small steps

small steps

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Joyful and Triumphant

Several years ago I was on a short term mission trip with some students in Atlanta. We had signed up to work with an inner city mission that served in ministries all over the city. The first evening we arrived they explained to us that they were going to take us to a place where we would have the opportunity to minister to women caught up in prostitution. I remember so clearly the dread and fear that swept over me. Instantly, I tried to think of excuses of why our group shouldn't participate. My initial reaction wasn't one of boldness or anticipation of the joy that comes with sharing God's love--instead I turned to fear and worry.

In that moment I was not a leader who showed trust in God's work for us...it took my students to remind me of our purpose in Atlanta. It took the lights that shined in their eyes that evening to remind me of who was holding us and who would equip us. Again and again, the Lord has used the sweet students that He's entrusted me with as the ones who have pointed me to Him in the moments I've needed reminding the most.

I remember a gentle rain falling as we climbed into the van to make the 40 minute drive through Atlanta traffic to the area where we would attempt to reach out to these women. My stomach hurt. All I could do was pray. Two of my female students would be joining me along with a trained staff member from the ministry we had worked with. As the van turned the corner, I saw a dingy strip club in the distance and there along the road in the darkness of the night stood a woman, alone and waiting. I could sense her pain and struggle before we even stepped out of the van. I still didn't have the words as we approached her. The staff member we were with initiated the conversation, I remember being overcome by her piercing blue eyes--so beautiful, yet so empty. My teenage students dived into the conversation. Handing her the verses of encouragement that had written for her and showering her with roses. And still I said nothing...and then all of a sudden, I heard myself blurt out, "You are so beautiful....you are such a beautiful child of God." Immediately, her eyes filled with tears and she held out her arms and we all stood there together with the light rain falling in a short embrace. She was a stranger to us--yet in that moment God united us as sisters. His love filled each of us. It was as if His arms were wrapped around all of us...and in a way they were. When we climbed back into the van, we found ourselves overwhelmed with emotion and tears streamed down our faces the rest of the ride home.

I've thought about that moment in ministry often--not because I think we accomplished something great but that because it always reminds me that when we step out and trust God with every fear and inadequacy that holds us back...when we step away from that HE is triumphant always. HIS joy triumphs over the fear and the worry and the doubt--always.

Yet, how many times since that rainy night in Atlanta have I found myself back in that same place...that place where I lack boldness...where I cling to fear instead of the triumph that comes in my King. I fail. But then, Christmas comes and we celebrate and remember that hope entered our broken world as a sweet, innocent baby. That God used teenage parents and outcasts in the field as the ones who would proclaim the message of His joy and hope. That as many times as we fail--God's love trumps our failure. His Son defeats the fallen world around us.

Lately, I've too easily focused on the brokenness. I've been swept up in sometimes feeling defeated by my own short comings and inadequacies. And once again, my Savior has reminded me through the voices of teenagers of His hope and joy. It's come in so many forms...some that I take for granted some days. It has come through witnessing students becoming excited about living God's Word...it has come through their faithfulness in prayer and discipleship with one another. It has come through a Christmas card sent to me in the mail and hearing their voices in worship each Sunday.

I'm beyond thankful for the reminders God has used in my life to remind me so sweetly that He is above all joyful and triumphant and that alone is worth striving to live each day for my King.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Free to Run.

Last Sunday at our 11a.m. service, the contemporary praise band led our congregation in the song, "I am Free." It was one of the most moving moments in worship I've ever been blessed to witness. The hearts of the band in their desire to give God the glory, the voices of our students that surrounded me, the musician's instruments...it all came together in such a beautiful and powerful way. God was with us & He was glorified and praised in that moment. That's not to say that He isn't exalted and worshipped in every service and every song we lift up in our congregation. I believe He is & I have come to know each of the people in our 11a.m. praise band and know their hearts to give Him honor and praise & to point us all in the pews to Him in every song they lead. There was just something powerful and special in that moment last Sunday.

