A New Home

I was really tired last night and could hardly keep my eyes open when I wrote my brief blog post. It was a long day at the end of a long week. This has been an amazingly busy time for me in my work with Habitat. We have been preparing for three closings. Yesterday was the first of the three. These are always cause for much celebration but also there is a lot of last minute stuff to do and this can be a real source of stress.
Right before I fell asleep last night, I thought about the couple that just closed on their house yesterday. They have six boys and they have been living in a two bedroom home with one bathroom. I cannot begin to imagine what that has been like for them. I tried to imagine what last night in their new home must have been like for this family. I'm sure there they were tired from moving all of their stuff. I'm sure the boys had a hard time settling down for the night as they adjusted to their new bedrooms. I'm sure there was laughter and excitment. However, I'm guessing that there was also a huge sense of peace that settled over this family as they slept in their new safe, decent, affordable home built with love.
Just before I lost consciousness for the night, I said a prayer of thanksgiving for this work to which God has called me. I can't begin to tell you how much it feeds my soul and helps give purpose and meaning to my life. It is really not a job. It is ministry in the best sense of the word. This doesn't mean that there are not difficult days. This does not mean that I don't struggle and feel stressed. However, what I do know with every fiber of my being is that this is where I am supposed to be at this point in my journey.
I don't know what God has in store for me in the future. I'm doing my best to live in this moment as I take big gulps of the grace that God provides for me every day. I feel joy like never before. I feel contentment and peace. I feel grateful for the honor of being able to serve the poor through the mission and ministry of Habitat for Humanity.
With this latest home now completed, I can't wait to move forward with the next application, the next construction project, and the next closing. The process begins again and again as new families seek to live out their dream and move from substandard housing and become home owners.
I hope you are having a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

House Dedication

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is your keeper;
The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.
- Psalm 121, NKJV

I participated in a house dedication today in Rising Sun, Indiana. The Habitat Partner Family's parents donated a parcel of land from their farm on which to build the family's house. It is located on the top of a hill with views of the Ohio River and the hills of Kentucky across the river.
I had the privilege of giving the devotional for the service and I decided to use Psalm 121 as the basis for my devotional. It was extremely fitting given the setting for this house. I talked about how the house placed on top of that hill is truly a blessing from God. I reminded the family that most Habitat families don't get the privilege of a view like they have from the top of that hill. Whenever the family lifts up their eyes to the hills, they will be thinking of home and the many ways in which God has blessed them.
The Psalmist also reminds us that our true help comes from the Lord. I reminded the family and everyone gathered there that this is true for us today as well. This family could not have done this without God's help. God was with them and watching over them as they waited and hoped for this day to arrive. It is only by God's help that they will have a safe, decent, affordable home.
I also pointed out the verse: "God shall preserve your going out and your coming in." I invited the family to remember that every time they go in and out of the doors of their new home that God will be with them. That while there are most certainly new challenges ahead of them, God will never ever leave them alone. They are loved by God and nothing will ever change that reality.
The other wonderful part of the service was the dedication of a tree planted in the yard of this home. It was donated by volunteers in memory of one of our volunteer construction site leaders who died of cancer several weeks ago. He had volunteered on several homes before this one and started out helping to lead this build as well. There is a stone engraved with the volunteer's name, the years of his birth and death, and the Habitat logo.
It was a great day of celebration and another reminder of why I love this work and ministry. I am truly blessed.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

