Absolutely Heart Wrenching

*WARNING*

This post is one of the hardest I have ever had to post.

I wish I could say it is not true. I wish I could tell you that it's all a joke.

I can not.

For those of you who would rather skip this post, I challenge you to read it.

I challenge you to look at the pictures. See for yourself,

this really IS real.

If you have always turned a blind eye to the problems and injustice in other countries,

today, I challenge you,

DON'T.

Understand what kind of world other children live in.

Picture your own kids.

This puts life in perspective.

For me, a very real reality.

See that it's not all about the iPhone, the new flat screen TVs, the fantasy cars,

the cool clothes, our bank account balances.

This is true heartbreak. This is true pain. This is true reality.
This is utter and profound injustice for innocent beautiful children.

This is life for millions of children.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Perhaps some of you may wonder why I have started Bread FOR Life.

Every day I cry.

EVERY DAY.

Every day I see faces in my head that have no home.

They have no parents.

They have no water.

They have no bed.

They have no food.

They have no clothes.

They simply have nothing.

They are neglected, abused, tortured and left for dead.

As I write this, I have tears flowing down my face.

I can barely breathe.

My chest hurts in grief that is so deep and so real sometimes

I do not know how to physically move from my chair.

This is one story that I will never forget.

 I believe I have a righteous anger in me too.

I believe that some of my pain I feel inside is

because I have not done anything sooner.

There came a day when I knew I needed to do something.

My life that I have always lived; comfortable,

in need of nothing, having everything, never missing a meal,

clean water, warm bed… etc., for me, seems almost criminal.

(I am thankful, don't get me wrong and please don't misinterpret that statement.)

I want to put everything behind me and go into the fields.

We need to serve the orphan.

We need to serve the abandoned.

We need to serve the lonely, forgotten, abused, tormented and heartbroken.

I do not want this life anymore.

Someone needs to help these PRECIOUS children and I pray we are those people.

Please know, these images are raw.

They are heart wrenching.

They are horrifying.

But they are real.

Even if you choose to not look or read this story,

the problem doesn’t go away until someone chooses to deny themselves

and fight for their cause.

To be a voice when they can not move their mouths anymore.

^“Do not move an ancient boundary stone
   or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
for their Defender is strong;
(Praise JESUS)
   he will take up their case against you.”
(Thank you Lord!)

Proverbs 23: 10-11

Click
Will You Be His Hands and His Feet?

A blog entree post from the Loux Family Blog
Also shared on "Orphan Justice Center"

Do YOU Have a Favorite BREAD recipe? ♥

"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
   because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor."

Isaiah 61:1 

I am searching for the world's greatest

LEMON BREAD

recipe to add to my "Bread FOR Life" menu!

If you have a favorite bread recipe

and would like to share it with me, please email me or comment.

I know the pumpkin bread is a real favorite among my family and friends

but I believe I will need about 3 "signature" breads

that I can bust-out all for the LOVE of orphans!

**And we can even "name" the bread after YOU! **

 I'm telling you, I'm so, SO, S.O. excited about what the Lord is doing.

These are HIS children and HE is the Bread of LIFE!

So if you have a favorite bread recipe and would like to share it with me,

please do! :)

I would be thrilled to "name" the bread after YOU

and you too can have a special part in what the Lord is doing through "Bread FOR Life"!

I'm excited!

Happy Baking!

For HIS Kingdom!

For HIS Glory!

For HIS Precious Children!

ALL FOR HIM!

A.L.L. O.F. I.T!

"and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty
   instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise
   instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness,
   a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor."

Isaiah 61:3

Hannah's GOLDEN Heart ♥ Precious Moments

"Train up a child in the way he should go:
And when he is old, he will not depart from it."Proverbs 22:6


Hannah, (my 7 year old daughter) LOVES the orphan.

She will NOT stop talking about them.

There is a golden gem in the center of her heart that tells me,

our Father has something brewing for this sweet angel.

She told me the other night as we were out on a walk:

“Mommy I have a secret I want to tell you but I don’t know if I should.”

I said,

“Well honey, you know you can tell your mommy anything.

What makes you think you can’t tell me?”

