God's Girls Day 1 :)

So, today was the first day of God's Girls, and it was GREAT! We had 12 girls and they are all so beautiful and wonderful. I'm so excited to see what God is going to do!! I honestly had to hold myself back from crying a few times as I looked around at these incredible young women. As we talked about how we see ourselves and how GOD sees us, I was heartbroken to hear them talk about the way they see themselves. The lies of the world get into our heads so easily!! It was a HUGE blessing and privileged to share with them the truth...they are PERFECT!! (Ezekiel 16:13-14).

We also had a lot of fun, laughing as we talked about, well girly things. :) I think its really weird for several of the girls who have only known me as their Kids Club leader. They are used to me singing silly songs and talking about my cat. Now, they are listening to me talk about our bodies and boys. Its going to take some getting used to for them!!

So, day 1 is over and I am VERY excited for day 2. Many of these girls have older sisters who were God's Girls, so I am REALLY excited to get to know them for THEM, and not as so and so's little sister. I forgot how much fun God's Girls can be!

For those of you who are wondering, here is an overview of the day:

What do we do on DAY 1?

The girls choose their supplies, each one getting a folder, highlighter, pen, pencil (which say God's Girl on them!), journal, and a bag.

We quickly got started with introductions, reminders to be kind and respectful, and prayer time. The girls each select a brand new Bible to keep too! They use their new Bible throughout the program, so we give it out on the first day.

We then dove right into our first topic: Beauty.

The girls each draw their version of a beautiful woman, this is always fun! Then we dive into God's word to see what HE has to say about beauty...
We have the girls take some time to focus on their own unique traits...After a healthy snack break, we begin with our discussion about modesty. We talk not only about dressing modestly but also acting modestly (flirting and such). The most fun is when the girls jot down their notes on our lovely stick woman...
I lead them through the different areas of dress and some tips and suggestions for how to maintain modesty.
The 3 hours went by way too fast (as always), and it was really fun! The girls are great, they were really kind and attentive (they aren't always that way, so that was nice). Now, we get ready for Day 2 tomorrow!!

Where is the Self-Control???

Well, this wasn't the God's Girls post I expected to write today, but I read this article and HAD to write something about it. Before I go on, you need to read this:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,538701,00.html?test=latestnews

I read this first thing this morning (it was a pretty prominent article on Foxnews.com) and I became pretty upset. Okay, borderline furious. No wonder God's Girls is so hard for me!!!

First, the title was just annoying. It should be: "Can't Wait for Sex? Actually, yes you can!". Why aren't churches teaching that it is possible to wait instead of how to get around waiting??

Next, the following statistic FLOORED me: "More than 93 percent of adults 18 to 23 who are in romantic relationships are having sex, according to the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. For conservative Protestants in relationships and active in their faith, it's almost 80 percent." WHAT?!? I was actually in a very committed relationship at that age, and we were most definitely NOT having sex. I knew many people around us were, but I had no idea that it was THAT many. I'm a 29 year old virgin...apparently I'm about as rare as seeing the Lochness Monster...seriously.

After getting over that shock, I continued to read on o discover that many Christians have given up on the idea of waiting and have decided to promote young marriage so that we can protect one another from sexual sin. Apparently, that is more dangerous than entering into a bad marriage. Really?? That's what we want to promote??

To me, this is the equivalent of: "Is Marriage too hard? Get a divorce and start over!". Seriously. If we are saying that when things get to hard, stop fighting, then what are we setting people up for?? I am floored and frustrated with the idea that people think that asking young people to wait until they are married, which for some may mean waiting until their late 20's or into their 30's (ahem, ME!), or possibly wait forever, is somehow "asking too much". Come on! We are not the ones setting this standard, GOD is! And He makes is very CLEAR in His Word that this standard is POSSIBLE and WORTH WHILE!!! Why aren't we teaching that?!?

Now, I'm not saying that I am against marrying young. I have many friends who did and have wonderful marriages. I also have many friends who did and had to battle through 4 or 5 years of their marriages because it was HARD, and many of them now say they wish they had waited. I'm not promoting one over the other. However, I do believe (strongly) that God has a different plan for everyone. For some its marriage at 20, for others its not until 35. Either way, God calls us to seek Him and His plan, not our own.