I've been thinking about it all week. Especially on my morning runs. The air has turned from late summer to fall in the early mornings. The cold air makes it a little more difficult to run yet so lovely and refreshing at the same time. I'm not a great runner. I'm clumsy and slow. One of the things that I have found that helps my running breathing pattern is to have something to focus on in my head over and over...sometimes it's a prayer, sometimes it's scripture & sometimes it's a song. Over the course of this past week each morning over and over it's been the words from Sunday...

Through You, the blind will see
Through You, the mute will sing
Through You, the dead will rise
Through You, all hearts will praise
Through You, the darkness flees
Through You, my heart screams
I am free
Yes, I am free

I am free to run
I am free to dance
 am free to live for You
I am free
Yes, I am free


Every morning, as soon as I sit down outside my apartment to stretch and tie my shoes, over and over the lyrics turn on in my mind and with each step of my run my heart and mind have been trying to grasp the power of what really living these words mean.


The miracles & the promise found in trusting the Lord with it all. The freedom found in a relationship with Jesus that simply cannot be found in anything else. And even though, I'll never win a race or be the runner I wish I was, what a beautiful gift God has given me in allowing me to have healthy legs and and a healthy heart to run--to clear my head, to begin my day with Him.

There's another song the praise band leads us in from time to time that has a bridge that says this:          The miracle of Christ in me
Is the mystery that sets me free
I'm nothing like I used to be
Open up your eyes you'll see


How I love to sing the words from these songs. How I love to lift them up to the Lord and to know His promise and His truth in them....it's the living them out every day where the struggle lies. In some ways I think that's why God gave us that special moment in worship last Sunday...as a reminder of what to continually strive for through the gifts of the freedom He has given us through Jesus. That most of the times it's easier to focus on the mistakes, the struggles, the sin that gets in the way. In certain moments those things tend to seem overwhelming and bigger to face day in and day out. 

But the Lord is bigger than all of it. The freedom He has given us to run, and live and dance and worship is bigger than the struggles I sometimes feel are greater...they aren't. HE IS. Thank you, Lord for the glimpses. Thank you for the moments when my heart feels like it's stretching inside because of the ways you reveal your love and mercy. Thank you for the hope you give us in the freedom found in you.



Jesus said, "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32



Thursday, August 23, 2012

Because He Lives.

There's an old hymn that's been rolling around in my head lately and I love it so much that I can't just pick one line to share in this blog post--so here's a couple of verses:

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal, and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living  just because He lives.

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives.
But greater still the calm assurance,
This child can face uncertain days because He lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.


I've been singing this song ever since I was a little girl. I can remember standing next to my Grandpa in the pew of his tiny country church and listening to his voice sing these words, I can remember singing this in college and watching my best friend and I both wipe away tears from our eyes from the power of these words.

The promise and beauty of this hymn never leaves me. Isn't that Jesus? When He takes over your heart life just isn't ever the same. And I wish I could say that this hymn was rolling around in my head all the time.  That I was always so mindful of the promise of these words. That I lived without fear and in constant peace that God does hold my future. That in every moment of each day I lived in the truth and awe of the empty grave. Unfortunately, a lot of the time I get caught up in me. My desires...my fears...my plans.

Before I started writing this post I was sitting on the porch of the cottage I've been staying in with my parents on vacation this week. I've been sitting out here thinking about what's in store for me in the coming year...the next 6 months...the next 6 weeks. I was sitting here planning and dreaming and wondering with a little fear of the unknown creeping into all of it.

And then the hymn rolled back into the front of my mind. Just like God's grace rolls over my life again and again--day in and day out. I sang the chorus to myself under my breath and was reminded of the beauty that comes in trusting Jesus with it all. I'm thankful God knew I needed those words in that very moment--like He knows exactly what I need and always provides it for me in a way that surpasses my own timing.

