DEEP WATERS

Intrigue, exhilaration, disappointment, triumph. These words describe the emotional roller coaster I rode the other night watching the Olympics. I was intrigued by the beauty and precision of these amazing athlete's bodies. I was exhilarated by their displays of strength and talent. I was disappointed by the elimination of Jordyn Wieber from the all-around gymnastics competition. And I felt triumph whenever our country seized another medal. But the moment that brought the most radiant smile to my face was during gymnast Gabby Douglas' interview after qualifying for the all-around competition. Nicknamed the "Flying Squirrel" for her aerial performance on the uneven bars, this 4'11", 90-pound powerhouse has completely stolen my heart, with her infectious smile and sweet spirit. When asked how she kept her nerves at bay at the Olympics, Gabby replied, "I meditate on scriptures like, 'Be confident in this.'" She went on to say that the...

My life has been full of surprises. I'll share a few of them: I said I'd never marry a preacher. Well, I didn't marry a preacher, I married a corporate guy who, seven years later, became a preacher .  When my husband Anthony and I decided to adopt a newborn baby girl from the United States, the Lord chose a 2-year-old toddler  boy from Russia for our family instead. After relocating cross-country from Tennessee to Northern Virginia in hopes of planting a new church there, after only one year, the Lord clearly directed us to Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas . (Note: In case you haven't noticed, Arkansas borders Tennessee. Surely moving costs would have been a lot cheaper if we would have moved right to Arkansas from Tennessee.) As I share this list, I must admit, I wouldn't change not one of them. My life has been enriched by the surprises, the unexpected circumstances, and even the challenges of God flipping the script that I had joyfully wri...

I don't know about you, but I'm a little weary of all the bipartisan talk these days. Television campaign ads, candidate signs and Facebook posts of people blasting or singing the praises of politicians are wearing me out. Honestly, I'm looking forward to November 7 -- the day  after  election day. I recently read an article in Relevant Magazine  entitled "Broken Politics" , which took a hard, but fair, look at Republicans and Democrats. Authors D.C. Innes and Lisa Sharon Harper examined how both parties get it right and how both parties get it wrong. Their conclusion: "Christians must all recognize their ultimate hope should be in Christ, not in any earthly institution or human theory. Neither one's country nor one's party is the Kingdom of God." I must agree. Over the years I've heard many Christians proudly tout the Republican party as the Christian party. As if Jesus Christ Himself would be a Republican if He were walking the f...