Most of you know that I will be leaving for Sierra Leone, Africa on Tuesday and will be gone for 10 days. I can not even describe how real God has made the sufferings and the joys of these people I have never met become so real to me. He is doing something deep in my heart for all children all over the world, including the U.S. who have been or are being abused or neglected. I have been experiencing a range of emotions and anticipate shedding many tears of joy and sorrow while in Sierra Leone.
The children in the orphanage that we will be spending time with have lost their parents in the civil war that went on for years there. These children are christians now and lead others to Christ thru the witness of their forgiveness of their parents murderers and their joy!
These children usually eat only 2 meals a day and most meals are rice and sauce...sometimes they get meat or fruit. There will be many opportunities to help people financially. One way is to buy the children fruit in the market places and take to the orphanage. If we spend our money there it boosts their economy and helps the people in Sierra Leone provide for their families.
There are many who are blind or who are missing limbs due to the war or disease. To buy a prosthetic leg cost only $100. Not only does that money buy a leg but gives that man or woman the ability to work and provide for their families.
Many die from things that cost little money to fix medically. If we have money while we are there and we see a need we can meet it and in some situations even save a life.
I will be taking some of our personal money and mine and my husbands ministry (OASIS) will be giving some money also to send with me as well. I am praying now and will be praying as I am there for God to lead me in how to give this money towards the MANY needs I will come across.
It may be that we are able to buy fruit everyday for all the children in the orphanage...or feed a family that has no food...or buy a leg for a man that can not work because he is crippled...or buy medicine for someone who has been suffering for months because he can not afford a simple tylenol.
This is where I want to give you the chance to give in a way that will make a lasting difference. If you would like to send money with me I PROMISE to be faithful to let God lead me in how I distribute it. I will email when I get back and let you know all the ways your money made a difference. I am sure I will have many stories of God's faithfulness.
If you would like to send money with me to Sierra Leone please email me and my husband and I will come and get the money this weekend or Monday. You can make checks payable to OASIS ministries. This is our non-profit ministry and by giving thru our ministry you will receive tax credit at the end of the year.
Thank you in advance for praying and partnering with me.
I have not realized clearly the depth of suffering going on all over the world. I have HEARD with my ears but He is beginning to make me KNOW with my heart...really KNOW how much the suffering of children across the globe breaks His heart!
I love you all!
shannacrawford@hotmail.com
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
Mother's Day!
Jerome, me, the boys and Jalina (my little cousin who we keep on the weekends quite a bit)met my mom, her husband, my mammaw and pappaw at a park and had lunch. It was a beautiul day. The kids had so much fun and I enjoyed the peacful, joyful company of my family. It hasn't always been this way. God has done sooooooo much!!!! That is a whole other blog :) When we got in the car to leave I sighed and told Jerome that I was so thankful that I can have these types of moments with my family. It is a precious gift to me from Him. I love my mom! I love being a mom! I love this life He has given me! He has exceeded my expectations. I am living out my fairy tale in Him....
Thursday, May 8, 2008
My Story - Part 24
I don't even have words to describe how all of my buried emotions came forth...but come forth they did...and it wasn't pretty. Even before Jerome actually proposed to me I had a few fits of anger that ended in my sobbing.
Jerome, Christie, Derek and I all went to Texas for the weekend so Jerome could meet my mom. (I had no relationship with my dad at this point). When we got there she was in jail from a domestic dispute with her boyfriend the night before.
Once she got out of jail the weekend around my mom brought up such turmoil that I barely spoke to Jerome. I shut down and shut him out. I went for a walk alone
the last night we were there. I basically asked God if Jerome wasn't going to ask me to marry him would he please remove him from my life. I didn't want to let anyone in if I knew they were just going to leave somewhere down the road.
I did not talk to Jerome the whole way from Texas back to Oklahoma. Again...I am not a psychologist so I can not tell you why I responded the way I did to all the years of supressed emotions...but Jerome was getting the brunt of it.
Once we got to Oklahoma City Jerome asked if I minded Derek dropping us off at his car so he could drive me to Edmond and we could talk...I agreed.
On mine and Jerome's way to Edmond he stopped at Lake Hefner. It was a cool evening and very windy. The night before while I was having my chat with God...so was Jerome. Jerome read the scriptures of Jesus walking out to his disciples' boat during a storm. God showed him that he was to ask me to marry him in the middle of my emotional storm. When I didn't speak to him all the way from Texas to Oklahoma he thought he had heard wrong from God :) The weather conditions at the lake reminded him of the scriptures he had read the night before. He shared with me the scriptures and said very sweet and encouraging things to me about Jesus walking out to me in the middle of my storm and embracing me and loving me right where I was at. He then bent on one knee and asked me to marry him. I said yes...and then we kissed for the first time :)
We will have been married 10 years on August 2! Woo-Hoo!!! GO GOD!
