Beyond What We Imagine...

On September 11, 2001, I was living in "on campus" off campus housing in n orth Oklahoma City. I was just a few weeks in to my junior year of Bible college. I shared the apartment with 4 other girls, all of whom had earlier classes than me that day and were already at school. We didn't have a tv and this was way before smart phones and news at the touch of a button. It was chapel day and I had one class before that and I was getting ready. I had on a navy blue polka dot skirt I borrowed from my room mate. I had just finished curling my long blonde hair. I was excited about my outfit that  day.  My mom called and I must have been half listening, standing in the  living room, as I heard her say something about hijacking and terrorist and a plane flying into a building. I said, "Mom what are you talking about? A movie? Is this a movie you watched?" She said "No! It's REAL and it's happening right now ! You need to turn on the news!"  I go...

Well I found myself really wanting to talk to one of my sisters or my mom tonight but they all go to bed at such reasonable hours so... here I am... telling you, the Internet, about my day. Have you ever had a day where at the end you would just like to go to the browser history in your brain and erase the last 12 hours from your mind? There is just so much sadness and heartache in this world. You see people hurt each other, on accident, but also on purpose. You wonder how people can do these things to each other? How can they do these things to themselves? How did they end up where they are? What can fix all these crazy messes?! But there aren't any easy fixes or easy answers that make everything magically better. One thing I do know to be true is that Jesus is still THE ANSWER and apart from him it certainly is all hopeless.  But with him there is hope...Oh blessed hope!!  Special music seems to always be timely for me. We are supposed to sing a special next month and I ...

To our beautiful baby girl... Although I moved away at this time last year, we got to see each other still because I came to visit you and you all came to visit me too and we skyped some also. You are good at working the iPad although you have a hard time paying attention but I love the hugs and kisses at the end! I can't believe how much you have grown! I remember this day 3 years ago. We were all waiting not so patiently to meet you. After you finally got here, I was watching you get your first bath (don't worry I took LOTS of pictures for you) and you wrapped your tiny little hand around my finger and my heart. But you are getting to be a big girl now!  You turn 3 today!  You say the funniest things and are so sweet and ornery. And you know that you light up all our lives. You are practically irresistible when you say "Pwease, Pwease" or "I need a hug" or "Just one more...".  Speaking of hugs, you give the best on...

The message Wednesday night reminded me of this song which for some reason I had forgotten about. He was talking about instances in the Bible when people were so distraught and seemingly at the ends of their rope but Jesus knew right where they were and showed up just in time. In this particular story, Mary, was very upset when she found that Jesus had been "taken" but at just that "end of the rope" moment Jesus spoke to her and called her by her name. I can only imagine - He must have said it in such a way that she immediately recognized him as the Lord!! When He Spoke She thought he was the gardener when she met him on the road  She had gone to see the tomb where Jesus lay  But when she heard the stranger speak "Mary I'm the one you seek"  She ran to the disciples and through her tears they heard her say When he spoke to me I knew he was the Saviour  When he spoke to me he called me by my name  The stone that sealed my...

In this case, help out MY sister. She entered this cute pic of my Daddy and niece in a "Kissy Face" themed facebook photo contest at Salway Photography .  The picture is called 'Kisses for Papa'. Please go here  and vote by "liking" the picture. The winner receives a free  session fee and I would love for her to have that! Thanks for your help! You're all the best!

My mom sent me an article today and it got me to reflecting on my time working with teens. Shortly after my brother passed away at age 14, my preacher asked me to start teaching a jr high girls Sunday school class. It was difficult at first to look in their faces and see them grow and know that my brother never would. But it also gave me the desire to show them the importance of living for Jesus while you are young as none of us are promised tomorrow - although we all have dreams and aspirations for the future. You may think - well that's not a very happy outlook! No it's not or well it could be, but it's the reality you're faced with when something like that happens. And it gave me the motivation and passion I needed to commit to the task. While I did have a void there without my brother I had some special kids to fill that space. Over the next 7 years I went on to teach jr. high and high school, both boys and girls. After working with youth for almost 8 years I can ...

I was looking over last years post...all 8 of them. lol No I'm not making a new years resolution to post more although I know I should try harder. I actually wrote 14 but only 8 made it out of editing. That's just how it goes for me. I received a Christmas Letter update from a friend with all the goings on of the year and it seemed like a great idea. So here we go... I put in my notice at my old job around the first of the year.  I had not found a job here yet but had been praying and was sure it was the right time to leave. My last day was March 1st and my friends gave me a great sending off. this is actually from my birthday but they looked pretty much the same without the hats lol March 2nd I got to go be a part of missions emphasis week at my high school. I brought several things from Kenya and was able to talk to many kids about missions. I thoroughly enjoyed it. March 3rd my least favorite part came next. Moving. You will know this if you know just how ...

Today my little brother, David, would have turned 24 years old. It's hard to believe it's been almost 10 years now since he went home to be with Jesus. But at the same time it seems like a lifetime ago. I was thinking about it today and what life would be like if that had not happened....and I truly can not imagine it. Just as at the time I could not imagine life without him, I can not imagine him here in this time. I can not imagine what kind of person he would be or even who I would be today because losing him and going through that changed my life and my family so much. I'm still thankful to God for bringing us through and that he continues to sustain us. I've been working on a long well thought out post for the last...ohhh...two years about him and going through that time of loss. It's still not quite complete. Maybe it never will be, because from year to year what I would say changes and I just keep editing... But I decided that even without all the ...

