When it rains - it pours

Sometimes I wonder why things happen all at once. Or am I the only one this happens with? I think sometimes God may let us go though many things at once so that our total life does not seem so overwhelming. 

My dad went to the doctor last week for some tests. Those tests determined that he needed to go to the hospital for more tests. After the second set of tests he found out he has colon cancer. He may also have liver cancer. He has been tired for a long time now and has had problems 

with his stomach for over a year. 

He goes to a specialist next week. Please pray for my family. My dad is a fighter and for that I am thankful. I dont really know much about these cancer, esp the liver cancer. I do know this - God is the one who created every cell and every nerve in my dad's body.  In that, I find peace.

My heart is hurting so much for my mom right now. She is so in love with my dad. She has never really known life without him so she is very afraid. I guess we always prepare our hearts for the worst - just in case. My parents got married when my mom was 14 years old. Shocking huh!? He was 17 years old. They are 58 and 61 now. That's 44 years of falling more in love with each other. Though their story is odd, I love it. It has taught me to never give up. 

Here are some things you can pray for our family...

1. That this will be a sweet time for our family to grow closer together and remind my daddy how much we love him and are there to support him.

2. That my mom will find perfect peace in the arms of the God who gave life.

3. That all the cancer will and can be found and treated.

4. That this will be something God using to draw my daddy to Him. That this will be the day of salvation for my daddy. He is not a follower of Christ. He is a good man. He knows who God is. He has just never surrendered to Him. This is my upmost prayer. 

The thought of life without my daddy is hard enough here on earth but to think of heaven without him is more painful.

5. They don't have insurance. This week they have spend over $3000 on tests. They are both small business owners so they don't have a lot of savings either. Pray that God will provide for their every need in a great way. Also, pray that they do not worry about these things.

6. Pray for our family to be obedient to God and care for our father right now. Pray we, esp those of us who belong to Christ, take this time to love him in a way this world does not love... a Godly love.

Thank you dear friends for letting me share these things with you. 

God is mighty. His ear is never to far from us and His hand is always upon us. Praise His holy name. 

Following Hard After God - BSMC resignation

Many of you have already heard the news. I have resigned from Broad Street Ministry Center. This has been one of the most difficult decisions I have ever had to make. You see, when things are tough or bad, it is easy to leave a place. That is not the case with Broad Street. It is actually the opposite. You see, things at Broad Street Ministry are busting at the seams. The upcoming days are what I believe to be some of the most exciting days.

So why leave now you might ask.
Why? It is simple. God spoke. I don't always like hearing God speak things to me. This is one thing I never expected to hear God tell me. If you would have asked me two months ago how long I would be at BSMC, I would have told you I was never leaving. I confess that I have been like that bratty little kid with God. Although I have known this is what He was leading me and my family to do, I pretty much laid on the floor and threw a fit and tried to convince God to let me stay.

God has made it very clear to me that my priorities have been out of order. I have been so busy serving other people in God's name that I have not served my husband and son well. Ouch. That hurt my feelings but the reality is that it has been true. More than anything in the world I want to live a life of worship. I also want to be the wife and mom that God has called me and trusted me to be. I have been so busy doing ministry that there have been many days where I have even let my relationship with the God I love and serve suffer. I can't live this way. God has been so good to me. His salvation is always on my lips.

In March, God trusted me with a baby boy named Abram. He is one of the most amazing gifts God has ever given to me. I do not want to look back in 10 or 20 years and say, "Yes, I had a great ministry at Broad Street" only to have to turn to my son and say "I am sorry I missed out on your life". I will forever serve God. I am not leaving THE ministry. God is simply calling me to my first ministry, HOME.

Broad Street Ministry has been my life for the past 7 years. I love it. It is like a child to me. It is painful handing over this ministry, however, I am confident that God will use some other vessel as he used me. Someone will be given an opportunity to serve God in what I consider an amazing way. I have enjoyed every minute of leading Broad Street Ministry Center. God has shown me what He can do with a willing heart and hands. He has given me a glimpse of Heaven as I have worked with hundreds and hundreds of volunteers from hundreds of different churches. He has let me travel this country to tell His story and share our ministry. He has given me friends that are irreplaceable. He has taught me humility and boldness. He has been real with me.

Broad Street Ministry is huge! On a daily basis I am thinking, leading, coordinating, and praying for over 10 ministries, four staff members, hundreds of volunteers, speaking at churches, rasing funding, and writing grants. I am always on Go. I know that I can not be a great Director and a great child, wife, and mommy. Something in my life has to be reduced. There is only one area I can reduce. That is Broad Street. I know that people have already called and wanted to know what was wrong. LISTEN CLOSELY. Nothing is wrong. Everything is right. I have had the honor to serve and lead BSMC. It has been an honor. I am excited about BSMC! I look forward to serving BSMC through my church now. My heart is for BSMC.


NOW WHAT?

Jesse just finished real estate school this week. Is that how God will provide? We don't know. We just know God will provide for all our needs. We are still going to serve as home missionaries with NAMB. We will no longer be career missionaries but will become MSC (missionary service corps) missionaries. That simply means that we will raise our own support for the ministries that we do. NAMB will not pay for our insurance and we will receive no financial support from them. We believe in home missions. Our hearts beat for our Jerusalem.

We will still be serving at Shoppe 3130 Inc. which is a non profit organization in downtown Augusta. Shoppe 3130 has been in operation since March of 2009. Jesse is the CEO and I currently serve on the board of directors. The mission of Shoppe 3130 is to provide hope and self esteem through Christ centered career development classes, professional attire, and job resources to women in the CSRA. For more information about that ministry, please visit our website (will be up Sunday the 22nd) at www.shoppe3130.org

We are very excited about these next days in our life. We would love for you to continue to pray for us. Here are some specific requests:

1. That we will walk by faith and trust fully in the Lord.
2. That we will be madly in love with God.
3. That we would love each other as Christ loves the church.
4. That we will be faithful to the call and honor of being Abram's mommy and daddy.
5. That God will bless whatever He calls us to next.
6. That the transition at BSMC will be smooth.
7. That the leadership of BSMC will seek a man or woman who is passionate about God and serving others and that they will not wait nor hurry in finding him or her but that they will seek God intently about this.
8. That you, our friends and family, will know how thankful we are for you. Thank you for your partnership in our ministry at BSMC over the past seven years. Thank you for your prayers, your support, and most of all - your friendship.


I will be at BSMC until February. I am looking forward to the honor of serving at BSMC during these last few months.


Jesse and I love you all and are blessed to share life with you.