Walking in the Shadows

*I’ve been trying to write this post for a week, and I just can’t seem to get the words out of my head and onto the screen. There are times in our life when the feelings are just to raw to make them sound pretty or correct, there are times when you just have to get them out. That is my disclaimer for this post.   Can you go 10 whole days without praise? I think you can, I think I did. Can you be thankful but not praiseful? The week of surgery, I was prepared, at peace and even excited about it. The Lord had given me great peace and I truly had no fear. I thought what a great opportunity surgery would be for me to practice my praise. I finished Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts and was well on my way to recording my own personal One Thousand Gifts. I packed my little notebook along with my things for the hospital and was ready, like I was about to embark on a great adventure. Surgery went well, even with a little complication, and I was so happy to have the w...

  So, I have hesitated writing because this week has been a real test of faith. It is a test that does not seem to be over nor have I received the coveted A+. Yesterday it seemed the Lord reminded me the purpose of my blog and I felt the need to write even though my current test of faith is ongoing. Lately, I (we) have been in a holding pattern in almost all aspects of day to day life. The ministry, physically in our home, financially, emotionally, and I could go on. A holding pattern is simply defined as: “The flight path maintained by an aircraft awaiting permission to land.” Have you ever felt that way in life? You are flying along and just when you think you may be achieving your goals or finding the Lord’s will you are put in a holding position. Think about the above definition and how it could relate to your own life, with the exception of awaiting permission to take off instead of land. This week has been testy for me, I am not sure I will go through a list of ...

This thought has been on my heart all week, faith without fear. How many times have you stepped out on faith and noticed the trembling inside as you shook with fear? Isn’t it a scary thing to obey the Lord and take that step of faith? Not knowing where God is sending you, how He is going to provide for you, if you are going to get that job offer, if He is going to heal you, if your loved one is going to accept Christ, what to do next… Couldn’t you just tremble with fear NOT knowing??                 Hebrews 11:23 “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.” I was reading Hebrews this week and when I read this verse, a light seemed to come on. I had never thought about faith that way, faith without the fear. As you know, this blog is all about my journey in faith but I wo...

Last weekend, Jason and I had the privilege to go and work with a missionary who is beginning a church plant in the states. He has been a missionary for many years and has planted five churches in five countries throughout his ministry. I made a late decision in the week to travel with Jason so I really began the trip by scurrying around to make sure I had all I needed packed. We took Miss Addison with us and if you have a little one you know there are always a million things you can’t forget! As we start our journey very early Saturday morning I ask (for at least the fifth time) where we are to meet the missionary. My husband replies (for at the least the fifth time) “I don’t know honey, he said he would tell us when we get closer.” I smile and try not to stress, as I am planner and when a trip is involved I have it ALL planned weeks before! True to his word, about 30 minutes before our arrival we get a phone call with directions on where to meet. Now, we are heading his way and af...

(The above picture was taken in Gatlinburg TN) As I walked across the dark parking lot one last time, I couldn’t believe my job was over. Five years of my life is now behind me. But, as I got into my van and drove away there was such a feeling of freedom, the sadness was pushed to the back of my mind and I felt at peace. So, I know what you are thinking, WHY did you leave your job, what happened, etc? We (my hubby and myself) took a leap of faith and did what we felt God wanted us to do. I am sure some will think us crazy, others will wonder why it took us five years to make this decision. I do not have an answer to that, other than to say, we did it when God wanted us to. Our ways are not His ways and we are learning to trust Him as we go. Now that you know where we are in our little journey in faith, let me tell you what God has done for us in the last 2 ½ weeks since I put my two week notice in at work. The very day I planned on putting my notice in, I was all kind of ne...