House Dedication

This evening I traveled to Batavia, Ohio in Clermont County for the house dedication for one of our Habitat Partner Families. It was a huge blessing for me to be there as it always is. This is a family of eight people that includes a mom, a dad, and six boys. I am always impressed whenever I am with this family. The boys are extremely well-mannered and a joy to be around.
What impresses me most about this family is the love and support shown by their church family. There were several of their church members in attendance at the dedication along with their pastor who led the devotion. One of their fellow church members gave a testimony about the kindness that our Habitat Partner Family had shown him when he was in need. Throughout the entire Partnership process, even when it didn't seem like it was ever going to happen, this family faced adversity with joy and great faith. They knew that God had wonderful plans for them and their new house is a living testimony to their faith and perseverance.
Everyone who participated in the house dedication did a great job and God used them to share God's love and give witness to the work of God that had been accomplished in the building of this house. It was a time to thank God for the all of the time and energy of the volunteers and gifts of the donors. It was also a time to offer prayers and praise to the God who calls us to kingdom work. I found myself tearing up several times during the service. As always, I felt honored to be a part of the miracle that is Habitat for Humanity.
I ask for your prayers for this family. We are so close to being done with their house but there are several hoops that we still need to jump through before we will be able to close. There are some construction things that still need to be done. There are also some grant applications that need to be completed. We will have to make sure all the bills are paid and the final sale cost is established. We also need to work with the attorneys so that they can prepare the closing documents.
In the meantime, this family is still living in substandard conditions in a house that too small for them. Also, the boys will be starting school in the coming weeks and in the midst of all of that transition, the family will have to think about packing and moving. So, this is certainly going to be a stressful time and one that will test their patience. Soon, though, they will be able to realize their dream.
Another family is about to move from horrible living conditions to a safe, decent, affordable home. They will sign their closing documents, receive the keys to their new home, and God will be honored. Then we will move on to give the next Partner Family a hand up out of poverty housing and the mission and ministry will continue.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

An Answer to Prayers

I am really excited this evening. I just got off the phone with someone from my church who works with the small group program. I shared earlier on this blog that I have been wanting to get more involved and have felt called to be a part of a small group. The man from my church invited me to help launch and lead a new small group.
This sounds like just the kind of ministry that I love. I also am grateful for the opportunity to get to know more people in my church. Being the introvert that I am, I have really not branched out much beyond attending worship for the past year. So, connecting to a small group will really be good for me.
I ask for your prayers as I go through the training and orientation. I also ask for your prayers for those who I have yet to meet who will be a part of my small group. I look forward to growing faith with them.
I know God is up to something good in all of this. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Exciting News

I have been asking for your prayers for our family recruitment efforts at TriState Habitat for Humanity. We have recently sent out around 5,000 postcards to renters in several apartment complexes in Butler County, Ohio as well as renters in the neighborhood in Hamilton, Ohio around three lots that we plan to build on. We have grant money tied to the lots in Hamilton and we need to find qualified families who are willing to live in this area. We also just had fliers go out in the Hamilton utility bills. I got mine Wednesday and we have been getting calls in response to that recruitment ad this week.
Today was really exciting because we received back in our office the first application from a family who received one of our recruitment postcards in Hamilton. The applicant came by the office to drop off the application. I had to restrain myself because I wanted to give her a big hug. I'm sure that would have scared the applicant and that would not have been good.
My hope and prayer is that this will be the first of many applications that we receive in response to these family recruitment efforts. I know the families are out there who are in need of safe, decent, affordable housing. I need to continuously find creative ways to reach them.
I ask for your continued prayers for our family recruitment efforts and for the mission and ministry of TriState Habitat for Humanity. I know that God is up to good things and we are going to continue to grow in the number of families whom we serve.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

