Is Anyone Else Loving This Song?



As one who loves to look for songs that are Great to lead, here is why, if I was currently in a worship leading role, (which i am not since we've moved to MO) I would choose this song to lead::

Truth- it is packed with Truth, Truth in the midst of all phases of life.
Singability- it is easy to sing with, predictable but not unoriginal and it sticks with you!
Congregational and Personal- this song is unique in that it is powerful both with a large group and when you are home alone with the Lord. I love giving songs like that to people!
Key- it is a great key for both men and women
The Bridge- My heart will sing no other name JESUS JESUS :: love ending with this!

Love this song. Love the Truth. Love the Proclamation. Love singing it at the top of my lungs!

Buy it HERE

Exciting Times = Lack of Blogging!

Y'all, here I am again apologizing for my severe lack of blogging. I thought I would stop a second and fill you in!

If you don't follow our ministry blog/website, than this will be new news to you but if you do...well then bare with me! It is exciting times in the life of His Voice for Sudan as we are stepping into new territory! After much prayer by our employees (Vernon, Justin and I) and our fabulous Board Members, we feel like it is time to go GLOBAL. His Voice for Sudan will now be His Voice Global!! We have praying towards this for years and have watched as the Lord has moved for such a time as this!! We did a short video blog series on what the transition looks like and where we are heading as a ministry. Please stop by our viemo page and watch them! (they are only about 1 min a piece)

That being said, my job for His Voice Global has really stepped up in hours. As the transition neared I had lots of small projects to accomplish. My favorite projects was the new Logo. I got to sketching one day and I made this little HV sign I really liked...emailed it to my brilliant designer friend Michelle and this is what it became!!! Michelle is amazing. Didn't she do awesome! She has designed all our new material for us and WE LOVE IT!

Now, the lack of blogging is also a result of our final decision to homeschool Titus for 1st grade with hopes to make to Sudan as a family this school year. (he missed 18 days of school last semester of his Kindergarten year just from traveling with us as we ministered and that was w/ me and the boys staying back as Vernon went most of the time) SOO we went for it! Nothing like giving it a try! So we have gone a head and started his language arts curriculum, some history and math w/ hopes to have a good deal under our belt before our major travel season nears. HE is loving it, surprisingly. He constantly thanks me for choosing homeschooling! (which is funny since he is such a social kid)

At any rate, that is how I have been spending my normal blogging time. I am trying to find the balance of working from home for HVG, being a stay at home mom and a homeschool mom and would love it if you would join me in prayer as I start this new venture!

::: Guess Who is 6 :::

Titus is 6 today, I can hardly believe it. It is such a joy. He is intense in every way. He loves intensely. He gives intensely. He play, learns and listens intensely. He feels all his emotions intensely. He is full of life. We love him to the moon!

The New Schoon's

Our trip to Baton Rouge was spectacular. We had the best time. Our hearts were filled and refreshed. We met all of Allison's friends that we feel like we have known for years. We have anticipated this day for years and it was all that we ever hoped and more. Allison and Chad's group of friends are fabulous. They are servants. They encourage and edify each other openly and have fun doing it. Seriously y'all, it was such a wonderful experience to be around her community of friends.

Here are some Bridals I got the privilege of taking early Friday morning::





Allison was a beautiful bride. Chad was a humble and precious groom. Every part of the weekend was centered on Christ, full of thankfulness and worship. The Wedding was perfect. I was more than honored to be a bridesmaid.

Callin Baton Rouge::

We are about to leave for our LONG awaited trip to Baton Rouge for one of my VERY MOST BESTIES wedding festivities! I am beside myself with excitement and anticipation. I am overwhelmed with all the Lord has done over the years through my sweet friend Allison L. Richmond's life and excited to see all He has in store for her as Allison (L. or R. hasn't been decided yet) Schoonmaker.

I have been a terrible blogger over the last months but those of you who have stuck around, do you want to do me a favor? I am making the official " Roadtrip To The Schoonmaker Wedding" CD, (we are traveling with out our kiddos) and am in need of some more suggestions. If you know me well, you know that CD making is my love language...so join in the spirit of Love and suggest some fun songs. We are going for a great mix of all music...so go on ahead and suggest away!!

ps. Callin Baton Rouge by Garth is the first song...its only fitting :)

We Ran For Orphans!

We did it! Our team ran our first race via I Run For Orphans! We had a great time and so far have raised $1165.00 to go towards the building cost of the fourth His Voice orphanage in Southern Sudan. We are SO thankful to all who have supported our team. If you are still interested in giving to our team and ultimately to the kiddos in Sudan, our giving pages will be up for the next week. Click the below links for our giving pages. THANKS again.

