Reflections and Responses

It's amazing to think at how different life is for John and I this Christmas compared to last Christmas. Christmas can be a time of nostalgia and reflection as one year comes to a close and minds begin to spin, dreaming and plotting out courses and goals for 2011. A few things that are different for the Harpers at Christmas 2010 compared to 2009: - We live in Atlanta versus Cumming. - We are involved in Passion City Church. - Our family has expanded (hey, we got a cat, that counts!) - We both work at different places than we did last year. - We are busily preparing for Passion 2011 this year, where we will be as soon as Christmas has passed. - John's family is joining mine for one big Christmas lunch this year, which is a blessing. - Our families have both experienced various job and life changes. - John joined a hunting club and bought an old truck that allowed him to spend many happy mornings in the woods doing what he loves. - We were affected by wonderful memories we made i...

I kind of feel like I have been living the last few weeks on autopilot. Do you ever feel this way? My days have been so full that I'm just going through the motions, sliding (more like racing) from one activity to the next, but not fully present anywhere that I am. I almost feel like I have started a mental countdown in my head for everything that I do (ex: Christmas and Passion 2011), and I'm watching time as it passes by rapidly instead of BEING in and seizing every moment. I'm enjoying moments, but I'm letting them happen to me instead of approaching life proactively. Living this way has a numbing effect, making me not fully aware of everything around me. I'm just existing and floating from one moment to the next without really synthesizing anything mentally. I don't like to live this way. I wonder if it is a defensive mechanism I have put up in order to avoid being overwhelmed by the many things that are happening around and to me. I told a friend the other ...

I really dislike how it's not okay to be "not okay" in our culture. Let me explain. In the Bible, some of most inspiring key players (say, David and even JESUS!) struggled and had low low's. As He was dying, Jesus asked God to take the cup from Him, if it was His will. He was struggling. It was a low low. Fast forward to 2010, and somehow our culture completely shuns brokenness. In fact, we assume someone is weak or has a flawed personality if they are down. Most of the time, we don't even ADMIT when we are struggling because we fear how others will perceive us. We fear rejection, gossip, and that others will think badly of us if we admit we are dealing with sadness, fear, depression, or sin. The enemy loves it when we keep our seasons of struggle hidden from others. Evil thrives in the darkness. When we don't tell anyone about our struggles, we isolate ourselves and basically wilt, receiving nothing to alleviate our pain. When we are honest about struggles, c...

“Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.” - Henry Van Dyke I stumbled upon these words from Henry Van Dyke this morning and was taken aback. His explanations of these similar words are poignant, though I was challenged by the truth that "thanksgiving" is a verb. Merriam-Webster is in agreement with Van Dyke in his treatment of the word as an action. It is defined there as: "1. the act of giving thanks." In our (sometimes warped) culture, thanksgiving is way more about receiving than giving anything. On Thanksgiving (the holiday), we receive excessive amounts of food while also receiving a few days of vacation from our livelihoods. Most of us feel very grateful toward God in our hearts but do not act on our feelings or truly GIVE thanks. I challenge you to pray about thanksgiving (the word in general and the holiday) and ask God how He wants you...

Atlanta has been exploding with colors over the last few weeks. The leaves are absolutely astounding - crimson, yellow, and fiery orange. I have really appreciated the beauty this year and realized how much this landscape screams of the glory of God. There is much irony in the fact that leaves are the most beautiful when they are dying. I see an obvious paradox in the God-breathed and God-glorifying death of the leaves and the concept of dying to self as a believer. Jesus said in Luke 9:23: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." We glorify God the most (elevate Him; praise Him, draw attention to Him) when we say no to our selfish desires, "dying" to our flesh and yielding to God's best for us. We glorify and radiate Him when we die to our desire to be great/famous/popular, to our sinful desires, to our desires to control our own lives. When we die to the idea of making ourselves the leader of our lives...

Imitating Christ’s Humility 1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and ga...

It took longer than usual for me to fall asleep last night. I don't know what exactly kept me awake - the buzz of the Braves game John was watching in the living room, or me dreading my exercise class in the morning, or what - but my mind began wandering. I was reminded of a stage I went through in the fourth grade. I would wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to fall asleep every single night for what seemed like months. Every time this happened, I would creep across the hall and stand at the foot of my parents' bed and announce that I couldn't sleep. Eventually, my parents set up all kinds of activities near my bed to help me get back to sleep. I remember reading "chapter books" and listening to Seal's "Kissed by a Rose" on my boxy black CD player in the middle of the night, hoping that these soothing activities would do the trick. Usually they did. Eventually my parents confronted me gently and said that I really didn't need to c...

"Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near." James 5:7-8 I have never thought much about farming. Growing up in the suburbs and now living in a city, farming is not really on my radar (except for the annual flower beds my parents planted - but those involved planting existing blooms, not seeds that needed time to sprout). Now that I think about it, farming requires more patience than most professions. Farmers wait literally months, sometimes close to a year, to reap benefits from their labor. In our instanteous, drive-through, multi-tasking world, months = a VERY long time. My job requires a lot of time on the computer, and I become impatient when it takes more than five seconds (literally) for my Internet browser to load! Farmers take the cake for patience. Are you wait...

What frustrates you? This morning, I became frustrated, and once the frustration crept into my mind, everything changed. I became critical, short-tempered, and judgmental. Suddenly I found everyone and everything annoying. I allowed one small interaction in the morning to color my focus and outlook for hours. Silly, isn't it? Does this ever happen to you? I found some definitions for "frustration" that helped me put words around why exactly the interaction I had this morning frustrated me: "Frustration is a common emotional response to opposition . Related to anger and disappointment, it arises from the perceived resistance to the fulfillment of individual will." (Ouch.) "A deep chronic sense or state of insecurity and dissatisfaction arising from unresolved problems or unfulfilled needs" (Ah!) Basically, I became frustrated because I was challenged. I allowed my pride to be wounded. Someone did not comply with a request on my timeline, and this person...

In a few weeks, I'm heading to Berry College for Mountain Day. Mountain Day is homecoming, parents' weekend, and a holiday all rolled into one busy, hot, celebratory Saturday. The essential element of Mountain Day is the grand march. This tradition involves students lining up by class year and marching up and down a hill while holding hands. Students wear a specific colored shirt based on their gender and class year as well. I'm making it sound odd, but there is tradition and symbolism behind the march. (You can read more about Mountain Day here .) Other Mountain Day festivities include student olympics on the day prior, a picnic lunch, a church service, and reunions for various student organizations, clubs, and sports teams. The day was originally established because of the school founder Martha Berry's birthday, but it has evolved into much, much more. I never missed a Mountain Day as a student; in fact, my parents usually came up for the day, and we had a great time....

As I mindlessly scrolled through Facebook tonight, I stumbled upon a friend's status that stated exactly what I wanted to say in a blog post: "Learning about life and that it's not always fair-- at all. And that is okay. It has to be okay because we live in a broken world." So true. Married couples struggle with infertility while others accidentally get pregnant, orphans around the world starve while we live in the land of excess, perfectly healthy people are diagnosed randomly with cancer, people are hit by drunk drivers. None of this is fair. BUT, who am I to say what's fair? I'm not the painter creating the piece of art. I'm just one tiny spec on the canvas. Psalm 9:8 says, "And He will judge the world in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity." The painter - the master - the creator - it is He who says what is fair and establishes justice as He wishes. My job is to pray that He will show me how to respond to th...

I am grateful that God enables us to stay humble. As soon as I begin to become prideful about an accomplishment or feel like I am something special, He reminds me of my inability to do anything without His intervention. Maybe you can relate - it seems that as soon as I "master" or conquer one challenge (with His help and by His grace), another one pops up seemingly out of nowhere. This allows me to constantly be reminded that I am truly not in control of anything, therefore causing me humble myself. It can be immensely frustrating to have a struggle pop up or re-emerge, but it serves as a healthy reminder that this is not my permanent home and He's not finished with me yet. I am just clay in the potter's hand - clay that needs humility to stay pliable to avoid drying or solidifying in poor form. As difficult as challenges and discipline can be, I like that God reminds me that I am only a small player in His story, not writing my own.

My dad is about to go on an adventure. On Tuesday, he is flying back to Ghana - but this time, he is going to live there for three months to teach for at a seminary for a semester. I am thrilled that he has this opportunity to invest in Ghanian pastors and experience life there for more than a couple of weeks (the duration of time he's usually in the country). He will be living at Seed Ministry with the missionaries we have worked alongside multiple times - also where my sister lived for six weeks this summer. I'm sure that my dad will end up serving in many other ways besides teaching while he is there, which is neat. Who knows what needs will arise or what God has in store? My dad will most likely preach at local churches Seed Ministry works with, assist with tasks around the facility, and fill other roles that we would never be able to predict right now. You can read a brief note Dad wrote about his trip here . I would love for you to pray for my family during this time. Ple...

