DEEP WATERS

 I have recently begun a Facebook book club, called CHATS Reading Group. CHATS stands for "Connecting Hearts Across the Seas." If you know me well -- or if you read my last blog post -- you know that I love good books. I also love deep relationships. I'm a horrible small-talker. So needless to say, I'm thrilled to be sharing some deep books with 26 other ladies (and counting). And I'm even more thrilled about how racially diverse our group is. We represent several states, including Hawaii; we've got a member from Finland and a member from Kenya, East Africa. I began CHATS along with my friend Ondrea Harrison. When I began introducing my CHATS friends to Ondrea, I realized many people did not know the story of my son Christian's adoption from Russia. Ondrea played an intricate part in that story which I'd love to share with you right now. Many people ask when Anthony and I first decided to adopt. I'm not sure if it was during our dating relatio...

In every issue of O: The Oprah Magazine , the "Books That Made a Difference To..." column features a celebrity and the books that have impacted his or her life greatly. I love to read this column for several reasons. One, I love books myself. And since the day I learned to read, I now have a personal history of almost four decades of amazing books in my own repertoire. Two, you can tell so much about a person by the books he or she reads, and even more by the books a person loves. Third, I often run out and find books that those celebs have loved. I'm especially likely to read the ones that people I really admire have loved. The first book I remember falling in love with was The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. My second grade teacher, having discovered my ravenous appetite for literature, suggested I read the C.S. Lewis classic. I loved the intrigue, the mystery and the adventure of this novel, and I think my love for good books was ignited the moment ...

In my last post I shared the lessons God taught me in 2010. And I promised to share God's purposes for me in 2011 next time. Well, I may not know all that God has for me this year, but I promise you, God has definitely been speaking to me. So here's what I believe He's purposed for me thus far... I. Focus on the Family When Anthony and I moved to Arkansas to join the ministry of Mosaic Church, the Lord impressed upon my heart the importance of placing our family before any other ministry we do. So many pastors, evangelists and bible teachers have given their entire lives for the sake of the gospel. They spend countless hours sharing Christ and God's Word with others, "making disciples of all nations." (Matthew 28:19, 20). While applaudable, unfortunately many of us in ministry sacrifice our own families to reach the lost. I call my family our "First Church". My allegiance must be to them first and foremost. Supporting my husband as a man and...

We're one week into the new year, and I still haven't made any resolutions. Instead, I've opted to: 1. revisit the lessons of 2010 and 2. discover God's purposes for me in this new year. Today I'll share lessons of 2010. Next week, join me again as I share God's purposes for me in 2011. The Lessons of 2010 Before I can share last year's lessons, I have to share my personal journey over the last twelve months. I welcomed the year of 2010 as a resident of Northern Virginia. Having moved back to the East Coast from Franklin, Tennessee back in August of 2009, Anthony and I had just hosted my family for Christmas dinner. It had been a decade since we'd been able to host an extended family dinner, and it felt wonderful.  Although we missed our old church (Strong Tower) and our friends back in Tennessee, we were excited to be closer to home. We were blessed to be starting a new church, One Community Bible Church. And I was elated to be near the nation...

While most of the country has spent the last month in a frenzy of holiday shopping, baking and decorating, we sometimes forget those experiencing pain during this season. Earlier this month I read a lady's blog that chronicles her years of struggle with infertility. She confided with her readers that while she receives countless Christmas pictures in the mail of her friends' cute kiddos, the holidays are very sad for her. Longing for a child of her own she has renamed Christmas a "helliday", instead of a holiday. As a mother, and a woman with my own history of infertility and miscarriages, I hurt for this young woman. I know the pain she feels during this season. Yet there were some aspects of her struggle that I cannot relate to. During my years of infertility, I experienced hope; not a hope of having children one day, but a hope that Jesus would give me joy despite my circumstances. Hope that I would enjoy peace in life whether I had another child or not. Hope th...

This is the last post in my series examining the challenges of life in the ministry, although I may revisit this topic sometime in the future. This series has apparently blessed many of you. Some of you are pastor's wives, some of you lead ministries in your local church, some of you serve para-church ministries, and all of you are fellow Christians at various churches around the country. My prayer has been that you would be encouraged in whatever work the Lord has called you to. I cannot continue writing without thanking you for reading and supporting my blog. The feedback you have given me -- through blog comments, facebook messages and emails -- have encouraged me to press on with my writings.  One brother sent a message to my husband about my blog that lifted my spirits on the very day that I needed it. I had been wondering to myself, "Is anyone even reading this anymore?" Well, the Lord answered that question through that brother. I appreciate all of you for cheeri...

Welcome back to my blog series on life in the ministry. I hope these writings encourage you as you walk through the calling that God has placed on your life. If you're like me, you have days that you thank God you've been called. Other days the calling seems so natural and fitting, it's not even a conscious thing. It just is. Then there are days when you scratch your head and ask yourself, as I have from time to time, "How in the world did I get here?" Trust me, you're not alone. And if, at the moment, you are not in ministry or married to someone in ministry, please continue to read on. We need your encouragement, grace and prayers!  Challenge #2: Life in the Fishbowl I'm sure all of you have heard of the "fishbowl life" in ministry. Now this may not be a challenge for some of you, but I personally never aspired to a life on Broadway! An introvert, I  am most comfortable behind the scenes, supporting those around me. I am the encourager...