Journey Journal: Days 122-127

Posted on 9 May 2013 | Leave a comment

Day 122: Friday, May 3, 2013

Today was fun–surprise lunch with my aunt and uncle who are here for various friends’ and family’s graduations. Met up with Bryan at “China” for some beef and broccoli and egg rolls. It was nice to catch up. After work, we headed to a graduation party for our friend Josh who just finished a Masters in English. It was good to catch up with Josh, his girlfriend, other friends and former English professors.

Day 123: Saturday, May 4, 2013

Rainy day…and I mean RAINY! Omelets for breakfast, then a Starbucks and Lowe’s run. We kept lunch light. For dinner, we went over to our friend Carissa’s and made her some curry. It was quite possibly Bryan’s best curry yet! And he broiled some fresh broccoli and steamed some rice on the side. SO yummy! We will definitely have to do that again.

Day 124: Sunday, May 5, 2013

Happy 1st Anniversary to my brother and his wife! We had a good day of services at church and a special Cinco de Mayo dinner with our young adult group (or part of it)–homemade tacos with fresh cilantro and avocados, chips and salsa. I especially enjoyed the testimonies of some of our church family who are headed out on missions trips this summer. The one that particularly caught my attention was from Brooke. In the morning service, there was a baby dedication; during Brooke’s testimony, she talked about how she had been dedicated to the Lord on that very platform over 20 years before, and she talked about how the church had loved her and trained her and equipped her to go out. It was a beautiful testimony of God’s grace in His Body. After the evening service, Bryan and I had leftover tacos, and he taught me how to play a new card game.

Day 125: Monday, May 6, 2013

Hoops and Yoyo apparently know how I feel today–too much Monday, not enough coffee! After work, Bryan and I went for a walk and then went over to Carissa’s house again to hang out with her and her puppy Gideon. I love how the conversation always turns to the Gospel when she’s around! We chatted for an hour or so before heading home.

Day 126: Tuesday, May 7, 2013

After work and Goga, we made grilled salmon with pickled carrots and daikon, fresh cilantro, and homemade tartar sauce on an onion bun for dinner. For dessert, I mixed together some peaches, blackberries, and blueberries with fresh mint, a splash of balsamic vinegar, some agave nectar, and a dollop of coconut milk with cinnamon and nutmeg. Quite refreshing! 100% plant-based! And deliciously nutritious!

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Day 127: Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Work has been especially busy, but good things are happening–it’s exciting to watch God work on the frontlines of Gospel advance…and behind the scenes too! After work and Goga (which is officially changing its name to iVIVA), I cooked up some linguini noodles and melted in some leftover curry sauce, adding some extra spices and a tablespoon of peanut butter to give it a little more of a Thai taste. Then I topped it with some fresh cilantro. The side dish is sautéed green onions, orange pepper, carrots, and daikon root with some turmeric, Thai basil, and lime zest. It turned out pretty good! For dessert, I repeated last night’s fruit and coconut milk treat.

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“Oceans Will Part”

Posted on 3 May 2013 | Leave a comment

“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Psalm 42:1-2a, ESV).

Along with this passage of Scripture, here’s another song I’ve meditating on recently, as I learn to “be still” and thirst after God:

“If my heart has grown cold,
There Your love will unfold, …
When I’m blind to my way,
There Your Spirit will pray,
As You open my eyes to the work of Your hand…

“Oceans will part, nations come,
At the whisper of Your call;
Hope will rise, glory shown;
In my life, Your will be done.

“Present suffering may pass;
Lord, Your mercy will last, …
And my heart will find praise;
I’ll delight in Your way,
As You open my eyes to the work of Your hand…”

(Orig. by: Ben Fielding, Hillsong United; Pianist: Lucas Piano.)

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Journey Journal: Days 119-121

Posted on 2 May 2013 | Leave a comment

Day 119: Tuesday, April 30, 2013

After work, I headed home and Bryan and I made a dinner of omelets and veggies. Then my friend Emily (my cousin’s girlfriend) came over to say her “see-you-later”s before she graduates from college on Friday and moves away. It was a really good chat. I will miss our regular Sunday afternoon chats with my English-major, coffee buddy.

Day 120: Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Started the morning with coffee and Gospel conversation with my good friend Diana. Then headed to work for the day. After work, I stopped by Goga and caught up with my friend Leigh! Then I swung through Chik-fil-a for a quick bite before Shepherding Group.

We discussed Pastor Brooks’ Sunday morning sermon “Thirsty for Something More” from John 4. It reminded me of the wonderful, old hymn “Satisfied” (WORDS: Clara T. Williams, MUSIC: Ralph E. Hudson, c. 1875):

“All my life long I had panted
for a drink from some cool spring
that I hoped would quench the burning
of the thirst I felt within.

