Around the world with the Lord...

We've been home now for 3 days...I've tried for 3 days to find the adequate words to share...I still can't seem to find them...We've had it said to us that they don't know how we do it...or maybe even why we do it...our answer...how can we not go...or why would we not? To be honest we are so humbled that God would allow us to go...that He would trust us with His message...that He would equip us...that He would provide for us to go...that He would allow us to be just a very small part of all that He is doing globally...

I think one of the next questions people would ask is...what is the hardest part...not sure you will really want to know the answer but here goes...

The hardest part...is coming home...to a place where my biggest fear is I'll become more complacent...to a place where, really, we have such freedom to worship without fear...and yet we don't or if we do we take it lightly or we choice something else instead...please know, I'm not saying that is true of all...but as a culture I believe it to be more true than not...

Between the men and the women we had 75...many of them quite old...they walked as far as 3 hours...one way...to come sit on a concrete slab for another 4 hours to hear God's word...they had a 15 minutes break in the middle...then a journey of up to 3 hours back home again...they did this for 3 days straight without falling asleep in the middle...or wiggling...or whispering...would I...would you? How desperate for God are we really?

Desperate is the word that God continues to throw at me the past few days...am I desperate...for Him...more than anything else...more than doing life with Scott...or being with my family...or leaving the comforts of home...

We had a family come minister to us for several years...as they were praying about coming to McDonald County...they were asked why would you go...God began to bring our faces to their minds...and they very clearly began to understand...why wouldn't they?...that is a God kind of answer!

So today I am seeing the faces of those precious ladies I had the honor of spending time with and sharing God's word with...those faces, where some are more seasoned believers than others...those that still had a bit of questions in their eyes...and all of them having...a hunger for the word...for these ladies,they attend church...and have  been discipled...but this was the first time they had a teaching JUST for them...I remember they first "conference" I attending as a believer...to date, none have surpassed all that God revealed to me that weekend...Lord...continue the work in the lives of the ladies...give them courage to share...help them to be strong with the pressure that comes from their unbelieving family...and friends...and Lord...take me back...over and over again...

14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” Romans 10:14-15

34 years...and counting...

Can I just say how blessed I am as his wife...as his partner in life...where did the time go...I remember peeking out the front window of my house...so nervous...never in my wildest dreams imagining how that night would change both of our lives...how we've both changed over the years...for the better I think...

A few things I love about him...

...the way he reaches for my hand during prayer
...and during worship...

...the way he loves life...and can find humor in almost every situation...almost!!!

...the way he prays just before we go to sleep...

...the way he was and is with our kids...a father with great love...helpful...always there for them...even now as adults...all they have to do is call dad...

...the way, even when his body hurts...he takes time to play with the grand kids...the pride in his eyes when one of them wants to learn about his work or thing he is tinkering on...or when he tells them things about Jesus...

...his passion for the nations...and his sacrifice that comes with that...

...his drive to experience life to it's fullest...from skydiving...to eating gross stuff to impress a student...to simply teaching me about laughter...

We celebrate 34 years today! We both have often said we thought we were in love when we married...but the honest truth is, we had no idea what love was...but then one by one people and things came into our lives to teach us about love...Scott had a better grasp than I did simply because he already experienced the love of Christ...but we both still had so much to learn (and still do...I hope we NEVER get to a place in life that we think we have not reason or purpose to keep learning lessons!)...As our babies started to come I began to get more of a pictures of love...each one them taught me a little more about it...and then I met Christ...and a whole new world opened up for me...and really for us....because...now we had a world to share...a world where grace abounded (and we found/find that is so very needed to survive!!!)...a world where, as Scott and I would grow closer to the Lord individually...we would grow closer together as a couple...a process that...with many flaws and mistakes...our children watched lived out before them...

Scott asked me last night...where did 34 years go...I think at times...he wishes for more than we have...a little land...not have to still work quite as hard...but I look and see so much more...I see us...still standing by the power of Jesus Christ...I see 4 grown, amazing adults...that we both had a part of...who love Jesus...who have mates that love Jesus...and Michael being the husband he is to his sweet Beks...while we are not perfect people...he saw a husband live out sacrificial love...a trait that Michael absolutely  has like his dad...I see their dad in all of them...I'm thankful for that...grateful for the heritage that comes from him...to them...we are such a blessed family...

...by his example to me, Scott has allowed me to understand that I'm loved, cherished and adored by the creator of the universe...and that creator...gifted me with Scott...who this side of heaven...loves me, cherishes me and adores me like no other...

here is to another 34 years...I'm in love!!!

Birthday Twins!!!

Well Rylee and Caleb are 7 years old today!!!! It is so hard to believe it!!! They bring such joy to our lives...Rylee lovin' on her babies...I think she will grow up to be a GREAT babysitter and an even better momma someday!!!

Caleb...is the little man...sometimes very serious and other times crazy with giggles! I can't wait to see all that God will do in him...and her over the coming years...

They were at the house the other day and we were watching a IMB video...the video asked if you had ever done anything that changed your life...they both piped up...YES...oh...what was that...we went to Peru and told people about Jesus last summer...and played with the Peruvian kids...well said twins...well said...how many of us can say by the time we were 7 we experienced something that changed our lives!!!

Happy Birthday Twins...
~Love you so much~
Grammy

Happy Birthday Cas!

