1,000 Miles for Albania

Tomorrow And Then The Future...

I am completely blown away and at a loss for words when I think of all that has happened to me and through me with 1,000 Miles For Albania.  Tomorrow marks the final day of this year and this chapter in my life.  I have learned so much about myself, my love for God, my love for people, my country, and the beautiful country of Albania this year.  

I have learned what it truly means to live a life of audacious faith and to lead others to live audaciously as well.  I have learned to see beyond what can be seen with my eyes and listen to the voice of the Father with my heart.  I have learned what will bring temporary relief and what brings true life change. I have learned most of all how to hear God call me to new things and how to walk in obedience when I hear His voice.

I am praying that God will continue to use me to advance the Gospel in Albania.  I'm not sure what the future looks like but tomorrow will be the final day for people to give to 1,000 Miles For Albania.  If you would like to Give A Donation, you can do that on-line here or you can mail one to me (see my contact information) and as long as it is sent by December 31, it will be added to the total that will be sent to Pastor Hervin and Sedika in the next few weeks.

1,000 Miles For Albania has done some amazing things!  Here's a recap of this year:

• 1,000 Miles Complete!
• Helped start a feeding program for the Roma community in Albania, now called The House of Hope, helping families with food, education, and the love of Jesus Christ!
• Raised over $45,000.00 
• Helped to purchase a much needed space for the church and ministry leadership school in Tirana
• Inspired many many people to live beyond themselves and choose to listen to God's heart and live with audacious faith

Here's what I would like to see happen in the future:

• Help rebuild the church in Lushnje ($100,000 + Project)
• Help raise financial support for The House of Hope Feeding Program
• Help mentor new Christian leaders, teachers, pastors to further advance the Gospel in Albania
• Help start a Christian counseling center 
• Help start a shelter for abused women and girls in Albania

I know this is a tall order, but I believe it can and will happen for the Glory of God!  So much has been done but there is much to do as well!  May God receive all Glory and Honor and May lives be changed and rescued by His hand and by our obedience!

1,000 Miles Complete... and this is only the beginning...

The Final Days...

This week has been an amazing week full of God's continued provision for the country and churches of Albania!  Even in the final days, God is providing even more support, encouragement, and sponsors.  I prayed at the very beginning of this journey that God would provide a sponsor for each day of this journey and we are now over and above the number I was asking for.

People have surrounded me in prayer, encouragement, and financial support throughout this year.  The many cards and notes of faith and belief that I have received have blessed my heart!  

I wanted to give an update today and to encourage all of you now.  I have done my part- God asked me to run the 1,000 miles and I have trusted Him to do anything else that He wanted to throughout this process.

Here's where we are:

1,000 Miles are Complete!

We have sponsors to cover every day of the journey and God continues to add to them daily.

We have raised over $43,000.00 in pledges and donations

We have already sent over $2,000.00 to help the feeding program- now called House of Hope that is ministering to over 14 families by providing food, education, and sharing the Gospel of Christ.

Here's what we still need:

I am still hoping to raise an additional $30,000.00 to allow the church in Albania to be able to purchase the floor below them and have the space they need for their growing church and ministry leadership school.

If you haven't joined as a sponsor yet, please join now!  If everyone does something, I think we can reach this goal!  We only have 16 days left for this year!  Please share the vision of 1,000 Miles for Albania to the people that you know.  Let's spread the word and do this together!!

If you'd like to join as a sponsor, click this link to Give a Tax-Deductible Donation or you can mail a check to City Church of Chattanooga  7122 Lee Highway, Chattanooga TN 37421.  Please mark as 1,000 Miles for Albania.

shumë e mirë

1,000 Miles for Albania... Complete. It's been a full year of vision casting and ten months of running, in and out of a boot twice, mile after mile accomplished, days of joy and laughter, days of pain and frustration. This past Saturday, I finished the final 26.2 miles of the 1,000 at the Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville, AL.

In the process, I have found God's continued calling on my life and the true feeling of love.  

I have prayed and wept for people I know and people I will never meet.  I have loved new friends and life long ministry partners.  I have gone through phases of selflessness and sacrifice to find surrender.

