february reflections

#1
To have Joel and Amanda Lock here was such a blessing to me. One week was just not long enough. By God's grace, we afforded them a breath of fresh air, a place of quiet reflection, and a home filled with love. Joel and I had time together each day. Most nights he would accompany me on my walk. One night we went to the onsen and had massages. Our time in Ibaraki was also filled with laughter (see Rusty and Laura Campbell's blog). Do you ever have those relationships with people who are like family and, regardless of the amount of time passed by, things are consistent? Joel and Amanda are those kind of people. God's blessings on them, their upcoming "family addition", and their decisions about the future.

#2
Happy Valentines Day, Debi! This is my first valentine in 10 years - and the last one (10 years ago...) wasn't so much fun if truth is to be told. Since we had to deal with being apart, we celebrated through a telephone call and flowers sent through MacNeill's Floral in York. My valentine is a good listener, a loyal friend and a kind heart. God's blessings on Debi's life, her spiritual walk and our growing relationship.

#3
Jackie Halstead just spent a week with our team in counseling and team dynamics. During my personal session, I really felt like she listened and celebrated with me. I also felt encouraged about the future. Our team time had moments of challenge and moments of breakthrough. The quiet time was difficult - I felt uneasy and distracted, so after 45 minutes, I gave up and took a nap. But later, the Lord provided another couple of hours in the day to be alone with Him. While I feel like the future is just as cloudy as before, I am more at peace with the Lord's guidance. I think I discovered that the Lord clearly wants things to be unclear and to wait upon Him. It's not always comfortable, but it's a good growing opportunity. God's blessings on Jackie - her marriage and family, her role at ACU, her variety of ministry opportunities, and her growth in practicing God's presence in her daily life.