When You're In The Lions' Den...

I don't know about you, but there are days when I feel like I've been thrown to the lions.

In the middle of transition, as we are packing up our lives for four years, saying goodbye to all the people we love, getting up with a baby countless times a night... these days can feel dark, and dangerous.

He has called us here.  And so I don't want to run away- I want all He has for me here, in this day.  But the enemy... he prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour... and I feel his hot breath on my neck.

Thankfully, God knows how to deal with lions!  And He is teaching me what to do in the midst of the lions' den.  He wants me to fix my eyes on Him, and not dwell on the lions circling.  He can seal the lips of lions.  And He can deliver me.

Here are five things to focus on when you feel like you're in the lions' den {from Daniel 6:26-27}

1. He is the living God and steadfast forever
2. His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed.
3. His dominion shall endure to the end.
4. He delivers and rescues.
5. He works signs and wonders in heaven and earth!

Whatever your lions' den may be today, He is with you and will rescue you!  

Leave a comment and share how you survive the lions' den!

Simplicity Links

Apparently everyone wants in on the simplicity train this Christmas... here are some great links for you this week! 

• Simplify the Holidays.  Great resource!
• Keep Christmas Simple!  from Tsh at Art of Simple.
• Simple Advent.  from Joy at Grace Full Mama
• Picture Perfect, and the Struggle... from  Lemonade Makin' Mama
• 5 Gifts No Child Should be Without.  Simple Gifts Ideas.  from Steady Mom

Friday Five: Ways Delanco Camp Prepared Me...

Delanco Camp Permanent Staff 1998

This post has been percolating in my mind for months now... having grown up at camp... and now having lived on the mission field- I can testify to how the Lord used Delanco Camp to get me ready for the calling He had in store for me!

On summer staff, we worked for 10 weeks of the summer doing various jobs from kitchen staff to horse wrangler and everything in between.   We had to learn how to handle conflict with those you not only work with, but live with!  And so, here is the list of things I learned at Delanco Camp that help me be a better missionary!

1. How to not only survive, but serve joyfully on little privacy and less sleep. 
2. How to keep a smile on my face even while I am being eaten alive by mosquitoes!
3. How to make and serve food for 100+ people (yes, in Uganda we had house guests 40% of our first term, and that doesn't include the various meals we served to visitors and students). 
4. How to flush/unclog any style of toilet.
5. The necessity of quiet time with the Lord, even when you have to give up a nap to make that happen. 

Did you ever work on staff at a summer camp?  What lessons did you learn that you still use in your daily life??  Will you pray for us as we serve at Cherry Run Camp Meeting this week, and Portsmouth Camp Meeting next week?

Five Things to do with Grammy and Poppy!

The Nile River

Josh's parents arrived LATE Thursday night!  We are so happy to have them here with us for two weeks!  It is such a gift to share this place we love with people we love! 

The boys have a list of things Grammy and Poppy must see:

1. Cafe Roma- our favorite pizza place!  Check!  Judah's birthday party was there last night- such a blast!  
2. Freedom City Mall- we attempted to visit on Wednesday but got rained out.  It is top on the boys' list of things to do- and Grammy and Poppy just happen to be here!
3. The Nile River
4. Go on a walk with Siddeley, our dog, and find the monkeys
5. Our school!

Friday Five: Ways We Recharge

So, after a week of doing life with all our favorite people in Uganda we needed a break.  Don't get me wrong- 3 families on the same compound, with various meetings, dinners and a birthday party was a blast- but after 9 children living here for a week I am tired.

What do you do when you need to recharge?  Here is what I do {in no particular order}:
 

1.  sleep. a couple times the first day apparently.  {took two mini naps and then went to bed early, to be exact}.  I could blame it on the fact that I am getting a cold... or it could just be all the serious face-time I had with many awesome people.
2. take a break from blogging.  ok, this wasn't in the plans.  it simply happened and it just might have saved my sanity.
3. eat delicious food.  like these Black Beans and Rice.  The mangoes and avocado are NOT optional. They seal the deal. 
4. do absolutely no baking {for at least a day}. Ok, so baking is a comfort thing for me.  Not only do I love eating tasty things right from the oven... but the process of creating renews me.  But after ALL THE BAKING I did last weekend, even I needed a break. 
5. sit in my new comfy chair. period.  sit there without anyone needing me.  perhaps devour an entire book in one sitting.  and maybe it was a Christmas novel {that is only $1.99 today}.  but just curl up and do whatever it is that makes me happy. 

