Life on purpose for others.
"Today she would buy her dead father into Heaven!" With that thought she woke up. With more energy than usual Mary rolled out of bed into her day at 5am. Kneading dough in the dark she started the day's loaves cooking by 6am. With Peter's help she packed the hot loaves for sale and they... Continue Reading →
I really should have seen it coming. Lying on my back under the kitchen sink I ducked another gush of water. I simply wanted to install an under-sink water filter. Why was I fixing everything but the installation I intended? Looking down past my feet I realized I simply had to get this done or... Continue Reading →
Several hours ago we tore through the house packing to take Isabelle to the ER. Initially we set out for Riley children's hospital but quickly diverted to a local ER out of fears about her breathing. Checked in, blood drawn (from her neck), and x-rays taken we enter the hardest part. We long to escape... Continue Reading →
We waited two months after our first scare to find the real truth. Isabelle has Leukemia. The truth crystallized in a moment of faith as we trusted the doctor. I flirted with the truth for months before making the choice to ask Ashley out. Following that moment of decision everything made sense. Every week I... Continue Reading →
How can these two realities coexist?! One family endures some of the greatest tragedies possible while still stepping up to form pillars of the church at the same time!? About four years back a man with military haircut and his talkative wife 😉 followed two energetic girls into our church. Fresh in town, they had... Continue Reading →
Can you imagine a time when you could lose your life if someone said one thing about you to the police? A time when you had no right to a public defender and a false confession could get tortured out of you all within legal means! No, you don’t hail from modern day Pyongyang, North... Continue Reading →
It’s amazing how much having a daughter with leukemia gives me a lot more to say to people in the hospital. You would be surprised how often I really don’t know what to say when I visit hurting people. I feel a lot like Peter in the Bible where it says "Peter did not want... Continue Reading →
The alarm rang and it hit me, "I didn't know how the sermon would go!" Since I had to preach in 4 hours, this really concerned me. I worked on that message for 20 days straight! Those who showed up yesterday might not believe, it but I actually practiced 12 times before stepping on stage... Continue Reading →
This week raced by. Another day flew past in the hospital with Isabelle. Her port stopped working so now we have surgery to fix it. I stand profoundly grateful for the encouragement of friends. I find myself humbled by the mercy and generosity of God. I also experience the work, the humbling work, learning to... Continue Reading →
