I Am Going Back!!!

Some think I am crazy, some think I am doing the wrong thing, but I know what my heart says. My heart is in Uganda and until my feet hit Ugandan soil, I won't be complete. Yes I love my children but I will only be gone a little while. But I have children there too, children that need me, children that need to know Jesus's love and who can argue that?

June of this year I traveled to Uganda with my heart full for its people. My husband and I stayed with Christie and George Magera. They have given hope to a once witchcraft village, but there is still so much more to do. God put Christie and George in my life for a reason and it was a divine appointment and right on time. My life was headed no where. I had quit college because I couldn't afford to travel, let alone student loans. And just so happen God showed up and my life hasn't been the same since. So my husband and I set out for Uganda. I was so overwhelmed with the love I had for this place. It was so beautiful, but filled with so much hopelessness. I did NOT want to leave. These people need us. They need to know someone cares. They need to know the love of God. They are hopeless. They live day to day not knowing if they or their children will live. They don't have healthcare. They don't have food. They think they have no reason to live, but that is why God uses us. He wants us to help our brothers and sisters across the world.


So with that said, I am going to take over things they need, such as formula, clothes, etc. If you have any powdered formula or know anyone that has any, please contact me stormy_jones2008@yahoo.com. Formula is very important because AIDS is a big problem there and babies can get it through the mother's breast milk if she is infected. And if you feel lead to donate toward my trip, you can do so to the left of the blog post or send a check. Email me for my address. Plane fare is high, but I know God will provide. Thank you for reading and God bless.


And if you want to know about Christie's wonderful story, including her love story, click on the link to the right that says "Compass in My Heart"


This is what hope looks like, a before and after. No one told her to smile. She knows she is loved.

Necklace Fundraiser

Back in June I went to Uganda for a mission trip. I visited with my friends Christie and George Magera from Ekubo Ministries in Bugabo Village. The village is full of needs. They have a doctor that comes to the village every Saturday for free care to the villagers, but the doctor however is not free to Christie and George. They have struggled to pay for the clinic, but it is beginning to be too much for them to fund themselves. There are so many needs and continue to multiply daily. God has always provided for them through the hearts of others, now it is your turn.

Ekubo Ministries in doing a fundraiser to win a beautiful necklace made by Dawn Patterson of Funky Fish Designs. There are 3 ways you can enter.

1) Make a donation = 1 entry per every $5
2) Share the link to their blog on FB (in addition to any donation amount)= 1 entry
www.compassinmyheart.blogspot.com
3) Blog about the giveaway (in addition to any donation amount)= 3 entries

Learn more about what God is doing through Ekubo Ministries at www.ekuboministries.org. Thank you so much for your support and God bless.

I Left My Heart in Uganda

I must have read a hundred articles and looked at a million pictures, but nothing prepared me for the life in Uganda. The children in the morning singing and laughing, the smell of cooking on the roadside, the eyes of the people, all of it rendered me speechless. I believe God showed me the true meaning of living there in Uganda. Before then I was caught up in this thing we call life.

In Uganda, I visited some of my friends Christie and George Magera and their wonderful family. I miss them so much. They welcomed us like we were family. They gave us a wedding celebration that the royals would be jealous of. There was dancing and singing. The women stayed up all night cooking by a one bulb light

for the celebration.I love all the people there. They were all so humble. I felt truly welcomed.

I couldn't have a complaint in the world, how could I when the people around me had nothing. I saw children bathing in plastic tubs. Homes made of mud and grass.

Children walking for miles to get to school. People never complained. I never saw children crying or fussing, they just LIVE. The streets are filled with people, not shopping and eating in resturants, but working in the garden or making bricks. These people know how to live.

Everywhere we went some one gave us something to eat or cook. Matt and I are going to miss the food there. The food here in America is so processed. Everything there is natural. I drank milk straight from the cow (and it is delicious in hot tea). Fast food over there is going down the road and stopping in a village and people run up to your car with things they have cooked to sale. I ate chicken on a stick and it was awesome and talking fast, we were outta there in 2 minutes with chicken, a roasted plantain, and a cold drink.

