Loving God and Loving Others

We wash dishes, my son and I. The best conversations happen in the kitchen where we don't have to look eye to eye with each other. It's something I have learned having three sons. Do you ever wonder. .. I start out. If it's worth it all this? Living cross-culturally, serving others, experiencing change often, and even getting sick....  he finishes. Someone's been thinking. Is it worth it?  I sit in our international fellowship this morning. This gathering of people from different parts of the globe all serving here in our city. I am moved by the thought of the stories represented by the lives of these people. How would they answer this question? We all start out fairly idealistic. Thoughts of changing the world, bringing light, helping the poor, loving the marginalized capture our imagination and the possibilities are endless. I did not expect the life change God would do in me. The rough edges that would need sanding off, (and continue to need it), the dar...

I was part of an audience that witnessed an amazing sunset last night. It was an amazing display of beauty that took my breath away. A painting done by God. The fiery colors of orange, red, and purple were stunning. The Creator of the Universe paints the sky each night and few of us are around to notice it. It's there, but many times there are things that are blocking its view. Sometimes it's the weather, other times it's busyness and heart burdens. Yesterday if hadn't been that the sunset was right out my window of the place I'm staying I would have missed it. A heavy burden was laid on my heart yesterday and I had a choice of what I was going to do with it. Some difficult words were said to my husband and I, ones that at first pass had the potential of being very hurtful. We had been talking the day before how we both wanted to grow in letting what others think and say about us not bother us so much. Little did we know we'd get to practice that right away. B...