We are travelers in a foreign land. As Christ-followers, we are citizens of God’s kingdom. We step onto the open road anticipating God’s handiwork. The mindset of a traveler opens our eyes to appreciate the stunning world around us. I have experienced an unimaginable depth of freedom when galloping horses over rolling hills into the brilliant…
travelers
Dipping into Memories
Extraordinary adventures fill my memories of last year. As I pause to reflect, I begin to grasp the depth and breadth of the experiences of 2015. Friends and ministry partners allowed me to travel and experience new cultures. I heard languages I had never heard before, ate exotic foods, and found fellow believers in all…
Mind-blowing Life Lessons after 60K Miles
Over the past year, I’ve traveled more than 60,000 miles. Life lessons emerged as I paused to reflect. We humans are an interesting bunch. Our stories vary but common threads weave us tightly together. In no particular order, here are a few observations jotted down while 30,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean. 1 – Cultures develop…
Am I Too Comfortable in this Life?
When I am home, I auto-pilot my way through most daily tasks. Even driving. When I returned from the grocery store yesterday, I barely recalled the drive home. Scary stuff. My mind lapsed into replaying conversations from the day, then making dinner plans, then deciding what to include in a new book proposal. My body,…
One Thai Day at a Time
I sit barefoot in a bamboo hut in rural Thailand. My sandals lay at the foot of the six-rung wooden ladder at the home’s entrance. It’s the close of another Thai day. Smoke wafts into this center space of the home as the family prepares dinner. The open fire pit glows off to the right…
48 Hours and an Ocean Away
I am literally on the other side of the planet from my home. In an amazing opportunity, I’ve joined a small team to come alongside the ministry of Farthest Corners in Thailand. We are here to host several biblical training seminars in rural villages. I am humbled to be a part of this team and…
Faith Expressed in Art
Today I saw one of the most meaningful artistic expressions of the Christian faith that I have ever seen. Art moves people but it also polarizes. We had the wonderful privilege of visiting McGilvary College of Divinity in Chiang Mae this morning. One of the few Christian seminaries in Thailand, the school teaches theology to…
How to NOT have a Boring Life
Life gets boring when we become one-dimensional. We do the same thing every day. The boring life puts us in a rut devoid of innovation and wonder and awe. Our interests are minimal. Our conversations are limited. Break out and move beyond being singularly focused! Explore the possibilities! Some of us are particularly passionate to accomplish…
Come to the Door, Please
(This is the third post in a 7-part series on Jesus’ description of Himself) We arrived at the Detroit community center to host a children’s afternoon program. We had been asked to lead three hours of programming which would allow the “regular” staff to do much needed planning for the upcoming school year. With supplies…
Faces of Zambia, Part 2
I see the beautiful faces of the little ones in Every Orphan Hope’s “My Father’s Houses.” Joy radiates from their eyes as they share testimonies about new life in Christ and new life in their MFH family. They arise at 5:00 a.m. for devotions (led by the children) then prepare breakfast for the house, handwash…