I am sitting here at my dining room table in the exact spot I sat when I had my initial conversation with a member of the Passion team a couple of months ago. She was in Tokyo on the World Tour (World Tour = Passion is going to 7 cities around the world this year doing events for young adults), and I was chatting with her on Skype via webcam. Now, I am sitting here after completing my first day as a member of the team. God is so good. He has put an incredible opportunity in my lap - all glory to Him - I did nothing to deserve it. Thanks to Him, some new colleagues, and prayers/calls/texts from loved ones, I had an awesome first day. I am humbled and excited to continue this journey. "...'I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,' declares the LORD." - Jeremiah 9:24

It is funny how some things never change, but people do change. Let me elaborate. As you know (since I have been inundating Facebook with my status updates about the subject!), I have been able to spend a lot of time this week in Cumming visiting my sister (who lives in California but is visiting for two weeks) and extended family. Today I drove to my grandparents’ house to spend the day at the lake with some of my extended family members, which made me nostalgic. I mulled over the idea of change and was flooded with memories as my car glided easily over the familiar curves in the roads that lead to their home. My grandparents have lived in the same house for my entire life, and I lived in their neighborhood for part of my childhood. I have ridden and driven on those same roads countless times but at totally different stages in my life – riding next to my sister in my mom’s minivan when we were little, riding in John’s truck as he drove me home from dates, and driving my Beetle when I ...

I’ve been blown away recently by Stephen from the Bible. Have you noticed how he is described? Luke describes him in Acts 6:8 as “Stephen, brimming with God’s grace and energy…” Later, he says that people were trying to argue with Stephen about Jesus, but “they were no match for his wisdom and spirit when he spoke.” Even later, Luke writes that a riot broke out, “But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, hardly noticed – he only had eyes for God, whom he saw in all his glory with Jesus standing at his side.” (Acts 7:55). Wow. I’ve been thinking about my new job and first impressions a lot lately, so my first reaction when I read these passages in Acts was, “I want to be referred to like that – ‘brimming with God’s grace and energy, ‘only having eyes for God!’ ” I want my new coworkers to think I am the 21st century, female version of Stephen in my focus and zeal for the Lord! John keeps reminding me that I just need to be myself, not worry so much about appearances, and let the relations...

I took a whopping 46 bobby pins out of my hair last night after being a bridesmaid in my friend Judy’s wedding. As I took them out, special memories flooded my mind of other times I’ve removed unbelievable numbers of bobby pins from an up-do (hey, it was a lengthy task – I had time to think!). I thought back about various roles I’d played in theatrical performances in high school that required extravagant up-do’s, tons of hairspray and small armies of bobby pins. I also thought of my high school prom experiences – nights I anticipated for years (literally). Then I thought about other weddings that I had been in, supporting close friends as they married the men of their dreams. Finally, I thought about my own wedding, laughing as I remembered sitting cross-legged on the floor of a hotel room as John pried what seemed like a pound of bobby pins from my head. It’s funny how objects as inanimate and cheap as bobby pins brought so many significant memories to my mind. It reminded me of peop...

Even though I work on the external affairs team, I feel like I don't always do a great job of explaining what the organization I work for does. The opening video from our conference in June does a great job of explaining what our organization stands for and aims to accomplish, in a (pretty) nutshell. I thought I would share this for any of you who are confused about exactly what Points of Light Insitute is all about. The video is just a three-minute montage of words. I hope it's helpful. Watch here .

Today I had the opportunity to visit a place where emotions run high: the escalator leading to baggage claim at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. If you have ever been there, you know exactly what I mean. The escalator is the meeting spot for travelers to greet those waiting for them. It’s as close to the terminal that non-travelers can go. Those who have just landed in Atlanta experience emotions as they come up the escalator, and those waiting for them are filled with a range of emotions as well. I have been on both sides and experienced an assortment of feelings. Coming up the escalator, for example, I have felt relief to be home, excitement to see John or my parents waiting for me at the top, a little disappointment when no one is waiting for me, and exhaustion from my travel. When waiting on others, such as my sister or my parents, I have felt extremely excited, slightly irritated when the plane carrying my relative is late, and tired from waiting. I know that many people...

