Adversity, Life Purpose, Transformation
Leaving the mission field was harder than going to the field, as I described in the previous 2 posts (part 1 and part 2).
I won’t go into all the details of the next few months, but we really had no idea how much of an impact moving back to my hometown would have on our family.
After moving back and buying a house, John was still pretty sick. He basically had 2 options: to live on the high dosage of meds he was on or switch to an infusion-based treatment. Neither sounded great. During one visit, which was a Tuesday, the doctor told John that he may be a surgical candidate. We had no idea there was a surgical option. We saw the surgeon 3 days later on Friday. The surgeon then told John that he would have surgery the following Tuesday, just 4 days later. Wow! Talk about a shocker. They removed John’s entire large intestine and did a J-pouch surgery. He had an ileostomy for 2 months while that healed. All this within a week of learning that a surgical option even existed. Two months later, after the J-pouch healed, he had a second surgery to reverse the ileostomy. (more…)
Adversity, Life Purpose, Transformation
As I said in my previous post ( part 1) , the hardest thing we ever did wasn’t going to the mission field, but leaving the mission field. We honestly had no intentions of ever leaving.
We went to seminary specifically to work towards serving as career missionaries. That was the plan. There was no back-up plan, nor any interest in another plan. We knew we were doing exactly what God had for us to do. Our seminary years were pretty amazing and our calling was confirmed over and over.
Fast forward to 7 years on the field and all of a sudden we were faced with the decision of staying on the field very sick, taking a leave of absence, or taking a medical resignation. (more…)
Adversity, Life Purpose, Transformation
What is the hardest thing God has ever had you do?
Do you know what it is? Did something come to mind easily? (or does everything seem hard….)
We left a job with the post office to move to seminary with 3 boys and a baby on the way. The transfer to the post office in Memphis didn’t work out, so John ended up delivering pizza through seminary. (We joked that it was probably the most highly educated delivery team in the country. Several of the guys were working on their master’s degree and there were even some doctoral students!) We lived on $650/month. On paper it didn’t make sense, especially since our rent and van payment were already over that amount, but God was amazing and we learned to rely completely on Him and trust Him like we never even dreamed we could.
(more…)
Being a Godly Woman, Life Purpose, Transformation
Do you have anything in your life that you know God is asking you to do, but you don’t want to do it? (Ouch!)
What makes it hard for you?
- Is it uncomfortable?
- Out of your comfort zone?
- Does it involve someone you really don’t want to help?
- Would it produce a result that you don’t want to see happen?
Even when we are spiritually mature, we can still fight and wrestle with our good old stubborn will at times. (more…)
Family, Life Purpose, Marriage, Parenting
What difference would it make if you knew your life purpose and lived intentionally, seeing each day as a gift, celebrating life, maximizing your relationships, and dedicating 100% of your life to God, bringing Him glory in all you do?
I read a great book this week. It’s 20,000 Days and Counting, by Robert D. Smith. It’s a simple book, and can be read in about an hour. When he wrote the book, at age 54, he had been alive about 20,000 days.
The idea is that life is short, yet each day is a gift you are given from God. Maximize each day and don’t waste a single second. What could you do with 20,000 days? How different would our lives be and how much would we accomplish if we lived each day on purpose? (more…)
Adoption, Family, Life Purpose, Living intentionally
My family just finished a very unique and exciting week. It left me with many mixed emotions. I feel so blessed to have experienced what we did and am truly humbled, grateful and joyful that God would allow us to be a part of this. At the same time, it makes me homesick.
Let me explain….. (more…)
Life Purpose, Living intentionally
Do you ever look at your life and compare it to others and think how theirs is so extraordinary, but yours is just extra-ordinary?
I think we’ve probably all done that at one time or another about something.
Do you have a vision of something big and grand for your life, but you feel that in reality your life is just kind of plain. It’s not quite what you would like to do. Maybe you are content with how it is, but know you could do more. (more…)
Goals, Life Purpose, Living intentionally
What is it about the new year that makes us stop and reflect on our life? I think it’s a great thing to do—-at any time of the year. But something about December rolling around and knowing there’s a new year and a fresh start around the corner makes us think about changes we’d like to make, things we did or didn’t do well in the current year (or past years), and goals we would like to set. (more…)
Adversity, Being a Godly Woman, Life Purpose, Living intentionally
I would love the opportunity to get to know you and hear your story. What is your life like? What has made you who you are? Nothing is too insignificant or too grand to talk or dream about!
- What are the things that drive you?
- Your passions?
- What is on your heart?
- Maybe there’s something you’ve always wanted to do but have never even told anyone because you figured you would never do it anyway.
It seems that life has a way of happening and one day we may wake up and realize that it is very different from how it started, what we thought it would be, or even how we want it to be. Of course, it could be for the better. (more…)
