A New Challenge for the New Year

For the last several months I have had a health problem that has dramatically affected my life and work.  The blood test ruled out many suspected diagnoses, which left me feeling confused and helpless.  However another doctor found some case studies here in Ireland that gave some insight and direction for how to proceed next.

The treatment begins with a dietary detox and continues on restrictions for three months to allow the system to heal.  It will not be easy, but I know the Lord is in this, so I have peace.   Because of the demands of the holiday season,  I had decided not to start the program until January 1, 2011.

When I saw this challenge of reading the Bible in its entirety, and that it lasted the same duration of my treatment program, I decided I would give it a try.  While some might think that adding such a challenge to an already intense season might make life more difficult, I'm inclined to believe that the more of God's Word I read, the more manageable life will be.  It is sustaining.

Maybe you'd like to take the 90-day challenge too.  

Just click on the image to read more.

Happy Christmas 2010

The greatest gift man will ever know was Jesus, the Christ, God with us.

We celebrate Him today.

May we live everyday proclaiming the good news of the King!

Happy Christmas!

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Expecting the Coming of the Lord

Here we are, just a day or so before we celebrate the birth of Christ, God with us.  It is a day for which we wait in expectation.  Of course we know the rest of the story.  It is hard to imagine what that would have been like to believe beforehand, that this pregnancy was the one that would bring about the foretold Messiah.  God sent an angel to both Mary and Joseph separately in order to tell them, which definitely built their faith and courage to obey.

Yet we learn in Luke chapter 1, months before the birth of Jesus, both Elizabeth and Zechariah would surely be waiting in expectation as well, because of their experiences with Mary and their own son.  For when Elizabeth met Mary, she was filled with the Holy Spirit proclaiming blessing and in doing so calling the child in Mary's womb her Lord. (v. 43)  Then when John was born, Zechariah, being filled with the Holy Spirit he prophesied. The song began with praises for fulfilled prophesies, for salvation, for mercy and for God that has come (v. 68) to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all of our days. (v. 75)  Zechariah was prophesying the Christ.

Zechariah continued, prophesying over his newborn son's life.  John would be called "a prophet of the Most High."  He would prepare the way for the Lord.    My favorite part comes at the end of his song.

"because of the tender mercy of our God, 

by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, 

to guide our feet into the path of peace." (v78-9)

I love this because it shows even then, before Christ was born in Bethlehem, how He had come for everyone, from God's own people (v. 71) to the lost of the world (v 78).  It was God's mercy that gave foreknowledge to them in regards to the coming of the Lord to empower them for the purpose He had set before them.  It is God's mercy that brought Christ to us so that we may fulfill the purpose He has set before us now.  Let us celebrate with great expectation!

Happy Christmas!

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Gifts from the Father

It was a gift from my father when I went off to college, my grandpa's guitar.  He got it when my grandfather died and had since stopped playing it himself.  I loved the history, the mellow sound and the musty smell of the instrument, but struggled with my own deficiencies as I taught myself.  These deficiencies, of course, were a natural result of lack of practice and diligence.  Despite this, I have always enjoyed playing and have tried to keep it up to a certain degree, but have never become as proficient as I felt a guitar of this quality deserved.  So the sound has remained muffled, shared only with close friends or with such a quiet strum that only I could hear as a result of the lack of confidence.  My precious gift too often collected dust.

Since becoming worship leader at DCF almost two years ago, I have led vocally.  At times we have had a full worship team and other times just one on the guitar (def not me!).  I have even led a few times a capella when we haven't had any musicians.  Worship comes from the heart, not the expression.  We worship in spirit and in truth and God is glorified.  This is why when the couple who play guitar and drum left for holiday in the States, I didn't worry... until I realized what could potentially be done. 

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

2 Corinthians 12:9-11

As a church family, we didn't need a guitar to bring God praise, but I knew there was a gift God had given that was going unused.  As a leader, I want to encourage others to use the gifts God gave them so that we as a body will bear fruit.  I began to practice the guitar.  How many times do we forsake the things God has given us because of fear and insecurities?  True worship however means taking the focus off ourselves and putting it on Christ where it belongs.  For me, this was about sacrificing perfectionism in order to bring the sacrifice of praise.  In that vulnerability, Christ revealed His strength and we worshiped.

