Tea and Sweatpants...

So many wonderful things are happening right now. Also, a many number of challenging things are happening too!

Marriage- Today is our 5 year anniversary! I feel like we have experience so much of life together in such a short amount of time. I can't believe we are about to be parents of three children biologically and through adopton. I can't believe we've built missionary lives for ourselves here in Portland. I can't believe some of the struggles we've faced and overcome. God is amazing to me and there is so much joy and love in this marriage. I can't imagine loving this man any more than I already do, yet I know how much deeper my love grows with every year that passes.

Parenting- As the boys develop through various phases I find so much difficulty and so much love in each of those phases. There are things they say and do that make my blood boil like I never knew it could and there are things they say and do that make my heart cling to them like I never knew it could. Our baby girl, Mia, is developing in such a healthy way and she's getting so strong. I really enjoy pregnancy (at least up to this point) and feel so blessed to have experienced it. I have some friend and family that the Lord has brought us to that have proven to be amazing mentors and challenge me to love my children deeper each day.

Ministry- A few reminders I've been hit with the last month; God provides for EVERY need, God knows our weaknesses and give us grace through our maturing process, God knows my children better than I do. Our Manna Truck families are getting provided for even when I was sure they wouldn't. Nick's BMoore project kicks off in about a week despite challenges of time and resources. We have time to love each other as a family even when I thought time would be completely scarce through these summer months.

There are so many more things to say about each of these, hopefully I'll post on it later!

Love your enemies. I've read the passage many times and as scripture happens to do, it took on new meaning yesterday.

I was reading Half the Sky and was thinking about doing something "great" for God. I spent some time chatting with God about what we are doing here in NoPo. I began glamorizing missionary life and praying that God would send us far away for a period of time to "refresh." Now, missionary friends, forgive me. Forgive me for spending any amount of time romanticizing your life or saying that it is easy or refreshing in any way, shape, or form. In that moment I was reminded that God called us HERE. He called us to this place and I must search for His love and my call to love in this place.

Later, at church, we were talking about this passage in Matthew. In something that Nick was sharing with us it stood out to me that God is asking us to take the supernatural and make it natural. Hmmm, sounds like what I had been praying about earlier. Later, in prayer/praise time us women were talking about how God blessed us. Our praises were simple. Thank you God for a peaceful morning, another said praise for connecting with an old friend, and another for some days without morning sickness. Simple love. A deep love for the ordinary. This is my God, one who loves the ordinary and cares deeply about our need for divine love in our ordinary daily living. This is my call, to show attention and care to the ordinary and simple in others the same way God does in my life.

I think this is what the passage is about but even more importantly it's all of these things for all people even our "enemies." To me this is a long list of people in my life who aren't necessarily enemies but people who aren't just naturally my friends. This includes people who stress me out, make me nervous, eat our food, call late at night, don't show up to commitments, walk away from our ministry after committing, have kids who teach our kids naughty things,and those who uninvitedly tell us how to parent. With the love of God calling me to pay attention and care to them and the ordinary in their lives I find such beautiful things in these people. These same people are the ones that (in the same order) bring our trash from the curb, stop by to learn some manhood from my husband, is learning healthy eating habits on a budget, desires to be in community, is vulnerable when here, developing a missions heart, learning to parent with love, and sharing Somali parenting techniques.

My prayer is that I would find such love and passion in loving better in all ways and in all things.

Manna Truck is a ministry I've blogged about at different times. It is one that God has used to shape me as a woman, a mother, and a friend.

It's been about a year now since we first started Manna Truck in New Columbia Villa. I visit them monthly and every other month we bring bags of clothing for the kids. Almost every month we are able to also supply the family with basic hygiene products and cleaning supplies. It began with making some calls and asking if we could come visit. The first few meetings were akward and full of expectations. Several of these mother were excited to find another organization to meet their needs. Most of them seemed to have hopes to minipulate us into doing work for them and supplying needs. It started with a relationship like that but Nick and I were determined that God would allow it to be more than that if we were obedient.

The first few months Nick had to nearly push me out the door to go visit these women. I always enjoyed time with them when conversation actually got going but it seemed like pulling teeth to get them to talk even like an acquaintance. Now, a year later, I am excited to see them and find ways to engage in love beyond those monthly "need" visits. Wanted to share some stories about how the Holy Spirit has allowed his Love to reign.

I wrote a while back about two of these moms here . The update is that the relationships DID continue to grow. Mom 1 welcomes me into her home at just about any time day or night. She still has many walls up but I'm proud of her for allowing me to get this close. Mom 2 has become a good friend. Still hard to get ahold of but she's more and more honest with every interaction I have with her. She came to church once, has been to a summer BBQ at our home, and constantly reminds me through texting that she's praying for us!

