Location of new Website...Greenup's Going Global

I should have done this long ago, but as you can see, we no longer actively blog on this website, but we'll keep it up as long as it is a good resource for others.

Our updates on life, mission, etc. is now at www.GreenupsGoingGlobal.com 

Spokane Orphan Summit (April 21st in Spokane WA)

www.SpokaneOrphanSummit.com 

An upcoming Conference in Spokane for people in every walk of life who want to serve the Lord, live out James 1:27.

Nooni New Testament Bible Dedication

Hello all, as some of you know, I was in Cameroon a few weeks ago celebrating with the Noni people in northwest Cameroon as they received the New Testament in their language for the first time in history. Here is a little video I tried to put together to highlight the event. There is so much to tell, to highlight, etc. but hopefully this will give a flavor for what occurred on Dec. 22, 2011 in northwest Cameroon.

"Dad, that was an empty prayer"

O how the Lord used Ezra last night to convict me of 'empty prayers'.


Tuesday night we have growth group/community group/bible study at some friends house, so we are gone until about 9:00 (or 9:30 as was the case last night) and my mom graciously puts the kids to bed when she is there watching them.

This night Ezra was still awake, so when we got home I went downstairs (a little perturbed that he was still awake) to encourage him to stay in his bed and fall asleep. Of course I wanted to pray with him, so I did...quickly...out of routine to get it done and get him to sleep.

"Jesus, thank you for this great day, thank you for Ezra, I pray that you'd help him sleep and that he would have a great day tomorrow. Amen." (I prayed this very quickly...as it was 9:45 at night)

After I said Amen...Ezra chimed in very quickly. 'Dad, that was an empty prayer.'

Hmmm.

How was I going to respond? I sat their quietly thinking for a minute or so.

Dad: 'Ezra, why do you think that my prayer was an empty prayer?'

Ezra: 'Well, you just said it so quickly that it didn't seem like you meant it. It sounded empty, all you really wanted was for it to be over with.'

Dad: "Ezra, thank you for being sensitive to the Holy Spirit. You are right, that was empty, let's really pray and talk with God."

Ezra: 'Sounds good Dad'

Prayer to follow...or something close to it.

'Father, forgive me for empty, lifeless, routine, just doing it because I should type of prayer. Thank you for your Spirit working through Ezra in my life tonight. Thank you for allowing him to articulate in a sentence what I can so often be guilty of. Forgive me for not believing, not approaching you with thankfulness, with great expectation, with a wonder and awe of how great You are and how Gracious and Good you have been and continue to be in giving us Jesus, forgiveness of my sin and new life in Him. Empower us to live each of our days for your glory and your praise.'

Ezra's prayer: "Lord, help us be more like Stephen who lived for you and told others about you." (We had been talking about Stephen in Acts 7 at dinner and how he was filled with the Holy Spirit &  martyred (killed) because of his great love for Jesus.

Cool to see how the Lord answered that prayer (being like Stephen who was filled with the Holy Spirit) before Ezra even prayed it...as seen in his convicting words to his daddy.

Lessons from 5 minutes of putting my son to bed.

-God works in & through 5 year old children to teach their daddies things they should be teaching their son.

- I am thankful that God allowed Ezra to articulate truth so well. I pray that this gift will continue to be fanned into flame in His life for God's glory.

- Don't EVER be guilty of empty prayer

- My children are watching and listening. Am I discipling them in 'empty prayers' or in pouring out my heart and soul to God?

Leaving for Cameroon in 1 week...Celebrating with the Noni People in Cameroon

A week from now, I will be flying from New York to Brussels on my way to Yaounde, Cameroon.  We are confident that this trip is the will of God for me for these 11 days of my life.

If you'd like to hear more, read more about the trip, here is the link to a little website I made up about the trip, the team traveling, the missionaries who have been serving this people group for the past 20 years.

www.NooniNewTestamentDedication.Wordpress.com  

Answered prayer, Going to Cameroon for a New Testament Dedication, and the Gospel to the Nations!!!

