Speak up for those who Cannot

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are poor and destitute.  Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.  ~Proverbs 31:8-9

Sometimes (Ok a lot of the time) I feel inadequate....

I feel as if I am not equipped......

In about a year I will be "ready" to do the things God lays on my heart......

I just need to read my bible more... pray a little more.... memorize a few more scriptures... maybe in a FEW years I will be ready to do the things God lays on my heart.  There are certainly more equipped, more mature Christians out there who could do a much better job than me....

Then I see these faces....

Do these children need the most mature Christian?  Are these children going to ask me to recite the entire book of James to them before they let me hold them? 

And I begin to think....

I think about David, I think about Moses, I think about all of the heroes in the bible who were not the biggest and did not have the best speaking skills and God used them in  INCREDIBLE ways. 

So God, use me!  Let me be your hands and feet on earth.  Break my heart for what breaks yours.  Open my eyes to the injustice of the poor and needy!  Don't let me be complacent any longer.  Make me uncomfortable!

Never Underestimate Yourself

So I was at a Habitat event this weekend and I signed up to do the Mechanical Bull Quarterback Challenge. 

What is the Mechanical Quarterback Challenge you say?

Well, basically you ride a mechanical bull and try to throw a football through tires that are hanging by ropes all around you.

Why did you sign up for the Quarterback Challenge you say?

Well.... no one else had signed up, so I would win by default!  There was no one there to even watch me ride the bull and I would win season tickets for the USM football season and a $100 gift certificate to a local store.  So, it seemed simple enough.. I sign up and I win.

BUT

Right after celebrating my default victory, six people walk up and decide to participate.  So now I HAVE to get on a mechanical bull in front of a crowd of people and try to throw a football through swinging tires.  ANYONE who knows me knows that I cannot throw a football on solid ground, so I am pretty happy at this point that Mike is not present to make fun, roll his eyes, etc about his 27 year old wife getting on a mechanical bull to throw a football through tires swinging by a rope in front of a crowd of people.

But guess what?

I WON ANYWAYS!!!!

That's right!  I beat these guys!  They look athletic, they look strong... Heck!  They LOOK like football players!  Do I look like a mechanical bullriding, football throwing chick in this picture?? Heck No!  But you know what?  I tried it anyways, and I still won!

Break my Heart for what Breaks Yours......

http://www.babeofmyheart.com/break-my-heart-for-what-breaks-yours-2/comment-page-1/#comment-3502

Woohoo! I am on a roll!

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ~Romans 15:5-6

I think I am getting the hang of this new exciting world of blogging!  I have found new ways to "design" my blog and to also add music to it!  I know... so exciting!

Here are a few pictures from Mike's family reunion that I should have loaded earlier:

Our beautiful niece Gracie and nephew Ryley

Aunt Sue and Gracie!

The niece and nephews!

Ryley, Jeana, and Viola

Mike's fantastic grandparents!

Gabe kicking back in the air

The Fleeners

Well Mike and I are finally starting to get back to life as normal.  Today was the first day in probably six months were it was just the two of us.  And what did we do?  Work in the yard.  I know it sounds boring, but it was oh so wonderful!  As Mike worked at water sealing our back deck I attempted to plant my fall vegetables and pull weeds.  Hopefully we can have some yummy veggies in a few months!

Well that is about all the updates I have today!

Back to the Blog World... if I was ever in it!

Ok, so I decided today that I am going to try to keep up with my blog and stay off of Facebook.  I have come to the realization that I spend way too much time "Facebook creeping" as my sister calls it.  So friends and family, if you want to find out what is going on in Mike and I's life, I will be making a conscious effort to update this blog often.

Here is a quick update on the Fleener family!

After a FANTASTIC trip to Missouri to spend time with family during Mike's family reunion, we have returned back to Hattiesburg and back to an empty house.  The adorable nephews were here for 5 weeks and it seems so lonely without them.  

I mean, how can you not have fun with these little rascals?

But now, back to reality.....  but more on that later!

I know.... cliff hanger, right?  Check back later to find out more next week!!  *Wink

Back to the Blog World

So it has been quite awhile since we have written on our Fleener family blog.  God has been working in Mike and I's life in amazing ways and we are just so thankful for His many blessings.  When I read the horrid statistics of those living in third world countries I fall to my knees in anguish.  How can I help?  Where does my life fit into God's big plan?

Researching some info on the internet, I can across this blog entry, written by Vince Giordano, I was challenged by his words and thought you might be too...

Those of us who spend our time focusing on the poor, the oppressed and those who serve them are sometimes confronted with grim realities. The fact is that there are too many problems out there...there are too many children that need help...there are too many women and children who are stuck in sex-trafficking and too many people starving. So, you read a book or you adopted a child or you went on a trip and you were overwhelmed with poverty and injustice. You never imagined that things were so bad. You couldn't believe how cheap it was to solve individual problems - medicines for less than $10, mosquito nets for $5, school fee that are less than your monthly starbucks budget. You thought to yourself - I have to do something - I am GOING to do something.


You return to America or you finish your book and your mission begins. You start telling your spouse or your best friends. This is unbelievable - we have to do something now. We have to act. Some of them seem interested but most of them try to wait it out hoping you will get over this latest obsession. But you know in your heart this is not an obsession - it's a calling. It is a new awareness that the kingdom of God has to extend out from you and reach the least of these. You keep going.


Your friends initially tolerate you and then some just quietly phase you out but you are undeterred initially. You press on KNOWING people will want to make a difference. You start reading the Bible with fresh eyes and asking yourself why you had never seen that or read that before? Why did I not hear this in church? You listen to sermons with fresh ears and you hear the repetitive beating of a drum that seems to resound with a self-centered rhythm. It isn't supposed to be all about me is it God? Why are we only focused on making our great lives even better when kids are starving, when young children are being prepared for sexual exploitation every two minutes? I guess that will all just go away if I can truly develop the purpose driven life right? Or if I just keeping doing more bible studies with my accountability group?


For some of us, the hard reality is that we simply need to move on from some of our old ways and old friends into the fullness of the gospel. The true religion that we know He is calling us too. You won't be popular but quite frankly neither was Jesus among the religious crowd. You may find yourself test the patience of some of your closest friends who would just rather plan their next big vacation and not hear about the sexual exploitation of children or starving kids or children who are alone and with love or hope. That stuff is just too hard and depressing and doesn't fit with the trajectory of my life that God is making so pleasant and easy.

I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that everything we do will have an eternal impact in the lives of individuals and it matters. Your small choices can make a big difference in the lives of the hurting. The bad news is that you will not be popular, it will not be easy, you will lose friends, people will tire of you constantly beating the drum for the cause of justice. People will avoid you and criticize you and tell you to lighten up. But, I want to challenge you. I want to challenge you to be a louder voice than you have ever been. I want to challenge you to scream for those who have no voice. I want to challenge you to ask God to use you in places and in ways that others don't want to. I want to challenge you to fight against the apathy that plagues our churches and society. I challenge you to be His hands and feet to the least of these. I challenge you to allow your life to be a seed - which falls to ground and dies and in so doing it produces much fruit. I challenge you to swim against the current of our church culture that seeks to find comfort in a personal gospel and personal salvation and passionately pursue God with a reckless abandon for those that are helpless.  I pray that we would have the spirit of a warrior that has counted the cost and said with boldness - Lord I give you my life today - ALL of me - spend me extravagantly on the poor and the oppressed.