And our boys, they needed to recharge too- what did they need?  Face-time with their Dad.  They needed to enjoy his undivided attention and check out the cool new gifts Caleb got for his birthday.

How do you recharge?

Friday Five: Blessings of Hospitality

little missionary kids gathered around our table

Yes, hospitality is a lot of work.  Yes, it can get expensive.  Yes, it wears you out.  But with hospitality come many blessings!  We know, we've tested this theory!  No matter how much you give, you cannot out-give God!  He takes care of those who care for others. 

Our home and our lives are full because we have opened the door and welcomed friends, family and strangers.  And God is glorified!

University men cooking outside our house.

1. You expand your circle of influence.  The Christian home is a miracle to be shared.  As you open your home, you get to be a part of what God is doing in the lives of others.  You might even get the privilege of welcoming some heart into the kingdom of God.  
2. You link arms with brothers and sisters in Christ.  God has a family and you are a part of it.  Hospitality is a great avenue for hearing someone's testimony and story.  Your heart will be encouraged by their story.  If you fall down, they are there to pick you up.  
3. You get more hands to help with dish washing.  Hospitality does not mean you run a hotel.  There is such a blessing in working side by side with your guests- dishes, meal preparation, sweeping the floor- many hands make light work!
4. Your kids get to meet all kinds of cool people.  I can't count the number books that have been read, or cars that have been played with from all the guests we've had.  My boys' lives are richer because of all our hosting. 
5. You will reap what you sow.  "He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows generously will also reap bountifully... And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work." -2 Corinthians 9:6, 8  As you give and share and open your home, God will provide for all your needs. "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith." Galatians 6:9-10

 

International women in our living room.

 What are some blessings you've experienced from extending hospitality? 

Pray for us as we open our home on Saturday to at least 50 university women for our annual Ladies Fun Day! 

Friday Five: Praises!

Jesus is moving. And we must rejoice.  Praise Him with us today!

1. God really used Josh to preach a powerful message in secondary chapel Wednesday- followed by the students nailing their struggles to the cross.  Seeing words like "past hurts" "sin" "pride" and "anger" nailed to the cross was really powerful.  Be praying for these kids!
2. A few students at Heritage have decided to start a DAILY (yeah, you read that correctly) Bible study.  They are doing it all on their own! 
3. Josh got sick on Thursday.  And so with a couple hours of preparation, I spoke at chapel.  The theme was grace- and it's a song I could sing all day.  I was nervous (not because I don't like speaking, but I don't like last minute).  And Jesus showed up.  He really helped me.  And I believe His grace was extended to some needy students.  
4. He has gathered a lovely group of women for my small group from the university.  Not one of them has ever been in a small group before.  One of them is from a mslim family.  One of them is from a polygamous family.  Two of them are mothers to a daughter.  One of them may not be saved yet.  What an opportunity!
5. It has been a blessing to start a Good Morning Girls group for international ladies- we're studying Colossians and it is so encouraging!  

Five New Items

So we've been doing some work around the house- trying to make it a bit more our own.  We were so blessed to be welcomed to Uganda last year with a fully furnished house, but now it's time to start giving the mission-owned items to someone who needs them more than we do!  Welcome to a little house tour update:

#1. artwork- we needed some color and life on our walls.  so we got creative.

Four cereal boxes taped together.  Covered with newsprint.  Mama painted the heart and globe outline, boys did the rest.

 #2.  huge, empty dining room- we needed a buffet. 

another missionary was selling a huge dresser.  we bought it.  sent it to our carpenter. he made it the right depth.  now we just need to paint it.

#3.  old green chair, tattered and falling apart.  we needed it reupholstered. 

We bought this from another missionary, but it desperately needed to be re-covered.  Finally called our furniture guy to do it.

 #4. old fridge.  ours was on the list of mission fridges to be replaced.  so the mission bought a new one.

 #5.  small beds, big room.  lots of guests. we needed more beds for all the hosting we do!

New bunk beds bought from another missionary!  Safari style fort bed- every little boy's dream!

Friday Five: Glimpses on the Road

Here are a few photos from the road and links to video from the survey trip!  Hope you enjoy a peak into the action  We couldn't be here without your prayers.  He was surely with us!

Monkey chained to a tree.

Congolese Worship: Click here for video!

Christian Bilingual University of Congo

Zebra grazing near the road! Click here to see what other animal crossed their path!

