Whoops! My head exploded!

My brain is full of craziness and all the chaos and information and numbers and dates and details. Getting this visa and birth certificate stuff to go back to Bolivia is CRAZY!!! All the details of planning when I don't even have an exact date yet is nuts. There are days where I'm just super overwhelmed. Where I just miss the kids like crazy. There's a lot of days like that.

First day in Bolivia was a water balloon fight with the boys.
Riding up to the orphanage with ammo in our hands! 

And then there are moments in those days where God answers prayers and provides an answer to a question, or one of the older kids from the orphanage pops up on Facebook chat and I am so encouraged. And I remember that all these details, and phone calls, and numbers, and headaches are all for one purpose. To follow God wherever He leads. And I am so excited to get back to Bolivia to continue loving on these kids and to continue displaying God's love to them.

Miss these kids like CRAZY!!!
JuanGa, Keyla, Caleb, Lizbet and Andres

Please be praying that all my birth certificate and visa stuff would go through right away with no issues. I would love to get back to Bolivia in August. I need grace to trust God with HIS timing. And when I get back to Bolivia, I need prayers that my one year visa would go through quickly and easily and for strength to get all the legal stuff needed. It's crazy and I don't even understand all of it but God is good and He is bigger than a visa. Bigger than me. Bigger than my fear.

So blessed and encouraged that God has my life in His hands and that He reminds me over and over to trust Him with my life!
~Lily

I am my Father's

Saw this on another blog and had to share. 
Worth the read.

Let His Children Go

Kathy Bryant
We have somehow accepted the mistaken idea that our children belong to us and that we may at all times be their protection and security. In truth, my children are not mine; they belong to God and always have. He allows me to keep them near me during training when they're young, but the older they get, the closer they must move to complete independence of me and complete dependence upon God. I can't assume my children will be safer within my sight and my reach than they are on the other side of the world where they are still within God's sight and His reach. I can't guarantee their safety even if they're sitting in my living room! God can guarantee their safety wherever they are-- nothing can get to them that does not go through Him first. My protection of them is limited by my humanity; the security of God's everlasting arms is completely without breach by any enemy. God gave me the precious gift of having my children near me for many years; why would I selfishly tighten my hold now on what is not mine and try to keep them for myself? God has a place for each of them, a sphere of influence, a multitude of people whose lives will be touched as these shining lights go out into a dark world. I will not cry and cling nor in any way hinder or douse their desire to go into the world to serve God. They must be set absolutely free-- not to follow their hearts, but to follow His heart for them and the people of the world.

What if they're called to live in another city, another state, another country, or another continent?! Any sacrifice of the pleasure of having them near will result in waves of blessings in the lives they touch and the eternal rewards that can never be taken away.

The tragedy is not that they are leaving home for a faraway place-- the tragedy would be if they stayed and missed the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.

~Lily

Beautifully loved

Sweet Jacob!

Crazy how fast I fell in love with these kids. Their smiles, laughter, hugs, "HERMANA Lily"s, big brown eyes.

Juanes! This pic makes me laugh with his cheesy grin!

They are filled with joy and that joy is contagious.

Peniel. Photo credit to Travis Saxer

Their beautiful and loved by their Savior who made each one in His image.

Izrael (photo credit to Travis Saxer)

They are strong. They've been through tons and have seen more hurt and pain than I can imagine but still they love. they smile, they laugh.

Gentle Ariel (photo by Travis Saxer)

They are kids. Kids trying to figure out life without mommies and daddies. Little kids who have to grow up so fast and help raise themselves and sometimes each other. They learn to be strong because they have to. They never have a mommy to hug them or a daddy to teach them. They have Tia's and Tio's who are amazing but sadly come in and out of their lives over the years.

Juanes :) (photo credit to Anna)

  They see so much and have gone through so much but God knows. He loves them and is for them. They are HIS. They are in HIS hands. And sometimes I don't understand. And I ask why a sweet baby should be abandoned but then I am reminded again and again that I too was once an orphan and God took me in and loved me just as He loves these beautiful children. And I know that these kids are in God's hands. He is holding them and everything in their lives is for His glory and All things will work together for good. And I am filled with joy.

~Lily

Feliz Cumplé Hijo!

Feliz Cumpleaños to Esteban!!!

This kid is awesome! He just turned 14 today but
is mature beyond his years and a great friend.
He picked up tons of English so quickly and was
super fun to hang out with. A great leader to the
other boys. And got some pretty awesome quotes
from this kid. :) Thanks a lot google translate for
being able to translate swear words. He was my
footsal (soccer) coach and always liked to make
fun of how I ran. And ALWAYS said, "Lily,
CLOSE YOUR MOUTH!" Fun memories of
eating rellenos in town and chugging coca-cola
and running/falling down the shortcuts to get
down to town. Cleaning the pool and getting
pushed into the pool and a birthday where he
shoved cake in my face and broke an egg over
my head which are "bolivian traditions" i guess?
Or the perfect way to torture the birthday girl!

I am so grateful for this friend!
Praying that God would save this awesome kid
and use  Esteban to further the gospel!

~Lily

Anchor of my soul

Anchor of my soul. You sustain.
When I'm in the storm, You'll remain good to me.

The blood that was spilt protects me. It's the same blood that cleans me.

Who shall I fear if my anchor is secure.

You give me the strength to stand.

Your my greatest pleasure.

Yeah no matter the weather I face.

Lord you never forsake.

My fragile life is safe under your sovereign grace.

Peace surrounds me and He anchors me with His grace abounding.

This song is a crazy blessing to me right now. I am anchored. No storm can shake me from my Savior! Be it timing before I head back to Bolivia, fear as a million details swirl through my mind or other trials, I am secure and God is the one giving me strength. And He gives peace. 

~Lily

Happy 4th

My FAVORITE! Always makes me think of a weeping willow.

Happy 4th of July!!! Enjoying family, friends, food, fun, and fireworks!
Please continue to pray that I would be able to get all my paperwork in and
processed quickly so that I can return to Bolivia as soon as possible!
Miss the kids a lot!

God bless America! 

~Lily

Amigos

Me and with my amazing friend Moises

Teenagers. The older kids at Casa de Esperanza are amazing.
They have been through so much. They are hurting and
trying to figure out their future and still trying to be a kid with
tons of responsibility on their shoulders.

With MaryLuc! Beautiful inside and out

They are so fun. I have never laughed so much as when I am with these
kids. Their tough and love giving us a hard time but so sweet and just
soak up any compliment and love you give them. Even if they pretend
they don't like it. They loved seeing how far they could push me.

"Are you mad yet Lily?" One kid would always ask me. And I would say our
inside joke "Only babies get mad."

Hanging out with Esteban... coolest kid ever!

Marcos, Susy, Ximena and Esther

These kids are so mature and strong.
What they've gone through and how they
can still be smiling and laughing is amazing
to me. I pray that God would continue to
work in their hearts and draw them to Himself!

Roberto and Gustavo

 

Can't wait to go back and be able to spend
more time with these amazing friends God
has given me! I am incredibly blessed!

Have a fabulous 4th of July!

                          ~Lily