I’m always amazed when I come across stories of hope. Stories of lives that God uses to bring glory to himself. The video below is a reminder of such stories. Thanks to Brian Eberly for showing this on his blog.
Compassion
Some musician friends of mine have gotten together to write a song raising awareness and funds for Haiti check it out.
Hi everyone, Jeremy here. I’m sure you all know about the situation down in Haiti. I can’t even begin to imagine how life down there has so drastically changed. To try to help out every way we can, Justin, Alastair Vance, and myself recently got together and wrote then recorded the song Let Us Be.
I invite you to preview the entire song. I also ask you to please consider purchasing the song (MP3 download) for $1. 100% of the money raised through the song will be given to the Compassion International Haiti Earthquake Relief fund.
I believe that God has called us all to help out those in need. So even if you decide not to purchase the song, I hope that hearing it will at least remind you to pray for the country and its people during their time of need.
If you would like to donate more than just a dollar, please click the image below to be taken to Compassion’s site where you can donate and find out more about the relief efforts.
Please pass the word along to everyone you know, and let’s raise as much money as we can!
God bless,
JMListen and Purchase Here
“I’ve learned that trusting and following the heart of God is the most beautifully risky thing you’ll ever do. It requires much risk, much sacrifice…but it is the most satisfying and fulfilling thing you’ll ever do. In many ways, we know that this story we’ve been a part of is just beginning…and we are thrilled that God chose us to be a part of such a magnificent story.”
These words are so true, they reflect the struggles of adoption and the struggles of life. You can read the full post here.
We have been lifting up organizations such as Real Hope for Haiti and Compassion International in prayer and rightly so. We have been lifting the people of Haiti and all those who have come to their aid in prayer also. I would encourage you to continue to lift your voices to God for those in Haiti, to continue to give finically and sacrificially.
“God burden our hearts for the widow and orphan. Burden our hearts for this hurting country, for the people of Haiti. Amen.”
excited to release this video, especially with ALL that is going on to get Amos home these past few days… share it with friends!
::Aaron Ivey
To those who read my blog be in prayer that Amos will come home soon.
With everything that has happened and is happening in Haiti I would encourage you to not just pray but give. Below you will find links to two organizations that do a lot of work in Haiti. I recommend donating to both of them. Also below you will find 2 video clips.
Compassion International
The first clip is from CNN this morning featuring the Ivey’s, a family that is in the process of adopting another child from Haiti. I found Aaron’s blog a few years back and have actually got to meet him face to face and I have to tell you God has burden his heart for the people of Haiti. Aaron and his wife give of themselves to those in Haiti without restraint and to the glory of God.
The second clip again shows the Ivey’s in their home town community of Austin, TX and their desire to help raise money and awareness for the situation in Haiti as well as other local artists. A local Non-Profit called Music for the City is onboard for a concert Monday. Also of note is Steven Bush, another guy I have meet. Bush is a amazing photographer and plays bass with Aaron. He is selling prints at the concert, some of which where shot in Haiti, they are also available online here. The concert is going to benefit Real Hope for Haiti
Man I encourage you to pray for Haiti, but more I encourage you to step out and make your faith an action of love for God by donating money to the cause. I know of one church that just launched last week that is taking their tithes this week and donating 100% to help in Haiti. That amazes me and I hope it inspires you.
Follow Aaron on Twitter @aaronivey
Follow Bush on Twitter @stevenbush
Follow Compassion on Twitter @compassion
Follow Help Haiti Shirt on Twitter @helphaitishirt
Follow Music for the City on Twitter @musicforthecity
This weekend marks a huge turning point in the lives of a few friends here in Durham.
Jeremy Copeland, a close friend and church planter moved his family to Durham North Carolina from Southern California about the same time we moved here. Jeremy is the lead pastor of story church and this Sunday marks the official launch of their church plant here in Durham. Another friend I meet through Copeland, an Irishman named Alastiar Vance is leading worship for Story Church and does a brilliant job. His family moved here from the UK awhile back.
If you’re new to the area or have been here awhile, or maybe you have tried other churches or given up on church all together I would encourage you to check them out. Service starts at 10AM, below is the address, but don’t trust your GPS the school where they meet just opened this year.
Spring Valley Elementary School
2051 Northern Durham Parkway
Durham, NC 27703
So I’m asking those who read my blog to take some time this weekend and over the next few weeks and months to commit to pray for Story Church and the ministry God has already allowed them to do in Durham. You can follow Jeremy on twitter @pastorcope, Story Church @storychurch, and Alastair @alastairvance to keep up to date on what God is doing.
I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. Some of which I would love to share on here and some of which I just can’t. Some of it is exciting yet stressful and some is just unknown to us but known to God.
