Right Around the Corner

Can I just take this moment to let it sink in that in less than a month, I will be in Nicaragua to visit my little boy, Freddy? Since deciding to take the trip back in February, and all the months spent organizing and praying and thinking and writing to Freddy and seeing God graciously provide for this to be financially be possible (long sentence I know), this reality is closer than I could have imagined.

It is right around the corner. And it has begun pulsing underneath my skin, sure, and steady. I see Freddy's face in my dreams, and soon I will see it in person, see his beautiful smile, hold his perfect hand.

I am going to see my little boy. I never thought it would be possible.

Island in My Chest

There used to be an island in my chest.
With sandy dunes that shifted
shape in the wind,
with birds calling out to one another
in the sweetness of summer,
with gentle shores that lapped up
the eager arrival of salted waves.
There were storms and solitude,
breath and beauty,
and somewhere, hidden in the roots
of the oldest tree,
lay all secrets of the world.
Now, the earth has sunk beneath the surface,
swallowed by memory, overgrown
with washed up silence.
There are no more secrets,
there is no more beauty,
only muted voices echoing through the air
of what was once rumored
to fill the floating space long ago.

When Donkeys Talk

Tyler Blanski invites his readers to journey with him through the winding roads of Christiandom and find the Renaissance of revival in today’s religious society. We strapped ourselves onto donkeys and rode through the myths that make up faith and trails that took us to the truth of what we seek. Through When Donkeys Talk, which I had the chance to read through Booksneeze®, we traced the steps of those who came before us and reformed faith in Christ to a vibrant, real relationship.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t keep up with the pace of Blanski and didn’t quite follow much of his quest’s logic. I wasn’t a fan of how he kept referring to his donkey as an a** and wove the alternate meaning in with us as we struggle to find a firm faith foundation. It distracted me from giving my concentration to his story. The concept of the book was a good idea, and I understand the message he wanted to convey; for me, it was a bit too much hidden behind the allegory he portrayed. It didn’t capture my attention, though I liked his mind conception.  It is a nicely constructed book, but I don’t know if I would recommend it with gusto to a friend.

Image from Barnes and Noble

Compassion Sunday

Hello my dear friends!

 

The upcoming month of April is special to me, because April 21 is Compassion Sunday. It is a day dedicated to children across the world held down by the bonds of poverty. But it's a day of hope, because you can do something to change the future of these children.

I did.

Two and a half years ago, I began to sponsor a boy from Nicaragua named Freddy. He stole my heart immediately, and I have been blessed and privileged to watch him grow in God's love and the hope planted in his heart. Through Compassion International's sponsorship program, not only has Freddy received the help and growth and encouragement he needs, but I have been blessed beyond measure from knowing this boy and feeling God's heartbeat in mine each time I pray for him. About five months ago, I became a correspondent to a ten year old boy named Francisco from Brazil. I provide encouragement through prayer and letters, and this bright eyed boy has slipped into my heart just as easily as Freddy did.

I'm writing to encourage you to take a look at the web page I created for Compassion Sunday. It is my hope and my prayer that you take some time to consider sponsoring a child and changing their life.

 

Please visit http://my.compassionsunday.com/e/SarahRennicke12 to read a bit more about my sponsorship story and learn how to get involved.

 

This is a world where hopelessness, despair and hurt run rampant. But we can catch glimpses of light and beauty. In our hearts, in our actions, in the eyes of these precious children. We can make a difference in the lives of those longing for affection.

 

Sponsoring has changed my life. And I know without a shadow of a doubt that it will change yours, too.

Thank you for taking the time to read over my story, and may God bless your helping heart!

 

Sarah

P.S. Please feel free to forward this post to any friends who may also want to consider Compassion :)

Heading Out For A Bit

Heading for some much needed sun and relaxation. I am hoping it's a time of refreshment and refocusing. And praying that God will speak clearly into my soul and give me my next life's steps.

Waiting for some big footprints.

Why

Why is it always a struggle?
Why is my back always against the wall?
Why can I never say the right things, feel the right ways, do the right things?
Why can't I make a difference?
Why is my whole voice filled with why?

Why. Such a small world. Yet within it lies such a huge universe.

Everything

Thanks to BarnesandNoble.com for their photo.

For everyone that has lived on half a tank of faith, Mary DeMuth explores the concept of giving everything to live for Jesus, letting Him take control of your deepest, untouched parts of your heart. Her book, Everything, which I received through Booksneeze®, discusses the stages we go through in struggle and despair, until we ultimately lay broken at the feet of Jesus and He begins to piece us back together.

Written in a fresh voice peppered with description and warmth, DeMuth admits to her darker hours, where she struggled with many obstacles and hurts throughout the course of her life, most recently, moving to France with her family for mission work. Her honesty resonated with me, because when I started the book, I was coming out of a time of confusion and discouragement, as well. She helped me realize that I was not in my struggles alone, and that underneath all my heartache is the necessary abandonment to lose myself in Jesus. The end of each chapter had reflection questions to further let His truth sink in. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who is hungry to be healed from their hurt, and who longs to give their everything to Jesus.