An Answer to Prayer

I wrote earlier this month that I have been feeling nudged. One of the specific things that I have been praying about is my need to be involved in some kind of small group through my church. I wasn't sure I wanted to join a Sunday School class right now. I also wasn't feeling led to participate in a Disciple Bible Study at this time. I really felt like I wanted to be a part of a Christian accountability or discipleship group.
Well, on Sunday, there was an insert in my church's bulletin about all of the new classes and groups the church plans to start this fall. They listed about 25 new classes on various topics. Last on the list was a line about discipleship groups that they hope to launch. These groups would meet together for prayer, support, accountability, study, and service. This is exactly what I had been praying about. I was so grateful to see this listed and to learn that my church was going to launch these new discipleship groups this fall. It was a true answer to prayer. I signed up on the card and dropped it in the offering plate when it came around.
I am really looking forward to learning more about these new discipleship groups. I look forward to meeting the people that will be in my discipleship group. I know there are some amazing people who also feel called to be a part of a discipleship group. God will allow our paths to cross and in doing so allow us to grow and be nurtured in life and faith.
This was just another reminder of how God answers prayers. God allowed me to sense this nudging and then put the opportunity to be a part of a small group right in my path. While God gave me the free will to decide whether or not to fill out that card and drop it in the offering plate, God also paved the way for me to link up with other Christians in a safe environment that I know is going to be a wonderful next step in my journey. I am already praying for the people that God will bring together in my small group. I can't wait to meet them.
So, today I'm giving God thanks and praise for answered prayers.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Settling In

After living in my apartment for more than a year, I feel like I am finally settling in. I spent a big part of the day unpacking some boxes and consolidating some other boxes of things I should probably drop off at Goodwill. I also finally hung stuff up on my walls. I think it has taken me so long because in the back of my mind is the thought that I may have move again. I guess that's one of the remnants of being an itinerant United Methodist pastor. In addition, I have moved a lot in the past five years. As I was sorting through my boxes, I began to think about how many times I have moved my stuff. In case you haven't been following my crazy journey, here's a run down:

• In the fall of 2006 when I was still serving my church in Mishawaka, Indiana, the church bought a new parsonage. I was not ready to tell the congregation that I was leaving, so I went through the huge hassle of moving all of my stuff into the new parsonage in Osceola, Indiana.
• During December 2006 I moved all my worldly belongings into a storage unit in Knoxville, Tennessee. The day after Christmas I drove to Knoxville and moved in with my sister Shelly and her family. I lived in her computer room and slept on an air mattress. I didn't have a job at first and wondered what in the heck I was doing.
• In June of 2007 I moved into an apartment in Knoxville. By this time I had secured full-time employment at Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County Tennessee.
• In the summer of 2008 gas prices had skyrocketed and the Great Recession was in full force. I had a half-hour commute to work from Knoxville to Oak Ridge. So, when my lease was up in Knoxville, I moved to Oak Ridge to an apartment that was just a few blocks from the Habitat office. I even walked to work a few times until the unbearable Tennessee summer heat set in.
• In November of 2009, I accepted a new position with TriState Habitat for Humanity in Cincinnati. Because there was a brief time and I wanted to take my time to look for an apartment, I moved in with sister Stacey and her family in West Chester, Ohio.
• After a long and exhaustive search, in April 2010 I moved to my current apartment in Hamilton, Ohio.

So, for me to be in this apartment for this amount of time seems a little weird. It's a good feeling to think that I might settle in to a particular place for a while. I feel blessed to be here. I am in a place that really like. It's close to work, to my family, and there's a lot to do in the area. I'm grateful that God led me to this place at this time. I hope that that one day I might even consider this more than just a place to stay, but my home.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Four Miles Accomplished

Yea!!!! I made it! My friend Karen and I walked 4.3 miles this morning. We decided to go back to Wal-Mart and walk there. We started out a bit earlier and it was pretty deserted. I was worried about feeling tired or having to take a break but we kept up a pretty good pace and finished in about an hour and fifteen minutes. I didn't think that was too bad for too people who are not regular walkers.
It really helped to have someone to talk with while I walked. It really made the time go much faster. The same is true when I listen to music. I kind of get lost in the music and forget about the time.
I was breathing a bit heavy when we were done but it wasn't too bad. In fact, four miles didn't feel much different than three miles. We'll see if this holds true next Saturday. The training schedule says that I have to walk five miles next Saturday.
We are expecting another winter storm this week here in the Cincinnati area. I'm not sure how that is going to impact my walking schedule. It's nice to know that I can go to Wal-Mart to walk if I need to. I had thought about joining a gym on a month-to-month basis during the training season but I really don't want to spend the extra money. I guess Wal-Mart is my health club for now.