So, I'll go to bed tonight with these words on my heart and I'll pray that He'll roll them over me again and again in all the times in between when I need reminding and because He's a living, merciful Savior, He will. Thank you, Father.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Selflessness.

The word selflessness has been etched onto my heart in completely new ways. God is so great. I can't really even begin to express how honored I feel to have witnessed His greatness in the ways that I have over the past month--and when I think of His greatness...His glory...the holiness of of God that sets Him apart from all else. I am truly humbled by the selflessness He has exhibited through the teenagers & adults I have been so blessed to serve in ministry with over the past several weeks. 


Two mission trips, one week at camp & one of our largest church wide outreach events all happened within a span of 3 weeks. Over those 3 weeks, I heard many comments like, "Are you crazy!?" "Are you tired!?" "How are you still going?" Well, to be completely honest...yes, I probably am a little crazy. There were days that I did feel tired. Without a doubt I kept going by a fuel that only comes through the grace and love of Jesus Christ. So thankful that the Lord always gives us what we need to sustain us in Him.


Here's the honest truth---I loved every moment of it. The early mornings and the late nights, the crazy air mattress I had to sleep on, the 12 passenger van full of sleeping students as I drove, the bathroom stops that take 30 minutes with 60 people.I loved watching our students form new friendships with one another and re-kindle old friendships. I love watching the students love on their adult leaders. Hearing them yell, "Rooooonnnnn" every time Ron Miller walks into a room. I love the silly caravan of vans as we travel. I even secretly love the moments when Joe & I have our classic "navigation errors" and end up in a subdivision instead of the park we were headed to. I love the new people that God has brought into our life through Youth Works & Camp Lakewood--to watch our students reach out and make new connections with the counselors and staff they are serving alongside. I love watching our teens fall in love with serving others whether it's playing kickball at a Boys in Girls Club, teaching their campers to sing 500 miles for the first time or playing Bingo with the elderly at a nursing home--it's transforming to watch their hearts develop more and more towards the call to be the hands and feet of Christ. I love taking some folding chairs and forming them into a circle with students and leaders that leads to literally hours of affirmation, prayers, laughter & tears. I love getting down on tired knees and washing the feet of students as an act of love in attempt to remind them that Jesus gave us the ultimate example of love. I love waking up in the morning and hearing 12 voices say "Good morning, Steph." I love the line of boys at breakfast who walk up to give me a high five or hug to start my day. I love watching adult leaders go on their first mission trip as a chaperone and watch their faces as they start to fall in love with our precious crew. I love all the random little things that happen that make us all laugh so hard our stomachs hurt. I love that my students know how emotional I am and pass a Kleenex towards me. I love that God has blessed me with such an awesome co-director in Joe that sometimes he can read what I'm thinking with just a look or a head nod. I love the Facebook comments from all of our student's families and parents from home when we post updates on the road, they are always full of love and prayer and God uses that love to keep us fueled & safe & well. I love it all. Every moment of the crazy mission trip/camp lifestyle is a blessing. 


And then there's the selflessness I've seen displayed. Over and over again I watched our crew put themselves last...whether in the love they extended to strangers or to one another. I saw it again and again, day in and day out. So powerful. So moving that some nights tears rolled down my face as I fell asleep because I was so touched by their selfless acts I saw displayed throughout each and every day. And, no we aren't a perfect group. And, no these trips weren't without splinters and struggle. But Jesus came first--and when Jesus comes first love falls into place in the most powerful of ways. 


In Colossians 3:14-15, "Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful."  I watched Paul's words come to life in the past 3 weeks. I watched one body form-- the command to be thankful takes on new meaning to me after this past month.


I can only imagine how God will bless us as we take what we have learned and the love we have discovered in the past 3 weeks and use it as our driving force into the mission field of our everyday in this coming year.  To God Be the Glory--Great Things HE has Done!

Friday, June 29, 2012

Riches.




