How many are living the life on mission?

Today, I heard God again speaking to me through my pastor.  Yes, God speaks to me through many different ways.  He gives he a word or thought about things that I have been praying about or struggling with.  No, I am not crazy, even though I act that way sometimes.
Today, my word was mission.  I have been praying about my trip that is coming up in 3 months and for our team to be blessed and to be prepared.  Not everyone can go on mission whether it is a short term trip like mine or to go and spend their life in the mission field like some people I know that have done this.
If I had the passion for mission early in my life, I wonder what my life would be like.  Would I have gone and followed this way or would my life be like it is now.  I love going on mission and going to help people and show and tell them about Jesus' love.
Don't be a bystander. I learned about the bystander affect today.  This is: everyone assumes that the other person will do something, believes that there is nothing that you can do, and being afraid to get involved.
I couldn't do these trips without the support of my family and friends.  It's hard being separated from Robby and the kids for those 2-3 weeks.  I sometimes feel that this is a break for them too so they can get refreshed when I come back!  But not everyone can go.  All I ask is:
1. Pray.  pray for me and our team.  Pray that we raise enough money, that our team is big enough, and that God will use us for his plan.  Pray that if you have this on your heart to go, that you have the courage to follow through with it.  If you do not feel the calling to go, pray to have the courage to SEND someone that is called.
2. Send.  It takes money for us to go and to get our supplies.  So if you do not feel the calling, send someone.
3. GO.  If you feel that God has placed this on your heart, then go.  Take that leap of faith and GO.

Jesus taught about going out on mission to the disciples, "The harvest is great but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields." Matthew 9: 37-38. I take that leap of faith every year and I have never regretted the decision to follow God's calling.

Love to all,

Where did I go?

Over the last week, Robby and I have been putting our old videos of the kids onto the computer.  It has been fun watching all of these memories.  It has brought so many smiles to our faces and laughter of the memories we have placed in the back of our minds.  But as I watch these videos, I ask myself, where did I go?  I have changed over the coarse of my children's life.  I feel I am a totally different person.  Yes, I am older, so I have experienced more which can change me.  But I see myself in those videos so happy, so full of energy, so much patience and laughter.  What happened?  If I had a wish right now, I wish to get that back. It makes me sad to think that I have put some things before what should be more important here lately.  A lot has happened in the last 20 years, a lot of wonderful and a few things not so wonderful.  Robby and I and the kids have survived and I just pray that I continue to be the mother and wife they love and remember. 
So how do I get back to how I was in those memories?  Not sure, but I am going to work on it.  Work on smiling more, having more laughter in my life, giving more love and positivity in my life.  Just as God has blessed me, I hope to bless others.
For as the waters fill the sea, the earth will be filled with an awareness of the glory of the Lord. Habakkuk 2:14.

Love to all, 

fighting the battle

I feel someone needs to hear this, so I am going to say it. (You know I can't keep my mouth shut!!)

It is never easy, no matter what battle you are fighting.  But with cancer, it is never ending.  You see, no one is ever cancer free, you are just in remission.  Staying well and healthy is a lifetime process.  A process that isn't easy.  But nothing that is worth while is ever easy. 
So my sisters and brothers that are fighting the battle, keep fighting and stay strong.  Never give up.

Psalm 16:8; I have set the lord continually before me; because he is at my right hand, I WILL NOT BE SHAKEN.

Love to all,

Forever love

Back to normal.  Well I guess it's time to get back to a normal routine and back to work.   It seems weird not having my grandma around anymore.  All the memories that she has given me, I will cherish.  But now it's time to move on.  Thank you to all my family and friends who  have been a huge support me and my family during this time of grieving.  I wish you could have known my grandma the way I have.  You would have truly loved her.  She has taught me many things and help mold me into the person I am today.
1 Corinthians 4:8-10, "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed but not in despair; persecuted but not forsaken; cast down but not destroyed; and always carrying around in the body the death of the Lord Jesus, that also the life of Jesus might be expressed in our bodies."

Love to all,

FEAR

Fear. Sometimes I am afraid.  I would have to say most of the time I have fear. I am afraid of spiders, snakes, scary movies, really high places to name a few.  Light when you look over the ledge of a building and your stomach decides to do jumping jacks...I hate that feeling! Or I have a memory of my grandma Wix at the farm when I was a teenager.  She was out in the garden and started hollering for my uncle.  When we got out there, there was a very HUGE snake in the tree.  Well we killed it and it was like 6ft long!  Or that time on my Honduras mission in 2016 with my introduction to our wolf spider.  Didn't like that introduction in my bathroom! But these are fears that can be overcome (or at least I hope so!), right??? 
The fears that are hard to overcome for me is fear of death. Am I going to die soon?  What will I do if Robby dies?  What if something happens to my kids, to my parents?  This is a fear that is sometimes hard to overcome.  But.....and there is always a but, Jesus said to fear not.  He said it 365 times in the Bible. He also said to trust in him and to lean on him in the hard times. 
Even though we can't see him, HIS presence is always felt.  So when you have fear, FEAR NOT, because HE is with you.  Cast all your worries on him.

Jesus said: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27

Love to all,