In November of 2023, at the Fall Inspire Conference, Liz formally passed the baton of leadership my way.  It was a dear and holy moment for me.  We also were able to honor Liz for her exemplary 5 years of leadership to the women of PennDel (complete with a puppy!). That weekend, many ladies said to me, “You have big shoes to fill!”  Yes, ma’am, did I ever know it! 

“Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the LORD.” Psalm 107:43 (NLT)

Today is my final blog for PennDel Women. After serving for five years, the assignment I felt the Lord gave me, I stepped aside so the next director, Charisse Jenkins, could take the lead. It’s bittersweet, as I have loved leading PennDel Women and working with the beautiful team God placed around me.

I think there are two different kinds of people in the world: those who like to camp and those who don’t. Have you ever gone camping? 

The closest I’ve been to camping was when my parents let me and my siblings camp out in our backyard for a night. I don’t even remember if we made it through the night in that tent. Our senses were heightened and I’m sure we believed that a bear or a wild coyote wanted to eat us. Who knows!

Captivate: verb to attract and hold the interest and attention of

Consciousness: noun the quality or state of being aware

What holds your attention these days? Where do your thoughts settle? Sometimes there is so much going on in our lives or in the world around us that it holds the attention of our thoughts, and if we are not careful, we can re-write the narrative.

Relationships can be tricky.  Finding Mr. Right is next to miraculous.  Once he waltzes into your life, however, everything changes. 

Twenty-three years ago, I met Kurt.  It was a divine setup.  Shortly before meeting one another, I, a lonely and frustrated young adult, offered a desperate prayer to the Lord.  I declared I would serve Him singly if He required it of me, all the while, with tears streaming down my face.  Little did I know, Kurt had already started attending my home church.  We just hadn’t met...yet.

2023 was not what I expected it to be. 

I started the year off full speed ahead. Guns blazing, positioned at the start line,  with my eyes on the prize. I was ready to go with all goals, dreams, visions, and passion inside of me. 

It’s easy for us to focus on the things that we enjoy and like to do. Finding motivation for a project or a task that’s in our wheelhouse is a no-brainer. We can get the ball rolling because it involves enjoyment. It’s easy to focus!

Sit down! These words often echo through classrooms, as teachers beckon their unruly students to sit “crisscross applesauce” during reading time. They can be heard when a guest enters a home, as the host warmly offers them a chair. And, at the delivery of bad news, people say “you might want to sit down for this” to ensure that the shock of the news does not evoke fainting! 

Here we are with a new year upon us. As January begins to unfold, there is an excitement for the new, for the possibilities and potential, for the plans that are made, for the hopes we have. There is an excitement in the air for a sense of all things new. January can feel like a clean slate, a fresh start. It is a new day. This sense of newness gets my attention, and I find myself drawn to the details and it wakens a wonder in me.

A sunset. A mountain range. A historic painting. A newly engaged gal enthralled with her brilliant diamond. A precious newborn. An unexpected gift. Some things in life take our breath away.

You are waking to the day after Christmas. 

Everyone opened their presents; hopefully, you do not have too many “returns.”  You ate too many cookies and may feel exhausted from all the sugar and festivities. Breathe.  

We race to December 25, filling every moment with baking, cooking, shopping, family, and friends. It’s all good, but you may experience a slight letdown when it’s over. I have!

All year the beautiful theme of ‘Fashioned’ has fueled our blogs each week to inspire and encourage you.  With just two weeks to go in 2023, and hovering around all things Christmas, my heart kept settling on the phrase, “fashioned for a Savior.”

When given the opportunity to share the Word, it is my aim to give an invitation to Jesus.  It is of my understanding and belief, that when each of God’s precious people were crafted

“For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” Psalm 84:11

I have been thinking lately about the favor of the Lord. In my ministry school days, one of my directors noted to me an evident grace that was on my life. From places I found myself in, people I was connected with, and in other aspects of my life, the phrase was that I “walked in ridiculous favor”

I love a SUPRISE gift, especially when the receiver has no idea that the surprise is coming! A few weeks ago, at my final Inspire Conference as the PennDel Women Director, I was totally surprised when I was presented with Buster, a Cavapoo puppy! He is the sweetest gift, and our family loves him already, although a puppy brings a lot of work, like having a toddler.

There are stories of God’s faithfulness all around us. Pay attention and you will hear testimonies of His goodness and stories of His love. Just look, listen, and lean in. God is in the details of our lives. Last month, I wrote about how Love Is in the Details (if you haven’t read that one yet, I encourage you to do so). You will be reminded that the God of the universe sees you, knows you and loves you. He is graciously working in the details of your life.

Sizzling, steaming, boiling, clanking, and stirring are all sounds we will hear this week as we prepare the Thanksgiving meal or enjoy one prepared for us!  As women, the cooking generally falls to our ‘plates’, especially for major holidays. And spinning those plates becomes a great task at the onset of the occasion.

“You know the way to the place where I am going. —Jesus   (John 14:4 NIV)

I feel it in the pit of my stomach. I feel the groan, the ache, the grumble.  No, it’s not me; it’s creation.  Over the past year,  I have sensed the urgency of the hour.  I perceive it physically, emotionally, but spiritually most of all.  I have noticed it out on the streets while doing ministry.

I traveled with Steve to San Diego for his ELC Leadership Conference this past week. While the timing is less than perfect for me, the location was breathtaking, and thankfully, I can work from anywhere. As a matter of fact, I’m writing this blog in the St. Louis terminal as we await our final flight home.