She says,

“Well I don’t know if you will understand.”

I said,
“Oh honey, try me. I will do my best to understand.”

With a deep breath and a few more steps, she preceded to tell me,

“Mommy, the Lord told me we are going to Africa.”

I said

“Oh really? Baby, that’s awesome.

Why is that a secret and why do you think you can’t tell me?”

She said,

“Well I don’t know when we are going but I know we are going.

Does that sound weird?”

I said,

“No honey, it sounds like the voice of our Father.

That is how He speaks to us.

He makes something very clear in our hearts that we know it to be true,

even if we have no idea how it will happen.

That is the exciting part of following Jesus.

So now, you know what we need to do?

We need to wait.

We need to pray and wait patiently.

The Lord will tell us everything we need to know exactly when we need to know it!”

With that she smiled with complete joy and satisfaction,

I put my arm around her and we began to pray as we walked.

This is my 7 year old daughter.

The Lord has a call on her life.

I know He does.

Precious moments that money could never buy,

stitched in my heart and mind, forever.

Thank you Jesus!

This is not the first time I wrote about her precious heart.
I wrote about another time here.

Simply PRICELESS!


“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them,
for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child
will never enter it.'
And he took the children in his arms
placed his hands in them and blessed them."
Mark 10:14-16

All About My Father's Business

"Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the LORD,
the God of hosts, will be with you,
   as you have said. Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate;
it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts,
will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph." Amos 5:14-15

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(So sorry MBM readers for posting this twice.
I didn't link it to the exact post, just the blog in general.
Still kinda new at all this.)

Here is an unbelievable update on

"Bread FOR Life"!

In the three weeks that I baked bread, set-up tables at several churches,
brought some to school to sell and did multiple mail orders…

want to know how much was raised?

A little over $2,200.00!

That is right!

3 weeks

$2,200.00+!!!

Nothing is
too small
or
too big
for God when it comes to the orphan!

~ They are the apple of His eye! ~

Get ready Sanyu Babies' Home,

we have a blessing for you!

I can see God’s hand *ALL* over this precious little ministry and I have a feeling...
is about to take off.

Here is why I KNOW that "Bread FOR Life" is the Lord's work:

As I was baking all this bread in my sweet *little* (very little) kitchen,

I prayed to the Lord,

“Oh God, you know my heart. This is what I want to do for these precious little children.
I know you are well aware that baking in this kitchen is very small.
It’s not that I’m complaining it just comes with its challenges: lack of counter space,
no storage and many long hours on my feet with the oven on for OVER 12 hours at a time,
day after day. Yes these are small challenges but nevertheless,
you are so much bigger than this.
So I pray, Lord, will YOU raise up the right environment up for me
to continue to do this ministry, bake bread until I drop
and watch you MOVE mountains so this little loaf of bread
can feed *every* orphan in the world?”

(Oh Yes, we are praying BIG)

This was the prayer and cry of my heart in the month of December.

Well...

without a moment to lose, the Lord has provided it

ALL!

*Giggling*

A dear friend (Thank you Mrs. SBM) who rents a commercial kitchen called me,
laughing and giddy with excitement.
(*Praise God for brothers and sisters in the Lord who are also about their Father’s business!)

Here is what she was so excited over:
She offered me her commercial bakery kitchen from 8pm-5am;

She is helping me multiply my recipe to yield 20-40 per batch in HALF the baking time;

(Are you getting this?)
She donated 50lbs bag of flour;

She is hooking me up with vender's for supplies and ingredients;

And even said she will help *shrink-wrap* all my loaves!

Are you serious?????

Woo-hoo Jesus!
(Jumping up and down, singing and crying with excitement. Literally!)

She said her oven is a walk-in conventional oven that can bake up to
400 LOAVES AT ONCE IN HALF THE TIME!

Woo-hoo Jesus!
(Jumping up and down, singing and crying with excitement. Literally!)

 I think the Lord has a plan for this sweet little ministry He created called
"Bread FOR Life"!

We have seen the conception and the first-fruits of this beautiful little fundraiser and now
I believe we will see the Lord demonstrate HIS power for HIS children.

