A flabbergasted girl.

Two years ago, the Ladd family was at the bottom of our barrel, in our lowest of lows. (Except for Lifa. He’s consistently wonderful.) Chris and I KNEW God directed us to build His church. Not just any church - a church that could reach the nations. We did all the faith-filled things people do. We labored for three years with nothing but failure and rejection. 

Benjamin had just entered the world, and Chris was bound by the very scariest kinds of depression and anxiety. I didn’t know how to reach my husband or what to do with a newborn.

I was desperate to be seen. I found the YouVersion Bible reading plans by Help Club for Moms. God’s Word partnered with encouragement from other moms who’d been through their own dark times was like water for my soul. Even from my pit, my spirit stirred. 

As I begin to meet other moms desperately seeking something… Someone… I knew the stirring in my spirit was for them too. I was determined to get Help Club for Moms South Africa started. 

The original Help Club.

South Africa is so unique - both in struggles and strengths. Mamas here are incredible and have their own fierce flavors of love, longing, hope and hurt. It was another thing I KNEW God directed. 

I made flyers. I told all the strangers I knew (because everyone was a stranger). Some moms politely blocked my number. Others said, “Thanks, but we’re not really religious like you.” Only four showed up each week. 

The Ladd family kept going. Not because we are super people or have super powers. There wasn’t even anything supernatural about it.  We kept going because we didn’t have the option to stop. I wish I could say our faith never wavered, and we plowed through hard times with our eyes set on Christ. There was some of that. There was also spiraling fear, dark chocolate, sheer panic, and ugly crying. 

BUT. We did keep going. We took slow, muddy steps down, through and out of our pit.

Recently, Chris and I stood on the stage of our dynamic church in a city with worldwide influence and watched 50 people encounter God. We hosted a night of worship that praised God IN THREE LANGUAGES.

Help Club for Moms South Africa currently has a diverse and powerful leadership team of 10 women, has launched an online community for almost 200, is producing our own Biblical content, and has been on the radio in two languages! (Afrikaans and Xhosa) 

I am flabbergasted. This is not a story about persevering. It’s not about God’s timing. It’s just a flabbergasted girl sharing her awe. 

We get to lead a church that worships in multiple languages with people from many cultures and walks of life. We get to be a part of a diverse community of people that show us more of who God is. I get to listen to moms light up in their cultural identities and identities in Christ as they encourage a nation in their own heart language through radiowaves and internet. 

I just get to be here and be a flabbergasted girl because I literally cannot understand all that’s happening around me. It’s in other languages. It has nothing to do with who we are and everything to do with how great God is.

I’m flabbergasted and totally relieved. 

Because isn’t it sometimes great to know that it’s not up to you? 

He is Risen! Happy Easter weekend!