The Ticking Clock

I hate that feeling of urgency.  That feeling that something needs to be done right now.  It can not be done later, next week, or next month.  Something needs to happen now.  I can almost hear the clock ticking down in my head.  I don’t know when the alarm will sound, signaling my time is up, but I know it’s soon.  Very soon.     

For those of you who don’t know me very well, I suffer from panic attacks.  This extreme anxiety I can feel rising up in my chest.  I can’t breathe.  The walls are closing in around me.  I want to run away, far away.  I’m not sure what triggers it, why they happen.  But they do and they come with out warning.  I can be in the middle of a store, driving in the car, or just wake up with this panic.  I feel helpless when they occur.  I almost feel like I’m going mad, which then makes me feel defeated because there’s a lack of control.  This is how I feel with this urgency.  The clock is tick, tick, ticking, and the alarm is going to sound soon.

So why do I have this feeling of urgency?  I’m healthy.  As far as I know my expiration date is not just around the corner.  I do not have somewhere on my calendar that I need to be and be prepared for.  What’s the hurry, what’s the rush?  I can tell you this feeling started right after I left Haiti.  There was a lack of hope there.  You can see it in their faces.  Here is a people group within these villages and they are dying.  Some are literally dying because of diseases and environment.  Others are dying because of their lack of hope.  They are unaware of the love waiting for them.  They do not know that someone loved them so much that he was stripped, beaten into being unrecognizable, and then nailed to a cross for the world to see.  Hope.  Hope that this miserable life is not the end.  Hope, that there is so much more out there.  Hope of the realization of a risen Savior.  People are dying, and it’s not just in Haiti.  It’s in the dense jungles of Papua, the busy city streets of China and that neighbor next door who has friends who continually block your driveway with their car.  People are dying, and who is going to show them the cure?  Who is going to tell them that there is hope?

 

Romans 10:14-15

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?

And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?

And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

And how can they preach unless they are sent?

As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

 

The clock is ticking.  If you have accepted this gift of hope from Jesus then the clock is ticking for you too.  We are commanded:

 

Matthew 28:19-20

Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and

the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

 

Who are you going to share this hope with today?  Where is God going to take you?  The clock is ticking.

The Gift of Hope in Haiti

Recently I was asked to write a blog post for a fairly large obstacle racing group.  They wanted me to share exactly what I was up to in Haiti.  Keeping in mind that this group is pretty secular in their beliefs I decided to be obedient and "put it all out there".  I have yet to hear back from them and whether or not they will post what I shared.  However, I am giving them a chance.  After all I do not know what type of schedule they run their blog posts on.  BUT.... Just in case they decide not to post what I sent them I've decided to share what I sent them with you.  I hope you enjoy the read.

(view of Haiti as we arrived)

A little over a year ago my family and I were given a challenge to only drink water for a defined period of time and donate any money that we would normally use on coffees, sodas and sports drinks to digging clean water wells in Haiti.  This was easy for us to do for a few different reasons.  One, we already drink mostly water as it is. And two, most children in Haiti do not live past the age of five because of contaminated water diseases.  Two of my children at that time were both under the age of 5 so this really tugged on my heart.  It was easy for us to give.  It didn’t require us to step out of our comfort zones, it didn’t require us to live outside of the ease of our everyday life.  Little did I know that less than a year later I would have the honor and privilege to travel to Haiti with Living Water International and be a part of giving hope to a community.  (Bonus: I would also have the opportunity to get really, REALLY muddy while I was there.  Seriously, what chick would want to pass that up?) 

 

Our travels took us just outside Cap-Haitian.  We arrived in a small village full of cement block and thatch walled structures with corrugated metal roofs.  Many of which did not have four walls or doors!  We saw people who appeared hard and calloused and knew they were very familiar with a great deal of death and hunger, but as soon as we smiled and said hello in their language these beautiful people quickly welcomed us with great smiles and warm hearts.  They knew why we had come.  They knew we were there to offer hope.   

 

This entire week had nothing to do with me, my life, my family whether or not I had the time to fit a workout in or even connect with friends through the internet.  It was all about the people of Modje and the little children who followed us around as if we were the Pied Piper.  It was about the women of the community who were so proud to show us the few possessions they had.  It was about the homeless widow and her six children who asked us to take her youngest with us in hope of a better life.  Our task was to come in and drill a clean sustainable well for this community and educate them in proper hygiene so they could hopefully have a better life, but I believe I am the one who received the greater gift.  To offer the gift of hope to someone who has none was the greatest blessing of all.

