Why Romania?

What in the world?!!!

Today was so awesome. I got to see people be brave and donate to this cause- basically I got to see God move- how cool is that??

So I'm sure some of you are like, "Say whaaaa?" How random is this chick wanting to jetset to Romania!? Doesn't she have like a baby and kid and stuff?? What up with that!?

Let me explain a little more.

 I've been praying like I said in the previous post for God to point me in the direction of a mission trip. And it became clear to me through prayer that I should keep my focus on what is already a focus: ministering to young girls to let them know their true worth in Jesus and their God given loveliness. Check.

I've been looking at mission trips provided through my church and nothing hit home to me.

That's when God planted "Manna Worldwide" in my brain. I've always heard my "Bonus Dad" talk about the orphanages he's helped build in the Ukraine and Romania with this organization. And so I searched through their current offerings and this trip came up!

I saw these girls and immediately grabbed my phone!

Aren't they just so lovely!? YES!

The trip will take me to a "Gypsy" girls home in Romania as well as to a Bible Club for children there where lots of families with lots of kids like 150- will come to hear the Word and play.

I'm going solo from Houston to London and then will meet up with a church from Virginia along with the trip director from Manna Worldwide and one other person from Pennsylvania. I'm hoping she will be a she so I can befriend her. BEFRRRRIIIIIIEEEEENNNNDDDD HER. That was weird. Watch her hate cheese or sci fi or cakes (that has happened to me- it never went anywhere from there and it was a guy...) and then I'd have to reassess. Do you like how I've already pre-dumped my only future friend over a fake falling out over food differences!?

So I shared with the trip director my heart for girls-- specifically my mission from God- Blues Brothers reference- to let every girl know she is LOVELY because she is His through verses and lessons that are girl relevant in the Bible. And basically it will be me just pouring out Jesus love on these girls.

God has told me He would provide! He is going to have to provide even more than all the funds- but also confidence and courage!

I've never been on a mission trip.
Never been to Europe.
Had to look up exactly where Romania is on our Ol' School Globe (It says USSR y'all!).
Don't have a passport- applying tomorrow after I retake my pic (apparently tank tops are controversial!-- thank you friend who told me this!!).
My 7 yr old is none too pleased, but is coming around to the idea...
And I hate to raise funds or solicit money. I had a pampered chef party once and sweated like a popsicle in August in the Katy Mills Mall parking lot.

And I just gotta say thank you to everyone who doesn't think I'm crazy like a fox. I am and y'all are sweet. But seriously, thank you for your prayers- the best gift. Thank you for the encouraging words. And thank you for your donations!!! I'm giving away my coveted photography tips to anyone who donates $50!!!!

Here's my fundraising web page... Did I mention I only have 4ish days left to raise the rest!

So that's the news! Thank you for being a part of this journey with me!!!!

Lovely Girls Club

What if we told our little girls who face elementary school everyday that they are lovely?
What if we had these little lovely girls go out to a world they don't see everyday and share that loveliness by being the hands and feet of Christ and serving others?

Well, you would have what my daughter and I are calling: Lovely Girls Club.
It's simple and so very uncommon. For 2 years I have searched. There is a lack of young girl clubs or settings where we start with Kindergartener girls--5th grade and just pour love on them and tell them their TRUE worth: they are Lovely because they are His! There is a wonderful organization: American Heritage Girls. But you have to have that chartered. If you attend a church that has 50,000+ members, that can be quite difficult to start up. So, alas, God is leading me to different options.

While I have an immense passion to tell young girls they are lovely and they matter, it is a scary venture. I have my past to consider and fear. Me, Lord? I'm so unworthy.
But that is where I trust that God will prevail.

Have you ascertained that this is not a frugalicious Friday post?
This homegirl is b to the zee right now, with what I hope is the Lord's work and not my own.

Bullying, promiscuity, and just plain yuck start planting their heart-bombs in Kindergarten. There are plenty of tweens/teen reactive measures, clubs, books, programs, etc. But what about our little girls who are forced to not be little? It's a shame. And they need good role models to make goodness cool again. And that's why we are recruiting older lovely girls as well. To serve their sisters and be a role model as well as get some accountability and learn about responsibility.

God has been showing me in big ways the need that everyone wants but simultaneously overlooks for their little girls:
-I saw a precious and gorgeous teenage girl looking for self help books at the Bookworm shop the other day. I wanted to cry with her. She was alone in her search. I should have said something.
-This year, a high school student in the Katy ISD, drove her car into a tree and ended her young life because of a band of bullies that wouldn't let her rest.
-In my Bible Study class, one of our teachers said that his son was approached by a girl in his school and propositioned for sex. A girl approached him. Thank God his parents are Christ followers and sat her down and prayed with her to shed His truth on her precious life.
-While taking pictures at my daughter's school, I spoke with a little girl and shared her picture with her on my camera and told her that she was beautiful. To which she replied, "Oh, I'm not beautiful." She is five years old and already has this in her heart.
And my sweet 5 year old is already befuddled about kids and what they are thinking.

I was inspired by the book, Captivating by Stasi Eldridge 2 years ago.

I don't want to give the entire message away, but the main point was how God made women with the question: "Am I lovely?" It's in our soul and we will do almost anything to get a positive response.

God won't let me say no, I've already tried.
So we are starting a small group. We are meeting once a week with one service project a month to get our girls out there serving and realizing it's not all Chick-fil-a and princess parties out there in the real world. We are going to have fun. We are going to learn that we are lovely girls who do not need acceptance from this world. We don't need to earn love. We are His. We are precious. We can show love to others.

I would so very appreciate your prayers for God to lead this and for His protection. That God's message would be heard loud and clear. We will see what happens with this!