Last night I found out that God and God alone orchestrated a series of events that is allowing me the privilege and honor to be able to go to Cameroon in Mid-December to witness a New Testament dedication for the Nooni people of Cameroon.

Below is the majority of an email I sent to my family last night after I was notified that God was opening a wide open door for me to go...it is kind of long, but it is really exciting to share.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Later in the Summer of 2011 and Fall of 2011

Well, to make a long story of God’s faithfulness a little shorter, the Danforth’s chose to come to Faith Bible Church and decided to be involved in the same growth group that we were a part of.

A Little About the Danforth’s

The Danforth family (Sam, Anna, Elaina, & Sawyer) are here in Spokane working at Moody Aviation for the next year (or so) getting all the remaining technical/mechanical training necessary before they head to Cameroon to serve with JAARS (Mission Aviation part of Wycliffe Bible Translators) in support of Bible translators reaching people groups in Cameroon. They are a wonderful couple, have two kids around Ezra’s age, and we have been richly blessed by them in many ways in the months they have been in Spokane.

Anna grew up in Cameroon, and Sam in the Democratic Republicof Congo with their parents serving as missionaries in Cameroon and Congo. Anna’s parents have been working on translating the New Testament into the Nooni language.

Back around the first past of October (5 weeks ago), I asked Sam and Anna to spend some time at our growth group sharing about Cameroon, the people, their story, and the upcoming New Testament dedication that is this coming December. This December, after 20 years of translation, the New Testament dedication that Anna’s parents have given their lives to is occurring.

After they shared about the upcoming dedication in December 2011, I silently, but very specifically prayed; 

“Lord, I would LOVE to go to Cameroon to witness this celebration of Your Scriptures being translated into the Nooni language. I know we don’t have the financial resources for this right now, so you’d have to work that out among other things.”

The Lord really confirmed in my heart not to mention this to anyone but Him, even Heidi, wanting to be sure if it did work out it would be wrought of God (seeing that I had told no one and given NO hints to anyone).

I didn’t question that the Lord could answer this prayer, I just wondered if He really did want me to go on this trip to Africa in mid-December. 

After that prayer back in early October, I didn’t think too much more about it…thinking it was too late for anything to potentially happen.

Last Night– November 8^th 2011

We get home from our growth group at the Danforth’s house and I get a text message from Sam: ‘Hey, a donor said your trip would be completely covered to go to the New Testament dedication in Cameroon!!! Would you consider going?’ 

(I only spoke to the King Jesus about this, no one else.) 

My response after I recovered from the shock of reading the text:  “Yes’…but…you might need to explain a little more about this!”

So, I called them at 10 pm and we talked about the specifics and Heidi and I learned that Sam and Anna have been praying for two months about me going to the dedication and the Lord has provided! Praying a whole month before I began praying, and God provided someone to make the trip financially possible. Awesome.

I got off the phone, Heidi and I talked and saw this clearly as something the Lord wants me to do. I wept in thankfulness for the Lord’s goodness in providing so lavishly on us.

What a picture of the wonder of the gift of the Gospel. Receiving what I do not deserve. I don't deserve the privilege, the honor, the joy of being a part of this celebration in Cameroon...nor do I deserve the immeasurable greatness of the love of God in Christ Jesus, who when I was a rebel, a murderer, adulterer, thief, hater of God, He lavished His profound mercy on me and declared me righteous, forgiven, child of the King of Kings! 

So, I will be leaving on the 15^th of December and returning on the 26^th. Yes, I’ll be gone on Christmas day…but we’ll be able to have a great Christmas on the 26^th when I return home.

Heidi and I talked and though I’ll be gone on Christmas Day, this is just a wonderful occasion to see, take part in, and commemorate the Word of the Living God into a language that hasn’t had it before! What a gracious gift that the Lord is allowing me to be present at such a monumental occasion. 

Just thought I’d share a story of answered prayer!

Several months ago I saw the video below and it makes you so appreciate having the Scriptures in your language. I don't know if the celebration will be similar to the one below, but it is pretty awesome nevertheless.

