The other day I was looking for a file on my computer, and I came across this “almost finished” poem that I began writing 10 years ago, when we lived in Tanzania. Now, here we are 10 years later, back in Tanzania. I read it to George and he urged me to finish it and share it. So, I finished it and now I’m sharing it. I don’t share it to solicit pity, concern, or anything of the sort. If you are wondering if I’m okay, I am! Some days, maybe not so much, ha! But that’s just life!

The reason I am sharing my poem is to give you a peek into the struggles that missionaries have from time to time. Of course, struggles are not unique to me, missionaries, or anyone, for that matter. Everyone has them, no matter where one is planted on this globe. Rest assured, our blessings are too numerous to count; however, blessings do not shield us from burdens. Missionaries do have some rather unique and often challenging circumstances that just come with the territory. In this poem, I have tried to describe some of MY struggles. So here you go:

Where is Home?

 From time to time when I was a child, I heard of foreign lands,
 I wondered what it would be like, if one day I tried my hand?
  
 Maybe someday I would be blessed to be a missionary's wife,
 What would it be like, where would I go, if I were to live such a life?
  
 God blessed me with a man, who with his whole heart loved God,
 Together we lived, loved, and learned, and eventually moved to foreign sod.
  
 We moved far away across the globe to share God's Word with the lost.
 We left family, friends, and comforts of home, no matter what the cost.
  
 Our new home consisted of cracked cement, all faces we met were new.
 The language we heard was strange to us, the benches were not padded pews.
  
 Folks stared at us, and yelled out names, they weren’t trying to be unkind.
 What a relief to find a retreat; to relax and try to unwind.
  
 We’ve learned new customs, the do's and don'ts, more than we can count.
 But sometimes the loneliness sets right in, until tears flow free like a fount.
  
 We fumble to communicate as we pass along the way.
 Yet we cannot probe their hearts; they smile, and then turn away.
  
 Is this how it will always be, on the outside looking in?
 I want to know - will it feel like home?  And if so - when?
  
 Always different, never the same, not accepted as “one of them.”
 I try to be strong, as the day is long, but oh, how I miss my kin.
  
 We've left the land we've always known and moved far away to another.
 No more do we get to visit with our brother, sister, father, mother.
  
 Some folks will write occasionally, and a box or rare letter we’ll find.
 But you know how the old saying goes, out of sight, out mind.
  
 Time has passed, we've settled in, we've adapted to a new way of life.
 Yet once in a while, there are pangs in the heart, and it causes internal strife.
  
 Life is so different from what it used to be; where do I belong?
 I don't know where I want to be; are these feelings right or wrong?
  
 Where is home?  Here or there, I’m not sure. But still, I have a bed.
 My Savior, when he sojourned on the earth, had no place to lay his head.
  
 God called me to be a pilgrim, so on earth I’ll continue to roam.
 And one of these days I’ll hear the Lord say “Pilgrim, Welcome home.” 
~Joy~

The post Where is Home? appeared first on Journey with Joy.

My Dad left this earthly life December 2, 2020. A memorial service was scheduled for tomorrow, December 19. However, due to Covid, that memorial service has been cancelled, or at least postponed. This tribute was to be read at his memorial service.

Words fail me, as I attempt to express my love and appreciation for my earthly father. Both Dad and Mom have not only been my physical parents, but also my spiritual teachers. I will be forever grateful for their love and guidance.

What a blessing for Jared, Jason, and me to have spent our entire growing-up years attending one congregation. I am so grateful for the East Main congregation and their willingness to grant my Dad the freedom to work for the church and to develop his unique talents, without placing upon him the yoke of man-made expectations. That is a blessing that relatively few preachers enjoy, and it allowed him to flourish. Dad had been invited, on several occasions, to move and preach elsewhere, but he chose to stay. He loved his East Main brethren. From preaching in the pulpit, to sitting on a hospital floor with the grieving, dad humbly served his East Main family for 56 years.

I cannot remember a time when Dad “slept in”. There was rarely a day that his study light did not burn brightly before the dawn of day. He wrote down the gleanings from his bible study using pen and paper, and then graduated to an IBM typewriter. Later on, much to his chagrin, he conceded to using a computer. I am so very thankful for the blessing of sitting at his feet, listening to his teaching and preaching. Few people knew that Dad would get physically ill before preaching, because he took the responsibility so seriously. He preached with passion and conviction. He had the rare ability to present complicated subjects in an easy to understand manner. I remember attending various debates he engaged in through the years, and my heart was full as I witnessed him defend the truth with skill and grace. Now, through Dad’s posthumous teaching, he will continue to challenge me in my spiritual walk.

