Friday, March 12, 2010
And then....
So, there we are, living a completely different life, in just a matter of weeks! Our stint working and living as full time houseparents was one of the most rewarding and most challenging things I have ever done. We fell in love with the kids, made some lifelong friends, who are more like family and grew in our spiritual life by leaps and bounds. Wouldn't trade it for anything! And yet, less than a year into it, I knew in my heart this wasn't what God had in mind for me long term. I missed the creativity of design and really felt like my gift was utilizing my design experience in some way.
After we were at the children's home for about two years, our church began a series called "40 days of Purpose". As a church, we began to read Rick Warren's book "The Purpose Driven Life". Ok, time for a quick plug for this book! If you have never read this book, I can't recommend it highly enough. It literally transformed my life. So, anyway, we read the book, do the study that goes with it, and I begin to pray in a different way. I begin to ask God to show me what He would like to do with my life. Before, I spent alot of time praying for God to do this or do that FOR ME. I began to understand that I may not be the best one qualified out of the two of us, to decide what to do with my life. Maybe God had a better plan than I did and maybe if I let go of my control issues, He would direct me on a path that was better than my own. Go figure!
Around this time, I received an email from my sister about an organization in a different state that designed bedrooms for sick children. I know this sounds very dramatic, but I truly had a tingling sensation run through my body. I KNEW that this was the path God was going to send me on. Creating dream bedrooms for sick children was my mission.
The next two years are a series of stumbling blocks, brick walls and generally going nowhere fast. They were also a time of growing in faith, learning not only to depend upon God, but expecting Him to do amazing things. All of that continues to this day.
We got our federal tax exempt status in March 2006. We are an official 501(c)3 organization.
So that is the short version of the background of Room For Joy and how I got here. In future posts I would like to share some of the stories of kids and their families with you. I have encountered so many amazing people and feel compelled to introduce you to them. So, until next time:
Have a blessed day!
Tory
After we were at the children's home for about two years, our church began a series called "40 days of Purpose". As a church, we began to read Rick Warren's book "The Purpose Driven Life". Ok, time for a quick plug for this book! If you have never read this book, I can't recommend it highly enough. It literally transformed my life. So, anyway, we read the book, do the study that goes with it, and I begin to pray in a different way. I begin to ask God to show me what He would like to do with my life. Before, I spent alot of time praying for God to do this or do that FOR ME. I began to understand that I may not be the best one qualified out of the two of us, to decide what to do with my life. Maybe God had a better plan than I did and maybe if I let go of my control issues, He would direct me on a path that was better than my own. Go figure!
Around this time, I received an email from my sister about an organization in a different state that designed bedrooms for sick children. I know this sounds very dramatic, but I truly had a tingling sensation run through my body. I KNEW that this was the path God was going to send me on. Creating dream bedrooms for sick children was my mission.
The next two years are a series of stumbling blocks, brick walls and generally going nowhere fast. They were also a time of growing in faith, learning not only to depend upon God, but expecting Him to do amazing things. All of that continues to this day.
We got our federal tax exempt status in March 2006. We are an official 501(c)3 organization.
So that is the short version of the background of Room For Joy and how I got here. In future posts I would like to share some of the stories of kids and their families with you. I have encountered so many amazing people and feel compelled to introduce you to them. So, until next time:
Have a blessed day!
Tory
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