30 Second Prayer Model for Healing

Day one of our trip and as the plane descended into London, I suddenly felt intense pain and pressure in my sinuses. Yikes, no wonder you aren't supposed to fly when you're sick. Not that I was sick; I was fine before we left. Perhaps I had some sinusitis or something that I hadn't realized. I bought some Sudafed (the good stuff you can't by over the counter in the U.S.) at the London airport and was able to make it on the next flight leg without too much trouble.

The next day I was a little stuffy and had a bit of a headache. By Monday, even though I was taking Sudafed regularly, I'd had no improvement. I could breathe a smidge from one nostril and that was it, plus, I still had a sinus headache. Oy, what a great time to have my sinuses acting up.

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Pastor here had been teaching his young church leaders a 30 second prayer model for healing. It's not a magic formula, but simple Biblical truths that are put into a format that can be used by the church body to glorify God and bring others to know His name.

Adam was given dominion over all the earth, but forsook it when he sinned. Jesus died a perfect man, so death had no hold on him. He took the keys of dominion back from hell when He rose from the dead.  In the book of Revelations it says that in heaven there will be no more tears or pain. We live in the already, but not yet. Jesus has come and fulfilled somethings, but we won't see the full fulfillment until He comes again. So, right now, we have authority and dominion in the name of Jesus - it is a shadow of what will be > illness and death still exist, but so does healing.

Matthew 28:18-19a "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go..."
John 14:12-14 "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done and even greater works, because I am going to the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name and I will do it!"
Mark 16:16a & 18c "Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved... They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed."

The 30 second prayer model for healing is based on these truths. Keep your prayer short and sweet - all the excess, all the extra words are just to help our faith anyway. Pray in the name of Jesus, for that is the name by which we have authority, and so that the person being prayed for knows where the power is from (it's for sure not from these human hands). Bind the affliction specifically and pray that it be gone. Amen. Then ask the person if their ailment was a 10 on a scale of 1 - 10 before, what would they rate it now? Tell them they should be honest. It's not me doing the healing so I won't be offended if there is no change or if something gets worse! Okay, if the person isn't totally healed, perhaps the healing process has just begun. Pray again (or have someone else pray for them). Re-rate the ailment after the second prayer. If the condition is still not fully healed, again, maybe the healing is just started and the person can always receive prayer again next time. But no matter what our faith is that God is faithful to keep His promises and there is hope in Him. Our hope is that the person receiving prayer will see God working. This is a wonderful evangelism tool.

I love this prayer model. I think as Christians, so often we pray and don't expect anything to happen (we pray because we should). We pray and don't ask the person we prayed for if anything has changed. Or we pray and hope for healing, but then if the person isn't totally instantly healed, we're disappointed. This prayer model makes my faith stronger because it looks at the Biblical principles that give us basis for what we ask. And it realizes that healing isn't all or nothing - that there can be progressive healing. God heals in His timing. Some of that won't be realized until we are in heaven, but some of that really can be realized in the here and now. Amazing.

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Soooo... we're here for 2 days and Pastor teaches us this prayer model and encourages us to pray for one another. I share my little condition and members of the team pray for me - a simple short prayer. Afterwards, I could breathe through the one nostril and the headache felt a little less, but was still there. They prayed for me again. I could clearly breathe through both nostrils (seriously, the change was instant and I'm sitting there breathing in and out through my nose, enjoying the complete openness of my nasal passages) and again the headache was a bit less, but still there. But man, was it nice to just breathe! About ten minutes later, I realized that the headache was gone. God healed my symptoms that very morning, and I haven't had any more congestion this entire trip. Praise the Lord.

The same happened the next day with some serious tummy trouble. I got Delhi Belly - boo. :(  I was rushing to the washroom a lot, even woke twice in the middle of the night to take care of business. The team prayed for me that morning and seriously, from that point on, my tummy was totally fine.

And I'm not the only one. Other people on our team were healed as well.

What a wonderful God who blesses us with tangible ways to see His goodness and faithfulness.

I encourage you, have faith! Greater is He who is in us, than he who is in the world.

India Update - The Poor and the Injustice

I'm stuck here, not by the fact that there are so many poor, but by the injustice of it all. You see, you can't really even help the poor, unless you are VERY strategic.

This woman with a small child on her hip is one of many who will come and tap tap tap on your car widow when you're stuck in traffic. If you happen to make eye contact, she won't leave. If you say no, she won't leave. If you help her, all the others may swarm your car asking for aid too (and in Delhi, the traffic is so gridlocked that you may be there for a while). And if you help her, you don't know if she'll get to keep any of it for her and her baby or if she has to give it to someone watching. And mothers with babies are only some who tap tap tap. Then there are the children who perform between the cars hoping you'll roll down your window and just give them something. 

This family lives in an underpass. Daily cars scream past. You can see the little ones without clothes in the back. They have a bucket you can't see for taking baths and a small fire and pots to cook on. This is their, dare I say, home. And even though money goes really far here, I still can't roll down my window to give. It's dangerous when you're sitting in traffic and literally have no place to go if something were to go wrong. 