Does anyone else find yourself reflecting more when your birthday draws near? Another year down...well, nearly. I was thinking about it last week a little. As I flipped through my Facebook newsfeed of another pregnancy announcement...another wedding announcement...another engagement...it made me sign out of Facebook a little quicker than normal. It just seems crazy to me that so many people in my life who I grew up with, went to college with etc. are in such a different phase of life than I find myself to be. 

God's plan is exactly that...it's His and for my life it's a little different than what I had envisioned as a high school senior or even a college senior.

In that same moment that I was sitting at my desk and all of the sudden I turned over and looked at the wall. My ribbon board is jammed pack with pictures. Faces of family and dear sweet friends. The faces of childhood friend's babies, the birthday spent at Disney World, faces of students that have filled my heart with more joy than I ever knew possible from Michigan to Mississippi and now Indianapolis. My eyes bounced back and forth...a picture from my days in Kenya and the sweet children there--another of my days out on the reservation in South Dakota, my sweet friends in Hillsdale who started my ministry journey with me, my parents and my brother and sister in law at Andrew's graduation for Vet School, and the precious friends that God has brought into my life here in Indy...ministry partners who have taught me so much about selflessness and love. I felt my eyes welling up as I saw the pictures I glance at every day in a different light. Each person...each memory a part of God's plan for me. I wouldn't trade a single piece of it for anything else. I wouldn't want one less photo jammed onto that ribbon board.

In an instant I was reminded of the riches He has showered over me and that my life is not my own it is His. If the God of the Universe can take my heart and life and fill a ribbon board with so much joy and love than I am His and His alone. 

I'm so undeserving and He continues to piece together His plan for me picture by picture...day by day...person by person. My heart's desire is to cling to Him and His will for all He has to come. 

Another year--another chance by His grace to praise Him for the riches and to draw nearer to His heart.


"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich."   2 Corinthians 8:9


Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Steadfast

My sweet friend C, sent me this verse in an email recently:

 "She will have no fear of bad news; her heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord." -Psalm 112:7

 It came at a moment when I really needed to be taken away from the worries of my heart and swept up in the promises of God. Ever since receiving that email, I have been thinking about and praying over what it means to have a steadfast heart.

The dictionary defines steadfast as resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering. It's so incredible to reflect on how steadfast God is with us. No matter how crazy I become with worry or fear--God constantly covers me with a grace and love that never waivers.

 Recently I asked a group of 5th-6th graders what it meant to trust God. They were quiet for a little bit and at first I was tempted to break the silence with another question but something nudged me to wait and let the silence continue for a bit, after another 40 seconds or so, the shyest little 5th grader in the group, squeaked out, "Give it all to Him." We've heard that before right? But for some reason in that moment it was like I was hearing it for the first time. To have an unwavering heart...a steadfast love and trust for God means really grasping what it means to give it all over.

 This is a pretty random post but I think what I want to express is that in the tiniest glimpses...an email from a friend or the words of a 5th grader are ways that God works among us to remind us of His steadfast presence in the midst of the craziness of our everyday. He gives us the perfect example of what it means to be steadfast by His love for us.

 "Glorious and majestic are His deeds, and His righteousness endures forever." Psalm 111:3

Friday, March 30, 2012

Surrender.

God has been whispering to me all throughout this journey of Lent. His whisper to me again and again has been one word. Surrender.

This morning, it hit me harder than it has in a long time. I've been holding so tightly to so many desires of my heart. I have been pleading with God for clarity and to understand His long-term plan for my life. To know every step of the future. To wake up each day with a post-it note taped to my bathroom mirror with direction from Him as to where and when and who.

And as I've continued to hold so tightly to these desires I've also been consumed with prayers for others that I love so dearly. In some ways my prayer life has never been stronger--I have found myself so freely able to pray for the needs and hearts of others and to take time each day to faithfully lift them up to our Father who holds them all in the palm of His hand.