Bridge in Congo: Click here for video of driving in Congo!

Teaching Kids to Serve: Friday Five Links

This Summer I've been thinking a lot about the qualities we want to instill and nurture in our boys.  At the end of the school year I took note of the ways they were growing and learning.  But I also want to be intentional as a parent.

So I started to ask:  What character traits are we cultivating?  What values are we instilling in them?  What am I modeling?  When am I actively training and teaching them? 

Today I want to highlight one value-  {serving}.  You mean, just because we're missionaries we actually have to teach our kids about service?  Yes.  And we have lots of room for growth.  As we were sitting in traffic the other day, a girl with a baby on her back came to our car window.  She was begging.  And I avoided making eye contact.

There are many conflicting views on how to respond to poverty- but in that moment I knew that Jesus would have reached out and not turned away.  A ton of kids begging on the street are working for someone who will take all the money they get.  And I don't want to reward begging, but I can't ignore them... "if you've given a cup of cold water to the least of these, you've given to Me..." I'm wrestling with this.  Asking how He would have me respond.

All that to say- teaching our kids to serve is vital.  And that is what prompted this post.
 
Serving is helpful on so many levels:

• it takes focus off of self.
• it grows compassion 
• it makes them grateful
• it gives children an avenue to show love for God and for others
• it teaches them responsibility

Here are five great links with ideas of how to get your kids serving and growing!

• The Reason We Serve
• 19 Ways to Serve
• Mighty Warriors Club
• 7 Ideas for a Stay At Home Mission Trip
• Reach Out from your Doorstep

 {How do you respond to beggars?  How does your family serve your community?} 

Friday Five: Prayer Requests

Us and Dave and Leah at our Going Away Party last year

We're flying to Florida today! Josh's brother, Dave, is getting married next Friday and we get to celebrate with the family!  Thank the Lord for tax refunds!

We'll try our best to blog while we're away- but our main goal is to spend lots of time with family and friends on the beach and in the stores :)

Will you pray for us while we're in the states?  Here are our five requests:

1. Safety and health as we travel.  
2. That Rachel makes her connecting flight in London (she has 1 hour!!!)
3. Great memory making days with family and friends.
4. Getting the things we need, not just being drawn by the allure of things.
5. Gratitude for the time we're given- both in the states and here in Uganda!

Thank you for carrying us in the happy times and the hard times.  We're grateful.

Friday Five: Quotes

artwork by Lilias Trotter

I've really been enjoying A Passion for the Impossible: The Life of Lilias Trotter.  Here are just a few excerpts from her journal that I'm pondering these days:

1. The martens have been reading me a faith lesson. They come in flights at this time of year - lovely things with blue throats and feathered claws - one slept in my room last night and another darted in at the open window before I was up, swept round and out again.  Their faith lesson is this - that their wings need the sense of "an empty void" below to give them a start - their leg muscles have no spring in them and when they perch by accident on a level place they are stuck fast - poor things, we did not know that natural history fact in the past and when we have found them on our flat Algier roof with its parapet protection, we have thought they had got hurt somehow, and more than once we have tried to feed them till they died, instead of doing the one thing that they needed - tossing them off into emptiness.  So we need not wonder if we are not allowed to stay long in level sheltered places - our faith wings are like the martens and mostly need the gulf of some emergency to give them their start on a new flight. We will not fear when we feel empty air under them.   
2. "As an eagle... fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them on her wings - so the Lord alone did lead him." Fluttereth over - the early stages of faith are reaching upward, like the eaglets for their food when the mother-bird is overhead... it is an older faith that learns to swing out into nothingness and drop down full weight on God - the broken up nest of former "experiences" left behind - nothing between us and the abyss but Himself - A rejoicing in every fresh emergency that is going to prove Him true - The Lord Alone - that is trained faith.  
3. God's guidance, if our soul's instinct is healthy, tallies with the sense of rest - in a very real way, this sense of rest guides us - and legislates for us. Anything that brings a sense of restlessness means that we have got further from under the cloud shadow - we have gone off on some self devised path, or we have not kept pace with God... It is the same in cases of perplexity - where there is no clear command in His word to guide us - where the sense of rest falls (always taking for granted that our wills are in His Hand) there is His path - it is there that the shadow of His cloud is falling.
4. When God delays in fulfilling our little thoughts, it is to have Himself room to work out His great ones.
5. Praying down rather than praying up - that is the summing up... that the velocity and power of anything that comes down, gains in a ratio of high proportion with the height from which it drops: Even from an aeroplane, a pencil falling will take on the force of a bullet. What might not our prayer power be if it comes down from the throne of the Priest.   