ANSWERED PRAYER: I asked this past week for your prayers for my recruiting efforts to find new Habitat Partner Families in the city of Hamilton, Ohio. Well, the next day I got a call out of the blue from one of the leaders of the Head Start program in the city of Hamilton. She invited me to come and speak to the Head Start parents' meeting for the morning class. She called me a few days later and asked me to do a second presentation to the parents of the children in the afternoon Head Start program. I'm grateful to be able to do this and to hopefully families.
In addition to the Head Start opportunities, I found out that one of our Family Services volunteers works at a technical school in Hamilton. I have been meaning to figure out how to get the word out to students at this school but didn't have a clue where to start. This volunteer said she would make some phone calls and see if we could distribute fliers to the students. This is just another way that God answered our prayers.
I would appreciate your continued prayers for family recruitment in Hamilton. While these are some really good leads, families still have to take the step to fill out an application and return it to the Habitat office.

Thanks for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

Prayer Request

I have a prayer request. We are under a deadline related to some of the grants that we have received to build homes at TriState Habitat for Humanity where I work. One of the grants requires that we build three homes in a specific neighborhood the city of Hamilton, Ohio within the next year and a half. While it sounds like we can get an extension on this deadline, I think that the extension is only for up to six months. Also, if we meet the deadline and requirements of this grant, we will have access to future grants and other property in other parts of Hamilton.
Right now we only have one Partner Family approved for home ownership in Hamilton and there is no guarantee that this family will want to live in the neighborhood that qualifies for this grant. I have several applications in process but it's hard to tell if these families will be approved for home ownership. I also have some plans for family recruitment but it's been a hard road so far finding qualified families in Hamilton.
So, I ask for your prayers that God will send us families who want to partner with us and who want to live in this neighborhood in Hamilton. I also ask that you pray that God will give me the wisdom to know how best to reach out to families who may be interested in applying for our home ownership program. I also ask for the faith to trust in God through this process.
I know the right families are out there who are in need of a safe, decent, affordable home in which to live. I know that God will make a way. I know that this will happen in God's time and not mine. I just hope that God's timing is related to the deadlines of the grant. :)
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

Dead Battery

It got really cold here in the Cincinnati area over night. Most of the schools in the area were cancelled for a second day in a row. I didn't pay that much attention to the weather last night before going to bed. They said the temperature was going to drop and I was just glad it wasn't one of my days to walk. Well, when I woke up it was 8 degrees and with the windchill it felt even colder.
I went through my morning routine and bundled up to head out to my car. I got in my car to start it up and it wouldn't start. It kind of groaned and then nothing else happened. I called my Dad to ask him advice on what I should do. When it comes to cars, I am clueless.
I called my friend Karen who graciously came to my apartment and picked me up and took me to work. She was a real blessing to me. She also ran me to the bank at lunch time. (Today was pay day for us.) Then she dropped me off back at home at the end of the day.
After work, my brother-in-law Rob and nephew Cameron came over to my apartment and Rob jumped my car. We got it started and then I drove it to the car repair shop. Thankfully they were able to get my car in to take a look at it right away. Rob waited while they did the repairs and Cameron was very patient while they waited although I think he was bored.
They determined that I needed a new battery. They had one in stock and were able to install it right then. I was on my way in about an hour.
I have been feeling very grateful this evening for all of the ways in which God took care of me today. I really panic when something goes wrong with my car. Without transportation, I feel helpless. However, God made a way and helped me to move beyond my panic.
I was forced to reach out to others and ask for help which I don't like to do. I like to think of myself as self-sufficient. I want to be independent and live life on my own terms. But that is not how God meant for us to live. As much as I like to lead a hermit-like life, I recognized again today that I need community. I need the support of others to make it in life.
I needed the guidance that my Dad gave to me about what I should do about my car. I needed my friend Karen to get me back and forth to work and the bank. I needed my brother-in-law Rob to come and jump my car. I needed the expertise of the mechanics at the repair shop to figure out what the problem was. I needed all of these people just to make it through this one day. I thank God that each one of them were willing to help me and remind me that I don't have to do life alone.
So, on this cold winter's night, I'm thankful for my new battery and a car that runs. I'm thankful for friends and family who love me enough to help me. I'm grateful that there are people who love to work on cars and fix things. I'm grateful for the job that I have that allows me to earn money to pay the bill for the repairs. I'm grateful for the lessons that God taught me through the dead battery.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