The idea that marriage is a simple solution to waiting for sex is absolutely ludicrous. Yes, once you are married you no longer have to wait, so that part of the battle is over. However, marriage is HARD. I have enough married friends to know that no matter how wonderful your spouse is, you will face some very hard times with them. You have to be ready to battle through the hard times. If you couldn't battle through those hard times before you got married, how are you going to stay strong in your marriage? (Of course, God is a redeeming God, so I am not saying that if you mess up before you are married, that your marriage is doomed. Not at all! I'm simply saying that if you have the mindset that the battle is too hard so you have to find a way out, you might be in trouble). Once you're married, there is no "way out", you have to have the perseverance to fight. We need to be teaching that...perseverance...not giving up.

Okay, at this point, I have to talk about 1 Corinthians 7. In it, Paul very clearly states that, "But if they do not have self-control, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion." (verse 9). This verse would seem to support the main argument of the article, that if its too hard to wait, then you should just get married. And in some ways, it kinda does.

However, it also ignores the first part of Paul's statement. In verse 8, Paul states, "But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I". Paul is making it clear that it is GOOD to stay single, and POSSIBLE because he himself is doing it! Its only if you can NOT exercise self control should you get married. Here is a point that I think is missed... self-control is a fruit of the spirit. If we are in Christ, then the Spirit is in us, and that Spirit produces fruit. The Spirit produces self-control. The Spirit makes it possible for us to exercise self-control; to wait.

The other part that is ignored, are verses 10-12 that make is VERY clear that you shouldn't get a divorce. So, if you decide that self-control is too much for you, then you are making a commitment that you can NOT turn back on. Again, when God has called you to get married, this isn't a problem. However, if you are simply seeking marriage as a way out of chastity, you are in trouble.

And clearly, the whole idea of "Can't wait, get married" isn't exactly working. The divorce rate among Christians is exactly the same as that of the rest of the world, and is actually significantly higher than that of atheists. Of course, many atheists probably aren't in a rush to get married since there isn't anything keeping them from sex. Still, this should tell us something. When someone, Christian or not, WAITS until they are ready for the COMMITMENT of marriage, and for the person they want to choose to commit to, the marriage is stronger and lasts. When they rush into it because hormones or fear are driving the decision, is much harder to make it work long term.

The problem, in my opinion, is not sex, its perseverance. Our culture today does make it MUCH harder to wait, and the older you get, the harder the waiting becomes (believe me, I understand that!!). But, that doesn't mean that we should be finding a way out, it means we should be digging deeper with God and seeking Him even more fervently.

If we teach people to persevere and to seek and trust in GOD, where can we go wrong??

When did it become okay to come up with our own life plans and solutions to problems? When did we stop seeking the Lord and start seeking self-help books and ideas that will "work for us"?

What happens when the incredible sex life that we expect after getting married isn't actually what we get?? What happens when the sex isn't enough to keep the marriage going, especially in the face of financial troubles, or even physical and emotional temptation outside the marriage?? (We haven't even talked about the rate of affairs among Christians!) Sometimes all we're left with is perseverance.

The bottom line is, if we choose to avoid self-control, we are in big trouble. And that, in my opinion, is what we, as Christians, really need to be talking about.

I'm more unique than I thought...and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one

How's that for a blog title?? Its the first thought that came to mind as I was thinking about what I wanted to update everyone on, so there you go!

So, I haven't been on the blog much recently, and that is mainly due to busyness. The girls and I spent a day in New York City last week and had an AMAZING time. We saw a lot of cool things, and the girls were absolutely WONDERFUL despite walking over 3 hours because we kept getting turned around (in 90 degree weather). They didn't complain once!! We saw Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero, Chinatown, and a bunch of other random stuff as we wandered around lost for a while. We also saw the broadway show "Avenue Q" which, despite what the website advertises, is NOT appropriate for anyone under the age of 18. Whoops. At least it led to a really good discussion about what the world thinks is acceptable verses what God says. And thankfully, the girls did NOT enjoy the inappropriate parts of the show. (There were some good moments too, so it wasn't a total loss. At least, that's what I keep telling myself). Kirsten took a ton of pictures, but she hasn't given me any yet (my camera is broken), so I will post them later!