A chicken that was given to us by our sponsored son's father, that we got to have for supper


But where my heart lyes is with the children. I miss them so much. Their loving hearts melted mine. I hugged and loved on every child that would let me. The first day we were welcomed by all the children in the village. They sang and danced for us. I spotted Gideon the little boy I sponsor. After the performance was done, some children came over and we got to met some of our sponsored kids. They were so shy. I tickled and played with them all. I sat one of my sponsored kids in my lap, she was so nervous, she had no idea how much I love her. Then later that day I had a visitor. It was Gideon. He brought me his report card and some avocados. He was so happy to see me that he kissed my cheeks a million times and sat in my lap. This time he wasn't shy at all. I later learned that from that day forward, none of them would be shy. Hugs would come from nowhere.

I loved them and they loved me back. In a world where parents don't love on there children, there was love. As I think of them all, it brings tears to my eyes, cause I know they miss us. I saw Jesus in every face. I saw His feet and hands. Matt and I walked some kids a long way home cause it was about to rain, we turned to go back home and they followed.

Doors of Our Lives

The other day Matt and I were driving in Birmingham. We got lost in some neighborhood and I noticed all the doors on the houses were so beautiful, never paying attention to the houses. Then I looked just at the houses and realized that the houses were just ordinary without the doors.

Then I thought about how that related to my life and the lives of others. How sometimes as people we leave our doors uninviting or how we may even keep them locked up. I started thinking about how different doors related to our hearts. Like the door open but the screen door closed is like the cautious heart. Cause you know if you leave the screen open the vermin get in. And you have open doors and open hearts. You have colored doors, old rusty doors, and even no doors at all.

Now we need to look at our hearts. What door do you have? Maybe you need to rethink your door and maybe open it, paint it, or leave the screen closed, cause you never know who might come knocking.

Tornado Relief

Love Feeds wants to help with the devastation from the storms in Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia. If you would like to donate any non-perishable item, clothes, money, small toys and anything else they may need, you can bring them to City Pawn shop located on 148 Calhoun st.

Continue to pray for these people as find comfort in the Lord. These are gonna be long roads ahead and they need all the help they can get.

Purchase a Piece of Africa

Last night I had an awesome night. A wonderful friend named Christie Cotney Magera has come to visit her home town from Uganda, East Africa. I went over to Christie's mother and uncle's house to pick up the recycled magazine necklaces I had ordered. I got over there and I wanted them all. Not only does she have jewelry but she has flip flops and purses. You best believe I am decked out in them today. Christie is selling them to support God's work in Uganda. See I met Christie on Facebook about 6 months ago and since then my life has been changed drastically. Christie gave up her home in America for a home in a witchcraft village in Bugabo, Uganda. God's love has spread all over that village and several more.

If Christie would have listened to people around her, she would have never witnessed the things that have been going on in the village.

‎"knows that had I taken everyone's advice about to where God was calling me, I would be missing out on life. I wouldn't have the BEST husband ever or children that bless my socks off. I wouldn't be carrying a creamy miracle.I wouldn't get to share the love of Jesus with everyone I meet. I wouldn't be following Him. And He's the one that should lead us all. Anyone else is just standing in the way."-Christie Cotney Magera

The support from people has been so amazing. God love is real people and we all need to share it. So help Christie share the love of God. If you would like to help look her up on Facebook, Christie Cotney Magera or go to her blog located on the right side of this page named "Compass in my Heart", and just maybe your life can be changed forever.

Mission Shirts On Sale Now

Well I finally got the shirts designed and I am placing the order now. I don't know how to post the pictures of the shirt but here is the design and color of the shirt. I am ordering unisex for adults with Canvas name brand shirts. And I am gonna order some kids shirts also.

that is just a rough draft the back ground on the images will not be there. I just didn't know how to delete it.

Front

Back

If you would like to buy one, click on the donate tab and put the size. The prices will be $25.00 for adult and $20 for children. They will be in 2 weeks from today and I will ship them soon as they come in. If you have any questions you can email me at lovefeeds_stormy@yahoo.com. Thank you so much for your support.

Where is God?

I didn't grow up in a church. I did go on occasion when I was a kid, but it was only to hang out with friends, it was never to glorify God. When I became a teenager I avoided God, there was no God in my life (so I thought) I was wild. Some even called our group "devil worshipers". However we were not. We got that name because we all wore black, the guys had long hair, we played heavy music, so on. But not once did someone approach me and tell me about God's love. Is there something wrong with this picture? When I was broken and lost no one seemed to care.

