The Holidays are Here

It's beginning to feel like Christmas.

A wreath on the front door...

...and lights and bows on the staircase and mantle.

And, of course, decorating sugar cookies!

Some got a little carried away with the sprinkles, but we had a great time!

My New Girlfriend

It was a joy to finally be able to hold my new niece last week.  She's the sweetest little thing.

Welcome to the world, little one.  May you grow up to love the Lord Jesus with all your heart and serve him all the days of your life.  I love you.

Baking Firsts

So I baked my first German Chocolate Cake today.

Thy mystery now is how to transport it tomorrow since it's too tall for my cake top...

An Early Taste of Winter

Enjoyed taking some pictures this morning of the winter wonderland. It's an odd phenomena watching ice melt, flurries fall, and leaves drop from the trees - all at the same time.

The delay in driving to work meant some early morning baking. Cheers to half days!

Fun at the Park

It was a beautiful late afternoon at the park today.

Ten Years

It was ten years ago this year that the Lord put on my heart a desire to come alongside and help Matt & Miriam Barnes with the ministry God had given them at the Indiana Statehouse.   We were complete strangers to each other then, but we served the same God and shared a common love for our country and her leaders.  This passion created a unity that overcame the strangeness, and as I took on tasks to relieve Matt and Miriam of some of the administrative details of the ministry, we saw the Lord use Matt in more ways and take the ministry to new heights.

And now today this chapter is closing in my life.   As unbelievable as it may sound, the Lord has directed me to part ways with the ministry of Public Servants' Prayer to pursue a new path.  Yes, I still love my country and pray for her leaders.  Yes, I still desire to see a Christian witness in the political arena. Yes, I still support what Matt Barnes and the PSP team are doing nationally and internationally.  But God has directed me elsewhere.

As I reflect on these last ten years, I am grateful to the Lord for this opportunity he gave me and am indebted to Matt & Miriam for providing a forum for me to further develop my strengths.  This ministry has also taken me to places I never thought I would see and put me in the path of people I never thought I would meet.  From the doorway of the Indiana Statehouse to the steps of the White House to the land where Jesus walked, I have been blessed with some incredible experiences that have shaped me for life.

So I part ways with gratitude and also expectation to see what this new season of life holds for me.  There are some unknowns, but I am confident of this, that "I being in the way, the Lord led me." (Genesis 24:27)

Prayer Service, January 2012

Washington D.C., 2013

Washington D.C., 2013

Prayer Service, January 2014

Prayer Service, January 2015

Prayer Service, January 2016

Israel, 2017

Israel, 2017

Washington D.C., May 2018

Washington D.C., May 2018

Words of Wisdom

Words of Wisdom

Summer Days

It has been a full summer.  Here are a few pictures that tell the story:

James turned 1 years old, and he didn't have any trouble figuring out how to open presents.

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Dad and I biked 27 miles one afternoon for ice cream!

I had a run in with poison sumac that almost knocked me off my feet.  It was awful.

Dad and I enjoyed taking the older grandkids to a baseball game.  Benjamin took home a ball and Grace the popcorn bowl (which stayed in her lap the entire game).

I was thrilled to spend several days in Duluth with Kathy & Nathan enjoying the beauty of Lake Superior and soaking up time with two people I love dearly.

I'm grateful for the friends back home God has placed around me who plan fun tea dates and pray for me regularly.

Now fall is around the corner.  Though we don't know what all is in store, we know that our God has our best interest in mind, and that he does all things well.