The other big news is that my house is finally on the market. AHHHH!!! I decided on a realtor (and I am VERY happy with my decision), they came out on Friday to sign papers and take pictures, and now we just pray and wait! They were SO impressed with how nice my house looks and even bumped the asking price up by $6000 based on how nice it looks. The girls and I worked non-stop on Thursday and Friday getting the house ready, and it really paid off! (Again, the girls did not complain AT ALL about any of the work. I am becoming more and more impressed with them every day). You can check out the listing here. Of course, not we have to keep the house clean all the time so we are ready if anyone wants to come and see it. Again, the girls are being a huge help with me in that! We are really praying that it will sell soon so we can get settled into our new home! (They saw the size of their new room and they are ready to go now!).

Saturday was the church picnic and I didn't want to go (too much to do), but I am SO SO glad that I did!!! Its an all day thing (10 a.m.-7 p.m.) and its usually a lot of fun. In fact, its the girls favorite day of the year (seriously), so I knew I had to go. We have it at a local camp ground that has a pool, several playgrounds, a baseball field, a pavilion for eating...basically, tons of stuff to do all day long. It was a gorgeous day outside as well, so overall it was a GREAT picnic.

I honestly don't know what the girls did most of the day. I saw them some in the pool, playing with their friends, and some when we were eating (again, they were with their friends). I spent literally the entire day surrounded by kids. And...it was AWESOME!!!!!!! Every where I went my name was being yelled and I had kids asking me to play with them. I spent almost 3 hours in the pool alone playing basketball, letting them carry me around, flipping kids, and just basically giving attention to any kid that wanted it (which were a lot!). K, an absolutely adorable 3 year old that I can't get enough of, was even refusing to get in the water until I came to play with him!

I think I had one conversation with adults, and I did spend some time with some teens, but every other minute was spent running all over the place with a kid...or 2...or 10. One of my friends sent me this facebook message after the picnic, "I didn't get a chance to say hi- you dashing across fields from one play ground to another." Haha, whoops! Did I mention that I LOVED it?? Cause I really really did! It was the best church picnic I've ever been to.

It never once occurred to me that it might be weird to some people that I would want to hang out with kids all day. Near the end of the picnic we usually have fun kids games...water balloon toss, sack race, etc. My friend J decided at that time that he wanted to start a volleyball game (I LOVE to play volleyball!!). He asked if I wanted to play and I of course said yes, but only after the kids games. They are WAY too much fun to miss! Anyway, the kids games ended up lasting until the end of the picnic (they were started after dinner), so I missed the entire volleyball game. As we were leaving, J mentioned something to me about missing the game and I replied that I was having way too much fun with the kids. He looked at me kinda funny and said "whatever" (not in a mean way at all) and that's when it hit me. He genuinely did not understand why in the world I would rather watch kids throw water balloons than play a really fun game of volleyball with adults. At the same time, I couldn't understand why anyone would start a volleyball game when all the really fun stuff was going on!

Thankfully, J and I are good enough friends that we can just accept our differences and still be friends, but it was really eye opening to me. It was one of the few times that I have really been able to see, and start to grasp, what God has called me to. Obviously, I really like kids and love working with them, but I never really thought that my love for kids was any different that anyone else's. At the picnic, I finally saw (better late than never, right?) that God has given me an incredible love for them that could NEVER come from me. He has given me a unique heart for the kids in my neighborhood; one that leads me to want to see them all the time, miss them when I don't see them, pray for them regularly, want to act silly so I can make them smile, want to see them know God in amazing ways...want to give everything I can just so they can know just how much their heavenly Father adores them.

And I know I'm not the only one with a unique, God-given heart for things. J has a passion for adults and while I could go the entire picnic without talking to any, he spent the entire time trying to talk to everyone. F has a passion for people struggling with addiction and while I wouldn't even begin to know what to say or so to help someone, his phone rings off the hook with people wanting to talk to him and get help from him. I know so many people that are so passionate about things that I just don't understand. I just didn't realize I was one of those people.

Its been 2 years since Carisa stepped down from Kids Club, yet Saturday was the first time I really started think that maybe I'm actually called to this role, not just a fill in because Carisa was needed somewhere else. Just maybe...