2010 Blessings

As 2010 winds down, I've been thinking a lot about the past year. I have much for which to be thankful in this past year. It has been one that has been filled with many blessings. I thought I would share a few of those blessings with you.

• Work: I continue to be blessed by my work at TriState Habitat for Humanity. I work with an extremely gifted group of people who are all committed to the goal of eliminating poverty housing from the face of the earth. I wake up every day grateful that God has led me to this place at this time.
• Friends: I have some of the most wonderful friends. They laugh with me, listen to me, sometimes feed and house me, encourage me, and push me to be a better person and more faithful Christian.
• Family: My family continues to be a source of stability in my life. I'm so proud of my nephews and grateful for the blessings they bring to my life. I am thankful for the love that my parents and sisters show me.
• Church: I am just getting to really know my church and becoming familiar with its ministries. I am grateful for the hard work of the staff who give their very best to serve and honor God. I am grateful for the worship services that challenge me and give me the opportunity to praise my Creator. I am anxious to become more involved in the church's ministries in 2011.
• Faith: I continue to be grateful for God's presence and power in my life. My faith defines who I am and Whose I am. As I study the Bible, serve those in need, and connect to other Christians, I continue to discover new things about God and God's amazing love made real in Jesus Christ.
• Writing: I rediscovered how much I enjoy writing this past year. I have had the chance to express myself through the written word through this blog; however, I have been able to expand this creative spirit within me by taking a creative writing class. While sometimes it was really hard, I also found myself feeling more alive than I have in a very long time as I spent long periods writing and creating a short story for my class. I am looking forward to enrolling in the next two sessions of this creative writing class series. I know God is up to something good in all of this.

These are just a few of the blessings in my life. God has been and continues to be so good to me. As 2010 comes to a close, I am grateful for the opportunity to look back and see all of the many ways in which God has blessed me. I look forward to the new challenges and opportunities that are before me in 2011.
Thank you for being a part of my journey!

One Key Chain Found

I am very pleased to say after last night's odyssey that I found a key chain that was appropriate to use for our Habitat house dedication on Saturday morning. Thanks to my friend Mari who suggested I look at a Christian book store. I went to a Christian bookstore near my office today and found several very nice key chains from which to choose.
I ended up selecting a key chain with a passage of Scripture printed on it from Jeremiah 29:11 which reads: ^"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD." I thought this was an appropriate verse and wonderful words of assurance for new home owners to reflect upon. God does indeed know the plans for each family and reaches out to bless them in powerful ways as they move from living in poverty housing to a home of their own.
I invite you to join me in praying for our house dedication tomorrow and for the family who will close next week on their new home. It's always an exciting time for each family and is a wonderful blessing for me as a staff member of Habitat for Humanity. I also know there will be times of stress for the family in the coming days as they move and try to make their new house a home. Of course there is the added stress of preparing for Christmas for this family so soon after they close. I am praying that God's peace will fill this house and this family's hearts.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

