There are some moments in life you never forget. They become embedded pictures in your mind, even when the details grow fuzzy. My first visit to an African marketplace did it for me. The year was 1986. Only a few months in the capital city of Abidjan, Ivory Coast, a friend took me to the … More First Impressions
Today would have been his 73rd birthday. This day comes now with a bitter-sweetness that is hard to shake, but the Lord has made this one especially sweet, so I want to tell you about it. As pilgrims on this journey, we do not always have the joy of seeing the results of the seed-sowing … More The Best Gift
I can’t decide if I should call this post, “The Maiden Voyage,” or “The Voyage of the Maiden.” Either one works, as I recall my first overseas flight. I was a mere 22-year-old maiden. The year was 1986, long before cell-phones or the internet or even fax machines. The Dark Ages, for most of you … More The Maiden Voyage
Have you memorized a verse from the Bible? Can you say it now? I’ve listened to people quote great sections of scripture, amazed at their ability to memorize and retain. I contribute my ability to recall verses to a class I participated in at my church during my youth. Many Baptist churches had Bible Drill … More Inspired and Profitable
I had an exercise in remembrance recently, as I went through some old journals and notebooks. While thumbing through notes taken during a college retreat back in 1984, the Lord reminded me of an encounter with a very unique woman. She was the main speaker, and I remember her talk as I look at a … More She made a difference
I was going through some old journals a while back and came across a little green notebook that made me smile. It was full of French choruses I’d learned during my years in Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), West Africa. I began flipping through the pages, trying to remember the tunes that went with the words. … More Singing in Tongues
Strange thoughts come to us in life, and I had one of those moments this last week. I was standing in my bedroom, looking at a picture of my late husband that hangs on the wall. It’s a picture our oldest son took of him, and it’s very good. It represents him as the pastor … More Two Faces
One of the hard things about the Christian life, and one that the world doesn’t get, is praying in faith. Two things are important to remember in this: The prayers are lifted up to the God of all creation through Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are not praying in blind … More Worth the Effort
The year was 1993. We were living in Damascus, Syria. I look up from my computer and out my window, thinking how long ago that seems. Yet the memory is clear. Her name was Kaokub. In English, it meant planet. I always thought that was a funny name to name a child, but some thirty years … More New Year, New Life
Ten years ago today we left. Raouf had preceded us on this journey, so I was alone with my two boys and an unruly Egyptian dog. We almost didn’t make it out, but in the end, they let us on the plane, dog and all. We said goodbye to Egypt, but we also said goodbye … More Leaving the field