Nine years ago life took an unexpected turn. At the age of 32 I was diagnosed with cancer. Overnight I was faced with a future that was far less certain and the reality that in an instant everything in life can change. Over the course of about 2 weeks I was tested, diagnosed, had surgery, […]
In the mid 1980s the world learned of a catastrophic famine in east Africa. It was centered in Ethiopia. In late 1984 the BBC ran a story showing tens of thousands of people in danger of starvation, and eventually the world responded with an outpouring of aid. I had just completed college and was working […]
In September of 2004 my first husband died suddenly while working on a construction site at an orphanage in Guatemala. On a not-too-hot day, during a not-too-stressful moment, Brad dropped over, dying instantly at the age of 47. He had no prior signs of heart conditions, no pre-existing health issues, and no family history of […]
When we are in times of difficulty, we must pray. Prayer is how we draw close to the Giver of Grace, the Comforter, the Healer, the One Who Rescues, the Deliverer. And yet, if we have not learned how to pray, it is hard to learn to do in suffering. Sometimes, the best we can […]
In the days ahead, you will be reading stories from our staff about their own difficult times and how they encountered the love and power of God. We want to tell stories, swap stories, receive stories, and grow from being a “storied” community. And talk about stories … I have rarely found as much wisdom […]