Are busy women, wives or moms ever really alone?

I have made my personal goals (referred to as Key Result Areas(KRAs) by our mission organization) simple, concrete and, until today, have avoided those which I know would be beneficial, although unattainable. One such KRA, the monthly personal retreat day (known henceforth as a PRD) could not occur without sacrifice or intentionality.  How could a busy woman, wife, mom, volunteer, chauffeur, you get the picture- take time away from such duties and focus on God, re-evaluate priorities, goals, and ignore sustenance while seeking God on a normal weekday morning/afternoon? After spending the last five hours intentionally chatting and listening to God, I realized how much more productive and functional each one of us would be if we were to begin by scheduling these half-day portions of solitude.

Although my first actual PRD began with two children, my wonderful spouse, and  a guest in my house, I recognized that even a favorite corner of the house, with the door closed could allow me to focus intently on God until they vacated the premises. Moments after the family left , I realized that the peace was too deafening, so I turned on some soft (ok, maybe for some of you, more than upbeat praise music) for background noise. Time flew faster than I knew possible and I gained insight, was able to pray uninterruptedly (you know how moms pray while driving, and multitasking) while listening intently for God’s voice in the stillness.

Halfway through my time alone with the Lord, the construction noise on the other side of our concrete wall was no longer keeping time with the soft music so I walked up the hill behind our home, inhaled clean crisp air, and gazed at tropical beauty all around me. As I had fasted during lunch, and my attention and mind was fading, I greeted several local pulperia owners before I found my desired pick-me-up…a frosty Coca-Cola Zero.  I headed home, sought several favorite non-fiction Christian books, prayed intentional prayers for my spouse, family, and myself, while listening to the soothing rain on our metal roof ( the construction was rained out!).

And yes, now that the house is teaming with activity, I am thankful for the blessing of time alone with God, and am looking so forward to my next PRD in November. Dear friends, family, and fellow missionaries, take time to do this—it is more that I thought it’d be—and friendlier on the budget than a day at the spa! Guess I’ll add a quarterly PRD to my KRA’s now—and I hope to surpass that timetable!

 

Happy Independence Day, Costa Rican Style!

Tomorrow is the day our Costa Rican brothers and sisters will celebrate Independence Day! Anna wanted to be the first to celebrate, so we finally found her appropriate attire!

The Beginning of an Adventure....9/11/01

     I remember the television images of 9/11, the household events of that day, and the eventual call by then President Bush to service( not just those in the military, but everyday Americans). That day was a pivotal day as I sat on a comfortable couch, recalled our year in Pakistan, and realized that, after returning from overseas in 1991, we had accumulated material possessions, dug in roots( a wonderful thing)in the beautiful Southeast, and lived a comfortable American lifestyle.

 

I began  praying that God would use me, a  homeschooling mom,  a nurse, a woman in some way to redeem human suffering in the world. He answered. I explained to my children, as best I could, what was happening many miles away, and we had a fundraiser for the Red Cross on our driveway, and thought we had helped, a little.

 

We became foster parents and loved on infants whose mothers gave them life as they awaited their permanent placements. Our family served together, and learned to love unconditionally, deeply, and sometimes wept as those we loved went to less than optimal situations.

 

We then adopted, and grew our family in a marvelous way, and taught our children that God made us all in His image. But we still lived the American dream, moved to a bigger house, and dug those roots in deeper.

 

God knew what He was doing. He was using our everyday lives to prepare us for what lay ahead.  Graduate school and homeschooling while taking 24 hour call? Surely not at this time in my life….you guessed it. It was part of the plan, and I was blessed to welcome 43 new babies into the world, to empower women in one of the most intimate experiences in their life, and to personalize each one with a pink or blue birthday cake. But not being able to fully communicate with all of my clients in the same way was frustrating, and left me a little disappointed. Was it possible to cross those language and cultural barriers?

 

And now, as I sit in a foreign country, having faced those first days wondering if I would ever be able to greet someone correctly in another language would be possible, I realize yes, it is.  It is not about perfection, it is able stepping forth and using what God has entrusted to me today. Using my time, my gifting, my life intentionally today. Sure, days happen when I lose that intentionality, and try to do too many things, without focus, and purpose. Monday was one of those days. Try putting a beautiful electric tea kettle with a molded plastic bottom on the glowing eye of an electric stove while making different breakfasts for each member of your household. You get billows of acrid smoke and a reminder to live life with intentionality.  

 

 

 

 

PRAY FOR DYANA...

     This weekend was a mixture of elation and sorrow—for those who know me, know that I love loving on people and sharing my gift of hospitality—and I got the wonderful chance to love of people from our sending church/home church, CAC last evening and was able to spend time with a dear Tico couple and their children one of whom, Dayana, who has some very serious kidney problems. I had been praying for this child, but hadn’t realized the toll this burden has left on them. With the healthcare system here, one must wait to have exams or arrange to pay for them at private hospitals or clinics(which are costly as they are no longer provided by the government)—and Dyana was offered an appt. in January. But fortunately, these examinations were obtained this week, and another should occur in the next week, hopefully pinpointing the cause of this problem, or with divine intervention, the absence of any problem, whatsoever—a testimony to God’s glory.

 

Please join me in interceding for:

·         The miraculous healing of this precious little one, Dayana, a friend of our Anna

·          My friend Gaby, whose mother‘s heart breaks as her little one endures difficult tests and as she faces uncertainty and whose spirit is so downcast

·         Her husband, Jose, whose face is etched with a father’s concern, and who is bearing the burden of large medical bills

·         Dayana, as she encounters pain in tests and doesn’t understand the reason she must endure such—

·         Our ability to come alongside them during hospital visits as they try to make sense of findings and additional exams needed

My prayer is that this story will have a beautiful ending, and that our God will be exalted!

Keri's New Nest!

FULL CIRCLE

     As we head back from putting Keri into college, I can't believe we are starting our third school year(second year of homeschooling) overseas. We miss Costa Rica, things Costa Rican, and appreciate ChikFilA and other things American, but look forward to speaking Spanish, hugging and greeting Tico-style, and welcoming our first family

to language school and San Jose as it begins next Monday. We were blessed during our time in the States and felt loved and cared for. Pray for this new Reachglobal family, the Johnsons, as they adjust to San Jose, immerse themselves in the culture and language prior to relocating to Peru sometime next year. Pray for Brian as he gears up for another intense travel season, and for a new Spanish Womens' Bible study/discipleship group beginning in the panaderia near our home. Pray that God will raise up a Tica leader that can be discipled so that other Latina women may multiply these efforts. Keri and Matthew begin classes at Wheaton this week, and Ben and Anna dive right in to high school and 4th grade, respectively.  Pictures of our Wheaton trek later this week! Just as Brian and I began college 30 years ago, the circle continues- and more missionaries deploy to Latin America as well!

 

Holistic Ministry Team in Hot New Orleans!

     I was so excited that our Latin America Holistic Ministry team is gathering in person in New Orleans in August! The neatest part is that we are scattered throughout Latin America and the US, yet have the same purpose as church planters, yet different giftings/passion which will enable us to use ESL, specific women’s ministries, relief/development, health-related ministries, business as mission platforms for the common purpose of developing, empowering and releasing healthy churches throughout Latin America in a holistic manner.

 

     Yesterday we spent the day in the city(New Orleans)—it was hot(heat index 100+), serving the people there.  Two teams went out—one hung sheetrock and sanded, others did whatever a charter school needed done—working up a sweat—in and out of air-conditioning!

Thanks for praying for us—injury-free and  ready for our last day of meetings and some Cajun food in the Quarter tonight!