It’s not what you think. I do NOT want another baby. At least not one for ME. I do, however, have very strong feelings about people I love who want babies having their prayers (and mine for them) answered. (run-on much?) So, it is with great excitement and pleasure that I announce that…

My sister Bethany and her hubby Stew are expecting Baby #2!! Woooooohoooooo!! If you know Bethy, you know that 18-month-old Isabelle Kate was a long time coming. We prayed for over 2 years for that little doll, and I’m so glad God chose to bring her little brother or sister along more quickly. Now we just pray for His protection for this little one in the womb.

Because of the nature of what I do (talk/write about sex & pregnancy), I get the honor of praying for lots of women who desperately want a baby. And it is such a thrill to hear from one of them that she’s finally pregnant!! (Sometimes I even get to keep secrets for a bit which is super fun.) And I love to share in their joy when they tell the world their amazing news.

If you and your hubby are trying to have a baby, I’d love to pray for you (you can e-mail me here). I don’t have some secret line to God, but I do have a real heart for women who want to be mamas.

And for women who are going to be mamas and aren’t equipped/prepared/excited to be. So many of you have given so generously to bless women in need at pregnancy centers around the world with a copy of this book. You can read more about The Expecting Campaign here. After Cambodia, I hope to get back in the swing of blessing some more mamas-to-be in that way.

Have a beautiful day, friends!

If you’ve been reading along for awhile, you’ve heard me talk about the Expecting Campaign many a time before. It never gets old to me, because God just keeps on working! Praise His Name!

If you’re here for the first time because you heard me chatting with 100.7 WEEC’s Ruth Book this afternoon, welcome!

For those of you who don’t live near my hometown Midwest cornfields (bless your hearts!), WEEC is a Christian radio station in Springfield, OH (about an hour NW of us here in Columbus). It was almost always playing on our radio at home growing up, and Mom and Dad were constantly listening to some Bible teaching program or another. Sad that I took that so much for granted as a kid.

My uncle Tracy (mom’s youngest brother) is the General Manager of the station, and Gabe has helped them out with their website for years. WEEC is listener-supported, and this week is their annual Sharathon.

If it’s not 1:00pm EST time yet as you read this, and you want to Listen Live to my interview with Ruth, you’re most welcome. I’ll be giving a shout-out to my sweet Grandma Joan who faithfully listens to WEEC in her room at the nursing home every waking minute (and probably many of her sleeping ones).

Ruth and I are chatting about Expecting, and I talk about all of you darling folks who have donated books to hurting unwed mamas at crisis pregnancy centers around the world. I haven’t taken an exact count lately, but I know we’re inching close to 400 books donated.

Just this month, the women I spoke to at a retreat in New Jersey donated 23 books. There’s a church in Ohio donating an entire box of 40 to 2-3 pregnancy centers in their area. An old friend from high school just donated 10. It blows me away.

And I’m not really sure how this came to be, but I was interviewed on Moody’s Midday Connection a few weeks ago, and the interview airs tomorrow (Friday) at 1:00 pm EST (12:00pm CST). I’m part of the Friday 4, so I’m not sure what time my segment will be up.

If you’re interested in donating one or more Expecting books ($8.00 per book) to an unwed expectant mother, click here. If you’d like to specify which clinic the book goes to, please let me know in the comments or e-mail me. If you prefer to pay by check, let me know, and I’ll give you my address. If you have questions or want more information, let me know.

Again, friends, THANK YOU. It’s such an honor to be a part of this cool thing God is doing. Praying you have an amazing day!

I just got a sweet card from the director of one of the pregnancy clinics that got 16 of the Expecting books y’all donated. Here’s part of what she said:

Just yesterday I was able to give one of the books to a gal with a positive pregnancy test and say, “each week changes are happening in you and your baby. This is a great tool to help you know how to pray specifically for your baby as you walk through this pregnancy.”

The conversation took off from there and we were able to share the Gospel with this precious client. Please pray for her salvation.

Oh, this thrills my heart. Praise you, Jesus!

If you’re interested in donating an Expecting book to a pregnancy clinic for $8, let me know. And a HUGE thank-you to the sweet gals in Jersey last weekend who donated 23 more books! I love watching God work!