But as faithfully as I've been in those prayers I have struggled to obey the simple command that God has been whispering into my heart. Surrender. I have failed to lay at His feet the unknowns and the insecurities I have and I have failed to fully rejoice in where He has me and what He has gifted me in this very moment. I just feel like I should be wearing a tshirt that says: "FAIL".

Anyone who knows me pretty well or has driven with me in my car knows that I have a horrible habit of never changing the CD in my CD player. A few weeks ago I traded out the Chris Tomlin CD that's been in since before Christmas with the Gungor Beautiful Things CD..over and over and over, I listen to these songs. And this morning, when I finally was real with myself about ignoring the whispers to surrender... these lyrics from a Gungor song, played over and over in my head and my heart: "Jesus you're the one who saves us/ Constantly creates us into something new/ Jesus surely you will find us/ Surely our messiah will make all things new."

How can I allow my Savior to create something new within me if I cling more to these fears and the desires I think I know all about--because honestly I don't. But Jesus, who has saved me and covers me with grace does know. He has a plan for every ounce of my heart and now it's time for me to lay it at His feet. To wake up each morning and surrender it all again to Him... in the hopes of the new that can only be found in Him. And that His desires are worth waiting on.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not in your own understandings, in all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Being.

This is how I got my start in youth ministry. What I'm sharing below is a part of a bigger writing project I've been working on for the past couple years. We'll see what God has in store for it...but I wanted to go ahead and share this piece of it. To me, the greatest youth leaders and volunteers aren't the ones with a microphone in their hand or leading the games or worship. It's the people who are behind the scenes...who give their time and their heart for Jesus & allow Him to be their guide with the teenagers that cross their paths. The only thing really needed to bring to the youth ministry world are time & a love for Jesus and a love for what Jesus does in the hearts of young people. Sometimes it's just about being there. Being present and consistent. Just being.

So, here's a little piece of my journey and how it began.


God had given me little glimpses. Little nudges and pushes that this was how I could serve Him with my life. They came in the tight grasp of a student clutching onto me for a hello or goodbye hug, the sweet yet squeaky voices of teenagers worshipping the Lord in song and smiles…lots of braces filled smiles of students.

But you never forget the moment that it is perfectly clear. The moment that I knew for sure that this was the adventure I was ready to step into with all my heart and soul and strength. And it came in the form of six Wendy’s frosties.
We were four very different and mismatched college students to be honest. I was majoring in writing & studying the Bible, David, was bound for medical school with his pre-med studies in biology and chemistry, his brother, Tim, was enthralled in our college’s education and speech department and my best friend, Natalie was what I liked to call “the voice of the campus”, as a beautiful soprano majoring in Music in Education. One way or another we ended up volunteering our Wednesday evenings and Sunday’s at the same tiny church right down the street from our small college campus. It was like God picked each one of us out of a very different crowd and threw us together into a ride that we would never suspect would tie us together in such a special way. But here we were, sometimes a little awkward and unsure with how to interact with these teenagers from a rural community who were not too many years younger than ourselves.

There was one thing the four of us had going for us a volunteer youth leaders—consistency. The consistency that united the four of us with these students made an impact more than we ever saw coming. And isn’t that just like our perfect Creator? He promises us in His Word, that when we are consistent in our relationship with Him, He will bless us and make an impact in our life and heart like none other.

So, here we were four mis-matched college students—and God could use even our measly consistency in a great and awesome way. David was a senior, when I was a junior and Natalie & Tim were sophomores. The spring of his senior year, the four of us began to realize that our consistent habits with this youth group we had come to love so much were about to change, one of us was about to move on.

I remember the sadness I felt one Wednesday evening when David wasn’t there because he had a senior commitment—I started thinking, “This is what it will be like next year, down to three.” Never for an instant did I ever imagine the impact his graduation would have on the students. I was blind to the great work God was doing all around me. I figured the little time we could give as college students in a week didn’t really add up to all that much. I mean, we were there, we loved the time with the students, we prayed for them---but we were college students there’s only so much we could give. A couple hours consistently every week couldn’t amount to that much….could it?

