I have sat at this darn screen a dozen times trying to think what I should write to tell all of you..whomever “you” are these days that read “us”. Words fail. I stall at the first sentence. I cannot simply put into words what life has been like for us since we came. Thankfully this week a woman I just met somehow did put it into words. She said to me “Angie living in Asia is completely different from living in the states, you are living in a place that less than 1% knows the name of Jesus.” Then she went on to say ” you will have to learn how to breathe differently, in America you can breathe air..here you learn to breathe underwater, and even when you learn how it will still feel like you are breathing thru a straw..not ever quite able to catch your breath fully.” Wow. I was stunned. That was it. Learning how to breathe a completely different way. No WONDER it’s hard! It’s not a bad thing, it’s just different and completely new! I walked away that night thankful for… A. I love when my heart can be articulated into words. B.I knew that we can learn this new way to breathe!
Somedays I close my eyes and think back to when all I could ever do was hope and pray into the dream of being a part of the solution for these kids! I am so thankful that this is my job! Doesn’t mean it’s not without “head- smacking -the -wall” days! He has pushed us to limits we didn’t even know were there..let alone thought we could withstand. The whole dad stays home and schools the kids and mom goes to work all day has turned our world upside down! Many many people here are shocked that we would switch roles, move our FOUR kids across the w
orld( In Thailand that is an unbelievable amount of children)…all we can reply with is ” Do whatever it takes”. Jesus has set us free of so many things that should have enslaved us for a lifetime, He has honestly made us new. I think these kids should be offered the same freedom…if that means I learn how to breathe underwater, then hand me a straw.
And God Said Go. 
I can’t imagine what is like for you all to live there. So different than the US. That analogy seems to work on both ends of the spectrum you living there and here supporting you. That helps me a lot on how to pray for you all. Love you and Samm more than you know and your awesome boys and daughter. Just know that I have now a fresh way to pray for you all. Thank you for the pics that you send our way and it’s great to hear about your adventures.
Thank you Davie! Appreciate those words more than you could know! Prayers, support all of it means the world to our little family and to what we are doing here!
You MUST know right here right now that the Father’s smile over you is SOOOOO BIG! You bring Him JOY and this is jumping-up-and-down-with-both-arms-in-the-air kind of JOY! He’s so proud of how you carry His heart. I also feel very strongly that yes, Thailand is tough, but when we worship, well, it plows the hard ground, so your defense is worship, worship, worship and I know you know this, but yeah, THIS is the answer. Greater is He who is in you than he that is in the world.
I’d also encourage you to (as the Spirit leads), build altars to God. Dive into 1 Samuel and journal with the Lord about this…it’s powerful. Before I went to Thailand, the Lord was speaking to me a lot about this. Then, the only night I was by myself walking back to the hotel room, He reminded me that now was the time. I looked around for some rocks and found several. I then got on my knees as I stared at the statue of Buddha inside the building and declared that Jesus is Lord. I bowed down in worship to Jesus and built a small altar with those rocks that I pray are still there. Anyway, when I finished, I went upstairs and found my roommate, Sandy on her knees in our room with worship music playing. I told her that this was amazing! She was worshiping Jesus inside the building while I was worshiping Him outside the building. We were both in awe of Holy Spirit and His beautiful leadership. Now, I don’t share this to boast, I share this just as a source of encouragement to you that while you may be breathing with a straw right now, soon and very soon, you WILL see the atmosphere shift. You WILL see your little match ignite a forest fire that will destroy the works of the enemy. Remember, when we left, martial law was declared and well, I didn’t see that as a good thing at first, but the Lord reminded me that because a curfew had been established, for the first time in a very long time, girls weren’t being sold after 10 pm. I was floored. Because of Believers being strategically placed there by God, the atmosphere was shifted. Just keep shifting it. The enemy is a liar. You are not outnumbered. Looks are deceiving. I speak Matthew 5:13-16 and I speak a blessing over all of you in the Name of Jesus. I speak a blessing over you, your marriage, your family, your finances, and most importantly, over all of the fruit of the Spirit to increase in all of you. And I pray Philippians 1:9-11 over all of you. Love you, friend!
Thank you girl! Love it!!