Today was our third day to visit communities in Bangladesh. We had amazing day in another sweeper community outside of Dhaka. We visited with some families that are affected by FH’s work. Here’s a post I wrote for the Catalyst blog on the savings groups that we’ve seen impacting each community. PS – I just got my ticket for Catalyst West. I sure hope to see you in Orange County in April. 

One of the things that I’ve been so impressed by during our time in Bangladesh is our savings group model. It is obvious that these savings groups are the bedrock of our work in Bangladesh. They allow us to impact a community wholistically. Not only do the groups allow women to save for a future together, also they give the women the rare opportunity to learn to read and write, develop small businesses, raise healthy families, strengthen their communities, learn leadership skills, discover their rights, and prevent childhood marriages.

Currently FH has over 900 groups across 7 areas of Bangladesh. We have chosen to run learning and savings groups in these areas as they are particularly needy and vulnerable places, where women can be deprived or mistreated. In many of these places FH originally carried out emergency relief work in response to natural disasters. Eventually our groups help disaster torn communities to develop and recover in a sustainable way. Click here to read more. 

Have you heard of savings groups before? If so, I’d love to hear about when and how? 

We had a great day today in Bangladesh. A long, great day.

We drove out to a rural Hindu community that Food for the Hungry has worked in since 2011. 

Photo by Esther Havens

Today the bloggers all had the opportunity to meet their sponsor kids. It was such a joy to see them connect with these girls that live half a world away, to have them see firsthand the power of their sponsorship. Since we split into groups, I spent most of my day with my sweet {and kind of crazy} friend Joy. It was so fun to watch her play with Fulmoti.

Joy learned Bengali games.

And Fulmoti learned Red Light, Green Light.

And Duck, Duck, Goose.

Any observer would see that these two had a lot in common, they were both so vibrant, so full of life. And they both had quite the little competitive streak. {Pretty sure I saw some false starts and pushing.}

Can’t wait to hear about how their relationship flourishes.

Here are my favorite pictures from each of the blogger’s visits:

Joy teaching Fulmoti the double-high-five

Photo by Esther Havens

Max and Lauren with Kajol

Photo by Esther Havens

Logan with Ritu

Don’t forget to join us at 7 PM CST TONIGHT for the live #FHBloggers Twitter Chat. You can win awesome Bangladeshi prizes {seriously, some of the prettiest blankets I have ever seen} and ask any questions you have about our trip, Bangladeshi culture, Food for the Hungry, Child Sponsorship, or whatever else you’ve been pondering. More details here.

More glimpses into the trip that left us all changed.

{Pictures by David Molnar, photographer extraordinaire. Go check out his stuff. Beg him to shoot for you. Grovel. It’s worth it.}

Thanks for joining us on the journey! 

And…It’s not too late to sponsor a child through Food for the Hungry.  

Have you been to Ethiopia? How has Africa changed you?

I’m listening to Toto as I write this post. Don’t judge me. It’s a great song. 

In 13 days, we leave for Africa. I know Africa might be old hat for some of you. But for me, it’s new. Brand new. A clean slate. What I know about Africa, I learned from Toto. And Sally Struthers. And National Geographic. And Bono. And most recently, from Food for the Hungry.

In 13 days, we leave for Africa. I am intentionally not asking a lot of questions about the place, or the trip, or the people. I don’t want to fill my head with any more images or statistics. I want to see. I want to feel. And I want to know Africa intimately.

In 13 days, we leave for Africa. I am pretty sure that this will be the trip where I fall in love. {No, not like that. Sorry, Bianca.} I already seriously crushing on FH {what everyone around here affectionately  calls Food for the Hungry.} But on this trip, I anticipate I am going to fall deeply, madly, and whole-heartedly in love with this organization. So I will go ahead and apologize, if I blush and gush and go on and on about the work we do. Please just promise to nod and act interested and I promise I will extend the same courtesy to you when your heart is stolen away from you.

