So I’m not fully sold on the concept of having only one word for the year, as I feel like God moves so much in a year and I don’t want to be constrained to one word. But I like the concept of focusing on something God may teaching me rather than feel scattered by all the possibilities.

As I woke up early one morning (not by choice), I was reading my daily devotional and the word that came to mind for me at this time is “FOLLOW”. In the past, I have followed God in choosing a university, I have followed God along with my husband in youth ministry, I have followed God to Uganda. But the “FOLLOW” I am challenged about is Matthew 16:24-25: Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Continue reading →

I have read a few books over the last months that have really challenged me in how I love people. “You and Me Forever” by Francis Chan was more about my relationship with the Lord and serving His people than it was about marriage. And “Tattoos on the Heart” by Greg Boyle with Homeboy Industries is a beautiful testimony of how people need Jesus but they won’t know Him without finding love first.

We all battle judgement, both in feeling judged and in judging others. I’m not sure anyone can go anywhere without knowing judgement. And judgement is equal opportunity – singles, couples, poor, rich, men, women, moms, dads, kids, outcasts, celebrities…the list goes on and on. Unfortunately, it’s part of our flawed human nature. But that doesn’t mean we have to accept it or let it handicap us. Continue reading →

I have been listening the audio book by Bob Goff ” Everybody Always”. If you haven’t read it yet, you should. It’s a really good book about loving people. And not in the “because the Bible tells me to” but the in practical everyday life reality of who we are called to be in Christ.

Early on in his book, he challenged me about being called a missionary. We are all on the mission field and we are all called to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” – Matthew 28:19-20. Continue reading →

It’s easy to get distracted and busy. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by life. It’s easy to drown out the world and my troubles by ignoring them.

But sometimes we can look at all the problems in the world and wonder how we can make a difference. I don’t know about you, but it’s daunting to think there is so much need and I don’t have enough resources, energy, money, time, sometimes love…

Continue reading →