Okay, in a completely different note, God's Girls starts tomorrow! I am going to post about that tomorrow, but I would appreciate some extra prayer this week. God's Girls is traditionally the hardest week of the year for me as satan usually comes after me at full force. I teach the girls about their beauty in Christ as well as God's plan for their lives as the pure and spotless bride of Christ. The enemy doesn't want them to hear that and bombards me with lies that are, at times, extremely difficult to fight. I am one of, if not the only example of a woman who is waiting for the man God has for her (i.e. a virgin, and someone who doesn't date around) that any of these girls know...and the enemy knows exactly how to get me to doubt myself and even doubt God. I get beat up pretty bad, spiritually, every year (especially when we talk about our future husbands). Again, I will post more later, but I would appreciate your prayers this week!!

I would also really appreciate some extra prayer for Linda and Bonita as there is a lot of pressure on them too. They are former God's Girls and current Ms. Trish's goddaughters who live with her, and everyone knows it (they are also Kids Club leaders, so all of the incoming God's Girls know them well, and know their relationship with me). A lot of younger girls are paying a lot of attention to their every move, which is a lot of pressure, though they are handling it all extremely well so far. Still, I know the enemy is after them as well, so please help me surround them and fight for them!!

READING ROCKS!!!

I can't believe that this is basically my only Reading Rocks post of the summer. Not only has Reading Rocks consumed a lot of my time this summer, it has also been one of my absolute favorite parts of the summer. I am SO sad its over!!

We had over 70 kids participate this summer, and about 55 of them earned enough points to be invited to the party...and we had about 45 or so actually come to the party. It was so much fun!!

We started the party with the kids getting some yummy food and watching a slide show Carisa made of them throughout the summer. They really like to see themselves. :)

After we ate, we all went into the awards room where each kid received a certificate of achievement for participating and it had their overall points total. It was really exciting because this was the first year that the overall points winner wasn't a staff kid! We also handed out special fruit of the spirit awards to 6 special kids that consistently showed the fruit of the spirit throughout the summer. That was a really fun addition this year!

After receiving their awards the kids are called one by one (in order of points earned), to pick out a brand new backpack! Thanks to Shannon's amazingness there were over 80 backpacks for them to choose from!

After getting their backpack they get a bag full of school supplies, a pack of new socks and a pack of new underwear. When I say FULL of school supplies, I am not exaggerating. Each kid received: 1 binder, 1 pack of loose leaf paper, 2 spiral bound notebooks, 5 folders, 2 packs of pencils, 1 pack of colored pencils, 1 pack thin tip markers, 1 pack broad tip markers, 1 pencil sharpener, 1 white glue, 2 glue sticks, 1 ruler, 1 pack of pencil top erasers, 2 pink erasers, 1 pair of scissors, and 1 pack of index cards! They are all ready for school!!

The final part of the party is to take a group picture, and then the kids head home.

Overall, the party was an amazing success. It was exciting for me this year (and kinda sad) because I didn't have any kids participating in Reading Rocks, but both Linda and Bonita were AMAZING helpers...at the party and all summer. I continue to be so impressed with their love for kids and their willingness to serve.


Shannon did an INCREDIBLE job getting all the backpacks and supplies together, and Carisa literally took care of everything else. What did I do? Well, I was in charge of the dancing. :)

Looks like I'm going to have to try and work a little harder on my job next year, haha.

It was SO much fun to see all the kids run and show off their new things to their parents, and to see the excitement on the parents faces as well. So many of them were so proud of their kids' hard work, and so excited to have help getting their kids the things they need for school.

I especially want to thank SO many of you who continue to support me and these kids. Don't these faces just make EVERYTHING worth it??

(My Bella!!)

SO MUCH!!

There is so much going on right now, I think my head might explode. Its all stuff that I really want to share too, but I can't do it all at once, that would be overwhelming for me and for you! This is the last week of clubs for the summer and things should be winding down, but they aren't. There is still so much going on! Just this week I am starting the process of selling my house, going to NY for the day tomorrow (the girls have never been!), helping with the Reading Rocks party on Wednesday (which I have talked so little about all summer, yet has been a huge part of my summer!), our annual church picnic on Saturday and preparing for God's Girls, which will start next week (usually the hardest week of the year for me). The week after that we will be taking the teens to a camp in New York for a week (last minute invite!), then the Cornerstone Block Party and then our staff retreat! Oh, and I have to get the girls ready to start Cyber School. AHHH!!! I'm trying not to freak out, but that is clearly not working, haha. (I'm also training for a half marathon, cause I have so much free time).

Oh, and as of Sept. 1 I am the only AIM person working in Philly. We still haven't figured out exactly what that means...

