Call2All Kansas City Congress!

What a week it has been! Awesome, provoking, tiring, busy and envisioning....all in one!

Tuesday was set up day, getting the FCF building ready for the Congress, getting the volunteers orientated and the beginning of airport runs! Shane was one of the core leaders and his job was taking care of and transporting the speakers wherever they needed to go. Since that job started early, continued over meals and went late, Shane worked super hard this week and needless to say, I haven't had my husband home for supper since last Monday. Thankfully, the Lord provided a lot of grace and I'm grateful it is just for a short time!

Shane briefing his guys

Clearing chairs and setting up the round tables

Volunteer name tags

Getting prepared with volunteers

Setting up the 4K map!

Shane did amazing, as I knew he would. He is an incredible worker and works with all his heart, giving it his all. He is incredibly faithful, hardworking and has a high level of integrity. He works with a cheerful heart and doesn't complain. He is humble, doesn't care about position or title in the least bit and serves as much as he can. He is a true leader and I am so proud of him. It was awesome that others got to see his incredible heart and giftings in action this week =) I enjoyed hearing from some of the guys Shane got to work with about how they enjoyed working with him and the great qualities they appreciated. I did say thank you but my most common response was "I know." =) Shane is awesome =)

Noah and I did really well too! Our jobs were more behind the scenes but it matters just the same! I was on full time parenting mode and managed to attend a bunch of the Congress, care for my kiddo and keep the home functioning well. Noah and I enjoyed being present at the Congress as much as we could and it was so special for me to bring my son to such significant events. Noah and I spent a few hours each morning at the Congress and went home for the afternoons/nap time. In the evenings, I had the pleasure of getting to go to the Congress on my own! After Noah was asleep, I shut the blinds, turned off the lights, locked the door and gave the monitor to my lovely neighbor, Debbie! Thankfully, he didn't make a peep all 4 evenings that she had the monitor!

My cutie and I!

I love his face here =) Something out the window had his attention!

The Congress was all day Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The Saturday session ended at 12:30pm, then clean up all afternoon and a volunteer thank you supper at 4pm. What a packed few days! Today (Sunday) Shane thought he had more airport runs to do but they found other ways to get there! Yay for us! He still has more runs this week so it's not over yet.

With Debbie and swinging a necklace at the volunteer thank you supper!

There is lots I could say and I'm not sure what exactly to share! God is doing big things in our world today. He is really gearing up for the return of His Son. The Great Commission was His command over 2000 years ago and we are so close to seeing it fulfilled! What an incredible time to be living in!

"And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe; In My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues, they will take up serpents and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them, they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover"." Mark 16:16-18

"And Jesus came and spoke to them saying "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age"." Matthew 28:18-20

I don't have any pictures of my own from the Congress because they were prohibited for the safety of some of our delegates from nations where persecution is high. I hope to get my hands on some of the pictures that were taken by those with permission. There is one in particular with 3 of us with different colored babies (Caucasian, Korean and African) on the 4K map on the morning where we spent praying over the globe. What a powerful experience and Noah got to be a part of it too =)

The Lord spoke to my heart tenderly that He cares for me and knows my role as a mother in the midst of what He is calling us to. There are so many things in the natural that make me want to quit some days....the challenges of community living, the fear of lack/finances, what this lifestyle requires from us as a family and simply the mommy things that sometimes consume my thoughts like sleep. God knows. He knows I'm a mom and He made a way for us to be called out in this way at this specific time....with a young baby. He knows the things that are important to me. He knows the worries that I have and the things that make me anxious. He knows our needs and has a way to provide for them. John Dawson (a leader in YWAM) had a prophetic word for us all one morning and a he spoke to the young moms for a moment, which spoke to my heart. He also mentioned a verse that my friend, Shauna has often emailed me. "He tends His flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads those who have young" Isaiah 40:11

Some general highlights this week:
- Skyping with Sarah (one of our students) in Brazil!
- Another visit to the Malachi 4:6 prayer room with Noah and our friends Yurie and Vera!
- Getting out 4 evenings in a row!
- Having a conversation with Loren Cunningham!
- Noah tasted a bunch of new things this week....cantaloupe, McD's fries (thanks to daddy), a snack with pomegranate and beets, chips, hamburger and ham! He also drank 2 oz of water from the sippy cup on Thursday so our practice is paying off!
- The one time I made it to the prayer room, Steph, Noah and I got to go to the prophecy rooms spontaneously! So good!
- Some good naps!
- Another Call2All DTS in Kona reunion! One of the students that Shane and I went to South Africa with came and visited for the Congress! The Barnes, The Farrows and Cam got to have a BBQ together in KC!
- We've had some breakthrough in the night time....but I'm going to post separately on that!

Low lights of the week:
- Noah has been cranky at times and we're definitely having to be consistent on the things we say no to (mainly electrical cords). He tends to have some crankiness when we take something away from him or remove him from something he's not supposed to be doing. This week I put him in his crib for his first time out for being cranky and disobeying =)
- I thought we had a break from teething since the 4th tooth is finally here. Nope! Noah has been biting everything, including me! And I have marks to prove it! I see two white lines on his upper gums and it looks like #4 and #5 are in progress.
- Some frustrating naps =(

Praise reports from this last week:
- The Congress went really well! Noah and I got to go lots and there was grace for our family!
- Since everyone was so busy with the Congress, the volume above us was good this week and I'm grateful for that!
- Shane was the only staff member that got to drive a rental vehicle because of his specific job. I'm sooo thankful because otherwise he would have had to use our van and it would have left me vehicle-less all week. But, I got to come and go as much as I could! So grateful for wheels!

Prayer requests for this coming week:
- Rest and quality time for our family
- Continued blessing on our journey in the night/that we would all sleep through the night
- Monthly partners who want to partner with us as November and the end of my maternity leave draw closer/wisdom from the Holy Spirit for partnership development

You can see his teeth on the top pretty good here! Playing with an empty jug of sweet tea!

The usual mess in the bathroom that Noah leaves behind =)

His favorite place to play! In the laundry basket!

What an awesome week!