This is quite common - people on the side walk with their little stove. She might be selling small goods to get by, but when she's tired she'll take a nap here on the street-side. Just walk around the poor.

And of course, there are those who sleep anywhere they can, because they have nothing. 

But what makes me mad is not being able to help. We walked out of a restaurant on Monday and there was a woman on the walkway with a scale. Her way of making a living is to swat and wait for people who might pay a few rupees to get weighed. I commend her for finding a way to make a living instead of begging. I wanted Adonai to go and get weighed, just so we could help her. We were advised against it because truly, you don't know if she gets to keep any of the money. Even amongst the poor - CORRUPTION! How can you steal from the least of these? But it's such a reality.

At the train station the children mob us begging. Carl offered some snacks that he had and was turned down by one kiddo. He just wanted the money. Others were happy to take it, but not all. And why aren't these kids in school?!

There is HUGE value on education for some. It's almost difficult to get a job with only one degree because India is so well educated. But among the poor, there is no value. You have to test into school. Christian organizations have set up tutoring to help children place. Government schools aren't well regulated though as far as curriculum and testing, so sometimes the teacher only has a monitor watch the class while they go  in the back and play cards. There are private schools, some are expensive, some are very affordable and they offer top-notch education. But even the government schools have something to offer - the kids do learn English (which knowing would help them get a better job here). But the parents would rather have them working than be in school. Income is more important than education, and so the cycle perpetuates itself. Joyce sat for 2 months, 8 hours a day teaching a girl the basics in math and reading so that she could place into school. The girl placed at 4th grade. She attended for a few weeks and then stopped going because her mother would send her to work cleaning houses so that the mom could take on more houses to clean. Needless to say, Joyce was furious.

I love Mukesh's school. He works in a slum and parents send their kiddos to their Christian school, knowing what it is, because it's only for a few hours and the kids are getting value out of it. Learning the basics and some of them have gone onto real school. You see, not all help is balked at. 

There are ways to help the poor here; you just have to be strategic about it. You have to be conscious of how and when and where you help, especially as a Christian. But I want to give instantly - even 20 cents would go far, and it kills me that I can't. 

But then I am thankful for people like Pastor and Mukesh who live here and know the right ways to poor out and truly help the poor. To give fish when needed, but to also teach how to fish. To offer prayer and healing in the name of Jesus, when silver and gold can't be given. Who poor in day over day with love. 

Our church did an early Angel Tree for the children in the slums here. Yesterday we packed up 93 backpacks that will be given to the children at Christmas. Each child will receive a backpack, new shoes, socks, a sweater, a beanie, a lunch box, a pencil case, and three small toys. This all cost roughly $12 U.S. Back home, we could maybe get just the backpack for that price. And what a blessing it will be to the kiddos!!!

 So, as frustrating as it is that there are so many poor, and there is so much injustice, it's encouraging to know that there is still hope. That people here are making a difference and know the right way to do so.

India Update - Church in the Slums

With some of our sisters.

Last night, we went to Pastor Steven's church. We left after dark so that our presence to the surrounding area would be less obvious. Even though it isn't required for women to cover their heads here, the girls on our team did to draw less attention to our white-selves being in the area. You see, Pastor Steven's church is located in a structured slum.

Our taxi driver dropped us off where the road ended. We walked via flashlight across the railroad tracks. Through brush. Over refuse. Past a child defecating freely in the open (because there are no bathrooms anywhere). We walked to a small one-room building the church rents out. There is no a/c - just two slowly oscillating fans. The ceiling is made of sticks and something like burlap. Mats are laid across the floor to give a place to sit. 

All of the attendees at the church are women, except for two blind man, and one other. 

And they are each so beautiful. 

Jeeze, we are so spoiled in America. We have everything, light shows, and bands, money and possessions. Yet we bore easily. We don't seek God in most things. And our faces too often show disdain.

During the service time.

These sisters had NOTHING and yet, they had EVERYTHING.

I've never seen such passion. Their faces were beautiful, but truly their countenance is what was shinning. These sisters in Christ were fervent in their worship and their prayers. 

Kristen sharing.

Crystal sharing.

Kristen, Crystal, Eb, and Pastor all shared a word. Then the church prayed for us! What an honor!!!! I couldn't understand a word they were saying (this slum was comprised of a South Indian population and they all spoke Tamal), but it was powerful. We then broke into groups and prayed for them... I didn't know how to ask for prayer requests, so I just went for it, but thank goodness our God can pass language barriers. 

Baby Lerika wearing her Dora shirt.
Mama is on the left.

After service, we provided a snack and just hung-out a bit. There was a sweet little baby, maybe 10 months old. She had on a Dora the Explorer shirt and reminded me of my baby. Her name was Lerika. A set of sisters spoke some English and chatted as best possible with us. They couldn't believe how OLD we were (ha! They were 16 and 17). They all pulled out their cell phones (hilarious) and took photos with us. Sweet spirited sisters.