Okay, I've already overwhelmed myself, haha. The cool thing is that God is most definitely doing some really exciting things right now.

I guess I will start with all the house stuff. I got a wonderful response from the people that I asked to pray about me moving and everything seems to be pointing in the direction of trying to get this other house. I felt a real peace about it (and still do, despite the stress), until last night. I started to question everything... and then my neighbors started their party, for the 3rd night in a row. I was almost at a breaking point, and I really feel like it was God reminding me of what He has already said. As I picked up the phone to call the cops for the 4th time in 3 days, I felt God tell me that He was taking me to a place of peace.

So, I decided to start taking steps toward selling my house. I talked to several realtors today and am now seeking wisdom as to who to go with. One seems much more professional, but they don't sell as many houses in our neighborhood as the other realtor. I will be meeting with both this week and I'm praying that God will make the decision very clear to me.

I also met with the couple who are going to sell me their house and we went over to look at the house I am hoping to buy...mainly to make sure I remembered it the way I thought I did and to make sure it was really what I wanted. As we walked through the house, it already started to feel like home. The bedroom for the girls is twice the size of the one they are in now. The living room is twice the size of my current one, which means I can move my "office" out of my bedroom and into the living room, something I have wanted for years.

The other 2 bedrooms, mine and Ashley's, are perfect size for us as well and we will easily fit into the house. The kitchen definitely needs work, but it is totally functional as it is, so things can be fixed whenever the money/time is there. And, my dad will be VERY excited to know that the security system is totally state of the art and covers literally every inch of the house.

The block is so quiet!! As I stood on the front steps, looking at the elementary school across the street I was overwhelmed with joy thinking about inviting kids to stop by on their way home after school. I got so excited thinking about waving to them on their way to school in the mornings, getting the chance to pray for them every day. I already know probably close to 100 kids that go to that school, which means there are hundreds more to meet!! I can't just walk in the school and introduce myself, but I can hang out on my steps and start to build relationships that way! I'm so excited!!

Of course, all the details that surround selling a house and buying another one are extremely overwhelming to me. I do have several really great friends that are helping me and I am just praying that the Lord will really give me discernment as I make decisions. These are really big decisions!

I need the house to sell for a certain amount in order to afford the new house, and with the market the way that it is, its going to have to be the Lord that makes it happen. And I have to be totally honest, I am having a really hard time trusting. Its doesn't make sense at all, but I am. When I bought my current house I actually had a supporter write me a very substantial check to cover everything, and I never asked for that. If God can do THAT, why can't I trust Him to provide the money I need this time??

I guess there is a part of me that is just questioning myself. Am I really hearing the Lord right? And the question I always wrestle with: Is He really THAT good?? I can't believe that I still ask myself that question, He consistently shows me that He is always BETTER than I think, but I still struggle. A lot.

So, basically I'm taking baby steps of faith and trying really hard to focus on Him and not the GIANT waves coming all around me. I'm not doing so great at it, but I continue to walk forward, knowing that His hand is always there for me to grab as I start to sink. I am learning a lot right now, that is for sure.

Things continue to be very up and down with the girls, but I am more confirmed than ever in the decision to have them stay with me. I can see the battle that is raging for their hearts, and I am fighting hard for them...and of course, making countless mistakes along the way, and then watching God redeem them for His glory. Its still a struggle to not have a say in everything (they both recently got piercings that I would never have approved of, but I'm not their mom...), but that, like everything else right now, is a learning process. Overall we are having a lot of fun together...and we are all growing a lot. I'm excited and nervous to see what this school year will bring. Both girls see it as a fresh start for them, and I am really praying that it will be!!

Okay, that's about all I can update for now. Don't worry though, there will be plenty more to come. I'm excited to take the girls to NY for the first time. I'm going to try and sneakily make it as educational as possible as we go to Ellis Island, Ground Zero, and possibly to see a Broadway show. We'll see if they can survive all the walking. :)

Prayer and Wisdom Needed

I recently sent an email out to many of my friends and family asking for prayer and wisdom about an opportunity that has come up for me. I realized a few days after I sent the email that I have several wise friends in the blogging world, so I decided to post the email here and get more people praying!

As many of you know, I own my house here in Philly and over the years have put a lot of work into it. In fact, many of you have been a huge part of that work, whether through hands on labor, financial support and/or prayer support and encouragement. I LOVE my house!

