Pilgrim Footsteps

2019 was certainly its own flavor, tasting of something new and unknown. 2019 was different. Perhaps I helped that long? In January I decide to do something new or different (or that I haven't done in years ) every month. It was, believe it or not, a lot harder than it sounded, especially since I am not a particularly bold or adventuresome person. But it was worth it. I would like to share with you my 2019, by month. I will share what "new" thing I did (I will also admit when it was a half-cheating month) along with general highlights/major events that happened that month. January: I hung out at a coffee shop by myself.  I actually enjoyed this a lot, and have continued to do it every now and then. I went to the New Holland Cofee Co . I attended my workplace's annual employee banquet for the first time in all the 6 years that I worked there. I created my department's first-ever manual. I had a surprise meeting on Friday, Jan 18 where I was told that, ef...

The road under my feet was thoughtlessly familiar, past farm houses, barns, fields, a creek, and sporadic bicyclists that I gave a smile and a nod or wave to as they went by. The occasional car bumped down the pitted road full of potholes that were perpetual puddles if not in drought. As I walked, I had a chat with God about my future and what was ahead and all that stuff that a 19-year-old had to say the summer before her last college semester. The truth that He spoke into my on that walk lightened my steps over the gravelly country back road. I can leave my books because Your Word is the only book I need. I can leave my old writings because my words are Yours and You are the books I will write. I can leave my memories and mementos because You are my past, present, and wonderful future. I can leave my familiar culture, the familiar ground because You are the air I breathe and the ground on which I stand. You are my familiar; I am at home in You. I can leave ...

What is the vision? The vision that has been taking over my life increasingly from 2012? God’s Kingdom here on earth. Hearts reclaimed. Confidence in Christ. No wasted lives. Freedom to live in callings. Strong foundations that stand. Love that abides in truth. Faith that moves mountains. The gifts functioning with the Gospel. The Church as it was in the beginning. That, my friend, is the vision.

According to dictionary.com, peer pressure is “social pressure by members of one’s peer group to take a certain action, adopt certain values, or otherwise conform in order to be accepted.” Every human knows, especially teens, how detrimental peer pressure can be.  Bad effects such as poor self esteem and becoming anorexic, drinking, doing drugs, and more can result.  However…could there be such a thing as positive peer pressure? Yes, I believe there is.  And though back in the day of being in youth group we first started the term jokingly, it does have valid points.  For instance, if you’re trying to tell a friend about Jesus and convince them that Jesus does love them and becoming a Christian is the right thing to do, aren’t you pressuring that person?  Yes, you are.  Will it make them go and do drugs?  No, not unless they’ve been doing it anyway.  It is a positive pressure you’re putting on that friend.  Therefore, it does exis...

So, to be completely honest, I'm getting tired of my job, as if it's been a long day and with every hour that passes your energy depletes faster and faster. The problem is that I have felt the chastisement of a loving Father that I need to make the most of every opportunity around me, including at work; that if I want to do missions and ministry so badly, I need to start where I am or how can I do more? Sigh. God's version of "common sense" makes so much sense sometimes that it's both frustrating and glorious! And it's always hard. So I made up my mind to try the best that I could, and often before starting work for the day I will pray for opportunities and that I will see them and take full advantage of them. At one time I would've thought that my opportunities would've come with customers, but really, ever since I started working there, they've come in the form of coworkers. My coworkers - both in my department and others - are th...

I was talking to an older gentleman one day about my upcoming trip to Guatemala. He said that his pet peeve is that people go everywhere else to help people, but there is a lot that needs to be done around here. The latter half of his statement is valid: there is a lot that needs to be done around here. However, I believe that each person is called to a something and somewhere specific to them, as we are all created differently with our own specific calling. I can even tell the differences in place and deed in regard to the callings of many of my own friends. What I also realized a little after our short conversation was that, if more people dedicated their daily lives to following Christ and what He calls them to, there would be a lot more people helping around here, as well as more people elsewhere; God meant for us to be His hands and feet but there are so many hands that are stiff and feet that are lame that His work is not properly being done anywhere in the world, ...

