Forever He is Lifted High

Since we have been back in the states, I haven't thought too much about blogging. Sorry for my lack of updates to all of my "devoted readers". I know there are so many of you out there ;). I've been thinking lately and I'm going to approach this whole blogging thing a little differently going forward. I don't seem to do very well with trying to keep some sort of schedule so instead this blog is going to be more of my place of solitude. I'll post when I feel inspired. But don't worry - those few family members - I will still try to post regular updates of life in Zambia and the US. Today, though, I'm feeling a little {no - a lot} inspired.

As all of you know, today is Good Friday. It's a day for mourning the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. It's a day of sadness as we feel the weight of what Jesus endured for us. The weight of our sin upon Him. But it's also a day we proclaim as GOOD. Why? Because, instead of us being hung on the cross to die the death we deserve, Jesus took our place. He is our substitute. His blood poured out for us. He died so that we may live...so that we may LIVE!

There are 2 days every year where you most certainly will find me in tears during church. These 2 days are Christmas Eve and Easter. It never fails. Every year the tears come. They might be uncontrollable tears streaming down my face or tears welled up in my eyes that I'm so humanly trying to keep from falling so my mascara doesn't run. They are tears of joy and tears of sorrow. Sorrow for my sin. Sorrow for what Jesus had to endure. Yet joy for a Savior. Joy for the perfect love He has for us. Joy that on the third day He rose from the dead. Joy that He is RISEN. RESURRECTED. ALIVE! Forever He is lifted high.

I want to share this music video with you and invite you to stop for a few minutes  to be in His presence. There are many songs I like to listen to this time of year, but I have yet to find one I like better than this. Enjoy! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B0pifSHEp8

Return to Me {Thoughtful Thursday}

As promised, here is my Thoughtful Thursday post for the month of February.

This morning as I was doing my devotional I realized just how far we can "feel" from God sometimes. I'm sure most (if not all) of you can relate. It's easy sometimes to think that a certain place or person or job will somehow have the power to bring you back to that moment when you felt closest to God. We try in all our human efforts to get that "feeling" back. We connect certain emotions or actions to our closeness with God. But, as my devotional says, these things don't grant us access to God. The CROSS grants us access to God.

So this morning I ask that we - in all our brokenness, in all our mess, in all our ugliness, in all our lacking - return to Him. Return to Him with all our hearts. The cross of Jesus is the path by which we return to our holy, gracious God (from She Reads Truth). There's no need to cover up our brokenness - the blood of Jesus is our covering.


"Return to Me" - Jeremiah 24:7

Happy #33 Jacob!

For Jacob's birthday this year (Jan 17th) we went on a camping trip to Botswana with some of our closest friends. It's only about a 5-6 hour drive including crossing the border on somewhat of a scary looking "ferry" boat. It's pretty much the cheapest kind of fun you can have around these parts. And fun it was! His birthday happened to fall on the same day as the presidential elections so it was great timing for us to be out of the city. It can get a little chaotic around Lusaka during elections so we probably wouldn't have even left our home for his birthday if we had stayed here.

Botswana is an amazing country! I absolutely love it there. They have a thriving economy mainly due to tourism - these days (& while gaining independence they didn't take control right away). I'm not here to give you a historical account of the country though.

Look at these awesome pics from our trip to Kasane, Elephant Sands and Kubu Island! They have done such a wonderful job of protecting the wildlife. You can literally see tons & tons of animals while driving down main "highways". The wildlife in Africa is something I will never tire of seeing.

Our car coming off of the lovely ferry boat as we entered Botswana. At the border 4 countries all meet (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana & Namibia).

Don't worry. We weren't in any danger.

Elephant on the side of the road. We also saw giraffe, zebra & wild dog driving down the main road!

Proof we did actually camp :)

Salt pans at Kubu Island (natural island of salt pans with hundreds of Baobab trees)

We woke up to these pretty guys (aka Pumba) next to our campsite in Kasane

I love giraffe

Baboons anyone?