Fellowshipping after service

I felt very privileged to be there last night. And came across this passage which dawned whole new meaning having seen real poverty in that moment:

"You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich." 2 Corinthians 8:9

This morning my heart tugged in a new direction. I was reading Hannah's prayer in I Samuel 2. Here are verses 7-9 which are my prayer for these sisters: 

"The Lord makes some poor and others rich; he brings some down and lifts others up. He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, placing them in seats of honor for all the earth is the Lord's and He has set the world in order. He will protect his faithful ones..."

My heart was screaming this morning trying to figure out how to help them. Could we visit again and take more food? What could we do. But the tragic truth is that so often here helping actually hurts. To give too much would cause them harassment by others. So I am left with the resolve that even if I can't given them anything tangible at this point, I can remember to pray for them and know that inside they are already truly rich.

India Update - We're here!

Lodhi Park - reminded me of
Picacho Park in Honduras

We made it. After flying for 24 hours, we arrived in Delhi on Saturday morning. Saturday we spent the day having a church picnic with several of the young leaders. It was positively delightful getting to know them. We played games, walked around and saw an old tomb, and enjoyed the day. They are all lovely people. We wound up going to bed very early due to jet lag.

I'm an amazon with my new friends

Sunday we all felt much more refreshed after a good night's sleep. The church meets in a small banquet room at a local hotel. Worship was AMAZING. God showed up. You can see the anointing on these young people. I had the opportunity to speak and share a bit about what the Lord has been showing me in my own life lately  - a challenge in faith... faith in the smaller things, not just the big things. Shari and Eb from our team also spoke, as did the pastor we are working with. It was neat how none of us discussed what we would be sharing ahead of time, but that they flowed together well. Obviously a God thing.

One thing I loved about church was that after service we all had tea. It was very condusive to fellowshipping after service and I enjoyed sitting and chatting with the members.

Walk in the park - You can see Ado
chatting it up

After church we went out to lunch with our gracious hosts. What an amazing meal. And sweet Shari treated us! The food here is so good, although all a bit spicy, but SO affordable. The feast we ate yesterday would have cost $15/plate easy in the States - it was approximately $7 here!! I must say, I've not been too hungry because we are always eating.

Me speaking at church on Sunday
 with my interpreter, Dema.

Several gals from church wore sari's
especially for us

The afternoon was spent on a metro prayer "walk". Instead of the traditional prayer walk, we met with several church members again and they took us on the metro (subway/lightrail). We sped through Delhi and into the surrounding suburbs praying over the city, praying for other people on the metro, and getting to know our India brothers and sisters even more. Again, another delightful day.

It's now Monday morning and we're off to another part of Delhi, Nehru Place, to do a prayer walk, especially as we visit the Lotus Temple. It will be nice to see the real Delhi as we walk.

I also got to Skype with my angels this morning just before they headed off to bed (it's Sunday evening in Phoenix). It was wonderful to see their faces and smiles.

I'll try to continue to keep you updated every few days on our goings-on. Blessings to you and we do appreciate your continued prayers.

Love from Delhi,

Kelly (and Adonai too!)

India Update - Leaving on a Jet Plane

I wanted to give you all an update before we head out to let you know where things stand and what the plan is as our itinerary firms up.

I can hardly believe it, but we're actually going to India! We fly out today at 7:25pm heading to London. Thank goodness we only have the one layover. When I traveled to Central Asia in 2000, I took six planes to get there and five to get home. I'm thrilled that it will only be 24 hours of travel before we arrive in Delhi.



We're pretty much ready to go. We still need to pack our carry-ons, but that's about it. For once in my life, I packed days early (it felt really good too) and we took all of the girls' things to our family's house last night, so that we wouldn't have to mess with it today.

Ahead of us is delicious sleep on a plane (I'm the mama of two young children; I don't know what sleep really is and while I know my heart is going to ache - it already sort of does - to be away from my loves, I am also going to relish in sleep. Thank the Lord I can sleep anywhere, including on a plane!).

The main thing we'll be doing while in India is connecting with the local church, attending their homegroups, fellowshipping, and having a big picnic. I'm thrilled that this trip isn't all about us missionaries going in thinking we know everything or can save the world. Rather, it is approached with the questions of, "What can we learn?" and "How can we be of some help?" I truly feel that this is a partnership and that while we will pour into lives, our lives too will be poured into.

Our church has had up an Angel Tree a bit early this year - intended to support some of the children in India. Instead of purchasing gifts, members donated money to sponsor the children so that the gifts could be purchased there (much more economic than trying to ship them all, deal with customs, etc.). I'm excited to say that our team gets to do the shopping. Who doesn't love that? I get to use someone else's money to buy presents for beautiful children in need. And I actually enjoy wrapping gifts, so it works out great. I'm all over this!


We'll also be doing quite a few prayer walks, including in Old Delhi. While there we'll get to visit Red For, a 17th century fort established by the Mughals. It's now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It'll be wonderful to soak up some of the rich history of the area while we are there.


As mentioned previously in another blog post, we'll be taking some children from a slum orphanage to the zoo. I can't tell you how excited I am to see their faces. Beautiful children who have nothing and bringing them simple joy through an experience they otherwise wouldn't have.



