How Great is Our God

We have been working tirelessly trying to finish up our book about Faith’s life.  It has been what seems an extremely long process.  After sitting dormant on this project for some time, the Lord was really working on my heart about getting it done.  I felt so overwhelmed by the whole thing.  It hurt so bad to sit and recount, but I wanted it to be perfect.  I was talking to Bryan several months ago and he suggested I pray about finding someone to help me.  My pride got in the way at first.  This is my project that God has asked ME to do.  But I just didn’t have a peace about not doing something.  One night, during a youth workers meeting, I asked my friends to pray for me that I could get this finished.  The details are all God, and I will write a post all about it one day, but God through his awesome power provided the greatest blessing along the way.  Nat offered to partner with me and help me finish it, and I am telling you, we couldn’t have done anything without her.  She has really been a God-send to us.  She keeps me going, motivated, and on task  She has been working so hard to get it done.

When I first embarked on this mission, I thought it would be fairly easy.  I had blogged what I thought was every last detail there was to know, but I was so off target with that one.  I am telling you that the writing of this book, reliving every moment from the most life-changing thing to take place in our lives has restarted the cycle of grief , and has been the absolute hardest thing I have ever done.  God has taught me a great lesson through this.  So many times when we are facing a trial, we want so badly for him to tell us how it all plays out.  We think it would be so much easier if we just knew what was going to happen, we would do it with a more willing heart.  That is the farthest thing from the truth.

Because we know how our story has played out, we know it is hard.  We know that our family took some hits, that our kids have been forever changed.  We know that we faced some dark days.  We know that our lives have been changed forever.  While none of those things are bad, and every last one of them has grown us spiritually, they are extremely hard to relive, ripping scabs off of wounds that we thought were completely healed with only a scar to show for our pain.  Wrong Again!!!  Now I know why it has taken so long to complete it.  I now also know why it takes faith to walk in obedience to God.  When things get hard, and we know how it ends, we aren’t so quick to be willing.  When we are in the trenches, depending on God for every last detail, we easily trust in Him, because we know no other way.

This has all been weighing so heavy on my heart.  I have felt like the grieving mother all over again, back at square one.  I have been overwhelmed by the task of recounting our story, but I know that God is in it, and He is going to use it on His terms.  Last night, we had the great opportunity to see  Chris Tomlin and Louie Giglio in concert.  I experienced worship like never before.  The Holy Spirit just poured into me like salve on a wounded heart.  I think I cried the entire time I was there.  But they weren’t tears of sadness and grief, they were tears of gratefulness for all He has done in my life and in the lives of my family.

You’ve seen me reference the song “How Great is Our God” on here many times.  The most memorable post with that song was when I was able to post the pictures of Faith from the hospital.  We knew that those words were the testimony of her life.  We even sang it in worship at her memorial service.  To get to hear it last night, straight from the man who wrote it and recorded it was a supernatural blessing.   How Great is Our God!!!

It’s Coming….SOON!!!

I have talked about the book here and there, and frankly, it’s been a long time coming.  We are working hard, and we are just DAYS away from submitting it to the publisher.  There are so many details I want to share, and they are coming.  But I thought I would give a little “sneak peek” for the time being.  Here is the last line of the letter Cade wrote that he wanted to include:

“I thanked God for Emmy and for using Faith to minister to people about God and this is my side of the story.”

Sincerely,

Cade Vaughn

I am so in love with that boy! 

We cannot wait to share the rest of the story with you!!!

When God Shows Up

When I posted about the 5K and the t-shirts for Team Faith last week, I had, in my small mind, limited God.  I thought for sure I would be doing good to get 10 team members and sell 20 shirts.  Can I tell you that we have sold 92 shirts!!!  God is so good, and when He shows up, He shows out!  How many times do we have no expectations of God?  We get in the midst of our pity party and think that God is too big and too busy to make a big deal out of us.  I’m pretty sure he proved us wrong by sending His son to die, while we were all yet sinners.  He loves us THAT MUCH!!!  I love it when He reminds of us these things.

Faith, Hope & Run…with a purpose

When I was pregnant with Faith, I didn’t know a lot about what was going on.  But I did know that I would make sure to take advantage of every opportunity the Lord gave me to make a difference in this world.  And now I have a chance.

Crossroads Pregnancy Center in High Springs, FL offers a variety of services to pregnant women.  They offer abortion education so that the mother is fully aware of all of her options. So many times, abortion is sold to mothers as a quick fix, with no remaining effects.  That is not the case.   Their mission is to help mothers choose life!!!  They also offer post-abortion counseling, which is extremely important as well.

I have found it to be true that most of us think we would never be faced with the choice of abortion.  I certainly didn’t.  We assume that abortion only affects a certain socioeconomic group of women, with certain circumstances.  I remember as a child, and even a young adult, my family being involved with a pregnancy center in Gainesville.  I would go and listen to mother after mother whose life had been changed by the support of this pregnancy center.  I never imagined that it would make a difference in my life.

At just 12 weeks, I was begged to terminate my pregnancy.  I knew in my heart what I felt was right, and what I wanted to do.  But there were things that made me question if I was doing the right thing.  I’m so thankful for the peace that God gave me, and the strength that only comes from Him that saw me through.  Faith has changed my life for the better, and I am so proud to be her mother.

It’s easy for us to say we believe in something, and we stand for something.  But so many times we just do a lot of talking, and no walking for the cause.  Here is your chance to make a difference, and honor our sweet Faith.