While I was in Albania this past summer, one of the phrases that stuck with me and we use quite often at home is "shumë e mirë".  It means "very good".  Looking back over all of the days from this year, the only emotion and thought I am left with is shumë e mirë.

Shumë e mirë for the battles that were faced for a people who need God. Shumë e mirë for the battles I faced within my physical, mental, and spiritual self.  Shumë e mirë for the way that has been mapped for those that will follow to help this amazing country. Shumë e mirë for the people who have given generously and obeyed the calling of the Father.  Shumë e mirë for the result of lives lived in obedience.

In the end that is all any of us want to hear.  Those that God calls, He enables.  He is the One that gives strength to the weary and moves the mountains that seem to big to overcome.  In the end, all of us hope to hear God say, "Very Good- Well Done, my good and faithful servant".

I still have a few weeks before the final day of this year.  I hope to continue to raise financial support and give the church the total amount of money they need to purchase the floor below them to use for their ministry and leadership school.  Here's the link if you would like to contribute Give a Tax Deductible donation  Please designate as 1,000 Miles for Albania.

Audacious Faith- Uncovering Pockets of Pride

If someone asked me what I have learned most from this journey, it wouldn't be discovering correct running form, learning how to pace myself in long distances, how to choose the perfect shoes, or even figuring out how to fit running each day into my already crazy schedule.  As I think back over the past ten months and I remember specific runs at the park, on a trail, at the track, on a busy road, in the heat, in the rain, and getting lost in God's presence.  I remember times of pain, times of trust, times of victory, and times of unwavering faith.  

Of all the memories and things I have found throughout this journey, the thought of what is most valuable to me and what I have gained that will encourage me and continue growth in my life for years to come is the fact that God has used this journey to help me uncover pockets of pride within my heart.

It's not an exciting thing to talk about, it's not something I find success or honor in sharing with someone else, but in order to have Audacious Faith, one has to get closer and closer to the Father's heart.  A life of Audacious Faith is one lived trusting every word God speaks and waiting every moment for God Almighty to move in such a way that is beyond the daily lives as ordinary people.  The closer someone becomes with the Creator of the Universe, the more we find ourselves unalike and different from the One who was and is and will forever be.

While running every mile, I've spent the time without headphones, without noise to drown out the fatigue.  Instead, I decided to run spending each fleeting moment lifting up the needs of Albania, the Church, my sponsors, my family, the people of Albania, the people of America, and anything else God laid upon my heart to bring to Him.  

Over the past ten months during these times of prayer, God has pointed out so many things in my own heart that needed to be uncovered and dealt with.  Small pockets of pride that could not have been left uncovered.  Things that I needed to bring to the Father and allow Him to correct in me, to heal within me, and to allow me to resolve with the body of Christ.

There are so many reasons I remember the past ten months and thank God for allowing me this journey, but of all of them, uncovering the pockets of pride in my own life and allowing me to draw closer to Him in the process- the fact that He never stopped loving me and calling me His own- He never stopped using me for His glory and allowing me to make a difference for His Kingdom- the intimacy that I now have with Him is worth every step of this journey no matter how difficult it was to take at the time.

Audacious Faith- Perspective and Persistence

I cannot believe that it is only one week from the final steps of 1,000 Miles.  I remember reading a quote at the very beginning of this journey that said, "A journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step." While this quote is completely true, the first step was the easiest of all of them to take.  

One Thousand Miles equals out to 2,000,000 steps (according to google).  There have been many moments some where I believed with all my heart it would happen, some where I just didn't know if I could finish what I had set out to do, moments of pure excitement and mountain-top emotion, and others of frustration and defeat.

Nearing the end of this journey puts so much of the past months into perspective for me.  I remember the difficult days, I remember the days of victory, I remember the physical pain, and yet so many days of God and His glory revealed have overshadowed the tough times.

I think about the story in the Bible of Joshua and the town of Jericho.  In Joshua 6:3-5 it says, "You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days.  Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns.  When you hear the priests give one long blast on the rams’ horns, have all the people shout as loud as they can. Then the walls of the town will collapse, and the people can charge straight into the town.”

