Two Nights Out

On this cold, rainy, dreary evening, I was out with a dear friend.  We were enjoying our annual January night out.  (Yes, we know it is February but we take what we can get!)  As we always do, we saw an inspiring movie and ended up sitting afterwards at a pub speaking of life, God, and well, more life.

Two nights before this I also enjoyed a time with good friends.  I have become increasingly aware that the blessings of life come in evenings like these.  And it is in these blessed evenings that God is exalted over all as we challenge and encourage each other to live out a life of worship. 

Worship has been a topic for me lately as we are doing a Bible Study at our church on intimacy and worship and also some other reading involving putting God above all.  That means, God above all.  All things, all thoughts, all ideas, all work, all relationships, all hardships, all schedules, all agendas, all goals and all "good works".  I am constantly  reminding myself that my goal in life is to exalt the Holy One.  "That I am not primarily a worker for God; I am first and foremost a lover of God." (Satisfy my Thirsty Soul, by Linda Dillow) 

It challenges me to double check my motives and my heart as to what I do and why I do it.  Is my goal to be invisible so that I might illuminate the power and majesty of God?  Are my words and my works singing out a song of adoration to our Lord?  Do we have a hidden or even maybe a subconscience agenda to lift ourselves up?  This quote hit me as I re-read it today-The true gospel is a call to self-denial. It is not a call to self-fulfillment.--John MacArthur.  Let us strive to have less of us and more of Him.

On this Sunday, this day of worship, I think of those worshiping in Zambia.  The widows in George compound, the fine people at Pastor Johnson's church, and those out in Chongwe village.  I think about how  they worship with such abandon to Him.  How those who have so little can be so filled with joy and so eager to raise their hands to adore the One who gives and takes away.  Oh, that in all circumstances I too may glorify the God of the Universe.




Women In Chongwe Village Worshiping Together







New Website!



We are excited to share that our website is up and running!  The Winn Group did a great job and we are so thankful for all the hard work they poured into this little project.  Please, go and visit our website and let us know what you think. 

We also have a contest on fb with The Winn Group.  It is the "show me some love" contest.  Join fb and go to The Winn Group's page and "like" The Winn Group then go to their albums and go to the "show me some love" album and "like" our logo.  The client with the most "likes" wins $1,000 worth of design work!

More jewelry is coming in a couple weeks as well!  We are thankful to Diva's Attic on the square for carrying it for us.  Look for it there or email me and I can do a home show and share about Extending Hands to your friends and family. 

We will continue to update our needs and prayer requests as they are met.  I am excited about what God is doing and what is to come.  Hope you all like our new look and new website!

2011-Prayer Requests and Needs

I love when they dance!  The widows in George compound.

Happy New Year from Extending Hands!  We hope that you all are looking forward to what 2011 is going to be!  As I have been contemplating this new year and thinking about how we move forward, lots of challenges present themselves.  My new favorite verse right now is Isaiah 58:10-11-..."and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.  The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.  You will be like a well watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail."  So.....I believe that if we are doing what we are called to, God WILL guide, WILL satisfy, and WILL give us the strength we need.  I am looking forward to how God is going to continue to provide for Extending Hands as we jump feet first into 2011.

I am going to use our blog to lay out some of our needs as we do not have our website up and running yet.  Though it is being worked on as we redo our logo and then the website immediately on the heels of that.  Hopefully soon you can donate on line on our new website!  That being said, here are some prayer requests and needs as we hit 2011.
1.  $850.00 to finally file our 501c(3).  There was a misunderstanding and payments made already to close our old corporation and re-incorporate did not include the filing fee for the application, which we thought it did...that was discouraging!  This is Filed!  Whoo Hoo!!!  Praise God!
2. Before knowing that, we signed on with a non-profit design group who is redoing our logo and doing a 3 page splash page website.  That is $750.00 that has to be paid by February. Which is a steal because they are doing it for no profit to themselves!  They are great people but still need to be paid:)-This is paid for!!  Thank you God!
3. Ben and I need to get to Zambia asap to deal with some business specifics and spend time with the widows and get samples for Trade Shows we are hoping to attend this year.  I am hoping to find out if frequent flyer miles can be donated to us as this trip would cost between $6-7,000.00.  God allowed for one plane ticket!  I, Kristin, went back in July!  God provided everything I needed within a month of buying the ticket and leaving! 
4.  Prayer for our partners in Zambia and the widows we are working with.  That God would allow us the continued connections and support there as we move forward.  God is working in the women's lives and He continues to connect us with amazing people! 
5.  Prayer for "the next thing".  I think God is calling us to be a physical "place" in Zambia.  We don't know what that means yet, but is on our list of things to research and pray about when we are there.  The research on this is definitively moving us in the direction of a shelter/safe house.  The need is undeniable.  Pray as this is a HUGE goal!   
6.  Prayer for Ben and I as we refocus and want desperately to listen to what God is telling and asking us to do.  And for our 2 wonderful board members as they pray and thoughtfully give their advice and opinions.  We love them!  So blessed by our board members!  Keep praying for them!
7.  Well, I know there is much more to pray about but this is a good start!  Hoping to be able to update you all as God divinely provides for these needs and so much more!    Ephesians 3:20-"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us...".

Thank you  and we hope that God is going to be so real to everyone of you in this year of jumping feet first into God's will for our/your lives. To donate you can make checks payable to Extending Hands, Inc. and send to P.O. Box 181 Woodstock, Il 60098.  Let's start the new year off with a bang!