Crossroads Pregnancy Center is hosting their annual 5K Run/Walk.  You can register at http://www.active.com/high-springs-fl/running/crossroads-pregnancy-center-5k-run-walk-for-life-2013.  If you register online, you will receive an event t-shirt.  But there is something else…

My sweet friend, Cory Ridge Holcolmb, designed the perfect logo for a Team Faith t-shirt (all the way from Germany). 

 

It is just perfect!  It is complete with her name, her verse, and her sweet footprints.  If you choose to sign up to run on Team Faith, you can get your shirt for cost at $7.00.  If you cannot run, but would like to support our team, you can purchase a t-shirt for $15.  The profits will be donated to the Crossroads Pregnancy Center.  There will be two options- Gray with Hot Pink logo, and Hot Pink with White logo.  Please contact me at sbovaughn@gmail.com if you are interested in purchasing a shirt, or if you have registered on Active.com.  I want to make sure it doesn’t fall through the cracks.

My prayer is that every child will have a chance at life, and we want to help make that happen, one step at a time.

Happy Birthday, Amy.

Very few people are blessed with a true friend in life.  Sure, we may have a best friend for a season, but then the season changes, circumstances change, and most of the time, our friends change too.  I am one of the very few with a true friend.  I am even more blessed to have a few.  But one stands alone, and her name is Amy.

Amy and I met 16 years ago as I began my career at the Tax Collector’s Office.  As a matter of fact, I didn’t even like her in the beginning.  I thought she, and one of the other girls there, were a little snooty.  This is quite funny now, because if there is one quality you will NOT find in Amy, it would be “snootiness.”  For some reason, we had to work together on a project, and it has been an unbreakable bond ever since.  That was 16 years ago.  I was just 18, and would never have imagined I would ever have a friend like Amy.

Amy is the friend who has encouraged me through a divorce.  I remember her going with me to meet the mistress, tracking down where they were living, and helping me sharpen my investigative skills.  Shortly after the divorce, I found myself staying out later, and partying a little too much.  Many times I would oversleep, and Amy would call me to tell me to get my butt out of bed and get to work before I lost my job

After Rob and I got married, and I had children, Amy was still my dearest friend.  She loved Cade like her own and was there for the birth of SaraGrace (and even provided some comic relief).  Most of you know she was the one in the ultrasound room when we got the news about Faith.  She wasn’t supposed to be there that day, but thankfully God intervened, gave her an intuition, and she did what she wanted instead of listening to me  She encouraged me, loved my family, and loved my daughter. 

When Faith was born, she was there bright and early.  She would come back to where I was waiting for the c-section, and just hold my hand, and tell me it was all going to be okay.  Once Faith was born, she was one of the first in the room.  She was the only one other than Rob and me that held my angel.  She took off the entire week to help us out.  She loved our children and took care of them, she supported my parents, she helped with the funeral, but most importantly, she was my friend. 

There have been very few days these past 16 years that we haven’t talked on the phone, or in person.  We have our “morning coffee” on the phone on the way in to work, and it just makes my day.  She always listens, tells me her honest opinion, and knows me better than most.  She knows my deepest darkest secrets.  She’s been on the mountain tops with me and in the valleys.  She is the epitome of a TRUE FRIEND.

Proverbs 17:17- A friend loves at all times.

Today, Amy turns 40!!!  We celebrated with a wonderful surprise party last night.  There is no way in the world to repay her for what she has done for me.  My only hope is that I can let her know just how special she is.  Friends like her are few and far between.

Happy birthday to the best friend a girl could ever ask for!!!  My sister from another mister!

SaraGrace Sings a Solo

Be still my beating heart!!!  My sweet, spicy redhead sang her very first solo in church last night, and I couldn’t be more proud of her.  I must admit, I teared up a little as she stood up on that stage singing “Change My Heart”. 

I am so thankful for our church and their willingness to let the little ones share in worship.  She will never forget last night!

Of course we want to share it with you, so here she is in her very first official singing debut.  (Note that baby sister is trying to compete with her in the background.)

Be Still

So many times when you are seeking God’s will for your life, there are so many directions that seem to be right.  But you just don’t want to step out in front of Him or his timing.

Serving God wholeheartedly has been on our hearts for some time, and there are just so many shapes in which it can be manifested.  I have so many thoughts and wants, and ways in which I think it should be.  But all of my own personal opinions just seem to cloud what is He really wants from me.

There is no doubt I am a busy woman.  Too busy for my own good.  I have been convicted and my heart has been heavy.  There are just so many great things going on in my life, and I want to be neck-deep in all of them.

But that sometimes comes at a cost.  The important people in my life sometimes suffer at the hand of my ambitions to be the best at everything I do.

God has opened HUGE doors with my book, and we are working so hard on getting it done.  We are looking at having the manuscript complete by the end of October.  He has blessed me with a wonderful woman who is helping me put it all together.  I am so thankful for her, and the joy that I have had the past few weeks.  To physically see something that God has put into motion come to fruition is one of the most fulfilling things I have ever been a part of.  He is taking my deepest pain and allowing it to become one of my greatest joys!!!  It is totally unexplainable, except for the fact that He is God and I am not.

So my quest to find my niche in which the Lord has called me has lead me to a quiet voice that is whispering, “Be still and know that  I am God.”  I need to quit trying to be Wonder Woman in everything I do, and just do what He’s set before me with my whole heart.  So I have committed to work on this book with the same effort that I have been chasing everything else that comes my way.  That may mean that other trivial things will have to temporarily take a back seat, but that is okay too.

I cannot wait for you to be able to share in this project with us.  It truly is a testament to the HOPE we have in Jesus Christ!