Category Archives: Ministry

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How to find joy in marriage during a year of separation.

The Esther Project is a personal journey I set out on during John’s first deployment. Rather then complain about my circumstances and the year apart I decided to follow the lead of Esther and prepare my heart and my home “for such a time as this.” It became my goal to take a year and prepare for my husbands return, just as Esther prepared for her King Xerxes.

I drew inspiration from other military wives: present day, historical, and those recorded in the Bible. From their stories I learned how to prepare my heart and home for John’s return and struggled with the challenges of reintegration and redeployment.

As I edit and reevaluate my writings during this time I will be sharing them here, under The Esther Project. It is my desire and hope that together you and I can be battle buddies in our upcoming seasons of loneliness.

With much love,

Hope

*Even if your hubby isn’t a soldier, don’t think you can’t join us. All of us experience times of separation whether it is emotional or physical, whether it is due to employment or health.

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Why your church should have a homeschool ministry?

Personally, I think every church should have a home school ministry. I absolutely adore the women who attend our co-op every week.

According to U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics reported that in 2012 there were 1,508,000 home schooled students. And that number is on a 7% annual increase. There are a number of reasons reported as to why families choose to home school. It’s on the rise in both the military and civilian world.

My experience with these families has shown me that each one of them is unique in their choice and has many factors, not just one, as to why they have made this decision. I know I personally embarked on home schooling due to frequent medical trips to St Jude and desiring more family time when my husband was actually home.

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A little about me, a confession and a pledge to do better

As a working mom in part-time ministry (with full time hours), a military wife (who is learning some crazy flexibility), and a mom of a cancer survivor (which requires being on the road often for follow up doctor visits three states away); scheduling our home life can be challenging.

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What’s it like being married to me? And other dangerous questions.

As a summer study the women at Sunrise Baptist are reading Linda Dillow’s book, What’s It Like Being Married To Me? And Other Dangerous Questions.

The book is an amazing eye opener into what life must look like for my husband, and let me tell you its not all rainbows and unicorns. (I guess if we are truly talking through his eyes I should say, it’s not the land of the ewoks.)

If you know me, you know, my house isn’t always clean, there is usually a pile or two of laundry screaming at me from the couch and clutters of paper and art work amidst piles of books. But this book isn’t really about external clues is it. It’s deeper. While the externals do contribute to my husband’s overall feelings of being desired and adored, what is essential to our marriage is my attitude.

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Are You Choosing Hope?

In some of my worst nightmares, I am alone. Fear of living consumes me and I become a fat old hermit who swats at dreams like flies. Instead of reaching for my goals the worst of nightmares becomes remaining, staying. I become nothing more than who I am today.

In some of my best dreams there are ten of me. I climb the stairs to my flat in Italy where my three green-eyed children and my Doctor wait. I study, I sleep, I start dreams. In the summer we travel. Safari through the Garden of Eden—Kenya, tour castles throughout Europe, snorkel off Australia, trace ancestors in Ireland, Eskimo kiss in Alaska, dream of America in Boston… I will write, travel and never stop studying. In my best dreams I never stop evolving in to the vision of me.

I wrote that little bit, which has haunted me daily, nearly 10 years ago. Dreaming is not my only nemesis. I am a planner. When I dream I plan. Minute details plague the path from point A to point B and on and on to point Z. I am nothing like the person who wrote that little bit 10 years ago. My life has not turned out to be the dream I dreamed then. It is richer, more involved, and gritty.