this mom? {courtney's story}
Are You Sure You Have the Right Woman, God?
I currently live in Jenks, OK with my husband, my 3 year old daughter, and am anxiously waiting to meet my second daughter in one month. No matter how many kids you have, whether you have kids, or if you are single or married with no kids - women are amazing! We are the world’s greatest multi-taskers, we are nuturers, caretakers, compassionate, and strong. As for me, I am trying to balance the daily duties of caring for my 3 year old, being a wife of a youth minister, and running a ministry (I.D. Ministries) for teenage girls. Not to mention trying to keep my house halfway clean, picked up and food on the table that doesn’t consist of a frozen pizza everynight. (hint: I once heard a tip to use Windex on your glass table, screen door, etc. once a day so when people come over they will smell it and think you have cleaned). I have found myself often quoting Ephesians 6:7, "Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." Even as I am unloading the dishwasher, scrubbing a stain out of my daughters shirt, or picking up Yucky Charms off the floor, I am saying this truth.
So what does it look like to be more than just a mom, even though it is one of the greatest callings in and by itself? For me, the Lord has recently given me an assignment. This assignment is to rescue girls off the streets of Accra, Africa, build a home for them to live in, and teach them about Jesus, educate them academically, and vocationally train them so they can live freely and independently. Come again? How in the world are you to help girls halfway around the world while doing all the things listed above? Are you crazy? (you might be asking). And my answer to that is “probably.” But, I am simply walking in obedience as I listen to God and doing that which He has asked of me. See, when God gives you an assignment, a mission, He already knows your circumstances, your surroundings, your talents, your strengths, your weaknesses, your fears, and HE has people waiting to help carry out the task He has placed before you. He is faithful. He can be trusted. We are to simply be obedient, have faith, and let God worry about the outcome and details.
Oh how I would love to walk this road with you. I would love for you to be a part of something bigger than yourself. Is it to be with The Pearl House in Africa? There is a place for you. It is going to take many to accomplish rescuing God’s daughters in Africa. There are opportunities to go to Africa, to give to The Pearl House, to pray for The Pearl House, and to volunteer for The Pearl House. Will you say yes? Will your answer be yes even before God asks of you? Beloved, let’s do this together.
Please visit www.thepearlhouse.org and you will find ways to get involved as well as sign up for our newsletter. We have had moms organize garage sales, had their kids be involved through fundraisers, getting others to give, dollar for dollar matching, giving up their birthday gifts for The Pearl House . . . the opportunities are endless!
Courtney invites you to join her. You can learn more at www.thepearlhouse.org. Follow her at courtney_idm (twitter) or connect on facebook at courtney belle bullard. Courtney co-authored, The Same Page book, with Shauna.