Jesus does not *ask* us to care for the orphan,
He demands it.
(Heart stopping words by Katie Davis)

He will always make a way, provide for and bless the hearts of the obedient.
That's a PROMISE!

If you are interested in blessing this fundraiser
please do not hesitate to place orders for this great tasting, moist, and delicious,
flavor-packed ALL NATURAL PUMPKIN BREAD!
Made with only the best of ingredients!

I can take orders as BIG as...

well...

 I’m up for any challenge!

Here are some ideas...
Order bread for: Church events, staff meeting, blessing a family in need, conferences

weddings, pot lucks, BBQ’s, Sunday morning coffee tables, gifts, etc.
 Or just donate to bless the ministry! ;)

Just remember this:
Every loaf of bread you buy will go directly
to the ministry of the orphan in need.

100%

Right now, our first mission is Sanyu Babie's Home.

God is my Father and I am all about HIS BUSINESS!!!

Are you with me?

And by the way, this bread freezes a.m.a.z.i.n.g!
So order big, freeze it and enjoy it at a later time.

To place an order, please email: growingforhisglory@yahoo.com

All shipping cost will need to be reimbursed to my family please :) ♥

"Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good,
in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives." Titus 3:14

WOW! What a week! ♥ And it's not over yet!

"If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday."

Isaiah 58:10

Wow, what a week this has been!

Baking, baking and more baking… and after that,

bake some more. Why not?

I never thought that bustin out 15 loaves of bread in one day

would ever be “no bid deal.”

But really, it’s not. I can literally bake Pumpkin Bread in my sleep

with one hand tied behind my back and the other washing the dog.

No need for the recipe anymore, it’s tattooed on my brain!

Now, I just need 3 more ovens and a few more pans and I will have it made! ;)

I am SO blessed beyond words to see what the Lord is doing in the hearts

of His people over this ministry.

I feel like through this fundraiser people will start to see and understand

more clearly the orphan crisis and get really excited about helping these

innocent children. I have had endless people stand and listen to me share and end up thrilled and pumped about getting involved.

Even if it means just to purchase a loaf… or 5!

Praise GOD!

EVERY PENNY COUNTS!

I have come to understand that the hearts of many people

have been and are burdened

for the less fortunate, needy, desolate and poor.

That is so exciting for me because between all of us, we can really make a difference.

I know we can.

Most orphans survive on less than a dollar a day.

LESS THAN A DOLLAR A DAY!

My goodness, we have a dollar of coins under the seat in our car
and it doesn’t even faze us.

We have change at the bottom of our purse that we let our kids throw in ponds.

We have change in junk drawers, old jackets.

I even have a quarter that has been laying in my driveway for weeks now.

I just keep walking over it.

That money, collected, can really make a difference.

May not sound like a lot but they don’t need a lot.

They need water.

They need food.

They need clothes.

Those are not expensive things.

Really.

Let’s do something together!

I challenge everyone reading this, clean out your junk drawer!

Clean out your car! Old jacket pockets, behind dressers, under beds,
in old dusty piggy banks…

turn in that money!

Turn in it to dollar bills and donate it to the nearest organization that works with

abandoned and orphaned children. (or buy pumpkin bread! *wink* )

Do something with it.

You don’t need it… but they DO!

Remember, 147 Million Orphans!

That’s 147 million too many!

My goodness, I can go on… However, we have SO much we can offer them.

I am just really exited about what the Lord is going to do in the hearts of His people

for those who are willing. We know God is constantly seeing where we will be faithful.

If we are Christians, this is easy.

Just Love!

(Mark 12:31)

So, remember my friend I was telling you about on Sunday that worked at the

SAME orphanage that is close to my heart? (Still cant get over what the Lord did that day.

Yes, I still have that silly grin on my face and I don't think it's going away anytime soon.)

Well, we did have coffee on Tuesday night and it was awesome!

It was

absolute confirmation

to me that I am donating this money to the RIGHT orphanage

that God has placed on my heart. She showed me pictures of when she was living there.

I got to see all around this special orphanage.

I got to see the faces of these dear children.

I got to see the faces of theses beautiful “Mommas”

who love and give their lives to care for these precious children.