This video is of the Kimyal Tribe in West Papau, Indonesia receiving the Word of God into their language.

Why we are reading 'A Meal With Jesus'

Another book...are you kidding me? Why this book? Is this just a casual read that I am going to read in a few days and then put down to never pick up again? Never apply, never change as a result of?

There are several reasons I chose to buy this book at this time in our life. I will seek to be as honest as possible and I am writing this because it will help me focus my thoughts about why I am going to spend time reading this book and what I hope to gain as a result of reading this.

A few reasons why we are going to read this:

1. The ministry of hospitality is obviously a huge priority in the life of Jesus and throughout the Bible and we are seeing that this is an area we need to grow in.

2. Eating and Meals happen every day, several times a day. Often we (and others I think) share excuses about being to busy, too much going on, but we eat every day having people into our home is a growing priority for us.



3. In all honesty, it is very easy to have people from church over for time together and fellowship. That should be a priority, but it also should be a priority to have our neighbors over for meals together, people I work with on a daily basis, and some of the guys who are on the corner of the streets holding signs about their needs. Maybe, just maybe, the Lord would have us have one of those guys over for a meal



What I hope to gain as a result of reading A Meal with Jesus.


1. In what ways was mealtime and hospitality a means of the Gospel going forth through a community, nation, and world?

2. In what ways can we use mealtime to serve and reach out to those who are in need of the redeeming grace of Jesus Christ?

3. In what ways does our mealtimes need to change for the purpose of spreading the Gospel, making disciples, etc.

4. How can our home be a centerpiece for ministry and outreach?

5. In this upcoming Holiday season, how can we serve others around us who need Jesus, not just let the season be about our immediate family?


In complete transparency, I feel like our time, schedule and commitments right now are too 'churchy' and our lives need to be lived more like missionaries. In Spokane WA. Right Now. I think it is a tool and tactic of Satan to get us drunk on ourselves by not being outward/others focused.

In this post I define 'churchy' as follows: A life, a schedule, and relationships that are only built on things that center around the local church you 'attend'. (I really kind of hate the word 'attend' because that is so ANTI-BIBLICAL.) For example, Sundays are at church, Tuesdays are with people from the church, Wednesdays a parenting class 'at church'). Each of these things are helpful and great, but AM I MISSING SOMETHING. ARE WE missing something? Where is it in our schedule that that we are 'going and making disciples of all the nations'? So much time and energy is spent is 'getting trained', 'taking classes', 'getting encouragement' that we forget that Jesus trained 'on the job', 'in the classroom of life', not in a class setting.



All that to say, mealtime, hospitality, "for the purpose of reaching the lost" is not a priority in our home and we want it to be. Repenting, thanking Him for his forgiveness, and asking Him tp do a powerful work in our home is where we are at.



I also am praying that this little book would be a source of encouragement, conviction and that the Spirit of God would do a work of faith in our lives as we seek to honor the King of Kings in our meals and in our home.

Listen to the Leading of the Holy Spirit

Let the Nations Be Glad: p.82

"There are hundreds of strange and radical things God is calling his people to do in the cause of world missions. Not everyone will hear the same call. Yours will be unique. It may be something you never dreamed of doing. It may be something you have only dreamed of doing. But I urge you to listen to the leading of the Spirit to see where "outside the camp" he may be taking you "to bear the reproach he endured."

Reading through the Gospel of John, the Book of Acts and the rest of the Bible for that matter, you see that God intimately leads people who follow Him & listen to HIM.

'Listening to the leading of the Spirit' is kind of a touchy subject in conservative non-charismatic churches, but you cannot deny it if you read the Bible.

God might be calling you to do something that no one else has ever done.

He might be calling you to something that no one on this earth will ever see or know about.

You might never get to share awesome stories that will get you attention or get you a published book or anything others might know about, but you'll be able to rest in the confidence that the Living God is leading you.

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. 

Take your kids to the Zoo sometime instead of Sunday School

It would be more effective in seeking to communicate the cost of following Christ to take them to see lions eating, than sitting in a classroom.