Literally hundreds of elephants

I think it's safe to say Jacob had a wonderful birthday!

Love,
Libby

Also, if you're wondering why my recent posts are not about village visits, farm animals, etc. it's because it's rainy season here so we are in full "administration" mode gearing up for our annual trip back to the states in March. No travel for us during rainy season. You should all come visit one day and you can see why! We will be home early March through beginning of June so if you know of any churches, schools, businesses etc. that might be interested in hearing more about Water 282 while we are home please let us know!!! 

Brrr...We Are Not in Zambia Anymore!

On our way back to Zambia we spent two days with Jacob's mom and stepdad in Washington, DC before we flew out. We had so much fun exploring DC, but it was quite cold! When we left Zambia it was the middle of summer here so we were ready for some cooler weather. Most of you know how HOT I get so you can imagine life here - for me - without central AC in constant 100 degree African weather ;). Let's just say I don't blow dry my hair too often over here. All this said, I was ready to welcome the coldest of temps when we got back to the states....but DC winter is quite a different story than AL!

We woke up to roughly 3 inches of snow and the temps continued to drop to around 10 degrees while we were there. It was so beautiful though, and we enjoyed every second of it (even when I was griping at my husband for making me take pics while standing in freezing cold slush)! 

Enjoy these pics from our trip:

View from our hotel when we woke up

Washington Monument

Standing at the Lincoln Memorial with the Washington Monument behind me

This is us right after my griping about having to stand in cold slush to take a pic...turned out to be one of my fav photos of us ever taken.

Thanks to the Sheffield's for a very fun trip to DC before heading back home! It was a great way to end our trip to the states for Christmas. 

Also, if you're wondering why my recent posts are not about village visits, farm animals, etc. it's because it's rainy season here so we are in full "administration" mode gearing up for our annual trip back to the states in March. No travel for us during rainy season. You should all come visit one day and you can see why! We will be home early March through beginning of June so if you know of any churches, schools, businesses etc. that might be interested in hearing more about Water 282 while we are home please let us know!!! 

Love,

Libby

Thoughtful Thursday

Thoughtful Thursday is back! One of my personal goals for 2015 is to blog more often so I'm going to actually try and post an inspirational post every month (on Thursday). So here we go...

I made notes a few months ago and planned to blog about this last year. For some reason, I never did. Now seems like the perfect time. Have you ever met somebody that embodies everything you believe defines SELFLESSNESS? Well I have, and he just so happens to be a Water 282 employee.

It was a small, simple thing really. Nothing that would make the headlines. But I'm willing to bet you one million dollars that it was no small thing to the little girl - a baby sister - who received money from her older brother to buy school shoes. That was it. He needed to send money to his sister before we left for the field so she could buy school shoes. This 22 year old boy-man with his first job out of college working for an NGO was sending money from his very first paycheck to his little sister for school shoes.

I can only hope and pray to learn this kind of selflessness in my lifetime. What about you?

Love,
Libby

Celebrating a New President

Edgar Chagwa Lungu was announced as Zambia's 6th President late Saturday night. The city erupted in joyous (a tad bit obnoxious) celebrations. The streets were full of people running around shooting off fireworks, burning tires in the streets (why?), and lots - I mean LOTS -  of honking of car horns!!! It seems to be a strange way to celebrate a new President but it's how things go here in Lusaka. Jacob went to see a movie with a few guy friends and what should have been a 10 minute drive home turned into an hour long drive. The celebratory honking of car horns lasted until Sunday night. Things seem to have calmed down a little today. All in all it was a very peaceful transition.

Here are some pics from the Presidential Inauguration:

Happy Monday (or Tuesday)!

Love,
Libby

Christmas in the States

So as most of you already know, we surprised a few family members and came back to the USA for the Christmas holiday. It was a much needed trip home (for me especially)! Life in Zambia is great, but there's nothing like the comfort of family. My sweet husband knew how much I was missing them and found a way to get us home for the holidays! Here are a few pics from our Christmas:

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Love,
Libby