The beauty of spring just keeps blooming boldly...and May held some beautiful milestones and connections as well. To read my May update, click the image below!
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As I write to reflect back on April and all God did this past month, I’m aware that some are in need of encouragement today. Sometimes circumstances going on all around us can make us feel like we are being crushed under the weight of stress and strain. In those moments my prayer is that you will hear the Good Shepherd calling,
“Come to Me and I will give you rest…” There is another kind of crushing, too; one that leads not to felt-obliteration but a manifestation of destiny’s yield. Grapes crushed yield wine. Olives crushed yield oil. Herbs crushed yield fragrance and flavor. Crushings such as these often come through Love’s correction and a lived-out humility and are for a purpose and gift greater than ourselves...a being prepared for what we are destined for. Sometimes, though, the crushing might feel more like Satan is sifting us like wheat...and that we are being blown away like unwanted chaff on the wind. At these times, it can feel hard to fathom that any seeds worth saving or sowing will remain. This is where we must choose to “fear not” and to trust that Jesus is with us to strengthen, help and uphold us with His victorious right hand (Isaiah 41:10). We must believe that, though Satan may desire to sift us like wheat, Jesus has interceded for us and prayed that our faith would not fail—and that, when we come through the test and trial with His help, He will empower us afresh to strengthen others (Luke 22:31-32). As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, at times we may be pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We may be perplexed, but we are not driven to despair. Even when we are persecuted, we are never abandoned by God. And if we get knocked down, we will not be destroyed (1 Corinthians 4:8-9). Be encouraged today. God sees you. God hears you. God knows what you are going through, and He wants to give you REST. Go to Him. And know that I am always honored to pray for you, as well! We are not meant to walk alone! Click the image above to read the rest of my April updates! Are you blooming boldly in this season of your life? I love early spring because it’s a time when things are beginning to come alive again after the dormancy of winter…when flowers like these crocuses dare to push through the snow and dead foliage of fall and bloom in defiance of the surroundings and in proclamation of what is coming…grasses greening, trees transforming and flowers of a vast variety exploding both in the wild and in our gardens. Bounty. Glory. Fruitfulness. All are on their way…the seeds and roots of their presence already present but just waiting for the proper time to spring forth.
These “frost flowers” I discovered on my window recently remind me that, soon, winter will be giving way to spring! Click the image below to read the update for February!
My last sunset on the island was a precious gift and I have been spending my final days here in Hawaii reflecting on the amazing goodness and faithfulness of God. I never would have imagined when God sent me to here that He would have so much in store to work both in and through me while I’ve been in Kona. I’m so glad I followed His leading here…and I’m excited about where He will lead me next. Click the link below to read more...
I sense in my heart that this will be an encouragement to someone as we come close to the end of 2020.
A few days ago, I discovered a text message I’d written earlier this year…January 1st of 2020 to be exact. I’m not even sure how or why I’d scrolled all the way back to it—other than the Holy Spirit directing me outside of my conscious thought. He has promised to bring all things the Lord has spoken to our remembrance, after-all…even if it takes an almost-year-old text message we’ve completely forgotten about! As I read what I wrote, though, I was in awe. This is what I’d shared with my friend: “Thank you for your call yesterday. As I listened to your message, it actually brought me to tears. It caused me to acknowledge just how challenging things have been…a good thing for me to face because it’s only when we acknowledge what’s going on in our hearts that we can then go to Him with it. I was discouraged and still in tears as I entered into 2020, but God reminded me of Psalms 126:5-6 and Psalms 51:12, 15 as I went to bed, so I take them as a Word from Him for the year and expect joy to be my strength in 2020: ‘Those who sow their tears as seeds will reap a harvest with joyful shouts of glee. They may weep as they go out carrying their seed to sow, but they will return with joyful laughter and shouting with gladness as they bring back armloads of blessing and a harvest overflowing.’ ‘Let my passion for life be restored, tasting joy in every breakthrough You bring to me. Hold me close to You with a willing spirit that obeys whatever You say. Lord God, unlock my heart, unlock my lips, and I will overcome with my joyous praise!’ TPT” As I reread these words a few days ago, I was in absolute awe. You see, I didn’t just START 2020 with tears. Tears have honestly been a marker for much of my year—not joy. BUT GOD. In a variety of areas in my life over these past weeks, it has felt like accelerated change and restoration have come. Much of it has actually come as a result of challenging situations, but through these weeks, and even with the challenges, I have been in a tangible and experiential place of joy and peace and I have been strengthened and emboldened in who I am in Christ and who He has called me to be like never before. Truly, I have been “tasting joy in every breakthrough”! So a few days ago, when I read the words I’d written that started my year…on January 1, 2020…words that I had literally forgotten about that ended with both a promise and a prayer…I realized that here, in these last weeks of 2020, I am living in the fulfillment of that promise and the answer to that prayer. It’s been a step-by-step and day-by-day journey, but here…in His perfect timing…God has done it! He has turned my tears to joy in 2020! So as we come to the final days of 2020, what was it that God spoke to you about at the beginning of this year? Before COVID…Before protests…Before political rallies and debates…before whatever challenges that came trying to distract you from what He had told you about this year? If you don’t remember, ask Him to remind you…and I believe He will tell you again. And if you haven't seen it happen yet...I believe He will spark fresh hope and renewed faith that the One Who promised is also Faithful to bring it to pass! And if you don’t think you’ve ever heard from God…reach out to Jesus…talk to Him…pour out your heart…tell Him that you need Him and want Him in your life, and as you draw near to Him, He’s promised to draw near to you. He loves you. He gave His Life for you on the cross…and He’ll give His Life and Love and Joy and Peace to you in the here and now, too. My continued prayer for you, for all of us, as we move into 2021 is that your passion for life will be restored…that you will taste joy in every breakthrough He brings you…that you will know He holds you close no matter what comes…that you will have a willing spirit to obey whatever He tells you…and that as He unlocks your heart and unlocks your lips that you will overcome anything that tries to overtake you in 2021 with your joyous praise! (Psalm 51:12,15 TPT) He is worthy of our trust! I am sending Christmas greetings to you wherever you are in the world today! We had an "explosive start" to our Christmas week here in Hawaii on Sunday night...with an earthquake and a volcano erupting on the island about 90 miles from us here in Kona! Things have stabilized and we were quickly shifted from a warning to a watch status on the island, but the lava is still filling the original crater and scientists continue to monitor the ongoing eruption at Kīlauea. It's been another "unexpected" during my extended stay here, but ALL IS WELL!
I know for many, much of 2020 has felt like a "shaking" with various "eruptions" happening in different ways, and like I shared in an earlier update this year, it's on my heart to speak God's PEACE over you again this Christmas! May you hear the words the angels announced to the Shepherds on that first Christmas so long ago…"Glory to God in the Highest, and PEACE on earth to those with whom He is well pleased!" That’s you! Truly, you are each a Beloved one to Him, and I’m grateful for you, too! So again, PEACE and Christmas blessings to you all as we remember Emmanuel, God with us...Jesus, our Prince of Peace. May Joy to the World abound in 2021! P.S.--A quick housing update, as well... God showed Himself SO faithful yet again! Due to a number of circumstances of favor with the campus and adjustments to people's plans, my housing costs for my extended time here went from $1200 to $300! Thank you to those who gave! The need has been met! And thanks to all who sent cards to the Stackhouses, too! You truly added to their Christmas joy and your words of encouragement were an incredible blessing! How is it possible that three months have passed since I left Wisconsin to start heading toward Hawaii for this most special of PRO-Vision assignments?! Today officially marks my final day as nanny to Hezekiah as I’ve come to serve him and his parents, Jon and Rachel. It has been such a joy and honor to spend this time coming alongside this beautiful family…and as they say in Hawaii, they have truly become my Ohana (family) while I’ve been here! The big news, though...is that my time here is being extended! Click the link below for the full update!
Today marks one month since I transitioned to the YWAM Kona campus… when I first got to meet Hezekiah in person! We’ve had four wonderful weeks together and it’s hard to believe that Jon and Rachel are already starting week seven of their lecture phase in Discipleship Training School (DTS). Click the image below to read more in my November update...
What was originally going to be a five day delay to transition to campus because of my class turned into fourteen days of quarantine and then grew into twenty days of staying off site because of an additional campus lockdown. But I was finally able to come to campus this past Monday! Click the image below to read more!
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May 2021
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