 

 

Before and after this week I have had several people express how difficult this must have been to go.  Some even indicated they could never do something like this as it would just be too hard.  Comments like these made me realize it is not a case of whether or not we can do something but whether or not we have a willing heart and a determination to make a change.  We may not all be called to head off to the jungle of some foreign land and experience the same things but each one of us has the ability to take a stand alongside others and lend a hand.  It just takes stepping out of our comfort zone and making the offer.  We would all probably be surprised who accepts.   

 

Who can you offer that “sparkle” of hope to today?

 

Being a mother of 4 it was hard to leave behind the children of Haiti knowing in my eyes they had so little to call their own.  This opportunity however allowed me to see that joy does not come in the form of stuff.  These people had joy without possession and allowed me to remember I too have joy without stuff.  My faith in Christ is all I need to sustain me.  My plan is to visit Haiti again very soon and offer any services I can.

 

If you are interested in learning more about what Living Water International is all about or how you can start a campaign of your own to have a clean water well drilled in other countries around the world click here. http://water.cc/ 

Thirsty???

A couple weekend ago we had an obstacle race in the McDowell mountains of Arizona.  For those of you not familiar with this area imagine a dry desert landscape with lots of hills, dirt, rock, sand and cactus at every bend ready to poke your eye out not to mention rattlesnakes (yes we saw a few)!  This arid climate can be harsh and can literally suck the life out of you if you are not prepared and have plenty of fluids.  This race also marked the first time our 3 boys were able to participate in a race of their own.  They were all very excited to participate but since their race was in the mid afternoon they had to wait until we were done racing and theirs began.  This was a challenge in itself as the sun beat down on the day and the temperature began to rise.  With no shade and very little water to keep them cool they were ready to leave before the event even took place, none the less, they stuck it out and were finally rewarded with plenty of cool water in the form of a desert water slide and lots of mud!  It was interesting to see how their attitudes changed almost instantly when they knew they were going to get wet and muddy.  They were no longer concerned with the heat, just able to enjoy being cool and refreshed. 

 

 

 

 

It’s funny how water can change an attitude.  I can think of numerous times in my own life where I have experienced  that same feeling water provides.  Water is an amazing thing.  We need it, crave it and cannot live without it. Clearly this is the reason why the bible is so full of references to water and specifically to Jesus being the living water that can satisfy our thirst.  We need Him and cannot live without Him.  As Ruthann is just days away from her trip and me just a couple of weeks, we ask that you please pray for our teams as we use WATER as our platform for reaching the lost for Christ and loving on those we meet.  We pray these new water supplies will bring a change in attitude for them and a burden lifted, allowing them to focus on their education, employment and family.  We are so grateful for all the support we have received for these trips and know God will see us through so as they say in Haiti, Mesi Anpil or Thank you very much!

 

John 4:14 ” But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Plans

As I sit at my desk and read over my Haiti itinerary and specifics of the trip for the 20^th time I can’t help but be anxious about the week and contemplate the plan. I know we will have a full week with the drilling but I also know we will be given time to get to know those in the community we will be helping. My mind wanders to thinking about these times. What will it be like to be in a foreign county? What will it be like to be around others who do not speak the same language as I do? How will I communicate? How can I get to know them? Will I hear their stories? Will I understand their stories? How can I share with them the most important story of the love of Jesus Christ if we don’t speak the same language? My mind suddenly goes from contemplating the plan to worrying about the details of the plan! For me I love to plan things, in fact planning is kinda like a puzzle. Puzzles have a bunch of different pieces that all fit together in one way to form a perfect picture. If one piece is missing or not put in right the picture does not look as it is intended. This can be frustrating and leave me feeling upset because my plan or end result did not turn out the way I had…planned. I know it’s just a silly puzzle, I’m weird, get over it, but I think most of us can relate to this feeling in some aspect of our life. Maybe it’s a vacation that gets cancelled or a night out with friends which is cancelled due to a sick child. Maybe a new job that falls through or,my personal favorite, receiving some unexpected funds you thought you could use for something fun only to find out you need to use those funds to fix a broken down car. Who knows! My point is we all make plans or have expectations in life but these plans don’t always turn out the way we intended them to. I am reminded of Proverbs 16:9 which states,

 

“A man’s heart plans his way but the LORD directs his path.”

 

God wants us to make plans but He wants us to understand He is the one who is in control. Life will ALWAYS through us a curve ball. How we handle that curve is how we grow or fail.

As I look back to my trip now I will continue to make my plans, preparing my list of things to bring, going over in my head the things I want to say and the conversations I want to have but knowing I may never get the chance to use the things I prepared. God may have other things in mind for me so I need to remember Proverbs 16:9 and know that it is God who is in control and His future is far better than anything I can plan for. What about you? Do you have something that is not working out the way you thought? Take a step back and let God lead you, we can be assured His way is always the best way!

