Thanksgiving... This is why I am thankful.

It breaks my heart... the pain in this world: the fatherless, the hungry, the hopeless, the castdown. Who is not searching for comfort from fear, anxiousness, and loneliness? Who does not want happiness?

But where do we go? Why do we spend money on what is not bread, and our wages for what does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to Him, and eat what is good, let us delight ourselves in abundance. May we incline our ears and come to Him.

Listen to live. (Is 55:2-3a)

Do we not know? Have we not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. (Is 40:28-31)

Behold, His servant will prosper. He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted. Just as many were astonished at Israel, His people. So His appearance was marred more than any man and His form more than the sons of men. Thus He will sprinkle many nations, Kings will shut their mouths on account of Him; for what had not been told them they will see, and what they had not heard they will understand. Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground, He has not stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him. Nor appearance that we be attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men. A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And like one from whom men hide their gace. He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us, like sheep, have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet He was with a rich man in His death, because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth. But the LORD was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong; because He poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors. (Is 52:13-53:12)

The ultimate sacrifice, the undeserved gift; what else can come from me, but thanksgiving.

He is the father of the fatherless. He gives food for the hungry. He provides an eternal Hope and continual joy in all things. He is my Counselor. He gave me peace. He knows my every thought and is with me whereever I go.


Why would you say no?

-thursday, thanksgiving, thoughts from Montana...

with Sarah,





Tyler,











& Emily

a lack of hunger for God

The lack of hunger for God reflects a hunger for something in His sted. Be that as it may, but only an idol of the heart. If it is not God it is an idol. We are called to worship, delight, and seek but one.

In Him I shall take delight.

Empowering Lives

Dear Family and Friends,

Your love, prayer, and support have been invaluable to me. Join with me in a prayer of thanksgiving to our Lord and Savior for His mighty works. God is at work calling people to him all over the world. I have been greatly encouraged by what I have seen and heard. I hope you enjoyed receiving the email updates. My heart was broken for the lives filled with pain and struggle, but held together by the hope given to us freely. Our Lord Jesus Christ “gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.” (Galatians 1:3-4) This life is filled with struggles and Kenyans and Americans alike have the same struggles fighting the sin that so easily entangles us (just like my sin of selfishness, fear…); however we face very different circumstances in regards to our basic needs.



While I was in Kenya, I stopped dead in my tracks when I realized how often I compare my budget and lifestyle with those of my affluent neighbors but do not compare myself to poorest one-half of the world’s people. In Kenya, I saw the lack of equality of economic opportunity to enable them to meet their minimal needs of food, clothing, and housing. Kenya is the 17th poorest country in the world having the 3rd largest gap between the rich and the poor, with a staggering 42% of the population subsisting on less than Ksh60 per day. That is less than 1 US dollar.

Generally, you see children in school uniforms everywhere in Kenya, even in the most impoverished rural communities. 65% of eligible children attend primary school. That drops down to 30% for those who go on to secondary education, and approximately only 10% go on to further education at a university. Parents have a difficult time finding the funds to send their children to school (a mere $200 US for year). This is especially difficult for those who are taking on the extra burden of caring for another child, due to their daughter’s or brother’s death for example.

ELI just started an orphanage in September 2004 and I’d like you to meet Caroline Jebet Kimaiyo, my sponsor child (in pink on far left):

Born December 16, 1996. She is 9 years old. She has a brother and sister with her at the orphanage. Her mother passed away at the birth of her younger sister. They were brought to their new home in November 2004. Caroline is one of 90 children, from age 3-9 years old, that have been brought to the orphanage from the surrounding villages. The majority of the orphans lost their parents to complications caused by AIDS. Through the support of Empowering Lives International, the orphans have the opportunity to complete their education and improve their basic standard of living. We got to read their stories and they came from some unimaginable situations leaving them with fear and distrust, but they have blossomed over the past 6 months and they now have huge smiles and a contagious joy.

I realized the many blessings that God has given me: Time (I’m still alive!), Health (no known problems), I am also born into an American family that has allowed me social and economic opportunities to get an education and a job, $ (I have a job to support myself), Family (parents who love and support me), Salvation (with that comes Hope and an eternal perspective). I have been given much!!! I am reminded for those who have been given much, much is required of them. I am a steward of God. I am called to love others just as Christ has loved me. John 13:34-35). Ouch! That is a difficult one. All that I have is His. I am called to bear other’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2) He calls me in Proverbs 31:8-9 to “Open your mouth for the mute, For the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.” I have been called to speak up for the poor; I have been called to be proactive. The last thing I want to do is to swim upstream, out of my comfort zone. I am not an eloquent speaker or influential in any way (by myself, that is), but I have to rest in the promise that the Lord will provide all my needs… ALL, including the confidence and the words to share. Despite my handicap, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”(Philippians 4:13). I am challenged by Ps 82:3 “Vindicate the weak and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and destitute. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.”

The Holy Spirit has convicted and thoroughly challenged me from this trip to give of my time, my knowledge, and my money, seeing the current condition of the world and knowing God's view that “whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord.” (Proverbs 19:17) It is true that when you open your arms, you will be blessed, but when you closed them, nothing can go in.

I have never been so challenged to be so generous with my resources. Everything is God’s. He giveth and He taketh away. I have never been so grateful for the many blessings I have and for this opportunity to go to Kenya with ELI. The most difficult part now is the reconciliation of the knowledge I have and the actions I need to take. Praise God with me for His salvation and many blessings. Pray continuously for the poor, the orphan, the widow, and the alien. Pray that I may walk the narrow road and live to the higher calling. I am human and I am weak and I need your continued prayers and encouragement. I thank God for you and the generosity that you have shown me in your actions.

To view some amazing photograhy taken by my team member, you may e-mail me and I will send you a link for viewing them on-line. Thank you again for all your support!

With Gratitude,

k.r.g.


You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For you created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created.
Revelation 4:11

View Album

Get your own