We'll also be visiting a well known Hindu temple, which enshrines the god Vishnu. It'll be interesting to see Hinduism in full swing firsthand.On that note, the holiday Diwali, which is the Festival of Lights in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism, will take place while we are there too. Conversely, we'll visit St. Stephen Church, which was built in 1862. I do believe we will see some of the nation's religious tension. Just so you know, it is not illegal to be a Christian in India (though the government requires that you register if you are one), but it is illegal to encourage someone to change their beliefs. If someone does become a Christian, they must sign papers when they register stating that they do so of their own volition. We of course tread lightly.


And who can go to India without enjoying a day trip to Agra to see the Tag Mahal. I hear it is an experience like no other.

And finally, Ado and I have the pleasure of meeting up with some old classmates from Bethany while we are there. James & Marney moved to another city in India a few months ago and we'll have the chance to visit with them and catch up.

Well, that is a snippet of what the plan is for while in India. We still appreciate all of your prayers while we are there - for us, the team, the church there, and of course the family we are leaving behind for two weeks.

We also owe our church for some of the cost of our plane tickets still. God has been so faithful in pouring out blessings as we plan for this endeavor. He's really been working on my faith during this time and I have confidence that He will supply the rest of the funds needed. If you do want to partner with us financially, just so you know, it isn't too late. :) Feel free to send tax deductible contributions through our church with our name in the memo line:
     Reveal
     17744 W. Charter Oak Rd
     Surprise AZ, 85388
Or you can use PayPal to send to us directly. Just look up our email address:
     themartinezhome@gmail.com

Finally, I wanted to let you know that one of the things I am most excited for in this trip, is that I get to do it with Adonai. In all the missions trips we've each done, this will be the first time doing one together. This is also the first time he gets to travel outside of North America. I'm pleased as punch to spend this time with him, doing this work together. YAY!


Oh, and I'm also REALLY excited about the food. I've been wanting some coconut or peanut curry lately, and biding my time until I can get my fill. Yum, yum, am I going to eat!

I'll try to blog while I'm away, so please subscribe if you want to stay posted.


Thanks again for all of your love, support, prayers, and encouragement. May the Lord bless you richly for being a blessing to me.


Kelly

India Update - 3 Weeks & Counting

In three short weeks Adonái and I will be in India. I can hardly believe it is so closely upon us.

My to-do list keeps growing:

• I still need to send out some prayer magnets to those who are supporting us. I made half of them and then ran out of ink. Doh.
• Get immunizations. This needs to happen ASAP. No one wants to be coming down with typhoid.
• Check out travel insurance. Shari (one of our teammates) works for  a company who supplies this, which is nice.
• Update our wills. I don't expect anything to happen while we're gone, and this needs to happen anyway, so the timing is good.
• Make a "to communicate" list for my sister-in-law about the kids. She'll be watching the girls for us while we are gone and I want to write down a few FYI's, like, Natalia always holds her dolly and glow worm at bed time, and Naiya doesn't take a nap any more, but usually has an hour of quiet time instead, and if Natalia wakes up at 2am, let her cry, she's often back asleep within 2 minutes, but if she keeps crying, I usually give her a drink of water, lay her back down and she'll go back to sleep (no need to stay up with her), etc.
• Set-up Skype. I can skype with the girls while I'm there, but will need it set-up on this end to make that possible.
• Figure out work schedule and child care the week before and after the trip. I don't get paid time off, so for the 2 weeks I'm gone I'll be making zero income. I'm going to try to  work extra the weeks before and after the trip, which unfortunately means less time with the girls when I'm already going to be gone for 2 whole weeks, but for some reason the bills don't stop coming just because I'm out of the country. Therefore, I need to make a schedule of days in the office vs. extra hours at home and who will help with the girls in the midst of all of that (in-laws are in town, which will hopefully be very helpful).
• Buy new hair trimmer. I know this one sounds silly, but Ado has been asking for a haircut. I've been cutting his hair for about 10 years now and our trimmer finally died. Why pay to go the barber when we could buy a new one for the same cost and I can use it for the next 10 years. So, need to buy it and then do some shaving of the head.
• Sell collectible cards. Ado has a collection of cards that he agreed to sell forever ago, but never did (we have a bin in our bedroom full of them). He said he would go through them all, organize them, and then sell them to help pay for our trip to India. Tick tock babe, we have 3 weeks until departure. (I think secretly he changed his mind about selling them and doesn't have the heart to tell me.)
• Write thank you cards to vendors who helped with our Amazing Race fundraiser. The fundraiser was, well, AMAZING. 16 teams participated and the team as a whole raised about twice what we anticipated the week before the race. We want to thank all the local businesses who contributed by donating prizes or allowing us to use their premises for the race. Everyone had a terrific time and asked when we would be doing it again (um, not for a while, I'm exhausted from all the planning!).
• Plan next fundraiser. The team is talking about networking with local fast food restaurants to have an eat-out day on October 1st. Anyone who buys food and mentions our team at those particular establishments, a percentage of their purchase will go toward our India trip. Of course, that all has to be set-up and then communicated first.
• Pack for the girls. Clothes can be done last, but the pack 'n play and booster seat and double stroller, etc. all need to be pulled out for my sister-in-law to use.
• Pack for us. Probably to be done the day we depart knowing us, but I'm starting to make piles and lists.
• Compile little gifts for the kids. I am leaving a few small presents for the girls to open every few days while we're gone. My parents did that for me when I was a kid and I loved it. Helped take away some of the sadness of being away from mommy and daddy. The dollar store has some great little kid stuff that I need to pick up and then wrap.

