in the love of Christ

We live in the unexpected. God, in His mercy, gives us glimpses of what lies ahead of us more often than not. Those glimpses come through encouraging conversations, deeply seated passions within us, or doors that open wide before us. Those glimpses are displays of His mercy as He shows us where we go next and they don’t happen every time. Having been “on the mission field” now since January, serving the Lord in ministry of a much different variety than our previous lives in the American church, I can honestly say I found myself nesting into our current life. Part of that nesting comes naturally when you have a baby and want to have a safe, comfortable home for that little one to enter into. The other part of that nesting is just the basic human desire to feel at home. This can become an idol for me, taking my focus off God and putting it on myself . I mean, on those sometimes rare evenings where the whole house is tidy (it’s never actually clean...just tidy) and the kiddos

My daughter came in from school yesterday a little out of sorts. There is this look that comes across her face when she is trying to distract herself, or maybe just distract me, from the fact that she is upset. She couldn’t hide it for too long because, once she got upset about the scissors not working well, she had a meltdown. This was not about the scissors. After a few minutes of crying and being held in my lap, she finally told me what happened. Her friend at school was awarded “Student of the Day” for being a great helper, or something of that sort. I told her how exciting that her friend has been such a good helper that she got that title! My daughter disagreed. She told me she was too sad for herself to be happy for her friend. Somehow, the Lord led us through that conversation. I explained to her that it is ok to be sad for ourselves and happy for our friends at the same time, that the Bible tells us to laugh with those who laugh and mourn with those who mourn. S

I am going to tell a long story about bringing Jordan Lynn into the world. I don’t want to forget a bit of it. Not. One. Bit. I do want to share some parts of it here with you. Months ago, I found myself learning new things. Maybe they weren’t all new things but a revision of some truths I have known for years with new understanding of the Truth written on my heart. Scripture after scripture, sermon after sermon, podcast after podcast the Lord was fleshing out the same things in me and He still is. But, one thing, kept coming up and it frightened me. I have been intentionally studying how to pray in the Spirit for a year now. It has changed my prayer time from bringing a list of requests to God and then finishing my coffee to get on with my day. Praying has turned into a real conversation, as one sided as it may seem audibly, where I find myself praying for things I would not ordinarily pray about. It’s been more driven by the Holy Spirit. Here is one of my favorite mini-ex

I woke up today and forgot for a good few hours what day it was. With one kid getting ready for school, the other following behind her big sister, a very pregnant me trying to eat something before nausea sets in and my husband watching the clock to get out the door on time, I would say I didn’t give enough thought to the calendar this mornings. But, that is real life. We sat at the table for a moment together, him and I. The little girls played imagination in the living room while we grasped one another’s hand and stared out into the miles of rolling Irish hills scattered with greens and sheep. Seven years. It has been nearly ten years since we met and started “doing life” together. Nearly ten years have passed since we found the Lord placed the same call in our hearts for His Kingdom in Ireland. Nearly ten years have passed since I saw a young man who fervently sought to know God and love Him with all he had. Today, though, marks the shift and covenant day between us.

As I have read and prayed through Psalm 139 the past few weeks, I find myself wondering how many of us have sat in a season of life where we could take enough breaths and think to ourselves that things are really steady. At some point, have you ever thought you were sufficiently strong in faith and knowledge? That there was no real risk involved as you work out your faith in action? That there is no fear left to creep in? Me neither. Maybe, for a few moments, I might have thought that in the last four years. But, I clearly remember praying that God would grow me. Heck, many throughout God’s Kingdom were singing this prayer: “Spirit, lead me where my trust is without borders, let me walk upon the waters wherever you would call me. Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander, where my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my Savior.” (“Oceans” by Hillsong) If you don’t think the songs you raise in worship to the Lord are prayers, you might want to watch out. Watc

“Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” I bought this wooden block a year and a half ago. It was a time where I found myself with lunch breaks to meet up with friends or to think alone at the coffee shop over my favorite hummus plate. I had accepted a job about five months before as a nursing director at a local agency providing community based support and nursing services to people in their homes. It was exciting and challenging and truly a position I had always said I didn’t want. But, I loved it! Home by 5:30pm from my job right down the street, able to have dinner and rest with my family, setting goals as a family and seeing them happen, having the chance to advocate for peoples’ best health and choices every single day… this was a dream come true. It was a dream I didn’t know I wanted. So, when I saw this little wooden block I knew it was necessary. I bought it and put it right in my kitchen, alternating between stove top and window sill, to

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17 A couple of months ago, I was driving into town with my girls. My oldest toddler was sitting in the back seat quietly singing to herself. “Oh-oh, My God is always with me wherever I go.” She has a raspy, child’s voice and it was sweet to hear her singing that in the dark of night in a quiet car. I prayed she would know that, believe that, and experience that for her whole life. Her God is with her wherever she goes. It was a crazy season. We had sold our house, sold nearly everything we owned, moved in with my in-laws, and accepted positions to serve as missionaries abroad. We were just two months shy of the big move and there was a ton of… feelings and emotions. My daughter would ask to please go drive by our old house, already redecorated and looking familiar yet foreign to us. We were, and still are in many ways, living lives with no strings attached. Hymns reiterati