Vernon's Giving Page
Justin's Giving Page
Allison's Giving Page
Amber's Giving Page

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?
I see a 2 year old looking at me!




photos by allison kitchens

Happy Birthday Justus!!

Today our sweet Justus turns two.

My Love/Hate Relationship With Running

So most of you know that I was an athlete back in the day. But what most assume about athletes like myself, is that running comes easy and enjoyable to us. Let me take a moment to break this assumption. I, myself, loath running, I might even go as far as using the word hate. Well, not ALL running, I suppose, but the kind of running that consist of mileage. Give me a basketball and a court and I'll run till I drop, and LOVE every minute of the pain, but just put me out on the road, just me, my shoes and the pavement....cant stand it. In high school, during tack practice, if the coach said to run 2 miles I would beg him to let me sprint 32 100's instead. He would look at me like I was crazy and make me run the two miles but in my mind it was worth the ask! I told this same coach when I was a Sophomore in High School that I wanted to metal in EVERY event that our district offered for Track and Field by the time I graduated, I was a little competitive (and a little ADD I might add, I got bored practicing the same events). This goal came with one stipulation, every event UNDER 800 meters! I remember the first meet I ran the 1600 mt relay (4 girls all running 1/4 mile, once around the track). At this point I had never competed in anything longer than a 200mt sprint. I nervously looked at my coach on the bus ride and asked, "Coach, how do you run a 400? Whats the strategy? " thinking he would give me advice like sprint the straights, stride the curves and he looked at me with a grin and said, "Gaddis, you get the baton, run as fast as you can and take two left turns." Y'all I almost died. I am a competitor, I hate loosing and I didn't have the 1600mt relay metal. So thats what I did, ran as fast as I could and took two left turns....and you know what?? I made it, we metaled AND I didn't die! I learned a big lesson that day. A lesson I have to re learn two or three times a year it seems. My mental/emotional state severely affects my physical state and vice versa.

I know, I know, seems simple really, but when applied to life as a Follower of Christ, it gets a little more intense. After college, sports for me were a past time. No longer an identity or something someone forced on me, but more something I could choose to do. I soon found out my body functioned at an overall higher level, mentally and spiritually, when exercise was in its place.

As we are a very busy family and travel alot it didnt take me long to realize that running is really the only "exercise" that can go everywhere with you. You dont need a machine, you dont need weights or equipment, just some shoes and a path. GREAT. Here I was again, facing my hatred toward running. I began to ask the Lord why it was that I was a "sprinter" and not a "long distance runner" and why I was made how I was and why it was so hard for me to run for long periods of time. And you know what He revealed to me...I REALLY hated running because it revealed the state of my heart. It humiliated me. It humbles me by revealing my ugly pride. It reveals what I really think about and care about, that I am easily swayed by my flesh, I don't finish things well, I am self centered and self loathing, the list can go on. I found that as I run, my mind is my biggest enemy. As is in life.

This is why I now LOVE running. It reveals the true state of my heart. When I have to do something I dont what to do, what is my response? Thankfulness that I have legs and a working heart? or complaint that I cant just snap my fingers and be in shape. I really do LOVE running now. In a strange sorta way. It has a way of bring out sin I seem to be oblivious to otherwise. I generally like to cross train, I love to swim and bike. BUT about two or three times a year I set a goal to reach at distance running (my distance running and yours are probably way different, remember I though 1/4 mile was far!). I do this to check my heart. To see if there what evil ways are in me. To " beat my body to ready my speed," to "discipline the body in Godliness."

Something I love doing while I run is to use it as a time of prayer for others. This gets my thoughts off of myself and on to GOD and others. I like to make a playlist for my iPod that will point my heart and mind to GOD and at the same time bring to mind certain friends and family that I particularly want to pray for. About 4 years ago a friend of our started an organization call I Run For Orphans. Immediately this resonated with me. So while I train for my distance goals, I think of and pray for the Orphans in Sudan. I pray for them as I run, some by name, that the Lord would do great things in them and through them in their country.

This coming Memorial Day weekend, Vernon, Justin, Allison and I will be running in a 5K to raise money for the starting cost of the 4th His Voice Orphanage in Sudan. I am so excited about this run. I love the idea of raising support for the children! And as I have trained, the Lord has been gracious to me, to reveal yet again, the depths of my sin and refined my heart again.

If you would be interested in supporting our team HERE is my donation page, or you can click on the First Giving button in the side bar!

Happy Running!

::A Big Week::

This little guy is GRADUATING FROM KINDERGARTEN

This little guy is TURNING TWO!

Where does the time go?

A Timely Word:: The Myth of Being The Perfect Parent

This morning was rough. Let me preface with one thing:: V has been gone all week.