My prayer is that ye will be encouraged to dust off the gifts He gave you for His glory.  May ye put aside fears and insecurities and allow God to work in those weaknesses.  Today, when my fingers stumbled across the strings, I kept going back to the words resonating from my own mouth and became overcome with joy to praise Him.  "You are my strength when I am weak... You are my all in all."  It was a spiritual stretching for me for sure, but a sweet stretching.   His grace really is sufficient.

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Another Birthday!

That's right!  My mother is also a December gal.  So today I just want to give a lil' shout out to a fabulous woman whom I love dearly.  Happy Birthday Mum!!!

I'm How Old? That Can't Be Right!

Well, yippee tai yai yo!  It's my birthday!  We actually celebrated last night with a girls night full of ice-skating, chats, pizza and a movie.  It was so much fun.  I am still waiting to see pics of us on the ice, although I am a little nervous about those pics...  At least I didn't fall!

Today I got to start my day off in a great way with a special email from my sis and a skype video call with my mum.  That put me in a good mood for the whole day.

The day was predominantly quiet, which was nice because I was a bit tired after yesterday.  I saw some friends, and ran some errands and even managed a nap in between.  Tonight I celebrated quietly and contently with a special little dinner.  A few weeks ago I saw these frozen lobsters at Lidl for just a fiver.  Now I'd never had lobster, so I instantly thought this would make a great treat for my birthday.  I had some onions and mushrooms sizzling in the skillet as well.  These were for the fried potatoes that would accompany my lil' lobster. 

Okay, let's be honest now.  There is something about these creatures that beg for silliness.  I can neither confirm nor deny that video exists of this lobster going into the pot all while speaking in some unrecognizable accent that was anything but Canadian, which was the specified origin on the packaging.  Perhaps there's more of a story here, but again, I can neither confirm nor deny.   Now the lobster was already cooked, so I simply had to thaw it and then drop it in boiling water for no more than five minutes.  Gotta love that.  Five euro, five minutes, one fancy fine meal!

Complete with pan-fried potatoes and garlic-parsley melted butter.

Okay, I'll admit I had to look up on the internet to find out how exactly to go about eating it, but there's no shame in that.  It was such a fun thing to do and it actually tasted really good.  I love crab meat and this was like a sweeter version of that.  Speaking of sweet, I finished of my birthday dinner with a rich piece of Chocolate-Chocolate cake I brought home from Ormand's, my favorite place on the square. 

Sweet dreams now, folks.  Thanks for sharing my birthday with me.  God bless :)

Why Not! White Chili

I'll probably post about the Thanksgiving Feast at DCF tomorrow, once I have some pics loaded.  Because we were feeding a huge group, we had two turkeys and a ham.  My 22lb bird was the second to be eaten after the first disappeared completely within the first 45 minutes.  This means that I got to bring home any leftover bits.  It looked well-devoured, but there's a lot of meat in a bird that size.  Five days later, I have been eating nothing but turkey and still have a bowl full left.

We are in the midst of a freak cold snap here in Ireland, so anything that warms the body is appealing.  So for some variety (and warmth!), I decided a white chili would be ideal.  Afterall, it's turning white outside.  Why not inside too!

 

Since this chili is made with turkey and uses a white sauce instead of a beef/tomato combo,  I didn't need to have such a robust bean as the kidney bean.  I chose butter beans which would suit the milder flavors.  You could use any white bean really.  Just because it's white chili doesn't mean it ALL has to be white, so why not also have a tin of mixed beans for color and flavor?  The red pepper is also a bit sweeter than green, so I chose this to complement the poultry.  I also don't know if many folk put mushrooms in their chili, but I love them in almost anything, so why not put them in too!

I started by sweating the onions, garlic, chili and mushrooms in a tsp of oil in the bottom of my soup pan.  I'm all about one-pot wonders.  

