Hello and thanks for stopping by my blog. If you’re looking for specific resources, be sure to check out the topics in the column to the right. Otherwise, feel free to look around! ~ Kerry

Friday, February 27, 2009

Not Just a Coincidence!

“He delights in every detail of your life!” (Psalms 37:23, NLT).

Ever have one of those amazing moments when you just know that God put all of the details together? We recently had one of those moments at our house.

Our youngest son Blake is in Argentina for five months with YWAM (Youth with a Mission). He is loving it and is being challenged on a daily basis. It’s been great fun hearing how God is speaking to him during this time in his life. One of the most amazing ways was through the daily devotional book he took with him—Max Lucado’s Grace for the Moment.

We were on Skype the other day, and he told me to get my copy of the devotional and read June 7th’s title. (June 7th is the day he is coming home to Wichita.) He said, “Mom, you have to read the title and the last paragraph!” (BTW--the picture is of Blake on Skype. He is at a mall with other YWAMers :)

Here’s the title—“God Will Get You Home.” And the last paragraph says, “Let me encourage you…God never said that the journey would be easy, but he did say the arrival would be worthwhile.” Wow!

Now I know that the “home” Lucado is referring to is our ultimate home in heaven. But what an amazing “coincidence” that this title just happens to be the date Blake is coming home to Wichita. As a mother, I’m so thankful for God’s incredible assurance that He is with Blake in every situation, and He will get him home.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

What Am I Pursuing?

God's Word always challenges me! Two days ago, I was reading Proverbs 21 and was encouraged to consider my pursuits. Verse 21 says, "He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor." A lot of insight is packed into those eleven words.

God’s wisdom can feel so contrary to our way of thinking…we may think that if we pursue life, prosperity and honor, that is what we will find—life, prosperity and honor. But God says that if we pursue righteousness and love, we will find those blessings.

And I wonder what we find if we only pursue life, prosperity and honor?

Hmmm . . . just something to think about.

Friday, February 20, 2009

How’s Your Service?

I remember how as a young bride I used to go over-and-above for Mike. I would make his favorite meals, sacrifice to buy him just the right thing, listen to him talk (with starry fascination in my eyes), and plan special “date nights” for the two of us. I worked really hard to show him he’s the most important person in my life!

Now 25 years later, if I’m not careful I can slip into an attitude of complacency. I may take him for granted and pass up opportunities to show my love for him. I might not even realize that I’m in a rut until something pricks my heart—something like Jesus’ words in John 15, “This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” I ask myself when was the last time I laid down something for Mike—my preferences, my time, my pride....?

My friend shared with me a fun quiz titled, “How’s Your Service?” It’s a great way for a wife to evaluate how well she is giving self-sacrificing love to her husband. Take a minute to do this quiz, and let God speak to your heart like He has to mine...

Click here to download pdf.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Crawling into Bed

Last night as Mike and I crawled into bed, I thought about how thankful I am for those precious moments together before we drift off to sleep. We’ve made a commitment to go to bed at the same time, whether it is 10:00 pm or midnight, we get into bed together every night. It helps us to feel connected and grounded.

Mike and I try to eat as many meals together as possible and we try to connect by phone or e-mail throughout the day. But many days, like today, our day is full of work and other obligations. Simply knowing that at the end of the day we will have some precious moments alone together, gives me something to look forward to all day long!! Even when we are traveling and have to sleep in separate beds, we crawl into bed, get on our cell phones and talk until we are almost asleep.

In all the years we’ve been married, I can only think of a few times when one of us went to bed ahead of the other and was asleep when the other one came to bed. (In most of those instances the one in bed early was sick.) This is such simple, but important commitment to us. I know all couples can’t make this same type of arrangement. But it is so important to find a time to connect each and every day. One friend and her husband sit on their porch swing for 30 minutes every night after dinner while their kids clean the kitchen.

Don’t let today go by without connecting with your spouse! It is one of the most important things you will do all day long!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

PureLife Ministries

As a pastor’s wife I regularly encounter hurting women whose husbands are engaged in sexual sin. It is truly one of the most painful experiences a woman can face!

A couple of years ago I had the awesome privilege of meeting Kathy Gallagher. She is a woman who completely understands the pain sexual sin. I'm sure that dropping an atomic bomb in the middle of the living room would have caused less devastation than the words her husband shared with her—“I’ve been addicted to pornography and visiting prostitutes for awhile now.”

Steve and Kathy Gallagher could have ended-up like many couples today—angry, hurt, and divorced. But they pushed through the fight of their life and are now on the other side. Today they are the leaders of PureLife Ministries, giving hope and healing to men and women damaged by sexual sin.

I love this ministry, because it is solidly built on a Scriptural foundation with Jesus Christ being the source of healing. And PureLife Ministries gives special care to the wife in the wake of her husband’s sexual sin. The counseling staff is incredible because they have all been there...

This is a great place to refer friends and family members who don’t know what to do. Encouraging articles, blogs, Q & A, phone counseling, resources, and a residential program are just some of what you will find on their Web site: http://www.purelifeministries.org/restoring-marriages. Take a minute to check it out!

Monday, February 2, 2009

Are You Thirsty?

Recently, God has been teaching me a lot about spiritual thirst. He so often speaks the same message to me in a variety of ways. (I think I’m a bit of a slow learner.)
  • For several weeks I felt I should read Isaiah 55 every day. The first words of this awesome chapter are “Come, all you who are thirsty. Come to the water and drink.”
  • Then, as a part of my job, I was asked to review Ruth Haley Barton’s book, Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership. Barton eloquently describes how we should minister from that place where we meet with God and the difference when we minister from a place of depletion or spiritual thirst.
  • About three weeks ago I began teaching Max Lucado’s book, Come Thirsty to my adult class at church. The title says it all!
  • He has even been using a song entitled, The More I Seek You. The lines resounding in my heart are, “I just want to sit at Your feet, drink from the cup in Your hand, lean back against You and breathe, feel Your heart beat…”

This past weekend I spoke at a leadership event in Little Rock, Arkansas. I planned to share many of the concepts I felt the Lord had impressed on my heart from Isaiah 55 and the books I had read. My message for Friday night was entitled, Are You Thirsty? I was hoping the worship leader would be able to lead the song, The More I Seek You. Before the service I asked him if he knew the song and he told me he didn’t. No biggy…I thought, I can just tell them about the song and recite the lyrics. (Believe me, they wouldn’t want me to sing them!)

Angelia Carpenter, the director of the event, had asked several girls from the Arkansas Teen Challenge to sing before I spoke. She told me that they would sing two songs and then Lisa Ramsey would introduce me. They arrived late—just before they were scheduled to sing. But just as planned, they sang two songs and Lisa went to the platform to introduce me. When Lisa got to the platform, one of the girls whispered in her ear. Lisa simply nodded and sat down because the girls felt they should sing one more song. You guessed it—they sang, The More I Seek You.

All I could think was, “Wow, God, You are AMAZING! You must really want to quench our spiritual thirst tonight!”