Fuel Change With A Used Car For 3 Deserving Kids

Campaign Created by: Briana Smith

The funds from this campaign will be received by Briana Smith.

Raised: USD $ 14,128

Hello,

My name is Briana. My husband and I have been together almost fourteen years. We share three children--an eight year old, and three year old twins. We have faced many trials this year.

 I have created this campaign for my family in a time of great need and desperation; following the loss of friends and family, like many others have experienced, we do not have people we can call on. And those who truly loved and believed in the Lord and all that that means, are gone. We have prayed and done what we can. But we are praying that you may be willing to intercede on our behalf.

Following a brutal eviction in January, we have since been displaced. We lost absolutely everything we owned and worked for, and we relocated almost across the country to take refuge with relatives who have been unable to truly empathize with our circumstances.

In April, just two months after relocating, my husband was in a serious accident that could have taken his life. (but by God's grace he is well๐Ÿ™) It also has left us completely stranded, and without means to improve our circumstances going forward. There was significant work put into our vehicle to ensure our access to reliable transportation, and, despite its condition after the accident, it could have sold for as much as $3,000, for the engine alone. 

Because concerns for the neighbors' perceptions of us have taken precedence, (and we have been seen as an embarrassment and an inconvenience due to our circumstances) we were forced to sell our truck to remove it from the property, for a mere $600--and with no means to put towards the purchase of another vehicle.

We have felt hopeless, and downtrodden. After moving from a city to an incredibly remote area, we now have no transit for work or basic errands, or means to move/relocate. 

It was just two years ago that we'd purchased our truck for $4,500. It was in good working condition, and had only 110,000 miles on it. Since relocating, and some time after the pandemic and inflation, the cost of used trucks has increased significantly (with similar vehicles costing as much as $7,000). 

As a result, we are now facing additional financial burden, making it increasingly difficult to meet all our basic needs and responsibilities. It has also placed a great strain on what was originally intended to be a temporary living arrangement, and it has been extremely difficult to move forward, despite our best efforts. And we have been asked to leave the relatives home where we have been staying. While we are not at all ungrateful for having had a place to stay, I hate how the anxiety of feeling unwelcome since our arrival has affected us all--especially our children. And we just want to get back to OUR normal, our patience, our love and our home.

We have lost the one thing we needed to change our family's situation, for our children's sake.

This is an urgent emergency.

We understand the weight of our request. We know that we are not the only family suffering, mentally, spiritually, financially and otherwise. But this situation has been almost paralyzing. I have also contacted nearly 300 churches and organizations (near and far) by phone, letter, and email, and many have not provided a response. The ones that have are unable to help, or have declined to help. There is also the truth that we are all in dark times. I honestly feel I have potentially endangered my family's well-being in being vulnerable and reaching out, with repeatedly sharing our phone number, email, and address, and we do not feel safe. 

I am praying that someone who sees this may feel called to donate, and that they may be willing to repeatedly share this campaign.

Your support would mean the world to us, and would have a tremendous impact on our ability to rebuild our lives.

Please allow our children to experience the blessing and transformative power of helping others in need.

We remain hopeful and deeply grateful for any assistance you may extend to our family. ๐Ÿ™

*Kindly note that processing fees are deducted from each donation. 

To anyone who feels led to share this campaign, to sow a seed of hope, or to pray for our family, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

-Briana

 P.S. If anyone feels led to contribute in a different way, I have created an Amazon wishlist of tools, materials and items our children will need for the school year ; many are things we used to have, and I will also update the list according to our needs. If you feel led to help, or to share this list, we are deeply grateful. You can find it here:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/O5QGZMB78CQB?ref_=wl_share

Thank you, and God bless you all. ๐Ÿ’•

"I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers." Ephesians 1:16

UPDATES

Sight
October 2, 2023
facebook twitter

Hello beautiful people. ๐Ÿค

I hope this update finds you blessed, in good health and in strong faith. ๐Ÿ’–

I just wanted to thank you again for all you have done for my family. We have continued to give thanks, and to pray for all of you who have blessed us. 