I'm sure there is more, but that is all my brain can remember for now. Please pray for us as we wrap up all of these preparations over the next three weeks.

The good news is that Ado and I both got our visas approved and our passports returned to us. So that is one big important element taken care of.

Our support-raising is coming along, but still has a ways to go. Aside from the fundraisers, which go toward the team as a while, Ado and I have had 14 families partner with us financially on this trip (thank you) and have raised about 1/3rd of what we need. Unfortunately, plane tickets to India are not cheap! Please continue to pray that God shows His faithfulness and provides the rest of the funds needed for us to go. I have no doubt that He called us on this trip, so we're waiting on Him to make it possible.

I guess that's it for now. If you have any questions, please let us know. We're really excited about this opportunity.

In Him,

Kelly (and Adonái too)
India Mission Trip: October 13th-28th

New Look

Don't close your browser! This really is still The Martinez Home blog. I gave it a facelift. While I loved the dandelions, I hated how as a watermark image they infringed on the ability to read the blog text. So, I opted for this version, which has the dandelions at the top, but solid colors for an easier read. I'm not sold on the green for the major backdrop element, but would love your feedback. Feel free to comment on the new look!

In honor of new looks, I thought I'd embarrass myself a bit. So.... here goes.

Anyone who knows me personally, know that I look like this:

I cut my hair short two years ago and it really took about a year for me to find a style I truly love. Shortly after that Ado asked me if I'd grow my hair back out. He didn't mind that I'd cut it short, but didn't love it per se either. He wished it looked like this again:

I grew my hair out for about 8 months and gave up. Growing your hair out sucks. It will always suck... that awkward in between phase. The only way I felt my hair looked cute was to pull it back, but I have chronic headaches and that style didn't contribute to those very well. Plus, I have a preschooler and a baby to chase after and spending time on my hair or feeling ugly wasn't doing me any good. I asked Ado if I could cut it short again. Honestly, I wasn't done having it short. I like it short. I like it long too, but after almost many years of long, I'm still enjoying the short phase. Plus it is SO EASY.

Ado agreed. However, while he says I'm still pretty and he doesn't mind, I know he does.

All this said, I want us to both be happy, so.... for a while now I've been chewing on getting a wig! I thought it might be fun to sometimes go out on a date and me have long flowing hair again. That he would think I was pretty... prettier.

And then last week I was walking through the mall and there they were. And I thought I'd just look at the price tag so I'd know. And the lady asked if I wanted to try one on and... well, I fold like a house of cards when it comes to sales.

So here it is!

Ado thinks I look better al natural, which is sweet. And he thinks I'm silly for buying it, which is true. But, I don't think you can return a wig. So it's mine. And eventually I'll dare to wear it out!

India Update

Seven weeks... holy cow (hmm, in light of the fact that we're going to India, that phrase just dawned new meaning as I typed it!). Anyway, only seven weeks from now and we'll be on a plane to Central Asia. Wow.

Update On What We'll Be Doing

It's still a bit vague... or rather we have a fairly loose agenda. In part, that's the culture... people are more important than a timetable (oh, but I DO love my watch!), but in part it is by design - our goal is to go and meet the needs of the local church, not to make up and impose our own agenda just for the sake of having one; therefore, and our job it to show up and go where the local church asks us to and as the spirit leads. That's not to say that there isn't any plan at all. Aside from being available to the local church, we'll also be visiting a slum and spending a couple of days taking orphans to the zoo.

  

To share a bit more about our zoo outing... originally our plan was to visit the orphanage and to love on the kiddos there. However, the pastor that we are working with cautioned that this was no longer a good idea. "Bad people" watch the orphanage. Whenever the orphans have visitors like us, they assume the children have been given things and harass them. It's a case of "when helping hurts". He therefore recommended we take the children off the premises and do something fun with them. So, it's been decided that we'll take the kids to the zoo... a place that none of them have most likely ever been before. I have to say, I'm pretty excited to see their faces as they take in all the animals in person.

Update On Preparations

I checked a kids book out from the library with pictures of India in it. I've been reading it to the girls and pointing out the similarities and differences. We talk about how mommy and daddy are going on a 2 week trip and that they can't come, but that they get to spend the whole time at their cousins'! So far, I don't think that Naiya really gets it, but she is excited about staying with her cousins, so that's a good thing.

We've had some amazing friends come together with us on this initiative as prayer and financial partners. THANK YOU! Prayer-wise, we can use it, both during this preparation time and on the trip itself. Prayer is a powerful thing. Financially, we've raised about 1/5th of what we'll need. Back when we were just thinking about whether or not we should go on this India missions trip, God and I had a conversation. I was worried that we wouldn't raise enough support and God essentially told me, "Kelly, you can not go, but then you'll never see how I can provide all the funds for you." So, I'm holding God to His Word. He wants us to go, then He has to make a way. And what a fun idea He gave me to help...