“Hallelujah! I have found him
whom my soul so long has craved!
Jesus satisfies my longings;
through his blood I now am saved.

“Well of water ever springing,
…my Redeemer is to me.”

I’ve been meditating on this a lot this week. It’s so easy to get caught up in the busyness of life: home, family, work, church, ministry, etc. When it comes to the Christian life, it often seems easier to get in a rut of “second hand” knowledge–listening to sermons, discussing Christian books, debating theology, listening to good music, etc. And even though all of these things are good, there will not be true satisfaction until our relationship with Christ is direct and personal–there is a definite need for slowing down, meditating, and building a one-on-one relationship with God. It’s not always easy (especially with the inundation of social media, active social lives, and information overload), but maybe it’s not meant to be easy. This is my prayer–that I will learn to “be still and know” God.

Day 121: Thursday, May 2, 2013

Got a late start this morning, so I stopped by Chik-fil-a for a breakfast burrito on my way to work. Lunch was multi-grain tortilla chips, roasted red pepper hummus, cucumber slices and pepper strips. Busy, long, and productive day at the office–I don’t mind long days when they’re productive like this! Around 5 p.m., I left work briefly for a walk and stopped by Publix to pick up some dinner (since Bryan was going out with the guys tonight). Headed back to work and heated up some Birds Eye Steamfresh Lightly Sauced Rigatoni & Vegetables with Tomato Parmesan Sauce. For $1.18 (50% off at Publix on Wade Hampton this week), it was a perfect dinner! Finished up some work, vacuumed, and headed home around 8:30 p.m.

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Journey Journal: Days 109-118

Posted on 29 April 2013 | Leave a comment

My apologies for the silence. Things are finally starting to slow down, but here’s a recap of the last week and a half:

Day 109: Friday, April 19, 2013: Still not feeling great, but definitely on the tail end of the cold. I’m hoping a solid weekend of rest will take care of it.

Day 110: Saturday, April 20, 2013: GOGA and Rest. Pretty much back to myself.

Day 111: Sunday, April 21, 2013: NHCC Premiere of DFF6. Great day worshipping with brothers and sisters in Christ at North Hills!

Day 112: Monday-Friday, April 22-26, 2013: Busy does not even describe this week. I am feeling better. Tuesday was our annual Spring Clean Work Day at the office! Went to Goga three times this week. Down 12.25″ over 10 points in 3 months!! Haven’t lost any extra weight, but I’m feeling so much better–and it’s already time to buy another size smaller in my black pants!! Friday night, we went to a friend’s senior guitar performance recital–it was fantastic!

Day 117: Saturday, April 27, 2013: Day of Rest. Bryan and a couple of our college-age friends studied for exams all day with breaks for food. We started with omelets for brunch (I put spinach and mushroom in mine); had a light snack of edamame in the afternoon; and finished with a dinner of Bryan’s fabulous curry burgers topped with sweet pickled carrots and daikon and fresh cilantro.

Day 118: Sunday, April 28, 2013: Incredible morning of worship at church today. The sermon was exactly what I needed to hear! 2nd grade Journey Group went well…though the kids are definitely ready for summer break! Had a short respite in the afternoon, then back to church for the DFF6 Premiere at Heritage! It was a busy night, and by the end of it, Bryan and I looked at each other and decided we would be eating out–we ended up at Corona’s for fajitas!

Day 119: Monday, April 29, 2013: Good day of work, which started with a meeting with a friend I haven’t seen since high school! Love the bond of the Gospel over all these years! Had a quick lunch of leftover fajitas, then an incredibly long (but productive!) conference call. Finished up some correspondence and other necessities and came home for a bbq chicken sandwich and a walk with Bryan around the neighborhood, as we discussed philosophy and theology. Finished the day with a dessert of fresh berries topped with some flax and bran and a little coconut milk, two squares of dark chocolate, and some decaf, French pressed coffee. Time for bed so I can recharge for another busy day tomorrow.

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Dispatches from the Front 6: “The Power of His Rising” On Sale Now!

Posted on 24 April 2013 | Comments Off

DFTF-Episode-6-03

Frontline Missions International (FMI), where I have the privilege to work and serve, has just released their sixth episode of the Dispatches from the Front DVD series.  The whole series has a powerful message of God calling and equipping servants for Kingdom work; this particular episode shows how God uses professionals, those with skills and talents, for His Glory in hard to reach places. Each episode also has some special features, including an image gallery and study guide! Some episodes include special bonus clip interviews, and this one includes a recording and song sheets for “The Power of His Rising” song.