David Platt challenged us yesterday in church to make a list. A list of people in our lives that were lost and needed to know the love of Jesus. Then he said pick one and make a disciple of them. I got my list and God is moving already. We are disciples. We need to make God's love known, because He is the one and only Lord Almighty. Christians need to go out into the world and make His name known. Minister to the lost, the broken, the drunk, the drug addict. The Righteous don't need saving, it is the "least of these".

This is a little boy I sponsored in Uganda that is homeless. You can read about him in my previous blogs

We need to make worshiping the Lord on more than just on Sundays. We need to think, talk, and walk with God. We need to look through the eyes of Jesus and stop judging. We have our comfy seating, air condition churches, fresh water from a faucet, while there are others across the globe worshiping in churches with no walls and drinking dirty water. And they are spreading the word like wild fire. We need to learn from these people. God didn't mean just select few are gonna share His word, but all of us need to share the gospel. So the question "where is God?", right there with you and you need to share His love with everyone you know. For those of you that have grandkids don't you share their stories and love? Do you not love God that much and more?

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Matthew 28:19

And you don't have to go to all nations to find the lost, some are right there under your nose. So now I challenge you to make your list. Witness to them. God is our Father and He loves us like no other. God bless.

The Trip of a Lifetime

As most of you already know, Matt and I are getting married this weekend and in June taking a trip to Africa, more pacifically Uganda. We chose to use the money we were going to use on our honey moon. So in other words we chose to open our hearts to a wonderful experience. Guess we can consider this a honey moon. We are not staying in a 5 star hotel. We are not even staying in a hotel. If I have to I will sleep on the floor I will still be ecstatic. This is one of the most exciting trips of my life. What is also so cool is I get to share my trip with a long time friend, Audrea Smith, that started the organization called Love Feeds. She is a completely non-profit organization. I am the Alabama coordinator. Here is the link to learn more about Love Feeds

http://lovefeeds.org/
or facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Love-Feeds/121742274552341

Now with that said, if any of you would like to send anything to Christie Cotney, your sponsored child, the school, teachers, etc, I am taking donations of clothes, formula, medical supplies, school supplies, etc. Just email me and let me know ahead of time. You can send it to this address:

148 Calhoun st.
Alexander City, AL 35010

You can also make a donation by clicking on the "Donate" tab to the left under "Make a difference". All the money will go to whatever you specify. You can email me at lovefeeds_stormy_@yahoo.com

Please keep us in your prayers that everything runs smoothly. Pray for the world. It doesn't cost a thing and gets you a close relationship with God. Thank you God bless.

The Challenge

I challenge you, all of you to give all your problems to God. Don't worry just give them all to Him. Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. 1 Peter 5: 7. God cares for you that much. If you with just have faith. If you truly believe in Him all things are possible.

You know recently I have been dealing with the sickness of my grandmother, Betty Wall. I was told 2 weeks from last Thursday that she wasn't going to make it. She has been up and down with this sickness, and I prayed. I went to Birmingham to stay this weekend so I could go see her as much as I could. She is looking so much better. She was trying to laugh, and writing to us. She wrote to me "I wish I could talk". She wanted to watch TV after weeks of not wanting to watch it. And let me tell you she loves her some TV. She may have had a few set backs, but God helps her over come them.

In the time that my grandmother has been in the hospital in Trinity Medical Center in Birmingham, I was praying about a new church for my family and me to attend. Christie Cotney and I were talking one morning about how hard it was for my family and me to find a church. She told me about her church in Birmingham and said if I went even once I would be hooked, she said I might even move there just to go. So that evening I planned to go see my grandmother and go to Christie's church in Birmingham since I was going to be in Birmingham anyway. Christie told me her sister Melinda would go with me. So I quickly sent a message to her sister. She was happy to attend church with us. And let me tell you there must be something good about Melinda, cause Willow wanted her over her own daddy and let me tell you that is impossible. The name of the church is The Church at Brook Hills. And let me tell you, awesome. And if any of you are familiar with the book Radical by David Platt, he is the pastor. I have never seen a man so passionate about God. And his knowledge of the bible. God truly answered my prayers on this one. So now I have attended 3 weeks in a row and plan to attend every week. And let me remind you it is worth the drive

