ABIDE BEAUTIFULLY

How do we view God? The answer to this question is one that will mold our entire lives. Have you ever thought about it? Is our view of God tucked neatly away in our minds or does it actually affect the way we live our lives, how we respond to trials, to joys, and to the mundane? For those of us who have grown up in church, it may seem pretty easy to know about God, His attributes, His character, His actions. But have those truths moved from our heads and into our lives? Does what we know about God affect our daily attitudes and actions?  Of course Scripture reveals much about God; it’s a book ultimately about Him, about His story in this world and the one to come. It should humble us to think that this holy, righteous God would look down on us with favor; actually, any favor at all. But He goes beyond that and chooses to use us despite our sins and failings. And even more, because of Christ’s sacrifice, believers are seen not in their sin but in His righteousness! H...

Home. Isn’t it a beautiful word? Well, it’s really more of what the word brings to mind. Maybe it’s memories of the place you grew up, or where you currently wake up in the morning; but to me and probably so many others, home is much more than just a roof over our heads. Home the place where life unfolds, where friendships are formed, discipleship happens, and love grows. In my opinion, home is one of the greatest places for ministry that we will ever have. I want my home to be a place where others want to be. I want it to be a beautiful, loving, and peaceful place for me, my husband and others to relax and enjoy. But let’s face it, making a home beautiful can be expensive, right? Yes, it definitely can, but the wonderful thing is that it doesn’t have to be! One thing I have found that I really enjoy is redoing used furniture. This can be a great way to beautify your home without spending an arm and leg! I like used furniture for several reasons: Price. If you look a...

Today is March 18, 2020. On this date in my husbands calendar I had penciled in “leave for Norway?” It was a tentative date, but a date none the less. Maybe this would’ve been the day to say our tearful goodbyes, check in all our many pieces of luggage and step onto the plane to move our lives to a different country - a goal that we have been working towards for a very long time. But, in God’s great providence here we are, on my beloved family farm in mid Missouri. A lot has happened since those words were written in that calendar. Initially the coronavirus was something we heard about but maybe not something we thought would have such a drastic impact on our lives. Just a few short days ago we thought we would be moving to Norway very soon. Last minute details were worked on, items were purchased to take with us, and anticipation grew. But as the coronavirus continued to spread we began to question the wisdom of relocating to a new country at this time. That was a hard day. We went ba...

I’m a planner, yep, I’m “one of those”. I like to know what we are doing, when we are doing it and be prepared when the event finally happens. And sometimes when things are up in the air and we don’t know what we are doing I can get frazzled pretty quick. Nahum on the other hand is one of those amazing people who doesn’t seem to get rattled by many things. Needless to say God had (and still does have) some sanctifying to do in this Missouri farm girl! But over the many months of raising support, being in limbo and not sure when it was all going to fall into place, God has stretched me and hopefully I can handle change a little better now. But the last week or so has been especially challenging as we planned, prayed, had plans fall through, prayed, and planned again. There has been excitement, plans made, disappointments, tears, more plans and trying not to get my hopes up too much. But in this weird season of life of “now but not yet” I have been reminded of the truths about my great G...

Fall is one of my favorite times of year! Even though it’s been very warm here lately, the calendar shows that Fall is right around the corner! I like the crisp cool air, bundling up in sweaters and boots, and enjoying a hot drink under a warm blanket. One year for Christmas I gave my husband a handmade blanket that is soft and cuddly. It was one of those heavier types that is just so comfortable to drape over yourself. However, it was a bit more manly than my taste so I decided to make my own blanket. I had a beautiful chenille blanket with fringe that I had purchased secondhand. Sadly, one day some of the fringe got caught in the vacuum cleaner... you can imagine what happened! Even though I thought the blanket was beautiful it seemed a little fragile to me, so I decided to cut it down, attach it to another blanket, and make it into a throw that is easy to pull up over you as you read a book or chat with a friend. This is a great project for salvaging those old...

I’m a homebody. There is just something about sitting on your own couch, with your own coffee  mug, surrounded by things that you think are beautiful. Since I got married, my husband and I have done a lot of traveling...I mean a lot! We have stayed in many hotels and people’s homes, and even though we are thankful for God‘s provision to provide a roof over our head and a bed to sleep on, after a while it can be draining. Around a year ago we purchased our first travel trailer! It’s a small little thing - a 17 foot Viking. It’s kind of funny how small it looks compared to some of the big fifth wheels and RVs we have seen at various campgrounds. But, it has served its purpose well! It took some work to redo, but I’m so glad that it now looks more like a home than a hotel room! Paint probably made the biggest difference in the redo. The walls, cabinets, countertops, dinette, and table were all painted...and what a transformation! The faux shiplap was drawn on using...