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God’s World

Praying For Some {global} Vision Today

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It’s always so confusing to me when the anger of people is directed toward the behavior and choices of others. More than their own brokenness. More than the blaring ethical and social injustices. More than the existence of poverty stricken communities. More than the outrageous amount of children still not in families. More than the sexual battle that preys on young women. More than the widespread addiction to the virtual stimulations that prevent intimacy in reality. My own anger swells up in these moments when the people who wear your Name use it to build walls, instead of erase boundaries. […]

Praying Restoration Today

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These dark skies have swooped down, twisted realities, shaken foundations, and flooded us with fear. They have blown in and taken the breath of children, with no regard toward how our young in school have already been attacked. And then, they came back for more, and to the One Who Calms the Seas and Storms, we cry out Enough! People are talking, you know? Asking questions. Wondering if it was by your hand, oh Creator of the winds and skies and rains. I know it’s okay to ask, to wonder. I’m asking too. Your Word compels me to wrestle with […]

Environments of Grace: what do they look like {for the daughter who loses her mother}?

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I know Jennifer because she married into a family whom I share a deep history, a deep love. Though miles separate us now, the foundation of friendship between our families keeps us bound together, and we delight in knowing that God is working in each other’s lives. Jennifer’s grace story comes just in time for Mother’s Day, a day we celebrate the love and beauty of this divine role. Being a mother and having a mother isn’t something everyone gets to experience or celebrate. But this story teaches us that God’s grace redeem’s broken realities, sometimes in ways we aren’t […]

Environments of Grace: what do they look like {for those coming home}?

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My friendship with Shannon started with an email about how and where to get your hair highlighted in Uganda — you know, the important details about missionary life. We started emailing each other as her family prepared to move to Uganda at a similar phase of life as we did. They seamlessly connected to the people and culture, and continue to live and work within a ministry they are passionate about. Any length of time living in another culture changes the way you experience your culture of origin. There’s an awkwardness, a re-adjusting, a frustration, a comfort, as you engage […]

Environments of Grace: what do they look like {in the darkest place you’ve ever been}?

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When you live across the seas in a place like Africa, you treasure the people who take the time and money and energy to travel to where you are. And even if those people travel to see your teammates, and not you, you STILL treasure them! We are thankful for people like Danni Langston and her husband who experienced Uganda, and the culture and people we love so deeply. It will always unite us. Danni’s grace story teaches us to be available to people when they just can’t be available to themselves. May God give us the eyes to witness […]

Environments of Grace: what do they look like {for the mother of a special needs child}?

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Ann Ehlert is a new friend. We find ourselves connected through Jesus, blogging and our sweet friend Courtney. Ann and her husband, Greg, live an intentional life of ministry within their family and a broader community. Her story is one that teaches us how to receive and respond to the realities of others in ways that bless and encourage. And ultimately, sometimes our environment of grace comes when we, ourselves, extend grace to the people we need it from. Slowly but surely I have been learning how my black and white thinking is not loving or accepting. As children, we learn many […]

Environments of Grace: what do they look like {in a temporary storm}?

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I’m excited to share with you a grace story by Kristan Shields. She may tell you she doesn’t craft words well, but let me tell you that she speaks them to people faithfully! She is free with words of love and encouragement to the people in her life. And it teaches me. I love her story because it’s a simple story of grace. Not this extravagant struggle that required extravagant grace….but a very normal struggle that so many hearts will connect to. And the environment of grace God provided for her was simple…and yet isn’t ALL grace kind of extravagant? […]

Environments of Grace: what do they look like {for the infertile couple}?

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Lara Brazle shares her story with us today. A story of how God’s people became an environment of grace for her and her husband David during a time when they needed a safe place to discover how God resurrects life after being told life wasn’t possible. She’s a beautiful, honest soul and I’m thankful for her family’s witness of who God is. Our story of grace starts in a little room at an urology clinic. It was a day of hope turned grey, as our dreams of having children biologically were dashed. After a couple years of infertility, we had […]

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It’s Our Cross Too

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When winter lasts so long, it only makes me anticipate Spring even more. With greater fervor, with deeper longing. It reminds me of the years in Africa when after a year of separation I would anticipate someone’s arrival or my departure with such intensity that I would nearly burst with excitement. I miss that feeling. But every winter I re-visit a similar anticipation. As I reach my winter threshold and ache for the sun to warm my face and grass to grow up between the toes of my children. It’s a wonderful feeling. We all turn a little giddy in […]

somewhere in between

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That’s where change happens. In between what you think and what I think. In between what she said and what he said. In between that opinion and this opinion. When national tragedies happen, we hear a variety of both knee jerk and thoughtful responses that open up dialogue. This can be frustrating…and good. It’s frustrating to hear extreme opinions and defenses in a time like this. It’s frustrating that most of the dialogue happens on Facebook where we can’t see expressions and genuine spirits. It’s frustrating that we spout opinions without taking the time to seek the Lord and discern […]

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