It’s available for a limited time for only $5 from WTSBooks.com until April 26th! The ad above and endorsements below are from WTS’s website regarding this incredible sale! The normal price is $15, and we’ll be offering them on the Dispatches website for $10 until June 1st, but you can’t beat $5! If you’ve never seen these documentary-style glimpses into real-life missions, now is the time to buy!

DFTF-Episode-6-02Back Cover: “Over two billion people in the world have no access to the Gospel—no Bible, no church, no Christians, no hope. Since many of them live in countries closed to traditional missionaries, how will they hear the Good News? One way is that Christ is calling and equipping men and women with skills—professionals—to use their talents to reach people who are hard to get to. The Power of His Rising is an inside look at how this is unfolding in South Asia, where baristas and bakers, pilots and farmers are a force for the Gospel! It’s an amazing journey by land, sea and air—down crowded streets and remote rivers—to find light shining in darkness and persecuted believers singing because of Jesus! Dispatches from the Front opens yet another window to see Christ at work in the world through His endless life and relentless grace!” Running Time: 65 minutes

Watch the trailer here:

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Journey Journal: Days 106-108

Posted on 19 April 2013 | Leave a comment

Day 106: Tuesday, April 16th, 2013

As we get closer to the release of Dispatches from the Front: Episode 6, the days are pretty busy in the office. Since I’ve basically cut dairy out of my diet, I have not struggled with allergies at all this season! This is a huge improvement! (and maybe even worth never eating cheese again!) So, I was surprised when I started sneezing and getting a headache. I went to Goga and sat in the sauna that had peppermint oil in it–that seemed to help. But then later, I couldn’t breathe again.

Day 107: Wednesday, April 17th, 2013

Definitely not allergies. Full-blown head cold. Left work early around 2 PM and came home. Finally fell asleep around 4 PM, slept for 4 hours, got up and ate a little and chatted with Bryan, then went to bed again around 10 PM!

Day 108: Thursday, April 18th, 2013

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Thankful for a good night’s sleep. Feeling a good bit better. (I guess that’s what 14 hours of sleep will do for a person!) Another very productive day at work. I think we’re ready for the DVD Premiere this weekend! And making really good progress on other projects and upcoming events! Actually got off work at 5:00 this afternoon! Came home and went for a 4 mile walk with Bryan around the surrounding neighborhoods. Then we had a delicious dinner of pan-seared salmon with brown sugar and cajun seasoning; served over a mixed baby greens salad with walnuts, strawberries, and honey mustard dressing; steamed broccoli and carrots; and caramelized purple cabbage, leeks, and garlic.

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Journey Journal: Days 103-105

Posted on 17 April 2013 | 1 Comment

Day 103: Saturday, April 13, 2013

Slept in. Eggs for a late breakfast with a fresh fruit salad and a fine French Press of coffee! Then we filled our water bottles and headed to Paris Mountain for a five mile hike! It was a gorgeous day! Bryan had a few hours of work later on, and I caught up on some chores. Then our friends Dave and Rachel came over for an evening of fun and fellowship. I experimented and made some candied grapefruit peels…which I’m kind of addicted to right now. I definitely want to try candying some orange and tangerine peels next!

Day 104: Sunday, April 14, 2013

After a fabulous morning at church, Bryan and I decided to take a Sunday afternoon drive–a fun tradition we started while we were dating that we haven’t done in a while. We ended up at Doc Chey’s Noodle House…in Asheville.

Then we walked around for a couple of hours and stopped by Posana Cafe before heading home for the day. I got a Cortado (espresso cut with steamed milk–an indulgence for sure) and a mini biscotti. The setting was beautiful, the barista was friendly, and I only wish we could have stayed for the dinner menu (it looked fabulous). We will have to return!

Day 105: Monday, April 15, 2013

Another long, yet productive day at work! Had leftover Thai black bean noodles from Doc Chey’s for lunch, then came home to chicken rice curry pot! Bryan has nearly perfected this dish! I cleaned up, since he cooked all afternoon! Had our friend Collins over and it was a good time of Gospel conversations! Thankful for God’s visible work in our local assembly!

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Journey Journal: Days 98-102

Posted on 16 April 2013 | Leave a comment

Day 98-102: Monday through Friday, April 8-12, 2013

This week was a very productive week with multiple projects at work. We’re getting ready to release Dispatches from the Front episode 6 this coming week!

And we’re working on prepping for some exciting new conferences hosted by Frontline Missions. We’re doing a Pastors’ Conference series:

And we’re doing an FX for those interested in “advancing the Gospel in the world’s difficult places.”

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Find out more about both conference series here. Plus, of course, there was the general office responsibilities. Have I mentioned recently how much I LOVE my job?!

Needless to say, we had a lot of work going on this week, so there wasn’t a ton of time for exercise. I still ate right (mostly) and took a couple short walks and made it to Goga a couple of days this week.

