Praise God for leading us to Bolga in February. Praise God for speaking to my ear asking me to stay next to Mama Laadi and speak with Grandfather that day none of us will ever forget. Praise God for all of One Step In Faith friends, no One Step In Faith family, who were ready to forsake all others – to abandon all plans – to come alongside the work God had already prepared ahead of us and invited us all into. The Lord has been really working on my heart, to say the things I feel before the moment passes me by. To express how people in my life impact me, so they know without a shadow of a doubt where they stand in my heart. For a woman whose love language is NOT words of affirmation, it has been a challenge. But, you know, the more I take the step out of my comfort zone…the easier it is. So, in that context, I feel is essential to be transparent in this moment, and share my heart with a specific few.
Thank you to the team that became our board (on board, and into our board of directors). J
Dave/Ellen, thank you for taking care of GN and his grandmother since you arrived in Bolga. Thank you for the years of growing together, and pouring into us. Thank you for allowing us to be part of your family. Thank you, that through it all, our love for each other and Ghana has grown and grown. We are constantly humbled and thankful for God placing you two in Ghana to be the hands and feet of Jesus…representing every one of us – as if all our love and desires for GN’s life and future are all bundled up and packaged inside you both to spread over him daily when we can’t be there.
Dear, sweet, AWESOME, extraordinary Daddy Eddie! Oh gosh! I’m not sure I’ll be able to express the joy that leaps into our hearts every time we walk through those doors and see you waiting for us each time we arrive in Ghana. The instant smile we feel inside when we hear your voice on the other end of the phone. You light up a room with your pure joy, trust in the Lord, and sold out for Jesus life. It honors us to have been brought into your life. Thank you for continuing to put up with all of us Obrunis! Thank you for your unconditional love, only the Father could have given you! We love you like the fish loves the water!!! And, that’s no joke! Hee! Hee!
Karen, Eric, and Cody thank you for stepping in faith and boarding that plane to Africa. Thank you for your patience as we stumbled through fundraiser after fundraiser. Thank you for walking this path, even when you had doubt. Thank you for your willingness to abandon our plans, daily, while we were in Ghana – willing to start afresh every day – knowing it was drawing us closer to the Lord’s plan for our time. But, most of all – thank you for joining our OSIF family.
Meme, there won’t be words, ever, that explicitly share what it means to have shared Ghana with you – live and in person – and then to see the love we have - resound inside of you as well. To see the transformation, through the years since our first trip to Ghana is beyond words of the English language. Again, another miracle we would not even have thought to pray and ask for. We prayed for our families to be comforted, for them to understand and accept with peace, and that they would feel/see the love we have for Ghana and her people knowing we were doing exactly what we were supposed to be doing for the glory of God. And, of course we’d love for them to be proud of us, but not in a bad way. J To have you go, was more than we could have asked for. To have you fall in love with Ghana and her people in a way that even comes close to our love, way more than we could ask for, but to find a call and follow it as well into mission field of Ghana – no words to explain. Every child desires validation from their earthly parents, and your son and I are constantly overwhelmed by how his family validates his call on a regular basis.
Dear, dear Kevin…welcome to the family! The Lord has big plans dear friend, we cannot wait for you and Didi to join in on all that God has in store for us. The ride, I promise you will be more than you ever dreamed thought to pray or ask for! Hold on tight! We are so blessed and excited to have you in the OSIF family!
Not the least of these, I assure you…but…thank you to my husband. My life is fuller with you in it. I know, those who are in ministry are supposed to say – only God fills my life. He absolutely does! And, one way He did this was to place this amazing man in my life, whom I cannot imagine a better partner. We have had some really hard times, even times when it seemed desolate, but the blessings, peace that surpasses all understanding, grace, incredible breakthroughs and growths have all outweighed and outnumbered any of those days. Besides, without those hard times, those sorrowful times, we would not appreciate joy and LIFE. I am so thankful for you. I know you struggle with why God would choose you on this journey. I know you struggle with the awesomeness of this call and your worthiness to be called into it. Let me assure you dear, sweet man of mine – no one is worthy. No person is worthy of any call, but he has gifted you with an undeniable ability to become a part of community with little or no effort. You have a compassion very few have to compare. And, God wants to use these gifts in His work, and He’s waiting for you to step in complete faith…knowing you are not worthy but willing to be just who you were created to be for Him and the expansion of His Kingdom! I love you, more than words can ever say…you are my sunshine! Thank you for crying out to the Lord for guidance and direction with One Step In Faith, and pushing me when I just didn’t think it was possible, just yet. Thank you for pouring prayer and petition to the Lord for the months prior to our departure in February for God to bring a team who’d join us, a board of directors who stay with us, and for all those who have and will join us along the way to be as committed and driven to follow Jesus wherever He leads us on this journey, as God has led us to be - standing in the gap for children.
And, thank you to our family who watches our children when we go, prays for us daily, and listens patiently when they have heard us go on about Ghana for the millionth hour. Thank you for loving us to pieces. Thank you to the families and friends of ours and of the boards, for supporting us along the way. To those who have come along side us from the beginning, believing in this call and the work the Lord was building us up to begin to do. I may not list you all by name, but you know who you are and how important you are to each one of us. Thank you to every supporter from the past, present and those to come. There is no way we could continue pushing forward in this work God has invited us to do, without your obedience to His call for you to join us. Your prayers, your financial support, your time are precious commodities we feel honored you have entrusted us to steward.
Thank you Jesus! Thank you for dying on the cross. For providing the only opportunity we would have to be with the Father. There are times when we see the darkness of this world, like a child being starved to death because it is the means to end his life, because he is deemed a spirit child. There are times when the starving, the trafficked, the abused, the abandoned and so much more seem so dark you wonder where Jesus is. And, then, I remember…He came…He is living inside us and He calls us all to be His Hands and Feet. Each person has a different place and way they are called, and I thank you for having patience in us as we took a while, but eventually came around, and heard your call. We love you Jesus!
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