In 13 days, we leave for Africa. I will be traveling with an incredible group of bloggers. Some are old friends. Some are new friends. But they are all, each and every one, worth following in their own right. Do yourself a favor and go spend some time to get to know Alece, Alli, Alysa, Kristen, Emily, David and Daniel.

In 13 days, we leave for Africa. Sponsor a child. Tell your friends. Add the below banner to your blog. Pray for us.  And please follow along on our journey. 

Where’s one place you’ve never been that you’d like to go? 

Hard to believe that just one week ago, my brave friend Trish, Molly, and I hopped into my car and set-off for Nashville. 3 days and 2,100 miles later we arrived a little delirious but no worse for the wear.

Monday brought my first day at Food for the Hungry. Meeting a contractor at my future home. Catching up with long lost Nashville friends. Dropping Molly off at the vet for a routine checkup…which turned out not to be so routine after all.

Turns out the pup has a Mast Cell Tumor which best case scenario is going to be painful, expensive, and time-consuming. And worst case scenario, well, we don’t need to go there. {Fingers crossed, she’ll be having it removed next week right before I leave for two weeks of travel.}

So what was already slated to be a chaotic week full of transition had a new element of stress. {Cross Country Move – Check, Buying and Renovating House – Check, Starting New Job – Check, Beloved Pet With Cancer – Check Check.}

But incredibly, I have felt wonderfully peaceful through the whole thing. {The only thing that is about to send me over the edge is the insane itching from some pesky bug bites. I have no idea what got me, but it got me GOOD. Here’s hoping the steroid shot that I took this morning will put bring some relief.}

It is times like these that I can’t deny the presence of God.

Alone I would be pulling my hair out, but with God I’m experiencing peace.

“And know that the peace of God (a peace that is beyond any and all of our human understanding) will stand watch over your hearts and minds in Jesus, the Anointed One.” Philippians 4:7 

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the week.

What have you been up to? Are you finding peace in the midst of your chaos?

As I write this I am 30,000 feet in the air, headed to Haiti with a handful of Project 7 teammates. We are going to plant fruit trees as our Save the Earth campaign culminates. And truth be known, I am a little nervous. Okay, I’m a lot nervous.

Nervous because while I have experienced poverty, I haven’t experienced the darkness one hears about when discussing Haiti. Nervous because I have heard first hand Dan Woolley’s stories of surviving in an elevator shaft for days after the 2010 earthquake. Nervous because diseases like Cholera and Malaria are still real threats to Haitians and travelers alike. And nervous because Haiti feels dangerous, and as lame as it is to admit, I like feeling, being, living safe.

Last night as I climbed into bed and allowed my thoughts to spin, I started whispering to myself…

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I wasn’t quite sure where the familiar words came from {a quick google search told me that it was from St. Patrick’s Breastplate and is said invoke protection on a journey} but they are the words that I will take with me to Haiti and will holdfast to on all the journeys laid before me.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, his shield to ward,
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours
Against their fierce hostility,
I bind to me these holy powers.

Against all Satan’s spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart’s idolatry,
Against the wizard’s evil craft,
Against the death-wound and the burning
The choking wave and the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till thy returning.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

Friends, will you pray for our journey? And in the comments let us know how I can be praying for you?

So I live in California. {I know. I know. You know. And you are frustrated with how long it is taking for me to come to the realization.}

You probably know this too but I’m going to say it anyway. There are a lot of cool things to do in California. And about every day or so I hear myself saying, “I want to go there. I want to do that. I want to see that.” So I decided it was time to start what I’m calling “My Oh-S0-Ambitious California Bucket List.”

Here’s what I have got so far.

The amusement park list.

Disneyland
California Adventure
Knottsberry Farms
Universal Studios
Six Flags Magic Mountain

The night-out list. 

Watch Improv at Groundlings
See a Show at Hotel Cafe {preferably to see Joshua Radin and/or Cary Brothers}
Movie at El Capitan
Concert at the Hollywood Bowl
Grauman’s Chinese Theatre

The museum list. 

