**Mustard Seed Distributed**

It is amazing to me the sense of refreshment I feel this summer in my soul - the renewing of my mind and spirit that I feel is upon me.  The last couple of years I suppose I didn't realize the valley that I was in - just how much I was leaning on God to get me through some challenging days.  Don't get me wrong - it was not all dread and gloom.  Moving back to LO and MI in many ways brought new joy and life to me and God clearly opened my eyes to simple things that I should appreciate so much more than I ever have.  Waking up is one thing.  What a gift each day we have is!  This year, my friend BG has had open heart surgery, was not able to work, and was in and out of the hospital.  Standing by his side in a hospital was such a difficult thing, and his wife is an incredible lady that has been an encouragement and testament to what marriage is about for me.  Knowing that my great friend actually died and was not even able to speak at one point was ...

Here we are, two months later, and I haven't blogged like i always says i'm going to.  Don't think for a minute that there are not blog type things that run through my brain, because there are.  But I am once again starting my half-marathon training to build wells in Africa for the Pokot nation, and as per usual, running gives me time to pray, engage with God, and unplug from the reality of this broken world.  Anywho-as I was running through my new school (insert air conditioning to combat running in heat and humidity) and praying, I was questioning myself on whether or not I am engaging with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit enough.  Whilst in NYC, I had more flexibility in my days and could purposefully set aside time to do just that along with reading the bible.  Not so much here in suburbia with a new job, family, trying to break with vacation and events, etc.  But I really felt like God asked me "But are you listening to me?"  And truly, I feel lik...

So much for the new year's resolution of writing a blog post each week = Fail Army.  I can say that I am at least 333% better this year already (not including this post) than last, so clearly improvement.  I wanted to commit to writing a post a week because it truly helps me to process life, learning, and next steps in my life.  The last few months have not been limited in these areas, as my life has drastically changed, I have learned so many things, and every day in June, I have taken new 'next steps' personally, professionally, spiritually, and emotionally.  As a human being and a follower of Jesus, I try to keep running the race as Paul once said, and there are times at work, in exercise, in relationships, in friendships, in my pursuit of Jesus that I simply can't continue on - I stop.  Sometimes to protect myself, sometimes to redirect my energies to more fruitful opportunities, and sometimes simply because I can't keep doing something that hurts.  Th...

When I was working on my bachelor's degree, I was a Spanish major, and that meant a lot of course work in classes learning the actual language - reading, speaking, listening, writing.  It also meant work around learning about the 'culture' of Spanish speaking peoples.  And there are many.  This week, we are on Spring Break One Five, and I was thankful to spend time with my girls, slip away for a couple of days (even if it wasn't to a warm place or to Florida).  Just being with them and enjoying each other and exploring and living life without the weight of all we need to do and be is glorious.  But I digress to the culture moment.  As I looked out onto Lake Michigan thawing, watched the girls run and record jump kicks in the sand, and have my superstar put her arms around me, I was struck by a learning back at CMU - fire up chips.  We learned about the 'big C' and 'little c' of cultures.  Too heavy to get into, but the basic gist is there are b...

This week, I had the opportunity to attend a national conference in Houston, TX.  It was delightful being able to walk outside, go for a run, take an evening stroll, all while wearing shorts and a shirt.  No scarf, no gloves, no hat, no winter coat, no long pants, and the like.  This is the first time I have attended a conference in the last seven plus years outside of the company.  I was able to sit in sessions with some of the most well-renowned researchers and writers in education.  I actually got to sit down at a table one on one with a well known well respected 'authority' in my field and have a personal conversation. I got to thank him for helping me frame my brain on leadership, instruction, and quality schools - and what an impact his work has had on my brain in this area.  He even signed my book.  I also got to meet other professionals from Canada, Texas, New Hampshire, New York, Minnesota, Kentucky, Michigan, and even Australia.  And as...

Here I am.  This is the kind of faith I seek.  Reading the story of Abraham various times in my life, I am always blown away by by the faith Abraham displays.  Years before he was able to have children.  Finally does.  And he follows God's directions on his life, and takes his own son out to a remote place he knows God wants him to go, and actually ties his son up to burn him as an offering of sacrifice to the God he loves and serves.  His own son!  And when God speaks to him, all he says is "Here I am."  He even raises the knife, completely prepared to sacrifice his son as God directed him.  And God says in that last moment - No.   Now I know you are committed.  I believe that you trust me.  And the intricacies of the things that God weaves together in Abraham's life, and those that are engaged in life  with him in this sacrificial living to trust God - moving where God directs, doing what God asks, putting God's will be...

This is His way.  A journey.  Journeys are not easy, they are challenging.  If we are OF this world, it is a ride on the struggle bus to be for this world.  What is it that I desire?  I want to do what He wants me to do, but like Paul said thousands of years ago in Romans 7: I do not understand what I do.  For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.  And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.  As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.  I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  For what I do is not what I want to do--this I keep on doing.  Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.  What a great big fat nugget of truth.  Being in this world is a challenge to say the least, and 'th...