't joking

I wasn't joking about this either

sofa-less and happy!

Dana and I know the Lord has a planned purpose for us in Uganda and although we wish we had the resources to step on a plane, like, yesterday... we know He will have us arriving there right on time.

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”

Colossians 3:2

threads.

. . .

Will you Rep our Threads?

. . .

Our "until His nets are full" vintage-style Africa shirts have been ordered...

and we MUSTACHE you to reserve yours now!! 

One shirt will be given away for every donation over $25 via our website (www.untilHisnetsarefull.com) 

and mailed out as soon as we receive them - aproximately 2 weeks from today. 

 Donate now, and note in the comment section to reserve your shirt size.

 (S, M, L, XL, or 2XL)

Shirts will only be available while supplies (and sizes) last! 

To make this a little more fun, we are asking that everyone who receives a shirt to photograph yourself wearing it (as creative as you can get)! 

Email us these photos, and we will include them on our website for the world to see! 

I'm super excited to see where all our shirts pop up!! 

Thank you in advance for your donations!

miracle alert.

I love the faithfulness of God, even in the details!  Knowing that His son, Jesus Christ, was fully-God AND fully-man (God in the FLESH) is almost hard for me to sometimes comprehend.  I think I struggle with the truth that Jesus not only can relate to us, but he makes our concerns of His utmost importance.  1 Peter 5:7 reminds us "You can throw the whole weight of your anxieties upon Him, for YOU are HIS personal concern."  It blows my mind that the Creator of the Universe, God Almighty, makes ME His personal concern.  My dog, Beamer, is a perfect example of 1 Peter 5:7 playing out in my life. 
When I finally decided to begin this journey I started by creating a list of "Things I'm Believing God For" ... aka: former excuses, that I'm laying at the foot of the cross once and for all.  (I'm a list-maker, a spreadsheet creator, its what I do!)  I decided to trust that if God had truly called me to pick up and move to Africa, He was going to provide!  I decided to make my prayers more specific - and believe for miracles in my life to make this happen!  As funny as it may sound, my two dogs (Tootsie & Beamer) were literally top on my list.  Finding PERFECT homes for them was just not negotiable for me.  I was prepared to ask, and believe, for miracles in this department.  I'll spare you the details about how much my dogs mean to me, and how they are the most precious gifts ever... because I'm sure most of you can relate.  I couldn't even talk about giving up my dogs to anyone without crying, so I decided to start with a short e-mailable "bio" on each dog, detailing out their personalities and what a dream home for each would look like - photos included, etc.  See below for just some highlight pics of "Beam"...

I was very specific about what "needs" Beamer would require from his new home: a big yard, active family, kids to play with, etc... basically requiring a serious "trade up" from his life with me. I sent out this "bio" email to only two individuals (at this point not fully ready to make this huge leap) and asked that they share it, in hopes of helping me find two loving homes.  Immediately, when I hit "send" - God moved!  I had an AMAZING potential home wanting Beamer before the end of the day!!  In a matter of weeks Beamer and I were headed to the Dellaccio home for an "introductory visit" - which eventually led to his adoption!  I had cried and prayed Psalm 94:19 the entire way to Vestavia - "when anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul," I couldn't make eye contact with Beamer the entire way, and it took me several minutes to physically get out of my car when we arrived.  I finally made it into the new home with Beamer and almost immediately broke into a full-on sob session as I explained that as much as I loved Beamer, I loved the Gospel more.  This family understood.   

Beamer en route that day...

I left laughing... and rejoicing in the Lord!  Truth: I AM HIS PERSONAL CONCERN.  The Dellaccio family is a God-send to me, and to Beamer.  They are perfect in so many ways and I consider them my miracle family.  I am so thankful to Mr. & Mrs. Dellaccio and their 3 children who have been loving on Beamer perfectly for almost a month now.  They send me updates and pictures of Beam, and even inspirational messages to keep me encouraged on my journey!  I'm choked up even thinking about this family, and how much they mean to me.  God hears our prayers.  He knows the desires and cares of our heart, and He is faithful... even in the furry details!!

Here is a pic of Beamer enjoying his new family, please keep the Dellaccio's in your prayers!