I have had other things going on in my life. Great and wonderful things. As some of you may know, I am getting married in less than two weeks from now. I am so excited. After 5 years and 5 months we are finally making it final. I has taken us longer than we expected because we wanted to have a nicer wedding. Well I finally broke down and handed it over to God I prayed about it. And I said why spend alot on a wedding when there are people out there starving. So I decided to have a small wedding here where we met. It will be beautiful. It is on the lake and to top it off it is free. Then we are going to Uganda in June to celebrate our wedding and hopefully help change a few lives while I am there, at least Matt's and my own. What a dream wedding. I get to meet some of my best friends Christie Cotney and George Magera. And a long time friend of mine Audrea Smith is going with us. I can't wait to see the great things God is doing in their lives, and all of that comes from prayer. I prayed for friends that really loved me and wanted what was best for me, and He gave them to me.

Best of all I got friends that love and support me. One's that are positive for me. Friends that truly care about me and my family. They pray for us and I pray for them and their families. I prayed for negative people to get out of my life and new one's to come in. I now pray for the negative people that where once in my life. That their live's may be changed. And I have been blessed, truly blessed. And I love all of you and you know who all you are. The one's that have been reading my blog. The one's that have been praying for my granny. The one's that have called to check on me, messaged me to check on me. I truly love you. You are my brothers and sisters in Christ.

If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves. Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open. ~ James 1:5-8. If you need it pray for it. These are just a few of my prayer that have been answered. So I challenge you to give your worries over to God. Have faith in Him. Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. ~ Philippians 4:6-7

My Confession

I haven't always believed in God, not truly believed in Him. I grew up in Kellyton, AL. I had brothers and a sister. Three of which lived with my parents and me. We were like door steps. My brother Jamie is two years younger than me, then my brother John is two years younger than him and last my sister was two years younger than John. So I grew up with boys until I was six. My older brother Jeremy was three years older than me, but did not live in our home. My mom and dad got a divorce when I was age thirteen. It didn't bother me much cause my momma let me do what ever I wanted, and with my dad out of the picture, I could go full force, and I did.

I started with small drugs at first, lived with my first boy friend at age 14. I started running with my older brother and his friends. I took pills that I didn't even know what they were. I was wild. I got married when I was 16 for the first time. The guy I married was a crack head, of course I done it with him a few times but never liked it. I tried to change him, but that didn't work. I was lead to marry him because of a situation in my life that I thought I had to get married. And here is why

When I was 15 I was dating my husband, I didn't get the attention I needed from him, but his mother loved me. After a while of living with them, me and him broke up and he's mother loved me so much that she threw him out so I could continue living there. I was so happy I had someone to love me, but boy was I wrong.

It started off her and I would do things together, go to the mall, water parks. I spent alot of time with her, she treated me like family. Then she introduced me to meth. It made me happy, I had energy, I loved it. It took all the pain away, the suffering. I remember doing it in the bathroom in a state building. Then she introduced me to the devil.

She (I am keeping names out because I don't want anyone getting mad) had a connection with a meth manufacturer. He would come over and we would talk. She and I spend a night over at his house and stayed up all night with him and his girl friend. His girlfriend was very shy, maybe even frightened (now I know why), but in my state of mind I didn't care. Then behind my soon to be mother-in-law's back we swapped numbers and I decided I was going to stay with him for a couple of days. She had no idea. I said I was going to spend time with my family. In the mean time he ran his girlfriend off.

We went to a club (remember I was only 15)on the way out he spun tires and we were pulled over. The police found the drugs in the car and took us both to jail. I went to juvenile and he went to jail. He got out and worked on getting me out. I spent two weeks and a day, and I will never forget it. I was released to my grandmother, but she couldn't contain me. I moved in with this guy. Started cooking meth. He had a friend of his over one night in Oct. It was a girl that I knew from school. He went to another room and didn't think anything about it. He was gone for a while until we stopped talking. When she left I was in big trouble.

He ask me what we were talking about, he said he heard the whole conversation and heard I was going to a party with her to meet a guy. But we had no such conversation. He was just so high that he made it up all in his head and believed it. He beat me so bad. He beat me with a fan stand until it broke into a million pieces. I screamed and cried. I couldn't believe a man so nice could do this to somebody, but he did. Afterward he apologize and said he would never do it again. So I believed him.