I have two small updates:

#1: We have not purchased a vehicle just yet, but we have located one for just $3,900! The photos look great, according to the listing. We will be taking a Lyft in two days time to view it. We pray this will be the one for us, as we are trying to find the most affordable option. We will put the full remainder of the funds into a new place. (And I will continue to provide updates, as promised, until we have found a new home.)

#2: Because of the incredible kindness you have shown us, I will be able to get new glasses. ๐Ÿค“ I am near sighted, and I have been without glasses for months, with no means to replace them; I have been without glasses since April, as I'd left them in the glovebox of our truck, before the accident. You don't know how badly you need your glasses until you don't have them, or how much you can be affected by headaches without them. So you have literally given me the gift of sight, and I thank you. ๐Ÿค— I can't wait to receive them.

There are no words I could use to convey just how truly grateful I am for all that you have done, and for all that you have prayed for us. ๐Ÿซ‚ For those who may need prayer themselves, or on behalf of someone else, please do not hesitate to reach out. I would be grateful to pray for you.

Thank you so much, and may you all be blessed, in Christ. ๐Ÿ‘‘ Talk soon.

In Him,

Briana 

Miracles
September 27, 2023
facebook twitter

Good morning,

I pray that you are blessed.

Today, we thank the Lord for answering our prayers, and providing us a miracle.

We are so grateful for all of you who have prayed for us and with us, and for those who have shared and contributed to our campaign.

We thank God for you, and we ask Him to bless all of you 100 times fold for the overwhelming kindness you have shown us.

And to the person who provided us a very generous donation, thank you so very much, from the bottom of my heart, on behalf of all of us. You have a beautiful heart, and through you, the Lord has answered our prayers. You have restored our hope, strengthened our faith, and given us a new chance at life. We will never, ever forget. ๐Ÿซ‚๐Ÿค๐Ÿ™

It has been difficult to be so vulnerable, and we were in a dark place and trying so hard to trust that somehow, things would change.

We have spent the last two days crying, praying, and thanking the Lord that you would allow Him to use you as a vessel to perform a miracle such as this, because for us, it is nothing short of a miracle. For the last two days, we have been able to breathe, to be hopeful, to sleep. And it has been beautiful to witness the gratitude of our children. After weeks of feeling shaky in our spirits, of struggling with worry, of feeling uncertain, we can make a plan.

We are in disbelief of the amazing gift you have given us, and just in time for Christmas, for our children's sake. 

Our next step is to find an affordable vehicle, so that we can put the rest of the funds donated towards a new place to live. I will continue to provide updates as things change and fall into place. ๐Ÿค

To the person who donated the three car seats our children needed, I am praying you will see this update, because I misplaced the QR code slips to send you a thank you note through Amazon. But there simply aren't enough characters to express our sincere gratitude. Thank you so much.

Our hearts are so full, and you have been a shining example of God's love for those around us and for so many others who have witnessed our story. What a powerful testimony, and for the Glory of the Lord. 

Friday evening, after putting our children to bed, I went outside to pray. As it always does, it started and ended with me crying. I cried out to the Lord for a miracle, because we just haven't been able to do it ourselves. And I asked that He do it for our children, if not for us. Imagine my spirit when I woke up Monday morning and He'd answered our prayers. He spoke to me in my spirit, and He held me as I cried and thanked Him for a blessing such as this, and as I asked Him to bless all of you. 

It is not every day that people allow them to be the beautiful hands and feet of the Lord. Romans 10:14-15 says, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news". 

Thank you, thank you, thank you. ๐Ÿซ‚๐Ÿค

May the Lord bless you all.

Love, In Him,

Briana 


Power in Words
September 23, 2023
facebook twitter

Hi,

I hope that if you are reading this message today, that you and your families are well.

It's been a long while since I provided an update. Honestly, it is because there have been no changes to report. Being that I am normally an optimistic person, but I have been struggling with this because of or circumstances, I haven't wanted to share anything unless it was positive.

While we are fortunate to still be where we have been staying all these months, it is still very much uncomfortable and urgent that we leave.

I was raised that there are power in words. I still believe this, with my whole heart. I have been doing my best to continue to pray, and to speak words of positivity over myself, my husband and my children, as well as our relatives. Though almost daily, there are words of negativity spoken over us.