I have never regretted growing up in a preacher’s family; in fact, I count it a blessing. For many years, I thought our family was normal, but eventually I learned better. The laughter and fellowship that was enjoyed around our dining table are memories that I treasure. There were many times that we’d stop by Centro-Mart on the way home from services to buy fixings for soup and sandwiches, because Dad and Mom had invited someone over for an impromptu meal. It was especially entertaining when other preachers would visit. When I was quite young and had to go to bed before company left, I would sneak out of bed so that I could listen to the joking and ensuing laughter. Dad’s quick wit kept his sense of humor in fine form.

The love that Dad and Mom had for the Lord and for one another, permeated our home. Mom has been a wonderful helpmeet by his side. Because of Mom’s Proverbs 31 lifestyle, Dad had the freedom to devote his life to preaching and writing, unencumbered by unnecessary distractions. It has always been evident in our home that Mom’s spiritual convictions are her own, and not merely a shadowing of dad’s. Their positive examples created within me the desire to marry a preacher. 

If Dad were present today, he would be very uncomfortable with the attention directed towards him. He did what he did, not to receive the praise of men, but out of love for and devotion to his heavenly Father. The highest complement you could give Dad would be to live your life with courage and conviction, as a wholly devoted and faithful servant to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The post A Tribute to My Father appeared first on Journey with Joy.

After much prayer and pondering, we have decided to return to work in Tanzania!

You see, when we left Tanzania in 2012 to return to the U.S., we left part of our hearts there. We’ve been back on three different occasions, and it has tugged at us each time. For quite a while, George and I have had a growing desire to return to full-time mission work. So, we have decided to return to Tanzania and devote some more time to that work. To some, it may seem like a sudden decision, but actually, it’s been brewing for quite a while.

Additionally, the goal is to be in a position that allows more flexibility to respond to other teaching opportunities that may arise, such as when we went to Greenland at the beginning of this year. It was so frustrating to have to come back home in just two weeks. We continue to have online classes every week with our new convert there, but going back in person is not even an option for us at this present time, due to Covid travel restrictions. Perhaps one of these days, when the pandemic dies down and countries open back up to normal travel, we will have the opportunity to do so.

Some people may find it difficult to understand why, once again, we would move further away from our dear family. We’re already spread out, as it is. We’re not claiming that it’s easy. In fact, this time it is much more difficult – leaving aging parents, our children, and, oh my heart, moving even further away from our grandchildren.

Then why? Why do it?

It’s the love of Christ that compels us to do it.

Christ, “who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:6-8.

Christ left His heavenly home, giving up what was rightfully His, in exchange for servanthood; living a life of humility that culminated in His death. When I ponder what He has done for me, how can I not be willing to leave my loved ones for a time, and cross the globe for Him?

Throughout the Scriptures we read of people like Abraham and Sarah, whom God called – to leave family, friends, and the familiarity of home, in order to carry out His plan… a plan that they didn’t even fully understand. Yet, when God said “go”, they went.

In no way do we feel that we are anywhere remotely on par with the great heroes of faith we read about throughout the Scriptures. Far, far from it! But here we are, on this side of the cross. We get to experience the promise that the Old Testament characters could only dream about. When I think of the reality of forgiveness, the blessings of being in Christ’s body (the church), and when I ponder the promise and hope of heaven, surely then, I can go too.

This life is oh so temporary and the days are rushing by more quickly than ever, so it seems. How we spend “the rest of our time” matters, especially while we still have health and energy.

In our feeble humanness, it is often difficult to assess where we might be of the most benefit for the sake of the kingdom. And so….we think, we pray, we ponder, we pray, we analyze, and we pray some more. Then, we do our best to make those decisions.

We are scheduled to leave mid-January. It will be a much simpler undertaking this time around. Just the two of us, with our carry-on luggage and two checked suitcases each.

Will you pray for us?

The post Here We Go….Again! appeared first on Journey with Joy.

A short perusal through history will reveal that the white wedding dress is generally a tradition that has become more prominent only in the last 100 years or so. Before Queen Victoria’s wedding in 1840, most brides wore popular colors of the day. At that time, blue was a symbol of purity, and therefore many brides wore blue on their wedding day. Since Queen Victoria wore a lavishly decorated white wedding dress, trends turned at that point. Fancy white wedding dresses were still reserved for the wealthy; ordinary folks certainly could not afford a dress that would only be worn once. After department stores became commonplace, white wedding dresses were much more available and attainable for your average person, and by 1890, the white wedding dress was the acceptable norm. In the early 1900’s, one might have worn a simple white wedding dress, but have it dyed after the wedding, so that the dress could continue to be used.

