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Living Beyond the Fog

Kayak 2014
One of my favorite pics from Summer 2014

A special welcome to those of you who are joining me after reading my post on Our Daily Bread’s Facebook page on Friday, September 26th. It was truly an honor to be featured there. I pray you will feel at home here and that you will be encouraged. Blessings!

I had such a lovely time vacationing with my family at a lake in Upstate New York this past August. It was such a time of refreshing especially for me as I love being by the water, and I had just come back from my short-term missions trip to Peru.

I made sure to go kayaking several times while I was there. The more often I went, the braver I got and the further out I ventured.

On one particular day, I kept feeling led to keep Moving Forward. All I saw ahead of me was the open sky pictured above, the peaceful water, and the outline of Vermont’s skyline in the distance. I could have stayed out there for hours.

As I kept paddling, I felt the Lord showing me that this is what’s ahead for me. Just a wide open place that He has prepared. The recent storms I have been going through are over, Praise God! The fog has lifted, Amen! Now I can walk in some of the promises I have been waiting on God for. Glory!

I don’t share this to brag, but to encourage you. Whatever storm you may be in right now please know that things get better and brighter. It may not happen overnight. Your situation may not change in an instant. But do trust that God is working in you and through you during your tests and trials, and that He has a beautiful plan for your life!

Keep paddling forward even if the water feels choppy at times. Keep following God even if you can’t see a clear picture of what’s ahead. He will lead you to still waters and safe pastures! He knows the way. In fact, Jesus is the way so let’s keep our eyes fixed on Jesus!

“He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.” (Psalm 18:19)

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and be sure to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

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For more encouragement and to learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Favorite Bible Verse – Episode 3

Need some encouragement? I hope this short video will help to remind you that you can trust God no matter what!

This is actually my 20th video for my YouTube channel. I’m a bit amazed, but I’m also excited to have reached my unofficial goal!

I didn’t quite know what I was doing when I started shooting these videos, but I stepped out in faith and continued recording them. My hope is to encourage you in your faith walk and to remind you about God’s Amazing love for us! Feel free to check out my YouTube channel to watch the other videos, and please tell your friends about them as well.

I think I’ll keep shooting videos as the Lord leads. If you have ideas for topics that you’d like me to cover, you can leave your thoughts in the comments below or e-mail me at Info@miraculouslovely.com.

Blessings to you!

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and be sure to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

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For more encouragement and to learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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7 Myths About Short-term Missionaries Debunked

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I thought I’d have some fun this week debunking some common myths that people have about short-term missionaries. I hope you enjoy this list. Perhaps it may even help give you a fresh perspective on missions.

  1. They all like to fly. Not so. Some have to battle the jitters to jump on planes. For others, a missions trip is the first time they’ve ever left their home country and gotten a stamp in their passport.
  2. They’ve all felt called to missions since childhood. Wrongo! I can speak from experience. I didn’t grow up learning about missionaries. I never dreamed I would go on even one trip, let alone five.
  3. They’re all fearless. Nope. Many go with fear and trembling. They have to push past the fear of insects, safety concerns, and leaving behind loved ones.
  4. They’re all “people” people. Think again. Some of us are 100 percent introverts. We don’t necessarily like the spotlight or being center stage. We just have a passion to help others. We’re daring to step out of our comfort zone and saying, “Here am I Lord, send me!”
  5. They all have rich relatives that finance their trips. As if! Yes, we’re grateful for any and all donations we’re blessed with. But many skimp and save and spend hours organizing creative fundraisers to help raise support. Others forgo spending money on other items to pay for their whole trip on their own.
  6. They’re all seasoned believers and mature in their faith. Wrong again. Some are just starting out their faith journey. Others are still working through doubts, fears, insecurities, and a myriad of questions. We’re all a work in progress.
  7. They’re all serious and don’t know how to have fun. Are you kidding me? Gather together a group of adventurous, like-minded folks out on a mission to help impact the world for Christ and see how much fun we can have! Laughter is good medicine. After long days out in the field, it’s great to unwind as a family.

Did I miss anything? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments below!

What is God saying to you about your possible future in missions? To read more about how to decide what kind of trip to go on, feel free to read Short-term Missions Trips 101.

“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:35-38)

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and be sure to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

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For more encouragement and to learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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An Ode to My Short-term Missionary Teammates!

basheertome / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

 

I’ve met some incredibly brave souls during my various short-term missions trips. I’d like to take a moment to share some of the obstacles they faced and overcame, with the help of Jesus. My prayer is that if you are on the fence about going on a short-term missions trip, you will be encouraged by hearing about some of the giants they faced down in order to answer the call to “Go Ye”. Blessings!

What does a short-term missionary look like? So glad you asked! Take a look in the mirror. You might just be looking at one.

There’s nothing super special about short-term missionaries in and of themselves. They are ordinary folks just like you. They have jobs and families, are students and professionals, and many have to trust God to provide the finances for their trips. Lots and lots of prayer is involved before they ever get on the plane!

My teammates over the years have inspired me. It’s been an honor serving with them! Here’s a glimpse of what a few of them had to contend with during our trips:

Age is Really Just a Number – I’ve had teammates as young as 12 (accompanied by a parent) and some going on their first trip in their 60s! If you’re worried that you’re too young or too old to go, rest assured that God is well aware of your age and He isn’t fazed by it!

Not Always What the Doctor Ordered – One of my brave teammates went on a trip while being on chemo for a certain condition she had. Another went while battling mononucleosis. Still others have gone despite being allergic to bees or having extreme allergies. Of course, always check with your doctor first, but know that when God calls He also protects you!

There’s No Distance Between Family – Some of my teammates have temporarily left behind spouses and teens. Others have left behind their kids as young as 2 years old with caring family members. It’s never easy to leave your loved ones behind, but we go knowing that God is protecting our families while we’re away!

Faith Trumps Fear – Some of my teammates have pushed past extreme fears of insects or of being on long flights. Others have gone despite not getting the emotional support from their family, friends, or church. It’s not always easy to say, “Yes!” to missions, but oh what joy it is to be in the center of God’s will for your life!

What is God saying to you about your possible future in missions? To read more about how to decide what kind of trip to go on, feel free to read Short-term Missions Trips 101.

“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:35-38)

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and be sure to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

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For more encouragement and to learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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