"You're never go to do"

"You're never going to be"

"You're never going to have"

"It's never going to happen "

I am grateful that I know firsthand that this is a lie from the enemy spoken through them to stop our breakthrough from happening.

It does not change that words do hurt, that there is power in words, and that our children are listening. Today is also the first official day of fall, and winter is soon approaching. I want so badly to be gone from here, for the holidays. It is important to give my children back the time we have lost this year, and I want them to be surrounded by love and happiness, even if we are living out of a car. 

Most recently, I have been trying to find remote jobs online, attempting to start a blog, and as of three days ago, I began drafting my first ebook. All the while, still hearing the negative voices, and being oppressed by them. 

I know that we could do so much more outside of this environment, that we are capable of so much more. The Lord has not left us.

Thank you for those who have continued to pray for us, and share our campaign. This life is not easy, and I understand you may be bearing burdens or struggles of your own.We are praying for you and your families, too.

Love to you all. ๐Ÿ’•

Exodus
September 10, 2023
facebook twitter

Hi,

I hope that you are doing well.

I just wanted to make a quick update today about my family's current circumstances. Two days ago, we were asked to leave where we have been staying with relatives the last several months. Despite nowhere to go, and no means to leave. We have officially been given until September 15th, and have been threatened to be removed by force in the event that we do not leave by that day. I was told that I am "nothing", amongst other hurtful things that were said, and we were told to take our children and leave.

We knew before we came here that we could not be here long, but it is unfortunate that the circumstances are what they are. I have been holding on to faith that God has a plan for us, even though I don't know what we will do. My children are most important, and after everything they have gone through already, we must ensure that they are safe.

We have never felt welcome, and it is a horrible feeling to be somewhere you know you are not wanted. Our relatives have had the satisfaction of mocking and insulting us, but I refuse to allow them the satisfaction of putting my children and I in the streets.

It is simply time to go.

I have been praying for a long time, and I'd hoped our campaign would reach the goal so that we would have means to purchase a used vehicle to accommodate the six of us so we could leave in a safe manner. The vehicles we'd found have come and gone, with the closest available being out of range of the funds we have raised thus far. We are considering taking what we have and going to an extended stay, and trying to figure things out from there.

I am sincerely grateful for each and every one of you that has continued to pray for us. I have given up on reaching out to churches. Three hundred is no small number, and especially when you consider the number of people there can be in one congregation. I have battled depression, the things that are attacking my family. I have allowed myself to be consumed by people's opinions of me reaching out for help, and by the feelings of hopelessness I have felt when a pastor has responded that they will follow up, only to disappear.

I would like to ask you to please continue to pray for us. For our protection, for our strength. For the Lord to send angels and those who know Him who are willing to do His will to help. And please continue to share our campaign.

We sincerely appreciate it.

Thank you, and God bless each and every one of you.

Our daughter's birthday
September 3, 2023
facebook twitter

Hello,

I hope this update finds you blessed. 

It has been a while since I posted an update. The truth is that I have been struggling spiritually and otherwise. ๐Ÿ’”

Tomorrow is our oldest daughter's birthday. Our baby, the anointed miracle who officially made us a family. The best big sister, the little big kid, the dreamer, our Little Foot. ๐Ÿ’œ

We hadn't talked about tomorrow much, because we didn't know what we would be able to do to celebrate her special day. But last night, my husband asked her what she wanted for her birthday. When she replied that she wanted us to have a car and a new home, I had to go to the bathroom to cry. ๐Ÿ˜ž

Children shouldn't have to worry about the big things. And it can be difficult battling the negative thoughts that invade your mind, telling you it's your fault, despite trying your best as their parent.

I have promised to be strong, to remain prayerful, faithful. Tomorrow, I won't cry, I will hold in my tears as we celebrate her life, which is more than a blessing.

But until then.... Tonight, after they've fallen fast asleep, I will probably have a good, hard cry in the bathroom.

I don't know what we are supposed to do, and I do not know when things will change. But I am trusting that they will.