Another year has come and gone...life just keeps going doesn't it!?!? I know I always say it but it's true...I can close my eyes and see you with your baby doll...loving it and momma-ing it because you have always been a momma...I'm sorry for that...and thankful for it too because you have had lots of practice and now look...you are...according to Camden Isaiah...are pretty much the best mom in the whole wide world!

I pray today you feel loved...you enjoy your classroom...your teammates appreciate you a little extra today...you know you are valued...by all of us who are honored to call you ours! But more than that I pray you know how much God loves you today...just a fresh reminder that you are a child of the One True King...a precious person to Him who is held when you feel alone...who He finds joy in...and who He has equipped for such a time as this!

I love you...have a blessed day...and have a GREAT date night tonight with that boy that stole your heart so many years ago!

Love,
Mom

Ayden Parker...

Oh my goodness...where has the time gone...I can remember when you were the only one...the one who made me a grammy...something I have always looked forward to becoming...and now you lead the pack of 6!

Sometimes, Grammy can close her eyes and still see you riding old bucky...and singing your sweet songs...and then other times...I'm afraid to blink because next you will be an official teenager...then driving...then graduating high school...going to college...and along the way somewhere you will meet that special girl who will still your heart!

Poppy and I are so proud of the young man you are becoming...you are always ready for a hug and a quick "I love you". We pray that God grows you in great ways over the next year...we love you so much buddy! Enjoy the night with your family!

Love you...
Grammy and Poppy!!!! 

My bonus daughter...

Today is another birthday in our family...Bekah's! I'm so thankful for the laughter and joy she brings to our family...as far as the adults added to our family...Bekah has completed us!

As the years are going by I get to see more and more of her heart...a heart that loves Jesus and my son with a great passion...a heart that loves the children she comes in contact with on a daily basis...a heart of an aunt that is crazy about her nephews and nieces...a heart that is willing to do whatever the Lord lays before her and her Michael...

I pray today is extra special for you Beks...that you know just how loved she are...and how much of a mark for the Lord you leave on a daily basis...

I know for me...I take my family for granted so much of the time...I forget...or maybe the better term is...I neglect to tell them just how special...how loved and how important they are to me...so today my sweet girl...know I love you...I'm thankful and honored to be the "real deal" for you!

Have a great day!!!

Love
your forever MIL!!!!

Why can't the words come easier???

I've needed to write for sometime now but the words simply will not come...I'm not sure why I feel the need to write, but, it is like refreshing my soul somehow...able to see more clearly what God is teaching my in my everyday life when I can see the words...and I also know that since the words are written down I can look back and see the marks the Lord has place in and on my life...marks I need to be reminded of when I have those days when He feels so far away or maybe even not there at all...the marks remind me...He is ALWAYS here...

Have you ever experienced one of those times in you life where you feel like you are just going through the motions...maybe even feeling  a bit numb while you are doing it? I think that is the best way I can describe life lately for me...and yet...we have been studying the life of Joseph...one of my favorite life events in the Bible...his brothers sold him into slavery at a very young age...and yet...God was with him...and Joseph trusted God...and Joseph was blessed...he was actually put in charge of much of his master's house...and life was indeed, worth living and trusting God...and then the master's wife told a terrible lie about Joseph which led to him being imprisoned...for many years...even there...Joseph lived for the Lord...if he had days of feeling numb we don't know about them...he just lived and trusted...ultimately God's entire purpose was reveal...you should read the event if you never have...Joseph is a true picture of a man how loved the Lord...trusted Him completely...and never became bitter because He was able to see life was not about himself but about the Lord and His redemptive grace...you can find the account of Joseph in Genesis chapters 37-47

And so...here we are in the year 2015...not in prison...still with some freedom...and able to worship without fear every Sunday and Wednesday in my local church...free to share the truth of Christ without fear of being beaten or killed...so why...do I feel numb...the answer is very simple...when I feel numb and I feel like the Lord is further away that I'd like Him to be...I realize...I'm the one who moved...God never left my side...but I took my eyes off of Him...moved just a bit in another direction...and before I knew it I had moved further than I ever wanted to go...the good news...He is right behind me...all I needed to do was turn and there He was...the ENTIRE time!!!! I'm so thankful for the Lord...He is what gives me hope...He IS the hope of this world...the only HOPE of this world...and He has called my name...has He called yours?

One of our questions this week in our study and actually a few weeks ago also...is what do you love to do...and what if...what you LOVE to do is part of what God will use in your life as a way of sharing or investing in others lives...Well...tonight I get be a part of one of the things I Love...which is to standing in a room full of students and share what Jesus has and is doing in my life...I LOVE that...and I stand amazed that God allows me that opportunity on a weekly basis...

I've never thought about my passions and interests being the very avenues that God may use to open doors for me...I mean...yes I SHOULD have known that...but when life is going on...day in and day out and it becomes mundane and you become numb...then you forget...this is were God has me planted for now...and so...open my eyes to the needs around me...be a willing vessel to be used as opportunities arise...be willing to walk daily...like Joseph did...realizing there is nothing about this walk that is about me...it forever has been and will be about the Lord...should that makes feel like a nothing? By no means...the Lord of Lord and the King of Kings...allows us to be part of His pictures!

I'm so thankful for the life lessons He teaches me...I hope and pray that if I'm still here at 95...He will still teach and I will still be willing to hear...listen and submit...

Serving Him...intentionally...