Getty Museums
MOCA
LACMA

The daytrip list.

Beverly Hills
San Diego
Malibu
Venice
Santa Monica

The weekend getaway list.

San Francisco
Santa Barbara
Palm Springs
Santa Ynez Valley with a meal at Cold Spring Tavern
Big Bear and/or Mammoth
Hurst Castle

And of course, the food list.

Organic Eats at Food Lab in Melrose
Italian Food at Girasole in Larchmont
Sausage at Wurstkuche
Noodles at Orochon Ramen
Waffles at Bruxi
French Dip at Philippe’s {because Jeremiah said I had to}

But I need your help.

What am I missing? What are the other California must-sees and must-dos? 

Tomorrow I am packing up my car and my dog and heading to Texas for three weeks.

Three weeks.

I haven’t spent that much time in Texas in the last ten years. And of course, I pick three of the hottest weeks of the year. {I need to have my head checked.}

“Why would you submit yourself to such torturous heat and humidity?,”  you ask.

Well, several reasons.

First and most importantly, I am going to spend some quality time with the family. While my immediate family is typically spread across the Southern half of United States, for the month of July everyone is congregating in Dallas. And I realized this might be my only opportunity to experience a true “summer vacation” with my three adorable-but-growing-like-weeds nieces. I am stoked to be a part of their daily lives for several weeks.

I want to hang out with friends, old and new. There are a host of people in Texas that I love that I never get to see. I hope over the next few weeks I can change that.

I need to get out of Nashville and force myself to find some time and space to dream. So far, my job search has consisted of me reacting to one opportunity or another. Don’t get me wrong, I realize how extraordinarily blessed I am to have opportunities to react to. But I also know how desperately I need to pause, take deep breaths and allow myself to process through what I want my life, and my next career move, to look like. Even though it totally freaks me out.

And lastly, I am attending the Echo Conference. Some of my favorite creatives are descending upon Dallas, Texas, from July 27th to the 29th. And you all know, I am a girl who hates missing a good conference.

I am going to miss Nashville, my church, my friends, my people, but I am sure looking forward to my Texas-sized road trip.

So, the question of the day is, what music, podcasts and/or audio books do you recommend for my road trip tomorrow? 

Oh, and if you are in Texas. Look me up. I would love to see you!

The arrival of In-N-Out Burger to North Texas has prompted happy tears, 3 hour drive-thru lines, and even made Frisco and Allen popular tourist donation for hungry Oklahomans craving a Double-Double. But it has me completely stressed out.

Now I LOVE In-N-Out. And I LOVE North Texas. But I fiercely believe that every once in a while TWO RIGHTS make a WRONG.

Here is where the tension lies. I am headed to Dallas tonight and can only stay for 2 and a half days. And Texas is the home of so many incredible culinary experiences that I can’t figure out how to work in a trip to In-N-Out into my already overcrowded eating schedule.

I believe with your prayers and advice I can surely figure this out, but it is going to be STRESSFUL.

Here’s the question..If you were in Dallas for two and a half days, which restaurants would you have to visit?

Or…What’s your In-N-Out order?

I am settling back in at home after taking a few days to attend the Q Conference . Each year Gabe Lyons and his team pick a different city to host “Q” and this year we were in Portland.

And I know three things.

One, I’m exhausted.

Two, my head is spinning from all the ideas I heard… and people I met.

And three, I heart Portland.

Here are a few reasons’s way:

I love Stumptown Coffee.

I love Powell’s Bookstore.

I love Little Big Burger.

I love how stunning and walkable the city is.

I love Multnomah Falls.

I love Baby Norman… in plaid.

I love Jam on Hawthorne and their ridiculously delicious brunch.

I love Olympic Provisions.

(And watching LV Hanson decide the vegan lifestyle is not in fact for him.)

I love Imago Dei and their beautiful stripped down worship experience.

I even love Mount Tabor.

(I just wish someone had told me to wear different shoes.)

But most of all I love the people I got to experience Portland with.

Do you heart Portland? What do you love most about it?