One blessing of this busy week was that my calla lilies at work finally bloomed!photo-8

Tuesday night was probably my favorite dinner of the week. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture. Oops. Dinner was an amazing sandwich with the following: grilled chicken breast, seasoned with curry powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and cilantro; fresh spinach; mayo; a fried egg with fresh basil leaves; a sprinkle of fresh parmesan; on a griddled onion bun. Slightly messy, but oh so delicious! Yum!

Another blessing was lunch on Thursday with one of my best friends Rachel at Grill Marks (a new-ish restaurant in downtown Greenville). I love the little basket of skinny fries! It was a really good burger with lettuce, onion, and tomato, and the small fry was the perfect size! And it came with unsweet tea!photo-9

 

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Journey Journal: Days 96-97

Posted on 8 April 2013 | Leave a comment

Day 96: Saturday, April 6, 2013

Slept in. Breakfast of Ezekiel 4:9 Golden Flax cereal with raspberries, banana slices, and almond milk, and a French Press of coffee. Went to Goga for 20 minutes of workout and 15 minutes of sauna time. Brought a book to read in the sauna (Reckless Abandon by David Sitton, an autobiography of a missionary to PNG). After that, I came home, filled my water bottle, grabbed a granola bar, and went on a 5 mile walk in the neighborhoods surrounding ours. I am so thankful for this sunshine and the new blooms of springtime! After a hot shower, I met Bryan downtown, since he was there studying for his Microbiology test all day. I grabbed some red pepper strips and a mandarin orange on my way out the door and enjoyed them with a Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad from Port City Java. He studied for a bit more, then we checked out the new Anthropology store downtown (very cool, by the way!) before heading to dinner at 21 East. Bryan got a burger with root beer caramelized onions and a side of fries; I wasn’t super hungry (since the salad wasn’t that long ago), so I just got a single cajun crawfish taco (which was delicious! I might just have to get the 3 for $10 next time). It was a relaxing evening! I love date night!

Day 97: Sunday, April 7, 2013

Church this morning. Then 2nd grade Journey Group, where we talked about God being “Unchanging.” Had my cousin, his girlfriend, and another friend over for a lunch of tacos and taco salad (beef with cumin and garlic; and shrimp with curry powder, red pepper flakes, and garlic; plus loads of fresh veggies). Shared a French Press of Columbian coffee with our guests. While Bryan and the gang continued to study, I went for another 5 mile walk…this time with book in hand. I read and walked and enjoyed the fresh air! Bryan grilled burgers for dinner, and I had a side of carrot sticks. Made some lemon corn muffins with a lemon glaze for dessert, which got gobbled up very quickly! (Recipe here; I used about a cup of powdered sugar instead of 1/3 c. white sugar in the glaze, and I used Jiffy cornbread mix instead of the suggested brand.) Will have to remember that! Watched some clips on Food Network, while sipping a vanilla almond iced coffee (leftovers from this afternoon’s brew). Time for a hot, Epsom salt bath before getting ready for bed and grabbing my book one more time for the weekend.

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Journey Journal: Days 92-95

Posted on 6 April 2013 | Leave a comment

Day 92: Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Made the goodbye rounds in Ohio–grandmas, family, friends who were at the hospital to have their first baby, and a last minute stop for coffee at George House Coffee–then we split one of their Pistachio Muffins as we got out of dodge. The staff was very friendly and one of them actually lived in Taylors, South Carolina, for a while–right around the corner from where we go to church! Another customer was from Findlay (like me) and back visiting before she headed home to another town South Carolina. Small world!

Stopped a little off the beaten path in Kettering, Ohio, for lunch at a restaurant we hadn’t heard of before: Meadowlark Restaurant. It was fabulous! Bryan had the turkey thigh tacos with their potato string fries with housemade curried ketchup (quite possibly the best fries and ketchup I’ve ever eaten). I had a grilled chicken sandwich with fried lemon slices (my favorite part), tapenade and roasted tomatoes, and a side of borscht soup. I only wished I lived closer so we could try more of their dishes. And the atmosphere was relaxed yet professional–everything from business meetings to ladies luncheons to dads with kids to a romantic date.

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Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Fried Lemons and a Side of Borscht

Turkey Tacos and French Fries

Turkey Tacos and French Fries

Finished the rest of the trip with only a couple traffic jams…and maybe a few more stops at Starbucks. Had a really good time talking and listening to music with my man!

Day 93-95: Wednesday-Friday, April 3-5, 2013

Back to work. And back to Goga. So glad to be back in the gym (and the sauna) after some long days in the car. And thankful that the sun decided to show it’s face this afternoon! Hoping the prediction of a sunny weekend is right! This girl’s ready for Spring!

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