I have the chance to go to Ghana in August with Compassion. Last Thursday, we talked about what an amazing opportunity I will have to meet firsthand the children that many of you are sponsoring in Ghana. A trip like this is not just for people who talk on the radio for a living but for anyone who sponsors a child through Compassion. These sponsor tours are just one more reason that I am thrilled to be a Compassion sponsor and it makes me ever more passionate about the work that they are doing around the world. 

Here’s an e-mail that I received this morning.

 Hi Anitra I was listening to you and Lysa talk about Compassion on Thursday morning and it inspired me to go see one of my Compassion kids ~ little Sueksa in Thailand. I submitted my application today and pray that it happens. You mentioned that you were going to Africa which stirred my heart to go on this journey. Just wanted to say thanks!

Alethea

Aletha- you have made my day!
For more on how you can be a part of Reaching Out to Ghana with Compassion by sponsoring a child, click here or for answers to your questions about taking a trip to see your Compassion child, click here.

We are praying that we will be able to tell 150 children that they have been sponsored by a ReachFM listener. Will you join us?

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His name is Ebenezer and his birthday is sometime in May.

He’s one of the reasons that I am going to Ghana with Compassion.

When I say that his birthday is some time in May, it’s not just because of my lack of attention to detail (although it could be) but it appears that no one knows.

In different cultures, birthdays are celebrated in a variety of ways but I have to guess that it’s something that God has placed in all of our hearts, the desire for our birth to be noticed and, dare I say, celebrated.

I can’t stop looking at his face.

Is his shyness from being photographed?

Now that he’s 10 years old, is it a dawning realization that his future seems bleak?

What would Ebenezer’s picture look like if he got word that you had chosen to sponsor him?

What would it mean to this newly minted 10 year old boy that someone in America wanted to make sure that he received the education, health care, and Bible teaching of the children in the Compassion program?

I think that I have room for a birthday present in my luggage. Can I tell him that it’s from you?

If you want to sponsor Ebenezer, e-mail me anitra@reachfm.org.

If you want to see the pictures and details of other children in Ghana and around the world who are waiting for sponsors, click here.

If you want to know what pure religion is, here you go.

Happy Birthday, Ebenezer!

God may be the only one who knows the exact date of your birth but He’s not the only one who celebrates your existence.

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Blake Koch, Nascar Driver in the GodSpeaks.com #21

This morning was one of the many in which I pinch myself when I realize that this is what I do for a living. There were so many great listeners who called in, great music like 10th Avenue North and Third Day and a guest like Blake Koch who just makes any morning brighter.

If you had a chance to tune in this morning or to listen live at ReachFM.org, you heard how God has moved in Blake’s life to put him in a position now where even signing autographs is an outreach.

When your car has the words…Follow Me… on it and it dares to proclaim that God is still willing, able and even anxious to speak to us today, you’ve got to imagine that people are listening to you fairly attentively.

Blake Koch #21

Blake is a young man who has had alot of incredible opportunities within music, film, sports and now Nascar. It was fun to hear him talk about the amazing response the 18-wheeler car hauler has gotten as it rumbles down the road.

If you are in the Orlando area this weekend, check out the Orlando SpeedWorld. Blake and the GodSpeaks car will be racing and trying to remind a few thousand more people that God is still speaking today- and it might be worth finding out what He wants to say.

-Anitra

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Ouch!

with a single shot?

Last June, many of you responded to the needs of children around the world and made the life-changing commitment to sponsor a child through Compassion.

I have loved hearing your stories of pictures that were exchanged, birthdays that were celebrated and families that were shared as you corresponded with your child.

In August, I will have the chance to see this relationship from the other side. I will be traveling with Compassion to Ghana to visit some of the Child Development Centers and to meet some of your children face to face.

Over the next 10 weeks, I will be sharing more about the journey and how you can be a part of rescuing a child from poverty in the name of Jesus.

For me the first step was to obtain my yellow fever vaccine since the one that I had gotten before going to Liberia expires this year.

Actual conversation between the nurse and me

Nurse: I can’t believe you’re taking my last vaccine.

Me: Isn’t that what they’re for?

Nurse: I wouldn’t go anywhere that you need a shot for.

Me: You would if they needed you.

Nurse: You’re from the church that I’ve been hearing about, aren’t you?

This is the rest of the story (or what I wished I’d said:) Yes, Fabiola, I am. But more importantly, I’m “from” a group of people who have discovered that God cared enough to travel much farther than the 4722 nautical miles that separate Miami and Accra, Ghana. He also endured much more than the prick of a yellow fever shot.

He’s the one that I’m looking for when I get off the plane in Ghana. I’ve traveled enough to know that I’m not bringing Jesus to Ghana. He’s already there. Somewhere inside of me, I know that I need Africa much more than Africa needs me.

Join me for the journey!

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The dearth of posts is completely due to the fact that there are not 36 hours in the day or that I am apparently filling my day with things that don’t really matter or I’m not quite dead yet in a more existential sense and keep struggling to fulfill demands that are not ANY OF MY BUSINESS!

Whew!

That was nice!

Had a great time at Glory at the Gardens! Fun with Sanctus Real, This Beautiful Republic, NeedtoBreathe, Worth Dying For and Relient K.

