Cool Quote Friday (3 Days Late)

We were out of town on Friday and I couldn't get to my computer or an internet connection to post my quote but here I am and here's the quote for the week.

Enjoy!

"You speak of signs and wonders
but I need something other
I would believe if I was able
but I'm waiting on the
crumbs from your table."
~U2

Huh...I wonder how many times someone just wanted a hug or a coat or some food rather than my theology.

Yoga - always a new age practice or when simply used for exercise simply exercise and stress relief?

Yesterday from the pulpit one of our officers denounced the use of yoga "because it is a new age practice," she said and because you empty your mind while practicing it. I'm wondering what's wrong with getting rid of the things from your day that caused you stress. I know of one incredibly strong Christian lady who has used Yoga before in a Christian context. As she was walking her students through the poses she asked them to breathe in certain scripture verses and breathe out impurities - perhaps it's mystic but our God is mysterious.

As long as I'm not adhering to another religion by doing yoga for daily exercise I think I'm in the clear. Besides that, I'm becoming quite flexible!

Tell me what you think. I probably won't stop doing yoga but I'm open to your thoughts.

Joy

Cool Quote Friday

I think I'm going to start a trend on my blog called, you guessed it, "Cool Quote Friday." I've just been going through this great devotional book called Devotional Classica and I'm amazed at some of the things I'm learning and reading and absorbing. It's too good just to keep to myself. I have to share. So, I'm beginning with something from Soren Kierkegard. Please forgive me if I've spelled his name wrong. I don't have the book directly in front of me. I copied the quote into my journel and forgot to copy his name down but I do think I got it correct. Someone help me out with this one if I messed up. This one is a prayer and it's absolutely beautiful.

So anyway, here goes!

"You have loved us first, help us never to forget that You are love so that this sure conviction might triumph in our hearts over the seduction of the world, over the iniquities of the sould, over the anxiety of the future, over the fright of the past, over the distress of the moment. But grant also that this conviction might discipline our soul so that our heart might remain faithful and sincere in the love which we bear to all those whom You have commanded us to love as we love ourselves.

You have loved us first, O God, alas! We speak of it in terms of history as if You have loved us first but a single time, rather than without ceasing You have loved us first many times and every day and our whole life through."

He goes on to say that if we were to wake and at that very moment turn to him he has already loved us first and if in the middle of the day we were to pray to him he has already loved us first. Every time we think we are waiting on him, he has already loved us first.

What a wonderful truth to rest in. God is Love. He loved me first this second.
How do you ever offer enough thanks just for that?

I've been away for a while. Sorry about that...to the two of you who check my blog regularly. I don't know that I've got much to say here lately. So many things have been happening and yet so few at the same time.

Many of my friends are losing their grandparents - Kelly, Heather, Leslie. Their hurt is so real and so deep. I saw it on Leslie's face two weeks ago at the funeral and on Kell's as we drove to church and heard it over the phone. I can read it on Heather's blog. My heart breaks for each one of them.

Two weeks ago I went to a funeral. Actually I don't really know if I had ever met the woman but the Songsters were asked to sing. I'm glad I went. Perhaps that sounds odd but hear me out. I was amazed to watch her family walk in and see the legacy that she left behind - officers, soldiers, Christians. She raised a family of believers. They told stories or her preparing for Sunday School on Saturday because just using the curriculum wasn't enough. They told stories of her calling her own children into her bedroom and teaching them about Jesus and how each one would kneel by her bedside and accept Jesus into his/her life. They talked about her loyalty and duty - her focused energy and passion for the Word. They spoke of how she longed to hear the Sunday sermon when she got to the point when she could no longer attend services. She let her sons know that when they were preaching, she was praying.
She ingrained in her children a belief that runs deeper and lasts longer than this world can hold. She touched lives that will enter heaven because of her.

I left that day wondering what kind of legacy I will leave behind. Will my children be able to say that they know the Lord because of me? Will men and women say of me that they knew that I walked with the Lord? I hope so.

I hope they say, "she was passionate about her Savior and let people know about him." I hope they say, "she lived and breathed for him." I hope they say, "she loved her family and friends, especially that husband of hers." I hope they say a lot of things when I'm gone to meet my Father but the one thing I know they'll say is that I'm with him.