I am going to try my very hardest to wrap everything up in the next post. Thank you all for hangin' in there with me!
Jerome, Christie, Derek and I all went to Texas for the weekend so Jerome could meet my mom. (I had no relationship with my dad at this point). When we got there she was in jail from a domestic dispute with her boyfriend the night before.
Once she got out of jail the weekend around my mom brought up such turmoil that I barely spoke to Jerome. I shut down and shut him out. I went for a walk alone
the last night we were there. I basically asked God if Jerome wasn't going to ask me to marry him would he please remove him from my life. I didn't want to let anyone in if I knew they were just going to leave somewhere down the road.
I did not talk to Jerome the whole way from Texas back to Oklahoma. Again...I am not a psychologist so I can not tell you why I responded the way I did to all the years of supressed emotions...but Jerome was getting the brunt of it.
Once we got to Oklahoma City Jerome asked if I minded Derek dropping us off at his car so he could drive me to Edmond and we could talk...I agreed.
On mine and Jerome's way to Edmond he stopped at Lake Hefner. It was a cool evening and very windy. The night before while I was having my chat with God...so was Jerome. Jerome read the scriptures of Jesus walking out to his disciples' boat during a storm. God showed him that he was to ask me to marry him in the middle of my emotional storm. When I didn't speak to him all the way from Texas to Oklahoma he thought he had heard wrong from God :) The weather conditions at the lake reminded him of the scriptures he had read the night before. He shared with me the scriptures and said very sweet and encouraging things to me about Jesus walking out to me in the middle of my storm and embracing me and loving me right where I was at. He then bent on one knee and asked me to marry him. I said yes...and then we kissed for the first time :)
We will have been married 10 years on August 2! Woo-Hoo!!! GO GOD!
I am going to try my very hardest to wrap everything up in the next post. Thank you all for hangin' in there with me!
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
My Story - Part 23
I was living with the Coopers...I had a great accountability partner in Christie...I had a beautiful mentor group...I had fellowship with other believers, people I could encourage and people to encourage me...and now I had this godly man in my life. This is where things got messy for me on the inside.
Jerome and I quickly gravitated towards each other when we were in groups. Within a few weeks we felt like we should be together. This surfaced all sorts of buried emotions where men were concerned.
I had never had a healthy relationship with a man...not even one where I was generally respected.
Jerome had been celebate for several years and had not dated for a long time either. He was as focused on God as I was. So us coming together was definitely God making him be with me :)
Our dating was really more like courting. I don't think we ever hung out by ourselves or went out one on one. We would ride to events or church together and then when he would bring me home we would sit in the Coopers drive way and talk. When we hung out it was always in a group. I had only been to he and his roomate's house once or twice before we got married.
He was sooooo safe and this scared me. Sounds like an oxymoron huh? It really threw me into an emotional tailspin. I did not know how to respond being so loved and respected. Jerome is very logical so I would share struggles and he would tell me about a bible story or share some verses. He prayed with me all the time. He was always talking to me about God. I really don't remember many converstations about anything but God. I loved this!!!
Just as much as he is logical, he is emotional in his relationship with God. Once Christie and I were getting ready and he was waiting in her living room for us. We had a worship CD playing. When we came out he was on the floor worshiping and crying so we sat and waited. When he was done he could barely talk because He was so overwhelmed by his love for God. (This still happens).
I quickly developed a deep love and respect for him.
In the first month and a half that we knew each other more and more tension grew. I needed to either be married to him or not date him at all. I could not handle his safeness. I had HUGE trust issues and did not want to invest my heart unless I KNEW we were going to be married. I thought surely when he realized what he was getting himself into with my emotional instability that he would want out. I also did not want to take my focus away from God in the slightest bit unless I was investing in something that was going to be life-long.
We met February 13th and on March 29th he asked me to marry him...
Stay tuned for details :)
Jerome and I quickly gravitated towards each other when we were in groups. Within a few weeks we felt like we should be together. This surfaced all sorts of buried emotions where men were concerned.
I had never had a healthy relationship with a man...not even one where I was generally respected.
Jerome had been celebate for several years and had not dated for a long time either. He was as focused on God as I was. So us coming together was definitely God making him be with me :)
Our dating was really more like courting. I don't think we ever hung out by ourselves or went out one on one. We would ride to events or church together and then when he would bring me home we would sit in the Coopers drive way and talk. When we hung out it was always in a group. I had only been to he and his roomate's house once or twice before we got married.
