finding my words

I've been in a season.

At least that's what I've been calling these past 2 years where we have lived in Uganda, 

adopted E, 

birthed Della, 

moved twice, 

planted a church 

and radically changed the way we live.

Somehow the word "season" just doesn't quite seem to capture it. 

In the past 2 years God has been at work.

growing me...

stretching me...

teaching me to truly depend/rely on Him...

changing my priorities and aligning them with His.

There has been much refining.

It's been both painful 

and beautiful.

I have lost friends

and been given new ones.

And although processing these things in this space has been my desire.

Wanting to let my little community here into all that God is doing,

and being able to document all that God has done.

I have lacked the words.

Many a time I have sat in front of this computer with my heart overflowing in groans but no words.

Groans that scripture tells me God has heard, but that I could not articulate in this place.

Words have been absent in this crazy, full, challenging season of our lives.

But...

They are coming.

Slowly I am breathing more deeply.

And as I do, I am gaining the words I need to articulate all that God has done, and all that He has promised to do.

So, I hope to slowly and steadily let you into my world.

Hope to give you a glimpse at how worth it it is to say yes to God.

So, hello again!

Let's talk again soon.

Krista

Noonday Blog Train

Today's a big day! If you are visiting my blog for our Noonday Blog Train, welcome! So glad to have you! Today Noonday Collection launches our New Fall Line and so we are starting a Blog Train where 34 Noonday Ambassadors have come together to have a giveaway each day! I'm excited to kick this off! So come and stay for a while. Read my story and enter to win a $50 gift voucher!



I just recently got back from Guatemala.
I had the incredible privilege of traveling with 9 other Noonday girls to meet up with our artisans there.
This business is a relational one.
As Ambassadors we are investing in the lives of many in developing countries that we have never met.
We link arms with each other to make change in the world, and we take those stories of change to you in hopes that you will use your purchasing power to advocate alongside of us.
Like I said, this is a relational business.

So when the 10 of us traveled to Guatemala to meet our artisans there for the first time.
To hug their necks, be in their homes and hear their stories first hand.... it only deepened relationships that had started 2 years ago for me.

The Noonday story is real.
These artisan stories are real.



When I met Ana, I had just traveled by boat about 45 minutes to get to her village of San Juan.
She greeted us with the warmest smile that never left her face.
She walked us to her workshop where her and 4 other women make our woven scarves.
We spent the morning hearing their stories and learning how they create their dyes, prepare their looms and hand weave our scarves.



After that we walked with these women, our friends to Ana's families house.
They had prepared a special meal for us and we ate together and watched the children play in the yard. Again, we continued to hear their stories of change and Ana's heart for her people.
She is their fearless leader.
That afternoon as we said goodbye, they gathered us around and each women spoke of how much Noonday means to them.
We heard women say...
"You are helping us rewrite the story for our children." and "Your orders bring us hope."
They had each woven a scarf as a gift for each of us.
And there were many tears as we hugged their necks, prayed together and said goodbye.



I've come back from this trip with a deepened relationship with our artisans.
I've seen their faces, played with their kids, stayed at their homes and heard their stories first hand.
And it has changed me.
Your purchases really do make a difference.
When you purchase through Noonday and wear your scarf, or necklace etc.,  you are wearing THEIR story.
It's a story of great hope.
A story of changing the world.


{photo credits: my sweet friend Paige Knudsen Photography}

So, I'm excited to be giving away a $50 gift voucher this week!
This will give you the opportunity to own and wear stories like Ana's.

You could use it to get this...

 or  or 

Or maybe even our Ana Scarf named after Ana herself...



Make sure and take 2 minutes and then tomorrow head on over to Alicia's Blog
www.raisingalittlehale.blogspot.com to see what she is giving away!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

moments like these

Tonight's the night before their first day of Preschool. 

I have found myself staring at them extra long and soaking in each word the say. 

When did they get so old? 

I bathed them, put their pj's on and set them up in bed to read like we do every night. 

But tonight felt different. 

They are growing up so fast. 

I was doing just fine until this song came on...

Seriously. 

That isn't the first time the perfect song has played randomly in the perfect moment for me. 

Does that happen to you too?

Well, I'm heading to bed now. 

I will wake up in the morning and send my two precious boys to school. 

I hope I continue to slow down and take in moments like these. 

Because the go by way too fast. 

brothers

I've been finding a lot of joy in these two lately.
I love that they are "twins".
I love that they are best friends.
I love that they have inside jokes
and that they get each other.
They laugh together, fight together, love each other and defend one another.
They were never intended to be brothers.
But because God is so good at creating new things from the broken,
They are brothers.
And it is beautiful.

instafriday

It has been forever since I have participated with instafriday.

I'm so excited to do it once again!

Some of these are from this past week 

but mostly this is catch up.

Instafriday: my heart edition

a dream fulfilled

“I have a dream that one day little black boys and girls 

will be holding hands with little white boys and girls.”  

- Martin Luther King Jr.

I am so thankful for this dream becoming a reality.

Something about reading this quote, and looking at my boys

always brings tears to my eyes.

They love each other.

Really love each other.

They are brothers.

They are best friends.

They have inside jokes and made up games that they play.

They giggle together and make believe.

I have a dream...

I dream of trips back to Uganda.

Together.

And of living for a greater story.

Together.

I dream that someday, they will know Jesus.

That they will spend their whole lives loving God and loving people.

And that someday, they will demonstrate and declare the gospel together, 

to a degree that they never could alone.

What are some of your dreams?

being a world changer

There is something in all of us.
Something that we feel stir during a movie, a story or at the sight of hope given.
Something that if we really pay attention to it, grows stronger.
It wells up so much that it can no longer be ignored.

