expressing the Father’s heart…

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From glory to glory…

My week at home with the family was such a gift. I love my family’s sneakiness and I love that the greatest gift we’ve ever given each other is time together. I kept thinking about that throughout the week, just the blessing of my family. Not everyone can say these things about their families, and I never want to take it for granted.

I was walking back to my house one day and listening to the “field of dreams” soundtrack (of course.) and I just looked at all the cars outside the house and of my family there and of all that we’ve been through and all that God has protected us from. I was overcome with God’s goodness to me and my family. After 28 years (for me), we’re all still here, and still love one another. That’s a real sweet gift to me. And I am very thankful to the Lord for it.

We joked and talked a lot by the end of the week about how we should all move in together and live communally. As someone who’s been doing the communal living thing for 5 years, I’m all for it, of course ;o). I don’t know if it’ll ever happen, but a part of me still hopes someday we might get to live closer together. And though I can dream and wonder about what that might be like someday, my spirit yearns for the promise – that one day we would all be together forever in a place where “goodbye” will be a distant memory. I long for the eternal reunion, and so I pray hard that not one in my family would be lost. We go from glory to glory by the Spirit. And so, though I ache every time we have to say goodbye, and I long so much to see desires fulfilled on this side of eternity, I know with my weak faith, that truly the best is yet to come, and I must seek first His kingdom.

But, I still miss them.

Operation Coconut Cream Pie

My family has been blessed with a great propensity for sneakiness.

For example, when my dad was living by himself in Colombia for several months and mom and the kids were back in Houston, my dad, with his sneakiness, showed up unexpectedly at our front door for a surprise visit. I still remember sitting at the kitchen table while Katie and Tim went to answer the door and the minute “dad” came out of their mouths my mother flew to the door like I’ve never seen before. Priceless. And so it began.

Then there was the first Christmas back in the states….or thanksgiving…or something…all I remember is Tim and I had flown down from Chicago to New Orleans to be with everyone, except Katie who wasn’t going to make it that year, except that she magically appeared as a stow-away in my grandparents bedroom. My mom cried, it was priceless. We were all together.

I tried my own hand at the sneakiness a few years back when I drove down to Houston unexpectedly for Mother’s Day or Easter…I can’t remember which.

Which brings us to this past weekend.

So, my whole family being together is a big deal for my family. After spending 10 years overseas and having been split up earlier than we should have been, homecomings have always been very sweet to each of us. We were sad this past Christmas that everyone but Katie, her husband Phillip, and their new son, Noah were going to be able to make it to Houston to celebrate. We knew they were planning to head down to Houston in Feb. but then Tim and I, the Illinoians, wouldn’t be there. So either way it was incomplete, and we haven’t all been together for about 3 years. So, for the past two months my brother, Tim and I have been scheming about how to get down to Houston so that we could all be together – and to do it without anyone knowing. (Okay, we did end up having an informant, but almost everyone was surprised.)

Although our 12 + hour drive south afforded us many brilliant ideas about how to actually show up and surprise the family…here’s the idea that won out…

At about 9:30am Sunday morning Tim and I did a drive by of the house to see how many cars were present to determine if the occupants had in fact journeyed to church of if they were home. Inconclusive information recieved. We would have to figure out if anyone was home another way…so we parked slightly down the street, after having taken a picture of the house with my cell phone.

I send a text to my sister asking if Noah wanted to skype. Yes! she texts me back saying, “sure, but I have to get stuff set up.” Excellent. Tim and I venture to a nearby park to take a picture of us looking sneaky. Our plan had to be simple and quick…too much lead in would have given us away. So taking the two pictures on my cell phone, I sent them, and the text below, simultaneously to Katie’s phone, my mom’s phone, and my dad’s phone …while our vehicle slowly drove back to the drive way:

“Guess who?”

“Guess where? Knock. Knock.”

As we quietly got out of the car in the driveway we looked at each other wondering…have they seen the pictures yet? But at that moment we could actually hear the squealing inside the house and my father’s booming voice yelling “they’re here!” By the time we had snuck up to the front door, Katie was opening it. Squealing, tears, and “I can’t believe its” followed. The timing was so perfect.

And at long last, we were together again.

The Call- Southern Illinois

Thanks to Doug Woning for the photo.

On Saturday January 21st, believers from all over Southern Illinois gathered for “The Call”. Calls have been taking place all over the nation for several years now, they generally entail 12 hours of praying and fasting for our nation. This one was very similar, although not sponsored by “The Call” ministry, and focused really on praying and fasting for the state of Illinois. It was a grassroots endeavor, and wonderful.

I was so encouraged to worship and pray with people from our region really focusing in on our state and “taking back our land” so to speak. I believe truly that the ultimate governmental force on this planet is the praying church walking by the Spirit. In that place of prayer God can transform nations! 2 Chronicles 7:14.

We’re believing for more such Calls around our state, and praying that God would truly transform Illinois for His glory!

