Yokemates

Driving down the road, I was laughing hysterically as tears rolled down my checks. If anyone would have seen me, I think they would have wondered if I had ‘lost it.’ But, no. I had totally ‘found it.’ I found the answer to a question many of us wonder about. Where will God send me? We say – and mean - things like… I want to be used by God. I told God, “I’ll do whatever you want me to do.” Use me, God. Show me where you want me to go, God. I’m willing to go to the ends of the earth...with a restriction like “without snakes, please!” So, why was I crying and laughing?  My laughter came bubbling to the surface that day as God showed me that 90% of the time when I'm thinking - ‘Whatever you want, God’  - I'm actually translating that to include a huge life change or that a relocation plan is imminent. While I know missions can mean local or foreign, my mind goes directly overseas. My brain goes ‘exotic’ or at least across one state line. And, all this, without a...

Today, I attended the funeral of a dear friend and ministry partner. She lived life beside me, encouraged me, taught Bible studies along side of me, shared ministry moments with me and just 'got it.' She got life, she got the sacrifices needed in ministry, she got the necessity of 'life balance' and she got true surrender. She was a great example to me of someone genuinely living out her faith, loving her family and serving her Savior. She was one of my finest mentors. Our relationship began about 25 years ago, but a deep connection was born after the death of her son - who was one of my high school Sunday School class students at the time. His was a tragic death and one that she and her husband faced with deep pain and eventual peace. I purposed early on to speak of her son whenever memories would come to mind. The funny memories brought laughter, but there were other moments when her eyes would brim with tears of love. We never stopped sharing our love for him and...

Do you ever have those days – or weeks – where you feel like God has something more in store for you? There is a restlessness of spirit and a lack of contentment. Nothing is particularly wrong, but daydreams of new and exciting opportunities float through your mind a bit too often. You can’t quite put your finger on what’s going on inside, but you start to feel like you just might be stuck. Those feelings are normal – at least they are for me. I can dream. I can work. I can play. I can simply enjoy life, but there are times when I find myself bored and restless. Nothing is really wrong. Just a bit of the blahs. It is in those moments that God reminds me that he knows right where I should be, and that perhaps I just simply need to be. Be kind and loving Be intentional Be growing Be humble Be faithful It is so easy to try and rush God’s timetable or replace it with our own timeline, but learning to love others takes time and opportunity. Christian growth takes...

“Do not be anxious – or worry - about anything.” Philippians 4:6a  That verse is easy to quote, right? But, it’s not so easy to live by! Anxious thoughts. Worry. Even as believers, those things are all too common in our every day lives – even after we’ve prayed! The reality of life is that we all have stress, and we all cope differently with our stress. Some sleep. Others exercise. Some blow their fuse – especially toward those they love, while others hibernate and stress-eat. Been there, done that? As we all try to cope with the demands of life, our stress levels ebb and flow. Some days are more successful than others. But, did you know that stress comes not only from difficult situations but in the fun and exciting moments of life as well? Welcoming a new baby into the family or remodeling a room in your house can create as much stress in your life as trouble with the in-laws or financial challenges. No surprise there, right? But, what about the stress caused by get...