Tonight, I ask that you please send prayers up for our family. Please continue to share our campaign so that we can reach our goal, and change our children's lives. If you feel led to send a gift, please find our wishlist here:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3J1JP6IL77T0V?ref_=wl_share

Thank you, and may the Lord bless you and your families. ๐Ÿซ‚

A Diligent Heart
August 16, 2023
facebook twitter

Hi,

I hope that if you find this message today, that is blesses you.

And I wanted to tell you to remain encouraged.

I was in a dark place the other day. I've received some unpleasant responses, judgement, and false accusations in reaching out for help on behalf of my family. That, coupled with the stress of our day to day life, as well as the spiritual warfare we have been enduring, felt crippling. I found myself listening to the negative thoughts that I know weren't mine, that mocked and insulted me, when I know we are trying our best.

Today, I am thankful that the Lord has pulled me out of it, and is drawing me closer to Him. It was also beautiful to receive some kind messages from those of you who are continuing to pray for my family, and I am truly thankful.

It can be difficult to remind ourselves that the Lord keeps His promises, especially when enduring a wilderness season and not seeing a way out. But every day I am trying to re-dedicate myself to Him, and remind myself to have a diligent, grateful heart.

And so, to encourage you, I would like to leave you with these Scriptures today:

Psalm 34:17-19 "When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all."

Isaiah 40:31 "But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

Isaiah 42:16 "And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them."

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

And,

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;"

May the Lord bless, strengthen, and cover you and your families, always.

๐Ÿค


Prayers of a Child
August 8, 2023
facebook twitter

Blessed morning ๐Ÿฆ‹

I didn't get to post this update yesterday, so I wanted to now. 

There's something about the prayer of a child. 

Someone once told me that when we pray, that there are angels interceding in the spirit, warrying to carry our prayers and messages to the Lord; that sometimes, this can be why it takes some time. I don't know if this is true, but the thought of it makes sense. But I have witnessed, personally, the Lord move mountains when my child prays. 

Our first experience with this was when she told me I had two babies in my tummy, when I had no idea I was pregnant. Imagine the overwhelming shock I felt when this was confirmed at my ultrasound appointment.

The next would be when I went in for a routine check-up, and the Drs told me they needed to induce my labor, that day, when I thought I was going to go home. I was scared out of my mind because my husband was at home with my oldest. After calling and crying, and eating to calm myself in the cafeteria (my babies were always hungry) I ultimately went home. And when I did, my then five year old child put her hand on my belly and said, "Don't cry mommy. It is not time for the babies to come. The babies will come in seven days." Once again, she floored me, and I heard the Lord speaking to me in her tiny voice. I hugged her tight , and I felt so much peace. Six days later, in the evening, I went to the hospital to allow them to induce my labor. The following afternoon, right at lunch time, my healthy babies were born, 3 minutes apart. 

We are incredibly familiar with miracles, big and small. And we simply do not believe in coincidences, because our God is far more intricate than that.

So yesterday, I gathered my children, and we waited for 7 hours for our kitten to return, keeping ourselves busy until she did. And eventually, just as it started to pour outside, she showed up, and we caught her (she was wary of this, but we had ham ๐Ÿ˜‚). My oldest told me she prayed she'd come back, and asked me if it was a miracle. And I told her that if she thought so, maybe it was. ๐Ÿค

Nahum 1:7 "The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.."



Heart Broken
August 7, 2023
facebook twitter

Hi,

I hope that you are well today. ๐Ÿ™

I don't know who will see this update; I've been attempting to make regular updates about our circumstances to inform those of you who have been willing to help, that your efforts to help our family have not been in vain; we are sincerely grateful. But I don't know that anyone chose to receive notifications, or if our updates are being seen at all. 

My heart is so heavy today, and I just feel so broken. 

If you have read our updates, you may be aware that we rescued a kitten, which was pretty significant, for many reasons. (Our oldest has only ever had a pet gold fish, and the littles never had a pet at all. And they were over the moon about this kitten). To make things official, we'd even taken her to the vet to start to get everything she needed in order. She had food, and a bed, toys and a tower, and the kids had even given her a couple of their favorite stuffed animals to keep her company when we weren't around. 

As if things haven't been hard enough, spiritually and otherwise, this morning, the cat was allowed to escape.

I can't help but feel this was done intentionally to be hurtful, or even as a measure to push us out. I just do not know, with consideration that even the kids have been careful enough all these weeks not to allow this to happen, because of how much they care for her.