What a journey of Audacious Faith!  Joshua convinces these men that the Lord has told him this is how they would conquer Jericho by marching around it day after day and then making a lot of noise and suddenly the walls would fall to the ground and they would be victorious.  I wonder how weird they felt as the walked around the walls?  Did they question Joshua's leadership?  Did they question if God even existed?  I really think they had to have many of the same thoughts that we have today when we set out on a journey of Audacious Faith.

The first step takes courage and it does take us believing so strongly that we set out on the course God asks of us, but the steps in between the first and the last take something so much more than even that of our courageous spirit and unwavering faith.  Only when we see things the way God sees them, when we have a change in our perspective and commit to being persistent in the tasks God calls us to, only then are we able to reach the final steps of the journey one day.

I am so thankful for the faith that I have carried throughout this journey.  I am thankful for the courage that it took for me to take the first step.  Most of all, I am thankful for the perspective that I have been able to have as I have seen this journey the way my Heavenly Father sees it and the undying persistence I have had to complete each and every step in between the first and the last!

Audacious Faith- Courage Required

Today marks the final month of my journey of 1,000 miles.  I have so many mixed emotions about this year coming to an end.  I have had such a focused calling this year.  I have been driven to listen to God's heart and follow His voice.  It's been a part and yet it's been my entire self- Physically, calculating and tracking miles upon miles that I had to run, Spiritually, connecting to God's heart with specific requests and specific praise, and Mentally, creatively finding ways to raise money and think out of the box to help people in need.

While my legs need a rest and finishing the final miles this month is a refreshing thought, I am so emotional every time I think about this leg of the journey coming to an end.  I am so thankful for the money that has been raised and finally being able to send it to Albania and I am so thankful for the changes that God has brought into my own heart, my family, my sponsors, and the country of Albania.  In a way, it makes me sad to know all that I have set out to achieve will be accomplished and at the same time I have my listening ears open to hear what God would like for me to do now.

Plans change and although I did not expect to feel this unprepared as I set out to run my first marathon, I love that I must once again trust my Heavenly Father and ask for His strength to accomplish what He has asked me to do.  Anytime we set out on a journey of audacious faith- believing things can and will happen is only part of what we are asked to do.  In order to live a life of audacious faith, courage is required as we act on the faith that we claim to have.

I think about the story in the Bible of David and Goliath.  Here is this young boy surrounded by grown men that are too frightened to fight the giant.  He steps out in audacious faith and declares that he will indeed take on the giant and allow the Israelites to live in freedom.  Everyone thinks he's crazy and tell him to his face that he's not capable of such a task.  Wouldn't it have been great if God looked at David's audacious faith and allowed him the win without the risk or the fight?  I think so many times this is what many followers of Christ want to happen.  We want God to see our heart and know that we mean what we say and then give us a free pass and just take us at our word.

Courage is required along with our audacious faith.  We have to step out on what we say and take on the giants in our lives and in the lives of the ones we love.  We have to be willing to risk and to fight for what we believe God calls us to.  It's so much sweeter in the hard times and times of desperation when God steps in and gives us the win for His name and for His glory.  

This is what the marathon at the end of 1,000 Miles for Albania is all about for me.  I know I began this year running the first mile with audacious faith after coming out of the first boot and now to finish the final 26 miles where it will take both audacious faith and courage on my part and allow the healing power of the Almighty God to be known.  To finish in such a way that brings Him honor and glory is exactly the way I want this amazing journey to end! 

Christmas Gifts That Give To Albania

Living in America, more times than not, means that we have more than we need.  It also means that we are usually in a better financial position to help those in need around the world.  So, with generous hearts and in the Spirit of Christmas, I thought it would be wonderful to give people in America an opportunity at Christmas to give to those in Albania.

By clicking this link you can donate a tax-deductible gift to the church in Albania Christmas Gifts That Give To Albania  *designate as 1,000 Miles for Albania.  Then, all you need to do is contact me at mandec@thecitychurch.cc and let me know what donation you have made and I will send you a special picture for your donation and a story of Albania for you to give someone you love this Christmas!