God is so cool. I was having a rough morning (which, of course, God knew). I turned on my Pandora station and the first four songs were " Bad Days Better " by Shane and Shane, " When the Rain Comes " by Third Day, " Carried to the Table " by Leeland, and "In You" by Shane and Shane. Love it. If you don't know these songs, you should! All of them are about God being our strength and seeing us when we are sad and taking care of us. Great songs that God used to speak to me today. Thankful.

I've talked to several female friends who are newlyweds, and we are all in agreement: dealing with the necessary paperwork after getting married is a major hassle. After your marriage certificate arrives in the mail, you must go to the DMV to get your license, which you need as photo ID to change your social security card, credit cards, checks, and insurance. Don't forget that you must also change your mailing address, email address, everything at work (official files with HR department, email address, business cards, etc.). If you plan to travel internationally anytime soon, be sure to update your passport (which also costs a pretty penny). Then you have to notify any other accounts or memberships you have (like Delta Skymiles, gym memberships, etc.). The bottom line is that making all of these changes is inconvenient. The changes involve making a lot of phone calls, then physically visiting half a dozen places. Most of these alterations need to be completed during business ho...

It's interesting that everyone defines "fun" differently. Some call waking up early for a long bike ride fun, but others consider sleeping late way more fun. To some people, fun means organizing. To others, fun means making a mess. Caving and skydiving are in some people's definitions of fun (but definitely not mine!). To state the obvious, God did not make us cookie cutter people who all find the same activities entertaining. This concept makes life both interesting and challenging. For example, I was the one person in my family who did not enjoy roller coasters or overtly adventurous things. This complicated trips to Six Flags ("Who's going to sit this ride out and wait with Leigh?") and certainly ruled out skiing as a vacation activity for my family. However, it also allowed my family to learn about things I found fun that did not really interest them, like scrapbooking. I tend to not be great at relaxing or making time for leisure, but I have been re...

I am seeing my family off to Ghana tonight. My sister will be there for six weeks, and my parents will be with her for the first two. Amy has to go on a six-week international practicum as part of the graduate degree she is pursuing at Fuller Theological Seminary, so she chose to fulfill that requirement with the ministry in Ghana that we have worked with in the past. I have spent the last 24 hours with my family and really enjoyed it. Since my sister lives in Los Angeles, I hadn't seen her since Christmas! She will stay in Georgia for two weeks in August after she returns from Ghana, so I'm already looking forward to more quality time with her then. I am so excited for my family to return to a country that they have all visited before and to reconnect with people there. I'm also excited to see how God will use them as they dedicate a church there, spend time in villages and spend time "living life" with the awesome missionary couple who live there full-time. I kn...

I'd like to share something with you that John and I are enjoying this summer. The coupon found at this link: http://www.concentricshospitality.com/SUMMERSWAG.pdf will give you 50% off of your meal at some awesome Atlanta restaurants (up to $25!). The best part is that it doesn't expire until September, and you can print it out as many times as you want! We have already enjoyed 1/2 price dinners at Two Urban Licks and Taps with this coupon. We highly recommend One Midtown Kitchen too, but we went there before the coupon was published (darn!). We are enjoying trying new places in Atlanta, and this coupon makes it much easier on the wallet! Happy dining! (Photo: Two Urban Licks)

I have been really challenged by a book I’m reading right now. It’s called Loving God with All Your Mind and written by Elizabeth George. I’m only about a fourth of the way through the book, but the first key point is really challenging the way that I think. The author writes about truly understanding and obeying Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” She focuses on the word true , writing about how we are commanded to think about things that are true and real – not things that we wish were true and not things that we fear could become true. She emphasizes the fact that the truth and reality are NOT the past or the future , not worries , and not fantasies that we wish would come true. George writes that we need to focus on reality, what is true in the present. Too often, we focus on what we wish was reali...

