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**The next few blogs will be resharing my experience at the beginning of Covid, using the fifth anniversary as a nudge to remember..."   We were in Zambia, eating pizza, as word kept coming in about how the coronavirus was affecting everything around us.  Our Rwandan pastor, Jean, was sharing new pieces of his story with me about the time he lived in Zambia when he nudged me to look at Jessica and our new Zambian friend, Eliza.  They sat in the middle of an outdoor restaurant, holding hands, tears flowing, life-altering conversations happening.  The world was falling apart, but...

The best ideas rarely begin with the pursuit of a great idea.  Often, they start when a problem squeezes you so tight that you have no choice but to fight your way out.      Loneliness almost crushed me… twice.    Both times, I was the new girl in town.  The first time loneliness tried to kill me was when I moved away for college.  The beauty of college is that everyone is new and motivated to connect with other new people.  Somewhere along the way, I found a couple of girls, and we settled into a routine lunch at...

If your initial reaction when you pass a police car isn't smiles and happiness, keep reading…After I tapped the brakes because…reflexes, I noticed a furry head sticking out the back. As our paths crossed, the bliss on the K-9's face was undeniable. Despite my circumstances, I smiled, his joy contagious.A K-9 has a tremendous job. Being constantly on the alert for bad guys must be a heavy responsibility. I love that his handler knew it was valuable to roll down the window and let his sidekick simply enjoy the ride.Maybe you're a little like that police dog…carrying the weight of...

I was eight months pregnant the last time I was at Universal Studios.  We were youth leaders, and it never crossed my mind not to go.  This weekend, we were back with teenagers.   What would I tell that almost mama?    What a difference time makes….and yet, in some ways, nothing changes.  Thinking back, I have never once regretted saying yes to an adventure.  Much like childbirth, there have been times in the middle when I was 100% sure this would be the one that would defeat my adrenaline junkie heart, but by the time the ride was over, I...

In my devotional I read: Mary must have been utterly exhausted. Joseph was certainly deeply stressed. Christmas BEGAN with overwhelmed parents. I wrestle with the fact that God created the scenario where His chosen would be heavy and burdened and inconvenienced to say the least. And also, 10000% in the middle of His perfect plan. Can we go here? In some ways God left them at the end of their best efforts, at the end of obedience, at the end of doing everything right: birthing a child they didn’t even create, in a barn. The first Christmas. Stressed, tired, overwhelmed,...