Love Brightly

This summer marks our 12th year of raising support. In other words, we raise all the money that funds our ministry, our income, our health benefits, our social security taxes; i.e. everything. I was casually chatting with a friend over lunch yesterday (casually because we were sitting on damp beach blankets while our kids picnicked in swimsuits in the backyard) about how God has changed my view of this task of support-raising over the years. When we began fresh out of college, the idea of support-raising seemed daunting, but faith-stretching. And I worried what people would think of us. Would they think we are beggars? We focused on "God, will you meet our needs?" "Yes, I will; in my time," answered the Almighty. He slowly led us to compassionate individuals, many of whom we had never met, and we had the privilege of experiencing His provision through the compassion of His people. The abundance of His provision has ebbed and flowed over the years--needs alwa...

"The Earthquake Summer", that's what our Italian staff said we'd be known as forevermore. We experienced 2 earthquakes and 200+ tremors during our six weeks in Bologna, Italy. They occurred 20 miles north of where we were staying; this is where the fatalities and damage occurred (you can read all about it here ) although we did feel the ground move, and the buildings sway! One earthquake happened while I was helping my big girl out of the shower, and we fell on top of each other! We simultaneously thought that the other person had tripped, then we noticed that the mirror on the wall was moving, and then that the whole building was moving! I grabbed my wet kid, and ran across the moving apartment to secure the other 2 little ones in a doorway. For the second earthquake, I was with Caitlin, another staff gal, in an outside eating area. Because the space was wide and open, I couldn't detect the movement of the buildings with my eyes, but I felt the strangest sensat...