I stayed with him 9 months. Through beating after beating. He told me a deserved it, and I believed him. We continued making meth. On my sixteenth birthday he heated up a iron rod and stuck it between my legs, he took a blow torch to my arm, he stomped my head into concert with his boots, all for nothing. If I had on a tee shirt and lifted my arms and you could see down the sleeve, he would beat me. If one of the blinds were turned up, he said I was letting people look at me. He held a gun to my head while my mother was downstairs (she had no idea what was going on). He said if I screamed he would kill me. He busted my front tooth out with a big magnet.I was thrown off a banshee 4-wheeler going very fast and locked in a car trunk in a junk yard in the woods for hours.

I finally got away one time. A friend of his walked into the room with me and asked what had happened to me. The guy I was dating swore I was trying to hook up with his friend and told me when he left he was going to burn me alive. I knew I had to get out of there before his friend left. So I found one of the trucks outside with keys in them, but it was a stick. By the grace of God I got that car out of the yard and down the road. Then I made it to another road. I was driving 60 mph in 3rd gear when I looked up to see him on the banshee right behind me. I freaked. I went around a curve going way too fast and lost control of the truck. I was out of the truck before it stopped and screaming for help, when a person driving by picked me up before he killed me. If I wouldn't have left he would have.

I moved back home and then to Georgia. I started talking back to my soon to be husband. I moved back in with him, but all it took was one phone call. The meth head called me begging me back, and like many other times I went back. We went on vacation to the mountains. Just to prove himself he invites my mom. Everything was wonderful. He was so sweet and loving, apologizing for everything. Two days into the trip he ask my mom if she minded us going to Wal-mart. Of course by the way he was acting he had changed, he loved me, but I was wrong.

We go to Wal-mart and he starts acting funny. When we leave we don't head back to were we came from. He gave me a pill full of meth and said we were going somewhere else. He wanted to kill me, I could feel it. He beat me the whole time in the car. He stopped to turn around and I tried to jump out of the car, but he was prepared for that. He hog tied me to the inside of the car where I couldn't move my arms. He stabbed me in the arm with needle nose pliers. I was beaten so bad my eyes were closed. But God had a plan.

He wouldn't let me get out of the car, so I had no chance of running. But God showed up. I started my period. And him being a typical man didn't want to purchase the things I needed, so he let me in a store. I was a ugly sight. My hair was caked in blood. I was wearing sunglasses that he made me wear to cover my black eyes, but there was no covering the rest. I had to think fast. I got the things I went in for to throw him off. I got in line to pay for it, and I was whispering to the clerk that I needed help. I turned to see my worst nightmare, Him, the devil in the flesh. I tried to run behind the corner but the clerk ran me out. The devil (as I now call him) ran cause he didn't want to risk jail. Let me remind you this is days later and the cops are looking for him for kidnapping me. He took me across the East from state to state. I ran to the shop next to the store screaming for help. Thank God these guys felt bad for me. They guarded me with their lives, and he did return to finish me off, but they got him before he could. He escaped.I was so nervous and full of meth. I was running around like a chicken with it head cut off. They got the fire department up to check me out, they took me to the hospital.

Needless to say I never went back to him. This is just some of the many stories in my life. I just wanted you all to know where I came from. I married because they were going to put me in a girls home. So the only way out was being an adult, and marrying was the way out. We didn't stay married long. Maybe six months and I had to get away from his crack habit. I was broken, worthless, and I needed someone.

God told me to share my story, I had a whole other blog I had planned on writing, but when I sat down, God said show them they can change too. I wanted it out, but I didn't think I was ready, but He was. I love my dear Jesus. I can truly say he found me and changed me to who I am today. I'm still not perfect, but it gets better and better everyday. I don't want you to pity me, I want you to learn that anyone can change, no matter what you have been through. God is my witness.