As beautiful as these babies are, it ripped my heart out.

The eyes of most of these children… tell the saddest stories.

They have big brown droopy watery eyes that look as if there is no hope.

Which we know is not true but they don’t know that.

Some days are filled with many hungry hours,

possibly not enough warm clothes or blankets

and absolutely lacking the nurturing love and care that only a mommy or daddy can provide.

So needless to say, I AM BEYOND THRILLED

about what we are doing!

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

to all who have contributed and donated money and/or purchased a loaf of bread!

God is doing something BIG here and I am so humbled to be a witness to it.

To watch HIS craftiness and perfection at work,
I wouldn’t change it for anything!

I was fishin around on YouTube and found a sweet video of Sanyu Babies Home.

This was taken in 2008 but for the most part, I believe this is what it still looks like.

This video is exactly where my heart is.

If you watch this video, look at how hard these Mommas are working,

day in and day out.

Devoted.

Selfless. 

Committed.

Faithful.

They are so beautiful!

I love this place.

I have never been but my heart longs to see these babies.

Hold them. Love them… forever.

I love Africa.

My heart has been hijacked.

I love looking in their eyes, knowing, these are God’s children!

I need to love them!

This Sunday will be such a blessing to be able to share with the congregation

what the Lord has done this past week through this ministry.

Who would have thought that a little flour and a little pumpkin

would actually raise close to

$1000.00

Oh yea baby!

That’s what I’m talking about!

I’m telling you, God is on the move and I am following Him!

Are you with me?

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, '
If any of you wants to be my follower,

you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me."

Matthew 16:24

How Much and What Happened?

"Once our eyes are opened, we can’t pretend we don’t know about what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know and holds us responsible to act."

Prov. 24:12

This is my Memorial Box Monday!
Thanks to A Place Called Simplicity

Yesterday was the day!

My awesome Pastor (God bless you Colton) gave me the opportunity to stand in front
of our church and announce my fundraiser “Bread FOR Life” and share my heart for the orphan! Oh my goodness! What a blessing it was!
In front of about 150-200 people, yeah, the nerves took over.
I cried I think before I even said my name. Oh well. God is so good!

I was able to share what I believe the Lord has put into motion in my heart.

The first step to who-knows-what the Lord has in store. *giggling*

This is what it is…

“Bread FOR Life” is an ongoing fundraiser to help raise money for
orphaned and abandoned children both locally and abroad.
(However, I’m not sure where to donate locally even though that is my heart. We still need to pray into
this to show us where the greatest need would be. Open for suggestions if anyone has any.)

I am baking and selling my All-Natural Homemade Pumpkin Bread!

100% of ALL proceeds go DIRECTLY to the ministry of orphans.

(I will be accumulating NO profit from this whatsoever.)

This is God’s ministry, not mine.

My heart is simply to raise money for the children in need of food, clothes, shelter,

education and of course JESUS!

I am SO S.T.I.N.K.I.N. excited over this I can not even stop smiling.

Yesterday was the big kick-off day at our church.

(BTW: There is something very special brewing in the hearts of this little church called ‘360’!)

I baked a total of 20 loaves.

(May not sound like a lot but it was the best I could do in twelve hours in my little kitchen.)

I asked for a “suggested donation of $8.00” and would you know…

half my bread was gone before church even started.

PRAISE GOD!

People read my sign, grabbed some bread and started filling up that little see-through vase with the money that is going to make a BIG difference!

Would you know, by the end of church all my bread was

GONE but people were STILL putting money in the vase.

Oh the hearts of God’s people.

It was so moving.

Want to know how much was raised?

OK I’ll tell you!

$648.00!!!

Yes, that’s right… $648.00 for 20 loaves of bread! *giggling*

As I baked all day Saturday, I kept telling the Lord, “Take my 5 loaves and 2 fish and multiply it for Your Kingdom and for YOUR children.” That was all my heart kept saying while I was baking. KNOWING He heard me and KNOWING He IS so faithful!

And He is!!!