I hope I leave a legacy as beautiful and as loving as the men and women my friends tell me about. They've left big shoes to fill - I know that much.

What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?

Grace and justice,
Joy

While I'm mentioning other people's blogs, I thought I'd link you to another chapter in Jeff's So I Go story. This chapter is beautiful, check it out...today, now, you need it, I promise.

Joy

http://soigo.blogspot.com/

P.S. Don't ask me who Jeff is - he's just a fellow blogger whose site I ran across through other blogs.

Friend's Blogs

Because I'm a dumb dumb and don't know how to add links to the side of my blog like other cool kids in the neighborhood, I thought I'd list some new blogs who have recently fallen prey to this great addiction. Please check them out and if you feel lead, add them to your links.

http://www.whatspastisprologue.blogspot.com/ - Kelly's
http://papacy.blogspot.com/ - Jason's
http://liveningsalt.blogspot.com/ - Matt's (My brother)
http://laundromatt.blogspot.com/ - Matt's (My Brother-in-laws)
http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=queenofcouture05 - Heather's

I think that's all the new ones I've gotten. Have a grand time!

Peace out!
Joy

It's amazing what a little U2, an apology accepted, a good cup of espresso and a great conversation with an old friend can do to turn a day around.

As Napolean might say, "Ssswwweeeeet."

I feel like Oscar the Grouch today. Perhaps if that little worm friend he had would crawl by my desk things would start looking up.

He had a better excuse though, Oscar. He did live in a trash can.

Monday through Friday she stares at me. She hangs on my wall and she just stares. I can't figure out quite what she's trying to say. Is she asking for help? Is she hurting? Is she angry at me for still being here? Is she in need? I don't know. The caption above her head simply reads, "Because I live in a country that is hostile to Christianity and devalues women, I am beaten, tortured and treated like common property. And I am not the only one." Then, if you look closer, in not so distinct letters, there are quotes that say, "If I deliver a Bible to my friend next door, she or I could be killed." "No law exists in my country to keep my husband from beating me or my daughter." "I do not have acess to education." "I can be murdered or tortured for talking to my male neighbor." "I am not a person, only property to be sold into marriage."

Daily I watch her. I look at her and I see the strength in her eyes. Perhaps the picture isn't really one of the woman who is beaten and abused but perhaps she is. The reality is that there are thousands of women who are and I don't have to know their names to know they live in circumstances I could never imagine.

Every day I have to ask myself - what are you doing to help this woman? What are you doing to bring her freedom? What are you doing to bring her protection? What are you doing to give her self-worth and hope? What are you doing to bring her love?

The truth is, as a Christian, she probably has a stronger faith than me. So what can I offer her? Education? Counsel? Support? I don't know. All I know is that daily the challenge of her stare confronts me and daily reiterates in me the need for laborers in the field.

What will you do with her stare? What will you do with the thousands, no millions of women and children who need you, need Christ, need so much more than we could ever imagine?

For more information on the persecuted church, check out www.odusa.org. Sign up to receive their weekly prayer alerts.

Grace and Justice,
Joy

Email from Mattie Lou Brandon

Right after the Tsunami's hit I posted an email received from a missionary serving in Sri Lanka. I just received another one that was sent out to all of the employees here at The Salvation Army. So, I'm sorry if you've already read this but for those of you who haven't, it's worth it.

Joy

EMAIL FROM MATTIE LOU BRANDON - SRI LANKA

You will recall, Mattie Lou Brandon, a former employee of THQ here in Atlanta, now serving as Financial Director for the Sri Lanka Territory.

Lou has been interviewed on CNN News and has also been providing us with her account of the tsunami disaster, the miracle of God's protection of her life, and an update of what The Salvation Army is doing to bring relief and recovery in Sri Lanka.

Here is the latest communique from her:


Greetings from Sri Lanka,

I Thank God for His many Blessings.

I Thank Him for the opportunity to sit here at my computer, to write and say Thank You for your prayers and concerns.

Here in Colombo it is business as usual. People are busy living their lives and the quiet hush that once covered this city is nearly forgotten.