Although human traditions come and go, white garments do represent purity in a biblical context.  Revelation 3:5 states that those who overcome are wearing white, and their names will not be blotted out of the book of life. Revelation 7:14 refers to someone whose garments had turned white, because the garments had been washed in the blood of the Lamb. These are just a couple of verses indicating that God chose white garments to represent individuals who had their sins washed away; those who were spiritually pure.

What about brides today?  White, and sometimes ivory, are still the color of choice for a wedding dress.  While white traditionally symbolizes purity, the reality is that sadly, for many brides the color is meaningless.  How many young women stand before God in marriage, having already given away  their most precious gift, which should have been saved for her husband, to present to him on their wedding day? How many young women stand before God on their wedding day, with a child already growing their womb?  In other words, how many young women are outwardly adorned in white, but their spiritual garments are stained by sin?

When it comes down to it, the actual color of your dress on your wedding day is rather inconsequential. Colors have meant different things throughout the ages, and to this day they still symbolize different things in different cultures. What really matters? The color of your spiritual garment. Your purity. (Let me be clear, God has the same standard for young men, as well.)

Determine that no matter what, you will save your gift and give it only to your husband, after you are married. However, if you have given away your gift but you are not yet married, do not despair. Through genuine repentance, your tainted garment can be restored to white once again.

What will be the color of your spiritual garment on your wedding day?

The post And the Bride Wore…White? appeared first on Journey with Joy.

In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, Paul begins our chapter 3 with a warning  about a certain group called Judaizers. These were Jewish Christians who attempted to bind the Law of Moses (especially circumcision), as a condition for salvation. Because of their fleshly heritage – being circumcised Jews, they thought they were God’s favorites.

Beginning in Philippians 3:4, Paul argues that if anyone has the right to have confidence in the flesh, he does. Then Paul begins to categorize the gains in his life. Essentially he was saying, if you want to start bragging about accomplishments, look at my resume!”

• He had all the advantages of being born into an elite Hebrew family.
• He received a top-notch education.
• He was zealous.
• He was dedicated to keeping the law.

Paul concluded his line of argumentation is found in verse 7:  All of the gains that he had experienced in his past life were racked up as a loss. We don’t know all of Paul’s losses, but they were significant.

Were family relationships strained? Highly probable.

Did he lose his source of income? We know that he went from studying under a prestigious doctor of the law to being a tent-making preacher, who often went without.

Was he jeered at when he went down the street? Was he spat upon by former friends? We know that mobs of his own countrymen wanted to kill him. We also know that he was beaten and spent time in prison on multiple occasions.

Paul’s confidence was not placed in his position, education, wealth, earthly relationships, approval of peers, etc.  In fact, he said all these things had the value of refuse – that’s right, human waste, compared to the privilege of knowing Christ.

Paul understood his WHY! Paul kept things in perspective.

We have a challenge to keep things in perspective.

Our confidence is not in our family tree.

The Pharisees were well known for bragging about “our father, Abraham”, but it did them no good. Abraham’s righteousness could not be applied to someone else.

Just because I come from a long line of Christians that goes back three or four generations does not automatically mean that I am in favor with Christ. Neither will my Christianity automatically pass to my children or grandchildren , like my DNA.

Our confidence is not in education.

Some parents decide to enroll their children in certain school districts that will give their children the best educational advantage. Others enroll their children in private school. There are an increasingly number of parents who have chosen to educate their children via homeschooling.

Should academics be our number one goal when deciding about our children’s education? No. While that might be a consideration, it should not be our WHY. In fact, we may need to make a decision that puts them at a disadvantage, from a purely academic standpoint, in order to prioritize their spiritual education.

WHY? The answer is found in 1 Peter 1:3 -5. The most important thing in this world is obtaining God’s mercy and grace; redemption from our sins so that we can have a living hope. How very important it is to use those few formative years we have with our children to teach them about Jesus, so that one day, they will desire that living hope.

Through the years, parents pour out heart and soul into the education of their children.  Yes, most parents really do want what is best for their children. However, if we are not careful, we will lose sight of our why.

It is so easy to develop the world’s mindset that obtaining an academically superior education is THE goal. Get the best education,  because then you can get a great job, which will provide lots of money, which will allow you to live a prosperous life. If this is the primary goal, then we have missed the mark.