I just don't know.

But after two hours of searching, she is surely gone. We don't know that she'll be able to find her way back, or that she won't be eaten by a bear, or a mountain lion, or anything. We just don't know, and now, I have to explain this to three kids who's hearts are just going to be completely shattered. I'm trying not to be angry, but I'm sad, and truly disappointed. And I really want to leave. Even if we would have had to eventually take her to a shelter, they could have known that she would eventually have a home, and they could gotten the chance to say goodbye. 

But today, they are being punished on our behalf, and I have no words.

๐Ÿ’”


Today
August 5, 2023
facebook twitter

Today, I'm so very overwhelmed by God's love that you have poured into our family, and by all the prayers you have sent up on our behalf. ๐Ÿ’• I have no words to express the genuine gratitude we feel, and I can only sob and praise Him, because it's all for His glory. Know that the Father has seen your hearts, He has seen what you have done and you will be greatly rewarded. Our children have been truly blessed to witness God move in an amazing way, when we had no way on our own. 

Today has been incredibly challenging, and we have had to work hard at remaining encouraged. You have continued to show us that God has not forgotten us, and we are so very grateful.

Today, I finally figured out how to reply to your beautiful comments and prayers (I am not a tech savvy person ๐Ÿ˜ญ) and I want you to know that I wanted to write so much more than the number of characters I was allowed. ๐Ÿค

Thank you for being a blessing to our family. From the bottom of my heart. I'm praying that God will send you a sign, that He will allow you to see just how much light you have brought us in a time that has been dark, and just how much you have helped us. We have felt alone, afraid, judged, depressed....and it's been eating away at us. We have also been suppressed spiritually a bit, because of the warfare we are enduring. It has been amazing to be able to communicate with you, to pray for you, and to read your well wishes and prayers.

There are so many scriptures where we are encouraged to give to those in need. But people are not always open to be used by God. The scriptures also tell us (Galatians 6:2) "Bear one another's burdens, and fulfill the law of Christ." The Lord has worked powerfully through you all, and the generosity and the love that you have shown us can not be explained in words. It feels trivial to say "thank you", because it does not feel like enough.

Words cannot express our sincerest gratitude for your support during this time. Thank you for allowing the Lord to touch your hearts. Your gentle sympathy and kindness will always be remembered in our prayers.

Thessalonians 5:12-18 "Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Rejoice always, pray continually,  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is Godโ€™s will for you in Christ."

Psalm 75:2โ€œWe thank you, God, we give thanks; we call upon your name,we declare your wonderful deeds.โ€ โ€” Psalm 75:2

Psalm 9:1 "I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds."

Samuel 2:6 "May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this."

๐Ÿซ‚

You Are a Blessing
August 5, 2023
facebook twitter

Children of God,๐Ÿ‘‘

Thank you so very much for all of your prayers, for your encouragement, and for the love that you have shown to our family in this time. We appreciate each and every one of you so much, and I have no words to describe my sincere gratitude. ๐Ÿซ‚Thank you for continuing to share our Amazon wishlist. There have been a few kind people (who have chosen to remain anonymous) who have purchased items for us that we wouldn't otherwise be able to have for our children's studies this year, and I am just truly overwhelmed. This means so much. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. ๐Ÿ’•

I pray that each and every one of you are blessed, 100-fold. While some people may think it easy to make yourself vulnerable in a manner such as this, it has been humbling to share our story, and I appreciate those of you who have chosen to show us God's love. ๐Ÿ‘ฃ๐Ÿ™ŒHe truly has not forgotten us, and He has allowed you to be vessels to show up for us, and there are just no words. We are praying for you and your families.๐Ÿ™๐Ÿ•Š๏ธ

Love to all of you and your families,

Thank you. ๐Ÿค

P.U.S.H.
August 1, 2023
facebook twitter

updateImage

Hi,

I am so grateful to be here this morning. ๐Ÿ™Œ I pray that you and your families are well. ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿซ‚

I have a little bit of an urgent update today. 

