Thankful Thursday

....a day late..... I've decided that by way of update and also in order to keep the proper perspective I want to try and do a Thankful Thursday post where I'll post a few things I'm thankful for that happened that week. We'll see how it goes. Here's the first:

-I'm thankful for wonderful people from church and our neighbors who invited us to spend time with them during the holiday weekend. We had a blast and were excited to connect with you all!

-I'm thankful for being able to use one my favorite hobbies, jewelry-making, to encourage others. We're currently preparing for the women/mom's class during VBS where the craft time will entail making a necklace and bracelet! I can hardly wait!!! (I recently made some more examples which I will post later.)

-I'm thankful, truly, to be in a position to be in ministry alongside of my husband, who challenges me to dream with him of bigger and greater things.

-I'm thankful for the hard times I've faced this last year with my health particularly, because I know that God has been drawing me closer to Himself and I am learning to trust more and worry less.

Thoughts on worship as a lifestyle--my journey

We've been talking a lot about worship at church lately. And in reading through "Satisfy My Thirsty Soul" by Linda Dillow, I've also been implementing a personal time of singing songs to the Lord during my devotional times. I'm learning that in all of the contexts in which I have found myself, with very different and distinct worship styles and songs, that while I do have my preferences, I have enjoyed learning to worship in new ways. I have found that worship is more of a heart attitude, offering up to the Lord what we are and focusing on Him regardless of our feelings or circumstances. And as you have probably experienced, as we really enter in to offering up our worship to Him, our feelings and circumstances, while they matter, become background as our Lord Jesus Christ becomes the focus and forefront priority once more. I have also been challenged to worship God with my life in every task and not just be mindful of worshipping Him during the songs we sing on Sunday mornings. And as it would turn out, the more I try to focus on Him and worship Him, the more consumed with worshipping Him I become. It's an amazing adventure that no matter where we are at in life we can still move forward towards Him even more.
Really, it comes down to this. We are all worshipping something or someone. It's where we spend our thoughts, time, money, and energies. I want to be absolutely undivided in my heart, wholly God's, which means worshipping Him in every area of life. How about you?

Soak the Church in the Month of May!

Well, yes, it has been raining a lot here this spring, and the weather has definitely warmed up considerably after the long winter. But, what's happening at church is not on the outside. We have been learning about obedience, basically. One of the steps of obedience of a believer in Jesus Christ is to be baptized (submerged in water to symbolize death to self and new life in Christ). Our pastor preached a sermon on this and as a result over 130 people will be baptized in the Month of May. Yes, over 130 young, elderly, and middle aged people--ENTIRE FAMILIES--being baptized with more signing up each Sunday after they see lives changed and hear how God is at work in others. God is at work in Warren, Ohio. It is SO exciting to be a part of a church where God is at work and the leaders are following passionately after God. If you're in the area, we would LOVE to have you join us one of these Sundays! Posted are pictures of some of last week's 26 baptisms and a link to the sermon:
http://www.northmarchurch.com/sermons/042609%20Choosing%20Baptism.mp3

Before we realize it........

How many times do we marvel at new life, new growth, beauty, and then become content to just stay in that place? In life, in spiritual matters, in relationships? Here's the physical example that got me thinking about this. Here's the beautiful garden (well it was a few weeks ago--see previous blogs). If you look closely, you see that all the green is not necessarily a good thing. Between and all around the plants (and even in the middle of several plants) are weeds. Dandelions, thistles (that really do prick your bare fingers!), and others that I cannot name. But they are all coming up very QUICKLY and with big roots that are hard to get out! Below you will see 15 minutes of work, and only a very small patch cleared. Needless to say, I will have to work hard to keep my flowers from being overtaken. In the spiritual sense, I was pondering how often I begin to see God working in my life with new beautiful flowers and then instead of pressing in, and letting Him continue to weed out the junk constantly, I step back and just let the beauty be my focus, letting the rain refresh, but ignoring the thistle thorns and overshadowing dandelions that really have gotten to quite the large size. In my life, I am like this garden many times. And intentionally or unintentionally let the weeds come up around the beautiful flowers. How many times I wait until the weeds begin to take over before I go back and say "Okay, God, clean out the junk!" Why can't it be a constant process? Why don't I stay there when the flowers begin to bloom in order for them to be even better and not surrounded by distractions and evil rooting itself all around? I mean, it wouldn't take as long to stay weeded out if there were only a few weeds each time instead of a whole patch of overgrowth! And the results would be constant beauty. Well, these are just my ponderings, I really need to get out and work in the garden.

DC in April

We took a trip for our 2nd anniversary to Washington D.C. We had a great time sightseeing and visiting with good friends from our year(s) in Costa Rica. Enjoy!

Signs of Spring

We are enjoying beautiful flowers, ones we didn't even plant. Pretty amazing what seeds planted become and how wide their beauty reaches to impact others. Seasons of Spring bring hope of new life. The frozen ground thawing. Resurrection. A fresh start. I would have to say that after such a long and hard winter, spring is even more glorious, better than I had hoped or imagined. Oh the metaphors our Creator uses to draw us in. Oh the grace and mercy and love.

Happy Anniversary!