Yes, education is valuable and even necessary, but it is a merely a tool to use as we work towards THE goal.

Our confidence should not be placed in “doing Bible-related activities.”

The Pharisees were quite the experts at “doing” the law, or so they thought. They focused on the outward demonstrations of religion,  but they missed the boat.

Jesus told them that while it was good that they did those things, they left out the weightier things, like justice, mercy, and faith.

Paul was quite good at keeping the various particulars of the law, but then he learned that simply doing all of the things could never produce righteousness within him.

We can be zealous all the day long about doing this or that spiritual activity, but simply doing those things does not make us spiritual people.

It is possible that, although we have the very best intentions, we inadvertently encourage our children to place their confidence in their own accomplishments and grow prideful hearts in the process, rather than developing humble hearts with confidence placed in Jesus.

Where have you placed your confidence?

In what, or in whom, are you encouraging your children to place their confidence?

“In you, O Lord, I put my trust, Let  me never be ashamed; Deliver me in Your righteousness. Bow down Your ear to me, deliver me speedily; be my rock of refuge, a fortress to save me. For You are my rock and my fortress; therefore, for Your name’s sake, lead me and guide me.” Psalm 31:1-3

The post Where Is Your Confidence? appeared first on Journey with Joy.

There is the story of a young bride who was preparing a holiday meal.  As she was getting the ham ready to go in the oven, she cut off the  ends off of the ham. Her husband, being the curious soul that he was, asked her why she cut the ends off. Her mother had always done it that way, but she really didn’t know why, and so she called her mom and asked her why she cut off the ends of ham. Her mother replied, “because that’s the way momma did it.” Well now she was really curious, and so she called her grandmother and asked why she cut off the ends of the ham. Her grandmother replied: “that’s the only way it will fit in  my roasting pan.” Sometimes, we are just like this. We do some things, but don’t really know why we do them.

In his book “Start With Why”, Simon Sinek describes a process for effective decision making that he calls the “Golden Circle”. In the outmost circle is WHAT, in the middle is HOW, and in the innermost circle is WHY.

Mr. Sinek asserts that most businesses and individuals approach decision  making by first considering what they want to do, then figuring out how they want to do it, but few are able to clearly articulate WHY they want to do what they do.

While it may not matter with the small stuff, this approach is not only not inefficient, but when approaching life this way, we can end up doing a lot of things that are a waste of time, and in some cases, even hurtful.

Why do you get out of bed each morning?

Why do you go to worship every Lord’s Day?

Why do you choose to love, honor, and obey your husband?

Why do you sometimes do without, so that you can give to your children?

Why do you do what you do?

Sadly, there are occasions when my WHY gets a little out of focus. Does that ever happen to you?

When I ponder 1 Peter 1:3-5,  I am reminded WHY I do what I do.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:3-5

Christ has extended great mercy to me.

Because I have been born again, I’ve been given a living hope, when I previously had none.  My living hope  sustains me, when otherwise, I would feel quite hopeless.

I have an inheritance waiting for me. It is being guarded in heaven and no one can touch it or take it away from me. There is so much more to this life than what meets the eye. I desire a better country. This world is not my home. 

This is WHY I do what I do.

Why do you do what you do?

The post Why Do You Do What You Do? appeared first on Journey with Joy.

The weather has been so nice, and so, like a bug drawn to a light, I have been drawn to the outdoors to do some yard work. A couple of days ago I mowed the grass for the first time this year. Actually, I mowed spots of grass.  There were some long wisps of grass here and there that were begging to be mowed, and so I happily obliged.

Whenever I mow, my chickens follow the mower. They have learned that where there is mowing, there are bugs. The problem is that they are often so intent on gratifying their bellies, they are oblivious to the fact that the mower is headed right toward them. I have noticed that as they have become more and more used to the mower, they are less intimidated, and wait until the very last moment to get out of the way. Sometimes the mower brushes up against them before they move. Fortunately for them, I am watching out for them. I would never mow over them on purpose. While I do enjoy a good Chick Fil A meal, I would rather my chicken not get caught in a lawn mower blade.

While I may be looking out for my egg laying feathered friends, rest assured that Satan is not looking out for us. Satan wants us to become preoccupied with self-gratification. He uses every tactic, every ploy, and every tool at his disposal to lure us into sin.

Sometimes we don’t think any better than a chicken. Satan waves something enticing, and we inch towards it. Towards Satan. We move away from where we ought to be – just a little bit. Then we get used to where we are, and then he lures us a little bit more. We are so focused on getting what we want, that we don’t even realize how far we’ve drifted or where we are going.  Then, before we know it, we are staring disaster right in the face.

