FAITH

Where do I begin.....Faith! Growing up I was taught by some Amazing Spirit Filled believers Pastors Rusty & Dorinda Blann.  I am so thankful for God placing them in my life....I can assure you all, I would not be sitting here in Haiti today Married with 8 kids & serving on the Mission field had they not  listened to the Holy Spirit! I can remember in college when I had started traveling down the wrong path  (I will leave out details) but I was not living as I had been taught & I got a 6 am phone call from them saying God had woken them up in the middle of the night to pray for me & had shown them specific things in a dream!! I can promise you this...THAT WAS FROM GOD!!! They didn't KNOW what I was doing or where I had been BUT GOD DID & HE had woken them up to pray for me!!! I have so many stories like this but won't share them today!! I can just say that I learned from them so much! I learned to walk by Faith!! I saw a pastor who had no vehicle & was praying about it & God laid it on someone's heart to GIVE them a vehicle!! I saw someone who was told You will NOT be able to bear your own children follow God & adopt & then Miraculously give birth to 3 awesome children.  I saw sunday school teachers healed of Cancer.  I have personally experience God mending a marriage back together, I have seen how God works when you put YOUR goals & what you think you want to the side to Follow HIS WILL.  You see just 4 years ago we decided to adopt. Although most thought we were NUTS!! On top of that we decided to adopt from a Country we had NEVER been too!!  Sounds crazy HUH??  Well I will say ....I don't think I have EVER Prayed about anything (up to that point in my life) as much as I prayed about that!! Everything seemed to point to us adopting from Haiti but I was so worried about what EVERYONE would say..especially my family!!! I pleaded with GOD to SHOW ME A SIGN!!!! I'm sure I am not the only person who has begged God for an answer...but I have found when you are seeking him with your WHOLE HEART & giving him everything - HE WILL ANSWER!! Sometimes it is a "still small voice" you have to learn to hear.  Sometime it is more!! One Sunday our church was beginning a revival & I was READY to HEAR from God & had been praying.  I'm sure many of you have also been there.  This sunday morning the 1st day of our revival the Evangelist preached & at the end he asked anyone that wanted to, to come down front to the alters & pray!  I almost broke a run!! I stood at the alter eyes closed begging God for an answer.  I knew I wanted to adopt, I knew my husband had said "Yes, God wants us to adopt." BUT....I was waivering because of what others might say, because of our finances & how much it might cost....we already had 4 kids & A LOT OF DEBT!  I remember like yesterday eyes closed BEGGING God for an answer----keep in mind I talk to God like I am talking to you!  I just always have...it's not usually formal, it's like talking to a friend.  I prayed "God, I need an answer....I mean you talked to Moses in a Burning Bush, can't you just TELL ME SO I KNOW! Please God.." & instantly the Evangelist (Brother Ferrell Kyser) said Ma'am - MA'AM - ....My eyes flew open & I looked up. He was standing right in front of me, finger pointed, then he said - "I don't know you from Adam but I do know that God is talking to you, He IS TALKING TO YOU LIKE HE DID MOSES IN THE BURNING BUSH, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DO, HE HAS ALREADY GIVEN YOU THE ANSWER...IT IS BURING IN YOUR HEART!!!!"  -----> WOW!!!! I truly hit the ground, laid on my face before God & wept - WHY was I doubting him??? I knew what he was telling me! I had known for a month or two!! But God knew I needed that!! He knew to withstand the pressure I might get from others that I Needed to KNOW THAT KNOW THAT I KNOW that God was telling us to adopt!!!
We were excited to tell all after that & we knew it would take 3 to 4 years to adopt from Haiti at the time (that's what we were told, & we had friends who had been waiting that long) but we KNEW God was telling us so we steeped out in Faith!! God surprised us & our kids were home 3 months later!!! (that's a whole different story but it was because of the Earthquake...but it was GOD's timing & he took care of everything!!).  While in Haiti on that trip January 2010 as I walked the street by the Mission (where Hope Vision now is) I felt God again talking to me.  I remember looking at Gordon after only being in Haiti a day or 2 & saying "your going to think I am crazy, but I could live here." - God continued to lay Haiti on our Hearts & speak to us over the next 3 years & although we knew God was saying he was preparing us for Haiti we did not know WHEN or WHERE he would send us!! We prayed  & prayed & PRAYED SOME MORE & came to Haiti 3 more times & brought in others/Mission teams.  Each time I left it got harder....then we felt God was saying NOW is the TIME!  WE knew God was sending us to Haiti to work along side Pastor Andy at the Hope Vision Orphanage where our kids came from.  God seemed to be working it ALL OUT! God gave me several REALLY CLEAR DREAMS of what we would be doing here in Haiti.  I have held on to that just as I have the situation before.  I KNOW that was from God & I want to step out & do all that he has called our family to.  NOW back to FAITH .....or did I actually ever walk away??? You see it took a HUGE LEAP OF FAITH for Gordon to quit his Awesome job, with insurance, & great benefits after 24years but we have learned that although we THINK we know what is best ....we are WRONG sometimes!! GOD's Plan is ALWAYS BEST!!! I have found myself happier & more content than I have ever thought I could be!! I NEVER dreamed of having this many kids, never dreamed of living in a 3rd world country but here we are doing exactly what God has asked us & yet I feel like one of the children of Israel. You know the one's GOD ALWAYS provided for, he parted the Red sea for...yet they kept doubting God!! YEP, that has been me lately!  I have found myself worrying about monthly finances, being accepted by the other Missionaries already here on the ground at Hope Vision, paying my childrens' tuition here in Haiti for the remainder of the school year, & so much more!  Then once again God sent another missionary friend to preach a message.  His message was about FAITH & HOW OUR FAITH AFFECTS OTHERS it was an Awesome message & I felt God was speaking right to me.  For the first time I spilled out my thought & asked for prayer! It felt AWESOME to just GIVE IT TO GOD!!!
I then read this on Pastor Rusty Blann's Facebook wall -
DAILY: It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. (Hebrews 11:27 NLT). I love this verse! Moses was able to face difficulty because of who he had his eyes fixated on! The Bible tells us to "look unto Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith", to "fix your attention on things above not below" and shows us over and over again what happened when people turn their eyes towards Jesus. Then there's David and Goliath. Goliath was breathing out threats, but David focused his attention on the God who is all-powerful. What is your attention set on? Well, listen to your words for a little while. When you talk on the phone, write on Facebook, talk at work, are you discussing how big the problem is or how big your God is? There is nothing wrong with stating you are going through a tough situtation, the problem is when you are fixated on it. So, this morning set your attention, eyes, heart, words on the "invisible" One today, and I believe you will begin to see visible changes take place! Blessings

