"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

and by LOVE HE means????

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

It really is that simple... and that complicated 

that easy and that hard! 

“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Im so very proud
I struggle to see the person behind the bad behavior.

When we make our relationship with Jesus about....

 what close we wear

how we worship

that we don't drink

that we go to mass every day

how we find a spouse 

how many children we have

whether we use birth control or not

tattoos or no tattoos

etc...

WE MAKE IT ABOUT SO MUCH LESS THAN IT IS.
and so much more then it is.

RELATIONSHIP
WITH
JESUS

and our relationship with Holy Spirit.
this is how we will be led
and he will lead us all onto different paths!
there is nothing wrong with that!
 as long as Jesus is on that path.

OUR INSISTING ON OUR OWN WAY 
IS KILLING THE CHURCH

God is the God of TRUTH

 the truth is

we live in a fallen, hurting world that needs the kind of healing that only JESUS can give...

and yet the hurting often find even more hurt and rejection when they enter the walls of our churches.
 we may  be the only Jesus our neighbors and co-workers ever see we are the CHURCH!

every where we go we SHOULD be loving the hurting

ARE WE?

An open letter to my young mom friends

A letter to all my young mom friends

So I'm going to let you in on a little secret, its something that slapped me across the face when Luke was around 15....your brand of Christianity is just that, a brand! It is not the one and only way, the things that your denomination touted as "sins" are in fact NOT sin and your children are going to call you out on it, I promise!

So what is a good, tea drinkin, one piece bathing suit wearing, Gaither listenin, homeschoolin mama supposed to do!

Well, here is what I have learned in the past 7 years,

 you listen, 

you are brutally honest (with yourself)

 you admit that perhaps your way is not the only way and you 

FOCUS ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS over your commitment to a "brand" 

Your child is going to ask questions that you are still asking yourself, you are going to have to explore those in an honest way,  if you don't They are going to push back. You can not  put a set of rules where Jesus puts a relationship.

I understand that this is terrifying, it is HARD, it brings up past sin and regret in your life that you would do anything to undo and would do even more to protect your kids from. When they start pushing those buttons we go berserk, stark raving mad, white hot unable to see strait, defend our way until we die in order to protect you mode.....it does not work.

This is what DOES work

(no promises here, just what has been true in my life)

give grace, breath, listen to hard questions, admit that you do not have all the answers, 

spend HOURS in prayer and have an honest/raw/real relationship with your kids!

We live in a culture that does not take rules for rules sake well.

They HATE hypocrisy, they crave community, they are starving for authentic Relationships.

 pat answers and made up rules will turn them off to Jesus faster then you can say amen.

So please, I am begging you, for the love of Jesus

before you have one more conversation with your child about hem lines, bathing suits, or music choice, 

have a conversation about how much Jesus loves them (belly piercing and all)

Tell them how crazy you are about them, (and their new tattoo)

invite their new friend who is gay into your home

serve the poor in your community together

invite an international student over for a visit

take care of that cranky neighbor together

Be Silly

Hold them after they have done something stupid, before you punish them.

raising teenagers is the best faith building tool in the business, they will challenge you in ways you never thought possible, they will open your eyes to a world you didn't even know existed, they will keep you on your knees, and if you let them they may even help you

walk in grace, truth and peace as you never have before.

and then one day a child may go out to be Jesus to a bunch of kindergartners in a public school, and you will hit your knees in humble gratitude that you did not insist that your children follow your brand of Christianity, but that you let them love Jesus in their own way.

YOU can make a difference #bethechange #starfishstories

#BETHECHANGE

you want to see in the world

I have been wondering lately, 

does it really matter?

Does it matter if I make dinner tonight, does it matter if the laundry is clean and the kids are picked up from school and the oil is changed in the car? 

did it matter that I listened as someone told me of their broken heart?

Does any of it really make a difference at all?

I KNOW that it does!

so why do I FEEL like it does not.

How many times have you went out of your way to be kind?

how many messes have you cleaned that were not yours?

how many meals have you cooked and not been thanked for?

how many nights have you not slept for the love of another?

HOW MANY DAYS DO YOU FEEL INVISIBLE AND UNREMARKABLE?

TO MANY TO COUNT?

ME TOO.

So here is what I want to do, I want you to remember that what you do DOES matter!

because when we see the needs around us and do our best to meet those needs...

we are saving starfish...we are changing the world for that ONE!

I WANT STORIES! LOTS OF THEM!

think about a time when you changed the world for one and tell us about it.

little things mean a LOT and I want to encourage as many people that I can to do the little things. I  think when we hear stories, and by sharing our stories we are reminded and encouraged to go out there and do the same.