I would promise you pictures but those would be hollow promises. I have taken a new tack. I am trying to under-promise and over-deliver. You’ll be the judge of whether it’s working. If you haven’t seen the videos from GMA’s of Ruthie and I, they are worth the trip on over to www.myspace.com/reachfm

We’ll be broadcasting live again this Saturday from 11am-1pm when we’ll be talking to Matthew West, Brandon Heath and Sara Groves.

Enjoy!

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What do you think about what Russ said today on the Morning Show? Are you a little weary of the same songs or do the lyrics penetrate your spirit? For some of us, this is the first Christmas that we will spend after recognizing the truth of the lyrics like Russ’ pick of the week from Sixpence None the Richer…O Come, O Come Emmanuel from the Dawn of Grace CD.

O come, O come Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appears.

It might as well say…God come down and rescue me.

I’m the one that sometimes feels like an exile and the coming of the Son of God in my heart and in my daily life is as eagerly anticipated as it was when all of Israel longed for the coming of the Messiah.

Here’s hoping that the reality of the lyrics of those dearly loved Christmas songs will explode in our hearts not just now but every day.

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Okay so Mapquest is not completely fool proof…I (Anitra) managed to take us on a journey that morphed a five hour trip into a seven hour journey adventure. In my defense…we did meet the Hulk….when we had surrendered all hope…(Jesse here) against my better judgement, we stopped for directions (3 times)… once at Rick’s Gas (you know, my buddy Rick) in scenic Brooksville.  A very large gentleman was standing guard outside the door. It was only as we walked away that we both dissolved into laughter at the realization that he still had green make-up along his hairline (he was obviously quite the hit as the Hulk the night before).

Upon arriving at Journeyfest, we once again realized that they only love us for our car. The given location of our tent was outer Mongolia… until the organizers caught sight of the Reach car (yes, jaws dropped) and suddenly we were right next to the artists’ merch tent (Anitra translates for civilians like me- the place where they sell their T-shirts and CDs).

Talk about shameless marketing…after 5 hours and 642 bands (give or take)…Jesse and Jean (i started trading dares and this is the result.

(Jesse again) So yeah, she got a free CD as payment for the advertising.  I got (which I had not yet received in the above photo) a T-shirt from Remnant Gear (which is killer), and of course I got the shame of looking that ridiculous in the photo now on the web…

Remnant Gear is a great organization that is doing an incredible job of redeeming the media and having a blast doing it.  Please check ‘em out at www.remnantgear.com and support a great ministry.

When is a tent not a tent?

(Jesse here) Okay so when they were manipulating  politely asking me to help with the Reach presence at Journeyfest, I was promised luxiurious accomodations.  Little did I then realize that my definition of luxury is quite different from those here at ReachFM…I was provided with a lovely pop tent to erect beneath the ReachFM tent  (you know for that double weather protection aspect)… Did I mention it was freezing cold and sleeping on rocky ground is just not a good idea, oh and the mosquitos I love ReachFM,  I absolutely love my job here and could not possibly tarnish their glorious name… It’s ok (reference picture above)  I convinced Jean to have a reach tattoo on her forehead.  Enough said…( Anitra  – no…not enough said…you said that you wanted a tent…you got a tent…next time be more specific and ask for sides!

All joking aside (ok maybe not all of it), Journeyfest was a pretty sweet weekend.  We had the opportunity to connect with so many people, and hear countless stories of people who have been listening to us and just didn’t know it was us until now.  We spent time with a number of the bands there, and were so blessed to hear their hearts in their music – how God is using these artists to further His plan.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to making the weekend at Journeyfest an incredible weekend (especially the Hulk of course).

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My weekend epitomizes so much of what I love about being part of Reach FM. Friday night, we had a booth at Midnight Madness so we were surrounded by surfers and skaters and everyone in between! Alexander and Call to Glory both played to enthusiastic audiences and I had the chance to meet listeners from up and down the coast.

On Saturday, ReachFM was at St. Andrews in Boca Raton for the Matchpoint Ministries Tennis Marathon! Congratulations to everyone who played 100 games of tennis for a great cause. Several of the tennis players from Palm Beach Atlantic came out with their head coach, Chi, as well as some weekend warriors who managed to persevere. I had some particularly “blonde” moments when I spoke briefly about my co-host Bob being like a partner in doubles and covering my “dropped” shots. Anyone who knows their Federer from their Bryant brothers knows it would be a miracle if I could GET a drop shot.

Thanks to everyone who made it a point to come up and say hi! For a gregarious person, doing a morning show can be a bit of a stretch since its just Bob and I and our guests. I love the thought that we can bring a little encouragement, laughter and even information to your day.

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Today Russ Breimeier from Christianity Today reminded me of why I love talking to him every Thursday.

Not only did he chide me for always choosing the same two or three artists when it comes to voting for best (insert category here) of the year, but he also made Orlando’s own Anberlin his pick of the week.

He chose Breathe off of their New Surrender CD while I’m going with The Resistance. Who are you going to agree with? Someone with a tin ear who had to try three times before spelling the name of the band correctly (AKA me) OR a seasoned professional who gets paid megabucks to review music for a living and for money and other employee benefits (aka Russ).

You be the judge!

If you missed this morning’s show, you can replay the interview along with samples of the two songs. Enjoy!

christianity-today-interview-anberlin2

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