Little Moments-Big Dreams

Christmas is just a few days away as I write this. And for the first time in several years, I’m actually looking forward to it. It has been years since I have really truly enjoyed this season. The reasons why are long and sad: Most of my post-marriage Christmas memories are wrapped in sorrow about pregnancy loss, or health issues, or dealing with expectations from either others or myself to be everything for everyone, or just plain lack of Christmas spirit. But as a child, I lived for this time of year. The Christmas programs, the parties, the music, the lights, the gifts! Ah, it was the best time of the year, the time when everyone in our big noisy household had little piles of hidden presents underneath beds and stuffed in closets; when we all tried hard to keep secrets, when we smiled a bit more and twirled in the kitchen to Christmas music while decorating cookies..sweet memories of a simpler time.  We never bought gifts for every member of the family. With so many kids, my...

Most of our friends know that we moved last month. Some of you know the story, but for those who don’t , here it is! For the past several months, both Matt and I were sensing a restlessness: a stirring of sorts in our hearts. Not to sound mystical but I don’t know how else to describe it. One afternoon while sitting on our patio, I found myself watching an interview that a Pastor gave about how God had called him to leave his church in America to go to Africa and train pastors at a Bible college. I felt this excitement in my heart but I had no clue why. Was God calling us to Africa? Or to some sort of related ministry or what? I didn’t know, but both Matt and I began talking and praying about what God might have in the future for us. We had been at our loving, small church in Wilmington Ohio since our marriage and Matt had been there even longer, serving as their pastor. He was also the administrator of a local Christian school. I was involved in children and women’s ministry at our c...