Radical

RADICAL...one word to sum up my hope for 2013.

I have never heard of the whole "one word resolution" thing until this year. I heard it first from my mom who was looking into getting a necklace based on the theme of "one word for 2013" as a gift, and ever since then I have heard or seen it at least 4 other times. Let me tell you, I LOVE this idea.

Reagan was my most recent encounter with this "new" (to me!) idea. He had come up with his word for 2013 (I can't remember his...I know I am a terrible wife for that!!) and asked what mine was. I told him I needed to think about it. I wanted this to be a heart-felt and honest choice. I wanted to actually try to live by this word for 2013.

2 1/2 weeks later...RADICAL.

It's challenging, it's courageous, it's scary, it's trusting, it takes faith. It's the perfect word for where I am right now. RADICAL is what I want to be in 2013.

I am so EXCITED about this. I hope throughout the year I am able to share with all of you my RADICAL moments. And I am happy to say I have already experienced one. It is only fitting that my first one comes from my heart for orphan advocacy.

Let me start with this...after looking at our spending over the past year, I have NO idea how Reagan and I made it through 2012 (especially with the birth of Asher + missed work by me) with our bank account in the green! It makes no sense. All I can say is,we serve an AWESOME God who provides. With that said Reagan and I have decided to sponsor a little boy in Rwanda attend a real school for the first time in his life. He is about 12 or 13 and had been living at the Noel Orphanage. As of early January, he is a well loved and well cared for student at a local boarding school. We are so excited to be partnering with an organization called  His Chase to help this little boy gain an education, learn about the God who loves him beyond measure, and gain hope for a future. We pray for him each night as we pray for our family, and as we do we hope that he knows someone here on Earth loves him and is praying for him. We are so excited to get updates and hear about his progress throughout the year!

To some, this may not seem so radical, but to us and our bank account...it is! We are stepping out in faith that God will continue to provide for us, even through all the changes and unknowns coming up in 2013. If you feel like you are being called to do the same, there are plenty of organizations out there doing amazing work. To mention a few, Charity:water, His Chase, Compassion, Give1Save1, and WorldVision. Go ahead, check them out, and maybe be a little RADICAL in your giving!

Here is to a RADICAL 2013...I can't wait to share with you what may be coming up next!!!!!