It's just been one of those times where you get hit broadside with news you don't want to hear. Two very different situations. Both close to us. It's the kind of feeling where you think you can't catch your next breath. And then you come up for air and remind yourself that your God has not changed. He is faithful. He is good. And yes, He even has a plan in the midst of the ... Read More »
Messy
When opposition accompanies sharing the Gospel
Our church has adopted a local park as a place to show the love of Jesus by giving away free stuff, serving food, praying with people and sharing the Gospel. We call it "Community Cares" and we plan for months in advance and ask God to show us how to reach the people of our community with his love. Saturday we hosted an egg hunt, gave out donuts/muffins and shared the Gospel ... Read More »
Choosing to un-believe the lie that it’s “too late”
Today I was reminded of God's sweet grace in my life. I had blown it big time in one of my relationships. Oh alright, I'll tell you. I mentor a little girl at a school in our community. We've been "lunch buddies" since last year and I see her once a week. Well, about mid November when sickness hit our family over and over again I found myself every Thursday either at a ... Read More »
I’m that ‘well she tries’ girl in the kitchen
It was a long-time-waiting warm Spring day outside yesterday. And those kinds of days make me do crazy things all in the name of warm weather. I dreamed up this visual in my head of our family rocking on the rocking chairs of our Southern front porch eating warm pound cake with strawberries and watching traffic drive by. As if any of us have time for that but it sure sounded ... Read More »
The other side of the window
Her name had been given to me as somebody who could use encouragement. Someone who hadn't seen family in long time. No visitors in a while. I walked in the nursing home room and asked for "Ms. Linda". And there she was. Without turning around she peered out her window and quietly said, "That's me." She was sitting in a wheelchair with one foot propped up on the heating unit. ... Read More »
When apologies are hard but sweet
Oh yes she did. Sigh. The problem when you're a pastor's kid is that sometimes you hear too much. Like the Sunday night a few weeks ago when her Pastor Daddy was talking about Father Christmas and St. Nicholas. The story has it that St. Nicholas cared for the needy and gave gifts to children. He later died but the tradition was picked up in many countries and instead of being ... Read More »
Community Outreach instead of Cyclical Church Events
For the first time ever our church took Trunk R Treat to a slightly sketchy neighborhood park. We had no idea what to expect but we prayed and planned and asked God to provide us with what He knew we needed for the night. Our church family worked hard and long to create a lit up obstacle course on the playground, set up decorated tables of candy and created a "dark room" where ... Read More »
When God responds to our giving
I shared recently about our reluctant but willing heart in something we felt God calling us to do. I am cautious in sharing for fear it might be taken the wrong way but I can't help but want to share what God did. The day we gave into God and put forth what we knew he was telling us to give financially we told the kids that God would honor obedience. God wasn't bound by our ... Read More »