Then I made a roux.  I added a TBSP of each butter and flour right into the mix with the sweated veg and slowly added small bits of milk stirring vigorously as I did.  You'll see the sauce begin to thicken straight away.  I'm sure most folk would use turkey stock instead of milk to thicken, but I haven't yet made my stock.  So milk worked fine and still got thick.   I also added salt and a good bit of cumin.

Next I added the turkey, the tins of beans, and a tin of sweet corn.  This is where you would add more stock slowly while stirring to bring more liquid into the large amount of ingredients.  As I said before, I haven't made stock yet, so I just used some of the homemade gravy leftover from the turkey and then water.  Why not.  It worked fine.  I added more cumin, chili, salt and pepper as needed and let it simmer away for a while.

 

Topped off with some white cheddar (because I like my cheese without artificial colors) and sour cream, the only thing it is missing is some fresh cilantro and avocado.  I'm out of the cilantro and my avocado isn't ripe yet, but I'm hungry so I'm going ahead and eating.  Why not!

It may look meek and mild, but don't be fooled.  This chili can pack some heat which is just perfect for this white weather.  And it used up some of those leftovers!  Yipee tai yai yo!

A Rare Treat

Today's view of An Rinn from Lookout Park                                            photo by Kathleen Keegan

He spreads the snow like wool
   and scatters the frost like ashes.

Psalm 147:16 

I awoke today to a flurry filled sight, a rarity for us on this southeast coast of Ireland.  It was so beautiful, and even though it was a small amount, I was breathless for a moment.

The first thing I saw this morning, snowy rooftops.

 After taking this picture barefooted on my balcony, I was really breathless - from the cold!  While it may not compare to such extremes elsewhere, this is dramatic here and when you mix freezing temps with the wind blowing in off the sea it is FIERCE!

I immediately texted my friend Katie to see if she wanted to step out an enjoy the beauty.  We stood at the harbour on which my small town sits, took a few snaps and went for a Saturday lunch out.  We talked about things God is doing in our lives.  Then we went for a short drive to the hills and we took more pictures.  We finished our adventure back in town with mugs of hot chocolate, with plenty of marshmallows of course.

On the hill with my town and the sea behind me.

I have spoken a bit about God's provision and faithfulness in recent posts and it is a motif often repeated in the Bible as well.  God is ever showing us His nature in the nature around us, in the relationships we have formed and especially through His Word.  He is the Creator, the Redeemer, and the Mighty One.  Psalm 147 gives a whole list of things that express the greatness of God.  Let us begin this new week the way David began this Psalm.  Let us praise Him!

Praise the LORD.

   How good it is to sing praises to our God,
   how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

 Psalm 147:1

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Book Review: A Year With God, R.P. Nettelhorst

A Year with God by R.P. Nettelhorst

This daily devotional book is self-described as   "a 365-day revelation of God's divine character through His actual words, along with reflections and insights to increase your understanding."  

The back cover proposes that the book will:

1) Examine Old Testament scripture within its cultural context.

2) Explain the meaning of what God is saying.

3) Reveal the application for our modern lives.

I was very excited to get this book and upon first perusal I noticed some things about the structure I instantly loved.  This book uses Old Testament scripture, which excluding the Psalms, is rarely found in many modern devotionals.  Also I really appreciated how it had blocks of scripture for each day instead of only one verse or a portion of a verse.  Looking at whole passages can help in understanding the context.  This is also useful when trying to understand a larger concept such as the character of God.  This book is divided into sections that allow the reader to carry on with a particular characteristic of God for several weeks, which would presumably help the reader build a more solid foundation of these aspects of God's nature with the various scriptures over time.

Upon reading each selection, however, I found myself underwhelmed.  Although most of the text space was used for explaining context, these explanations felt hesitant, diluted.  The reflections that would bring meaning and application were often reduced to a single sentence at the end.  This may have been a space issue, but it means that the conclusions were very general and rushed.

Because if this, I felt like the book did not fully live up to the purpose it intended.  However, it is an easy read and the brief conclusions are at least encouraging and uplifting.  I would recommend this book to someone who would simply like a supplement to their daily study or to someone who would like to read more of the OT and would find the pre-selected portions convenient.

