Attracting Attention?

I have been home for almost three weeks now...after an 18 day trip to Ethiopia with my 18 year old son, Kane. I have been wanting to write a post...to introduce and share this blog...especially since we have made several changes...BUT...
Honestly, I have been struggling to make sense of the gamut of thoughts and feelings I wrestled with while in Addis. I was so excited to be going back - and so soon! Days before I left, I envisioned how it would be to arrive there, to make my way through the airport, to reunite with old friends and meet new friends face to face.
Surprisingly...I found myself grappling with doubt and guilt and fear on the first leg of our trip. It took a good 2 days and nights to realize that nothing had changed. I had simply attracted the attention of Satan. It's creepy to type that - but - it should actually be our goal as Christians. I was stepping out in faith to follow a crazy wonderful, counter-cultural path God was revealing for our family....and SOMEONE was not all that happy about it.
If we are not doing anything for the cause of Christ, Satan is probably pleased with us....since we are making his job easier.
Please do not ever discount the reality of our Enemy.
HOWEVER, you can be sure that God is faithful and he reigns over the entire universe and all the powers within. The doubts and fears did not fit where my heart was. So...I resolved to PRAY and READ! I resisted the temptation to make any rash decisions. Concentrated bible reading and praying opened my heart and mind to allow God to remove the fears and renew my love and passion for his will. Delightfully, he placed people in my path to sincerely love and encourage me. I received answers to questions I had not even thought to ask! What a treat.
For lack of a more sophisticated observation: God is SO COOL!
Now? We need to remain on our knees in order to follow wisely and humbly...with patience and perseverance. (Easier said than done...but with Him? Possible!)
We would love to have YOU pray for us.
As I was reading just the other night, I was struck by some verses at the end of Paul's letter to the Christians in the city of Colosse. I think we breeze past some of these more specifically relational verses - but, WOW! Here it is:

12 Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God. 13 I can assure you that he prays hard for you and also for the believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis. (Colossians 4: 12-13)

Ok....really?! I love that! Can you imagine having someone PRAY EARNESTLY for you?!
The definition of "earnest?"

1. serious in intention, purpose, or effort; sincerely zealous
2. showing depth and sincerity of feeling
3. seriously important; demanding or receiving serious attention.

I want to be THAT person. I want to pray earnestly....to be sincerely zealous! I also LOVE that this amazing friend was asking God to make them STRONG & PERFECT, fully confident that they were following the WHOLE WILL OF GOD! Gosh, darn...could we ask for anything MORE? There is nothing better than THAT! 
But wait! It does get better...
Paul encourages these believers in verse 17 to: say to Archippus, “Be sure to carry out the ministry the Lord gave you.”
They were being ENCOURAGED and being an ENCOURAGEMENT to others. And again, the emphasis was on knowing and doing the will of God. Once this becomes the goal of our life, what more is there?! Things start to fall in line - much closer to where they belong.
We invite YOU to be our Epaphras! We challenge ourselves to be a like minded friend to YOU and others. And we encourage you to seek God's will for YOUR life and to carry out that ministy for the glory of the kingdom of Christ.