Willingness is the only job requirement!

So, I wanted to share with you all a book I have been reading - Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis.

It is about a 22 year old girl - who abandoned her extremely comfortable life in Tennessee and moved to Uganda, Africa! She is now 25 years old, has adopted 13 girls, and is the director/founder of an amazing non profit organization Amazima . Her writings are real, bold, and awe inspiring! I am truly inspired by her great works, but I am in love with her total surrendered heart for God and his will in her life. She was just a willing vessels - to the human eye she was not equipped for this adventure, but to God she was just the person for the job!

You see often times we feel as if we are not good enough, we need just a little more schooling, a little more experience, a little more money, a little more of this, a little more of that and once we have just a little more - maybe we can do something for God - well that isn't the case at all!! I have fallen into this trap so many times before. His best job candidate needs one thing - willingness!! Willingness to have courage, willingness to be bold, to be submissive, to be uncomfortable, to be hurt, to be criticized - and the list goes on and on! You see when you have willingness - you have everything that God needs and he will do the rest!

Here is a part of her writing that represents true willingness :  "I am like Peter who made many mistakes, but I am Peter for who God had great plans, whom God established to do his work. Peter is the rock on which Jesus built his church. The very night when Peter foolishly jumped out of the boat, Jesus reinstated him in the presence of the other disciples.  "Do you truly love me?" He asked. "Then feed my lambs." "Do you really love me? Take care of my lambs." "Peter, do you love me? Feed my sheep, and come follow me." Katie states, "For each time I deny God the glory that is his, for each time I follow my will instead of listening to His, for each time I jump ahead without first consulting my Lord, He asks "Daughter, do you truly love me?" and I DO. "Feed my sheep". And I will. And I do. "Come follow me". And I am, or at least I am trying.

You see we are all like Peter - we mess up - we make mistakes - we worry - we are far from perfect, but God still wants to use us - if we are willing!!! As Katie states:  "You are Peter. God already knows that you will make a mess, but His plan for you is great. Go. Feed His sheep."

So when many people read about Katie Davis they sometimes think she must have the most perfectly rewarding life! Well no doubt she is extremely blessed and she is blessed so richly because she was willing to allow God to bring her to unknown, uncomfortable, scary places and because of that she is greatly blessed.

So the team has touched down in Uganda (praise the Lord!!). Here are there travel adventures - my super organized brother in law sent me a little map weeks before they left (note to self: If you are strained on a deserted island or in a third world country you most definitely want Shay Holloway with you!) Tonight they stay in a hotel in the Capital city of Kampala. If you are reading my blog from your computer - I have put a little timer on the side of my blog - so you can know what time it is in Uganda as you read this. If you are reading this from an iphone or ipad - make sure to scroll down to the bottom of page and link on the little red link "View web version" and you will then be able to view the time clock also!

 So getting back to my brother in law, Shay - he is always prepared - I mean both physically and spiritually (he could hands down win any reality show competition that required you to live off of just the things in your backpack!) But, my husband on the other hand - is the exact opposite!!! The spiritual side - he was prepared - the physical side - ummm I don't know but can't wait to hear! A few days before the trip I was talking to Seth and asked him - "Babe are you bringing a laptop, ipad, earphones, books, etc...(you know all the things the average person would pack on a two day long plane ride!) .... his simple response "Nope!" I am like "What will you do for that long!?" Well I got a video from my dear friend, Lacey Melancon who is also part of the team traveling to Uganda! Poor souls who had to sit next to him for 24+ hrs - I know they were ready to pull their hair out!

I haven't been able to talk to anyone yet and if I had to guess I would probably hear from my friend Lacey or my brother in law before Seth! I mean after all he didn't bring any technology with him (other than the iphone) and didn't get the international calling plan like I asked him too! Once I do hear something - I will update! My friend Lacey Melancon will also be blogging about her adventures while she is there (given they have internet access!) Click here to view her blog.

Meanwhile at the Holloway residents the kiddos are continuing to ask for Papa and if he has made it to Africa yet! Jacques is a champ and rarely complains, but Juliette on the other hand could just about win an academy award for the most dramatic performance of "Missing Papa". Yesterday in the car, I had heard about 45 minutes of all I could take whining about "Papa" - it was enough and I needed a break - I said "Juju - papa is coming home - he is just in Africa for a few days and then he is coming home...please stop crying and whining!! Her three year old response: "But, Mommy I am trying but the crying just won't stop coming out my eyes!" I was like - that would be the tears that can't stop and second Mommy is having the same problem too!

So we got an ice cream, chick fa la ("chick a lay" as juju calls it!), and a new stuffed animal to make her smile!

When Papa is gone - some rules go right out the window! First one - we get to stay up later (well it is the holidays and the kids are out of school) and Second one - the kids are sleeping in bed with me! For some reason, when Seth is gone it seems as if our house is 10 times larger than what it really is! Having the kids next to me just seem to make things better - well that is until I get kicked and elbowed in the face 65 times in the night (I believe my kids are some of the wildest sleepers!)

Thank you to all who have shared my previous post - you are feeding his sheep - you are spreading the message and I am humbled!

My love,
Vera