A Changed Life

   I talk, often, about Uganda and all the amazing things that God is doing there. Clearly that is where my heart and my passion is, which is great, however it is important to not lose sight of the amazing things that God is doing right in front me...in MY city. I am going to tell you a story about a man named Chase Gibson and how God changed his life.

   Chase, and his twin brother Cooper, was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Just like many boys, Chase grew up loving sports and had dreams of becoming a professional athlete when he grew up. In middle school, Chase sadly got caught up with the wrong crowd that took him down a path that wouldn't help him achieve his dreams, but instead, would destroy them. Between the ages of 12 and 18 Chase found himself in and out of juvenile hall, groups homes, into drugs, alcohol, and slowly watched as his big dream began to disappear. 

   As I was listening to Chase tell his story of all the chaos and struggle that he was going through, I asked him if there was a moment in the midst of all the stress, that he saw any glimpse of hope. He told me that there was one time when he was in jail that he remembers specifically. Chase told me that he remembered being really scared and overwhelmed by all that was going on around him. He was extremely stressed out. There was a church service that took place in the jail that really touched his heart. It was the ONLY moment where he felt peace. Chase felt peace in the presence of God. That would be a moment, a feeling, that he would never forget...in fact, a presence that would change his life forever. 

   Chase watched as his brother Cooper became a professional MMA fighter and watched him succeed in the dream that Chase once had. The drugs no longer were able to fill Chase in the way they once did. He was determined to pursue the dream in his heart once again. At age 20 Chase joined the gym his brother was training at, True Warrior Fitness. It was at that gym where Chase learned true discipline and to never give up. Chase is under the training of Toby "Tigerheart" Grear. Toby not only trained Chase in MMA but also influenced him to be a better man. Through Toby's perseverance and consistency, Chase's dream became alive again. Training with Toby gave him hope that he had a future if he worked hard enough. Chase said how grateful he is that Toby never gave up on him. He got a second chance and place to learn and grow.

   Toby not only encouraged Chase in the gym, but also to go back to church, where he would experience the presence of God like he did before. Oasis Church is where Chase calls home. That is where he feels fulfilled and encouraged in his daily walk with God. Chase told me that as he kept going to church he realized that God is for him, that God is on his side. He said,

"Church 100% helped me with my fighting. It helped me deal with my fear and anxiety. I learned to forgive, which is something that was hard for me to do. The empty spaces in my soul which I used to fill with alcohol, I now fill with Jesus. I learned to give all my fears to God, He is in control. I learned to see things for what they are, and have hope for the future. I know that no matter what, God is on my side."

   Chase is now 23 years old and an undefeated MMA fighter. He not only wins fights physically, but spiritually. Every obstacle that comes his way, he overcomes with God on his side. Thanks to Toby, who believed in him, and our God who never gave up on him, Chase is a changed life. You can find Chase on facebook with the name Chase "First Born" Gibson. Be sure to check out his page. You will also find Chase every Sunday at Oasis Church during the 6pm worship experience. Chase's next fight is the second week of May. Come support Chase and see the work that God has done in His life.

   I am so grateful for Oasis Church and all the lives that are being saved everyday because of the work that God is doing through the church. I am proud of the pastors, Philip and Holly Wagner (Dad and Mom) for leading by example. They won't get to hear all the stories of the lives that were changed because of their obedience to God, but I want them to know how proud I am of them and how excited I am to be apart of the journey with them. 

"Jesus! Thank you so much for second chances...and third and forth... Thank you for loving us and protecting us. Thank you for never giving up on us. Even though we all make decisions that hurt you and our destiny sometimes, you have never left us. Thank you for dying on the cross so that we could be forgiven and spend eternity with you. We love you. Amen."

   

   

Behind Those Walls

   I often find myself caught in a daydream. I picture City of Lights and all the babies that we will rescue, in all the different cities and countries all over the world. That is the dream of my heart. My dream is to see the innocent protected and loved, just how God created it to be. When I close my eyes and picture what City of Lights will look like, I see homes all over the world protecting children, I see babies being adopted into loving family homes, I see new families, I see people joining the cause wanting to make a difference, I see happiness...  I see Jesus. What the enemy meant to destroy, God will protect. The enemy wants the innocent to suffer, he does not want to see a new generation of young people fighting for a cause bigger than themselves, he does not want to see the orphans rescued. But let me just tell you...the orphans WILL be rescued. There is hope, there is love and His name is Jesus. 

   It is easy for me to get distracted by the big dreams that God has placed on my heart and ignore the things that are in my hand right now. At the moment I work for my church, Oasis Church, and my job is to help direct the kids ministry. I love my job and I love working with the kids, however, sometimes I can get so lost in the "Big Dream" that I ignore the job that is in my hand right now. I have to be very careful. Having a big dream like I have is great, but I cannot forget the responsibilities and the lives that God is entrusting me with right now. This is how my conversation with God goes sometimes...

"God! Don't you get it?! That is where I should be right now! I should be in Africa building babies homes! There are lives that need to be rescued! I can do this! Don't you see my passionate heart?!"