Unfortunately, there are 2 big problems with my house. First, the block it is located on is less than desirable for me. Many of you have heard my stories of countless all night parties, loud music during the day, drunken fights and even shootings. While I understand that many of these things are common in my neighborhood, it seems to all be magnified on my block. There are a few kids on my block, but none that I have been able to develop any relationships with, and none whose parents will allow them to come to Kids Club. My desire and passion is for the kids in this neighborhood, and I would love to see my house become a welcome place for kids in the neighborhood.

Another problem is that my house has only 2 bedrooms. This was perfect when I was living alone, or even had a roommate. However, Bonita and Linda have now been living with me for over 5 months and this seems to be a permanent arrangement. They are currently sharing a room that honestly is barely big enough for one person, much less 2 teenage girls who are VERY different from one another. :) I also have a friend, Ashley, who is staying with us for an indefinite amount of time (she is sleeping in the basement currently). She can help me pay the bills (which is a HUGE blessing now that most of my bills have more than doubled with the girls staying with me...and I don't get any financial assistance from their mom nor have I gotten a raise recently, haha), and we all love having her around so we would love to have her live with us for as long as she would like.

My parents recently came to visit me and the realities of how difficult it is for me to live on this block really came to light. I rarely get to sleep through the night because of the loud parties (I call the cops at least once a week), and I had to have the girls stay with their mom while my parents were here because there just wasn't enough room in the house for everyone.. In the 4 days that my parents were here I had to call the cops twice because of drunken fights happening in the street. (My parents were here for the 4th of July, so that made things a little crazier than usual, but only a little).

While my parents and I had a GREAT visit, my dad asked me to seriously consider/pray about moving. Not out of Philly or even Kensington, just away from my block. He was able to see something I couldn't; how worn down I am physically and emotionally from not having a sanctuary in the midst of the chaos. It was very eye opening to me.

I told him I would pray, but I honestly didn't see any solution. I don't make a ton of money, and the idea of finding a decent house at a decent price that didn't need a lot of work (I'm way too tired to start from scratch again with a house!!) didn't seem possible. In fact, as I started looking around, I became more convinced that I wouldn't find anything. The only houses in my price range were shells in need of full rehab. The cheapest "move in" condition house I could find within 5 miles of my church was over $100,000 (ahhh living in the city!).

Then, out of nowhere, an opportunity came. There is a family in my church here in Philly that recently moved into a new house and are looking to sell their old one. It is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house on a MUCH quieter block (although its only 2 blocks from my current house). Each bedroom is big enough that the girls can still share a room but actually have space of their own, and Ashley could stay living with us, and continue to help with the bills. If and when Ashley ever decided to move, the girls could then have their own rooms.

The house also has about 200 more sq. feet than my current house, giving us all more space in general. Plus, the basement could eventually be finished as well. The house actually on the same block as several members of the church as well as many Kids Club kids. It does need some work done (like a new kitchen, haha. At least I've already done that once!), but its all cosmetic. The electric, plumbing, structure, etc. are all great. Oh, and it is right across the street from Willard Elementary school, where almost all of my Kids Club kids attend. I LOVE the idea of seeing the kids every day as they go to and from school and all the opportunities that will open up to meet new kids. All of this, and, they are willing to sell it to me for a very reasonable price....which is incredible.

PLEASE know that I am not writing this asking for any financial support. I simply need prayer and wisdom as to whether or not this move is from the Lord.

I would HAVE to sell my house, and at a decent price, in order to afford this new one, and the idea of having to do that terrifies me (I don't know anyone looking to buy a house currently). Plus, I would have to qualify for a mortgage (again, I don't make much money, haha). I KNOW that God can take care of all of these things, but all of these things really stress me out and cause me to doubt. I want to make sure this is from Him, otherwise, I will move forward and fall flat on my face!

So, I am asking you to pray with me and share any wisdom the Lord may give you. I don't have any kind of timeline, right now I am just seeking and listening...and I'm asking you to help me in that..

I can't even begin to express to you what a joy it is to have the support and encouragement that each of you have provided. I can't say enough how lost (and NOT in Philly) I would be without the amazing support team that God has provided in you.

I will keep you updated, and PLEASE share with me anything on your heart!!

Thank you all so much!