He was sooooo safe and this scared me. Sounds like an oxymoron huh? It really threw me into an emotional tailspin. I did not know how to respond being so loved and respected. Jerome is very logical so I would share struggles and he would tell me about a bible story or share some verses. He prayed with me all the time. He was always talking to me about God. I really don't remember many converstations about anything but God. I loved this!!!
Just as much as he is logical, he is emotional in his relationship with God. Once Christie and I were getting ready and he was waiting in her living room for us. We had a worship CD playing. When we came out he was on the floor worshiping and crying so we sat and waited. When he was done he could barely talk because He was so overwhelmed by his love for God. (This still happens).
I quickly developed a deep love and respect for him.
In the first month and a half that we knew each other more and more tension grew. I needed to either be married to him or not date him at all. I could not handle his safeness. I had HUGE trust issues and did not want to invest my heart unless I KNEW we were going to be married. I thought surely when he realized what he was getting himself into with my emotional instability that he would want out. I also did not want to take my focus away from God in the slightest bit unless I was investing in something that was going to be life-long.
We met February 13th and on March 29th he asked me to marry him...
Stay tuned for details :)
Friday, May 2, 2008
Women's Group by guest blogger Cristy Cash
I spoke of Women's group a few posts back. Cristy Cash is one of Melinda's (who hosted/lead women's group) sisters...she is also my partner in ministry...my dear, dear friend...and my sister...in Christ :) I have asked her to write about the impact women's group had on her. This is why...in this generation I feel this is what is missing. So many overlook their need to be in intimate community. I think we also forget how vital it is that we reach out to others around us...so many are dying on the inside and we need to be the hands and feet of Christ to them. When I was in my lowest valley I could always look around and see someone lower and offer a hand...a hug...a prayer or a word of encouragement. Read this and be strengthened and encouraged to either seek out this kind of community or be this kind of community to someone you know who needs it...
When Shanna asked me to write to you about the Impact Women’s group had on me it really caused me to think. It was not easy to quickly conjure up pivot points of faith that happened in that room that was available to me. I think it was not easy because it wasn’t so much an event or an experience in itself but the launching of a journey and a safe place to call home.
My first experience with Women’s Group was – well – Men’s Group! J When I was a young teenager before I was walking with God, Dean and Melinda hosted a men’s group in their home and once in a while I would see them gathered and praying. As I floated in and out of life with Dean and Melinda at one point the group shifted over to women. I really was not involved. Once in a while I would be part of singing but that was just because I enjoyed singing! I remember times that I would be at Dean and Melinda’s house when I wasn’t really in a good walk at that time and I would see all the girls gathered and sharing – including Shanna and Christie. I rarely darkened the door with my presence. I didn’t even really get what was going on.
When I did accept faith in my heart, many of the other girls had “graduated” and gone on to other points of leadership and ministry. People still flow in and out. I can tell you this though. Women’s Group is and was not profound or mysterious! It is the wisdom and faithfulness of a family to provide a safe place for people who are beginning the journey of accepting healing in the deepest parts of their hearts. It is something that happened – not in a living room with a piano, but in the hearts of women who yearned for a place to go to sojourn with others in a similar place – or believed there was an answer for their heart that these women could help coax out. It was a surgery room where light was shined on the darkest parts and tears released tension that allowed healing to begin. It is a place where I learned that there is no room for compromise in my heart – that I need to commit to being “not normal” in the world’s eyes and to live in the Lord’s world.
It is a place where my husband asked me to marry him, where I wrote music day after day, where I laughed and sang with my sisters, where I prayed for my hurting friends, where people are oddly more honest than in other places, where some people have chosen to reject Christ’s will for them for a time, where I saw in practice that it is good to give to those in need with every part of you – your time, your home, your heart, your tears, your prayers. It was a start of a journey for me. I can tell you with a hint of pride (I am just proud I made the right decision) that God presented me with a choice in that room – to make room only for HIM in my life – or to leave a little space for the world and I can say that he showed me the road less traveled started in that room for me.
I present to you today that you have an option in front of you – to love and trust and follow Christ with all of your heart, mind, friendship, body, food, money and soul. I submit to you that it is not so painful as it seems. Yes we have stood on the sidelines at times watching others succeed in the world’s eyes – bittersweet in agreement with ourselves and the Lord that there is something else for us, but the investment in the LORD that we have made – and that started in that room – is better than any choice we ever could have made and it has made all the difference.
