Category Archives: faith and spirituality

Apr 05 2 comments
faith and spirituality

Pilgrims and strangers

I have a new real home. And that is truly something to be so thankful for! Let me tell you about it.
Suitcase

DH and I are now missionaries on an island (if you didn’t pick that up from the new blog title). I spent the greater part of January packing up all our earthly belongings, creating a comprehensive inventory, and getting rid of junk. I think I surpassed my 730 things to get rid of, trust me! (For those of you who are keeping track of decluttering this year.)

We spent the month of February visiting our family and friends around the country before our official day of departure arrived.  To condense all the stuff we were taking on the plane with us to five checked suitcases, two carry-on roller suitcases and two backpacks was an amazing feat. We felt like modern “pilgrims and strangers on the earth” (as Hebrews 11 says).

Thankfully, within two-and-a-half weeks of arriving here at our mission post, we found a lovely townhouse to rent. And the following week, our container with all our goods arrived from the U.S.!

Let me tell you: after living without most of your things (except what you can fit in your suitcases) for 7 weeks, I am so thankful to get our modern conveniences again, and have our own quiet place again, although we are grateful to everyone who was so kind to let us stay with them while we were visiting and searching for our place to live.

Visit Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemaker’s to see what everyone else is thankful for this week!

Apr 03 0 comments
faith and spirituality

Happy Easter weekend!

the wings-become-windows butterfly.
{Flickr credit: e³°°°}

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” —1 Peter 1:3-5 (emphasis mine)

Hope you are having a blessed Easter weekend with your family as you celebrate the resurrection, our living hope in Jesus, and the beautiful blessing that Jesus was raised for our justification (Romans 4:25)!

Apr 08 3 comments
faith and spirituality

My prayer journal

Last September, I heard a speaker who challenged me to have a more active prayer life. Since that time, I have been keeping a semi-regular prayer journal. It’s been a little sporadic, but over all, I’ve enjoyed keeping it and hope to be more regular about it.

My prayer journal is in a regular journal-book thingy. I usually jot down my list of things to pray about, and occasionally what God has been teaching me through my devotional reading. Because I have many regular prayer requests, I may not write the same list every. single. day. But I may write out a list to pray for during the week, and revise it the following week (or as requests are answered.)

I see several benefits in my own life from keeping this prayer journal.

  • It keeps my prayer time focused. Often my mind can be off on 50 different tangents at once. (Anybody with me on that point?! Seems like because we women are so good at multitasking, our minds can drift quickly to anything and everything…)
  • It helps me see God’s hand at work in my life. Often I pray for specific areas where I feel I need God’s help in growing my own character. Like, I’ve been praying for a meek and quiet spirit. And I can see God helping me in that area of my personality! I tend to get flustered easily. He’s been helping me to be meek and quiet.
  • It gives structure to my prayer time. I’m all for impromptu prayer times throughout the day. I definitely believe in creating an atmosphere of prayer throughout my day. But I also believe in focusing in on prayer alone during my devotional time, and this has helped me avoid the hurried “Dear-Jesus-please-bless-my-day-Amen” phenomenon at the end of my devotional time. I can see the difference in my day when I don’t have my structured prayer time.
  • It helps me watch for God’s answers to my requests. If I am praying for something, and have it written down, it helps me notice when God actually answers it. And it reminds me that I can THANK God when He answers my prayers!

My prayer journal has been a true blessing in my spiritual walk. I have seen God working in my life, and the lives of my friends. My own walk with God is more intentional, and it makes me more aware of progress in my Christian experience.

So that’s what works for me this Wednesday!

What about you – do you keep a prayer journal? How do you “do” yours if you do?

Mar 10 1 comments
faith and spirituality

“Needs”

According to a recent study by Pew Research Center, Americans are quite attatched to some things.

For example, in 2008,:

  • 91% of Americans say that a car is a necessity.
  • 90% of Americans believe having a clothes washer is a necessity.
  • 83% of Americans see a clothes dryer as a necessity.
  • 70% see home air conditioning as a necessity.
  • 68% are attached to their microwaves.
  • 64% couldn’t live without a TV.
  • 51% have to have their computers.
  • 49% must have a cell phone.
  • 35% think dishwashers are necessary.

As I look at this list, I’m pretty attached to some of the things on it. However, I have to stop and ask myself if it came down to it whether I could live without some of these things.

In a few months, I’m actually going to live in another country (if everything lines up as planned) – one that qualifies as a third-world country. I don’t know what I won’t be able to have on this list, but I’m beginning the mental preparations to live a simpler life without some conveniences.

What do I think of as necessary? I guess my spoiled American habits are going to be changing. I might not have the luxury of a dishwasher. I might not be able to have air conditioning in every room in a tropical environment. I might have to take public transit until we get a car. I might be living out of a suitcase until we get our stuff shipped to us.

It’s gonna be interesting. But one thing I know. God knows what I really need and what the real necessities of life are.

“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” Matthew 6:25, 26

Feb 24 1 comments
faith and spirituality, life in general

Gratituesday – wisdom from parents, mentors, and other sources…

I’ve been mulling over the idea of wise parents and counselors ever since last evening. My DH and I aren’t parents yet, but we were asked to counsel with a young lady (a cousin of one of our friends). The young lady is about to leave home and “run away” to be with her boyfriend across the country. She just wants to get away from her parents and be independent and be on her own.

What a heart-wrenching saga last night as we sat around with some other married couples and discussed/ pled with the young woman to reconsider her decision! I don’t think we made much of a difference, unfortunately, because she was so headstrong and defiant. (You can pray for her if you like.)

This morning at work, because I work at a Christian ministry, we have a worship time together as staff. One of the staff members played a video with “Jesus loves me” background music showing his wife, his kids, and him playing and spending time together. His kids are so young and impressionable. I couldn’t help but imagine that the young lady last night in a similar enjoyable setting with her parents 14 or so years ago. Thinking over last night’s conversation and my own choices that I’ve made (fortunately, with God’s help, they have been wise choices), it almost brought tears to my eyes. What a contrast.

Thinking about the two contrasts and doing my own introspection, I’m truly thankful for the wise parents that I have, the amazing husband that God has blessed me with, and the opportunities that I have had to make wise choices based on God’s Word and wisdom from people with many diverse experiences.

I’m reminded of the verse in Proverbs 24:6, “… in multitude of counsellors there is safety.”

I am so thankful for parents, mentors, spiritual leaders, and the excellent examples in the Bible, from which the wise can learn!

*EDIT* Praise the Lord, I just received word that the young woman decided to stay after all and not run away (now, anyway). Please keep her in prayer as she contemplates the future!