There Is Hope

I found this article while researching what has been going on in Haiti. The people in Haiti still desperately need our prayers, and their hardship is far from over. Yet here is a bittersweet story of hope amidst the heartache. I’d highly recommend that you read it.

God is working in Haiti. Most of the orphans from For His Glory are now with their adoptive families in the United States, and I have had the privilege of seeing some of them. It makes my heart glad that God has worked good in the midst of this disaster. Please continue to pray for these orphans now in the United States and their adoptive families, as there is still a long road of transition ahead of them.

Keep the other orphans in your prayers. There have been so many more children orphaned in this earthquake, and my heart hurts for them. I must keep praying. Please continue with me. I see that our prayers are making a huge difference, not only with the orphans finally getting to America, but also with the few stories of hope I’ve found like the one above.

God is doing great things, and I praise Him for it. Thank you, Lord, for working in the midst of this situation. Thank you for reuniting the Haitian orphans with their adoptive families. Thank you for showing us what you are doing amidst the hardship in Haiti.

Thank you that there is still hope!

Haiti: at a glance

Praise God! Praise Him in his sanctuary! Praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his acts of power! Praise him for his surpassing greatness!

I am filled with excitement when I look at the situation in Haiti. After the 7.0 and 6.0 earthquake and aftershock, the situation truly has been dire (that’s not why I’m excited). International aid has come in to help provide water and food, as well as medical aid. The United Nations and various countries have donated innumerable resources, money and doctors and other international aid workers.

It’s obvious that this has been a tragedy for hundreds of thousands of families, but I stand amazed at the good work God is doing. International aid is being used to create infrastructure that hasn’t ever been there. Hundreds of children are coming home to America through visas that make the financial burden less on their families. Churches grow together in support of Haiti.

Could you have imagined that this would come out of such tragedy? God did. Isn’t our God a wonderful God?

I’d like to leave you with a closing thought, a poem that I wrote upon the initial earthquake. I hope you enjoy the perspective:

Dust
It stung my eyes cough cough
The sky is opened above me
Where is the house
I’m confused
Gasping clutching Mother- mother -
Scream
The pigs move past the women scream
We cry out
There is blood on my dress
There is bile on the stones

Fear
How could this be?
Where are you, God?
So far away, what can I do
What can I do
What can I do?
Hundred miles pass in blue
Between you and I
My arms are aching
Aching to hold you.

Cursing the sun cursing
The light handling what I can
No more house no more sky
No sky just dust
I can’t breathe can’t cry can’t speak
I hate you where are you when I need you
Why aren’t you here for me why didn’t you stop this
Why weren’t your hands there to cradle me
God o God o God I can’t feel you
Then where are you

Praising the Son praising
The Light and truth
The Shepherd was there, he cradled the lambs
I can’t feel him, and his staff pains me
I just want to cry, I have no praise in my heart
But in my soul, maybe, in my spirit
I can find a wailing voice
Even if I have no words, I praise you
You were there, when I couldn’t be
Hold her
Rock her to sleep
Tousle her hair
Sing over her:
Blessed be your name when I’m found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be your name.
I will sing, I will shout

Burning sun blistering water
Tears in my eyes
Blood in my hair
Over me
Blessed be your name when I’m found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be your name.
Your name is a strong and might tower
It did not collapse when the earth shook
I run to the tower I ascend
The stairs cavernously
Nothing can shake you nothing
I am safe here
I feel your arms around me
I know your name
You are here
Blessed be your name.

What are your thoughts? How are you getting involved in Haiti? Send us an email and let us know!

Another Earthquake

Haiti was hit by another earthquake this morning, most likely part of the aftershock of the initial disaster. While the magnitude was 6.0, less than the first earthquake, it has caused even more devastation for the island of Haiti. You can read about it more in this Fox News article (but please get your parents’ permission first).

Also, according to this press release, the staff from For His Glory have been asked to take all of the children to the U.S. Embassy this morning. There will be no food or water available there, but the children will be processed one at a time to hopefully get into the States. However, the distance is around 2 km (a little over a mile), and with the earthquake this morning we don’t know how that could affect things. I cannot stress enough how much these little ones, as well as all of Haiti, need our prayers. Things are getting desperate, and we need God to intervene. Please, please pray.

For His Glory Adoption Outreach

I would like to request your prayers especially for this adoption outreach, For His Glory. This ministry operates an orphanage in Haiti called Maison des Enfants de Dieu. They provide care to around 125-130 children at any given time, and they are committed to sharing God’s love with the many orphans that He has brought to them.