...I was talking with a friend about a local race coming up in November that Adonai might run in, and she asked what the cause was (since it costs money to enter these things) and I didn't know. She said in passing that we could do something like that to raise money for the India trip. And it got me to thinking. And as the hamster ran on his little wheel in my mind, one thing led to another and we are now hosting... An AMAZING RACE.

Check it out on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=186081708128794

I think it's a super-fun way to do a fundraiser and am really excited about it, although it's requiring a lot of planning (that's where the prayer support comes in please).

To sum up this update, I wanted to share with you what I got out of a team meeting we had last month. As a team, we are working our way through Tim Dearborn's Short-Term Missions Workbook. One of the questions for reflection and discussion that we had a few weeks ago was: "As you pray about your short-term mission trip, what further insight is God giving you about why He wants you to go?"

I grappled with trying to phrase my response and it really came down to one word, "Significance."  I don't know what or how, but I know that God is going to use us going on this trip to be something significant. I can't say if He'll give us a full-time calling while we're there, or if in five years from now I'll look back and share an anecdote with someone and it will have huge impact. I only know that God didn't just tell us we COULD go, He told us that when we go, He'll doing something significant. And I am so excited for whatever He has in store.

Thanks for being a part of this journey!

Kelly (and Adonai too!)
 

Weaning

The time has finally come. We are officially weaning.

Yes, I know, weaning really begins the first time you offer cereal to your tiny pumpkin. We are way beyond that and at the near end of the nursing process.

Okay, if you're not a mom and you're EWWing right now, feel free not to read further. This blog is about me and my family and the big reality that I'm facing right now is getting my 15 month old to stop nursing.

To start, I nursed Naiya for 19 months. I decided long ago that with Natalia I'd like to end around 18 months. Then we decided to go to India in October and I'd be away from angel for 2 weeks (this would be at 17 months, so close enough). With India looming around the bend, I knew I needed Natalia weaned by then so that she wouldn't be a nightmare for my sister-in-law who will be watching her while we're out of the country.

Several weeks ago we went on a family vacation and Natalia was a little sick and so she nursed A LOT. More than usual, but that's to be expected when baby doesn't feel well. However, as Nat got well, she didn't like giving up her new frequency. And then she got greedy.

I honestly think I would have kept nursing longer if Natalia hadn't pushed me over the edge. She would nurse a normal feeding, and then demand to nurse more and then more. She'd nurse me dry and was still demanding. (On a side note, you have to understand that my daughter is literally the most determined baby I've ever encountered. We used to joke about Naiya being stubborn and determined because with us as parents, how could she not be. Naiya pales in comparison to Natalia. Natalia rolled over at 2 1/2 weeks old. That's right, I said "weeks". I have it on video. She was angry about tummy time and flipped over... repeatedly. I've never heard of a baby doing that, but Natalia is just wired that way. If a baby is getting into mischief, you can typcially distract them and with short attention spans, they forget thier original goal. With Natalia, she'll move onto the new activity but is watching out of the corner of her baby eye for her opportunity to pounce at whatever the original object of her intent was. My kid is driven!). That said, when it came to nursing she possessed the same single-mindedness.

So, like I said, she'd pushed me to my edge. She had been too demanding too many feedings in a row and I was about ready to go cold turkey on the girl. Kid you not I had my phone in hand, ready to call my bestie to come and take her away for a few days until the process was totally over.

Calmer minds prevailed (meaning I decided to do some internet research before I made a final decision). The first website I went to made me feel like a terrible mom. It went on and on about how child-led weaning is best and except for chemo if you have cancer and are dying with no other alternative, there aren't even real medical reasons why you would have to ever stop nursing before then. I quickly closed the window on my browser and moved onto other sites (as a mom, you truly have to sift through all the opinions about parenting and figure out what works for you. I learned that long ago and I wasn't going to be bullied. I'm open to perspective, but not shame). So, I found a forum where hundreds of moms were discussing how they were weaning their kiddos. I scrolled through and read just those that applied to toddlers around my daughter's age. And I remembered, I'm not alone.

So, after a bit of thought, I decided the following: Natalia goes all day without nursing or a bottle on days that I go into the office and does just fine. Therefore, even when I'm home, I'm going to be closed during business hours! (8am - 5pm).

This was a big step for us. We'd been trying to kick the mid-morning feeding for a while now, but we could never before miss both the mid-morning and the early afternoon one. It was Baby vs. Mom. Game on.

The first day was... AMAZING. Natalia hardly asked and when she did, we'd go get a snack and sit at the table. Her attitude was phenominal. Instead of being the beastly cry-baby she'd been the past several days demanding so much from me, she was my sweet sunny baby girl again. She went from 7am until 9pm on day one. Wow! Maybe she was ready for this after all.

The next week we spent with this philosophy. Sometimes she'd ask for an early evening feeding but then would go down at bedtime without nursing. A few days she had all three feedings, but most days two sufficed. And she's been a gem all week long.