While rereading Let the Nations Be Glad, Piper references Richard Wurmbrand in reference to how to prepare for suffering in your call to follow Christ:

"I remember my last confirmation class before I left for Romania. I took a group of ten to fifteen boys and girls on a Sunday morning, not to a church, but to the zoo. Before the cage of lions I told them, "Your forefathers in faith were thrown before such wild beasts for their faith. Know that you also will have to suffer. You will not be thrown before lions, but you will have to do with men who would be much worse than lions. Decide here and now if you wish to pledge allegiance to Christ."  They had tears in their eyes when they said yes.

Wurmbrand goes on to say...

We have to make the preparation now, before we are imprisoned. In prison you lose everything. You are undressed and given a prisoner's suit. No more nice furniture, nice carpets, or nice curtains. You do have a wife any more and you do not have your children. You do not have your library and you never see a flower. Nothing of what makes life pleasant remains. Nobody resists who has not renounced the pleasures of life beforehand.."

This is a quote from 'Let the Nations be Glad' 

Practically, Christians in Spokane could take their kids to Cat Tales (Not exactly 'Wild Beasts', but there are not a lot of other alternatives in the Spokane area) for a spiritual lesson and tell them about Daniel and his trust of God, Foxe's Book of Martyr's, and Hebrews 11, Luke 9, and a whole lot of other Scriptures.

It might be the most relevant Sunday School Lesson of their life.

"Father, I ask and pray that you would help us count the cost of following you. The cost won't be felt in the comfy church seats/pews, in church programs, or in in a 'go to' church culture, but in front of lions, in front of adversaries of the cross, in front of having to deny ourselves and what we love, for the greater treasure, Christ Himself. May I lead my children in such as way that demonstrates in the steps of my life that I treasure King Jesus over comfort, family, the niceties of this life here in the U.S., more than living to an old age, more than paying off my home mortgage, more than ANYTHING or ANYONE. You are the pearl of greatest prize, the hidden treasure worth selling all to gain, the one who had freed my soul from the domain of darkness and Satan and given me the Kingdom. O that love would compel me and others to live resolved to bring you glory by denying myself, taking up the cross, and following You."

Where is the line over which it is no longer worth it to go with the Gospel?

Reckless Abandon, p. 23

"If we, as Gospel ambassadors, are unwilling to suffer even as much as soldiers and fireman, could the reason be that we don't treasure Christ enough or value the Gospel enough to sacrifice significantly for its advancement into unreached regions? Is Jesus simply not worth the risk to many of us? Where is the line over which it is no longer worth it to go with the Gospel?" David Sitton

There is none. O Father, let me live like this. By Your Grace, For Your Glory.

Dave Ramsey's New Book 'Entreleadership' is his best yet

You might not know how much you need this book in the same way that you might not know you need chemotherapy because you don't know you have cancer.

Whether you are a parent, business owners, sole proprietor, have a home business, etc. this book is worth reading.

Dave Ramsey is a skillful surgeon, often with frank bluntness. He addresses the cancer, explains how it kills you if unaddressed, and explains what will need to happen to get you on to the road of healing.

Dave shares with humility and 20 years of experience. He is a proven leader in business, in leadership, entrepreneurship and personal finance. He is worth listening to and learning from.

Dave Ramsey is kind of the hero for bootstrapping entrepreneurs he lost it all in real estate and then he's calling in life got defined by that by helping people get out of that stay at a debt and pay off debt and never to go get you in debt again.

He is honest about his mistakes, doesn't hide from them, and uses them as a tool to help teach others to learn from his mistakes.

   

This book is almost free, $14. Free in that the lessons shared, principles proclaimed, and vision cast are worth countless more than you could ever pay for the cost of the book. His writing of this book is a true gift.

Entreleadership is Dave's business autobiography and reads as if you were having a conversation with him. In fact, I kept turning the pages, reading it like one would read Lord of the Rings. 

His chapter on goal setting, the importance of mission statement, casting a vision for your company, were priceless. Whether or not one does anything with it after they read it is a totally different questions.

Whenever I read a book, I ask myself...What needs to change in my life as a result of reading this book?