When The Going Gets Tough

Not too many years ago my marriage was really struggling.  Sean was in a deep dark place. There were no more words of encouragement I could give to him.  I felt very alone and I often wondered where my God is in all of this is.  During that time I had one friend tell me I needed to give him an ultimatum.  Another friend said I needed to just take the kids and move out.  I did, however, have one friend tell me that though she couldn’t directly understand what it was I was going through, I needed to remain faithful.  I needed to trust in what God was doing in Sean, in me, in our family.  And through all of this, even though I didn’t understand the “why” behind it, God would bless me for my faithfulness to Him and especially my husband.  During what seemed like the middle of this entire struggle Sean and I participated in our first Tough Mudder together.  (It was my 2^nd – I find it important to let people know that I have one more orange sweat band then the hubs.)  Though I am sure some think I’m crazy, but looking back, I see a great parallel in this race and with our marriage.  When I married Sean I made a pledge to love, honor and respect.  As a Tough Mudder you pledge to put team work and camaraderie before your course time.  For those that know nothing about Tough Mudder most of the obstacles are pretty brutal.  There are freezing temps involved, just like attitudes in marriage when stubbornness sets in.  There is a lot of mud, just like marriage when times are thick with worry and stress.  There are walls, very, very tall walls to climb over.  Walls, just like marriage when the walls of self defense fly up in an argument.  There is pain.  Pain in marriage of shock or disappointment.

 

(Tough Mudder AZ 2012)

 

As Sean and I embark on our 2^nd Tough Mudder together I am so thankful for God putting that godly friend of mine in my path.  And that I did put team work and camaraderie before anything.  I couldn’t imagine not having Sean to give me warm hugs even when my attitude doesn’t deserve to be blessed in this manner.  I couldn’t imagine not having him encourage and pray for me to get out of the muck and the mire.  I couldn’t imagine not having him climb over the tall walls to come and get me when I need him most.  And I couldn’t image not having him help me through the pains of life.  Actually, I probably could imagine it, but I choose not to.  And yes, through this long haul God has blessed me for my faithfulness.  I’ve had the privilege of seeing the Potter shape the clay that is my husband.  He’s unrecognizable to who he used to be.  He’s the godly man, father, husband God has created him to be.  And coming up next month we will be celebrating 18 years of marriage and 21 years together.  In the words of a Tough Mudder, Hoorah!!!

Update

Our first race of the year has been entered into the books and we are officially Spartans! We had a great time running together even with the mountainous climbs, burpees and chilly weather. We greatly appreciate those friends and family who were willing and able to help with the kids in making that day great. As we look forward to our next event (Tough Mudder) on the 23^rd we recognize the new challenges this event will have as it will test us both physically and mentally. Fortunately we have some fresh meat..I mean another happy participant (sorry Jeff, you signed the death waiver) joining us along the way. We are all hoping to survive…J

 

 

 

Another new challenge we will be facing in the next few months is one we are both VERY excited about and have been praying about for some time. Ruthann and I have both been given an opportunity to join two teams from our church who will be traveling to Haiti for a “clean water” project. Each of us will be going at separate times to participate in drilling wells, teaching hygiene and offering bible lessons to local villages. Ruthann’s team will be traveling April 20^th-27^th and my team will be traveling May 3rd-11^th. This opportunity is something we are both very grateful for and are anxious to participate in even though it will come with some challenges both far and away.

 

 

Please pray for us and stay tuned as we update the blog with more information on these projects. We will be posting more information and content as we get closer to these times and would love to have you join us.

The Burning Hut

Our racing season is about to begin this weekend and I feel like I am already off to a rocky start. About a month ago I suffered a strained calf and have not been able to actively run or workout as much as I had planned in preparation for the event. It has been frustrating and discouraging at times to have the desire to prepare only to fail due to injury. Too often it’s easy to stay focused on the problem and forget to step back and view our situation from God’s perspective thus opening up a more perfect vantage point which is HIS vantage point. My mom several years ago shared a story with me when I was in a very dark place that I refer back to even to this day. If you have Christ there is always two sides to the story, you can both look inward and dwell on the circumstances or you can look upward and share in God’s glory.

THE BURNING HUT

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhibited
island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he
scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he
eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him
from the elements, and to store his few possessions. But then one day,
after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in
flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened;
everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how could
you do this to me!" he cried.

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that
was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I
was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke
signal," they replied.

Author Unknown

It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad. But we shouldn't
lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain
and suffering. Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the
ground----it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.