Answered Prayers...

We have prioritized our comforts over the needs of the world around us, and we need to repent. ~ David Platt


These are just some of the faces of Africa. They are praising the One True God. Even in there sickness, disease, hunger, and thirst, they are praying and praising Jesus. These sweet faces pray for us every night. They pray that the Lord would provide for us, so that in turn, we can provide for them. The Lord has answered their prayers.


Meet Norah. She is vibrant 6 year old girl with a sweet heart and great disposition. Norah has big dreams for a bright future. She is a good student and a good help around the orphanage. She needs some one to love her. She needs someone to be the hands and feet of Jesus to her. Showing her that they care for her and her needs. Norah wants to stay in her native country, Kenya, to grow up and effect change. She prays that the Lord would provide the money for her monthly needs of food, water, medical care and schooling. The Lord has answered her prayers.

Diana is a shy but sweet girl. When we first met her, she didn't stand out in the crowd, she hid behind the others. She is 7 years old and strives hard in school and around the orphanage. She wants to get good grades so that she can get a good job when she grows. She loves to sing "Nothing but the Blood of Jesus." She prays for the God meet her where she is. She thanks him for what He has done on the cross for her sins. She asks him to bring only what she needs to carry her from day to day and to provide her with a hope and a future. The Lord has answered her prayers.

Today, I sat on the phone with a good friend. She has sold ALL of her possessions, and is getting ready to move her and her son to Uganda, to serve the "least of these." While we talked she filled me in on all the needs of the people she is moving to serve. The conversation left me in tears. The need is for a school. While there is no water in this village in Uganda, there is a great need for a school, over their need for water. You see the children have to walk to go to school. On the way the girls are kidnapped and then rapped. Therefore the parents are not sending their children to school and they in need of education, so that they can break the cycle of poverty. We have been praying for God to supply all the money so that they not only can have a school in their village, but so that they can also have water. The Lord has answered our prayers.

For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, "Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack." 2 Cor 8

Don't miss this!

The Lord has supplied all the money for food they need

The Lord has supplied, all that she needs for medical care and education

The Lord has supplied all they need for hope and a future

The Lord has given us all we need, in order to supply what they lack!

The Lord has answered ALL of their prayers...

...the answer is YOU and ME!

We are the answer! We have the abundance that would supply their needs...it is in our cable bills, our car payments, our big houses, our boats, our hobbies, our vacations, our closets, our china cabinets. The excess is in our sports tickets, Starbucks coffee, upgrades in our homes, pedicures & manicures, restaurant bills, our animals and cell phones.

My heart breaks for us! We are caught in the lie of our possessions dictating our identity. We are caught in the lie that we are blessed just to be blessed. We are caught in the lie that if we live this way then we are legalistic and emergent, not saved by grace but by works. We have MORE in order to supply their lack. And we give because we LOVE JESUS...and because we have been saved by grace and grace alone this is just evidence of the fruit of JESUS in our lives. Because we LOVE Him so much we LOVE the least of these and we risk it ALL!

Oh brothers and sisters in Christ...LET US BE A PART OF GODS ALREADY ANSWERED PRAYERS! Let us live as if this were not our home!

My last thought is, we are not to compare ourselves to others. My heart is for what the word of God says. I want my heart to break for what breaks His and through this blog I share it with you. The Lord says to give from the heart...give of what we have and sometimes from what we don't have, NOT only from our abundance but from our sacrifice. Sacrifice of TIME, MONEY, and TALENTS. The money I spend for my monthly cable bill will sponsor one of these children you see above. What could your abundance and sacrifice supply?

Angel...

The Lord uses many different ways to speak into your life. Sometimes He speaks to your heart personally through prayer and reading His word. Sometimes He uses pastors or sermons or bible studies. Sometimes He uses Angel's.

This is my new friend Angel. I don't know that I will ever see her again this side of heaven, but I must share this story with you.

The past few months in the Thiele household, have been...well let's just say interesting. If I were honest, I would say challenging and tiring and I would allow you a peek into our controlled chaos. With the beauty of adoption and parenting for that matter, come challenges and with nine kids, 5 from foreign countries, I am wiped out. I know that it will get better, but it is times like these the Lord uses the Angel's in our lives to bring refreshment and encouragement for a weary soul.

Every year on Easter we go to the park and hang out with friends and family. It is such a wonderful part of our year and we look forward to having the opportunity to catch up, and meet new people. After we ate lunch we were all just sitting around talking and I looked up and this lady was tromping across the field, like she was on a mission. My first thought was, "oh no...what did my kids do", as they were all following her closely behind. Once she reached us, my friend Seggy and I stood up to say hello and this is what came of our conversation.

Angel: "GIRL...There is Jesus ALLLLL....over this place! I have met the NATIONS today! I looked over and saw the anointing of the Spirit on these children and I had to come to meet you. I have heard that there are people touching the nations..but I had to come and see for myself."

Drea: Speechless

Angel: "Your beautiful kids told me the story of what is going on in your house and I just had to come and say Praise the Lord! God is GOOD...ALL the time! What you and your friends are doing here God has blessed!

Drea: still speechless

And then she started to prophesy

Angel: "You may be feeling like your body is going to fall apart and you are walking around with your shoulders dropped (acting it out for me, leaning up against things to prop her up), BUT I am here to tell you to hold your head up...GOD is going to give you strength...He is NOT done with you yet. He is going to bring MORE...BE READY for it! It will be by HIS might, not your own, so TRUST Him! He sees that you and your friends are willing and obedient, He is going to use you all to reach the nations for HIS Glory! So keep strong, be encouraged, God loves you and your obedience to Him, you will be blessed! "No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love him." 1 Cor 2:9, He is going to use this ministry and He is going to increase it!"

Drea: crying... and still speechless

Angel: " I have goose bumps all over, I had to come and meet you..The glory of the Lord is in this place. Praise Him for what he has done and what he will do in the future...SO HOLD on...He is not done!"

This is obviously paraphrased, but pretty close. However, the actual words she said were far more beautiful than that. She prayed over us later when I took the picture. We were all in awe of the goodness of God in this. Angel was sent as a messenger of God to share the truth with His weary people. He used Angel to speak truth into our lives.

I am grateful for Jesus, I am grateful that he uses just everyday people to touch lives. I am grateful that he uses us to do the same thing. I was just recounting this encounter with Seggy today...Angel said things that she didn't know about it...this was a confirmation that we are walking in His will.

Thank you Angel, for stepping out in faith and sharing the love of Jesus with our group. Thank you Jesus, for using Angel for that drink of cold water...till we meet again friend!

Where Are You...

Where are you?

You who are fortunate enough to know what it means to be saved?

Where are you who have been washed in the blood of the Jesus Christ?

Where have you been?

Can't you see that we are in agony?

Didn't Christ command you to come to us?

The world is perishing in its darkness.

Thousands are dying in the flames of HELL.

Have mercy, and come to us;

We beseech you to come!

We are clad in the rags of ruin;

Totally bankrupt only God can help us now!

But will we also have a chance to hear His voice?

His peace and His salvation,

Will we also have access to them?

Where are You?

WHERE ARE YOU BEARERS OF LIGHT?

We call out to you, but there is NO ANSWER,

Have you fallen asleep?

WHERE ARE YOU?