SOOOOO

on my fb page share your stories of how YOU changed someones life just by SEEING a need, small or large. I want to know how you have seen God work in your lives. OR share how someone doing something little for you made all the difference and tag them in the post. chances are they didn't even know it was that important.

lets ENCOURAGE each other to

HAVE COURAGE AND BE KIND!

I'll go first :-)

there is a woman at Costco that signs people up for the credit card, her name is Song. Every time I walk in the door she gives me a huge smile and asks about the kids and tells me what a wonderful mommy I am. I LOVE going to Costco because of Song...she will never know how much she brightens my day and gives me the courage to keep on keeping on.

One story that I am always humbled by is the story of Peggy. She was Ellies 4th grade teacher. She was the best teacher I had ever seen. She knew how to get the best out of her students, she was kind, soft spoken and amazing....and very angry with God. I saw so much of Jesus in her that I wanted more then anything to share HIS love with her. I went into the classroom almost every morning for 5 min. and gave kids hugs as they entered the room. 5 min. that is all. I always tried to encourage her and tell her how wonderful she was and I gave her a gift and the end of the year with a card that told her that I felt she was a gift from God that year with the book the giving tree......and then life went on.

6 years later

 she has found Jesus love and is on fire for HIM. she sent me a picture of the card and book that I had given her 5 years earlier and shared that I was the start of a long journey that helped her find HIM, that she saw something in me that she wanted. The Holy Spirit :-)

I share this story not to brag but to let you see that 5 min. a day....that simply being kind can change a life! YOU can change a life!

SO GO FOR IT!  I CANT WAIT TO HEAR YOUR STORIES!

#starfishstories

here are some links to encouraging blogs 

a special needs/adoptive mommy and her amazing story

http://feet2ourfaith.blogspot.com/

pulling the thread

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=849772985036663

own your life

http://sallyclarkson.com/ownyourlife/

Winter retreat 2015/thank you alumni!

This was such a powerful retreat. The worship was so simple and spirit filed. I heard great things about all the workshops. It was a very relationship building time, with each other and with Jesus.
The students were so honored that so many alumni wanted to help them go. It is so hard to believe that it's been over 20 years since our fun times at Lake James and that many of us have children older than we were when we where in ACT!
It was such a wonderful time and all our lives that we desire that for the students now what a testimony to the power of God.
I am so grateful to have the privilege of living beside so many college students that really desire to grow in the Lord, thank you for being a part of this ministry.

Gods plan, not mine

I PLANED to spend the day all by myself sitting in front of this window with my Jesus...talking to Him about the students in ACT, English Corner, my parenting class and for the future of ACT, the direction God wants us to take and my part in that plan. It was a very Nobel plan, 

prayer is wonderful and powerful and always beneficial.

BUT I fear God had a different plan.

It started with a teacher at the school that needed a little help..minus one hour,

 I started to pray and read at 9:10, things went well until 9:50...

enter student who needed something and wanted to visit, I love her, i was glad to visit, we talked about how she could not afford to go to retreat and how many others where in the same boat,  so I sent out a plea on facebook

BEFORE THE END OF THE DAY 8 STUDENTS HAD SCHOLARSHIPS!!!!

many of these girls will now be going on retreat!

 I was just reading how sometimes God is in the interruptions

I HAVE SEEN TODAY THAT THAT IS TRUE!

3 of my favorite "interruptions"

10;20 son needs help with banking issue
10;40 daughter called needing help with taxes and student asks for a ride to counseling later...
11;00 son comes to see if I could help with banking issue, I ended up feeding him
11;20 daughter and friend stop by so I can help with taxes.....a joke in itself!!!

I ended up feeding 4 hungry college students and a somewhat taken by surprise husband (we were going to have a nice quiet lunch)

sent notes to all the amazing alumni who are underwriting retreat
2;00 me and God again
3;00 on my way to school to pick up 4 kids (one extra, no we did not adopt another one:-)

soooooooo all day turned into two hours asking God to direct my path, asking HIM what HE wants me to do....I think I have my answer,

 BE AVAILABLE, 

Don't get me wrong, unplugging from this world and spending time with Jesus is essential,but that was not HIS plan for me today, and I'm OK with that :-)

God is so Amazing

GOD IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!

Before I share with you all God has done in the last 6 months I wanted you to see just WHO God chose to use! A big haired, strange little girl who posed with a rabbit for her senior pictures!

If you get NOTHING out of this please get that GOD can and will use ANY willing vessel! 

I am obviously living proof of this fact!