I also came down with serious sinus drainage this week. I've not taken any medication in 2 1/2 years. But this week I was able to find some relief, because finally I didn't care if my milk supply might dry up (it didn't). And treating my symptoms was a nice plus too.

You know, they say that nursing your baby makes you closer. While I think this is typically true, I have to say that NOT nursing my baby, has made us way closer. I actually enjoy her again. I think I'm even more in love with her cute little self. Maybe it's because it really was time... no matter what the books say. We had an excellent run and now it's time to see this chapter close.

So, we're not totally weanned yet. The 5am feeding is going to be the hardest to kick as Natalia usually falls back asleep afterward and so do I. 5am is awfully early to wake-up for the day.

But we've made serious progress. And I look forward to being totally done, even if my bra size is already shrinking (can't I keep the boobs?).

Point of this story, every mama has to do what's right for her and her baby... and only you know what that is. So hugs, and best wishes!

Abandonment

I was recently invited to a baby shower for someone I once considered one of my closest friends on earth. Over the course of years our friendship eventually began to drifted apart and several years ago, she stopped responding to me. I guess the friendship had run its course. In the years since then I've off-and-on mourned the loss of that friendship. Sure, it had changed and we weren't as close as we'd once been, but we were still friends and I still loved her and wanted to be a part of her life (I still do). But the friendship has long been over.

And then this invitation came. Technically, it was from her mother, whom I still keep in touch with, and it was a Facebook event invite (not a personal one). I'm pretty sure mom doesn't really know that our friendship had drifted into total non-existence years ago and that the invite was a "Hey, who on Facebook might want to come to the shower?"-type of thing; therefore, I was included.

I knew right away, I couldn't just attend. I thought about talking to the mom - but it wouldn't be right to drag her into drama. I thought about contacting my "friend". I prayed about it and finally realized, that no, that friendship was indeed dead. She decided that long ago. No matter how much I miss her, it was her decision to walk away. And I can't control everything (although usually I wish I could). The call to restore the friendship, if ever it happens, is hers to initiate.

Coming to this decision wasn't easy and all this re-hashing upset me. It made me feel abandoned all over again. She bailed on a 10 year friendship. And then I started to think about other relationships lost. My brother. The bosom sister. My childhood bestie. And I grieved.

I spoke to Adonai about my decision with the baby shower and then delved into my sense of abandonment. Man, did I marry a great guy. His first words were that he would never abandon me. He then reminded me that friendships DO change, and that's okay. Next, he was quick to point out the TONS of AMAZING friends I have now and all of the life-long friends we've made over the years who will always be there - those who value me and our friendship enough to always be there in some capacity or with whom we can pickup where we left off.

And finally, Ado let me know that with those other relationships that have come to an end at the hand of the other, that it was "their loss"... And you know what, it is.

In contemplating all of this, I'm super glad for a God who promises He will never abandon or forsake me. He knows that I'm a good friend. That I'm a quality person. And that there is value in me and being my friend. God will ALWAYS be there for me. Thank God for Him! LOL.

So, there it is. It isn't meant to be a sob story, but rather to share my life as one does in a blog, but more than that to thank all of you who are faithful friends. I cherish our relationships... and you!

India Newsletter

The beauty of Facebook is that you can easily keep your finger on the pulse of old friend’s lives. The problem is that it becomes the only outlet – it makes communication too easy. Therefore, our family hasn't sent out a newsletter of any sorts in over two years. With only daily tid-bits, you get to learn about the silly antics of raising our daughters, but may not have the big-picture that a newsletter conveys.

On that note, we've recently put together a newsletter/support letter which outlines a bit of our journey these past few years and highlights our next big adventure... we're going to India for two weeks in October. The object of this letter is not just to inform, but also seeks your assistance in making this mission a reality. We hope you enjoy a look into our lives on a level that Facebook doesn't provide, and catch the sense of passion and excitement that we have about some amazing work going on in India.

**********************************
Greetings!


We have some exciting news to share… we are going to India in October! As you probably remember long ago, we were both called to missions, went to college for it, and participated in multiple missions trips. And then we got married, moved to Phoenix and eight years passed. Some have asked, “What happened to that calling?” To explain, here is an excerpt from our 2008 year-end newsletter (the last one we sent out!).

“…when we came to Arizona we thought we’d be here for one to two years max, raise support, and head to the mission field. Shortly after arriving, we realized that God was asking us to put a hold on those dreams and to plug-in and stay here for now. People can talk all they want about how you shouldn’t get comfortable and forget what God has called you to (which is true), but sometimes you’re told to stay and abandon your grandiose plans. And in those times, you need to obey as well. So, here we are years later, and suddenly we’re helping to plant a church right in our back yard.”

We’ve been involved in that church plant in the Surprise suburb of Phoenix, AZ for almost three years now. The passion and direction of Reveal… A Vineyard Community Church have had a major impact on what Christianity means to us. It has shaped how we see the community around us, our world, and how “doing church” should look. To be a part of it, we are thankful. So where does that leave us now?

The phrase “Old orders are standing orders” comes to our minds. We specifically felt God calling us to stay and plug into the community here in the Valley of the Sun. In the eight years we have lived here, we’ve committed ourselves to sewing our lives into life here, which is why we share a little about our joy of working with Reveal. And now, recently, we’ve felt God re-awakening that yearning in both of our hearts… the call to missions.

