The Flow

When your skill level is high but the challenge of the task is too low, you experience boredom.  When you skill level is too low and the challenge of the task is too high, you experience frustration and anxiety.  But when the level of the challenge matches the level of your skills 

- then you're "in the flow". 

We don't work mainly for money, recognition, promotion, applause, or fame.  We work for flow.  We live for flow.  We hunger for flow, and when it's present, something happens in our spirit as we connect with a reality beyond ourselves 

and partner with God.  

Flow is part of what we experience in that partnership, and in that, 

God in turn uses flow to shape us. 

When you're working in the flow of service to God, when you're experiencing flow in activities that enhance and bless the lives of others - 

you're working "in the Spirit". 

(John Ortberg)

My heart is overflowing with thanksgiving while my body is kneeling and continually praying for provision. So many of you have weathered the storms with us over the last 3 years and you have been incredible to lift us up and even hold us up at times!  You've heard us share about our "flow" and you've encouraged us to KEEP ON SHARING. Some of you have physically worked alongside us and others of you, who couldn't physically go, have worked alongside us through faithful prayer and financial support. Thank you!  Oh my gracious, thank you!

While at home on furlough (a break from our lives and jobs in Haiti) we've prayed about opportunities to share our "flow" and our hearts regarding our call to move and work full-time in Haiti with more families.  We've felt convicted about sharing this opportunity more and many of you have invited us to dinner or to your church or small group to share.  You've purchased Haitian products from us to show support to our family and to families in Haiti who make a living off of the goods they make and sell.  You guys are amazing!

In attempt to further grow our circle, we kicked off our "25-in-25" invitation this past week.  We've shared that we need more families to partner with us in order to make the greatest impact through our jobs so over the span of 25 days we are praying for 25 new partners. If you've talked with us personally or heard us speak in a group you know that we firmly believe that YES God called us to GO but the only way we can DO what we are called to do is with a community that says YES, too.   

We believe that TOGETHER we can be a community that reaches the community of Haiti. So, if you've thought about partnering with our family but haven't done so, we would love for you to be one of the 25-in-25!  You can do that by:

  1) going to http://heartlineministries.org/product/john-dawn-chappelear/

  2) click the button that says "monthly donation"

  3) enter donation amount and click "donate"   

Oh y'all, THANK YOU for growing with us, for praying with us, for sweating with us, for giving with us, for climbing with us, for fattening us up and for sharing with us!  

      You encourage us to keep going!!!   

           

                You fuel our flow!       

Keep growing!

 "As we age we lose the ability to distinguish between the negative anxiety associated with work, stress, and tension, and the positive type that's a natural and exciting part of trying something new.  As a result we become more fearful and avoid anxiety-producing situations.  When that happens, the desire for safety keeps us stuck in neutral.  Trying to avoid risk is like trying to avoid living; without a goal to strive for you stop growing altogether." 

- Dr. Bernard Vittone.  

We stand to learn a lot from the shorter/younger people God has placed in our lives.

Here's to remembering days of dreaming and planning and effort-ing to make those dreams a reality.

Here's to trusting God in spite of our fears!  He's with us, y'all! Trust Him and go after that thing He's placed before you.

Here's to LIVING!

" Do not be afraid...I am your shield, your very great reward."  Genesis 15:1 

Marvelous molding

Overall, our trip back to the States has been much like a ride Cabila and I got on last week at the Mississippi State Fair.  

It was exciting but also terrifying at moments.  It was exhilarating and fun, yet, exhausting.  It was unbelievably fast with crazy flips and speed and it even included several surprises..some we wanted to experience again and again and some we just wanted to end!

I loved the incredible breeze as our seats slowly began to lift but then our legs all-but dangled from the seats and the metal “U” that held us in as we picked up speed. 

We were whisked around and we hung out at the top for a bit from the same metal “U" and then we did a sort of free-fall towards the ground at a break neck pace.  



Then we flipped around and went back up again.  Over and over and over.

At one point I heard Cabila say, 

“Mama, we are going to die!” 

Between flipping and soaring we screamed 

and we laughed 

and we cried out, "that's enough", 

and then "what??? again!?!".  

We soared and then headed to the ground BACKWARDS a few times depending on the way the seats were flipping so we never really knew what to expect even when our eyes were open.  

At the top we could see over the coliseum and across the city but on the way to the bottom we braced ourselves to “miss the ground” every time.

I laughed so hard I literally cried while riding "Speed".  It was definitely an unforgettable experience.  

I would definitely do it again but Cabila is unsure if he would join me. 

(smiles)

Well as you know, we prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed and waited and prayed and cried and prayed and prayed some more to have this opportunity to “come home” with Cabila.  You know because many of you prayed WITH us!  It’s been amazing but it’s also been hard.  

The incredible “breeze” we’ve felt as we’ve witnessed Cabila’s first time experiences have been fun and exhilarating, much like the fair ride we rode.  But coming back to the States and facing things and people that trigger hurts that still haven’t completely healed has been excruciating and exhausting, too.  With every twist and turn we've proceeded with apprehension, we've faced questions still unanswered and we've been terrified of reliving some old pains.  

   

This morning my devotion was exactly what I needed.  (I love when that happens!)  Maybe it’s something you need to read, too, so I decided I'd share…

Jesus said, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.  This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.”

Note the word “rejected”.  The rejection of his brothers put Joseph on a path that led to the throne of Egypt and the saving of his family and his nation.  How often has something happened in your life that you later realized was necessary? If you hadn’t experienced this or walked through that, you wouldn’t be ready for the blessings you enjoy now.  When you begin to see the hand of God in it you understand that what the Enemy intended for your destruction, God used for your development.  

To be “more than a conqueror” means you can stand up and say: “Here’s how I see it.  It took everything I’ve been through to make me who I am and to teach me what I know.  So I choose to be better, not bitter.  I trust the faithfulness of God more than ever.  I’ve learned that if faith doesn’t move the mountain, it’ll give me strength to endure until tomorrow.  And if it’s not gone tomorrow, I’ll still believe that God is able and trust Him until He does.”

Relax, rejoice; your steps are being arranged by the Lord (see Psalm 37:23).  He hasn’t taken His eye or His hand off you, not even for a single moment.  When you get through this trial you’ll realize that “the worst things that could have happened” was, in reality, “the Lord’s doing”, and it will become “marvelous in your eyes”.

It’s so hard to view hurtful things as good...  
But until it’s all “marvelous in my eyes”, I’ve decided I'll keep on believing that God knows what He’s doing.

Thanks for praying with us and for committing to journey with us!

"Sometimes God will take clay and break down the current mold to make something more beautiful. God will mold us and this molding is not from a God who seeks to destroy, but rather from a God who loves to heal." 

~Kristen McNulty