God’s Word is a beautiful, beautiful gift. Did you know that the word “grace” that we learn and see of God in the New Testament is often missed in the Old Testament because it is more often translated as the words “mercy” or “lovingkindness”. I’ve heard it said otherwise though. That this lack of the word “grace” in the O.T. was for a different reason, that it was because Jesus, (Yeshua in.. Read More
“The prayer preceding all prayers is ‘May it be the real I who speaks. May it be the real Thou that I speak to.’” —C.S. Lewis Time passes by us heavy some days. Days can pass and we pass with them like we’re drawn with bowling balls tied around our ankles; not sure whether we were here or there. But, if we have the grace to notice we are here.. Read More
Welcome to Spring 2016 friends. What an over-flowing treasure we have to share in everyday the faith of those who have gone before us. “From now on a fire burned within us, as it did in the disciples on the road to Emmaus. ‘Snowflakes cannot fall on a hot stove,’ says an Indian proverb. The coldness of this world could no longer harm us, although we had to pass through bitter.. Read More
We live in a strange day. Freedom seekers and protectors are portrayed and persecuted as human rights violators. A nation violates freedom while a president watches it’s baseball game. I know it’s not new, it’s all been beneath the sun before, but it’s here now, in our day. Our strange day, our call to preparedness and being a city on a hill, a light not hidden. It could seem hopeless… Read More
Honesty in prayer (and all of life!) isn’t just OK, it is THE way after God’s heart. This is the humility God desires.
I went “prepared” to help meet our persecuted family’s needs, yet, instead they held my hands and captivated my eyes. They told me how they pray for America to experience “the blessing of persecution”. My mind has spun with confusion and questions that felt like being alone in an empty room. These times must come. Undeniably, my spirit has been hungry with anticipation that I too could grasp their secret.. Read More
The idea of designing The Martyrs’Cross had been in my husband’s heart for some time before we got married. However, it was just a couple months before we wed that it fully ripened and became a reality. It was a symbol to us of our purpose in coming together. We met at a Voice of the Martyrs’ conference both sure we would never marry and definitely not have any children. Well, almost.. Read More
I often hear our Heavenly Father’s voice when I instruct my children. Sometimes I don’t *get it* right away but since it’s become a common theme I try to listen carefully to what I am saying. I consider, what do I need to do with the words as well? Recently, I spoke with them about there being times we need to choose the difficult way; the times that we have to push in.. Read More
Small Beginnings Seventeen years ago my husband Jay (an unknown graphic artist living in Dayton, OH at the time) designed The Martyrs’ Cross to be a tool to remember persecuted Christians around the world in prayer and deed, a handful of people knew about it, oh, and God. And because of that last “detail” over ten thousand crosses and 26 nations later it is a worldwide symbol of remembrance and prayer.. Read More
Reading the story of Naaman in 2 Kings 5 was heavy with discussion and wide-eyes. Before I go further, let me be clear in the picture I paint for you: the 8 year old is coloring and listening half of the time (I think), the six year old is building with Legos and making a LOT of rocket blasting sounds, but still sometimes seems to be listening enough to tell us the last few things we said. (I’m just glad he’s still around the table with us.) And the 3 year old, well, that depends on the day. But I keep him as close by as I can because the 10, 12 & 14 year olds were that little once, and today, as I read the story…