And here is a FREE resource of her writings!  Enjoy!

Friday Five: New Faces

With the summer months fast approaching, there are lots of new faces around here! 

1. Rick and Teresa Morse are in town for CHE Trainings this season (with their two adorable kids)!
2. Rachel Goss arrived two weeks ago.  She is helping at Heritage International School.  She is staying in our home!
3. George and Joyce Rodgers arrived with Rachel. George will be working in the Finance Office- he is an answer to prayer!  Thanks for praying them here!
4. Anna Leon arrives Sunday.  She will be creating a film for Kikongo Primary School out on Buvuma Island.  She is staying in our home when she is not on the island. 
5. Dan and Linda Wronski (Meg Rambo's parents) arrived this week, and have traveled up to Arua with Scott and Meg and their three boys!  Happy family visit!

Pray for our visitors, volunteers, and missionaries during the busy summer months.  Pray that God would show them exactly what He wants them to see, use them each in the way He wants to, and that lives are transformed because of their obedience. 

Pray for us as we host these volunteers- that our home would be a haven of peace and joy- and for our boys' hearts as they welcome these ones into their hearts and then have to say goodbye. 

And our field is gearing up to host several teams over the next few months- pray that God prepares the heart of each team member, their funds are provided, and that He would use them and change them as He sees fit!

Want to come visit?  You are most welcome!  Karibu!

Friday Five: Testimonies from Baptism

 On Wednesday, we had the sweet privilege of watching 11 students from Heritage International School testify to God's work in their lives through baptism!  What an amazing gift!  It is a wonderful way to end the school year, by providing all of our students the opportunity to profess their faith publicly.

And we are so excited to share this day with you!  The seeds you've been planting through prayer are coming to fruition!




Josh asked each student: "Why do you want to be baptized?"

Josh praying over the students

1. "I want to be part of God's family."
2. "I want to take the next step in my Christian life."
3. "Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior and I want everyone to know!"
4. "To show my public faith in God."
5. "To show my friends and family I am a new creation."

"Father, we dedicate each of these students to You.  Guard them from the evil one.  Give them boldness to continue standing firm in their faith.  And take them deeper in this next year." Amen

Friday Five: Gateway Cities

Friday Five, is actually Friday Seven this week.  Did you know that WGM Uganda is targeting 7 Gateway Cities for potential ministry?  Will you join us in praying that God would send more laborers into the harvest?  Ask that He would raise up African missionaries from our local AGC churches, and the university ministry.  Pray that He would soften the soil and prepare connections for us in advance. 

1. Arua- Billy and Joanna Coppedge, Scott and Meg Rambo
2. Fort Portal- ??
3. Gulu- ??
4. Jinja- Matt and Joy Burke
5. Mbale- ??
6. Mbarara- ??
7. Kampala- Jon and Lisa Mayo, Kenneth and Delight Hopson, Lisa Fish, John and Beth Muehleisen, Josh and Kelly Hallahan

Pray for these cities by name.   Claim them for the kingdom of God!

Is He calling you to PRAY for one of these cities specifically?  Is He calling you to come to Uganda and be a part of advancing His kingdom here?  There are many ways you can GO with WGM:  CLICK HERE!  Is He calling you to GIVE toward the ministry here?  Contact us if you want to get involved financially. 

And continue to pray this Field Declaration with us!

Friday Five: Retreat Testimonies

At the close of retreat we went around the room and shared a brief word on what God had done for us on retreat.  Here are five brief testimonies:

1. My word for this retreat is "rest"-physical rest and spiritual rest.  
2. God has shown me that there are issues of forgiveness in my life that I hadn't even recognized
3. I learned how to listen to God- (from a youth)
4. All the teachings were beneficial, but what I really got from retreat is a renewed hope for our team.
5. God has renewed my passion!

God moved on retreat and He is still moving.  Thank you for your prayers.   For more testimonies, head over to the 24/7 Prayer Blog!

Friday Five: Ways to Pray for Retreat

We leave for Fort Portal, Uganda on Sunday morning for 5 days of retreat.  Many of our missionaries are ready for break, but more importantly we are all ready for a fresh touch from Jesus!  Rev. Alan and Beth Coppedge are our speakers, and we look forward to how the Spirit will use them to speak directly to our hearts.  Will you pray for us as we take time away from our ministries, and reconnect with God and our teammates?