Here are some gifts to purchase in honor of those you love!  All of the money will go to the church in Albania and allow them to further advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

 Byrek is a common snack you can buy in Albania at restaurants and on the street.  It is their version of our hot pocket and can either be savory or sweet.  I actually stopped in at a bakery on one of the streets in Albania and got a mini byrek lesson from one of the ladies there.

Donate $5 to the church in Albania and I will email you a special photo of a byrek and a story from Albania for you to gift to someone you love this Christmas.

 

Olive Oil in Albania is the best I have ever had!  They use it in all of their foods and bread with tomatoes, herbs, and olive oil is served as an appetizer at every restaurant and it is absolutely amazing!

While I was in one of the cities there, I bought 5 quarts to bring home with me because it was so incredible.  It's like liquid gold in our home and I use it about once a week to have a little taste of my home away from home.

Donate $10 to the church in Albania and I will email you a special photo of Albanian olive oil and a story from Albania for you to gift to someone you love this Christmas.

 

 

The currency of Albania is called Lek.  This bill is 2000 lek and it is worth about $20 US Dollars.  One of the most beautiful things about US Dollars and Albanian Lek is that our dollars can provide so much for the people in Albania.

We were able to feed about 30 college students lunch for two days while we held our English classes during the mission trip and we spent less than $50 total!  The Roma children that are being helped through the House of Hope feeding program are being helped tremendously through our US Dollars.  What a blessing to be able to work and earn money here in America and it go such a long way in helping people throughout the world!

Donate $20 to the church in Albania and I will email you a special photo of Albanian Lek and a story from Albania for you to gift to someone you love this Christmas.

 

Having a donkey in Albania is a very important part of daily life for most Albanian people who live outside the capital city of Tirana.  A donkey costs about $40 and can provide people with transportation and much needed help in their everyday responsibilites and chores.  Many of the farmers will use a donkey's help to transport their crops to sell along the roadside or to go into the city or another town.

While we were visiting we learned that donkeys were part of a popular Albanian game much like our version of Punch Bug.  When you see a donkey in Albania, you yell out "Gomar" and you receive points for a donkey alone, a donkey carrying a man, a donkey carrying a woman, and a donkey seen inside the city of Tirana.  We had a blast looking for donkeys and screaming out Gomar trying to beat everyone else in the bus as we were traveling.

Donate $40 to the church in Albania and I will email you a special photo of a donkey and a story from Albania for you to gift to someone you love this Christmas.

 

Having a cow in Albania is even more important for many families.  A cow costs about $100 but can really take a lot of the burden of providing milk for a family. 

Cows are not as popular because of the cost but still many Albanian families have one to help feed their children.

One of the most beautiful things that I was reminded about cows in Albania is the Scripture found in Psalm 50:10 For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. What an incredible reminder and picture of God's love and provision for His children. When you serve a God who owns everything and knows you and calls you by name, what can cause you to fear or worry about things of this world!

Donate $100 to the church in Albania and I will email you a special photo of a cow and a story from Albania for you to gift to someone you love this Christmas.

 

While in Albania, I had the priviledge to visit many of the homes of those in the church.  In every home, I was welcomed with the most gracious and beautiful spirit.  I was treated as if I were a queen and given slippers and refreshments upon arrival.  

To rent a small apartment in Albania, you would spend about $200 per month.  This seems so reasonable compared to most of the prices we would see here in America, but most of the salaries in Albania are about $200-$400 per month for people as well.  That makes having a roof over your head and taking care of your family a little more difficult having their perspective.

In every home I visited, I was convicted more and more how lightly I take a guest being in my home.  It really challenged me to see if I treated people with as much respect and care as I was given as a stranger in their homes.  

Donate $200 to the church in Albania and I will email you a special photo of an Albanian home and a story from Albania for you to gift to someone you love this Christmas.

 

Flying to Albania took many hours, but more than anything I realized how much the distance and cost of the plane ticket can limit a missionary going to the beautiful country of Albania to spread the love of Christ.

Depending on the season of travel, a round trip plane ticket from America to Albania will cost you between $800.00-$2,000.00.  

