Here's Your Peg Leg.

A few months ago, my friend Christy was in Haiti working at the orphanage she oversees and I saw this post come across my news feed for a conference on mentoring, reconciliation, and race relations. I felt that gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit to take her. Before she was even wheels on the ground back here in the states, I had purchased our tickets. 

I do not think either one of us knew how weary we were until we got there. Attacks come when you are serving, of course, but sometimes you just get deep in the bone kind of weary. Loving addicts, missionaries, ministers, and orphans is hard work. We were left craving to be washed in the gospel love of Jesus Christ. It just was not happening.

As we stepped into the conference, we honestly did not know what to expect. It changed our trajectory. It set us back on the road of hope. Every single speaker preached the gospel to our threadbare souls and encouraged us to get back in the game. 

We are not these high profile people. We are the people working recon in the underbelly. We were the statistics these people were trying to mentor and somehow God redeemed our lives. I kept thinking of being abused as a little girl and as these people spoke, I realized that they were reaching out and fighting for hundreds of people just like me...just like the people we are reaching out to now. Thank you all for speaking deeply into our hearts.

Recently having been hurt preaching the gospel, I had gone in feeling like a warrior on the side of a battlefield not knowing what to do. When Bob was talking about taking the witch doctors off the zip line, I felt like God threw me a peg leg and told me to get back in there. 

We heard Bob Goff speak a few weeks ago. He told a story about witch doctors trying to hex him. As the Honorable Consul for the Republic of Uganda, Bob decided to call a meeting with them all. He asked these guys that wanted to see him dead what they needed. They told him that didn't know how to read or write. So Bob started a Witch Doctor School and gave them two free books to learn to read. The Bible and Love Does. There is more greatness to this story. He took all of these guys zip lining and they quit selling kids for child sacrifices. I was so struck by this because I've been weary in dealing with some people in my own life. None of them are Witch Doctors. Surely I can muster up some mercy and courage and get back on the battle field. Love does. What do you need? Photographer- Keshia Clark in Costa Rica #Mercy #newmercy #courage

A photo posted by The Gospel Mom (@thegospelmom) on Oct 5, 2015 at 10:07pm PDT

I wrote about Bob Goff telling us a story having to do with some witch doctors over at @thegospelmom. When I went to the conference, I was pretty weary. I told @christyguenther that I felt like I was I was sitting on the side of the battle field with my leg blown off wondering what to do. When @bobgoff was talking about loving these witch doctors, I felt like God tossed me a peg leg and told me to get back in there. Love does. Catch! Here's your peg leg. 💗#pegleg #lovedoes

A photo posted by Stephanie Cherry (@stephaniecherryartist) on Oct 5, 2015 at 10:10pm PDT

#tbt That one time a week ago when my leg fell asleep on our 7 hour car ride and I fell out of the car. @christyguenther took my picture and then asked if I needed help. 😀

A photo posted by Stephanie Cherry (@stephaniecherryartist) on Oct 1, 2015 at 8:01am PDT

Bob Goff's book 💗Love Does💗 spoke hope to my weary soul during a hard time in my life. Read it. It was a gift to meet him, declare my love, and speak blessing. He encouraged us to love our neighbor, so I had him sign a book for mine. He said to me, "Have Fritz give me a call." #fansoffritz #placeokc

A photo posted by Stephanie Cherry (@stephaniecherryartist) on Sep 24, 2015 at 8:45pm PDT

In case you missed my post about me walking by Willie Robertson and saying he sounded like the guy on Duck Dynasty. I don't get out much. #straightouttafentress I don't own a TV, but I watched a few episodes of his show on my Mac. I cried and cried. I kept thinking of how much God must love him and be proud of him. #placeokc

A photo posted by Stephanie Cherry (@stephaniecherryartist) on Sep 24, 2015 at 8:50pm PDT

#tbt That one time a week ago when my leg fell asleep on our 7 hour car ride and I fell out of the car. @christyguenther took my picture and then asked if I needed help. 😀

A photo posted by Stephanie Cherry (@stephaniecherryartist) on Oct 1, 2015 at 8:01am PDT

 Espwa:Haitian Creole for Hope.

More to come.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

A few months ago I picked up a copy of the 25th Anniversary edition of Paulo Coelho's famous book The Alchemist. Perhaps you know his book was pretty much a failure and then all of a sudden it took off like gangbusters. It is on quite a few lists of books you must read in your lifetime. Critics consistently herald it as life-changing. It's a simple and yet complex story of a man trying to find his personal legend and make his way in this life. 

I enjoyed just reading the story and following  our hero on his journey. I can completely see why self-help gurus would love this book. It's really about finding your own way and conspiring with the universe to follow your legend or destiny. The great parts are watching our hero overcome seemingly impossible odds to find himself and the love of his life. It's a interesting story.

There were confusing portions to me, however. I couldn't always tell what he was trying to say. Of course, story is meant to be that way. There is an abundance of relying on omens and intermingling of faith as though all gods are the same. It was still thought provoking. Most things are, just as long as you don't worship them. 

Have you read it?