I’m a control freak, a perfectionist, a micro manager. None of these terms are ones of endearment. None of these terms, perhaps except perfectionist, are terms I would use in a classic job interview humble-brag about my ‘worst qualities.’ These are my worst qualities. These are the pitfalls I face each and every day and these are the chronic sins I struggle with. I have struggled with them for years, through countless life stages and now, as we prepare to move to Papua New Guinea - feeling so … [Read more...] about Out of My Control

Emotions. High expectations. Unmet expectations. More Emotions. Mother’s Day can be hard. It can be hard for so many women and men for so many reasons. I think of dear friends whose mothers have passed away - whether their loss was this year or many years ago, this day is hard. I think of close friends whose wives and sister in laws, the mother of their children or mother of their nieces and nephews have passed away. Again, whether their loss was this year or many years ago, this day is hard.I … [Read more...] about Re-Routing Expectation

"To be loved by God and to be a part of His powerful kingdom is an incredible privilege. Not to trust God with my life or to doubt His wisdom in the affairs of this world is to presume that He is not truly the almighty God. In a sense, I have a choice of living as a secure, beloved child of the King, or living as an anxious, frustrated child whose God is not all-powerful or compassionate. When tragic, unexplainable circumstances enter my life, I must be willing to wrestle with my Sovereign, to … [Read more...] about Secure, Beloved and Unnecessarily Anxious

You’re moving your entire family across the world? When do you leave? You’re still working until two weeks before you leave? I don’t know how you do it? How do you fit it all in? You have 4 kids? When do you find the time? The questions are frequent, legitimate, somewhat stress-inducing (only because I don’t feel like we are doing it well) and my answer is always the same. I don’t do it alone. I am not as capable as you all might think for, behind every single thing that we do (and we recognize … [Read more...] about In Need of My Village

Thursday was youth small group. On the day of our ridiculous wind storm and crazy school commutes, the power was out at our dinner hosts house and just before 5 pm, we were given the option to cancel or have pizza by candlelight.I can tell you with all honesty that we DID NOT hesitate. Of course we would go ahead. Of course we would eat whatever was accessible (because who doesn’t like pizza) and of course we wouldn't cancel. Because we love Jesus and we love these youth. You see, yes, we’re … [Read more...] about Thursdays