What is STREETWISE?

YEAH!!  We finally came up with a name!!!  What do you think? 

STREETWISE is about building relationships.  The children who live on the streets believe that they are less than human and they aren’t valuable.  The mandate God has given us is to sit in the dirt with them, learn about their lives, hand out some hot tea and build relationships in order to show them that they are valuable and worthy of love because God has declared it so!  

Many of you have heard me speak of Joe.  He is doing SO WELL!!!  He has spent 9 months at a TEEN CHALLENGE facility out side of the city and has thrived beyond all our wildest imaginations!  After surviving on the streets of Lusaka for 11 years, God has truly transformed his life!  He has been giving the opportunity to go to Swaziland to further his education at another TEEN CHALLENGE facility.  He is a bit freaked out about it.  It was a huge step for him to leave Lusaka, let alone leave the country!  Pray for him!  

It is very exciting time for us because God has been laying on the hearts of some of the people who we attend church with to get involved.   We had our first “team meeting” a few weeks ago and I was ELATED!  We sat with FIVE extra people who have felt the call of God for the homeless kids and want to be a part!  For all this time it has just been Luis and I, so to have others come along and want to share the burden with us is SO exciting! 

How can you help? 

We need to raise money to purchase a ministry bus.  We would love to have a bus that will become our ministry center.  

We need financial support.  Lusaka is VERY expensive to live.  In order to live we need at least 4,000 USD a month.  Would you pray about how God would have you help in that department?  

Pray for more people to come along to help.  We would love to be able to start feeding, but simply don’t have enough hands.  Also, there is another spot that we would love to extend to, but again, we need more bodies.  

In closing....PRAY!  Pray about how you can help!  Pray for us!  Pray that God’s will is done in the lives of these precious kids!  

Like I always say, a missionary is only as effective as the people supporting them in prayer!  

WE LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

My Prayer in the Car

I found this in my journal from a few weeks ago.  I was house hunting (NOT fun to do in Zambia) and was feeling very overwhelmed and exhausted.  This is what came out....


Lord, 

I thank you that your arms are strong enough!  

I thank you that your shoulders are broad enough! 

I thank you that you don't judge me for being frustrated and confused at times. 

I thank you that you don't get angry with me when I don't understand your ways and throw a fit about it.  You patiently wait for me to get a grip, then you pick me up, wipe the road dust off my bottom and we continue. 

This is my hearts cry....
I NEVER wanna be so right that I am wrong!  So, in my frustration and disillusionment help me to settle on WHO you are!  Give me wisdom to navigate the minefields of my emotions. 

My heart is stired by a noble theme!  You are my GOD!  

You love me for who I am, where I am, not for what I do!  

You are my purpose!

in spirit and in truth!

A thought just struck me right between the eyeballs.  One I have had several times, but REALLY needed to be reminded of it. 

I can trust God’s word even though I don’t “FEEL” like it!  Even though things surrounding me tell me otherwise.  When my thoughts are swirling and I can’t get a grip on my emotions, God’s word is TRUTH!!!!  It is alive and living!!  Thats a fact!  You can take it to the bank and do whatever you are supposed to do at a bank.  

Yesterday I was in church and, quit honestly, didn’t want to be there.   Worship time came and after a few songs I felt the Spirit of God tell me “This is your cave experience”.  Remember the story of David when he was running for his life from King Solomon?  His life wasn’t going to well at that point and he was forced to hide out in a cave.  Bummer!  But, he worshiped anyway at the mouth of the cave!  He worshiped because God is worthy!  He worshiped because no matter what his life was telling him, God is STILL God!!  Nothing changes that fact! 

So I worshiped!  I put my feelings aside and I worshiped!  Don’t you think that is what is meant when we are told to worship in spirit and in truth?  

It doesn’t matter what is swirling around you, internal or external....the truth is this....Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever!  Jesus Christ is your hope and your salvation!  Jesus Christ is the author and perfecter of your faith and NOTHING can ever separate you from Him!  

If you don't know Jesus personally (I am not just talking about believing that he existed, but really KNOWING HIM) I URGE YOU!  No, I IMPLORE YOU!  Cry out to Him!  Fall on your face and ask Him to show himself to you!!  Then sit back and wait.  Jesus WANTS to be in your life!  He WANTS to help you navigate the vast experience of life and give you purpose and meaning to all you see and experiecne.  He wants to take your pain and make it something beautiful . 