One of the most important things to recognize is how important those plane tickets are.  Even with such a high cost, it is vital that missionaries keep going to Albania to help advance the Gospel.  The local pastors, teachers, leaders need our help.  They need support and encouragement.  They need to know we care and we will gladly spend the time and money to go the distance and help Albania find the love of a Savior!

Donate $1,000 to the church in Albania and I will email you a special photo of the Albanian Airlines and a story from Albania for you to gift to someone you love this Christmas.

 

I hope that you will use this opportunity to Give a Gift that Gives even more to the church in Albania.  I know your friends and family will feel so special to have been someone who helped bring Christ at Christmas to Albania!

 

 

 

Lushnje

Albania is full of many wonderful cities.  Each has its own unique scape and feel.  Lushnje is one of the cities that I visited while in Albania.  One of the church plants is there and now the House of Hope is also in Lushnje.  

Lushnje is a humble place.  It is home to many farmers and is mostly country compared to the capital city of Tirana, Albania.  I met some of the most beautiful and sincere people while visiting there. Lushnje is a prime location to share the Gospel of Christ and lead people in finding their Savior.  

Today, I want to share one of the largest financial needs that I saw while I was in Albania.  It was heartbreaking to see people that were so hungry for God and followers of Christ that were so dedicated to living out the Gospel of Christ without the necessary tools to make this happen.

I have included some pictures that the pastors of the church in Lushnje were gracious enough to allow me to take while I was there.  The reason I am showing these is not to bring despair, hopelessness, or shame to anyone in this country, but I am showing these to you so that you can put eyes on a true need that this church has.  The walls are full of mold, the floors are completely unstable, and the building itself is basically about to fall down.  

On a positive note, the land is owned by the church and land is most of the time more difficult to get than a space to use.  I want to make very clear what the need of this church is so that you can be praying for God's provision and if anyone is able to help- now you can see firsthand what the need is.  Because the building itself is beyond the need for repair and must be knocked down and rebuilt, it's estimated that the cost for this would be over $100,000.00 to receive all permits and rebuild the structure suitable for this church to meet in.

This hasn't stopped the current congregation from meeting each week there.  They have met when the water inside has flooded below the knees of everyone and the pastor has preached and they have worshipped under these conditions.  They meet each and every week in the midst of the mold that will have a negative effect on their health.  They take the children outside of the building for children's church because the floor in the children's ministry room is collapsing and is no longer safe for even a child's weight on it.

This church needs our help.  They need a new building and honestly, they need it sooner rather than later.  People are coming to Christ even with the building falling apart, but the church in Lushnje cannot continue do what God has called them to do under these conditions.  

There are only 39 days left of 1,000 Miles for Albania.  I started this year with an Audacious Faith of what God can do and now I feel as if I am ending it with an even more Audacious Faith of what God is going to do!  Share this story, share this vision, share this journey, and let's help the church in Lushnje together!

 

"It's For Albania"

Chloe and I have been at home today just getting things picked up and spending some time together. She is all about coloring right now and finds pens, markers, chalk, and crayons all the time and then she creates her beautiful masterpieces on any piece of paper she finds around the house.  She's been know to illustrate magazines, books, the boy's homework, and a generous supply of copy paper from the stash in Daddy's desk.

Today, I was busy washing dishes and she was working at the kitchen table very intently on a new design.  I try to keep tabs on her by talking to her while we are both working and today our conversation was one that melted my heart!

She finished a beautiful picture (mostly scribbles) on a whole stack of coupons that I have been saving and a bit on her chubby little hands.  Today, she used only pinks and purples as her color palate which totally reflects the girlie girl mood she's been in the past couple of months.

Very proud of her work, she starts showing me all of her scribbles and when I said how beautiful they were and asked what they might be, she gets a huge grin on her face and says "Happy Faces".  I continued to make over them and let her know what an incredible artist she is becoming.  I asked who would be the recipient of this fine abstract art?  She smiled so big and said as clear as could be, "It's for Albania!"

Aside from the apple not falling far from the tree, I have to admit that Chloe only being 2 years old and knowing how important it is that we show the people of Albania the love of Jesus is only the beginning of the heritage I truly desire to pass on to my children.  I want them to always be aware of the needs of others and find joy in being used of God to help meet those needs.  I want them to know how differently people live all over the world and that God's love is available to everyone no matter their address, culture, or past.  

