HOPE

Hang Onto Possible Endings

Extraordinary Hope

Desiring to encourage, challenge and inspire believers to passionately pursue God, I started blogging. Sharing stories of faith in hopes that you will hang onto possible endings when unexpected and unwanted trials come unbidden into your life. As a kindergarten teacher by trade, I have much to learn as I hone my skills for this new craft. Attending writer's conferences stir my soul to search for words worth pondering. Gifts of grace found in proclamations of truth and expressions of ... continue reading...

Ameseginalehu

Dear Friends and Family, I’ve been home three weeks now and am still processing all that the Lord did on our mission trip. I can’t thank you enough for your prayers on our behalf. They were the foundation for what the Lord began to build in and through us. I felt like I was getting sick the day before we left. Anxiety  about my health reached an all-time high Sunday night in the DC airport hotel. I was grateful to be in a room by myself because I was definitely doing battle in prayer. My ... continue reading...

3 Days and Counting

Dear friend, I am very excited to be returning to Ethiopia on Sunday. The Lord has done great things and I am filled with joy! Please join me in praying for our team.   On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your payers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. 2 Corinthians 1:11 1. For peace, clarity of thought, wisdom and discernment for team leader. 2. For health ... continue reading...

37 Pennies Left

“Why do you have pennies in a jar? What are they for? Can I play with them?” My three year-old grandson, Eli fired his questions in rapid succession. “They help me think about how I want to spend my days. And yes,  you can play with them.” I replied. Inspired by Eryn Lynum’s book 936 Pennies: The Joy of Intentional Parenting, I had originally  put 48 pennies in a jar; one for each week left in the year. Of course, the first thing Eli did was dump them all out. As I watched them fall to the ... continue reading...

Paid in Full

Candlelight and contemplative music ushered me into a place of reverence. I'd been invited to celebrate Good Friday and experience a bit of  Jesus' final hours at my daughter's church. After dinner, carnival games and  hunting eggs, we were ready to enter the room set aside for the real reason to celebrate Easter. Designed to highlight the events of the crucifixion, each station displayed the scriptural account of what took place on the first Good Friday.   The children ... continue reading...