50 days to go!

It’s really happening!

psalm 23 (from the AIV, Angie’s International Version)

The Lord is my caretaker, I shall not have to do it in my own strength.

He makes me lie down in restful places, He leads me beside quiet places, He restores my soul.

He guides me in the paths of truth for His name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of a wedding and work to-do list that’s endless, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your fatherly boundaries, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of people who don’t always undertand me.

You anoint my head with precious and costly things, my cup overflows.

Surely You will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

future childrens’ names

Scott and I have been reading through the Bible in a year on the way to work each morning. (It’s a highlight of my day to carpool with my man!)

We’re in Genesis right now and have laughed pretty hard at some of the names.

I laugh even harder at the way Scott pronounces them, like his mother tongue is Arabic or something.

When reading Genesis 5, we came upon the name Mahalalel, Scott called out like a Middle-Eastern father, “Mahalalel! Mahalalel! Come for dinner!”

Today, we read about Jacob and Esau — and the lesson about how to take lying to a whole ‘nother level — in Genesis 27. We’re reading a Bible that puts everything chronologically, so it puts Genesis and Chronicles together, it took us to 1 Chronicles 1 where we found another great name:

Oholibamah.

No, I’m not kidding you.

“Mahalalel, Oholibamah, and Steve! Come down for dinner!” Scott says laughing.

I think we’ve landed on our kids’ names.

february newsletter: I see you

I See You

There’s Cathy, the 50ish woman who offers samples at my Publix grocery store.

There’s that guy who has grease on his hands and “assistant manager” on his shirt at Shell.

There’s a 20-something in the Jazzercise class (where I sometimes sub) who is fighting for her marriage.

I want to know them. But I don’t…yet.

In Process

I really want others to know the abundant life available as a Christian. But it’s easy to let life and busyness get in the way of really seeing someone.

So I’m asking God to open my eyes to who He sees that I’m to see. (I was challenged about that, again, last night as I read Matthew 25:31-46.) My heart—more than ever—wants to see them, not because it’s the “right” thing to do, but because my love of God moves me to love those He loves.

The cool thing is that it’s not up to me to conjure up emotion and outreach. It’s Him and His power. Since He lives in me, He’ll give me the boldness or compassion or whatever I need to reach out. I think of it like, Jesus, will you love this person through me today?

There’s that blond high school grocery store check-out girl at Clemens.

What would it look like if I intentionally went to her lane every Saturday morning, asking her how she’s doing and really stopping to listen? Maybe she offers something about school or boys, and I ask her about that the next week. Maybe I find something at the dollar store that I would’ve thought was cute at her age, and buy it for her?

The 6 o’clock news doesn’t report news in process, just after-the-facts. But life’s a little more in-process.

At least mine is.

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More Big News!

 

Scott’s Applying to Join Me As a Missionary with Campus Crusade

My friends joke that I’m a natural recruiter, and say that I’ve recruited myself a husband to join me in ministry. I laugh but am so grateful. Who knew that would happen?

Before me, though, God had been working in Scott’s heart, causing him to consider full-time Christian work. Over the time we dated, he’s learned about Campus Crusade for Christ and how his gifts and skills with computers and technology are greatly needed at our World Headquarters.

(Think of your computer frustrations and multiply them by 1,000 and that’s part of the role of the Information Technology department.)

In November, he came to Orlando for my birthday and to talk with the people in the IT department. As we drove away from that meeting, he turned to me and said, “I want to join Campus Crusade.” I was floored. Woo hoo!

Next Steps

Scott is in the process of applying to Campus Crusade to become a missionary. If accepted, he will go through New Staff Training this summer, a month after we marry.

After that training, we’ll move to Iowa/Nebraska to raise financial support we’ll need as a couple in ministry.

After we’ve gathered additional supporters for Scott, too, we’ll move back to Orlando and both work at our headquarters.

WOW…It’s a sweet season of ministry and personal life, that’s for sure!

Please Pray:

• For Scott as he fills out his application.
• For Scott & I as we continue to get adjusted to him living in Orlando. (He moved in with friends a month ago so we could finally be in the same city.)
• For both of us to continue to grow spiritually—together and separately.
• For me as I continue to direct the Staff Web—wisdom in how to best serve our staff members through the Web site.