1. Pray for safety, health, and protection for each person and each vehicle!  God wants to do big things, and Satan is trying his best to hinder the work of God.  As of yesterday: Matt and Judah Burke, Caleb and Seth Hallahan, and Emilee Hopson were sick.  Maybe more I haven't heard of. 
2. Pray that each participant comes with a soft and open heart to receive all that Jesus has for them.  Pray that we would receive His hard word, as well as His tender word.
3. Pray for a spirit of unity, trust, and love among us.  That team dynamics, and any inter-personal issues we might have would be resolved in a way that brings honor and glory to Jesus.  That any conversations that need to occur, would happen.
4. Pray that we would act on the lessons we receive, that we would be obedient to the heavenly vision and that we would walk out in the valley what we hear on the mountain.   
5. Pray that Jesus has freedom to do all that He wants to, and that the world would be transformed because of what He does in us on retreat.  May all that we receive not just be for our own betterment, but for the expansion of His kingdom here in Uganda!

Friday Five- Sleepover

So here are five things I'm sure will happen tonight at the sleepover:

1. something will get spilled.
2. there will be lots of laughter.
3. someone will fall asleep (it will probably be me).
4. we will eat delicious food
5. Jesus will be lifted high!

Stay tuned for an update and pictures this weekend!

Friday Five: Dreams for University Ministry

Our family is growing more and more passionate about university ministry not just here in Kampala but across East Africa. We truly believe it is through this type of ministry that a solid missionary movement will rise up. Here are 5 dreams we have for the university ministry:

1. We are praying for 1,000 Africans to be called, sent and equipped for missionary service across Africa.  We firmly believe the majority of these 1,000 will be university students. We are praying that students here at Kampala International University/United Faith Church will be part of this group.
2. We dream of a solid university ministry network possibly based here in Kampala. We currently have loose relationships with ministries at Kampala University in Ggaba Uganda, Kampala International University campus in Mbarara Uganda, Moi University in Eldoret Kenya, Kampala International University campus in Dar Es Salam Tanzania, and many other universities across East Africa. We are praying for a network that will continue to see university students come to know Christ and called to proclaim His word across Africa. We pray that this network will encourage each other and resource each other towards proclaiming the word of God.
3. We dream of resources available to provide necessary training to equip and send out these missionary students. We need to discover or create the best curriculum for training and also secure financing to train these students.
4. We dream of financial partners across the world who feel led to support university ministry through World Gospel Mission on a consistent basis. Just as our family is supported financially by many families, individuals and churches we dream of the university ministry funded as such. This will give the freedom to develop the training and also begin supporting these students who feel called to go out into the mission field.  Would you be interested in sponsoring a university missionary?   
5. We dream of a revival across East Africa because there are students who love the Lord and are praying for the hearts of their people. We dream of universities across East Africa known for these Christian ministries and known for the impact they are having on each campus.  Will you commit to fasting and praying for revival here, and where you live?   

Do you want to be a part of this ministry? Please contact us right away if the Lord is tugging on your heart to join this amazing ministry or if you have other questions.

- Joshua Hallahan

Friday Five: Taken for Granted

Today I thought I'd post five things I took for granted while in the states.  Life here is different- harder in some ways, more glorious in others. just some perspective on your Friday.

1. clean, drinkable water from the tap.  We keep a water bottle in the bathroom for brushing teeth.  We boil and filter all of our drinking water. Just one more process to think about each day.
2. constant, reliable electricity in our home.  planned power outages.  random power outages.  low power frying our fans. 
3. steady, available resources in the store.  We find a new favorite snack at the grocery store, and then it's unavailable for weeks.  We need cooking gas, or fuel for the car and there is none to be found (When we drove to Arua at Christmas we had to travel 60 km out of our way to fill up on diesel)!
4. sidewalks.  period.  it's just not the peaceful getaway going for an evening stroll here.  must be alert and aware of oncoming traffic, motorcycles, potholes, pedestrians, bicycles, or the occasional stray dog, cow or pig! think frogger. 
5. and on that note, traffic laws. for the most part people follow them in the states.  it is not unusual for a car to be driving against traffic in your lane, or traffic police ignoring the stop lights and directing traffic themselves.  never a dull moment. 

What are you thankful for this Friday?  What are some unglamorous realities in the states??  Help me regain my perspective :)