The Blessings of New Homes

I participated in two house dedication services today for Habitat Partner Families. One was in Lebanon, Ohio and the other in Florence, Kentucky. Both had similar elements and structures and yet each service also had some very distinct differences. As I drove home from Florence, Kentucky after the second service, I began to reflect on these two services and how thankful I was for the diversity of human spiritual expressions and experiences.
At the first house dedication service in Lebanon, Ohio, an Episcopal priest was on had to bless the house. When I walked in one of the bedrooms before the service, he was just putting on his liturgical robes over his long black cassock. At first I thought he was a Catholic priest until I saw the program.
During the service, the priest did a multi-part blessing of the house. He opened with a prayer of blessing. Then he invited us all to follow him outside where we all gathered on the driveway. He had incense burning and he swung it around as he began to lead us in a procession down the driveway and then up the sidewalk back inside the house. Before the procession he invited everyone to touch the doorpost of the home as they re-entered the house and at the same time say a prayer of blessing for the house and for the family who will reside there.
For me, this was a different and wonderful experience. I have never experienced a house blessing with incense or a procession. Usually most house blessings are an informal or printed prayer. However, this simple liturgical act had great meaning for me. I found myself experiencing blessing as I sought to pray for blessing upon the home and the Partner Family.
As I touched the doorpost, I remembered other doorposts that I have touched and passed through. I thought about the house on Linden Avenue in Mishawaka, Indiana in which I grew up and how many times I must have touched those doorposts. My guess is that there would be a way to still lift some of my DNA from the walls or doorposts of that home. I also thought of the various places that I have lived since I left my boyhood home. From my first dorm room at Ball State to the parsonages that I lived in during my ministry. All were places where I lived and grew in my knowledge of God. All were places that offered me shelter and blessed me even when I didn't feel very blessed. All were places in which I found rest and renewal in life. These were places in which I slept and stayed up talking late into the night with friends.
So, while both house dedications services were great in their own way. I really am grateful for the first one this morning. It renewed me and caused me to reflect. In this simple act of passing through a doorway, I found myself being blessed by the God Who walks with me and continues to prepare a home for me for all eternity.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Answered Prayers

Earlier in the week, I wrote about the ways in which I have been a witness to God's answers to my prayers. One of those answered prayers was that my friend Karen find a job. She did indeed find at job at TriState Habitat for Humanity where I work. She is our new receptionist.
She worked her first full week this week and has already been a great asset to our team. She seems to really enjoy her work and it's so wonderful to be working with her. This is truly a sign of God's gracious providence in Karen's life and in mine.
I ask for your prayers for Karen as she learns the ropes of our office. I know that she will continue to give her very best as we work together with the rest of our team to eliminate poverty housing from the TriState region and the face of the earth.
I hope you have a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Answered Prayers

I have been experiencing in the past several weeks the amazing power of answered prayers. While I know that God hears my prayers and has answered my prayers in the past, I still am deeply humbled when I experience prayers being answered in my life.
I certainly don't deserve to have my prayers answered. I also realize that there are many, many times that God answers my prayers and I don't recognize it. I also know that often times my prayers are answered in God's time which has little to do with my expectations and hopes. While I really like it when God's answer is "yes" to my prayers, I also know that God's answer many times is "no" to my prayers because I don't know what is really best for me or the world.
I must say that after all of these years of experiencing prayer in my life and in the lives of others, it still is a great mystery to me. I have taught classes and preached sermons about prayer. I have also read several books and, of course, been a practitioner of prayer and yet I still don't really get it. I know it's one of the primary ways in which I can stay in touch with God. I know it's vital to my relationship with God. I know that prayer has the power to change me. I know that when I am praying, my will can become more closely aligned with God's will. I also know that prayer fills me up when I am spent. Prayer calms me when I am full of anxiety. I know prayer heals me. Prayer is key to my journey of life and faith.
It's in times like these, when I experience the power of answered prayers, that I experience the depth of God's amazing love for me and the world. For this, I am ever grateful.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Back to Work Tomorrow

