Focus. It’s a word I’ve said to my children more than once in their lifetimes, and it usually came with hand motions to draw them to look me in the eyes while I was speaking. They could get so caught up in their play or talking, that they were not listening to what Mom was … More Friday Focus
It was a dream come true. I’d found the man who was called by God to serve in missions, led to the same people group, full of the same excitement to see what God would do as we followed his will. Though there were adjustments during our first year of marriage, we were too busy … More Marriage and Ministry
I’d been eight months in the country. It was my first of many experiences: First time living away from family. First time overseas. First time living on my own. First time in a job where I was responsible for the work being done. First time living with the consequences of my actions when no one … More Lessons Learned
I had a memory pop up on Facebook this week, reminding me that it was nine years ago that I headed to the library to volunteer. A short four months later, I was running the joint! I wasn’t really going for that purpose. We had just returned a year earlier from the mission field. Twenty … More Volunteer
I finished my work in the house, so headed out to the shop to see if there was any way I could help my son with what will definitely be the hardest part of letting go of the place that’s been home for the last ten years. He wasn’t cleaning, but working on just one … More Scraps
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
We expect trouble. We can’t avoid it. Jesus even told us, “in this world, you will have tribulation.” That’s the nature of living in a fallen world, the nature of sinful man. The problem is when it comes from the sinner saved by grace. We’re supposed to be new creations in Christ, so why do we … More Internal Bleeding
As an introvert, I have friends and then I have friends, and I’m always amazed at how the Lord provides those friends to pour into my life at just the right time. This is what I’ve experienced in the past weeks, and I’m grateful to his provision. I have decided that being involved in overseas ministry is a … More You Need a Friend
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
These hot, lazy days of summer make it so easy to just do nothing. It’s like the month of Ramadan for my Muslim friends. You’re not eating, the energy level decreases and sleep comes easy. Sluggish is a good word for this kind of feeling. Being raised by parents who grew up in the days … More Provoked