It was late spring that year when my crystal clear God moment happened. The teaching time that Wednesday night had hit a soft moment with some of the students. It was one of the last Wednesday’s that David, Tim, Natalie and I would be there together before graduation and then the summer college break. As the worship band began to sing the last closing song, one of the teen girls standing next to me in the church pew sat down and began to weep.
My mind went 10 different directions--- Is someone in her family sick? Is she not feeling well? Did her boyfriend break up with her? Is she struggling in school? As I sat down next to her she wrapped her arms around my neck into a tight, wet hug. I let her cry for a few minutes before whispering, “Megan, I’m here…” Honestly, I had no idea what else to say, to this sweet girl I loved, but yet still didn’t know very well. I will never forget her response as she stammered through sobs, “I just don’t want David to graduate and leave---he means so much to us.”

My jaw dropped. Was she serious? David? I looked into her face and saw the sadness of a teenager who had grown to depend on the consistency of my medical school bound friend whom maybe she had shared a quick word and a high five with once a week. All of the sudden, her twin sister was sitting next to her in tears as well.
Natalie and I sat with the girls, hugging them, and letting them mourn the foursome of college student leaders that would soon be down to three. We were mourning it too, but in a different way as friends who have to part ways in life do. I remember that occasionally, Natalie and I would look at each other with expressions—What do we even say? There were no words. What the girls needed was our consistent presence.

For our arms to hold them in a tangible way to remind them that there Heavenly Father’s arms and love for them is eternal and unwavering. It was in that moment with those weepy, emotional, teenage twin sisters that I knew this was the calling that I was in with for the long haul. If the Creator of the Universe could use the consistency of four awkward college students in such a powerful way to further His Kingdom, I was in. My heart for youth ministry in Jesus name was wrapped tightly around me, just like Megan’s arms were around my neck that evening.

As Natalie and I sat with the girls in the dark church sanctuary after the other students filed out, David and Tim stood in the back waiting. Consistent. Every few seconds Megan would look back to see if they were still there. After a few Kleenex, we asked the girls if there was something we could do to show a little extra love to them…this was their response: “Can we go get some 99 cent frosties from Wendy’s…us and the four of you?”
Natalie and I started laughing and knew that this was something we could make happen. We took the church van for the occasion and off we were to Wendy’s. Four college students, and two 14 year old girls. I don’t remember what our conversation was at Wendy’s that evening. I remember lots of laughter and the girls wanting a hug from each one of us when we dropped them off at home a little later, I think David’s hug was a little tighter than usual from them that night.

Six Frosties from Wendy’s. That was my beginning into entering into a new journey that has filled the past five years of my life with the drama, tears, laughter, jokes, joy and most amazing stories of how Jesus Christ will transform the lives of young people when we come to Him as His servants—His vessels---His tools—to be used consistently so that He can transform and prevail in the lives of teens.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Distractions.




This is the pile of books that has been collecting on my nightstand over the past 6-8 months. I'm reading all of them. I've only completely finished one of them & then immediately put it back in the pile because when I read a really good book I like to read it 2-3 more times to make sure I didn't miss anything. My reading pile continues to build & my reading time has become less & less. This is kind of funny to me because I don't have cable TV or Internet in my apartment and even without those two time wasters (because really, that's what I'd do if I had them). I am still able to distract myself enough with the 6 basic TV channels I do get & my iPhone.

I've been distracted and I've been busy. Like 12-hour work day a couple times a week busy.

Today is Ash Wednesday and it's time for me to slow down a little. It's time for me to put some of these distractions to the side and focus in on my relationship with Jesus, because at the end of this 40 days comes the greatest sacrifice & celebration the world has ever know--the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

And when I'm honest with myself, I know that a lot of days I don't live like I really get that. I become wrapped up in my own stuff...my own distractions and I don't bask in living in the freedom that comes in knowing and worshipping a living King.