I also want to mention that the outpouring of support for this ministry is fantastic!
~ I had one lady offer to purchase all my flour for me.
~ Another lady offered to help bake loaves to donate.
~ Another sweet woman is giving me homegrown sugar pumpkins to bake with.
(FRESH PUMPKINS, wow, that's pretty cool!)
~ One precious woman offered to give me the eggs from her chickens on her farm!
And endless people offered to help if I needed it.
The BODY of Christ is PRICELESS!
Thank you to all who offered! Really! God sees it all!

I am overwhelmed with the goodness of Jesus and truly that’s not even the best part!!

So here is the REAL reason why I have been tickled with joy and overflowing with endless smiles and laughter!

While I was giving my little 5 minute introduction into my heart behind this ministry, I briefly mentioned to the church about a very small special orphanage in Uganda that I would like to donate to. That was all I really said to them. Knowing, this little orphanage was really the driving fire behind me doing this fundraiser in the first place. In fact, it was their newsletter two months ago that prompted my heart into action. I read how they are run by donations only and desperately needed people to help support them. They needed diapers, clothes and food for these precious babies. I said in my heart, "Lord I NEED to do something."

So it was from that moment on that I started to pray

and out of those prayers “Bread FOR Life” was birthed.

OK, so this is the cool part!
So very special and completely undeniable that GOD IS ALL OVER THIS!

This was a special little token the Lord gave me to tell me,

“Yes I love you SO much I’m going to blow you away!”

I had a conversation with a young girl after church and it went something like this:

Friend: Wow Robin, thank you so much for doing this ministry. I have a heart for orphans too and this means a lot to me.

Me: Aww, your welcome. It’s totally the Lord, you know.

Friend: Yea, so where in Uganda is this orphanage? I used to live in Uganda.

Me: OH, NO WAY! Oh that’s awesome. I’m not totally sure where it is in Uganda though. What part did you live in?

Friend: A small village outside Kampala.

Me: Ok yeah. Well I’m not sure how to say it but it’s spelled S.A.N.Y.U…

FRIEND: Oh “SANYU Babies’ Home”… yes, I used to work there!

(I had to stop typing right now. I got goose bumps all over my body! Again!)

Did you just read what I wrote??

She used to WORK THERE!!!!

Here I am standing in a small church in Petaluma, CA.

talking to a young girl who worked at the

exact orphanage in the middle of no-where Uganda

that has set my heart a blaze for the orphaned children of Africa.

Do you see what God has done?

He blew me clear out of the spiritual hemisphere that I live in and said to me,

“Nothing is too big for Me.”  

That was His way of telling me, “You are doing exactly what I want you to do and I’m going to give you PROOF by giving you a friend who has loved the babies from THIS orphanage.”

Are you giggling at the goodness of God???

Please tell me you think that is as cool as I do!

I mean, really, WHAT are the *chances* of THAT happening.

There are none outside of Christ!

I am so blown away.

I am so blessed.

I am so overwhelmed with His kindness.

So if you see me in the next few days and I have a silly grin on my face, you know why!

So now, my new friend and I have a date for coffee tomorrow night and I am so excited to sit and listen to what she has to share.

I have been praying for something like this...

*GIGGLING*

**************************

So this is my “Bread FOR Life” first story! Pretty cool, huh?

I know the Lord has so much in store for me, my family and my church through all this.

Not too mention, I was able to bake the bread with Hannah and Christopher all day Saturday and explain to them the mission behind it all. It was priceless to hear the questions they had regarding the orphans. And also, Hannah came home last night and started to cry because her heart is heavy for these children, THEN she shares with Papa and I that she wants to FAST tomorrow for the orphans!!!!

Yes, my 7 year old daughter wants to FAST for the orphan.

Oh God is all over this!

Their hearts are being opened to the true meaning of the Gospel by witnessing all this…

They get it.

They really do!

There is nothing I rather do right now THAN THIS!

The fundraiser has just begun!

I have special orders coming in left and right. Sending off a few shipments this week.
(I’m already shipping. lol)
God you are SO good!
We are setting up another table this Sunday because so many people did not get a loaf
and want to contribute.

(I need a few more ovens!) lol.

My husband and I are overcome with Jesus!

We are excited what He has in store for us!

You can just call me Betty Crocker. Thanks! ;)


"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you."

James 1:27