A Taste of German History
Gene and I spent two days in Berlin in July while awaiting the arrival of our second International Messengers ministry team. While there we took a tour of East Berlin. The guide, a 30-something Brit...
View ArticleA Lesson About True Joy–Learned in Romania
I’m still mentally processing lessons learned while in Eastern Europe this summer. For instance, working in Romania among a group of young adults living with serious health issues deepened my...
View ArticleGoin’ Fishing for People
When Jesus called Simon and Andrew to join His team, how did He phrase the invitation? He said, “Follow Me, and I’ll show you how to fish for people” (Matthew 4:19). He could have said, “Follow Me and...
View ArticleGod Uses Ordinary People
Gene and I left home two weeks ago and have been traveling through Alberta ever since. The weather’s been cold—down to minus 33(Celsius)—but the hearts of those with whom we’ve met have been warm and...
View ArticleWhat Has God Created You to Do Well? A Quick Study in Motivational Gifts
This evening I’ll board a Boeing bound for Budapest. Hmmm. That sentence sounds more like a tongue twister than a true statement! Nonetheless, it is true. And I can hardly wait! The reason for my trip...
View ArticleKeeping First Things First When Life’s Busyness Consumes Us
Later today I’ll board a Boeing 747 and fly to Budapest via London. Nearly 30 hours will pass before our team finally reaches a hotel where we can sleep before driving into Romania. Once there, we’ll...
View ArticleGod Hears Our Prayers
Before we left for Romania, a friend of mine gave me several Scriptures written on recipe cards. “Maybe read one a day and repeat them if you like. They are given with much love and prayers,” she wrote...
View ArticleSummer Ministry in Romania
Anna—a senior Romanian woman I met on three occasions—wasn’t sitting on the bench outside her home today as I’d hoped. The bench was gone, and her door was tied shut. I suspect she’s passed away since...
View Article6 Things Not To Do On A Short-Term Missions Trip
Our team has shared some hearty laughs over the past nine days. They began at London’s Heathrow airport when going through security. That started me thinking about what not to do on short-term...
View ArticleBlessing People in a Remote Romanian Village
Nearly 40 children ages (approximately) 4-12 and a half dozen mothers gathered in the gymnasium of a small Romanian village on Monday morning. They waited for our team with a mix of excitement and...
View ArticleLove Speaks Every Language
On Friday my husband and I traveled by train through Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and finally into Poland. The weekend provided quiet time to catch up on emails and continue preparations for the...
View ArticlePoland–Here We Come!
We picked up our volunteers in Berlin and made our trip into Poland yesterday. Shrines such as these are common sites along the roadways. One of the things I enjoy most about leading short-term mission...
View ArticleCross-Cultural Friendships Built Through Being Real
Camp began today—approximately 80 men, women, and children are here now and ready for a great time. Two years have passed since I last attended this particular camp, so it was great fun to meet my...
View ArticleThank You for Your Prayers–They Worked!
Our 2014 summer ministry in Eastern Europe has ended. During our time there, we traveled hundreds of miles by van and train through Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Germany, and Poland. We...
View ArticleA Prayer For When Facing an Impossible Task
Imagine being responsible to provide food and drinking water for more than three million men, women, and children. That’s what Moses faced when he agreed to God’s divine assignment. Grocery stores...
View ArticleWhat does Childlike Faith in God Look Like?
I spent the weekend hosting our ministry booth at Missions Fest Vancouver for the ninth consecutive year. Missions Fest is an amazing event—the largest annual three-day conference of its kind in North...
View Article3 Truths About the Good Shepherd
While in the Romanian village of Cornesti, I’m staying at a ministry that serves abused and abandoned women and children, orphans, and senior widows. Beyond the security fence surrounding the property...
View ArticleNeed Life Change? Jesus Christ Can Make That Happen
I returned last night from a two-week trip to Eastern Europe. What a wonderful opportunity to see God at work in so many places! During my travels, I spent two days at a care home for abandoned/abused...
View ArticleWhat’s the God-Given Role of Every Jesus Follower?
I spent the weekend at the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (Alberta/BC) triennial convention in Abbotsford, BC. What a joy to share time with a roomful of women who understand God’s call to be...
View ArticleA Divine Appointment on the Highway
I love, love, love when God arranges divine appointments. Many of mine happen while traveling. I’ve written about several in the past. Here’s another example. My hubby and I led a volunteer team to...
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