This is the graduation of an international student named Boming. This young man has been a great friend to my son Luke. I have the honor of calling him son and He calls me mom. We got spend time with his father over break. As a young man from a country that rejects God he has seen the love of God in many different people and has chosen to follow Him.

picture removed for privacy

This sweet and beautiful young lady calls me mom. She has been in my English Corner for over a year and we have become very close. She and an ACT student named Mariah have become great friends and often after EC on Wednesdays they will both come to my home to hang out. Ghadeer has stayed for my Bible study and has heard the word of God simply because she likes to be in a "home"

This is a picture of a bake sale at The American English School for women and children. I have had the privilege to help with some classes here and this year I am teaching a parenting class. One of the ACT students helps care for the children in this program. It is amazing to see women from ALL OVER THE WORLD become close friends as they learn together.

Isn't it just like God to prepared me for this work by letting me adopt an older child and teaching her English! 

Wish I could put a picture here, but it could put her in danger...

Fatima has become like a daughter to me. she calls me momi and I call her Habibi (dear one in arabic) I can't share all I would like to but PLEASE pray for dear Fatima, her heart is drawn to the one we love.

beautiful picture here

An international student from UT befriended Emma this last year. She moved away and gave Emma a TON of clothes. Emma was able to pick out many gifts for her sisters out of the things. It was one way that God has shown our family how HE wants to take care of us...

A family from China came to the US for 4 months so that the mother could be a visiting scholar at UT. I was put in contact with them because they have 2 children around my children's age. I was able to spend many hours with them as I took them to the Inner City Church TNC on a missions trip. They were also able to go to Emmanuel for 3 weeks. They had MANY chances to hear the gospel while they were here, I gave the mom a copy of Jesus Calling as a gift and pray that HE will do just that, call her to Himself!                                     

Jennifer is in the blue shirt next to Ellie. (2nd in on left front row)

This young lady has had a life that most movies would not show. She has survived horrible abuse and through the help of ACT has found a family that loves her. We have adopted her as our own and have spent 3 years helping her heal. She spent 7 months at a wonderful treatment center and is now continuing on her journey of healing. without ACT she would not have a home!

 THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO TO SUPPORT ACT! YOU are making an amazing difference.

believe it or not I could go on, there are many other stories like these from this year, I will do my best to share more over the coming months.

Ferrell Christmas letter

Ferrell Christmas letter 2014

Our family is growing up so fast! having two adult children out of the house has been a HUGE adjustment for us all. We live for the few times we are all together under the same roof. I am more than busy being a mom as well as holding an English Corner with international Women at UT and leading a Women's Bible study for ACT. I am also teaching at The American Language School for Women and Children once a week.Paul has seen a ton of changes at work this year and is doing his best to keep up! Most days are very stressful for him but he continues to work hard everyday. On top of work he finds energy to come home and help the girls with homework every night!

 Emma loves gymnastics and would take it every night if we could afford it! She is a ball of energy and keeps us all on our toes! She loves little house on the prairie and Nancy Drew books. She's in the fifth grade and works hard at school, Her favorite subject is math. She loves to laugh and her positive attitude is contagious. 

Lily is quickly becoming a young lady. She has figured out how to do almost everything independently and is doing very well in school. She love to talk to her friends and read the 39 clues books. She is always the first to jump up when I ask for help. We are continually amazed at how well she has adjusted to life as a Ferrell.

Ellie loves people, she makes everyone feel like they are special when they are with her and gives %100 to everything she does. She was elected homecoming attendant for her class as well as vice president. We are so proud of the young women she is growing into. She loves Jesus and it shows. Her favorite thing this year was Brothers Keeper, a mission trip that both her and Abby were a part of this summer.

Abby is in her 2nd year at UT for Early Childhood Education. She is sharing an apartment with 3 other girls and working 2 nanny jobs and a cleaning job- to say she is busy is an understatement. She is also helping with the youth group at Church 3 twenty-one. She is hoping to go to Africa this summer to help with a school/orphange there called Edens Childrens home. (1000 miles from ebola)

Luke lives in a house with 5 other guys, I try to not go over there very often:-) He is in his last year at UT for Early Childhood Education. He will graduate a year from now after his student teaching. He teaches Karate at night and I am continually amazed by all the parents who stop me to tell me how much they appreciate him. We are looking forward to seeing how God is going to use him in a classroom in the coming years!

Flexibility has been the word for this year. Learning how to have a good relationship with adult children, how to balance a job outside the home with being a mom, changing roles at work for Paul and many other things have made this year a year of growth for us all. I'm sure your family can say the same. I am so thankful for a God that is always there for us, patient with us and willing to give us the strength that we need for every new challenge! May God bless you this year with HIS grace, love, peace and strength!

Love the Ferrells     

we have made many new friends from many places this year, here are just a few.

our amazing photographer Mahdi :-)