Fireproof: God’s Amazing Grace, Love & Compassion

I love this movie. I love how it celebrates marriage and covenant and love that’s not based on fleeting feelings, but on real love – God’s love. How DO you show love to someone over and over again, who constantly rejects you?By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us…1John 3:16

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Amen.

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Kingdom minded…

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The dress rehearsal.

Last week we had a major ice storm here in Cairo. It took down most of the tree limbs all over the city, including most in our yard. It also rendered our town powerless for days. In fact as I write this there are still homes without power. As you can imagine with no power or light, things were very cold here, especially at night.

After the first night without power we spent the next day connecting with the police station and Red Cross to see how we could help. As it turns out, Cairo needed people to run the warming shelter in town until the Red Cross showed up. Our staff were able to help out! God had already prepared us to cook for the masses and set up sleeping rooms through our experiences with YouthWorks, we were excited to help (and also to stay warm, the warming center had a generator).

For a few days our staff rotated around the clock to prepare meals and care for those who came to the Elementary school to stay. I can’t tell you what a blessing it was to be able to care for the people of Cairo. I can honestly tell you I was exhausted at the end of my time slots, and wrestled to focus on Christ in the midst of all the tasks at hand. But the Lord filled us up through it all. I loved getting to talk to many people at the shelter and truly the Lord created a sweet atmosphere at the school. Everyone was appreciative and helpful towards on another. I loved seeing the kindness of the Lord displayed in the people of Cairo. It was also a wonderful blessing to work alongside the fire department and police department and city officials to serve our community.

I was particularly touched the night I went over with Heather C. to do the night shift. One of the women staying at the shelter was elderly and got around in a wheelchair. She ended up being very sick and throughout the night Carney and I would have to take her to the bathroom and then back to bed to tuck her in. Taking care of her was very humbling for me as it required me to get over any fear or awkwardness or offense and simply do what had to be done. As I was running around trying to get different things for this sweet woman I found myself stopped in the kitchen, pausing, filled with a thankfulness towards God, that He saw it fit to call me there that night to care for this woman. I know I don’t have anything to offer – just Christ’s love, and He has to help me give it out, even. This woman’s name is Jewel, and the Lord just reminded me of the rewards of heaven, the jewels in our crown and how special it is to Him every time we stop for the one He puts in front of us to love them with His love. It was a welcome lesson for me.

Because Cairo sits on a major fault line, we’ve known an earthquake is coming, someday to this area. It felt like these few days were a welcome dress rehearsal to what it might be like to care for people in the midst of another disaster. We continue to ask God to prepare us for what is to come and to fill us with His love that many would know Him as the loving Father He is, come what may.

Covered.

The last few weeks have been packed and filled with treasures, some of which I want to share with you all and give praise to the Lord!

On January 23rd I celebrated the big 28! I still don’t understand how that happened, I’m quite sure I was simply 5 a few minutes ago, but by the grace of God, here I am at 28. I may still look about 17, but I ensure you I am nearing the 3-0 soon. This year, more than any other, I woke up on my birthday with such a thankful heart that God had given me 28 years. Each day is a blessing, and I found myself praying that I would live this next year not taking anything for granted, but thanking the Lord for each new day He provided for me to serve Him on this side of eternity.

I was blessed with many birthday wishes and the blessing of flowers by my bed and a bag full of goodies from my CHOP family. But to top it all off, my birthday also began the Women’s Retreat for the First Evangelical Free church in Springfield, MO, which our staff were asked to lead it.

The entire week leading up to it, our staff was sick and we headed into this retreat like a band of broken soldiers – which was perfect because the Lord is strong in our weakness, and we were weak. The theme was “Covered”. Each of our staff shared a testimony of God’s work in their life and Kristy and Sharon did a remarkable job of teaching about praying God’s Word and making the Lord and spending time with Him as our top priority. I was encouraged and inspired listening to each one talk! I am again overwhelmed by these amazing women I am privileged to live and serve alongside. They are so, so beautiful. I love their sweet love for Jesus.

It’s hard to sum up this weekend. I am still amazed to think of how God worked in the lives of the 90 or so women who came to the retreat. These women are so remarkable – filled with so much passion and gifting. I loved seeing them pray for each other, to care for one another in the midst of tears, and to turn to the Lord in worship and pray, as a body of women in such a powerful way. I’m excited to see the things God will do with them as they step out anew chasing after their first love.

To top it off, there was a make-shift spa that the women’s ministry team ran during the evenings for the women at the retreat. It really was a picture of the ultimate sleep-over party, all these women of all ages in their pjs getting massages, their hair done, facials, the works. it just reminded me of the desire in the hearts of women to be pretty,pretty princesses – because we were created to be daughters of the King!

What a blessing to spend my birthday having a sweet sleepover with 90 women and talking about the goodness of God! I couldn’t have planned it if I tried.