I decided to write about the topic that I recently spoke on at my old high school's Wednesday morning bible study.  But I'll start out with a little background. When I received an email asking me if I would like to speak, I said yes and wrote the date in my planner.   However, I had no idea what to talk about. Whenever I speak somewhere, I always wait for God to give me the idea, so I know it's what He wants me to say, and it is important to me because He laid it on my heart.  But this time, it certainly was taking a while!  Finally, I heard a little urge on not planning. Not planning?! How was I going to get away with that topic when there would be teachers listening?   But God wasn't finished explaining yet.  So finally, my lesson was ready - Planning with a disclaimer - allowing for God's spontaneity.  And here is the lesson that grew and was presented. From grade 2, I had a lot of plans.  They have changed over time, a...

Now for Part 3 of what I learned about the early church while reading Acts. They knew they had the truth and made sure it got out They were bold about the truth. They knew it had to be told, and that it was truth! They let no one quiet them. Because of this, people accused them of being crazy. Because of this, they were expelled from places...and made a lot of people angry. But, they obeyed the Lord and His word, even when it was something that seemed dangerous, they didn't get why, or they didn't want to. They went through trials because of their commitment to God They were put in prison countless times. They were beaten. They were stoned. They were thought to be gods and had to dissuade the people that no, their only "power" was that of God working through them (Acts 14:11+)! Some might not see that as a trial, but...I'm sure that also tested them! They were set before council, to which they replied "We ought to obey God rathe...

Here is Part 2 of what I learned about the early church through reading Acts.  They used the power of Christ in them In the second chapter of Acts, those in the upper room, waiting together for the Comforter as Jesus told them to, were filled with the Holy Spirit. They used that Holy Spirit power of God working through them, as was intended! They prophesied, saw visions, dreamed dreams, did signs and wonders. They healed and delivered people from demons. This was how God was showing them to live and work, through the power of the Holy Spirit, of Christ in them, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).   They exhibited the power of Christ in them, and many knew it. For example, people waited for Peter's shadow to fall on them as he passed (Acts 5:15)! Everyone brought with sickness of unclean spirits were healed. When Paul sen out pieces of cloth he had toughed, people were healed and delivered (Acts 19:12). They rose the dead through the name of Jesus (Acts 9:3...

Acts has been on my mind a lot lately, and in my prayers.  When I read Acts, I do not see the churches today that exist in America, or many first world countries.  I see something different, something that we are missing today in the contemporary Christendom.  And it makes me sad at all that we are missing out on.  So I began a study as I read Acts, recording how the early Church functioned.  So here is part one of what I found. They were in one accord (and I don't mean the Honda joke) In the very beginning of Acts, the followers of Jesus, doing as He commanded them, were waiting in one accord to receive the Holy Spirit. Because I love words and knowing exactly what was trying to be said, and since Acts says more than once about them being "in one accord," I decided to look up the definition of "accord," as a noun, since that is how it is used. Dictionary.com says that it means "proper relationship or proportion; harmony" [ok, so the early church ...

The problem with lacking is that we don't lack the non-important things and we do lack the important ones. This is basically a follow-up post to "What Lack I Yet?" because I still have a lot to say on the subject!  After all, I have spent the past, oh, almost two weeks since I got back from a mission trip to Guatemala going through my room for a yardsale that my friends and I will be having in March.  So yes, I currently have a growing pile of stuff in my room, all of which I am so excited to see go.  Forever.  And I still keep combing through my room because I want that pile to be so much larger.  And even though I've cleared out enough that I can get rid of one of my bookcases, I still look around at my room and feel my insides being squeezed and I feel like I can't look anymore. Sometimes it's hard for me to live in America.  Because what I feel when I look at my room I feel when I work and have to dump plates full of food into the trash just bec...

We all know the story of the rich young man who asked Jesus how he would get into heaven: by following the commandments.  Well, he did all that since he was young... "The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?  Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.  But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 19:20-23) Well.  What a bummer for him, huh?  We've all shaken our heads at the poor young man's response to Jesus' invite. But wait.....he sounds a lot like us, doesn't he? 1. All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? How many of you could say this very thing?  You were born an...