As I'd stated in my last post, we were about $500 short of being able to purchase a vehicle we'd found that would suit our family's needs; The owner of the vehicle had responded to our inquiry, and said that they would be willing to sell the vehicle to us if we were able to provide payment this week. As of today, the vehicle has been sold, and this is the second time we'd missed a vehicle within this price range in it's condition.

Today, we have found another vehicle for sale, and we fear that it too, could be sold before we have the means to purchase it. The owner is asking a solid $5,500, which is a fair asking price with consideration to it's overall condition and mileage.

A blessing such as this would completely change our circumstances.

I would like to kindly plead today that you please continue to share our campaign. We are deeply grateful for your contributions, but also your prayers. We have continued to reach out to churches as well, and we still are not receiving response to our messages. The work that we have been able to do has not been enough to allow us to get ahead of where we are to complete this alone.

This is truly urgent for us. While we know that the Lord will not abandon us, we are calling on you for your help, so that we may be able to act quickly.

Your continued support in this time would mean so much.

Please.

Thank you, and God bless you all. 

Home Stretch
July 31, 2023
facebook twitter

Hello all,

I pray you and your families are blessed. ๐Ÿซ‚๐Ÿ’–

I am writing to kindly ask that you please continue to share our campaign. ๐Ÿ™ We have found a vehicle that would suit our family of five, and we almost have the means to purchase it. With the funds that we have saved this far, combined with the funds you have helped raise on our behalf, we are now just $500 shy of what we would need to purchase the vehicle this week. If you may be willing to help us get through the stretch, it would mean so much. The Givesendgo platform does have processing fees, and with that being said, about $200 from the funds raised so far have gone to said processing fees. We are most thankful for your help.

Please also consider sharing our Amazon wishlist that I have created for the tools and materials that will be helpful to our three children this year. It can be found here:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/O5QGZMB78CQB?ref_=wl_share

1 Samuel 12:24 Says, "Be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider all the great things He has done for you." 

He has truly blessed us, through all of you. ๐Ÿซ‚๐Ÿ•Š๏ธ๐Ÿ‘ฃ

Thank you so much, today and forever. We pray you are blessed abundantly.๐Ÿ™๐Ÿ’–

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

New Life
July 28, 2023
facebook twitter

Brothers and sisters in Christ,

I pray that you and your families are blessed.

I wanted to tell you something, and so I thought I would put it here in an update. The Lord is 100% moving, and while our family is not yet out of our trials, He continues to bless us and send us signs.

Three weeks ago, my husband spotted a kitten on the same road where he had the accident. There was life where there could have been death, and it is undeniable that it was a sign from the Lord. She was small and frail, and he brought her back and we took her in, despite our situation. Our children (who have never had a pet) love her so very much, and we do too. We also found humor that she is house-less, and so are we. ๐Ÿ˜† (We are teaching our children that while we do not have a house or place to live, we are not without a home; home is where your family is, and we are so blessed to have one another. ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿซ‚๐Ÿ’•)

Because of the seriousness of our circumstances, and the urgency that we move, I have explained to my children that in the event that we are unable to keep this kitten, we may have to bring her to a shelter. But I am hoping that it will be the plan that the Lord will provide us both a vehicle and a place to live, so that we can adopt her and give her the home that she deserves. Regardless of what happens, we knew that in finding her it was the Lord's way of telling us that He has not forgotten about us, and that He brings new life. He very much continues to speak to us, and we continue to do our best to hear Him.

Please, continue to pray for our family, and please continue to share our campaign. My husband has been able to do some small jobs for a neighbor, and while it is not much, it will allow us to have something of an income that we can save and add to the funds raised thus far, to put towards the purchase of a used vehicle so that we will be able to move. We will have to be gone within two weeks time. 

Because the new school year (anyone who homeschools or is familiar with it knows that there is no real break) is approaching, (September, which is also my oldest child's birthday month) I would like to kindly ask that you also please share our Amazon wishlist for the items my children will need this year. It can be found here: 

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/O5QGZMB78CQB?ref_=wl_share

It is around this time that churches and organizations do drives and fundraisers for donations for families of children that attend public schools, in attempts to provide them the tools they need to have a successful school year, and to assist parents who may be struggling financially or otherwise unable to provide said items for their households; We do not have means to attend any of these drives, due to distance. If you may be willing to purchase items from our list on our behalf, or willing to share our link with someone willing to contribute, we are deeply grateful. Even the purchase of a single item is a generous contribution, and we appreciate your help so very much.