Yet ten miles from here many are suffering from the loss of loved ones and all that they possessed. Many had their loved ones taken from their arms, snatched from their view by something they loved, by something they found beautiful and at times calming. Many have worked so long on the sea for their worldly possessions, and in a few short minutes it was washed away, taken by something they trusted and depended upon for their living.

As I write to you so many are crying and grieving, wondering where to turn and having no place to go. There are those who don't have enough to eat, no less a place to lay their heads. Their lives are a cacophony of confusion. Their emotions low, but their hearts and minds are in an uproar and a commotion. Those who are afraid to close their eyes, for all they can do is relive the nightmare that has taken control of their lives. Others can't wait to sleep for it is the only peace that they have. Many desire death's sleep as a permanent solution to what has become a never ending emotional roller coaster. Some have opted to die instead of living, they have no hope to cling too.

So many stories being relived again and again. Some stories of how they were victors over death and how some lost the battle.

So many were lost before, not knowing Jesus, now wondering aimlessly, void of possessions and loved ones and having no will or hope to go on.

Please continue to pray for these souls. Please pray for not only their physical needs to be met, but also their spiritual needs to be met. I know God hears the prayers of the Saints. I am sure I am here today because of the prayers of the Saints. I am writing today, blessed by God, because so many have loved me enough to lift me up before His throne in prayer. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

As the days pass, there are many new concerns. Here in Colombo many food items are becoming harder to purchase. With this island being surrounded on all sides by water, fish is a large part of every poor families diet. It is economical and in large supply. With the conditions being as they are, the few fishermen that did not lose their boats can't fish, because it is not safe to eat it, people won't buy it and rightfully so.

Poultry is becoming scarce and very expensive, as well as mutton. Staples such as sugar, salt and milk power have all been all purchased for the disaster victims. The store shelves are bare. The few shop owners that have food have gone from the humanitarian mode to the get rich quick mode. Many items are being flown in for the people in need, but ships are slow coming in to replenish the store shelves.

Petrol is hard to find. For the last couple of days the service stations around THQ have been out of Diesel and Petrol. On the outskirts of town there are stations that have Petrol, but the prices are very high, and you have to drive quite a way to purchase it.

As you can see there are many challenges here. But I. Thank God for the privilege to be here to experience each challenge, and I know that He will be by all of our sides to see us through. I Thank God for the many people who have come to the aid and rescue of the survivors. So many have opened their hearts and their checkbooks to help those in need.

Once again thank you for your prayers, concerns and well wishes during our Lords Birthday Celebration. It means so much to me out here in the field of souls.

May God's blessings cover you and your family. May his Grace, Mercy and Love surround you all forever and always,

Your sister in Christ

Lou Brandon

The thoughts that ran through my head during Praise and Worship on Sunday morning.

Song: "Here I Am to Worship"

We were singing the second verse and I'm already having a hard time understanding how to worship God in a building far away from any kind of pain and suffering without offering any help after we just watched a video on the effects and the damage on the tsunami in Southeast Asia. Then the line comes, "King of All Days" and I stop. I can't sing anymore because my thoughts start to reel.

King of all days? King of that day? How do the pain and anguish match up with an Almighty King?

The congregation continues to sing, "I'll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross."

My thoughts: Heartache, absolute heartache. He was the king that day yet he had to watch his son die. Heartache might not have been the total cost but part of my sin cost my king heartache.

Then I return to that day, the day the Tsunami hit. He was king that day. What did that day cost him? Heartache. Absolute heartache as his children grieve, as they died, as their families still hope. What's our response? To grieve with them, to experience his heartache for them.

I can't sing the last part, "Here I am to Worship" because it's weak - at least it was that morning. Being here is easy and safe and costs me nothing. I'm not saying that they need me in Asia, I don't want to be that ignorant or proud. I don't want to think that as an American I can solve the world's problems but being here and raising my hands in a well-built chapel with a great sound system and well-dressed friends sitting beside me was hard to swallow that morning. I wished with all my being that morning that I wasn't Here to worship. Actually almost everyday of my life I wish that I was somewhere else in the world to worship. Maybe I should write a song about that. What would I call it? Ooo...ooo...I know.

"I'm leaving on a Jet Plane, I don't know when I'll be back again." Okay, so it wouldn't really be original but the theme still works. Get over it.