Open House!

Well, thanks again all of you who came to the Extending Hands Open House on Friday!  We sold a lot of jewelry!  It was a very exciting day as we also got our EIN (employee identification number)! We were then able to open a checking account for Extending Hands (it's the little things).  We have a lot of things that we are working on for the new year.  Watch for announcements via your emails, on this blog and fb.
 
I hope and pray that all of you have a meaningful Christmas and can relish in the true peace that only God can give.  Peace not manufactured by politicians or governments, peace not promised by mere humans but real peace that is found in our souls despite the external circumstances that surround us. Let us also remember to pray for those in Zambia.  Those widows and vulnerable women who are struggling to provide for their families and dealing with hurts and pain in their own lives.  That the peace given to us in a virgin birth over 2000 years ago would be experienced by those who need it most. Luke 2:14-"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
Extending Hands would like to wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Surrender

Advent...this word evokes memories for some of us about candles, Christmas time, church and warm feelings.  This year my church is stirring the pot on all of that.  What if there was an advent conspiracy?  A conspiracy to reconsider how we "do" Christmas; how we spend our time, our resources, our energy; what our focus is? What if we "unplug" from what is not important and "plug into" what truly is.  That is what our series is this  month, "Unplugged, and the Advent Conspiracy".

My husband and I were asked to share this Sunday for Advent on re-surrender.  At first I thought, oh, I have many stories I could share, but God wanted me on my knees before Him in a present, fresh moment of surrender, not sharing an old one. 

Once again (I always seem to need new lessons on this) God had called me to Him and Him alone as I laid down and surrendered my security, my goals, my marriage, Extending Hands and all that goes along with the possibility of an uncertain future.  I had no idea that I would be on my knees AGAIN, in complete helplessness before God going into this season, but that is where I am.  Living a life of uncertainty and having to completely surrender and trust Him regardless of the fact that the circumstances of the future could or could not change.  Then, God reminded me that everyone in the Christmas story lived lives of uncertainty as well.  They all had their lives turned upside down and inside out as their own futures were dangerously shadowed by the "what ifs" they could have asked. My prayer is that of Mary's words in Luke 1:38- "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered.  "May it be to me as you have said."  Then the angel left her. - Mary submitted and surrendered her whole life to God at that moment without knowing if anyone else would stand with her, let alone believe her, including her husband to be.  I want to live like that...to accept whatever has been "said" or ordained for me in heaven.  To answer "come what may", despite the pit in my stomach, the questions I want to ask, the demands I want to lay out (To make sure God understands my limits!), and the fear and doubt that can grip us.  I was given a great quote by my cousin that is worth repeating-Someday I will wrestle with circumstances that are beyond my control; some sort of suffering will pin me to the cold hard ground.  When that happens, help me to realize that the victories of heaven are the defeats of the human soul and that my strength is not found in how courageously I struggle, but in how completely I SURRENDER.

So many of us have things we are uncertain about as we head into the New Year.  I hope we all can walk in the peace that passes all understanding into an unknown future, yet again.  Let us surrender our stuff, our relationships, our jobs, our health, our kids, our marriages, our status and our comfort to the only One who cares. For He and He alone is our resting place. 

Living Life on the Edge

A young male lion at a safari reservation in Lusaka

 

  Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Grab life by the mane. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Consider the lilies. Enjoy the journey. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshipping what's right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze a new trail. Criticize by creating. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don't try to be who you're not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away.

Chase the lion.

By-Mark Batterson

I first heard this from Pastor Len a couple years ago in a sermon at our church.  It so struck me as I was in the midst of total uncertainty in knowing why I was being called to "something bigger" in Zambia.  And being scared to death as to the what, how, who, when and where.  All those questions.  Though one of the biggest issues was NOT questioning who God had called me to be.  Allowing God to use me for who I already was in His eyes.
The Lion Chasers Manifesto is perched on my kitchen window sill to this day, almost 2 1/2 years later.  I read it again this morning as I was doing dishes and was reminded of how crazy, wild and exciting living that way can be.  Though it is by experience now that those words permeate my life and my soul as each phrase quickens my heart as I think about the journey from that Sunday in church till now.  It definitely is quite a ride.

The 31 Party/Extending Hands Fundraiser

My friend Angie, a 31 consultant

What a fun night!  Thank you Angie for offering to give back 20% of the proceeds of the 31 party to Extending Hands!  We had a good time and lots of us bought some fun stuff.  It is exciting to see things coming together for you, Angie and Extending Hands. 

I was able to have some of my new jewelry out on display as well.  It had just arrived via Bob and Mary Sendgikoski straight from Zambia!  I had dinner with them the night before as they were in town briefly.  A huge "Thank you" to Bob and Mary for carrying it over with them!  The jewelry was a hit too and I am very thankful to my girls for helping me get it cataloged, and priced before the show.  Thanks girls! 

So many good things going on right now, we are in the process of filing all our paperwork and will soon be an official 501(c)(3)!  Next on the list is getting back to Zambia in November or so.  I want to spend some quality time with the widows and work on some of the finer details of things. 

Please be in prayer that I am able to go back and I would listen to what God would have me focusing on while over there.  I need a lot of things to fall into place for this to all happen BUT nothing is too difficult for my God. 

You can still be apart of this fundraiser until Wed. Oct. 13th by going to angieolson31@yahoo.com   Thanks all!







some of the fun products