Thank you, and God bless all of you and your families.

2 Corinthians 12:10 "That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Romans 5:2-5 "Through Him we also have access by faith into this grace in which we stand. Let us rejoice in our hope and the confident reassurance of the glory of God. And not only this, but let us exult in our sufferings and rejoice in our hardships, knowing that hardship produces patient endurance; and endurance, proven character; and proven character, hope and confident assurance of eternal salvation." 

Love to you all,

With heartfelt gratitude,

Your sister in Christ ๐Ÿ’•

Hope and a Future
July 26, 2023
facebook twitter

Hi brothers and sisters,

I wanted to take a moment to inform you all that the Lord has answered one of my prayers, and that a church did provide a response! ๐Ÿ™ We are now waiting to see what help they may be willing/able to offer. I am sincerely grateful for your help, and for those who have continued to pray for our family. I have no words for the deep gratitude I have for each and every one of you, and I pray that the Lord blesses you and your families. ๐Ÿค I would like to kindly ask that you please continue to share our campaign in this time; There are so many people in need, and I understand that the church may be limited in how they are able to assist us, especially if they are helping others. For the sake of transparency, I am going to continue to provide updates as they come, and I am thankful for your prayers.

I also wanted to share this.

The Lord placed this on my heart today: In the event that someone wants to provide assistance to my family, but maybe wants to help in a different way, I have created an Amazon wishlist for tools, materials and other items to utilize for my homeschooled children. Many of these items were things that we had and lost, with the exception of a few other items that would be helpful to have. If you feel called to help, or would be willing to share this list, I would truly appreciate it: 

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/O5QGZMB78CQB?ref_=wl_share

Thank you for supporting our family, our right to homeschool and raise our children in the Lord, and supporting us in their education. We are eternally grateful.

Please keep these scriptures in mind:

Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."

Joshua 24:15 "But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.โ€

God bless you all, in Jesus's name. ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿค๐Ÿซ‚


Hummingbird
July 25, 2023
facebook twitter

updateImage

Hi,


I want to thank all of you again who have been so kind as to bless my family. ๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿซ‚


As I have been praying and spending time with the Lord, I have been asking for months for signs, and there have been so many. Yesterday evening, I found a dead hummingbird at the end of the steps outside. I have never seen a hummingbird this close, and it was so beautiful and small. When I searched for what this sign could mean, I found that it symbolizes a great change to come. I took a moment to find a place to bury it with my children.


And, following that, this morning, we have been asked to leave where we have been staying.


We have no means to leave, and nowhere to go. We have no one that we can stay with, near or far. 


I would like to kindly ask that you please continue to pray for my family's protection, but also that you please, please continue to share our campaign. ๐Ÿ™ I'm trying not to be afraid and trust in the Lord, and my faith will not waver. ๐Ÿ‘ฃ The scriptures have shown us time and again that many people were tested, and to some it felt like there was no end, like Job. And we know that our Father keeps His promises.๐Ÿ‘‘ But I don't know what to do. ๐Ÿ’” If anyone may want to message me to talk, or send further encouragement, I would be truly grateful. Please pray for our strength in this time. ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿ™ Also pray that our family's hearts are softened, and pray against anger and bitterness in this difficult time. Please pray for the Lord to touch their hearts, their souls, their minds. 

Philippians 4:13 says "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me". I know that we can endure what comes next, no matter how difficult. 


Thank you, and God bless all of your families , in Yeshua's name. ๐Ÿ™

Psalm 107:1-3 Thank You
July 24, 2023
facebook twitter

updateImage

Brothers and sisters,

I have been deeply humbled and brought to tears by the love and support you have shown my family in our circumstances. I have no words to express the gratitude that I feel, and I am so grateful for you interceding with the Lord on our behalf. Thank you so very much for your prayers, and I pray that you are all blessed 100 fold. Yours truly is the Kingdom of heaven, and I thank the Lord for moving through you to help change our circumstances. You have also shown the rest of our family that there are people like us who do believe in the Lord, who do not judge others, and who help those in need. They can no longer deny that our God, our Lord and Savior is real, despite their words, and this experience has given them proof that they still fail to receive. 

