20 Years Ago Today...

20 years ago TODAY my family changed FOREVER in an INSTANT!! It was 20 years ago today that my big sister Kelly fell victim to a stranger child abduction!! She's that rare percentage that actually survived to tell her story...AND, today, 20 years later, she is STILL telling her story in order to bring HOPE to those that have also fallen victim to violent crimes AND SURVIVED!!

She was 16 at the time and I was 15.....It was a horrific crime and the two men responsible are still in prison to this day (Praise God!! ) Yes, as a family we were changed forever...but as an individual, my sister now uses her experience to CHANGE THE WORLD!! She traveled with me in June to Ethiopia to get my baby girl, Lucy Lane!! She used her photography skills to photograph ALL the waiting children and came back home AND got them ALL placed with her great pics!! And, today 20 years later, I'm grateful that her life was spared that cold winter day because I know so many others aren't so lucky!! I can't imagine ALL the LIVES that would have missed out on her acts of kindness IF she had not survived that night!!And, above, you have a pic of our family with my Mom and Dad!!

And, after a recent trip BACK to Africa for a third time in ONE year...My sister is making a difference in this world.....PLEASE go watch the video she made in my last post...It will truly touch you!! Or click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqdezxonPUU to watch it. Kelly's all about helping others and making a difference!! AND, her latest efforts of helping a homeless family will bring you to tears...She just made the video and I posted it last night if you want to watch!!

***Ok, so you can read my sister's story at www.ordinaryheroblog.blogspot.com She wrote a beautiful post about her night 20 years ago today. She also has a link to the 700 Club where they aired her story this past year!! If you've been reading for more than a year, then you may remember me posting her story last year...either way, Kelly wrote a great post if you are in for a good read!!

***May you all find HOPE and LIGHT in your darkness....just as my sister did!!

Happy Sunday to you all, kj

Josh 1:9............ "Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

2Chr 20:17........ "You will not need to fight this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you,..."

John 16:33......... "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

Rom 8:18............ "...consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

Rom 8:39............ "(Nothing can) separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Rom 8:28............ "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."

2Tim 4:5.............. "...be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."

Mic 7:8................. "Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me."

Phil 4:13................"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

1Jn 4:4................. "(You) have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he that is in the world."

Phil 1:6................. "(Be) confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ,..."

Phil 4:4.................. "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice!"