After a really nice respite, it's back to work for me tomorrow. I am actually looking forward to getting back to the office and my work with applicants and Habitat Partner Families. I think this break came at a good time. I was feeling a little cranky before my time off and now I feel recharged and ready to do the work to which God has called me.
I also am feeling a sense of renewed peace in my soul. I've shared with you in previous posts that I have been feeling restless and I wasn't sure why. I've spent time listening and I feel like I am ready to take some action steps in response to this restlessness. First, I realize that I need to connect with a Christian community. I've spent nearly a year looking for a church home and I feel like I am ready to make a commitment to share my gifts with a church in Cincinnati. I have contacted the church leadership and will be attending orientation classes in the coming weeks. Also, I will be meeting with one of the pastors to talk about how I might get plugged into the life and ministry of the church. I'm looking forward to getting involved and connecting with others in ministry.
Secondly, I have enrolled in a seven-week creative writing course at a local adult education center. The class begins next week and will give me a chance to improve my writing skills. I also will be able to receive feedback on my writing. I must admit that I feel a bit anxious about receiving critique but I also know that this is the only way to improve my skills. So, while feeling anxious, I also know I need to step out in faith. I also am looking forward to meeting new people in this class. Again, this will be good for me to get off the couch and away from simply watching others live life in movies and on TV. I hope it will be another way for me to express myself and find community.
I ask for your prayers as I take these next steps in life. These times of transition and new beginnings are both exciting and anxiety producing for me. I need to trust that God has good things in store for me in all of this.
Thanks for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

Images of God

It's important to keep adding to our storehouse of names, aspects, and images of God. We tend to stick with the familiar images such as Father, Shepherd, Comforter, Christ. But what if we’re looking for the divine Comforter while the divine Challenger actually is on our case? Or we’re thinking we need the Fire of the Spirit to buck up our faltering spirits when God is trying to make the Water of grace available through our own tears? What if we’re looking for divine Light and illumination when what’s available is the divine Darkness in a “cloud of unknowing”?


- Robert Corin Morris, Wrestling with Grace: A Spirituality for the Rough Edges of Daily Life

The above quote was a part of my e-devotional today. I must say I really kind of struggled with it when I first read it. The author really challenges me to think outside the box that I like to keep God in. I often do only want God to be my Shepherd and Comforter. I don't what to hear the words of the prophets that challenge me. I don't want to be reminded of my sinful nature. I don't want God want a mysterious cloud of unknowing when I am in crisis or pain.
The Good News is that God is so much more than I can begin to wrap my brain around. God is Love, Comforter, Giver, Shepherd, Challenger, Accuser, Mystery, Light, Darkness, Truth and so much more. The real lesson for me in this devotional was to be reminded again that God is God and I am not.
I hope you are having a great weekend. I can't believe my vacation time went by so fast. It's been good but all too short. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

The Gift of Clean Water

When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

- Isaiah 41:17, NRSV

Today is Blog Action Day coordinated by Blogger which are the folks who provide the template and all of resources necessary for me to be able to write this blog. Each year they pick a topic and ask bloggers around the world to blog about the topic as a way to raise awareness about issues facing our world. This year's topic is the need for clean water in the world.
When I found out what the topic was, I did what any good and faithful United Methodist does, I went to the United Methodist Church's Board of Global Ministries website to see what United Methodists are doing to help people around the world gain access to clean, drinkable water in their communities. As always, I was overwhelmed by the current statistics regarding the lack of access to clean water that so many people have. Here are some examples:

•Less than 1% of the world’s fresh water (or about .007% of all water on earth) is readily accessible for direct human use. (World Health Organization [WHO])

•At any one time, more than half of the poor in the developing world are ill from causes related to hygiene, sanitation, and water supply. (Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council [WSSCC], 2008)

•3.575 million people die each year from water-related disease. (WHO, 2008)

•43% of water-related deaths are due to diarrhea. (WHO, 2008)

•88% of cases of diarrhea worldwide are attributable to unsafe water, inadequate sanitation, or insufficient hygiene. (WSSCC, 2008)

•98% of water-related deaths occur in the developing world. (WHO, 2008)

I also found myself feeling deeply grateful by the amount of work that UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) is doing to help in this area. UMCOR's work focuses on providing people access to water filtration units, the rehabilitation or construction of community wells, and appropriate sanitation facilities. You can learn more about what the United Methodist Church is doing to help bring clean, safe water to people at this link: http://www.10-fold.org/projects/75/Day-8--Clean-Water-and-Sanitation  There's even a link on this page that will allow you to donate to United Methodist clean water projects.
I hope you will join me in praying for those who struggle from day to day to obtain what most Americans take for granted: clean water. I hope that the next time you turn on your kitchen faucet or take a hot shower or use a drinking fountain, you will join me in giving thanks to God for the gift of clean water.

