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Dare to be Different

I remember my last Christmas with my family before I got married and moved out of state. Actually, I should say I remember the gifts from that Christmas. I remember the gifts just as clearly as when I received a keyboard with a built in DJ kit when I was 7, but I digress. What did I receive? I got a Selah CD with songs from their time living in Africa as missionaries. I got a small silver bell so that every time I heard its ring, I would remember my family. I got a cool paisley shirt, a Hebrew-Greek study Bible and a silver necklace with a charm that read Dare to be Different. Gifts are not my love language, but looking back, these gifts played a crucial part of my life that would bring me to where I am now. Looking back, I know that my parents were giving me tools to follow Jesus on my own as they released me into adulthood.  Much of the symbolism from these gifts still follow me today, but not as much as the Dare to be Different necklace. Growing up, I always knew that God set me...
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Climb Higher

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Out of my kitchen window in Haiti was the most amazing view of the mountains. I was never able to capture their beauty from my camera, but this is a shot from our neighbor's back yard. Every morning, I would wake up and quote Psalm 121:   I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. One observation I made right away in Haiti was the noise. Every morning around 4:00 am, the yard workers came to sweep the giant fallen palms out of our yards. This was actually before the hens began crowing. There were goats and pigs and peacocks. These are sounds I grew accustomed to and miss. However, the black birds there sound like screaming children and they "screamed" every dawn and dusk. There was the sound of our generator. Sometimes after midnight, we would hear the loud music far off in the mountains of a celebration or a voodoo ceremony. Sometimes, we would hear people down the mountain closer to town. So...
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Black and White

I consider myself a pretty simple person who doesn't need many things in life. However, one thing I have a difficult time without is my sound machine. I cannot stand all of the sounds of "silence" like my circulatory system pounding away in my ears. So, my ideal setting is white noise--constant sound without interruptions. Fun fact, white noise is an accumulation of all pitches similar to the way the shade of white is an accumulation of all the colors. I bring this up because I have recently had conversations about life being black and white. For example, there are only two outcomes in a situation or people are either good or bad. However, in my life, I have seen God use his body, and even people from my past, in my current situations. When my limited mind could think of probabilities or outcomes, God always does something that I could never imagine. God uses people and situations all together for good. He combines this beautiful body of believers to fulfill his purpose. ...
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Glimmers of Heaven

It's been a while since I've written here. When I heard we were moving to a creative access country, I was unsure of what I can say here or even if I could keep what I've written before. What I have realized is that I need to process all of the thoughts swirling in my head right now. As I have been preparing to go to a country that is predominantly Muslim, I am preparing myself for the differences I expect. I am preparing to see many more women wearing hijab. I am preparing to hear the call to prayer multiple times a day. I am preparing to censor what I say and how I act. I am preparing to face oppression and warfare because of my beliefs. What I haven't been preparing for was that I would face the oppression and warfare here and now right before I leave my country. The last couple of weeks have made me realize something: Because of COVID, the only people I have interacted with have been believers and they have been some amazing, Love-the-Lord-with-all-your-heart, sacri...
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Abundant Opportunities!

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I am always awestruck when thinking about how much God loves us to send Jesus to save us from ourselves. While the ways we love each other can seem trivial in comparison, it is a great feeling to be the proverbial "hands and feet" of Jesus. Sometimes it is apparently obvious how we can love others, lending a hand when asked or offering assistance when we see someone in need. While other times being thoughtful about how we do and present things. This is the wonderful opportunity that technology classes in particular offers. It is a blessing to be able to walk alongside the students in Indonesia and help them think through not only how technology can be used, but more importantly, how we can use it to truly show our love for each other. What a great reminder of how small things like the format we choose to send a file in is an opportunity to show our love for one another. It also presents me with a reminder to be very intentional in everything I do. While this can seem daunting...
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You May Say I'm a Dreamer (But I'm Not the Only One)

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My life is really great. I have never starved. I have always had a roof over my head. I have a loving family. I have a supportive community. The few times I have gone through difficult periods in my life, I have gotten through all of them. Well, I didn't do it on my own; it was God who has gotten me this far and has provided more than I ever could imagine. It is the reminders of how God has gotten me this far that keeps me going. It is His promises that encourage me to keep believing-- to keep dreaming--about tomorrow. I know we are quarantined in our homes. I know most countries' borders are closed. I know the economy is rough right now. But I keep dreaming anyway. It was at the Global Leadership Summit (GLS) in 2016 that I realized we were destined for Global Missions. So last week, when I was beginning to think I should be more of a realist rather than a dreamer, I watched a video from that GLS of Jossy Chacko speaking and in it he said, " don't let the earth...
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Now Go!

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In the midst of being in quarantine due to COVID-19, this isolation has left me wondering how to make the most of my time. Never in my life have I been part of anything that affects the entire world like this pandemic has. Outside all of our doors, the world has pushed pause. It hasn't stopped. It has paused-enough that we can sit and ponder what is important in our lives. Since the quarantine began, I have seen people taking necessary time to [electronically] gather. I have seen people supporting their local restaurants so that their businesses may continue. Teachers are staying connected to their students for the sake of knowledge and well-being. I have seen people proudly sharing their gifts without fear or judgement. Churches are creatively reaching people and proving that the church is not limited to the walls of a building. I have witnessed the need for God like never before. This is why Easter is so necessary right now . Christ had come to earth, to live among ...
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