Lauren is rocking it. In fact, we are waiting on a date to have her trach taken out which is big news for our household. All we are waiting on is the OR date, which could be as early as the first week of December. We can’t even fathom what life will be like without all the medical equipment we have to carry around with us. The diaper bag alone will loose about 20lbs! It will just be amazing. We are going to be able to put “the tank” in storage for awhile and take out pinky. The tank is the tandem double stroller we use to carry all her medical junk as well as whatever else we need to bring with us places. Pinky is a VERY pinky stroller that screams girl. Even though she is getting the trach out, she still cannot eat on her own and will have the feeding tube for a long while. Our goal is to start kindergarden without the feeding tube, feeding pump, and backpack; so that is a few years.
I have friends who have just recently changed church jobs (as well as states) and friends who are praying for God’s leading to new positions. I know churches who are struggling with the choices they have made/will make in the coming months and I’m praying for God’s direction for them.
I’m seeking God’s direction for our student ministry this coming year. We have our Winter Retreat coming up and I still have a lot of planning and prep to do. I’m praying for each of our students who are going to attend this event and those who have darkened the door of Refuge since I came on staff, I pray that God would speak into their lives even if they don’t care to hear what he has to say.
God has been challenging me through various books and blogs I have been reading and I’m grateful. There are many minds out there far more brilliant then my own.
Now I leave you and ask for your continued pray for my daughter, my wife, and myself too. I’m off to play a bit on my box before I slip under the blankets and drift off to sleep.
Digging around on my friends blogs has lead to a few thoughts of conviction on community today. I’d like to share this quote from Bush, who besides being an amazing photographer, who challenges with his images, is also a man who challenges with his words. I’ve meet this guy in person once and have to say he inspires me and I love him for that.
We want to know the names of the people on our street, and begin to know their stories. It’s pointless for us as a family to move into this neighborhood if we never meet the family two houses down, or the man who lives at the end of the street. We can’t love and serve our neighbors if we don’t know their names or their situations. I feel like the backyards and security fences of America have been one of the biggest hindrances to great community being formed. It’s time for us to come outside, and embrace the world in all of it’s beauty and brokenness. I am hoping God will grant us favor with our neighbors, and that relationships will be formed.
If you want to read the full post check it out here.
Midnight dinners at Duke can be very delicious but I doubt very healthy. My chicken salad sandwich will satisfy the taste-buds nicely with it’s green leafy stuff, sharp cheddar cheese, mayo, tomato, and banana peppers, all spread out on a couple nice pieces of sourdough bread. I forgot to mention the extra pickles the lady tossed in for good measure. Yummy.
Lauren is doing pretty good. She was moved out of the PICU late this evening and we now have a private room on the floor. This was not supposed to happen until at least Monday. It has it’s mixed blessings. The reason it happened sooner then later is due to the tear in her spinal drain tubing. They had to take it out to reduce the risk of infection which could be really bad since it is literal draining CSF from her spinal/cranial area. The good news is we may go home sooner then expected. We are hoping the CSF leak is fixed and will only really tell with time and healing. Lauren is still pretty swollen on the left side of her face and the area behind her ear has to heal all over again. The good news about the surgery is that it went better then the doctor thought. He was able to save her ear drum and the “hearing bones” of the inner ear. She may still need a hearing aid in the near future but we won’t know until they can do a hearing test after she has healed more. Another huge plus is that we have changed her feeding schedule while we have been here so she will no longer be getting a feed all night long. She will now have 6 larger feeds throughout the day instead of 4 smaller ones and the long night feed. This will make the transition to not having a nurse at home (when the time comes) much easier.
We’ve been praying for a few families we have meet here this time around. The first is in the PICU and we shared a room with them, it seems that the doctors are trying to figure out what is going on and it’s been a difficult process. Another was across from us in the PICU (in the next room) and was flown in from Texas via a medical transport, much the same way Lauren came to Duke on one occasion. The third I meet tonight, the mother and her family where looking at Lauren from the hall since she is such an outgoing person and apparently cute as all get out (I’m not bias or anything). They have been here since Tuesday and will likely be here throughout next week. Their son has seen many of the same doctors we have and we can relate to their heartache.
I’ve been able to interact with a lot of the Peds staff this time around and I’m grateful to hear their stories. I truly enjoy talking to people when they are willing to be open and engaging in return. It also helps that they are stuck in a room with you for their entire shift. We have had some good laughs in the last few days, not to mention the head or two that pops in to watch college football on your flat panel TV with you when your daughter is sleeping.
Beck and I are excited today because we get to volunteer and be a part of Angel Flight and pickup someone from the airport and drive them to Duke for medical care. We are now a part of the ground transportation team in our area. It’s great to be able to give back to those in need, especially when we have the compassion and understanding for their situation. The pilots who fly people do so for free and take people with medical needs who may not be able to afford it to places like Duke, UNC, John Hopkins and others for their medical care. If you want to know more about angel flight and what they do click here.