“And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere--in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8b

We aren’t planning on moving far away or leading teams on short-term mission endeavors… YET… but God has told us we’ve served our own Jerusalem well and now it’s time to get a little “ends of the earth” action going again.

This October, we are excited to let you know that we have the privilege of going with a team from our church on a two-week mission trip to India. Our church supports a missionary couple who lead two churches in New Delhi. The team’s goal is to assist and encourage them and of course to see God work not just in the lives of the community there, but our own lives as well. The specifics are still being worked out as far as what exactly we’ll be doing, but bringing some aid the poorest of the poor, worshipping with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, and loving on kiddos will be a part of the work.

We’d love for you to partner with us on this – to participate in telling people about Christ in India. You may not be able to physically go, but you can allow us to be an extension of your hands by praying for us in the coming months and/or assisting us with the finances necessary to make the trip possible.

Prayer Requests:
• Protection & health for our family in these months of planning
• Peace for us and our girls during the trip - we plan on leaving Naiya & Natalia here with family while we are gone
• God to prepare our hearts to be compassionate and see the beauty of His creation
• For the financial support needed

Financial Support:
• We need to raise roughly $5,000 for the two of us to go in October
• $3,000 is needed by the end of June to purchase plane tickets
• One-time gifts of any amount can be made to our church, Reveal... A Vineyard Community Church, with our name in the memo line and will be tax-deductable:
     Reveal
     17744 W. Charter Oak Rd
     Surprise AZ, 85388


Please prayerfully consider supporting us in prayer and/or financially on this mission trip. We won’t call to ask for money, but if you have any questions or want to know more, contact us and we’ll be happy to share all the details we have.

If you decide to support us, please message us and let us know whether it is through prayer and/or with a one-time gift. We truly want to make this a partnership and involve you in the process.

Thank you for your friendship, love, and support!

So excited,
Adonái & Kelly Martínez

Random Marriage Advice

So I was on my friend Robyn's blog, Everyone wants to be a Roste, late last night (she is my blogging inspiration), and Robyn covers a new topic every month on which she blogs about. This month, since she is a newlywed, she is doing "Married Life So Far" and kicked off her topic by asking for marriage advice. I figure since I'm behind on  my own blogging, I'm going to steal my own content that I posted as commetns to her blog and post it here on mine as well.

So, when asked for marriage advice, here are the first four things I thought of. They are a bit random, but I hope you enjoy!!

 

There is No Arsenal

One rule that Ado and I established when we were dating and live by to this day is that we are NEVER allowed to throw the past in each others faces. For instance, if we've argued about something and resolve it, and then get into an arguement again, it's a rule that you can't go back and use the past as ammunition for the new fight. What's resolved, is resolved. It's done. The End.

 

Obviously sometimes there are ongoing issues, and it's okay to talk about those more than once, but we still don't get to throw the specifics of the past that we've forgiven at each other. You just gotta move on.

I think this is important advice for a healthy marriage and for arguing fair.

Sex Begets Sex

Lots of things in life require discipline and the more you do it, the more you're inclined to do it. Conversely, the less you do it, the less likely you are to do it. Attending church is a good example. Have you ever noticed that if things come up for a few weeks, that it's not really that big of a deal to miss church a third or fourth Sunday? But when you go regularly, you want to keep going.

How does this concept relate to marriage? Simple - sex begets sex. I'm telling you, the more you do it, the more you'll do it! So do it! Make making love a priority. Schedule it in if you have to. Because when the week gets busy and you have kids, and someone gets sick, and it's a late night at work, etc. the days easily fly can by and you might just realize that you've not been doing the one-flesh thing nearly as often as you thought you would be. So, enjoy one another and have lots of sex... which leads to more sex. Ooo la la!

Keep Your Marriage a Priority When Kids Exist

I'm in a place in my life where we have young children in the house. I realize you're not there yet, but here is my marriage advice for when you get there - the best way to be the best parent is to love your spouse. Let your kids see you loving one another. Be involved in a marriage group and still go on date nights; these take time away from your children, but teaches them that you value your marriage. It also fosters a safe environment - one of security for your kiddos - to know that mommy and daddy make each other a priority (and that they aren't the center of the universe).

Wait on the Baby-Making

I advise newlyweds to be married for a while before having kids. Get to know your spouse, just the two of you, before you add another layer to the family dynamic. Enjoy going out to the movies at 10pm and not needing a baby-sitter. Enjoy learning about one another now, while it's just the two of you. If there things to adjust to or issues to work through, they won't go away with kids in the picture.

We were married 4 1/2 years before we had our first kiddo and I don't regret it in the least! I adore being a mommy and this phase of my life, but I throughly enjoyed the first four years of marriage too.

So there it is - my random marriage advice - solicited by Robyn but unsolicited by you. Feel free to add your own bit of advice as a comment to this blog post for kicks. And if you're one of my friends in Canada, go to Robyn's blog and put your advice there - maybe you'll win her contest and score some movie tickets!