A couple in our church sang a song I had never heard this morning. It was a wonderful reminder of what this Christmas time that we celebrate is all about. It's easy enough to get caught up in the season and forget the complete picture. Don't get me wrong I love all the tradition and decorations and shopping just as much as the next gal but I never want to  forget or take for granted what this is all about. The first lines brought me in - it's not just about the manger, the angels and the "magic" of that day... IT'S ABOUT THE CROSS It's not just about the manger Where the baby lay It's not all about the angels Who sang for him that day It's not just about the shepherds Or the bright and shining star It's not all about the wise men Who traveled from afar Chorus: It's about the cross It's about my sin It's about how Jesus came to be born once So that we could be born again It's about the stone That was rolled ...

I must tell Jesus all of my trials; I cannot bear these burdens alone; In my distress He kindly will help me; He ever loves and cares for His own. I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus! I cannot bear my burdens alone; I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus! Jesus can help me, Jesus alone. I must tell Jesus all of my troubles; He is a kind, compassionate friend; If I but ask Him, He will deliver, Make of my troubles quickly an end. I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus! I cannot bear my burdens alone; I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus! Jesus can help me, Jesus alone. Tempted and tried, I need a great Savior; One Who can help my burdens to bear; I must tell Jesus, I must tell Jesus; He all my cares and sorrows will share. I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus! I cannot bear my burdens alone; I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus! Jesus can help me, Jesus alone. O how the world to evil allures me! O how my heart is tempted to sin! I must tell Jesus, and He will help me Over the world the vic...

In the battle between "me" versus "all the stuff", I was most certainly and sadly defeated. Last Tuesday I got through all the childhood memories boxes and was optimistic that I could finish it. But by Friday boxes and tubs seemed to be showing up out of  nowhere and I was reduced to tears...an overwhelmed exhausted mess of a person. One day I think I sat there for 30 minutes to an hour just looking at everything and not knowing what to do next. Looking back I know I got some things accomplished but it was just too much for one person in that amount of time. So it's still waiting for me and hopefully next time I will be bringing backup and we will be victorious!  Meanwhile at my "new home" this week, I had much to do to get settled in. I am soooo grateful to a very good friend who came over and went through everything (EVERYTHING) with me and basically got me organized. When it comes to being organized at work - I'm good to go. Most of the time ...

I know when I tell you this you will picture me stuck in a house maze with piles of newspapers and stacks of everything else in the world all over but I'll tell you anyway. I had to come back home this week to finish moving my leftover stuff into storage. (by the way there is no house maze - just a few (that's more than three right?) boxes in a garage - sorry to disappoint) I'm trying to condense as much as possible...and that means going through everything....E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!  I wanted to start with the old stuff first. I got started this afternoon and after 4 hours I can say I can not believe all the stuff I kept as a kid! You just wouldn't believe it. I was asking myself...what was I thinking? I had every card anyone has ever given me since the beginning of time. And I'm not just talking birthdays and Christmas. Thank you cards, party invitations, and VALENTINES DAY cards! The ones with cutesy little characters on the front and the back ...

I know it's been a day or two...or 30 since I posted anything and today's won't be anything long. Exciting ...but not long. So what have I been up to? I took a trip to Texas to visit some family. Had a great time...one night my aunt and I stayed up til 4 in the morning making a bed for her dog... A family birthdays wall hanging...  And a jewelry holder... Pretty wild I know! Also I have been busy packing! I put in my notice at my job here last week so one week and three days from now I will be moving! The next question you will no doubt be asking is "So you found a job?" To which I would reply "No, I'm just moving." Taking a leap of faith. So wish me luck and most of all please keep praying. I know I say this often but thank you for your continued love and support. You just can't know how much it means to me. So many people have been a blessing to me through this time of traveling back and forth for the last 7 months. Fr...

The following are updates from Bro. Madory over the last week: "The Medical Mission Outreach Team is AMAZING! The kindness, generosity, and sacrifice of all the team members was an amazing site to see. God used them to treat 2000 people with different illnesses. We also saw over 60 people trust Christ as Savior during the Medical Camps. Bwana Asifiwe!" "We ordained 2 national pastors yesterday in an afternoon Ordination Ceremony. Pastor Peter Mbugua and Pastor Ephraim Olusi are ordained ministers of the Gospel. Pastor Greg Hawn preached the charge. One Kenyan deaf man that attended the ordination service accept Christ as Savior after the service. WOW! and AMEN!" "Yesterday, we had our highest attendance at KBC (even higher than Friend Day). The day was filled with testimonies of what God did through the MMO Team, the Hawns, and the KBC volunteers. Many first time visitors were there to see this Karen Baptist Church they had heard so much abou...

I would like to share with you about a Medical Missions Outreach team that is in Kenya with the Madory's right now. I would ask that you pray for them as they are there ministering to the people and being an encouragement to our missionaries. I have been following the news from some of the people that are there right now and am including those post below along with a few pictures from the team. If you would like more information about this ministry please visit their website here and you can also follow them on Facebook at Medical Missions Outreach . ( pictures below are from Medical Missions Outreach facebook page - check out the rest of the album here ) "The whole team is in Kenya safe and sound! Came to Amboseli for a safari yesterday and have enjoyed seeing the beauty of God's creation! Pictures coming soon!"  "Today is the first day of clinic for our team. Please pray for us as we minister to the people here, and try to be a blessing to this church...