The answer to that question after reading Entreleadership is....A LOT.

1. I need a clearly written mission statement (For My Family, and as a Realtor)

2. I need to write down goals in all areas of my life.

3. I need to keep more specific track of my time and what I have been devoting time and attention to.

4. I need to have a clean office space. (Ouch) 

5. I need to make sure that my Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss Statements, and my Dustin Greenup, Inc. Quickbooks are in good standing.

The 2nd chapter of the book, Start with a Dream, End with a Goal was probably the most helpful/challenging and inspiring in the whole book.

You won't be wasting your time or money by getting this book...in fact, you could be wasting lots of time and money if you don't get this book, read it, and apply it. 

Remember...it hurts to be told that you have cancer, but it is a lot worse if it is not dealt with.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the book:

Dave Ramsey, Entreleadership:

"Dreaming is the lifeblood of people and organizations that are alive and thriving." Page 24

"The Mission Statement is further clarification and definition of your dreams and vision and assures you that your goals are aimed at the right target"  Page 27

"Personal Finance is not a Math Problem, it is a Behavior Problem" P.38

"If you don't own the goal and it doesn't come from your dream, then you won't have the toughness to persevere when the going gets tough" P.37 

Good Links - September 7th, 2011

Every once in a while, I feel it is a good to post some links I have found interesting, helpful, inspiring, or just plain funny. Here is my most recent list:

'After the Airport': This gal writes what most parents are thinking who have adopted children into their family. This is an absolute must-read for families who have adopted, considering adopting, or know others who have adopted and need to know what is going through their mind and life at the present time.

  The Difference between Good and Great - Whatever your hand finds to do, do it will all your might. Here is a great piece on the difference between good and great preaching (but it has relevance in all areas). C.S. Lewis and Russell Moore are two examples of great writers. Adopted for Life and Tempted and Tried are two great examples. He brings you into his story in such a way you feel what he is saying.

Tips for Teaching Your Kids - I found this article extremely practical and helpful. Be specific, teach all the time, teach at special times....etc. Worth the read...and to apply.

Don't Read the Scripture Stupidly - Some good words from C.H. Spurgeon. Read, think, chew, chew, chew, think, pray, pray, pray.


Community: Take Your Small Groups off Life Support - looks like a great book. Below is the video trailer for the book.

Summer Fun: a quick preview

We had a great visit with my sister Amy and her fiancee Scott

Yay for family reunions! Lots of cousins, lots of energy and lots of light sabers.

Did I mention Moses likes to smile :)



Celebrating our 6ths anniversary together:

Fun on slides: She did really enjoy it.

Chilling with Papa at Loon Lake

Parenting in faith "for the unseen"

Yesterday I got asked "How do you do it with four?" to which I replied, "One day at a time." I want others to know quickly that I am no super mom, I am your average mill of the run woman, with my own set of faults and weaknesses just like everyone else.
In fact, last night I had quite a breakdown in emotion and self control that I am ashamed to even write about it. I do only because I sense that God taught me much through that experience and I hope it will encourage some of you others reading this blog. As a parent, the best thing I could give my kids and the most I could ever want, is for them to know the Lord intimately. Part of my job as a mom is to introduce to them who God is and what He's done, namely- the Cross of Christ and it's saving power. But as I labor day in and day out to teach my children about sin, the effects of it in their lives and how to live for Jesus, I become discouraged at the hard hearts of my children who look at me blankly, not even caring about what they did that was wrong. O how painful it is to not see any sign of repentance, nor sorrow or anguish over the break in relationship. It is something I nor anyone else can cause to be affected-only God in his almighty hand can melt a heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh.

But isn't it easy to fall into the trap of measuring your parenting by how well your children are behaving and responding even to discipline? I am tempted to let my pride flare up when at church my child acts 'unbecomingly', and I am filled with shame, thinking others judged me as a parent by how UN-behaved my kids are. It is easy to think that if we just parent better or spank the most that our children will behave and love the Lord. Unfortunately, those 2 things do not necessarily go hand in hand.