I’m so honored and humbled to be surrounded by givers. I’m always so amazed (but not shocked!) at how willing you are to give in such tangible ways. You continue to blow me away with the Expecting Campaign. A special thank-you to those of you–T, K, A–who gave $ to ship boxes of books this week.

And I’m so excited to start doing some Fund-raising in Faith for some precious, exploited children in Cambodia. (We took our Coins 4 Cambodia to Coinstar today–$24.90! Not a ton, but hoping it buys lots of snacks.)

And I know so many of you have already given to help the hurting in Haiti. We gave here.

I wanted you to know where the Expecting books have gone. I’m so thrilled that so many of you are a part of this, and I hope and pray we’ll get to see some fruit. Until then, we’ll just trust and pray that God gets all kinds of glory.

Light in the City (Estonia)

Missionaries in India

Severna Park Pregnancy Clinic (Severna Park, Maryland)

Compassion Pregnancy Center (Clinton Twp, Michigan)

Flint Crisis Pregnancy Center (Flint, Michigan)

Pregnancy Care Center of Union County (Marysville, Ohio)

Elizabeth’s Hope (Waverly, Ohio)

Crossroads Crisis Pregnancy Center of Nanaimo Society (Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada)

Pregnancy Decision Health Center (Columbus, Ohio)

Hi-Point Women’s Center (Bellefontaine, Ohio)

Miami Valley Women’s Center (Xenia, Ohio)

Miami Valley Women’s Center (Kettering, Ohio)

Promise House (Little Rock, Arkansas)

Ark-La-Tex Crisis Pregnancy Center (Shreveport, Louisiana)

Liberty Godparent Home (Lynchburg, Virginia)

Teen MOPS, Easthaven Baptist Church (Kalispell, Montana)

Pregnancy Help Center (Katy, Texas)

Dallas Pregnancy Resource Center (Dallas, Texas)

You’ve donated a total of 279 books (!!!), and 224 have been delivered so far. That’s amazing. When I think of how many women’s lives are going to be touched, I get all choked up.

Yet, when I think of how much hurt and need is out there, it makes my heart ache. I’m trusting God to take our small offering and multiply it as only He can.

And on an unrelated, personal note, I’ve had a hard time trusting God this week in a certain area of my life. Even after all that Zoo Provision, I still have this horrid habit of thinking that if I don’t see a way, there must not be one. Please pray that my faith will be strengthened, and that I’ll trust my loving, knowing God absolutely and completely.

Can I pray for you this weekend?

I like to read Proverbs 3:28 when I speak to groups of married women about sex. “Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow’–when you now have it with you.”

Fun verse, huh. So, maybe that wasn’t the intent of the original Hebrew. I don’t think God minds.

I had the BEST time tonight. I spoke to the super-cool, way-awesome MOPS group of First Baptist Church in Kettering, OH, and they blew me away. So sweet, so kind, so fun. They just really made me feel all loved and cozy. THANK YOU, girls. What a great night!!

And I can’t wait for you to start leaving comments about getting your homework done! Who’s going to be first??

I got to see Beth and Gwen–two gals I met at church camp when we were in high school. And Holly, a gal who has heard The Sex Talk before at another MOPS group and came to hear it again. Ha! I love it!

I’m so thankful that God has given me such neat opportunities to do what I love and bring Him glory at the same time. Praying He touched your hearts, ladies! And I prayed through your requests and will again. Thanks for sharing them with me.

In other news, I have more Expecting books signed and ready to send! Woohoo! If you’d like to sponsor the shipping costs for either a box of 16 ($11) or an envelope of 5 ($4), please let me know! I need 3 sponsors at $11 and 4 at $4. EDIT (4:30pm): We’re all set! THANK YOU!

If you’re new here and aren’t sure what I’m talking about, check out this post.

Some of you asked if I’m accepting donations for more books. Not yet. I need to get the difference made up (between the $5 donated and the $8.25 cost of the book) first. Does that make sense? I’m hoping in a few weeks!

Short and sweet today! Speaking of short, I’d love to know how tall you are. I’ll start. I used to think I was 5’10″, but I think I’ve shrunk to 5’9″.

How about you? How short are you?