STRONGER, Hillsongs

There is love that came for us

Humbled to a sinners cross

You broke my shame and sinfulness

You rose again victorious

Faithfulness none can deny

Through the storm and through the fire

There is truth that sets me free

Jesus Christ who lives in me

You are stronger, You are stronger

Sin is broken, You have saved me

It is written, Christ is risen

Jesus You are Lord of all

No beginning and no end

You’re my hope and my defense

You came to seek and save the lost

You paid it all upon the cross

You are stronger, You are stronger

Sin is broken, You have saved me

It is written, Christ is risen

Jesus You are Lord of all

There is none

our faith life

God allows all things to happen in our lives, the good, the bad and the ugly.  It has always been my natural reaction, my human reaction to point fingers, blame and get angry when the you know what hits the fan.  Yet, this has always been my hearts desire. 

psalm 139:23-24

Investigate my life, O God,

    find out everything about me;

Cross-examine and test me,

    get a clear picture of what I’m about;

See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—

    then guide me on the road to eternal life.

I think about a conversation I had with my daughter yesterday.  I told her that I will do anything in the world for her because I love her more than life itself.  Meaning, if her life has to be hard for a bit in order for her to grow and be a stronger woman, then so be it.  

Doesn’t it stand to reason that God, being the perfect parent, feels the same about us? 

He isn’t as concerned with our happiness as he is about us becoming whole and complete, lacking in nothing.  

My faith life has been forced into the open and I haven’t been very happy about what I have seen.  It is easy to be stoic and brave and appropriately humble when things are good and the planets are all in a line.  But the planets don’t stayed lined up all the time do they?  Storms are a natural part of life and deserts exist for a reason.  

An amazing reality has struck me hard between the eye balls.  GOD LOVES ME!!!   When I am so weary I can’t pray, and opening the Bible causes my mind to race....GOD LOVES ME!  When I have to go into survival mode for a bit and trust God for the strength to put my left foot in front of the right, GOD LOVES ME!   

He loves you not for what you can offer him, but for who he made you to be!  It is not just a pretty cliché we hang on our walls and put on t-shirts.  God has been allowing me personally to go through the mental battles I have been going through to remind me that He loves me for me!!!  

You are valuable to God because he makes it so!  Just for who you are, where you are!  

battle weary prayers

I have been told that I am to transparent.  That I need to keep some of what is in my heart back so as to not give people the wrong impression about what I am trying to say.  

Allow me then to reiterate my intention with being so upfront and transparent in writing the blogs.  If I lay my heart out for others to see, could it not be possible that it becomes a source of encouragement to someone who might be going through the same struggle?  Who might be thinking “I am the only one!  Something must be wrong with me!”  Some of the greatest moments of freedom in my life have occurred when I have heard other’s transparency and guilelessness.  I have meant  no disrespect or offense to anyone with these posts.  If I have offended, PLEASE forgive me! 

That being said, let me be transparent now.  

I don’t know about the rest of you but the past few months have been

 HHHHHAAAAARRRDDDDDD!!!!!  

The mental battles have been the WORST I have ever struggled with!  The hopelessness and discouragement has come from ALL sides and in forms that I never expected.   The lie of “Myranda, you just need to SUCK IT UP, there are others suffering with some serious stuff!” has been running through my head.  Not knowing how to put things into words or ask for help in prayer has been horribly difficult.  

FEEL ME FOLKS!?  I KNOW for a fact I ain’t the only one!!!!   I know cause my Mom, probably one of the most godly women I know called me last week and told me she completely understood what I have been going through because she has been there herself.  She wrote me this....

Walking in the presence of God also includes the relationships He wants for us to build with those He has chosen for us to walk with.  He never expects us to make this journey alone.  If the burden seems to heavy, usually it is because we are not depending on others to help us carry it.  Others who are not in the battle can give instructions that can help clear the fog.   I say this to say please never hesitate to let Dad and I know when you are struggling under such burdens.  We can help you pray through things.

That simple statement from a woman who has suffered and tested the Word of God in ways that make my head spin convicted me to my core.  It made clear to me the lie I have been believing that I need to just “SUCK IT UP BUTTER CUP!”.  Yes, there is a measure of that which is necessary, we don’t want to be ruled by self pity, however, we need to not be afraid of being vulnerable.  

I have been in these verses in James for at lest a month and can't get past them.   Let them be water to your battle weary soul.

James 1:2-4

 Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.