If you were wondering, the possiblity that prompted my last post about adapting has now happened. I wrote that post anticipating the decision that we were waiting for this week: John's shift assignment at work. He has been working 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. while training, but that was temporary. We knew that this was the week that he would find out his assignment - days or nights. I have been praying to be content no matter what the outcome of this decision, and God has been reminding me how we can adapt and how we are called to give thanks in all circumstances. Today we learned that he will begin working evenings on June 14, going to work around 7 p.m. I am trying to practice what I preached: identifying blessings, being thankful in all things, and thinking positively. He will make more money, he will still only work half of the days of a month, and he will be off every other weekend. I am grateful that he has a job, and that we will still live in the same place. God will help us adapt, as ...

I almost laughed when I skimmed the results of my Google search for “adaptable animals.” Some of the most adaptable animals on Earth are: (drum roll, please!): rats, cockroaches, jellyfish, mosquitoes, coyotes, and bobcats. I am NOT making up this information! Several Web sites listed these pleasant creatures - some of our absolute favorites, right?! – as the most adaptable animals. I found that humorous, but let’s be honest: we dislike adapting as much as we dislike the animals that adapt well. It’s amazing how resilient and adaptable we humans can be. Think about different seasons of your life and how you somehow made seemingly impossible circumstances work. Staying up late and memorizing a remarkable amount of information before a test in college, pushing your body extremely hard while exercising, changing your entire eating and sleeping schedule when you have a baby – all of these are examples and proof that we can handle much more than we think we can. When trying situations arise...

When darkness is surrounding me by Your Spirit, Lord help me sing that You are working all things out Lord, I really need to hear you speak Remind me in the waiting that You are working all things out For the good of those who are called by You for the good of those who are in Love with You That's why we sing Holy God of light I lay down my life Holy is the Lord Even in the storm be glorified We like to take the blessing from You Shall we not take the trouble too You are working all things out We like to take prosperity Shall we not take the suffering You are working all things out Holy are you Lord even in the storm be glorified Worthy of affection - "For the Good" - Shane & Shane You can listen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEpFLLQyqr4 I encourage you to take a moment out of your day and remember that He is working all things out for the good of those who love Him!

Today I had the privilege of spending several hours with some of my best girlfriends from college. Like always, today was a true encouragement and good for me in so many ways. These girls and I are in similar places in life, so it's neat to trade stories, hearing about each other's lives, jobs, and families. I always gain insight and benefit from hearing their perspectives on things. We laughed a lot, listened a lot, and learned a lot. One thing that stuck out to me from our conversation today was the importance of speaking well of our husbands and building them up. Society/culture teaches that it's cool for women to bash their husbands, making fun of them and laughing at their "stupidity." That's the opposite of what the Bible teaches and what we are called to do as Christians. We need to encourage our husbands, speaking well of them and lifting them up. This was a healthy reminder to me to always be aware of my words - even ones that I mean in jest - and the...

John and I are going out of town this weekend, and I am really, really excited about it. This will be our first trip that is purely for vacation (not also for a wedding or a trip with the youth, etc.) since our honeymoon. Not that we "deserve" a vacation or anything, but it will be very nice to enjoy one! We are heading to Highlands, North Carolina. It will only take a couple of hours to get there, but I'm hoping it will feel like we are in a whole new world! Not that I don't love our lives here, but I sometimes struggle to relax until I am in a different environment. John is a pro at turning off his mind and "chilling out," but I am much better at doing so when I am removed from my normal environment and the temptation to work on my to-do list when I should just rest and BE. So, this weekend, I am excited to just BE. I hope that we will take some hikes, walk around the little town, read and spend time outside - just hanging out and relaxing! I hope that YOU...

A co-worker recently asked me what differences I have noticed between “ITP" and "OTP” now that I have been living ITP for a while now. For those of you who are unfamiliar with these terms (I was until a few months ago), she was asking me what differences I have noticed about living “inside the perimeter” of Atlanta verses living outside of it. I have noticed a few things, such as: - Parking. I park in parking decks everywhere ITP – Walmart, our apartment, you name it. OTP, I hardly ever used parking decks. - Restaurants. OTP I went to chain restaurants 95% of the time. I didn’t trust most non-chain restaurants there! ITP, I never eat at chains. There aren’t many here – plus, there are so many fun non-chain restaurants that we want to try! - Friendliness. People ITP are not as friendly as people OTP (okay, there are exceptions to this rule both ways, but it’s a general observation.) - Diversity. People are much more diverse ITP – in socioeconomic status, religion, ethnici...

