Longings

Longing... this is what I found = strong, persistent desire or craving, especially for something unattainable or distant. Having or characterized by persistent or earnest desire. Do you have longings?

One of my longings is to show people how easy it is to be Christ to each other. To be an example, to be living proof that caring for someone that's different won't hurt you. It might make you a little uncomfortable, but growth and change are uncomfortable.

I don't know where longings come from. Have I wondered? Yes. If I had to guess, I'm putting my money on God. I believe God gives us the longing, and then gives us what we are longing for.

Another longing I have is to be used by God. That's it. Short and simple. Years ago, when I started praying to be used by God, I didn't have a specific job in mind that I would be doing for God but I was sure with my personality, education and work ethic, the job would be the most awesomest! Have you found that God has a sense of humor?


The foundational instinct is that we are here essentially to risk ourselves in the world; that we are a form of invitation to others and to otherness, that we are meant to hazard ourselves for the right thing, for the right woman or the right man, for a son or a daughter, for the right work or for a gift given against all the odds. In longing we move and are moving from a known but abstracted elsewhere, to a beautiful, about to be reached, someone, something or somewhere we want to call our own. ~ David Whyte

To risk ourselves, to be the invitation to others. 

Where I am right now is lonely. If I really think about it, where I've been for years has been lonely. But I'm not alone. I have my longing, which keeps me stepping out there. It causes me to risk myself for the other. 

Wanna join me?

Oasis in the Valley!

Libby Landing on the Little Red

We have decided to call this place Oasis in the Valley, what do you think? Our reasoning is pretty simple; the name of our Non-profit is Oasis Ministries in Arkansas and we are living in the Valley. (It makes me think that rocket science can't be all that hard! Or is it brain surgery?) It's a lot shorter than Oasis Ministries in Arkansas on the Little Red River in the Valley! I'm lost just writing that much down!

Preacher man is out with Dad getting a load of firewood. We are going to have a few days of crazy cold weather for Arkansas, like lows in the 7's! So I informed the birds they needed to eat up and that I would not forget to put out the black seeds that they love so much! The weather service said we might receive some snow. I loved reading this, "Temperatures are expected to drop quickly and be significantly colder than this area has experienced in several years." Oh yeah, yet again the Workman's bring dramatic weather wherever we go!

When we moved from Rogers to Sherwood, the church didn't have anywhere to store their lovely furniture, so we had to sell ours. Hence, we now have make shift furniture. The pillows you see to the right is the couch. We have lawn chairs we are also using and when we have friends over, the chairs give the place a "I still live in a frat house" feel!

Needless to say, we are making progress on the unpacking and settling in. I just have to stop doing it ever now and then or I'm going to give away everything that doesn't fit in a place!

There have been interviews and chalk tests, yet we still feel God calling us to ministry. Do we know what it looks like yet? No, not really, but we know who does! All we can really do is pray and walk through the doors that He opens. We know something special will be happening here at Oasis in the Valley and we look forward to that with great expectation!

Through all of this the one constant has been God with us! Emmanuel! It was the only way to get us out of the UMC so that we could be in real, true ministry. Truly, God called us out! We are at a place where our faith is growing and becoming deep. We are learning that good things do come to those who wait on God.

So if you need a place to go and BE, you are welcome here at Oasis in the Valley, aka Alex and Kim's place. We'll keep the fire going for you and feed you some homemade soup. 

Peace Out! 

Forgiveness!

Aren't Smartphones the best? OK, they aren't better than Jesus, but you can bet they are a lot easier to carry around than your computer! 

I have been thinking about getting a Kindle, so I can read whatever I want, whenever I want. I got the Kindle app on my phone and I downloaded cool stuff like Whinny the Pooh and I found this free book called "Why we eat our own". It's by a pastor in Colorado named Michael Cheshire. He and a group of friends stated The Journey Church in Conifer CO. Anyway, this book has started to change my life, and I gotta tell ya, I needed it.

Preacher man and I are leaving the Methodist Church. Surprise! In hind sight, everything we have ever done has lead us to leave and jump out there for Jesus in a totally new and different way. Things like starting our own business, running a soup kitchen, running boards, cleaning churches, leaving all that you know to go to seminary, healing and wholeness, prayer, and flat out having to love Jesus and each other into every moment.

For the past three weeks, we have hurt, but we have also healed. I have wanted to reach out and smack a whole lot of folks, but Jesus had something else in mind. 

Forgiveness. It's really an easy concept when you ask others to forgive you. It is something totally different when you have to do it yourself and forgive the people you would rather run over with a lawn mower!

Here's the deal: All I have to do is allow Jesus access to my heart and he will work the forgiveness stuff out.

So the grains of sand in my hourglass are still running, and I don't want to waste anymore time with unforgiveness, self righteousness or justification! So I forgive you Sylvan Hills UMC and all the people that make you what you are as a church! 

In 4 days, we will be out of here and I want to thank the Jepko's, Smith's, Shadle's, Clarke's and Christina for being the heart of Christ to Alex and I. We could have done it without you, but I'm so glad we didn't have to. 

My heart breaks when I think about leaving my sweet, crazy neighbors! The meals, treats, talks over the fence, and just allowing me to be me has made our short stay here so much funner!

We came back to Arkansas to be closer to our folks. So that's where we are headed, Heber Springs. We are not leaving ministry, it will just look different from here on out. You can still contact us the way you always have. I'm signing out of blogging, until we get set up in the new digs. 

Peace out! Forgive!

and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. ~ Romans 5:5       

Grateful

I'm grateful for it all. I really am. As strange as it sounds and as strange as it feels, God is doing a work in me that I am in awe of and truly grateful for.

I can name names of who did this to us, but the people who need to know do. I could set out on a revenge campaign because it would be so nice to see their demise, and I could do it, but God has grown me bigger than hurting others.

Here's the deal: I don't have to blow someone's light out, in order to shine.

Has it been hard? Yes. Is it still hard? Your dang right it is! I say I would change it all if I could, but I wouldn't. 

God is growing me deeper. I said that this morning like it was a new idea, yet, when I look back, it has been my prayer all along.

I wanna be a tree that has roots deep enough to withstand the storms that seek to rip me from my grounding. I desire to shine with the love of Christ, who suffered for me, as if I was the only one. He would not have turned away from this trial I face. The people in the know didn't like Him either, so I'm in pretty good company.

Suffering is a wonderful fertilizer for the roots of character. The great objective of this life is character, for it is the only thing we can carry with us into eternity. And gaining as much of the highest character possible is the purpose of our trials. ~ Austin Phelps

I'm grateful for it all.

GRATEFUL

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