Here I am reflecting on a wonderful life-changing day 2 years ago. It snowed that day in Asheville, NC as we exchanged vows to love and be committed for a lifetime. It's pretty unreal, two years later in Warren, Ohio, it's snowed again today, but 2 inches this time! I just want to say that I love married life. It is wonderful and it is challenging at times, but now as a married woman, I would never want to go back. And I have been reflecting today over the past 2 years. Before we married, how God brought us together. And since our wedding, how the Lord has been at work in our lives leading, guiding, molding us. We have weathered major changes, moving to different countries, houses and unknown places as well as learned new languages and cultures, and we've become stronger because of it. We are excited as we look ahead to the next 92 years together. Happy Anniversary, mi amorcito!


Faithfully by Eric & Leslie Ludy (sung my Summer Hartzler at our wedding!!)

Tonight I saw a shooting star
Reminded me of everything you are
All my life I dreamed of you
And wondered if I'd see my dreams come true

In this world of cheap romance
And love that only fades after the dance
They said I was a fool to wait for something more
But when I look into your eyes, it's all I've waited for
You'll never know just what you mean to me
For as long as I live I'll love you faithfully

Faithfully I am yours
From now until forever
Faithfully I will write
Write you a love song with my life
'Cause this kind of love's worth waiting for
Until the end of all time
I am yours faithfully

Tonight I seal my promise with a kiss
Whatever lies ahead, remember this
My heart has always been yours alone
And I belong to you from this day on

In this world of broken dreams
And promises that never seem to keep
They might say we're fools to live for something more
But you are part of who I am,
You're etched upon my soul
The years won't change all that you are to me
For a lifetime and a day I'll love you faithfully

Faithfully I am yours
From now until forever
Faithfully I will write
Write you a love song with my life
'Cause this kind of love's worth waiting for
Until the end of all time
I am yours faithfully

Holding patterns.

Do you ever have those times where it seems like everyone around you is flying by, but you seem to be in a holding pattern? Maybe it's been a health issue that has slowed our current activities, maybe a time of preparation for something upcoming, maybe adjustment to new things which take time for assimilation to be completed.
I was just reflecting on how often we are misunderstood during these times. These are precious times where Jesus just desires to connect with us and minister to us while equipping us (through circumstances most often) for what He has. Sometimes we know what is ahead and it's easy to explain it to others. Other times we are just in a holding pattern, not sure of what it will be like or when we will be able to deplane. At times we are judged, criticized, even considered lazy or not meeting unwritten/unspoken expectations; but we do have peace, knowing God has brought us here, for this time, for His purposes.
These are times of wonder. Of expectancy. Of hope. These are the times we find depth in our relationship with Jesus. And most often, He does things in us that we cannot see until later.
We realize eventually that our concern should be on what He thinks, on what His desire for us is, and on how we are serving Him in our current situation. That's freedom. That's really living.

Thankful

How many times do I get in a "complaining mood" where nothing is quite right. Well, lately I've been trying to be more of an encourager and also be thankful for everything. (I guess it's kind of like I'm trying to make it a habit to be more intentionally and vocally thankful).
I just wanted to give you a snapshot of this week with phrases of thankfulness.

I'm thankful for a wonderful husband who has a job and can provide for us.

I'm thankful for excellent neighbors/landlords who really take care of our needs and encourage us with their generosity.

I'm thankful to see the grass again (spring is coming!).

I'm thankful for a smart little dog who is learning to "go" outside now that it's not freezing!

I'm thankful for life and where God has us right now, even in the hard things, I am learning to be thankful because He is teaching me and molding me to be more like Him.

A Longtime Dream in the Making

For years now, I have dreamed of going to Spain. Back when I was in college, in fact, I was set and actually appointed to be an apprentice in Spain for 2 years, but God had other plans. See, looking back, all the pieces had to be put in order for the dream to be even better than I could have imagined. Upon graduation, I spent a good 7 months wrestling with where to go and ended up seeing God's leading to Paraguay where I lived and served for two years. After a brief return to the US, I traveled to Costa Rica for a year (well 9 months) of language school to perfect my Spanish. During that time I met my beloved husband, a Guatemalan who was studying to get his masters degree in a Costa Rican seminary. I met him at church and also at the seminary where I took a class as well. Our friendship turned to love and we got engaged. Then we began planning and praying about what to do for our future, where to go. On our ten year plan (insert a HUGE laugh), we projected ourselves returning to a Spanish speaking country to serve Spanish speakers (which is still the leading the Lord has given us), but we were thinking Latin America or possibly Spain, but leaning towards Latin America. Just when we let the dream go, released it and honestly let it almost go into the "forgotten" category, we are presented with the prospect of doing a short-term trip with our church to Spain. More than I can explain in a blog, this is the culmination of many dreams, many prayers answered, and great hope for the future. Does this mean we'll end up in Spain? I don't know actually. What I do know is that it is a door the Lord has opened at this time in our lives and we are going to explore it, excited to see how He leads us. Besides, after almost 300 cloudy days in North-East Ohio, it will be nice to be in a place known for 300 days of sunshine a year.
I guess it seems that just when we surrender, give up, or just let it go, that's when hope steps in. It doesn't make things any easier, but we are encouraged by hope. And by knowing that God is always in control and working even when we can't see it or feel it.
So, you can be praying for us as the trip takes place in July. We're just beginning the process and there is a lot to do between now and then, but we are encouraged. Hopeful.

Thanks for reading!