It's that something inside that wants to make a difference.
That wants somehow, in some way to change the world.

I'm convinced that when most people are confronted with the face of poverty, they look away.
Not because of fear or disgust.
But because there is something in them that cannot look at the face of the orphan, the widow or oppressed without wanting to make a difference.
But because that seems so impossible, they look away.

A long time ago, that person was me.

Making a difference, changing the world, fighting for injustice just seemed impossible.

That was until I saw this face.

When I saw this face, I did not look away.
When I saw this face I said yes.

Yes, I can make a difference.
Yes, I can fight for injustice.
And yes, I can be a world changer.

I believe that there is a God, and that he is setting out to redeem all things unto himself.
He is in the business of making all things new.
And this God, he has a HUGE heart for the poor and the oppressed.
And guess what, he created US to reflect that heart.
He created ME to reflect his heart.

Noonday is more than just a fair trade business.
A place for you to buy a cute necklace and feel good about where your money is going.
It is an opportunity.
A chance.
A place for YOU to look at the face of the poor and the oppressed and to say yes.

Noonday makes it possible for the everyday person like you and me to be world changers.

By purchasing a paper bead necklace, you are a part of how God is making all things new in Uganda.
You get to have a hand in prenatal care being provided, children receiving an education, protection from sex trafficking and exploitation.
You empower parents to have hope.
Hope for the day their children will no longer live in poverty.
Because there is a God whose heart is to redeem there circumstances.
And because you are reflecting that heart.

And if that isn't enough, you get to rock your new Noonday necklace and when people comment on it, you get the opportunity to be a voice for the voiceless and tell their story.
You get to advocate for Coral, David, and Oliva, Clementine, Astrida and Sidhama.
You get to make a difference.

Anybody can make a difference that can change the world.

So I'm doing a giveaway today.
I hope you win! ; )

I'm giving away a $50 gift voucher!

Giveaway Closed

Winner is Beth!

(winner was chosen with RandomPicker)

*** Congratulations Beth! You will receive an email by the end of the day tomorrow with your gift voucher!

One last thing...

If after reading this post, you are like me and want to do more.
If this stirred something in you and you would like to join are amazing team of world changers over here at Noonday Collection.

{Click here and read more about becoming an ambassador.}
We are always looking for passionate women who want to {style their friends and change the world}.

when you need to hear the gospel

I've been trying to have  "morning meetings" with my boys each day.
One of my goals this year is to memorize God's word with my kids.
This week, our verse is Mark 16:15.

"Go into all the world and preach the good news to everyone."

As I've been explaining what the "good news" is to them, we have been talking about the gospel a lot.
It's been so so good.
But as I was coloring with them yesterday morning, and drawing a gospel illustration, I have to admit I thought it was mostly for them.
I wanted them to understand that Jesus is their rescuer.
That it is their sin that he died for and their hearts he has redeemed.

Later that day, I found myself standing in the rain, trying to get the kids in the car with a screaming baby.
Camp wasn't in the best mood either and tried to close the car door to keep me from buckling him up.
Frustrated by the screaming baby, defiant son and pouring rain, I snapped at him.
I pulled the door open and out of his hands.
I showed my frustration.
And it was more that his gentle heart could handle.
He immediately began to cry.

My heart was ugly and his heart was broken.

As I saw his eyes well up with tears, my heart was convicted.
I stopped what I was doing,
knelt down in the rain,
and apologized.

I reminded him of the gospel illustration I had drawn earlier that morning.
I told him I am not perfect and that I do things that make God sad.
And that it is because of my sin that Jesus had to rescue me.
I asked him to forgive me. And he did.
After he forgave me he said "mamma, I'm so sorry for all of my sins too."

Precious.

You know those times when you think you are teaching your children something, and it turns out the lesson is just as much for you?

So humbling.

Jesus, thank you for deciding my ugly heart, a heart that would grow frustrated with a child, was worth rescuing. And thank you, thank you so so much for allowing me to be the mamma of these three kids.

Have you reminded yourself of the gospel lately?

New Direction

I am so excited to be blogging again.
After taking a few months off I have missed this space.
Through our adoption journey I grew to love each of you and how you walked through life with me.
It was such a blessing to hear from you as you began to share you life with me too.
Community.
I saw that form here.
And I loved it.

After we brought E home, God continued to wreck our hearts and turn our world upside down.
It was all so good, but so much.
You can catch a glimpse in this post here.
Although I wanted to process all of it here, it was just too much.

Well, now that 2012 is over and most of the change is complete, I look forward to sharing what God has done and what He continues to do.
It has been a wild ride... one that I'm sure is not over.
I have caught my breath, come up for air and am ready to catch all of you up.

Enock is doing so great.
Amazing really.
I can't wait to update you on him, his heart and his new role in our family.

We have added another kid to the mix!
On September 29th we welcomed Della Clementine to our family!
She is beautiful, laid back, the definition of sweet and she adores her big brothers.
It will be fun to share her firsts with you.

We have moved!
Technically we moved twice.
We now live in the city.
Like IN the city.
Can't wait to share more about why we moved here and what life looks like raising our kids in central Austin.

I have so much to share and a campaign I'm working on for this year.
I can't wait!
So take a minute to follow me with your reader or by email and join me on this journey!

I hope to learn more about each of you.
Hear your stories and connect over common threads.
Learn how to pray for you and be able to encourage one another.

Hang in there while this site is still under construction.
I will be adding things each week in hopes to have everything finished by February 1st.

So for now, enjoy your Wednesday!

Krista