Finishing with Excellence

Happy May Day! As you begin trading out the sweaters for t-shirts and the coats for windbreakers, may you feel the Holy Spirit clothing you in your new attire for the coming season! Perceiving with open eyes and receiving with open hands the new thing He is doing within and through me has been my experience the last few weeks …

Psalm 18

I am so far from God's standard of faithfulness, integrity, purity, and humility that David sang in this psalm would bring His reciprocated qualities. Yet, when He gazes at me, He sees the radiant robes of righteousness He died to wrap around me.

Sincere Love

Paul instructed the church in Rome to honor each other above themselves. "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." Roman 12:12-13 My design is to bring the Good News of Jesus to the ends of the earth; my calling is to live …

Welcome to Brazil! Bem-vindo ao Brasil!

After the standard "hurry up to wait" procedure at the airport, my travel mates Donna, Morgan, and I boarded our 10-hour flight from Chicago to São Paulo, Brazil. It was a seamless immigration procedure, adding another beautiful stamp to the passport! (Shoutout to Pops driving us Cedar Rapids to Chicago!) Rainbow Tunnel in Chicago O'Hare …

I Am Sending You…

"My life has not fit into any real pattern, other than the fact that anything anybody else could not do or would not do God would drop into my spirit, and I would do it. Sometimes God sent me to a pastor, sometimes to a king, sometimes to a church that was praying. But everywhere …

John Chau

Ever met someone who was just different? It was a flurry of introductions when the 50 of us college students landed in Tel Aviv, grabbed our bags, and loaded onto a bus. I don't remember the first moment I met John Chau, but as the 10-day trip through Israel continued, it became clear to me …

The Alchemist

Classic. All the reviews you've read about this masterpiece are correct. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is daring, simplistically complex (you know if you know), funny; the kind of read that causes the rare occurrence of your heart and mind and gut to Ahaa! all together at a universal truth you had only shallowly conceived prior …

Busy Busy

The pilot's voice booms over the intercom: "I have good news and bad news. The bad news is we're lost; the good news is we're making great time!" Doesn't that ring so true in our busy, busy lives?? When we accidentally hit that pause in the hustle, we look around and wonder where we're even …

Masai Mara Safari

"But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? …

Reflections of Christ

I am on the receiving end of short-term mission trips. Now, I am the host for these energetic teenagers seeing the other side of the world for the first time in a 2-week intensive experience. And wow, what a joy they are!! I’ve heard all the arguments about the danger of short-term mission trips and …

In Freedom & Confidence

It has been a whirlwind of a week, settling in to life in Nairobi! To be honest, I'm not sure how my mind hasn't imploded from stimulus overload, cultural confusion, and emotional ups and downs. Christ has been my consistent rock, and the fantastic community who have graciously welcomed me "home" keep pointing me back …

Kenya Believe It?

Is the day finally here?! Is it already time to go?! I’ve been praying over and hoping for this since early December of last year. God’s timing is always perfect as we know...but often forget since we like to take matters into our own hands and think we know exactly when everything should happen. If …