I’m a farm girl at heart…called to serve the poor…and a tension exists in my life because of it. Part of me wants to settle under the star-filled sky and watch corn and children grow…and the other part of me wants to bring the hope of Jesus Christ to the nations.
Perhaps God will orchestrate some combination of the two…
in the beginning…
Life was easy…as I imagine it was originally designed to be. I was raised on a family-run farm by two very loving parents and shared life and childhood with my three siblings…two older sisters and a younger brother. We were more than siblings…we were friends…we were enemies…we were farmhands…and we loved it! We learned how to build fence and how to tear them down. We learned how to pull a calf…raise livestock…and cope with loss when they didn’t fare. We learned girls can drive tractors and haul grain…while we often wore makeup while doing it. 😉 We learned that accomplishment takes hard word and dedication. And we learned that even the best of plans will get canceled when the cows get out. But most of all we learned that no matter how far you stray…you are always welcome…back home. I will be forever grateful for the childhood my parents provided.
(sister-Tara and I)
Then life happened…
Just when I thought I had my life in a box…tied with a pretty bow…the ribbon abruptly unraveled. I was successfully climbing the Corporate ladder and married to that farmer I had always imagined. But after a short year and a half of marriage, I was faced with divorce. Christian co-workers invited me to a Bible study and inspired me to listen to Christian radio. When I was actually brought to my knees…and the invitation was given…I finally figured out what I was meant to do there. I prayed…flat on my face…I prayed and called out to God…without knowledge of the repercussions…surrendered the reins of my life to Christ. And to this day he hasn’t stopped guiding me.
And the journey began…
I followed a calling to Romania to love the little orphans on a short-term mission trip. I predicted a broken heart…but did not foresee a changed heart. I returned home with a new purpose…a new fire…a new life. I left my career to pursue a step in faith that required wings. And this farm girl soared into urban ministry. I joined a local outreach to serve the under-privileged neighborhoods in my community. Here, I questioned everything I knew. I questioned my ability. I questioned God. I questioned my faith. I questioned impact. I questioned purpose. But through all of the questions, I never questioned His promises. And I clung tight to them. I fell in love with the kids, community and more in love with Jesus Christ. Through the brokenness of the kid’s pain, I discovered my own. And He met me there. “Making broken lives whole” is the tag line for our ministry. I never realized when I joined…the most broken…and eventually restored life…would be my own.
(Romania Team 2006 – I’m pictured on left – wearing backpack)
Who I am today…
Simply stated…reflecting on Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 1:15…I am a sinner…saved by grace…amazing grace! He has my life in His hands while He lives in my heart. I’ll always be a farm girl…whether or not I’ll ever settle there…but more importantly I now know that I belong and will live in Him.
(The kid who stole my heart from the beginning – still faithfully goes to church with me)
On a lighter note…
I love to read, run, and write. Outdoors are a must and the river is my refuge. Grew up along the banks of the Mississippi and feel at home being drug behind a boat with a ski underfoot. Love simplicity. Might be addicted to coffee. Love the smell of fresh cut hay. Enjoy ballroom dancing and could eat popcorn every day!