Yesterday my husband happened to recite much of chapters 10, 11 and 12 of Hebrews in church and as he's been preparing for this endeavor, I have gotten to listen to and meditate over much of what God's word says in those meaty passages.
And last night as I was crying my eyes out in frustration I think something clicked for me. You see chapter 11 of Hebrews talks about all these great people of faith such as Abel, Enoch, Abraham, Jacob, etc. The point of all these people listed was not that they'd seen the fruits of their actions necessarily, but that they acted in faith "not having received the things promised," but rather looked "to the reward(vs 26)"
which would come in heaven. "By faith. . . ." keeps ringing in your ears.

Parenting I've discovered is so much like this. Here we work day after day, wiping noses and bottoms when they're young, teaching and training everything from not to throw down their food while eating to having self control when a brother takes their toy. And all of it boils down to wanted them to know God and why they need Jesus as their savior. Everything I do, EVERYTHING- is for them to know and learn to love Christ. And so, I parent not having received the promise that my child will become saved, but looking to the reward yet to come. And as Noah and Abraham endured, so too can I endure through Christ-- Christ who "endured such hostility from sinners against himself, so that (I and you) may not grow weary or fainthearted.(12:3)"
Last night I was weary and fainthearted because I had forgotten the promises to me that have yet to come. Not that I know all my children will become saved, but one thing I do know, I can keep enduring to train and teach their little hearts until the day I die, knowing that my promise and reward is yet to come.
My oldest child is not quite 5, and I am in anguish not to see repentance in his heart yet. Perhaps your child is older still. Today I am taking it one day at a time, yet running "with endurance the race that is set before (me), looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.(12:1-3)"
By faith. . . . what would God have you do today?

Today I am making nutrious meals, training how to stay in your seat at the dinner table, wiping poopy bottoms clean, praying for repentant hearts in my children, teaching letters with licorice, etc. . . . .

Pick Four - Seth Godin and Zig Ziglar

This is a very simple and helpful resource.



Small Steps Work.

Consistent Effort Works.

Support from a group works.


Yes, it costs $30...but it comes with 4 copies. Designed to share with others. OR, don't share and use 1 copy for each of the next 3 months.

My guess is that if you get this and actually use it (that really is the question), you'll want to share and give a copy to someone else.




Pick Four (4 Pack - Designed to Share)

Where did my brain go?! And when do I get it back?



It's been four weeks since we brought Moses home and I apologize to many of you who've been wondering how we've been.  Needless to say, I have hardly had any time to write, much less eat my breakfast, or go to the bathroom(by myself is not an option) or keep up on the exploding laundry pile in my basement, or  most importantly- sleep.  That last one mentioned would be the kicker.  Did you know that you can believe the world is disintegrating and you will not make it (seriously) if one more child tells you they don't want cereal again for dinner?  This all due to the 1.23 hours of consecutive sleep you had the previous night, . . . . and the night before that. . . . . and the night before that.  But then- the Lord hears your pleas for sanity and self control and blesses you with 3.46 hours of sleep and you feel like you could run a marathon and solve world peace all in the same day.         .               . at least until 11:20am hits and your caffeine blood supply has run way too low.
     Ok seriously.  We are doing much better, have much more sanity(most of us), self control, and energy to make it through the day. 

Here's a few things we've been learning since we brought Moses home:

*Sleep is NOT overrated
*Getting a shower is NOT overrated
*Four kids are noisy even when they're trying to be quiet
*I (Heidi) can't sleep with a baby lying next to me, hence the going insane
*Moses and I both sleep much better when he is in the hallway(hey-we made it 3 weeks, better than nothing)
*As much as I try, getting 6 hours(like they reccomend) of carry time is just not even possible with naps, etc
     We get about 4 hours instead
*. . . . speaking of naps, they are a necessity
*Ezra loves playing with his little brother and it's actually helped him a lot to have a sibling with the same skin
     color
*Olivia-adjusting just fine to another sibling
*Camille- it's a love-hate relationship:  She'll kiss him one moment and then whack him over the head
      a minute later.  But overall, she's doing well also
*In doing things differently this time around, I can see that Moses is attaching already to me and I too, am
     bonding much quicker with him
*Telling people 'No, you cannot hold my son' when they ask is harder than I thought it would be
*Laundry has grown from a respectable mound to Mt. Everest in my basement