During the earthquake, the orphanage building didn’t have too much damage, but a wall fell on one of the nannies, who later died. Now all of the children are living in tents, and a semi-truck has been converted into a room for the babies. Although they received aid earlier this week, the situation is still dire and could result in death if the children do not receive food and water. The For His Glory staff are trying to get the children evacuated and to the States, but are encountering opposition with the U.S. government. If they are able to acquire Humanitarian Parole, at least some of the children will be allowed to enter America and stay with their adoptive families while their adoptions are completed. In Haiti, adoption is a very long process, so this could be very good news. However, the children without adoptive families may have to remain in Haiti. This means that they will be in desperate need of supplies, and even more prayer.

A few ways you can help…

• PRAY! There is more going on here than we know.
• Donate to For His Glory. Any amount will help.
• Research a list of items that are needed, then figure out how you can donate them to an organization that can take them down to Haiti.

I will be posting urgent updates as they come. Also, I would recommend watching this video. It touched my heart and really increased my love for these children.

Please be in prayer for these precious little ones.

Haiti

Many of you have probably heard about the earthquake in Haiti. In case you don’t know exactly what’s going on, his island was hit by a 7.0 earthquake earlier this week. At least three million people have been impacted — and even then, that’s just an estimate. Many have been left injured, homeless, grieving, or dead. We’re still not sure of the death count, but it is significant. In short, Haiti is in desperate need.

Here at Ignition, we know that we can be doing things to help. The most important thing we can do right now is pray. There is more going on than we can see, much of it spiritual. The Haitians are poor, malnourished, and in need of Jesus. We need to pray for their protection, health, and safety, but most of all their salvation.

Please join us in praying for this country. As young people, this is what we can do to make a difference. Here are some specific things to pray for:

• The salvation of the Haitian people
• Their protection – others are trying to use the earthquake as an advantage to steal and loot.
• Their health – many areas are running out of critical food and water, and there is potential for disease and sickness.
• Their safety – pray that the Haitians would be protected against their enemies, physical and spiritual.
• For His Glory Adoption Outreach – This is an orphanage dedicated to serving God and taking care of the many orphans in Haiti. Right now, the children are living in tents, and they have even converted a semi-truck into a room for the babies. They are also running out of food and water, and because the banks and other facilities are closed, it’s difficult to purchase more. You can read more updates on their website. Please pray for these children.

I’d like to launch a prayer vigil on this blog. The trouble in Haiti will last far beyond the initial earthquake, as the Haitians try to pick up the pieces and deal with the devastation. As young people, we have special opportunity and influence as prayer warriors. I believe our prayers are not only essential but necessary in this situation.

Catey and I will hopefully be posting updates about the situation in Haiti, as well as prayer requests, as we kneel before God for this country. Please join us.

If you would like to spread the word, I’ve made a special blog button you can put on your blog or website. The code is in the comments section of this post, so you can easily copy and paste it into your sidebar.

Come on, prayer warriors. Let’s pray.

What do you think?: francis of assisi

“There is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching.”

“It is not fitting, if one is a servant of God, to have a chilling look or a gloomy face.”

“Preach the gospel always – and if necessary, use words.”

Wasn’t he amazing? What do you think? Leave us a comment or send us an email and let us know!

The Grace to Let Go…

The grace to let go and let God be God flows from trust in His boundless love. – Brennan Manning

I have plenty I could say about this quote. I think it’s so true, and really spoke to me when I read it. But I want to hear from you: What do you think about this quote, and what does it mean to you? Post a comment, or email us with your answer.

I Will Extol the Lord…

Praise the LORD.
I will extol the LORD with all my heart
in the council of the upright and in the assembly.

² Great are the works of the LORD;
they are pondered by all who delight in them.

³ Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
and his righteousness endures forever.

⁴ He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
the LORD is gracious and compassionate.

⁵ He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.

⁶ He has shown his people the power of his works,
giving them the lands of other nations.

⁷ The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy.

⁸ They are steadfast for ever and ever,
done in faithfulness and uprightness.

⁹ He provided redemption for his people;
he ordained his covenant forever—
holy and awesome is his name.

¹⁰ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
To him belongs eternal praise.

(Psalm 11)

My favorite phrases in this Psalm are “I will extol the Lord with all my heart” and “To Him belongs eternal praise”. It’s so good to remember that no matter what, the Lord is to be praised. In fact, He is so incredible that we should praise Him for all eternity. It makes me happy to think that in Heaven, that’s what we will be doing… bringing joy to our Creator, and reveling in His indescribable glory. I can’t wait, and I hope you’ll be there too.