Grace and Justice,
Joy

The Salvation Army's work in Southeast Asia

In case any of you would like to find out what The Salvation Army is doing to help those affected by the Tsunami, please go to:

http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn.nsf/vw-news?openView&start=1&&count=10

I hope that works. Please let me know if it doesn't.

Joy

Report from Sri Lanka

Yesterday an email was sent out to everyone here at The Salvation Army's headquarters from a missionary who is serving with The Salvation Army near where the Tsunami's hit. She was writing to a man named Colonel Faulkner who is in charge of Personnel here at the SA but since he was willing to share it with us, I thought others might like to read it as well. It is quite eye opening, as all news of the disaster is. It is also a call to prayer although most of us have been since we heard the news.

Grace and Justice in a time when neither seems very close,
Joy

Colonel Faulkner would like to share the following message received from Lou Brandon following the disaster in Sri Lanka:

"Thank you Colonel for your concern.

Things are pretty grave here.

All of our officers survived. We had officer all along the coast. Most lost everything, but God spared their lives. We have been unable to evaluate our properties as of yet. There is too much confusion. We have been doing relief work, sending teams to make sure our people are okay. One officer lost several family members. He just buried his wife three months ago. Please pray for their family.

Most of the deaths here appear to be children. Sunday Morning the sea was doing amazing things. The children were in awe. They called their mothers and father to watch. Then the waves came and everyone was gone.

Babies torn from their mothers arms. Grandparents at home gone.

The city of Galle is a ghost town. Sunday morning trains were full of travelers, the bus stand was full of people waiting for their transport and the open air market was crowded as usual. All gone. The trains floating out to sea, the buses full of people floating out to sea.

Usually for Christmas I take a short sanity break. I head to the coast and take lodging at one of the hotels. This year there were no rooms where I normally stay. There was a room available at a hotel in Hikkadewa, right on the beach. I knew the place and decided it was too busy and it would not be a quite place. So I declined. Colonel that hotel is gone, it collapsed and washed into the sea. Many tourists died there. By the grace of God, there go I. It could have been me.

Please pray for us. This county is not equipped for this type of disaster. Neither is this territory. Our Terrirorial Commander is on furlough in Indonesia. The earthquake happened during the time they were in the air. Our Chief Secretary and myself are doing the best we can.

Thank you for your concern.

One last thing before I close. Our Dewheila Girls Home and Eventide, has a fishing boat sitting in its yard. We have forty girls there and 30 senior ladies. Most of the girls had gone home for Christmas and the rest were attending services here at THQ. No one was hurt.

The waves lifted this big fishing boat out of the water over the railway track and over our 6 foot plus retaining wall and set it right down.

God is good.

That is about 3 miles from where I live. I am six blocks from the ocean.

Thank you for your prayers.

Love to you all.

Happy New Year. "

Simeon and Anna

Christmas morning Marty was reading the Christmas story to the rest of the Mikles family and I was privileged to sit next to him and read along. I love how God's word is continually made new to us and how there will always be something to learn from a story we have heard so often.

On Christmas morning this was what I heard:
"Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Moved by the Holy Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
'Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.'
Luke 2: 25 - 32

Then a little bit farther down the Scripture talks about a woman named Anna.

"There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying (pretty cool, I'd say). Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem." verses 36 - 38

Fact: We have seen the salvation which God has prepared in the sight of all people - a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to Israel.

Question: Who are you going to tell about the redemption of your town, your world, your soul and theirs?

We're coming up on New Year's resolutions - perhaps the answer to that question should be among yours.

That's Christmas after all, isn't it? One that really makes a difference and doesn't get thrown out with the wrapping paper.

Grace and Justice,
Joy

Christmas

The day we celebrate as Christmas wasn't always a Christian holiday and still isn't in many parts of the world - it used to be a pagan agricultural festival called Saturnalia that was celebrated in Rome by gift giving and lots of debauchery - even the election of a mock king. Actually most European countries had a pagan festival that they celebrated around Christmastime.

My friend is in China right now and she says that Christmas isn't really a holiday over there and although it has been growing in popularity it is still a strictly secular holiday. That made me think about what my life without Christmas might look like or be.

