A Treasured Week

As anyone who has lived overseas knows, whenever we go back to the U.S. on furlough, it's so hard to answer the question, "So, what's it like in Mozambique?" How can I sum up a whole culture and lifestyle in three minutes? That's how it feels to answer that same question about our week with the Coxes and Huffards.  How can I share all the wonderfulness, growth, and blessing in a short answer?  There's no way!


A couple of years ago we started planning and praying about these two families coming and doing consulting and mentoring work with our team.  We were so encouraged and excited when they agreed to come work with us, and started preparing for their time here. We had some high expectations!


Those expectations were blown out of the water!  Our week with them was even better than we'd dreamed it would be. It meant so much to have godly mentors come and give us an undivided week of their time.  These were mentors we already really loved and trusted.  That grew by leaps and bounds.  They came to give us counsel and direction at a crucial time in our work here, since we've been on the field quite a while now.


We received counsel about inter-team dynamics, how to structure our ministry to use our different gifts well, and how to facilitate the emergence of good leaders (and ultimately elders) within the churches.   All of their counsel was so life-giving!  These four men and women mentored us well, and loved on us well.


I could not be more thankful to God for the gift of the Huffards and Coxes working with us. He blessed us tremendously through them. He inspired us through the words they shared.  He encouraged us. 


I hope and pray that you, too, can be blessed by mentors in your life.  What wisdom God has in His plan for older, more experienced men and women to mentor younger ones.  May you have mentors and be mentors!

My Audience of One

I recently heard the phrase, "Live for an Audience of One".  I love that!  It sums up a huge part of the journey God has taken me through.  It puts a beautiful spin on what God has been teaching me through the last few years.  There are many other things I have called it - pride, being too concerned about what others think of me, giving myself the glory - none of them as lovely as, "Live for an Audience of One". 


I picture myself dancing on a stage (I don't dance very well, mind you!), looking out into the audience and there is one chair there, right in the middle, up front.  It's kind of dark, but I can still see God's smiling face as He watches me twirl and leap in the air. 


So much of my time and energy has been spent on trying to look good to others.  I want to be liked the best, have others think I'm good at everything I do, be attractive to people.  When I accomplish something good, I want others to notice- and say so.  When I fail at something, I desperately hope others won't see.  I've been dancing for an audience of many, many people - family, friends, co-workers, supporters, Mozambicans.... 


Martha, dance for an audience of One! It's time to focus your attention on Him. -  Looking out into that darkness, and seeing that face again, I know with certainty that if I trip and fall, He'll still smile with such love and hold out His hand to pick me up. He won't laugh at me and think badly of me.  If I, miraculously, finish the dance well, He'll smile with such love and hold out His hand to say, "Well done, my child!"


That's the audience I want to perform for!  My God!




                    Galatians 1:10 - "Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God?
                                                  Or am I trying to please men?..."


                    2 Corinthians 5:9 - "So we make it our goal to please him...."




All of this inspires me to release my concerns of what others think, and instead meditate on what God thinks.  What does He like? How can I dance better for Him?  What do I need to change to be more attractive to Him?  I still have a long way to go.


I hope and pray that I'll keep growing on this journey of learning to live for an audience of One.  I pray for you, too, if you've been on a "concerned about what others think of me- journey".  I'd love to hear your story.

The Journey

Ah, yes!  The journey. When in college, I naively thought I had my journey figured out.  I would get married, together we'd form a team with other couples, and then we'd go to Africa and make a huge difference there. It brings tears to my eyes looking back at the ups and downs of the path that I thought would be so smooth.


Obviously, my journey starts as a little girl, learning and growing in the home where God placed me.  I have such fond memories of childhood and I also have difficult memories.  All of these intertwine to form part of who I am.


Who am I?  I am a weak woman trying her best to be strong, learning instead to lean on the Lord.  This journey from childhood to where I am now has thrown me some curve balls, deep times of hurt and struggle.  Looking back, this is when I really learn to rely and trust in God.  And He brings joy! 


I have also experienced so much joy in this journey!  How could I not with a wonderful husband and four precious boys?  I am surrounded on every side by people who I love and who love me in return. What deep joy this life journey has brought me.


So, I am starting this blog to share this journey with any who are interested. Walk with me!  I am growing... always growing...  through this journey on which God has led me.