When God moves in your Child's Life

Blog Part 4

Silas is 9 years old and is in the 3rd grade at the International School of Ouagadougou.

Silas likes Superman and I think part of this comes from his love for his older cousin Bo.

This is Silas in the school assembly!  They had a cause and effect presentation.

Silas also learned a little about cause and effect in his own life and obeying God.

Silas struggles being here. He trusts God, but he has at times counted down the days until he can be with his best friend, Jonah Brooks again. He heard Noah praying that God would tell us if we are to come back after our Stateside. Our stateside does not start until January 2012. We would go home to raise support for 6 or so months and then possibly come back. 4 days ago during our morning prayer time while Noah was praying Silas busted in with a WHAT? You said we were coming here for two years….chin is quivering and the tears begin to fall. I do not want to come back. I really miss Jonah and American football he says. I simply am heartbroken for him and try to encourage him as we are about 2 minutes from school.

Fast Forward to a week later- Samaho gets SAVED.

This is Samaho and her son Philemon!Fast Forward to the next morning during prayer time-

We use the ACTS- Acknowledge, Confess, Thanksgiving, and Supplication…. We are on “thank” and the excitement that we all shared in her decision for Christ was amazing. Silas stops in the middle of his prayer and says, “Wait a minute, so do you mean that because of us like 22 people will go to heaven now?” I respond not understanding the number he gave, “YES, Silas. Because you loved, prayed for, and showed Jesus by your life- Through God’s power Philemon’s mom and Surge gave their lives to Jesus and they will be in heaven with us. Who are the other 20 people?” Silas responds, “Ya know the people who come to church just because we are white and they want to see us or because there is a team here and then when Pastor Agabus is preaching they ask Jesus into their lives. That is because of us too?” My response with a quivering voice and tears streaming down my face was, “Yes Silas. Does it not feel so good to be the usable part of God’s power so that others come to know Jesus and heaven gets bigger? Silas, now do you understand that it breaks my heart that you miss home and Jonah and American football, but if God asks us to come back to Burkina it is only because He needs us to be the usable tool so that he can extend his grace and power and people will give their lives to him?” With a tender sweet almost shy looking smile he shakes his head yes. “Silas, if God calls Daddy and I to come back to Burkina Faso after our two year commitment here is over, He does not just not leave you out of the picture. He has a plan and wants to use you, but He cares that you hurt. It is in times like these that we have to trust God even if it does not feel like he is taking care of us or out for our best good because we really are sad and our hearts really do hurt….. Because we really do miss Jonah very bad or we really want to play American football. We are now at school and the kids have to get out of the car…. Silas is in the front seat and as he takes his seat belt off with the sweetest smile I have ever seen he says, “I love you mom.”

I know that it is in times like these, God reminds me that even though we hurt and suffer, it is He who will also grow and teach us love and protect us. At age 9, Silas’s heart is sufferings but he is learning lessons at 9 years old that I pray will mold him into a man of God that can trust God in ALL things because He knows WHO God is.

Thank you God for Silas, please bring Jonah here for a visit. We will wait for your timing, but please bring him! AMEN!

God’s Power in Usable People Brings Changed Lives and Amazing Things!