Did you think I forgot about this sweet little series?  Well, I have not!  I may be behind, but I have some amazing stories the next few weeks that you NEED to hear.  This one comes from my good friend [first bloggy, now In Real Life] Ashely!  She came on our Man Up mission trip earlier this summer [which I promise you will STILL get to hear about] and she just has an outstanding story of faith and trusting in God.  and I mean, her John John is about the cutest thing you’ve ever seen + Asher’s future hubby.  Meet Ashley!

Anybody can change the world, I’m just a blogger who said “yes.”

I’ve been blogging for about three years now.  It’s started as a way for me to document my life.  I chronicled wedding plans as I got engaged, honeymooning, and more.  Eventually, my blog began to take shape the day we decided to adopt.  We, meaning, my incredibly good looking husband. Matthew and I.  You can find us at my blog, Instagram & Facebook page!

Anywho….

Fast forward one and a half years into our marriage and we are welcoming our son, John into our family through domestic adoption.  By this point in our adventures, I am fully submersed in the blogging community and I had a few blogs I read on the regular, including Wynne’s.  It was Wynne’s blog (along with a few others) that opened my eyes up to the nations and the needs and the idea that we in fact can change the world!  I began to shop fair trade, become slightly obsessed with Noonday & Sevenly and felt an intense need to not only raise awareness, donate to adoptive families and whatever else I could do, but I began to feel the need to travel!  And, if you know me, you’d know I enjoy staying close to home and couldn’t be more content in my sunny little apartment if I tried.

So, it was especially surprising the night that instead of commencing our night time routines with a kiss and a “good night, hunnie” I looked right into Matthew’s eyes and said “Matthew, I need to go to Africa.  I need to travel to Ethiopia and Uganda!”  My patient husband just smiled and said “Ok, well then go.  Good night.  I love you.”  And that was the end of that conversation….Until the next day when I was scrolling through my blog feed and Wynne’s newest post was about leading a trip to Africa…specifically Uganda & Ethiopia!  She ended the post with an open invite for anybody reading to join.

I signed up, and then I realized that my signing up meant I actually had to go!  I’d be leaving my husband, my bed, my puppy dog, my cool ocean breeze and my SON, all behind for two weeks.  So, I of course, kept telling The Lord all of the reasons I couldn’t go.  I would whine pray about how I didn’t want to go anymore and I was hoping my obedience in giving Him my “yes” would be enough and He’d graciously let me off the hook.  No such luck.  I eventually boarded a plane and spent two weeks in Africa.  I cried most everyday from being home sick and I fought The Lord and His plans like a spoiled brat.  I will say this though, despite my resistance I somehow managed to enjoy every second of serving the orphans and widows.  I enjoyed the red Ugandan dirt and the rainy Ethiopian weather and I adore the people of both countries with a deep love not my own.  But, in all this…through all of the needs I saw, the desperation, the hopelessness, the poverty and injustice I never really had that break down.  My heart broke but like I said…that “broken” moment just never came.  So when I finally made it home I pushed Africa aside (as best as possible) and focused on my son, my husband, and recovering from jet lag and the stomach bug I brought back with me.  I finally readjusted to responsibilities, the time zone and solid foods, and was driving home from a cafe in Newport Beach and became sick to my stomach again, but this time it had nothing to do with the water I drank in Africa.  My stomach writhed as I thought of Paula who had nobody to wipe her nose and her clothes stiff from dirt as I drove through the opulence of the neighborhood filled with six million dollar homes.