Another mom came into the picture about February and it's been a wild ride since. Her two children have so much joy and express that every time I see them. She has come to several summer BBQs at our home and we talk on an almost weekly basis. This is HUGE as she has a tendency to withdrawal from the world and seep into depression.

I just recently wrote about another mom here and what a wild ride it has been with this family. On Sunday she brought me traditional head scarfs that had just been sent to her from her family in Saudi Arabia as a thank you gift.

I am so proud of these women, their children, and the one husband in the picture. They've allowed me enough into their lives to love on them. They teach me daily about who God is calling me to be. I desire to have strength and love like they have. In the next month we'll be adding more families to our visitation list and I'm excited for another year of growing with these new moms. Please keep praying for us. As we go deeper we find greater needs. So many needs we cannot meet but just trust the Lord for.

I don't even know where to begin with this post. I am actually part of an incredible experience that breaks all cultural boundaries.

There's this child, we'll call her Tasaline, she is 12. Nick first met her volunteering in her class at Rosa Parks. They spent lots of time together as she had a knack for getting into trouble. So, she was sent out of the room to study math with Mr. Mucci. One saturday two years ago I met Tasaline and she was so kind and polite. I couldn't believe she was one to cause any trouble.

The following summer B Town kids began and I saw Tasaline show up with her 3 younger siblings every Saturday. Again, a sweet girl whom I enjoyed being around.

A year ago in September I began to show up at her home to supply the family with clothing and cleaning supplies though our Manna Truck ministry. For almost 9 months my relationship with her mother (we'll call her Amina) was void of emotion and discussion. Her language is very limited (they've only been in the states 5 years) and withholding emotion is a cultural expectation.

In June we saw Amina with the 3 youngest kids and Tasaline was nowhere to be found. Through Amina's broken English, the help of her 6 year old daughter, and reading hand motions we found out Tasaline was in the hospital.

A few weeks ago though teary eyes I talked, empathized, and tried to communicate my sorrow for Amina and her experience through this as a mother. She asked me to visit Tasaline with her the next day in the hospital.

The cultural barriers that came down in that moment alone was amazing. For her to show emotion, share that with me, and invite me to accompany her to visit her daughter was HUGE!

We pulled up to the hospital and I realized in that moment that her daughter was in the mental ward. I had a new understanding of the whole situation. Tasaline was thrilled to see me and to know she was missed. I simply sat and witnessed the love shared between Amina and Tasline and saw how much they missed each other.

Since that moment Tasline's been transfered to a transitional mental institution, her mother has invited me along several visits, and Tasline is yearning to come home.

Just yesterday another cultural boundary was crossed, Amina hugged me when she saw me! It is not custom for Somali to touch another unless they are very good friends or family so I've withheld my temptations to greet with hugs and handshakes but yesterday she initiated the hug and I embraced her with a silent thankful prayer for how the Holy Spirit is moving.

I met billy at a BBQ in our back yard about a year ago. Big kid, big hair, big tender personality. I was drawn to him, curious about him, and excited to get to know him. I was thrilled to see a young black male teen with such a kind heart and so willing to be verbal about his joy. I saw him a few times after that but haven't seen him since.

His neighbors brought him. Gabe, Jackie and their 5 children. They are a glowing example of the love of God and have befriended Billy like family. Nick and I have known Gabe since the first week we moved here and have gradually gotten to know the rest of the family including Billy.

Here is what I know about Billy's death. He stood up for what was right. He rose against the street rules and walked away from a heated conversation with a fellow 17 year old. He was shot in the back. He ran (that's pure strength) to Gabe's arms and collapsed and met the Lord in a few short moments.

I miss you Billy. I wish I could have talked with you more. I am proud of you and who you became and how you served the Lord.

The kids. There were several kids outside while this happened including 2 of Gabe's children ages 3 and 6. These babies are scared. We had them over on Wednesday night so Gabe and Jackie could catch up on some sleep and attend a few things in honor of Billy. While they were here it hurt my heart to see their innocence lost. To see terror wash over them every time someone walked by in a white T Shirt or a loud noise let out in the air. All 5 of them are processing their grief and trauma in a different way.

If Billy were here he'd hug them and say "don't worry big brother's taking care of you." But their Billy is gone.

In honor of Billy around 200 people gathered in the Villa to pray for peace. God does wonderful things in the midst of darkness. On Thursday night several hundred people gathered to speak with the Mayor about stopping violence in North Portland. Again, God brings beauty from ashes.

Billy's amazing life will not be forgotten. A strong young teen turning into a man and he achieved manhood as a son of God.