Prayer is Strong

Here I sit the in waiting room of the hospital. My grandmother is going through a very dangerous surgery. I brought my computer to keep my friends updated on her status. I can't believe the pouring hearts that are posting on my page. The support is so overwhelming. I want to thank each and everyone of you not only for praying but for being there for me through thick and thin. My Granny's life is in God's hands and if He calls her home, that is His will. No matter how bad it may hurt, I will have God's grace to get me through it. Here six days after her birthday the waiting room is full of her support. May God grant us another chance to spend more time with her. I love you my dear Granny. You were there for me with no one else was. You have people praying for you all over the world, and prayer can moves mountains. Pray my friends. Pray for this difficult time for my family. Only God knows the out come.

A Walk in His Shoes

Just months ago I was headed in a completely different path. I finished my associates in science and started on my bachelor degree in interior design. I drove to Birmingham twice a week for 3 semesters. I had a another baby and things changed. I couldn't drive back in forth from Alexander City to Birmingham twice a week anymore. I had worked with an interior designer and I loved the creativeness about it but I didn't like dealing with the clientele. I searched everywhere. I felt empty. I questioned my life and if I had made the right choices. And I finally found what I was looking for. Jesus. And I have Christie Cotney and George Magera to thank for that.

I met Christie on facebook through another friend of mine. They had commented on some jewelry Christie was selling to raise money for a school to be built in Uganda, East Africa. I was so touched by the pictures and post I saw on her page. I then donated for bricks for the school to be built. I followed Christie's blogs and post on facebook. I would look through all of her pictures and cry. I then realized that I was not living the life God wanted me to, but the life of the "American Dream". From then on my life would change forever,a life so beautiful that I knew that this is what I had longed for so long.....

Christie and George have shared the love of Christ in places where witchcraft exist. Where people sacrifice there children for healing powers. Where they had no clean water to drink until now. I have seen God all over their works. I hurt when they hurt, I cry when they cry, I rejoice when they rejoice. They have shown me the love of Christ. I don't mean something you get from scripture or church, but full blown miracles. Christie and George have shown me the power in prayer. How God can move people to fund $9000 for a borehole or $22,000 to get 220 children into school in a place that didn't even have one. But most of all they are sharing the love of Christ. They have been to other villages that practice witchcraft openly. They had people sneak letters for prayer because they were afraid they would be killed.

I stalk their pages for updates on the village. I befriend their friends to know them better and I have made some of the most wonderful friends that I have never even met, but I love them all like family. I love their hearts. I pray for them everyday. I share the links and pictures they share. 


If you knew me before, you would never believe the person I am now, and if you know me now, you would never believe the person I was. I love freely now. I open my eyes and heart to others.  I help the wicked, the homeless and the forgotten. I love them.


I want to be like Christie and George, I want to walk in the shoes of Jesus. I want to share his love. I am going to Uganda in June and I am so excited. I might be sleeping on the floor, I might be without power (and God forbid facebook lol) but I am right there in the midst of God and that is beautiful. Now I don't care about any of the material things in life, just the Grace of God. One of the most beautiful things of life.

If you feel lost and empty, it is God you need. The missing link is His grace, His love, and His forgiveness. God commands us to be his hands and feet. To share His love and word.

God Answers Prayer

I was on the brink of a break down on Thursday. I heard bad news all around. I had such a bad day. Everywhere I looked the devil was around the corner trying to test my faith. I was tired. I hadn't been on the computer much because of other things going on in my life. I would get on to share Christie Cotney's link and check on her and what was going on in the village, but I hadn't been on much. I prayed for the things going on in my life and I prayed about the poor people of Bugabo Village, Uganda and how they didn't have any water, not even the dirty water, because it was drying up. Yes my problems were bad, but nothing compared to what they endure on a daily basis. I talked to God all through the day (like I always do) and I got on the computer at work close to closing time Thursday and saw the most awesome post on facebook ever, "

"just! picked! my! heart! up! off! the! floor! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!" -Christie Cotney