Cristy Cash
You can read more of Cristy's story at http://cristycashtransparent.blogspot.com/
When Shanna asked me to write to you about the Impact Women’s group had on me it really caused me to think. It was not easy to quickly conjure up pivot points of faith that happened in that room that was available to me. I think it was not easy because it wasn’t so much an event or an experience in itself but the launching of a journey and a safe place to call home.
My first experience with Women’s Group was – well – Men’s Group! J When I was a young teenager before I was walking with God, Dean and Melinda hosted a men’s group in their home and once in a while I would see them gathered and praying. As I floated in and out of life with Dean and Melinda at one point the group shifted over to women. I really was not involved. Once in a while I would be part of singing but that was just because I enjoyed singing! I remember times that I would be at Dean and Melinda’s house when I wasn’t really in a good walk at that time and I would see all the girls gathered and sharing – including Shanna and Christie. I rarely darkened the door with my presence. I didn’t even really get what was going on.
When I did accept faith in my heart, many of the other girls had “graduated” and gone on to other points of leadership and ministry. People still flow in and out. I can tell you this though. Women’s Group is and was not profound or mysterious! It is the wisdom and faithfulness of a family to provide a safe place for people who are beginning the journey of accepting healing in the deepest parts of their hearts. It is something that happened – not in a living room with a piano, but in the hearts of women who yearned for a place to go to sojourn with others in a similar place – or believed there was an answer for their heart that these women could help coax out. It was a surgery room where light was shined on the darkest parts and tears released tension that allowed healing to begin. It is a place where I learned that there is no room for compromise in my heart – that I need to commit to being “not normal” in the world’s eyes and to live in the Lord’s world.
It is a place where my husband asked me to marry him, where I wrote music day after day, where I laughed and sang with my sisters, where I prayed for my hurting friends, where people are oddly more honest than in other places, where some people have chosen to reject Christ’s will for them for a time, where I saw in practice that it is good to give to those in need with every part of you – your time, your home, your heart, your tears, your prayers. It was a start of a journey for me. I can tell you with a hint of pride (I am just proud I made the right decision) that God presented me with a choice in that room – to make room only for HIM in my life – or to leave a little space for the world and I can say that he showed me the road less traveled started in that room for me.
I present to you today that you have an option in front of you – to love and trust and follow Christ with all of your heart, mind, friendship, body, food, money and soul. I submit to you that it is not so painful as it seems. Yes we have stood on the sidelines at times watching others succeed in the world’s eyes – bittersweet in agreement with ourselves and the Lord that there is something else for us, but the investment in the LORD that we have made – and that started in that room – is better than any choice we ever could have made and it has made all the difference.
Cristy Cash
You can read more of Cristy's story at http://cristycashtransparent.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Pause...Mission Trip Garage Sale for Wendy
My precious 16 year old god-daughter Wendy is having a garage sale at our house May 16th, 17th and 18th to raise money to go on a mission trip July 21 to Aug 4th with Teen Mania, which is through Global Expeditions and Ron Luce etc. The trip is $2079 and she only has $400 right now.
If you would like to donate items for the garage sale you can bring them by my house and set them in front of our garage anytime between now and then. You can contact me at shannacrawford@hotmail.com and I will give you my address or us, Wendy or her family can arrange to pick up your items if need be.
Please pray for Wendy. She is so excited about this trip. She has prayed and feels strongly about her calling to go.
If you would like to donate items for the garage sale you can bring them by my house and set them in front of our garage anytime between now and then. You can contact me at shannacrawford@hotmail.com and I will give you my address or us, Wendy or her family can arrange to pick up your items if need be.
Please pray for Wendy. She is so excited about this trip. She has prayed and feels strongly about her calling to go.
Monday, April 28, 2008
My Story - Part 22
For the first time in my life I felt totally complete apart from a man in my life. Jesus had filled the empty places.
I still desired to be married at some point. I knew it would take a strong man to love me. I was not settling this time for anyone who was not as in love with Christ as I was. I wanted a man who was passionate about him. Be careful what you wish for :)
At this point I was 22. It was February of 1998. Christie and I decided that we were going to have a date with Jesus for Valentine's day. We got ready and headed to a local christian coffee shop called the Outer Cafe with our bibles and journals to do a bible study together. This particular night the Outer Cafe had a band. When we saw a group of young adults up front worshipping as the music was playing and we were so encouraged. (Up until this point we had not had others our age to fellowship with except each other).
The band playing was the band from a little church that met in an old bicycle factory called Life Church :) The singer was a guy named Brian Bruss. It was a small church with a few hundred people attending...(a lot has changed since then.)
