~seeing hearts

 

 

the sun rose after we had dressed for the day

not only our clocks, but our bodies were not on the same time

 

the roosters were crowing and the smell of wood burning

 was already in the air

 

 

sharing HIS love comes from overflowing hearts

 

our mission team spent time in prayer and worship,

before leaving for our first visit to a village

 

 

 what heart-warming captures that are mine to treasure

her heart is one devoted to ministry and to the people

as she works alongside her husband

she is such a gracious hostess

 

 

they were already gathering on the front porch

of this home when we arrived

 

 

their place to gather for weekly worship

it was amazing how far they walked

or rode a horse to the weekly worship service

 



 

waiting with expectant hearts

 

to sing praises

 



 

to hear words of encouragement from the LORD

 

physical needs met for as long as she can make it last

 



to be shown love

have pictures taken 

and to allow this girl (me)

who had traveled all the miles

have 1 Samuel 16:7

become real to her

 



it took this first village

and all the smells and sights

 



 

to have my vision changed ~

 

"for the LORD sees not as man sees;

for man looks on the outward appearance,

but the LORD looks on the heart.

 

from a heart still seeking to keep HIS vision,

Karen



~packing with prayers

 

 the gospel and love of Jesus Christ in our hearts

plus 1100 +  pounds of blessings packed in 23 suitcases~
made the trip to Honduras

Our hearts were overflowing with gratitude as donations
were given from individuals and businesses.
Money to purchase food for food bags.
Tennis shoes (147 new pair)
Toothpaste & Toothbrushes
Clothes, Frisbees, Soccer Balls
 Bubbles, Bibles, Umbrellas,
Sewing Kits, Hair Accessories,
only begins the list of items packed

a few days before leaving
and after a lot of packing and repacking,
weighing luggage and reweighing luggage

my heart became burdened for our luggage-
YES, the luggage!
"Lord, we have all these wonderful things
and each item would be such a blessing to the ones
we are going to minister to, please deliver the luggage!"
This was my prayer.

I must say, the most stressful part of the whole trip,
is handling the baggage and having it checked.

But, worth it all, when you put shoes on feet
 who have on pink and blue socks.

The LORD was gracious and
 HE was our Shield and Protector.
Amazing stories could be told how we
 breezed through customs and
not one item taken out.
Everything arrived safely with us.

(our youngest showing off this little fellow's new shoes)

These two admiring their reusable shopping bags,
is one of those moments I framed forever.

They were able to place their food bags in them.
The food bags we packaged contained rice, beans,
sugar, lard, and spaghetti and tomato paste.

To attempt to weigh out blessings,
 the scripture comes quickly to mind,
found in Acts 20:35
 "it is more blessed to give than to receive"

-still laboring to share words from a heart
that is full of blessings.
Karen
 



~asking for freshness and words

 

 

 

this morning as I pulled the soft blue cotton shirt

 over my head, the one that has a flower pot on the front

and the words

love + grace = life + joy

 

a fresh mental reminder came flooding

  

babies were held close to this one

 

 

I have struggled for weeks ...

how to find words for the fullness of my heart

to be able to share what my eyes have seen

 

 

hoping to describe how humbling it was for
my hands and feet to be "HIS hands and HIS feet"

 

and how HE overcame the language barrier

with tears and a touch!

 

I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart;

I will show forth (recount and tell aloud) all Your

marvelous works and wonderful deeds!

Psalm 9:1

 

Praying HE keeps it fresh in my heart

and continues to give me the words to describe

The Great Adventure!

 

 



1,300 pounds +

Leaving on a jet plane...

don't know if I'll be packed or not ~

 

we are allowed 26 checked bags of luggage
 - each weighing 50 lbs.

 

26 X 50 = 1,300 pounds of supplies

 

 

 

147 pairs of brand new shoes

250 T-shirts

100 + Frisbees

130 + reusable grocery bags

150 + toothbrushes

Umbrellas, School supplies, Bibles

the list goes on until we reached

our weight limit

(Please excuse quality of pictures - these were made with my phone)


Did I say...I AM EXCITED??

I will be one of 13 on a mission team headed to Honduras.We are leaving this week and will be ministering outside Tegucigalpa.

A lot of prayers have been prayed, seeking God's
direction and will for this trip. The LORD has given
affirmation in so many different ways.  I am so thankful
to see HIM at work in my life and in the lives of those
who are going to share GOD's love. 

My prayer and heart's desire for 2013,
has been "LORD, I long to see hungry hearts",
 hearts that long to hear of HIS love
and desire to spend time in fellowship with HIM.
  I never dreamed HE would let me
experience this 1200 miles from home. 

Please pray as we go ~
Pray for our hearts to be tender with HIS compassion.
Pray for our touch to be sweet with HIS love.
Pray for our eyes opened to needs HE would have us meet.
Pray ALL our work & efforts will be done to bring
 honor and glory to the LORD.


My prayer today has been - LORD, deliver the luggage.
After all the things have been donated, purchased, and packed, we hope everything arrives with us.

I hope to share on my blog, while I am there.
  This of course, will depend on internet access and time. 

I have given the LORD the flight number and surrendered myself to HIS desires, now anticipating with JOY what the LORD has in store.

Finding Joy in the Journey,
Karen


 

~Doing A New Thing

 

"Behold, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs forth;

 do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it?

  I will even make a way in the wilderness

 and rivers in the desert.   Isaiah 43:19

 

 

 

 When the LORD says to awake and be alert,

 we need to ready ourselves.

 Our minds cleared from the clutter,

 our ears open to hear HIS voice,

 and our shoes tied and ready for the way ahead!

 

 He wants us moving forward, forgetting those things behind. Forgetting what?  Those past mistakes that we have asked forgiveness for. Those hurts and disappointments that we are being held captive to.  We need to place them under our feet once we have placed them at HIS feet.   Allowing them to become stepping stones we can stand upon as stones of testimony - remembrances of HIS faithfulness. We are not to put them before us, allowing them to slow and stumble us on our way forward.   They are to be as the stones that are laying at the bottom of the creek bed, allowing the flowing waters to make smooth, while flowing freely through and over.  The polishing of these remembrance stones are reminders of HIS work and faithfulness in our lives.  He is continually smoothing, reshaping, and moving us forward so we can allow HIS love and grace to flow freely in and through us.

 

 

A lot has sprung forth  ~  not speaking time & flowers only ~ in my life, these past months. The seeing & perceiving HIM at work while doing this new thing has brought such joy and excitement.

When we are allowing JESUS to fill our hearts daily, through our time spent with HIM, we cannot keep the overflow inside,

 it  must be shared with others.   

 

Places of my Heart, has a new look, and a much clearer direction.  Guess you could say HE has set my feet on a new path!

 

 

 

I am hoping to share on a more consistent basis. I have enjoyed blogging and sharing for almost three years now.  It's just my way of journaling life and my walk with the LORD.   

 

The next few weeks will be an adventure - packing and getting ready for a mission trip to Honduras!  My first!! My husband and I, along with our youngest son, will be traveling with a mission team from our church. He has placed a peace and excitement in my heart about the trip and I look forward to sharing it with you, right here, at Places of my Heart.

 

Seeking JOY in the Journey,
~Karen 

 

*Update: I had made plans to move Places of My Heart over to a Word Press site.  This will not be happening.  Google reader issues and receiving updated posts via email could not be worked out. I will continue using my BlogSpot site.  Thank you for bearing with me as I have worked through these issues.