“…When he saw that he was healed, he came back to Jesus shouting, “praise God!” He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet thanking him for what he had done.” Luke 17:15-16 I love these verses. They vividly depict a thankful heart in action. The man has just been healed of leprosy, a terminal skin […]

Tags: gratefulness, joy, thanks, thanksgiving
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“So shall my Word be…it shall not return to me void, but shall accomplish that which I purpose.”–Isa. 55:11 I have the incredible privilege of seeing God’s Word going out into dark places. I know it will accomplish what God purposes. I know it will spread his name and his renown. Even during the translation […]

Tags: expectation, faith, Fruit, God's Word, hope, joy
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One challenge I face when traveling around the world is the relative nature of spice. What is spicy to one person is mild or bland to another. Typically what melts my lips, sets my mouth on fire, and burns a molten lava trail down my throat is mild to my Asian friends! Alas we have […]

Tags: faithfulness, generous, God-surprises, joy, surprise
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I don’t think He will ever stop surprising me…this powerful, loving, omniscient and intimate God of mine. Maybe that’s a good thing. I love surprises. Don’t you? Even when I think I am walking and do exactly what he is calling me to, I find surprising opportunities on the path, and what I’ve prepared for, […]

Tags: hope, joy, surprises, trust, waiting
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Boarding a plane in Chicago, is pretty routine for me by now. Fifteen hours at 30,000 feet is almost mundane. Curling into a tiny ball, positioning my head against the concave form of the window and drifting off to sleep is no longer an impossible challenge.  I have become adept to this kind of travel […]

Tags: God's Word, hope, joy, translation
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Epiphany–from Greek meaning manifestation or appearance. Matthew 2:11 “They saw the child with Mary his mother and falling on their knees they worshiped him…” I grew up in a Christian home learning the stories of Scripture and receiving the gospel as a personal invitation to salvation as a mere child. In fact, one of my […]

Tags: delight, epiphany, good news, joy, magi, wise men, worship
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“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” These are the words of Elizabeth, full of the Holy Spirit, spoken to Mary as she arrived to visit. Imagine this greeting! What an affirmation it must have  been to Mary’s heart. Scripture does not give us a clear timeline, […]

Tags: blessing, expectation, hope, joy
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“For me to live is Christ, to die is gain.”  This is a familiar verse for many of us. We marvel that Paul made this bold statement from a prison cell in Rome, awaiting probable execution because of his testimony. But honestly, sometimes it takes a stripping away of everything for us to truly see […]

Tags: expectation, gain, hope, joy, life, loss, to die, to live
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It has been nine years this month since Joel came under investigation for his crime.  Nine Years—nearly a decade of grief and growth, sorrow and joy, despair and hope, loss and beauty.  Lawyers, court dates, confessions, sentencing, jail, prison, half way house, prison visits, moves, rehabilitation programs, family reunions, adjustments, counseling, probation—all mixed in with […]

Tags: expectation, hope, joy, love, praise, redemption, wait
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Easter is just around the corner. When we lived in Venezuela, this whole week was celebrated–kids off school, church retreats, even some businesses closed.  I miss that opportunity for intentional focus on the gospel.  And I don’t want to miss it in my own personal reflections. In the interest of inviting you to ponder the […]

Tags: death, easter, eternal, evil, glory, God, good, hope, joy, resurrection
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