Christie and I were so excited that when the concert was over we quickly approached the worshippers. The young people worshipping were in the singles' group at Life Church. Brian and one of the worshippers, Jerome, were best friends and led the singles' group together at the church. We found out that they were a group of people passionately in love with God that did life together. We knew right away they were not exclusive and loved new people joining their group. They told us of the weekly bible studies and events that they all attended together and invited us to join them. They had a "late night" party planned that night and invited us to come over.
Christie and I went that night to one of the girl's houses and we were amazed. Amazed at the acceptance...amazed at their love for God and each other...amazed that God had on purpose given us a community of authentic believers to fellowship with. It was a turning point for both of us. We both met our husbands that night and we were both married to them in less than a year.
That night I met the love of my life...Jerome Crawford. He was in one of the rooms telling his testimony to some people. He had been a christian for 6 years at this point. He had been saved at 21 after growing up in poverty and becoming a drug dealer. I noticed he was missing a finger and found out it was shot off in a drug deal aver 10 ounces of cocaine. I couldn't believe how freakishly similar our pasts were and how on fire for God he was. I was instantly drawn to him. I knew I wanted to marry a man like him....a man with a deep gratefulness for what God had done in his life...the kind of gratefulness that produced a love and passion for God that was demonstrated thru one's love for people.
Another observation that I made that night was that a lot of the people had screwed up pasts and now had a love for God that was the driving force behind their lives. The ones that had church backgrounds were equally as passionate and accepting. It was a beautiful picture of the body of Christ and it was what I had been searching for without even realizing it. These people were real about where they were at...real about their struggles...and their love for God was the banner they carried in humility. They were stinkin' hilarious too!!! I never laughed so much as I did in the months to come with this group. They brought such joy to my life.
Life long, intimate friendships that are still strong today were birthed out of this group. There is something precious and intimate about sharing your trials and joys in Christ together.
Not to jump ahead but I ended up marrying Jerome 6 months from the day we met...and now 10 years and 3 babies later we are more madly in love than ever!!!
I still desired to be married at some point. I knew it would take a strong man to love me. I was not settling this time for anyone who was not as in love with Christ as I was. I wanted a man who was passionate about him. Be careful what you wish for :)
At this point I was 22. It was February of 1998. Christie and I decided that we were going to have a date with Jesus for Valentine's day. We got ready and headed to a local christian coffee shop called the Outer Cafe with our bibles and journals to do a bible study together. This particular night the Outer Cafe had a band. When we saw a group of young adults up front worshipping as the music was playing and we were so encouraged. (Up until this point we had not had others our age to fellowship with except each other).
The band playing was the band from a little church that met in an old bicycle factory called Life Church :) The singer was a guy named Brian Bruss. It was a small church with a few hundred people attending...(a lot has changed since then.)
Christie and I were so excited that when the concert was over we quickly approached the worshippers. The young people worshipping were in the singles' group at Life Church. Brian and one of the worshippers, Jerome, were best friends and led the singles' group together at the church. We found out that they were a group of people passionately in love with God that did life together. We knew right away they were not exclusive and loved new people joining their group. They told us of the weekly bible studies and events that they all attended together and invited us to join them. They had a "late night" party planned that night and invited us to come over.
Christie and I went that night to one of the girl's houses and we were amazed. Amazed at the acceptance...amazed at their love for God and each other...amazed that God had on purpose given us a community of authentic believers to fellowship with. It was a turning point for both of us. We both met our husbands that night and we were both married to them in less than a year.
That night I met the love of my life...Jerome Crawford. He was in one of the rooms telling his testimony to some people. He had been a christian for 6 years at this point. He had been saved at 21 after growing up in poverty and becoming a drug dealer. I noticed he was missing a finger and found out it was shot off in a drug deal aver 10 ounces of cocaine. I couldn't believe how freakishly similar our pasts were and how on fire for God he was. I was instantly drawn to him. I knew I wanted to marry a man like him....a man with a deep gratefulness for what God had done in his life...the kind of gratefulness that produced a love and passion for God that was demonstrated thru one's love for people.
Another observation that I made that night was that a lot of the people had screwed up pasts and now had a love for God that was the driving force behind their lives. The ones that had church backgrounds were equally as passionate and accepting. It was a beautiful picture of the body of Christ and it was what I had been searching for without even realizing it. These people were real about where they were at...real about their struggles...and their love for God was the banner they carried in humility. They were stinkin' hilarious too!!! I never laughed so much as I did in the months to come with this group. They brought such joy to my life.
Life long, intimate friendships that are still strong today were birthed out of this group. There is something precious and intimate about sharing your trials and joys in Christ together.
Not to jump ahead but I ended up marrying Jerome 6 months from the day we met...and now 10 years and 3 babies later we are more madly in love than ever!!!
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