I'm not sure what my children will grow up to do, but I can already see from each and every one of their hearts and actions that they will live a life that God calls them to, they will be passionate about what the Father wants, and they will make me a very proud Mama being salt and light to a world that will always need a Savior.

 

Audacious Faith- The Power of the Mind

It's amazing what your mind can do.  I've had many moments this past week thinking about how much control your mind can consume from the rest of your body.  It seems that when a part of you is not able to be as usual, the part that takes over is your mind.  Whether it is positive or negative thoughts, your mind can become a very powerful part of who you are.  There are so many stories throughout the Bible and from people that I know of even today where they made up their mind, changed their mind, or failed to consider the valuable role that the mind plays in situations.

I've had to set my mind and my thoughts on God's promises this week and not allow the enemy to taunt me with "what ifs" and defeat.  It's always easy to feel victorious when things are going according to plan, but when things are out of your control it's much easier to let the power of the mind take over the calling of your heart.

Today, I am remembering the story of Esther.  I think about her growing up as an orphan.  I wonder how many times the enemy tried to plant lies into her head about her uniqueness and calling of God.  I think about how her Uncle Mordecai was strategically placed in her life from the time she was just a small girl until she became the Queen God called her to be.  How many years of preparation were unrealized by either one of them before the beauty contest, Hamen, and ultimately saving her people from destruction.  Many moments were unplanned by her, many moments were out of her control, and there were even moments when it seemed defeat would be her ending rather than victory and finishing what God called her to do.  She displayed Audacious Faith.  She displayed true character and a loyalty to her God rather than anyone else.  God allowed her to face everything she endured, but He was never once surprised by anything she went through, He had full control and never lost sight of His precious daughter. Esther, I'm sure had many moments of decision to trust God or to allow her mind to talk her out of the calling God had on her life.

When we have Audacious Faith, we choose to take the side that seems unreasonable, the side that seems impossible, the side that seems all too much beyond our control.  We can allow the power of our minds to cause us to doubt, to believe lies from the enemy, and to only allow us to see what the human eye can view, but we also have the choice to allow the power of our God-given minds to push us in the direction that God desires us to go, to give us faith to move mountains, and to take on God-sized dreams and visions to change the world.  

I choose to believe audaciously... so that I will pray audaciously... so that I will live audaciously... and God's glory will be seen even more clearly in my life and all that God chooses to use me to do for Him!

 

I May Be Weak...

It's been a long time since I've been still.  I've had such a rigorous schedule running for the past nine months and while I've had rest days, I haven't had them several in a row.  It just feels so weird to not be running right now.  To be honest, I've felt a little lost this week.

I've been thinking so much about this time of rest and healing for me.  I know it's very important that I am allowing my body to heal and my bones to strengthen, but I've been wrestling with exactly what that means for me right now.  Running was not just a physical activity this year.  God has shared so many unbelievable Spiritual moments with me while I've been running.  He has birthed new ideas, new dreams, new passions, times of comfort and encouragement all while I've been running.  I can't believe how much I miss going for a long run and spending hours connecting with God's heart.

I know the enemy would love nothing more for this time of rest to also cause me to lose my focus and passion with my Heavenly Father.  The past nine months, I've had scheduled opportunities to spend time with God.  I've only had the boot on a matter of days, but I feel so lack in my prayer life right now.  I know that just because I can't run right now does not mean that my prayer life and time spent finding the Father's heart should rest too.

I know that I am physically weak right now, but I choose to remain Spiritually strong.  I know that while my body is broken right now, I have each and every breath that God allows me to breathe as an opportunity to hear His voice.  I have so many doubts and questions flooding my mind, but I choose to have faith that trusts the hand and heart of the God of the Universe.  I choose to believe that my flesh may fail, but my God never will.  I know God's Spirit is strong in me!  This year has been about Audacious Faith... Faith to trust what He says, to know that He is good and His love is great... To be broken inside and give Him my life... To Surrender...