"George had someone come and survey the land for the borehole yesterday. I already told you all that he said once we hit $2000, we start drilling. He has childlike faith. So Tuesday, they are coming to see how far into the ground they hav...e to dig for the water and where the rocks are (risks to their equipment). And Saturday they are starting to drill. We only have like $1500 plus the $500 on Lacy's blog meter. So I got sick yesterday. Running stomach and no water. And I got dehydrated. I spent the day in bed today. And I prayed. Lord, this isn't a child's education we're talking about. This isn't monthly support for me so that I can eat. This isn't a bed for someone to sleep comfortably in. And as horrible as this is, it's not helping Charles as He lies in that filthy ward in the government hospital. This is water. I remember when I was in like 3rd grade and we learned the 3 basic needs: food, clothing & shelter. Seriously, those are NEEDS. You can live without food. This is so much more. We NEED water."And I just lay there. Not wanting to go hang out in the pit latrine because I know what a "running stomach" results in - water that leaves the body. And I know what I felt guilty replacing it with - water that no one else has in this village. I fought it all day long. Trying to put myself in the shoes of the people I'm here to serve almost took me out today. Now tonight, I'm sitting in the dark. Just swallowed my pride and put another data plan on the computer because if I don't keep spreading the word, we can't get help. And I felt bad about the $45 I just spent that I don't have. But I was clinging to something He told me today. I KNEW something BIG was going to happen. And I told one of you, just can't remember who it was. It was SO BIG that I thought my "running stomach" wouldn't make it in time to wake up George to go be my security outside. SO BIG that when I woke him up enough to whisper in his ear "someone just emptied their savings and is funding the rest of the borehole" he said, "I don't think I'm awake. First hold on and let me try this again." Something SO BIG that I can't even breathe right now. Something SO BIG that it could only be from God." -Christie Cotney

 If I do say so myself I believe the devil was just snuffed out. My bad day was made one of the best days of my life. He answered mine and many other's prayers. For those of you who don't believe in prayer, He listens. He hears every little word you say, you just have to believe it will happen, but all in His good time. And here is a prime example.

Thanks to a wonderful someone, who emptied out her savings, Bugabo Village won't have to drink this water anymore. God tugged at her heart like He has so many others.  Go to Christie Cotney's Blog  and read  her beautiful walk with God.

One Question

One question. Would you drink this water? Would you bathe in this water? or even wash your hands in it? I am almost betting you wouldn't. So why would you let anyone else? Over 3 million people die every year because of lack of clean water. Lack of water and sanitation claim more lives than war. 1.5 million children die of diarrhea before the age of 5 because of unclean water. We have to do something. Christie Cotney and George Magera are working hard to change that in Bugabo Village, Uganda, but they can't do it alone. 

 Look at this poor baby's belly. No she hasn't just eaten. Her belly is swollen because it is filled with worms. Parasites invade their small water supply, but they have no choice but to drink the water. Our bodies are 60 to 70 percent water, and with out it our body's will not function properly. Please help. You may think you don't have the money, but can you look at these people and say you don't have more then they do? You have a bathroom to wash your hands. A washer to wash you clothes. A faucet to get clean water to drink. They don't. Please go to http://compassinmyheart.blogspot.com/ or

http://www.loveforthelot.blogspot.com/ 
and donate. Give in the name of the Lord, give cause it hurts, give cause you have a heart

Where is the Love

When I began my journey of following Christ, I noticed that no one else that I had known all my life were interested. It worn at me. I would wonder to myself if they even noticed the change. Months gone by I waited. Then I gave up and just started praying. The other night I was posting scripture and a old friend of mine popped up with a message that read "hey i wish yall would show me how to get what yall have received because i have tried and i feel like my life has hit rock bottom. Yall keep it up and good luck". I sobbed. I reached someone. God had allowed me to see what He was doing in my life. My reply was this "Look just keep your head up, don't worry. I have seen bad and we are gonna see worse. I now know what I have. You have to realize what you have. I had been fussing about everything. I would cuss somebody out if they gave me the chance. I would whoop someone's butt in a minute. But for some reason now I have a peace. I don't know what happened to me, but when I looked into one of those sweet little brown child's eyes, I knew what I had. You may not believe me, but I have found God. I did not take a church, it did not take a man, but a child.  I am so glad I had this conversation with you, and I hope tonight that you find a peace. Pray, believe, and know that you are blessed."

Now I urge you not to give up on anyone. Everyone has a burden. Everyone hurts, everyone needs love. I ask my self those months back "where was the love". I wanted my friends so badly to see what God was doing in my life. They see, they hear, they just have to reach out. The love is within them and within me. They are all coming around now, and you should see the smile on my face when they do, cause I can share my God.