There are a few words that startle us every time we hear them, almost literally invoking pain. Car accident. Divorce. Cancer. Addiction. Fired. These are just a few examples. I have heard a couple of these words in association with people I love dearly in the past several weeks. Even as someone who has called myself a believer for my entire life, I admit that the question “why?” has surfaced in my mind as I have processed these situations. The answer, to these questions and to ANY question that’s really worth asking, is found in scripture. I was convicted yet comforted when I recalled Acts 1:7, which says: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.” It is not my job to know why, nor do I have any reason to know why, things unfolded as they did. Having an intimate relationship with God does not mean that He is required to tell me everything. It means that I must trust Him, and that I can be at ease knowing that HE holds all knowledge. In...

My sister gave me a book for Christmas that I finally picked up to read last week. The book – Jonah and the Worm by Jill Briscoe – is a children’s book with deep meanings, and I am so glad that I finally began to read it. It’s kind of like Shrek or other animated movies that are cleverly written to be enjoyed by both children and their parents. The book tells the story of Jonah from the Bible focusing on the perspective of the worm in the story. Details are embellished, but the timing and schedule of events is the same as the Biblical account. This short little book contains really profound truths that have jumped off the page at me. For example, the worm receives a message from God that he should travel to Ninevah, though God doesn’t give him an explanation as to why. Travelling to Ninevah means leaving behind his family and familiarity, but he decides to obey and go where the Lord is sending him – even though he doesn’t know what purpose God has for him there. On his way to Ninevah...

When I began blogging, I intended to blog at least once a week. However, now it has been a week and a half, so I thought I'd explain my absence. In case you haven't heard, John and I moved! We relocated to Atlanta this week - to the Brookhaven area near Lenox mall. We are really enjoying it so far! It's fun to have a new place to decorate, and it has been amazing to sleep so much later in the mornings and still have a much shorter commute to work. Much more to come regarding our move and the differences I am already spotting between living here and living in the suburbs (I smell a post about that in the works now!). I am also repeatedly getting lost every time I get in my car, so I'm sure there's a blog post lurking in that frustrating yet educational daily experience as well... stay tuned. For now, I'm signing off. I pray that you are feeling peaceful in the midst of any change you are experiencing. Rest knowing that the Lord knows the master plan. Listen to Hi...

Sounds cliche, but I'm really thankful for the friends God has placed in my life. It's interesting how friends come in and out of our lives in seasons. My grandparents told me that they have several friends who they were close with as newlyweds, then moved to different cities and then 20 years later, they come back into contact with them and become close again. I have certain friends from high school or college who I no longer see on a regular basis, but when we get together now, we can pick right back up where we left off. Not all friendships are like that. I don't know if there's a certain formula to create friendships of that level of intimacy. I know that they require a level of self-disclosure and a spending a lot of time together, but there's also an unexplainable factor. The Holy Spirit just makes us connect with some people on deeper levels than others. I can't really explain them, but I am so thankful for the deep friendships God has allowed me to enjoy...

I've decided that I am a biennial sports fan. In case you are wondering what that means, it means that I become a sports fan every two years. Basically, I care very little for sports except for when the Olympics are televised. I suddenly become captivated and fascinated by sports - even the obscure ones like luge. It's really more than the sports that lure me. The combination of countries and cultures, the great lengths the host country goes to in order to prepare for the games, and the amazing dedication of the athletes is really fascinating to me. Have you thought about their commitment? In many cases (ski jumping, speed skating, luge, many others), athletes train for more than four years for an opportunity to compete that only lasts for seconds. The only problem with being a biennial sports fan is that I completely forget my knowledge of the sports themselves by the time those olympics come around again (FOUR years later). Oh well - the games provide me great entertainment f...

Some days, it seems like there are simply not enough hours in the day. And then I remember the first and second priorities God has for me and my time: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" (Matthew 22:36-40) We should always count our days as successful and our time well spent if we have accomplished those two things. A third command for when we are feeling restless or like we just can't finish everything - "Be still, and know that I am God..." Psalm 46:10 Three agenda items that almost always ward off frustration and bring peace.

