Savor the moment Enjoy the journey Stop and smell the roses Capture the fluffy moments These are simple phrases that are not always so simple to live out in our day-to-day lives. I find myself in a season of constant change, transition and growth. From language school to West Africa to living stateside for a …
How to Return, Recover and Rebound
There are moments in our lives for building resilience in ways we never expected or knew we needed. Moments that remind us to trust, hope and move forward in faith. One such moment happened on our flight from West Africa to Michigan at the end of our first term overseas. We only had about 20 …
When There is No Happy Ending to Betrayal
Betrayal is a very strong word. In fact, just looking at that word in print, thinking about it, remembering how it feels, maybe even sensing guilt over being the betrayer in a situation… it brings up emotions and feelings and painful memories for many of us. Friendships lost Marriage fights Work tensions Ministry failures Family …
Unexpected Sacrifices
When I think of the word sacrifice, I picture many different things. I see Abraham with his knife raised obediently over his son. I can picture a long line of people waiting for a priest as he makes preparations to offer the next lamb on their behalf. I see Elijah who called down fire from …
Not Your Average Headache
The topic of intimacy in married life is not the easiest thing to talk about let alone write up a whole post and throw it on the world wide web for all to see. We may joke about that side of married life with a sister-in-law or whisper about our questions with a friend while …
When You Are Still Waiting
I heard an overseas friend recently say, “Waiting is just part of it all.” But what do you do on the days when you are still waiting? I found myself begrudgingly nodding my head to her statement. I recognized the truth of her words as they resonated deep with my soul. The wait is a …
Learning to Capture Joyful, Fluffy Moments
Learning to capture joyful moments, or capture the fluffy moments, in overseas life can be challenging. Stopping, smiling and enjoying the simple joys can quickly get lost in the stress, busyness and unknowns of the passing hours. Yet, each day is an opportunity to capture joyful moments, to see what God is doing around us …
Coming to the End of Me
Coming to the end of me has been a long, beautiful, terrible, difficult journey. Overseas life continues to bring me to this place of surrender, laying down the me I thought I was and allowing Jesus a chance to mold a new creation. I wrote a post called “The End of Me” for Velvet Ashes. …
How to Make New Lists Overseas
You know how much I love a good list. I can make lists for anything. Right now, there are two notebooks and two sticky note pads with lists on them sitting on the desk next to me. I have apps on my phone for list making and programs to keep track of this or that. …