"Paris, For I know the plans I have for you...will you trust me? Can you take that same passion and energy and help the kids that I have placed in front of you? They need you just as much as the ones in Africa. Be faithful with what is in your hands."

   When God spoke those words to my heart, it stopped me in my tracks. My heart broke. I was so focused on my "Big Dream" that I didn't pay attention to the child in front of me at that moment. I learned a valuable lesson. If God can trust me with the child that is in front of me, then He can trust me with the nations. Patience...

   City of Lights Baby Home Tororo is really coming along. The walls are starting to be built! When Pastor Ruth from Smile Africa sent me the photos I could not stop smiling. I am so excited to see the dream that God has placed in my heart come to pass. I looked at those pictures and my heart started pounding. I pictured all the babies that those walls would protect. Behind those walls, lives are going to be changed, transformed, rescued and restored. Innocence will be protected. Behind those walls we will be raising a City of Lights in the midst of a dark place. I am in awe, humbled. God is entrusting me with the lives of his precious children. That is a huge responsibility. It didn't take someone with a special degree or lots of money...it took someone with a willing heart...someone that would say "YES!"

Here are the pictures of City of Lights Baby Home Tororo as the walls are being built! Click on the picture to enlarge! We are still raising money to build this beautiful home and I cannot do it without you! Every dollar counts. To donate, visit www.smileafrica.org. 

         

  

Silence, Be Still

   Have you ever heard the saying "If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans."? I always thought that quote was funny, but it never became real for me until just 8 months ago. I had plans...I was going to college and moving forward in MY goal of working for the FBI and Child Protective Services. I had a goal, vision, dream and purpose...then God "ruined" me... which was the best thing that ever happened to me. 

   When God sent me to Africa, He opened my heart to a bigger dream. God has given me a desire, a purpose, a passion, which is to protect and love children all over the world. That has always been something that was on my heart to do, I just didn't know what God was going to do with all the passion that was inside me. That is why it is so important to run the race that God puts before YOU. Although someone else's purpose might look appealing, you will not succeed down that path because it was not made for you. I was right where I was supposed to be, running the race that God had for ME. Since I was right where God wanted me, it was easy for Him to move me and guide me down the path that He wanted me to go down. This allowed me to go to Uganda and do all the things that God had planned for me to do. If I was busy trying to run someone else's race, I would not have been available for God to use me in the way that he had designed. Our purpose was designed for each of us specifically. We need to run the race before us and have faith that, in God's timing, He will move us. 

   I came home from Uganda with a bigger dream than just working for the FBI. God had put it on my heart to build an orphanage in Tororo, Uganda. I knew that this was not going to be an easy task, but I had faith from the beginning. I came home with so much passion that I thought that nothing would be able to shake me. It's when the excitement dies down a little and the job gets harder that your faith is truly tested. 

   Raising money for the baby's home is not an easy job. There have been moments when it got really hard and finances were not coming in and I got scared. I was scared that I would not get all the money needed to build the home. Instead of putting all my focus on Jesus, I began to take the weight myself. I thought I would just take on all the burden and try and figure it all out myself. Once I did that, I began to fall. This reminds me of the story in the Bible where Jesus asks Peter to walk on water. Peter is standing in the boat and looking at Jesus who is standing on the water. The storm was raging all around him, but Peter had faith. With his eyes on Jesus, Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on water toward Jesus. The storm grew louder and Peter took his focus off Jesus and was overwhelmed by the storm that surrounded him. Just then, Peter began to fall. Jesus grabbed ahold of him, saved him and said, "O ye of little faith!" Jesus calmed the storm with words..."Silence, Be still."

   Jesus gave me a dream, a vision that City of Lights Baby Home will be built and I will see babies being rescued and restored. I had so much faith that it would come to pass. When it was challenging and the money wasn't coming in, I began to be overwhelmed by the storm and lose sight of Jesus. Just as I started to fall, Jesus grabbed ahold of me and said, "Oh ye of little faith! The dreams I put inside you are for a reason. I do not give you visions to watch them fail. I gave you a dream that is bigger than you, so that you will be humbled and have faith in ME. Trust me! I know the waters seem rough, but do not take your eyes off me."

   I had to learn to let go of the steering wheel and let God take control of the situation. I need to trust God with every circumstance that I face. With faith in Jesus I can look at the storm and say, "Silence, Be still", knowing that my God will come through for me. Maybe you are going through something in your life and you are overwhelmed and you feel like you are drowning. I just want to encourage you to keep your eyes on Jesus. No matter the storm, Jesus is right there with you. Refocus your eyes back on Him and silence your storm.

   City of Light Baby Home is making great progress! Although we do not have all funds yet to complete the home, I am believing in faith that God will come through and the finances will be provided. The building is coming together so nicely, I am in awe of all that God is doing and will continue to do through City of Lights Baby Home. Here are pictures of the progress!
(Click on picture to enlarge!)

  

"Jesus, thank you for never leaving us. Thank you for putting the strength inside each of us to get through any storm we face. I pray that we will not lose sight of You. Please give us the courage to walk on water even when the storm is surrounding us. We love you! Amen. "

If you would like to be apart of all that God is going through City of Lights Baby Home please go to www.smileafrica.org.