Now that Moses is home, God continues to challenge me in trusting Him evermore.  I was rocking Moses today trying to teach him to put his head down on my chest and listen to my heartbeat.  He was not keen on the idea and cried and strained his little body so he wouldn't have to be so close.  And a little snippet of fear arose in me that said,  "O no!  What if he refuses to bond with me.  What if he too hates to be touched and rejects my love!   Lord, I KNOW I won't be able to handle 2 children who won't bond.  Please, please don't put me through this again."   Everything in me began tensing up as I thought of the 'what ifs' down the road.  Then, as if God put his hand on my shoulder, I felt him saying, "Don't fear the future.  I will give you the strength and love you need to give Moses for today.  He is mine to work in and you can entrust him to me."
     I'm sure I will have many more 'panic' episodes and questionings of , "Did I do it right this time?"   So much of me says, "Ok Heidi, You're now educated, you've studied this, you can make changes, you shouldn't end up with an unattached child again."  If I do, what does that say about me?  about God? 
      Most of what I've learned about my true self, I've learned from the most challenging person in my life- my son.  It is tempting to think that if I do this or that all right, that my children will turn out 'right', or worse yet, that I somehow deserve my children to turn out right.  But where is God and his grace in that?  I've had to double check my thinking so often because in reality it's God who does all the work in their little hearts, not my perfect/ or quite imperfect parenting. 

      I'm thankful that I don't have to fear and right now, we're just enjoying getting to know Moses.  God has a plan for this sweet boy and I'm humbled to be used somehow as apart of it. 

A family of Six and His grace through it all



Tonight is the last night we will be a family of 5 as Dustin and his mom are returning from Ethiopia tomorrow.  So many things have gone through my head today as I tried to prepare for his arrival.  Things such as,
      *Do I have enough diapers
      *When will I ever get a chance to clean my bathroom again?
      *Have I prepared our other kids well enough for Moses' arrival?
      *Will Moses hate me and cry every day. . . . . . I'm not sure my nerves can handle that. . . .
 
Here Moses will probably have had an average of about 15 caregivers during his short life.  To him, I'm just another new and very 'white' face.  I smell different, I talk different, I don't know his schedule that he's been used to of eating and sleeping and the list goes on.  One of the biggest issues Dustin and I have talked through has been attachment.  We wanted to post a little something about all the things we learned in doing things with Ezra and what we will do differently the second time around.
So here's a few things:
   1) He will be sleeping in our room and if not in bed, directly next to me so I can roll over and touch him

   2)I (Heidi) will attempt to carry him attached in a carrier and facing me for a minimum of 6 hours a day, for 6 weeks

   3)No one else will hold Moses until we see good signs of attachment(minimum of 3-6 months)

   4)He will be fed a bottle for as long as possible so that he learns to make eye contact with me(mom)

   5)We will try to encourage him to go through those infant baby stages with us as long as possible(i.e. rolling, crawling, etc)

   *Those are just a few things that we learned we should've taken more seriously the first round through with Ezra.  Although everyone(including us) thought that since Ezra was so young when we got him, it wouldn't matter as much- but really it did . We know every parent makes mistakes, but we sure would do things differently looking back. 
Thank goodness for God's grace in all of this!  If not for God's grace in Ezra's and Moses' and my life- we would all be going crazy. . . .seriously!  But God is indeed gracious, especially when He calls us radical living each and every day.  I pray that our family and 'radical living' for Him would point others to the cross of Christ and how because of him, we are adopted into God's family as sons. 
       Thank you to those of you who've labored in prayer along with us and watched/read our journey in bringing Moses home.  We have felt your prayers and been encouraged by your comments.  And we are so blessed to have all of your support!           Humbly and with gratitude,   Dustin and Heidi Greenup (and kids)

US Embassy Appointment Here We come!!!!