Review: The Case for Christ

Book Review: The Case for Christ

By Lee Strobel :: Review by Kylie

We all struggle with our own doubts about what we believe, what is real, and what role God plays in our lives today. Often times, we try not to let these doubts bother us; we set them aside or “shove them in a drawer”. Lee Strobel didn’t.

A prominent journalist, not to mention an atheist, Lee Strobel had it all. Or so it seemed. He had a great job, a great marriage, and overall great circumstances. But when his wife got saved, Lee started to wonder whether his convictions were as firm as they appeared. This set him on an epic quest – to discover the evidence about the seemingly outrageous claims behind Christianity. If what he discovered was false, he could throw it away like a dirty dishrag. But if there was actually something that supported these claims, Lee might just have to give it a second thought.

So, Lee’s search for the truth began. This book chronicles his experiences. From investigating how we know the Bible is true to looking at how we know Jesus was really the Christ, Lee Strobel presents the facts he discovered in a clear and straightforward way. What he found out, and what you will realize as you join him in this journey, is very remarkable.

While I am already a firm believer in Jesus and the Bible, this book was so helpful and only helped solidify my beliefs. The evidence Lee Strobel presents is truly amazing. I literally couldn’t put the book down and finished the book in less than 24 hours. Since I had the Student Edition, it was a fairly quick read.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, especially if you have any sorts of doubt about what to believe. Viewing the confirmation of everything the Bible says will help you build a foundation that is unshakable.

Treasure in a Pebble

Once upon a time, there was a princess. She lived in a castle far away by the sea, where dragons used to dwell. One day, the princess threw a pebble from her castle window down into the green-blue sea below. “Oh dear!” cried the princess, as ripples deeper than the waves spread in perfect rings from her pebble. “My treasure is lost forever.” You see, quite by accident, the princess had cast this pebble which contained the greatest of her treasures into a sea which she knew beyond the shadow of a doubt would tear it apart and leave it empty and hollow. So the princess dove into the sea, and felt in the waters around her the whisper and shout of a thousand hurtful words, all screaming:

“My heart is torn! There is a hole in my heart!”

The princess cried out and held out her hands, and there was darkness in the palm of her hand. She covered her ears, but there was still much screaming rushing in her ears. She shut her eyes, and yet there was still the sight of tears falling from a drooping seaweed. She was afraid, so she rushed up to the surface, screaming:

“My treasure is not worth the pain!”

Just as she reached the sunlight of the world above, she heard the sound of wings on water, of poetry, of an angel’s kiss. “Thank you.”

Again, “Thank you.”

“Thank you…. thank… you…..”

“For what?” The princess said. “Who are you?”

“We are the crying ones beneath the water. You left us a gift. We thank you… thank you…”

“What gift? I left you no gift!”
“The pebble. You gave us a pebble which encased a grain of truth. The truth has melted away the mud which bound us to the sea floor. Do you see what happened to us now?”

The princess looked around. “I do not see you.”

“We are no longer the waves of the ocean, tossed by the foul wind. We are creatures of the air now. Your gift is freeing us. We thank you… thank…”

Their voices faded off into the sound of the wind over the water.

The princess looked into the sea. Her treasure meant so much to her… to give it up would spell doom, wouldn’t it?

She had let her treasure go, but had it really left her?

My translation of this story: What is a treasure, really? Is a treasure something we have to keep, or is it the gift that we’re required to give away?

More often than not, I’ve discovered that the truest treasure is one that is not meant to be kept, but rather to be given, shared, grown. That’s what the pebble is in this story – the gift that the princess had to share.

The Sea Where Dragons Used To Dwell is an untamed wilderness of lost souls. The Princess didn’t realize as she fell into the water how dark the darkness of the unsaved is – it wasn’t until she felt her gift, her treasure slipping away from her, that she was willing to plunge into their midst, and she was shocked at what she found. Such pain and darkness… what could she do? Only escape.

Next, she tried to rise to the surface and retreat from the forces of darkness that she was so desperately afraid of. But other forces were at work, because she had, in her insecurity and humanity, her weakness and nonunderstanding, left her gift behind, the pebble.

That gift was truth. That gift was love. That gift was peace. That was the start of the freeing of the souls trapped in that sea.

Once again, I leave you with the same question: If I let my treasure go, have I really lost it?

Grace always,

P.S. Thank you to Colin for making me explain the parable. I didn’t stop to think how confusing and downright weird it is. I hope you enjoy the translation. -C.