This all happened the past 3-4 days. I prayed & put our needs out there....something VERY HARD for me to do! You see my flesh says to me "WHEN YOU SAY YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SUPPORT, OR YOU NEED THIS OR THAT, OR YOU MISS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD OTHERS THINK----> SEE I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY UP & MOVED THEIR FAMILY TO HAITI...THAT WAS JUST STUPID!!! THEY HAVE ALL THOSE KIDS & TOOK IN ANOTHER & ARE ASKING FOR MONEY!!!" - But I do know , I AM TO CRUCIFY MY FLESH & WALK IN THE SPIRIT! I AM TO KEEP MY EYES FIXED ON JESUS & WALK BY FAITH NOT SITE!! ----> Satan is real, he is here to steal, kill, & destroy & he does not want us to do what God has called us to do so he wants us to take our eyes off JESUS & DOUBT!!! My GOD says "HE WILL SUPPLY ALL OUR NEEDS ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES IN GLORY." - HE IS OUR PROVIDER!! Today I received a message from our Home church - Robertsdale First Assembly of God that they are buying us the refrigerator that we need!! I also received a message from another friend or 2 that they are sending us support!! 

GOD IS FAITHFUL! ALL THE MIRACLES I HAVE PERSONALLY SEEN HIM DO & I FIND MYSELF QUESTIONING ...DOUBTING!! I hate that I do that!! Father God please help me to have more Faith! To always keep my eyes on YOU! The one who created us, the one who knows the very number of hairs on my head.  The one who sent us here will be with us EVERY STEP of the way!!! Even when we do not see with our eyes!!

2 Cor 5:7 - We live by faith, not by sight.

GOD IS SO GOOD - ALL THE TIME!! HE IS FOREVER FAITHFUL!! I JUST WANTED TO SHARE!!

BLESSINGS!

ANGIE