I celebrate Christmas in America and it looks a whole lot like the other pagan holidays that are mentioned above - gift-giving, gluttony, lights, trees, Santa - no Jesus.

Around 350 AD a Pope redeemed the pagan festivals and made it easier for men and women to convert to Christianity. They still got their festivals; they were just celebrating something different.

Personally, I believe Jesus was born in the springtime. However, I am absolutely thrilled by the fact that December 25 is the day that is set aside for me to celebrate his birth, the gift that he gave to me. I'm absolutely thrilled that Pope Julius I had redemption on his heart and mind when he claimed that day as the day we should celebrate Jesus' birth. That he snatched it from all things unholy and made it a holy day.

What I'm ashamed to admit is that I don't know that I've always done such a good job of celebrating Christ's birth as I have at celebrating the pagan festival of gift-giving. Most of the time, I'm more concerned with what I'm going to get and give to other people than I am about who Jesus is and what He means in my life. This year it's all coming into a much clearer picture for me and while I'm ashamed at myself, I'm also quite awakened to worship. I'm also quite awakened to the fact that after 25 years, the Lord still has redemption on his heart and mind for me, to continually plant His reality in me - His meaning for Christmas.

Perhaps reading through Isaiah and understanding the need for a Messiah awakens within me my own personal need for a Messiah, not just once to "ask him into my heart" but every day and it arises within me the hope of his return.

"O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him
Christ, the Lord."

Silent Night

One more thing for today!

Church on Sunday was kind of hard for me. The deeper I go in my walk with the Lord the less satisfied I am with shallow services - enough said. However, whatever went on during the first part of the service was completely forgotten when at the end, we all stood, lit our candles and sung "Silent Night." I'm not even a fan of the carol because I can't bring myself to believe that it was anything but silent but something in that moment struck a chord in me and worship happened. Right there in the middle of a traditional Salvation Army meeting where you're supposed to raise your candle on the last two lines of every verse, I cried and raised my hand. I don't know if it was the music, or the brilliance of the candles (even though, evidently, they cause a lot of damage to the air inside the building), or the fact that my husband was leading the song and singing so beautifully. What I do know was that in that moment, the gift of Jesus Christ given to me was absolutely huge and the gift of grace was unfathomable and the only way I knew how to say thank you was to cry. That's what I like about candlelit rooms, nobody notices when the tears flow and no one asks you if you're okay after the service.

What an amazing gift! Overwhelming and astounding!

Now, even though I don't believe the words are right, I have a new favorite. Maybe I'll re-write it. I don't think it'll fit but I'd call it the "Not so Silent Night."

Joy

Last night Marty and I gave away two vehicles to two incredibly deserving single moms for Christmas. I know! Can you believe it? "Where'd you get the money," you ask? "How'd you do that," you ask? It's a simple principle called the New Testament principle found in Acts 2:44 - 47.

You see, we went to a singles Bible Study (shh...don't tell anyone, we snuck in, for those of you who don't know, Marty and I are married.) called 7:22 last night for the last sermon in a series called "Treasure" which was basically about how we should honor God with our wealth and about how most Americans have this mindset that they are poor even though the majority of us live better and have more money than the majority of the world. Louie talked about the American culture's mindset of "WHEN we get, THEN we give" and how that's backwards from God's standard of giving so that you get so that you then give. He also had this chart up that ranked everyone as to how "poor" or not so poor they really are in the world's standards. It was all pretty cool.

Then he hit on this really neat thing about how the New Testament church pooled their resources. Then, you know what we did? We pooled our resources. We took up an offering to raise money to help buy two single mothers cars (one had a car that had 212,000 miles on it and the other rode Public transport everyday) for their families (each mother had children between the ages of 12 and 18). So, last night, I put $20 in the offering plate and walked out of a Bible study having bought two moms cars! How cool is that? Of course, it wasn't just me. That's the power of God working through a community of believers to bring forth His will. That's even cooler! I love the way God works. He makes you a part of something just so that you can see how He works and so that you can be a part of it.

I love it!

I hope you get the opportunity this Christmas to buy a single mom a car, or an orphan a shirt, or a foster kid a present, or a needy family some groceries. Not because it makes you feel good (even though it will) but because God has invited you to be a part of something bigger than yourself and it's called His will for the world! That's peace on earth.

