First Things First

I am filled with joy to tell you that an exciting part of this year has arrived! Tomorrow my family will embark on our first train ride to Chicago to see Grampie and Grammie. After 4 days, Daddy and Mommy (that's me) will return home without the wee ones in order to prepare and go on a week-long mission trip in South Dakota. We will be ministering to the Lakota/Dakota people. I am so very excited! I wanted to share a few things with you before I left:

I will be missing my children with agony. So why am I willing to leave them? Day by day I am attempting to teach my children that their relationship with God is the thing of utmost importance in our lives. I daily try to teach them to put others before themselves in an effort to share God's love with others. I daily try to teach them that our mission on this earth is to share the Word of God with those who do not know him. The best way that I can teach them this principle is to do it. If they see me setting it all aside to take the Word of God to a people who do not know, then they will see that I mean what I say. When they are old enough, you better believe they will not be left behind, they will be right there by my side!

There are those who do not know. The compelling force that drives me is the knowledge that there are those out there that do not understand that the eternity laid out before them is hell. Nope, I am not sugar-coating it for you today, ladies! Whether it is spending time with a friend, working alongside my husband in youth ministry, spending a week on a reservation, or raising my children to one day go, I do it all for the sole purpose of reaching as many as I possibly can during my life spent here on this earth. This is not my home. I am only here that I may draw others to Christ.

First Things First. I get busy. Real busy, doing the everyday ordinary tasks. It is times like these next couple of weeks that bring everything into very clear focus for me. There are some really important things in life and the real, honest truth is, the things I spend most of my time on are not those things. I love reminders that strip me of the useless and fill me with the knowledge of God's purpose for his people.

So while I am gone I challenge you with the following:
Pray for me!
Teach your children to serve, not only by instruction, but by demonstration.
Tell others about your faith - anyone!
Remember what is most important in your life.

With this I leave you for a while! I will keep you updated as much as I possible can! Blessings!