CAFO SUMMIT10 to be hosted at Willow Creek Community Church

On May 1-2, 2014 the Christian Alliance for Orphans’ annual Summit will be hosted at Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago!

I went to Summit9 this past May with the leadership team for The Vulnerable Children's Ministry for Willow Creek Community Church. It was Awesome! Summit was started nine years ago by the Christian Alliance for Orphans with only 39 people in attendance. Summit9 had over 2600 people from 49 states and 25 countries represented. All people who love God and have hearts for orphans.

For a woman like me who was once a girl in a children's home, it was amazing. I went to Summit to become better equipped to advocate for orphans and vulnerable children, what I got was a healing balm on my heart. We prayed, praised and sat through deep intensives...then we praised and prayed some more. The Holy Spirit was on the move. What I saw at Summit9 could only be exclaimed ONLY GOD!

Teri Altpeter, Jedd Medefind, Alison Strutz (Me), Dina Ackermann

Summit9

 





Jedd Medefind is the president of Christian Alliance for Orphans and the person who brought Orphan Sunday to America. When I saw Jedd I had to meet him and tell him what a miracle the Summit was.

According to the CAFO website, "The Christian Alliance for Orphans unites more than 100 respected Christian organizations and a national network of churches. Working together, our joint initiatives inspire, equip and connect Christians to “defend the fatherless” (Isaiah 1:17).
Ultimately, we seek to stimulate and help grow Christian communities committed to adoption, foster care and global orphan care in the local church. Our united efforts include the national Summit, the Orphan Sunday campaign, monthly webinars, and an array of other initiatives.
As the Alliance helps Christians understand God’s call to care for the orphan and equips them for effective response, the impact reaches far beyond a single program or met need. Rather, an ever-expanding army of passionate advocates invest time, talent and treasure in a personal and sustained commitment to caring for orphans in the name of Christ."



SIGN UP below for more Summit details as they become available and claim your $10 off DISCOUNT when registration opens in early 2014!

Summit 10 Sign Up!

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Stuff and the Language of Letting Go

I like stuff. But I've noticed the more stuff I have, the more it attracts more stuff. The bible tells me to run a worthy race, I am to throw off anything that hinders me. It occurred to me yet again today that my "stuff" is hindering me.

What do I mean by stuff? Anything physical, spiritual or emotional that serves no purpose in my life right now. Anything that is not helping me further the Kingdom of God.

While I was cleaning out my kitchen this morning I found many non-electric appliances. I went through a time period when I was fascinated with these devices. I was frustrated with my fixer-upper house. I was frustrated with my astronomical electric bills. So I started fixating on living off the land and getting off the grid.

I didn't want all the gadgets that I couldn't afford or even fit into my house so I started living in a Little House On The Prairie dream world. I wanted to escape from my present reality so I just started collecting stuff.

My Quiet Place

Quiet Place....This is the place I go when I'm undone, when I need to restore. God gives me peace, He helps me to recalibrate. God's kingdom is counter intuitive. I was brought up to try harder, push through and do more.  This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength...Isaiah 30:15  When every fiber of my being is in an uproar God tells me to be still. The world says do. God says trust. When I discover I've wandered far from God, his word tells me to draw close to Him and He will draw close to me. Whoever seeks Him will find him. I run to my Lord for solitude. Shutting out the world I spend time with my Savior. I pray, I read His word, I sit quietly while he restores my soul. Thank you Jesus.