Of Celebration and Things to Come

Bright eyes, early morning. Rubbing sleep away, joy overtakes my thoughts. It seems like just yesterday, we stepped out in faith. Once more, letting God lead us to a new place. From the mission field back to our home country.

Simple faith to lay down our dreams for His. To trust that as always He would be our Jehovah Jireh and His provisions would be seen. To step out of the boat onto the crashing waves as He called us to come home.

Tears well up in these sleepy eyes. Tears of joy for all our God has done in us. Leading us into a time of refreshment, rest, and rejuvenation. Of strengthening and showering us with His love and blessings.

We came back to change the world. Our passion for reaching the lost and teaching the truth of His love and grace only grows stronger. Our God, faithful always.

Be encouraged today. Wherever you are as you follow your dreams for your life, trust in Him. We have forever been ruined for the ordinary and look forward to the extraordinary days ahead.

At the Top of My Lungs

Ever feel like shouting? The kind of shout that shakes the doubt. The kind that wakes from sleeping slumber. The kind that sends vocal waves through the valley and resonates with hearts who hear.

A simple phrase I shout today with pen and ink. Take a deep breath, God given breath of life. Molded dirt forever changed with the breath of life. Breath fuels our praise. Our words. Our sighs. Our prayers. Without breath we cannot say much can we?

At the top of my lungs, I shout for all to hear today. GOD IS GOOD!

You smile at the simplicity. My heart does as well. Yet I need to shout it loud.

In the past, I walked in a daze so many stumble in. A haze of doubting with the confusion the enemy sent to muddle my heart. I see the same haze hovering over His body in some places and all I can do is shout from the mountain.

Words spoken. Beliefs lodged deep into hearts in the midst of pain. 'God gave me this cancer to teach me a lesson.' 'I guess God wanted this precious little one home in heaven so he took her home.' 'This sickness is a gift.' And my own mutterings of my heart in the past I could add. The list is long.

I shout today. GOD IS GOOD! My eyes opened to the truth. Seriously, open eyes wide to see .... The pain of cancer, the sorrow, the misery, can that be from my Abba? Would he send misery and death? Would the same God who gave His own son that I might have life, force me to open a package of pain with his name attached? Does He delight in tears of sorrow and create them for us to taste? He cannot. God is love. And love never wraps itself as such.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." - John 10:10

I look around, slightly winded from shouting over my own life. The icky, the pain, the disease, leave thief fingerprints. Anything that attempts to steal my joy, destroy my health, kill the full life that Jesus gives me ... I recognize the source. Simply put, my Jesus only gives life abundant. If there's any destroying, killing, and stealing I know from which camp it comes.

I have yet to understand it all. The whys, the uncertain pleas, the wonderings. I understand that the Word of God is true, always. I see that my loving God can take the sludge heaped on and somehow, bring His good into the situation. I know the sludge never comes from Him.

Today, I unwrap His gifts and they are always good.

"Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

-James 1:16-17

Buffalo Dancin'

We starting singing tonight. Dancing around the house. My 8 year old, my 6 year old, my hubby and this happy lady. We're doing a water buffalo dance because, every body does have a water buffalo (including all of us here at Splashin' Glory) Sing with us tonight, splash around in joy for what God has done ....

To have a crazy dream. To share it with all of you. to watch as God gives His own Christmas presents once again. To imagine the face of a family this year in India, the poorest of the poor, who will receive the message of Him wrapped in a water buffalo. To do a little water buffalo dance. There is a WAY in the manger and this year a water buffalo will be chomping from it.

How can I contain it, the joy, all my Jesus continues to do. He blesses abundantly. He gives us the desires of our heart (even when it is as zany as a water buffalo). He brings us into fellowship, uniting His body for His glory. He wraps His gifts for us, all of them simply waiting for us to pull the bow and receive.

Celebrate His goodness. Share with us something, one thing or a thousand, that you can rejoice in today. Something a God full of goodness has wrapped for you. Here is mine wrapped for India.

Of Artichoke and Christmas

"Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." - Psalm 37:4

Wrapped in a season of celebration, stop and notice the little bits. The gifts that a loving God adorns with bows of everyday. I am learning. I am looking. I am finding.

Over a year after returning from the mission field, we celebrated the gift of family and friends. Opening our home, we welcomed them with laughter, cherished our time, celebrated the goodness of our God.

With so many I wanted to create a evening of joy right down to the artichoke jalapeno warm spread. As people came and came, filling our home with smiles and friendships, I danced in the gift of hospitality. Sharing, welcoming, hugging, greeting, I glanced and noticed one dip was dwindling. More food abounded, no lack, yet I simply wanted everyone to enjoy well, everything. Without a worry, I simply continued to host and enjoy our time with family and friends.

A few moments later, I glanced across the kitchen to notice a friend filling a bowl to the brim of freshly warmed artichoke jalapeno spread. She had brought it to our celebration and arrived with the warm gift from a Jesus who cares even about the little things.

In that moment. In a simple act. The hand of my God providing for my every need. Giving me the desires of my heart. Answering the whisper under my breath. Wrapping His gift in warm artichoke.

It may seem trivial to some. Yet this sweet reminder, one in countless, reminded me of a God that sustains the world with His Word, sends His Son to bring me life abundant, and cares about the minute details of my life.

I can trust Him to provide for me. I can rely on His grace to sustain me. I can rest in His goodness. And when the last guest leaves, I can scoop up warm artichoke spread and smile.

What gifts (small or grandiose) has God wrapped for you this Christmas season?

And rejoice with me in 70% of our water buffalo to wrap for Jesus this year!

(We are splashing together to bless a family in India with a gift this year for Christmas. Simply click to donate as all funds will be donated to Gospel for Asia)

A Child's Smile

His smile captures my heart. Always has, always will. It's the mommy in me, beating strong, heart tied to a grin with dimples. A mighty tool for our Jesus, this little smile.

As a babe, His smile opened doors for the gospel in Thailand. After the Tsunami ravaged this beautiful country, we left to share hope. Everywhere we walked, arms reached for our children. People knew our hearts of love for them through a child's smile.

In Panama, traveling through the rainforest villages, instant connections made with other families through this smile. We were there to share Jesus, as a family, side by side. Friendships forged, bridge for the gospel, through a child's smile.

Kenya, Honduras, Costa Rica, United States, the trend continues. There is power wrapped in a smile. He moves my heart with a simple grin. Imagine what delight it brings our Abba God in heaven to see a smile spreading on our face. His child's smile.

I love Saturday posts ... simply a time to sneak a peak at my old snapshots and smile. Would you keep me grinning today and share something that makes you smile!

Knowing me

Knowing me. 13 years of life, crumpled together in glorious reality of day to day. Who I was, at 20 when a ring forever changed my now, I did not know. Somehow he saw and chose to believe in who I would become.

Bending on knee, asking for my heart, declaring his love for the first time, washing me in the Word. My prince, has 13 years slipped through our eyes together. You have seen the best and worst in me, no masks. Knowing me more intimately and profoundly than any other.

My knowing little of marriage and wife wisdom, you devoured crunchy rice and failed culinary masterpieces. Battling in prayer, you upheld me when I could no longer stand. Huts of distant lands, you took my hand. Holding me when fear stole my breath. Caring for the delicate blossom of me as it emerged on the vine.

Can it be, possible to love with intensity matched only by his. Wrapped in his arms, dreams intertwining with mine. I blush still to this day. His eyes alone can capture mine and hold me in a state of thankfulness mixed with anticipation of what lies ahead.