After 2 ½ years…countless stacks of paperwork, many 


days/nights of tears & trials, next week Moses Greenup will be




 in our home. His adoption complete, final, irrevocable, by all 


necessary authorities. Our son home with us! I’m Traveling this 


weekend to Ethiopia. Tears flowed freely this morning when 


we got the call that I am clear to travel for our Embassy 




appointment next week!!!






Thank you all who have stood near us, with us, encouraged us, 


supported us, cried with us, prayed with us and for us and 


for Moses! 

Courage for Weary travelers...especially for those on the road of adoption

Below is the majority of an email I wrote to some fellow travelers on the long and hard road of adoption. Hope it might encourage one or two others on the road.

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We are praying for you both!

I know this wait has been long road, filled with trials, filled with questioning and wondering at the plans and purposes of God and His ways.

I have been spending a lot of time in Hebrews 11, 12, and 13 as of late and have been so challenged by the path of faith that the Lord has called many of our Old Testament brothers and sisters to.

God is making you into great parents prior to even having the children in your home. He is refining you for His great and good purposes, to be a light of Christ in a hopeless and dark world.

I do not know what these next 2, 4, 6 months hold (let alone tomorrow) for both you or us, but there are several promises that are growing more and more dear to me in and every day this adoption process continues…

·         Hebrews 13: The sure and steady HOPE that ‘Jesus will never leave me nor forsake me’. No matter what comes, he is graciously refining me for his purposes, His glory, and in fact for my good…though often I don’t see it as my good. ‘The Lord is my Helper, I will not fear…what can man do to me’.

·         Hebrews 12: The Race of Faith – We all have great need of endurance. Life is hard, trials are many, pain is present, but we can take GREAT hope in that Jesus endured suffering, horrific hostility, crucifixion, to bring me into the household of God, as sons adopted into the Family of the Living God. And that Great Hope, the Hope of the Firm and Steady rock of Jesus Christ, propels us to offer our lives as holy and pleasing sacrifices to God…suffering with Jesus outside the camp (Hebrews 13) and bearing the reproach He endured.

·         Hebrews 11: Enduring as Seeing Him who is invisible: Moses endured the anger of the king…because he ‘saw Him who is invisible’. Sarah endured ‘considering Him FAITHFUL, who had promised’. Abraham ‘offered up his only son Isaac believing that God would raise Him from the dead’. Moses ‘wandered’ for 40 years and God equipped Him, prepared Him to lead millions of people.

(I am saying this to myself as I write it) :  Be of good courage for our hope is not in governments (they will fail), adoption agencies (they will make mistakes), timelines (they are always changing), or anything other than Our Great God who did not spare His own Son so that we might become His children. Our courage is upon the Firm Foundation, the Sure and Steady Hope, the Immovable Rock in the midst of an earth-shaking Tsunami, The One who is Unshakable, the King of Kings, the One who upholds the world by the Word of His Power, Our Great Salvation, The One who has Made Purification for sins, the One Who is Seated at the Right Hand of The Throne of God, Exact Imprint of God (God Himself) the One who Works all Things together for Good to those who Love Him, to those who are Called according to HIS Purposes, the One who blood has given us access to the Throne of Grace, The One who is Faithful to the End, The One whom Death Could Not Hold, the One who is the Christ, JESUS.

A plea to our Great God

O God, let us remain steadfast under your Great and Precious Promises, let us hold closely to the only firm foundation available, Jesus and His work on the Cross, let us continue to RUN the race, fixing our eyes on You, the author and perfecter of our Faith, let us continue to live as seeing Him who is invisible, let us live for the world to come, let us be found faithful. Equip us O God for everything we need for life and godliness, for every good work You have called us to. For Your Name to be magnified.

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Here is a strengthening blog post from some friends of our who are also adopting from Ethiopia, on the topic of waiting on God.

Functional Universalist???

Am I, are you, a functional Universalist?



Do We Really Believe What We're Saying? from The Church at Brook Hills on Vimeo.


(HT: Justin Taylor)