I want to thank all of you who have been interested in the changes my life. I want to share with you every step closer I get to Him. Cause He is real. Remember what you have and when you ask yourself "where is the love" remember He is right there. God loves you!

God Says, "Thank You"

This morning I woke up to one of the most precious videos. A few days ago I was informed that a man from Uganda was hung by his arm and robbed of what little possessions he owed. Now homeless he has been forced to live in the church with his children. Later I found out that this man is the father to one of the children I am sponsoring. After I found out I was heart broken that a child had to go through so much. I sent a donation to help with his father's medical treatment. Today I was in Hardee's and was talking to a lovely elderly  lady I was telling her about the poor man that had been hung by his arm. Then a man hears our conversation and he has a few things to say. He informs me that we are just helping the one's we will be in war with. WHAT? Was he kidding? I couldn't believe that someone would have something bad to say about what I was doing.

I couldn't believe my ears. He said the homeless was the way they were because they chose to be that way. All I could say was God bless and have a great day and I left. On my drive to work it ate at me. I saw a show this weekend about a girl that was homeless and was taken in by a rich woman. When the woman ask how she became homeless she told her that her dad left her mom when she was 10. The mother worked two jobs to make ends meet. When the girl reached age 15 her mother became ill and died of cancer, leaving her daughter on the streets. Now that is a thought. Now can you look into the eyes of the homeless and say, "you are there because you want to be"? Do you think this man chose to be hung by his arm ,home burned and left  for dead and homeless? Do you think for one minute that this man wanted to move his children into a church?

With that said, we all could have been homeless, whether we wanted it or not. Now do you see how much you are blessed? Do you think that God wants you to bless in return? I made a small donation for the medical help of this man and look what I got in return, the most precious video ever...

You may not understand his broken english, but I do. He says thank you. I cried when I heard this man say these sweet words. And to think he is someone I will be going to war with.  I didn't believe a word that man from this morning said, I think he needs to be educated. Cause God does say thank you. Please give to the sick, please give to the poor, give til' you can't give anymore, cause you can't take it with you.

My Heart is Useless No More

I used to be consumed by material things. I wanted a paved way for my children. I wanted them to have money so that they would succeed in life. But recently all that has changed. I have come to realize my children are well taken care of, why do they need all that money, just to be thrown away? I was sadly mistaken. Just before Christmas I had a friend of mine comment on some jewelry one of her friends were selling. I noticed that the jewelry was hand-made from Uganda. Me being the creative person I am I was curious to see the jewelry. I know my grammar may be off, but you guys this is my heart. Anyway, I went to the album where the jewelry was sold and I befriended Christie Cotney to which the jewelry belonged. She accepted my friend request and I started looking through her albums of Bugabo Village, Uganda. Boy was my heart in for a surprise.

Christie Cotney had an album named "Maria and her Mom". My heart was broken at what I saw. A 15lb. two year old. My heart ached. I wanted to hold her and give her love. Maria smile filled my heart. I melted. Her mother suffers from Epilepsy that has gone untreated. She is in need of medical attention, but that is the least of her worries. They drink dirty water that is filled with parasites. They can become sick and die. She was rejected from the village because of her condition. Christie found them sitting on a dirty cloth in the dirt. There were pictures of the inside of their hut. Only a dirt floor and walls. Maria was wearing the same onesie she had on since she was born. It was covered in dirt. Now if that don't break your heart nothing will.

Now Christie lives in Bugabo Village, Uganda . She gave up her "American Dream" to help those in need. She gave up everything. She brought sunshine to a place of darkness, a place of no hope, a witchcraft village. She is teaching them about God and showing them love and compassion that they have never experienced. Could you imagine a life without a hug?

But not only did she bring sunshine to Uganda, she brought sunshine to my heart. God now shines over Uganda and his children. I am closer to God now than I have ever been, and I have been saved for almost 2 years. The material things that I held so dear, are not as important as they seemed. I took for granted the simple things I had in life like shoes, water, or a second set of clothing. Now let your heart be useful as God has made mine useful through her. I ask that you put yourself in their shoes. Would you want your children living this way. I ask that you donate anything. Give in love, and give cause they have nothing and I hope you see that you really have it all. I hope you all enjoy my first blog ever and there will be many more to come. I am so thankful to have found a friend like her and many more like her. God bless you.