Grace and Justice,
Joy

I've been making my way through Isaiah lately. I've always wanted to know more about prophecy concerning Jesus but then this summer some other really cool knowledge was imparted to me that came from the book - so I figured that I would make my way through it.

Well, all of it hasn't been all that mesmerizing as I thought it would be. So many things aren't always as they turn out. I'm on chapter 16 and so far all of it has been God's wrath towards a people who have badly treated and abused their God and forgotten about Him. I've learned a whole lot about that - perhaps I'll go over that in another blog.

But I was having a hard time. I didn't understand how it applied - all this war and every once in a while there would be a tiny glimmer of hope, a little ray of sunshine. Those were the verses I really enjoyed. Perhaps because I don't understand war. I've never been a part of it, never seen it and after seeing the movie "Saving Private Ryan" I never want to be anywhere near it.

Anyway, this morning, I simply prayed before I started reading, "Lord, I don't understand how all of this applies to me but I want to know your word. If that's all that I get, then that's okay because at least I'll have a better understanding. But please help me to glean something from it today - reveal yourself to me, help me to know you better through your word. Please speak."

So, I started Chapter 16 and Moab was getting beaten up pretty bad by the Assyrians but then, right in the middle of the chapter verse 5 happened. You know what it says? "In love a throne is established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it - one from the house of David - one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness." Amen! That's my Jesus he's talking about and he's comeing. Well, he came but every Christmas it's like he comes again and this Christmas he gave me something new to hold on to. I want to be like him. I want to seek justice and speed the cause of righteousness. There's hope - right in the middle of war, there's hope. Right in the middle of despair there's faithfulness.

I hope this Christmas season you're looking for him to come in love. I hope he has established a throne in your heart and life.

Justice and Mercy,
Joy

Thanksgiving at my house!

I love the holidays - I don't care which one, they all meld together for me anyway. People complain because they can't get through Thanksgiving without seeing Christmas ornaments and music but I think they belong together. Anyway, this year, Thanksgiving was particularly special because all of my family came to my house to celebrate. 6 adults and four dogs (which were constantly being rotated in and out of the garage, the back yard, the laundry room and the house because all of them didn't get along - fun) all crammed into our small house.

Was it different from all the other years, yeah, I guess so. We celebrated on Friday instead of on Thursday because Matt had to work on Thanksgiving. We were eating at my house instead of at mom's. We ate later at night rather than a mid-afternoon meal but really, none of the differences mattered. I just loved my family being together - laughing, loving, helping, playing.

I think God gave us family so that we could understand what heaven will be like when we get there. Community, togetherness, belonging - that's what he created us to be a part of, something bigger and better than ourselves. I think it will be like the holidays - everyone's together, loving each other, playing games, helping. It's the most incredible feeling in the world.

Yesterday I was privileged to sit through a conference on Integrated Mission. What's that? you ask. My response would be, good question, I'll let you know when I figure it out. What I think or what I understand is that it's much more about people leaving buildings and programs and money and becoming part of neighborhoods and communities and taking the gospel to them because they're certainly not attracted to our fancy buildings - go figure. Actually, it all sounded pretty familiar and resonated within me a desire to live that kind of life. A life surrounded by the gospel - not a Sunday, Wednesday, Corps Building gospel. It's a challenge to be S.A.L.T. (Support, Appreciation, Learning, Transfer) in your community - wherever that might be. There are many many people out there already a part of integrated missions - my hand just goes up like a kid in first grade crying out - "Oooh, Oooh, pick me, pick me!"

Let's get on board. Let's become a part of what Jesus was about - being a part of peoples' lives, where they worked, lived, ate, went to school, hung out. I like that idea.

My favorite part of the conference was the end however, when I got to speak with Allison - one of the leaders of integrated mission. Basically, we just talked. About today, where I am, where I want to be but most importantly, what I should be doing in the meantime.

Now, I've got some ideas to grasp onto. Something to look forward to that brings missions into my life without having to wait for Marty to graduate. Isn't that amazing and wonderful! Now there's a challenge.

Finding Grace,
Joy