I would like to give those of you who have contributed a better understanding of who we are. First and foremost, we love the Lord, and we have been trying to keep Him at the center of our lives. I would say that this day in age, that makes us conservatives with more traditional values. We are also entrepreneurs, writers, artists, home chefs, musicians and homeschool parents. 

When we lost everything we owned before relocating here, we lost fourteen years of our lives. There was an agreement for us to recover our things that was breeched. Our belongings were removed from the home, and we were not informed until several hours afterwards. A neighbor witnessed our things being thrown from windows to be broken deliberately, as well as passerbys being encouraged to take things, which they did. We have video of my husband pleading that our things not be broken, and even him being threatened with physical violence. Our lives were completely upended that day, and it was most difficult for our children. We lost things given to us by friends and family who are no longer here, such as my father in law's guitar. We lost personal identifying documents and books of passwords, business plans. Gone is the final copy of my father in law's book that was published before his passing, which is no longer in print. Gone is the final draft for a children's book I was writing about lupus, that I had hopes of publishing. Gone are all the pictures of my children as newborns and on birthdays, our field trips to the aquarium and museums, years worth of curriculum and school supplies. Gone are Christmas and birthday presents, handmade cards and homemade crafts. Gone are tablets and laptops and computers with tons of software and programs, and collectibles and things saved from our own childhoods in hopes to one day provide our children, worth thousands of dollars. The violin and keyboard purchased for my oldest child, her camera, easel and art supplies, the things invested in per her interests. Blankets and dresses made by very special people who are no longer here. And my children's entire lives.

It is true that we cannot dwell on the past. But it has hurt to be judged in our circumstances when I have reached out for help, or when others have been unkind or made judgement about our situation, or expressed disbelief in the church's lack of response. Of that, we have no control. The Lord tells us in Matthew 7 "Judge not lest ye be judged". He also tells us in Matthew 5:42-48 to give to those that ask you, and to love others as He has loved us. 

We have worked very hard to give our children the best life that we can, and we invested so very much in that all these years. We also come from a family that does not share our ideals, or our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, we knew before relocating to stay with our family, that it could only be a temporary situation. 

After all of our experiences, I almost lost my husband in a car accident. Our lives could have been forever changed on that day, and I am eternally grateful that the Lord stepped in and saved my husband. But we knew that as long as we had transportation, we had means to move forward. Two days before the accident, we'd just taken our children to an arcade, which we'd saved up to do. It was the most fun they'd had since we got here, and we had plans to take them to the aquarium next. The morning of my husband's accident, he had gone to fill the gas tank so that we could prepare for that. That was three months ago, and we have been unable to change our circumstances.

I would like to repeat that we are not seeking anything in excess. There is no scheme, there is no deceit. I also am not asking that you provide us a home, or a new place to live. We are just trying to get help to be able to purchase a new used vehicle that will suit our family's needs. Reliable transportation to work, for field trips, and even just being able to drive to the nearest town, which is a full twenty-five minutes away, and not walkable because of the rural area we are in. 

Please continue to pray for us, but I also kindly ask that you please continue to share our campaign. ๐Ÿ™ I know that some people may feel they are not able to provide a significant contribution, and I'd like to remind you that absolutely no contribution is too small. If the Lord puts it on your heart to help, and you can only contribute $1, we are so much more than grateful. 

Thank you for being our blessing in this time, we are so very grateful, and we wish blessings for you and all of your families. ๐Ÿซ‚

Please remember these words of the Lord: Matthew 5:16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.''

Ephesians 6:24 "Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with undying and incorruptible love". 




PRAYER REQUESTS

  • Psalm 18:6 "In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help." Please pray for our protection.
  • Please pray against spirits of premature death, and for health and strength.
  • Please pray the Lord will touch the hearts of the churches and pastors we have reached out to.
  • Please pray the Lord will bring us through our circumstance, and provide a new car and safe home for our children.
  • Please pray that we will be strengthened through our trials and that we will be able to bless those who have blessed us.