Joyful Season

Life is hard.  For many different reasons and seasons.  Sometimes it's by our own decisions or the fall out of someone else's. Thankfully, I am in the midst of a joyful season. Praise the Lord for blessing me with the sweetness of life.
I have become energetic about seeing the eyes of my three children - taking time to be in the moment with them.  Rather it be Abi's silly ramblings to her own tune or Caleb pushing a fire truck across the floor or Eli unraveling his big plans for his Lego planes.  I have joy in wanting to cook well for them.  In offering them a better alternative to boxed snacks.  In getting grass all over me because they love for me to join them in the sprinkler.
There is a sweet overflow of love in telling my husband of 9 and a half years (!) that it is still a joy to be his wife.  And, to mean it with all sincerity.
The squelching heat of the summer has not slowed the spring feeling in my heart.  I am ever thankful for this lush time of joy, peace, and an abundance of patience.  Of loving right where we are.  Not looking back and not looking too far forward.  Just savoring the present.

Missional Living

Yes, I know I am the worst blogger ever.  I just have other things occupying my time lately.  But, here are two "things" to chomp on for a bit...

He won't send you to a hut in Africa, trust me-Jesus won't ruin your life...

by Matthew Stevens on Monday, June 25, 2012 at 7:32pm ·

That was the phrase I heard as I listened to a preacher a few weeks ago.  Ironically, it was also the day before my sister, Kayla, left for South Sudan-Africa.  So it really stuck with me, did Jesus ruin her life?  After all, she was on her way to Africa, and she had raised most of the money, which was 10-15% of her annual income-which she gladly sacrificed.

Kayla is one of the smartest ladies I know, she's finishing her M.Div.  She is also single, but the only thing she's seeking is Jesus.  Last I asked her about it, she just noted there were plenty of 12 year olds trapped in 20 something bodies at her seminary...yes seminary.

Kayla learned the finer points in life in South Sudan, like monkeys fling poo, be sure you don't deficate on a snake, demon posession is real, and how to use a mosquito net. 

Foremost, she experienced that the Gospel changes lives.  And it really is power.  She saw souls saved through the testimony of her team-to huts all in Africa.  And for those people, eternity will never be the same.  For them, she was the wrapping paper the greatest gift they will ever receive. 

Yes, I'm on a mission trip in a third world country with a great team, But we're sitting on a couch nursing a Diet Coke, on my laptop, ESPN is on the flat screen.  And we're waiting for supper to be put out. 

No A/C-High is 70/ low is 55.  Hot water only in the morning, language barrier, twin beds, and barbed wire around the 20 ft wall around the center-guarding us from the criminals.

Jesus hasn't ruined our life, and He didn't ruin my sister's.  In fact we're not special, we're not radical, we're not sold out.  We both are far from those things.  What we are trying to be is normal Christians.

Christians are to be slaves, not masters.  We are stewards of Jesus' money-not ours.  We are not missing big events back home.  We are part of bigger events in eternity.  And we do this for the same reason we don't murder. 

We don't murder because we obey Jesus in that area of our life. 

And we go to share the Gospel with every tribe tounge, and nation because we want to obey Jesus in the Great Commission part of our life as well. 

Join us...