I am the queen of good intentions. Unfortunately, by default that makes me the queen of execution failure also. Let me explain what I mean. I have many things that I often intend to do but fail to deliver. Some of the things I often intend to do but fail to carry out include: - Leave home on time and not be late - Resist a second helping of food - Do all of my daily Bible reading - Cook something special for my husband - Go to bed on time - Relax more and worry less - Resist the temptation to speak negatively about someone These are just a few examples. When I say I am going to do (or not do, depending on the scenario) these things but end up not completing them, I end up frustrated and discouraged at my failure to follow through, be disciplined and accomplish all that I set out to accomplish. Unfortunately, this can affect my mood, which sets off a downward spiral that results in a negative outlook and also affects those around me. Two things could be the reason behind this phenomenon...

Funny how God always knows what we need. Actually, it's not funny at all - what's funny is that WE think we know what we need! Ha! The Bible says in Psalm 139:16: "Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Yet we think we know what we need. We who see only an index card. God sees the entire canvas. I searched for verses about waves tonight because I have been very emotional lately, feeling like my thoughts have been jumbled like waves in the ocean. However, look at what I found: Job 9:8: He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. Psalm 107:29 He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. (Pleasant sigh). That is exactly what I needed to read. Thanks, God, and goodnight, all. Let's rest humbly in the hands of our Maker who is so, so capable of calming the waves of any storm we find ourselves enduring.

I just wanted to apologize and say that I realize that my last several posts have been a bit, ahem, wordy. I have ALWAYS had the problem of writing too much. I was the person in my college classes who laughed when I was told that my essays had to be at least a certain length. I was the one asking for extra paper instead. Anyway, I just wanted to apologize for the length and say that I really appreciate those of you who are bearing with me and reading my entire posts (even if it is just my husband and my family!). Thank you.

God has been using the concept of light to teach me lately. Allow me to elaborate. John was out of town for several days last week, and I returned home to our apartment after dark each night because I had made dates with friends after work. Being alone in the darkness of my own apartment suddenly made normal things I encounter every day seem scary to me. I laid in bed the first night he was gone and became convinced that someone else was in our apartment; in reality, I was just hearing pipes make noise as the dishwasher ran its cycle. I hear those noises every time the dishwasher is turned on, but something about hearing them alone in the darkness made me paranoid. The next night, my neighbor’s family of cats squealed and ran across the parking lot when I got home, which really spooked me when I got out of my car. Thankfully, I had left lights on inside of our apartment, and my fears subsided as soon as I opened the door and could see everything clearly. In both of these situations, be...

"What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus Oh precious is that flow That makes me white as snow No other fount I know Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus This is all my hope and peace Nothing but the blood of Jesus This is all my righteousness Nothing but the blood of Jesus Glory, Glory, this I sing Nothing but the blood of Jesus All my praise for this bring Nothing but the blood of Jesus." I needed that this morning. Nothing I can do will make up for my sin. I can't work harder or do some ritual or say certain words to cleanse myself. That's the beautiful thing, though. Jesus handled it for us. I pray that we will all remember that "it is finished" - Jesus took care of our sin for us. There is nothing for us to do except thank God for his forgiveness and for his son ...

I read an article about couple dating recently, and it intrigued me. Couple dating (spending time with another couple/double dating with the same couple regularly) is something John and I find really fun. We are blessed to know some wonderful couples, many of whom we wish we were able to “date” more frequently (#1 below is our biggest inhibitor with those couples!). The article prompted me to think about the factors that either deter couples from being compatible or make them a great match. A few factors came to mind: 1. Location/schedule/logistics : John and I have several pairs of great couple friends from college or the past who are great matches for us but now live far away. Similarly, when John worked in the evenings, it was hard for us to maintain good relationships with some of our couple friends because our free time occurred at different hours. 2. Financial status and spending habits : If one couple prefers not to spend much money on entertainment and the other lives to spend,...

This morning while I was driving to work, God brought an analogy to my mind from a past experience that I’d like to share. One leg of the journey during my trip to Ghana in the summer of 2008 required taking a small plane from Accra, the capital city in southern Ghana, to a small airport in the north, where my family and those we were travelling with stayed for several days. We also had to take a similar plane back to the international airport in Accra at the conclusion of the trip. I am not adventurous – anyone who knows me at all would tell you that adventurous to me means bringing something different to eat for lunch! That’s pretty much as adventurous as I prefer to be. However, I felt led to go on the trip and was really looking forward to what I knew awaited us on the other side of that plane ride, despite my hesitations about the journey. In fact, riding in the approximately 40-passenger plane for about an hour (one way) was my biggest concern about the entire stay in Ghana. Whe...