New Beginnings

I am feeling much better about life than I have in the past few days. There's something psychological about the ending of one month and the beginning of another. I'm so glad October is here. It is my favorite month. I love the fall. I love the turning of the leaves. I like the crisp air. I like the scary movies that come on television during this season.
I still feel restless but tonight I feel more rested than I have felt for quite a while. It has been so hot here for most of September and I do not sleep well in the heat. Even though I have air conditioning I just don't sleep as well as I do on cooler nights. A cool front has moved in and I am grateful for that.
I also was blessed to be able to have dinner with my sister Stacey and my parents. We had a good meal together and laughed and told stories. I'm excited for Stacey. She is starting to teach a class at a local art school here in Cincinnati. She has been looking for full time work but decided to move forward with teaching part-time until something else comes along.
I am also just feeling really glad it's the weekend. This has been a long week for some reason. Things at work are going fine. I continue to feel blessed by my job and the people with whom I work. I love being able to work with families who are in need of safe, decent, and affordable housing. I enjoy encouraging them and helping them to realize their dreams. Even the stuff that challenges me is okay. I like the ways in which I am able to stretch and grow and learn. I love the fact that I am a part of larger team that is doing wonderful and meaningful work.
Next week is going to be a big week. On Monday we have our first public application meeting for those families interested in becoming Habitat for Humanity home owners. We are having a meeting at the library in Hamilton, Ohio. We have sent out press releases and flyers to the schools. We are hoping to have a good turnout. I'm feeling a little anxious about it. I'm sure it will be fine. I just am naturally anxious about everything.
So, I'm glad I have the weekend to relax and enjoy some down time. I am grateful for the respite from work and the opportunity to renew, relax, and refresh for the work that is ahead of me.
As I said, while I feel more rested, I still feel a bit restless. I am beginning to sense what steps I need to take. I prayed a lot about it and God seems to have answered my prayers in some very specific ways. Of course, I am anxious about taking the first step. However, I think it will be okay. I still want to pray about it some more. I will let you know as things develop. I feel as if God is once again inviting me to step outside my comfort zone in order to learn and grow.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Laughter Is the Best Medicine

Laughter is indeed the best medicine. It can heal my soul in ways that nothing else can.
I was feeling a bit hermit-like this afternoon after I got home from church. Even though the sermon was about going out and serving the community, I felt like I just wanted to go home and veg out. It was a beautiful day and I really wanted to just shut the blinds and watch Netflix movies.
As I was settling in on the sofa, my phone rang. It was my friend Karen. She was running errands and called to say she'd like to stop over for a visit. While I was anxious about the cleanliness of my apartment, I told her to come on over. I scrambled around to pick up a few things in my apartment and made sure the bathroom wasn't too disgusting.
When Karen came over we just sat and talked for a couple of hours. I don't know what it is about our friendship but it's a wonderful thing. We share one another's burdens and continue to catch up with another on the many years that we were apart.
Most of all, we laugh. We share funny stories. We laugh at ourselves for our frail human weaknesses. We laugh about life. We laugh sometimes to keep from crying and sometimes we cry because we are laughing so hard.
By the time Karen left late in the afternoon, I felt much better and even left my blinds open for a while longer. I felt newly energized and glad that Karen had come over for a visit. I felt so blessed and gave thanks to God for reconnecting me with such a wonderful friend. In many ways, I felt healed and delivered from my depressive funk.
God knows that laughter is a form of grace for me. I'm glad that when I'm with good friends like Karen, grace overflows in my life and heart.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!