So, I'm thankful that the calendar has come to these 40 days of Lent again. I'm doing some things very differently than my "norm" these next 40 days. I'm going to take more time to be still. I'm going to spend more time with my Savior and I’m going to attempt to tackle that stack of books that have been waiting for me on my nightstand.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Spreading the love.

Just wanted to share with ya'll a short post highlighting three ministries that I love. I know that there are probably thousands of organizations that spread love & truth in the world by being the hands and feet of Jesus. These just happen to be three that I follow & support. So, if you're looking for a different way to spread the love this Valentine's Day, there are many ways to support these ministries whether through prayers or financially. This is where my Valentine card money went this year. Happy Valentine's Day!

1. http://amazima.org
Check out what Katie Davis & the Amazima ministry team is doing to share the love of Jesus in Uganda. There are awesome ways to be get plugged in stateside as well! Katie's story has had a huge impact on my heart & life...not because she claims to be anything spectacular but because she claims Jesus and His calling for her in everything she has done & continues to do. She is constantly giving God the glory for the amazing ways He is using her in Uganda. Katie's example of faith has opened my eyes and heart in new ways to Christ's calling for my own life.

2.http://www.startwithonekenya.org
Start with One Kenya is one of the ministries I was blessed with the opportunity to be apart of during my time in Kenya last summer. The passion of this ministry is so incredible that it can only be the work of Christ fueling the fire and light of the Start with One team to the people of Kenya. One life at a time they are sharing the love of Christ by helping widows & orphans, distrbuting water filters, holding medical clinics, etc. I look forward to the day that I can go back and work with this awesome team!

3. http://inumc.org/pages/detail/185
As a part of the United Methodist Church is exciting to see what our denomination is doing in the US & around the world to share Jesus through meeting the needs of those with so much less or who are facing hard times. Check out what the United Methodist Church is doing through missions in Indiana.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Timing.

Well, I've been a bit of a blogging slacker. I've been thinking about a blog post ever since we hit 2012 over a month ago but haven't taken the time to sit down and write one & then today my co-director, Joe posts on his blog that it's 100th post & I really start to feel like a slacker...so here it is, my first post of 2012.

I mentioned in my very first post on this blog a couple months ago that I'm not a fan of change. I struggle with it--but time and time again when I have given my fears and worries to God in the changes I'm facing He never fails to remind me of His greatness & His control. I should know by now how perfect His timing is for me but there are instances where yet again I get caught up in inpatience, worry and fear. I'm thankful that God's Word is available to us because I know without it I get so bent out of shape and am continually needing it to draw me back in and remind me of the freedom I have through trusting God with the changes in my life that are out of my control & that His timing for me is best.

Last night at Bible study, I was reminded of that once again when we were looking at the passage in Luke 9 when Jesus feeds the 5,000 that were gathered to hear him teach. I love this passage because I can picture myself in this crowd being someone there who would be stressing out how to feed everyone...thinking it would be impossible. And in this story there is the reminder of how nothing is impossible to Christ. That He provides for us & gives us more than we need. I love verse 17: "And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces." There were baskets of leftovers after thousands of people had eaten so much that they were satisifed! That is the greatness of Jesus--He knows our every need & wants to satsify it for us with more than we can imagine.

Recently, God has been reminding me the beauty of His timing for me and let me say, I haven't been the model example of patience. It's been heart wrenching at times. I can think of time spent on my knees in surrender for His timing for my life & the glimpses He is giving me recently of the bigger picture have been a great reminder of His provision. That what He has instore for me is always worth the wait and maybe it's just around the corner and maybe it's a little further down the road. The peace I've had in the past couple of weeks is that knowing what that next step holds-- is worth the wait.

"But do not overlook this fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you..." 2 Peter 3:8-9a