There are folks who have been around the block a few times; who understand far too well Satan’s vices, and they offer godly wisdom gained from the school of hard knocks. Yet, we think we’ve got it all figured out, and don’t need anyone’s help, thank you very much. We would much rather learn the hard way.

The Scriptures give plenty of warnings, and we would do well to pay attention.

Luke 12:15:  “And he said unto them, Take heed, and keep yourselves from all covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”

Luke 21:34:  “But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare:”

Colossians 2:8:  “Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ:”

I Corinthians 10:12: “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”

Surely we can do better than chickens! The next time someone tries to warn you about something you are about to do, or a decision you are about to make, don’t be feather-brained! Heeding their advice just might save your neck…and more importantly, your soul.

The post Lessons Learned From a Chicken appeared first on Journey with Joy.

Caffeine.

Don’t get me wrong. I really enjoy a steaming hot cup of brew, especially on those chilly mornings. Sometimes a hot cup of chai hits the spot. Sweet tea in the summer? I love it. Do I treat myself occasionally at the local coffee shop? Yes, I do. But not all the time.

It’s so easy to make jokes about our inability to function without coffee (or insert your favorite caffeinated beverage here). However, I think that we might not realize just what that admission really means.

Is it possible that something can be intrinsically acceptable, yet become sinful?

Paul wrote: “All things are lawful for me; but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful for me; but I will not be brought under the power of any”, 1 Corinthians 6:12.

If I am under the power of anything,  then I lack self-control. Christians are commanded to exercise self-control (Galatians 5:22,23; 2 Peter 1:5-9; 1 Corinthians 9:25).

Sure, the memes are funny. But perhaps they reveal more than was intended.

Just give it some thought. Be honest with yourself.

Maybe it’s time to put that coffee pot away.

Maybe it’s time to drive past, rather than drive-thru, your favorite coffee establishment.

You don’t have to never drink coffee… or tea… or… , but prove to yourself that you are not dominated by it; that you’re not under its control.

If I am unable to begin my day or find it impossible to function without _______________, then I am dominated by that substance; I am under it’s power.

And that’s not okay.

The post Under It’s Power appeared first on Journey with Joy.

On one occasion, Jesus was traveling from Galilee to Jerusalem, and on His way, He passed through Samaria  As He entered a village, Jesus was met by ten lepers. The law forbade them to come near, to prevent the spread of leprosy.  However, knowing that He had the power to to do something about their plight, the lepers cried out from a distance, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” Jesus responded by instructing them to go show themselves to the priest. When they obeyed what He told them to do, as they were going, they were cleansed.

One of the lepers, a Samaritan, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back to Jesus.  With a loud voice, he praised God and fell at Jesus’ feet, thanking Him. Jesus replied by asking “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 7:17-18).

1 Thessalonians 5:18 commands us to “give thanks in all circumstances.” Yes, in the good and in the bad, we must thank Him. In the time of storms and in times of peace, we must thank Him. In times of chaos, and in times of calm, we must thank Him. When we are sick, and when we are healthy, we must thank Him. You get the picture.

While we have many physical blessings for which we ought to be thankful, most of all, we need to be ever thankful for God’s mercy, for the living hope He gives us, and for the reservation He has made for us in heaven (1 Peter 1:3,4) ….if we remain faithful to Him.

What are you thankful for today?

Lyrics by Dennis Jernigan

The post Thankful appeared first on Journey with Joy.

Last weekend, which was the fourth year for this event, I had the opportunity to spend Friday evening and most of Saturday with this group of special women. A few of them I’ve known for many years, due to our joint participation in other homeschool retreats. Some, I have met briefly in the past, and others, I met for the first time. Although they come from a wide variety of backgrounds, all have one thing in common: they are mom servants who want what is best for their families.

This retreat, while it may have been a respite for these moms, was not a “pamper yourself” get-together. No, these moms were there because they are all striving to grow in their walk with Christ, particularly in their family life, including homeschooling. I have to admit, I felt like a fish out of water, at times. My kids are grown and the homeschooling phase of my life has long passed. I am not the most outgoing person on the planet, and so meeting new people is sometimes hard for me. Nevertheless, I came away greatly encouraged and hopefully I was able to encourage others, as well.

If this event interests you, here is the website: https://www.cocheretreat.com/

There is also a facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/674584522678751/?ref=share

The post COCHE 2019 appeared first on Journey with Joy.