Titus woke as usual just after Justus around 6:30. We hung out, got dressed for school and I noticed Titus was acting out a bit here and there, but that's not all that abnormal in the rush of getting off to school. His acting out sorta turned to, what seemed to be a sadness. So as I helped him put his tennis shoes on I asked him if he was okay. He started to cry and say he missed V and so we got his shoes on and called Dad. He got to leave a voicemail and that helped. I asked him what else he thought would make this morning get better, and being a product of his mother's weakness, he replied, "Starbucks for breakfast!" So I agreed, telling him that was a great idea and we got in the car and left. All was well.

We pulled in the drive thru and I confirmed with Titus what he wanted. He said he didnt want chocolate milk today he wanted hot chocolate so I proceeded in line and ordered. When we received our ordered I handed it back to Titus and at that moment he realized he didnt want hot chocolate he wanted chocolate milk. Cue MELT DOWN. As he melted down I told him I would keep the Hot Chocolate until he could receive it gratefully. Cue BIGGER MELT DOWN, I am talking flailing and all. Then something different happened. Usually the meltdown will come, we talk a bit about self-control and grateful hearts and all is well in the world of Titus. But not the today. Today, the more I talked the more he got upset until finally he yelled at me. And I am talking YELLED. He told me I was so mean. (as I held a HIS starbucks drink in my hand mind you!) So taken aback, I started crying. Girls, I am not talking just a little tear, I am talking full on ugly, cant control yourself cry. I had a whilwind of emotions:: hurt, guilt from all the transition we have put him through, guilt from not knowing how to handle the situation, guilt from taking him to starbucks to make his morning better instead of pointing him to Christ who is the only one who can truly help, fear for his life, his salvation, fear of his depravity and back to hurt.

Y'all, I know that seems a little dramatic of a response to a 5 year old's yell, but it was so real to me. I went from being hurt that he would ever say I was purposely being mean to him to agonizing over the state of his soul. I generally can handle situations like this but not today folks, not today. My emotions won. The depth of responsibilty to present the Gospel to our children, the Good News of God's saving power out of sin and death and the idea that I HAVE NO CONTROL over God's leading and prodding and presuing my very son overwelmed me. As he yelled in the depths of his selfishness, I was hurt, but more importantly, I was reminded that he is depraved, as we all are apart from Christ. And began to beg God to forgive me for thinking I could be "a certain kind of mom" or do certain things that would win his little heart to Christ. I began to beg God to set Titus and Justus apart for HIS glory.

As we drove, we both stopped crying and forgave each other. After we prayed, I dropped him off at school a happy little man. While sitting in the car outside his school I checked twitter on my iPhone. On it there was a link to a friend of mine's blog entitled:: THE MYTH OF BEING THE PERFECT PARENT. I went straight for it and recieved such encouragement from it. She said, "The goal is not to be a perfect parent. The goal is to be a faithful parent. And as long as my focus is on my own success or failure, rather than faithfulness to and love for the kingdom of God, I have failed." And although my friend is in a different stage of parenting than I am, it was a timely word for me and I told you this entire story hoping that same blog would be a timely word for you.

PLEASE CLICK TROUGH and read it is so good. Thanks Kim!

A Mommies Delight and A Photographers Demise:: The iPhone Camera

Since I got an iPhone in the fall, I ALWAYS forget my camera. I use to not go anywhere without "the Beast" my DsLR Canon Rebel. Now, since the iPhone offers a variety of photo apps and can put them online via twitter and FB as soon as it is taken, I have slacked on capturing good, memory book quality photos for the last 9 months. This makes life alot easier for me as a mom because I can just whip out the ol' phone and voila!, a decent picture instantly sent to the world wide web. BUT it has been to my demise as a photographer. My blog has lacked in quality pics as well as my sons photo books. Y'all, I am not talking everyday life events, I am talking once in a life time events that warrant the use of a good camera, like V turning 30, Moving to a new state, T loosing his first teeth and my bro getting married! So I thought I would catch you all up on what the ol' Canon has missed and the iPhone has captured::

Our last night in Fort Worth::


We Moved to Missouri::


Titus' first day at his new school::
My brother got married::




Titus' first "Snow Day" NO SCHOOL!!



Two Switchfoot Concerts



Road trip with Danielle and Mikail to Chicago for Edens Bday



Vernon turned 30 so we went to Portland to Powel's Books!




Easter


Titus lost his two bottom teeth!


A trip to SBU to lead worship with the guys.
Such a sweet time in Bolivar, great memories.



I've gotten to make some fun gifts for friends and children around the world.




Thank you iPhone for coming through for this Mom. Canon, get ready for your come back.