I give this book 2.5 out of 5 inkspots.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

A Reason

Kevin just wanted to know why.  Why would we give tea and coffee for free to people at these odd hours of the night, why we wouldn't discriminate amongst the rowdy crowd from the club, and why we were so patient with folk who maybe had a little more to drink than maybe they had intended.  It was a thought so unbelievable that it kept him in deep conversation with me for hours while we talked and served.  People can't seem to get past the answer, that it is about love, pure and simple.  People assume there must be some catch.  My athiest friend who has been helping serve each week chimes in, "I've been with them for months and still haven't figured it out.  Trust them, it is that simple."

So now it is 5:30 am on Saturday morning and I am just getting into bed, after writing this of course.  My legs feel like the cold is coming from within and radiating out, which makes my blankets feel useless, but they will help block out the light soon enough which makes them important.  My body is aching and my brain is struggling to figure out how few words I can say this all in so I can go on and get to sleep.

Why do I do this?

Because He first loved me.  (I John 4)

It really is that simple.

The truth is that we don't need tea and coffee for this.  Just imagine how much our communities would change if we all started living our faith publicly by simply showing God's love indiscriminately.  We are talking about the transforming power of Christ here.  Just see what He can do through our willing and surrendered hearts.  I dare us all.

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A Story About a Dress and a Divine Appointment

"For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life."

2 Corinthians 2:15-16 

I was desperately looking for a dress for an upcoming event.  With only two weeks remaining, I had searched my small town and even spent a few hours going to all the shops in Waterford City.  Those who know me well know that this is some kind of torture.  I am definitely not a shopper.  My mom finds great humor in the fact that my flat is actually located on the top floor of our town's mall.  In recent years I have become more adept and can actually count a few times where I enjoyed the experience.  This has not been one of those times.  The main challenges have been time, budget, and difficult sizing.

So this week, when my Friday obligations were suddenly removed I decided to go to a mall in Cork.  Since the drive is one hour each way and I didn't come up with the plan until three in the afternoon, I knew time would be tight.  But upon walking into the centre, I felt the Lord say I would leave with my dress.  

The first shop I went into had some gorgeous high quality options, but they all cost up to two times more than my budget.  I asked a saleslady there which shops she would recommend considering this.  After an hour, I had been in every shop with no success.  I decided that if I were to spend more than planned it should at least be high quality so I began to head back to the first shop.  But the conflict about the prices came in my head and I turned to leave altogether.  Finally reminded by the the feeling of the Lord on my way in, I turned back around to the shop again.  Anybody watching me would have for sure wondered what this crazy girl was doing!

I saw the lady who had helped me before back by the fitting rooms so I told her about my shopping frustrations. She took me around the floor pulling dress after dress that might work before going with e to try them on.  It was then that I learned she had already clocked out.  She stayed and chimed in on each dress until I had found the perfect dress.  The ladies on shift stepped away for a moment and she came up to me, whispering.  "The ladies think we are friends so I can give you my employee discount of 25%." 

I was taken back and refused saying I couldn't possibly.  She looked to see if the girls were still out of ear shot.  This time she reached out and touched my arm.  She was trembling.  She said, "You're a Christian, right?"  I said yes.  She replied, "I have to do this.  Let me do this."     

I had not mentioned anything about God so I was a bit surprised.  Knowing many of the churches in Cork I quietly asked her which she attended, but she shook her head, hand still trembling said, "None.  I am a failed Christian." 

In my heart I begged God for the right words, none came so I didn't speak.  The other workers came back.  We bought the dress together, me using her discount.  I wrote my name and church on a paper with a pastor friend's church in Cork on the back.  She almost started to cry.  "That's where my ex-husband goes."  I mentioned some other churches, which she acknowledged as knowing personally, hands still trembling.  We walked out together.

I tried to thank her again and again, but she wouldn't have it.  I told her how she'd saved my life, but she acted like it was the other way around.  With nothing left to say we each turned to go our own ways.  She continued to tremble and then paused just before leaving to say.  "Wait, the final price almost even managed to fit your budget didn't it?"  Actually it had come two quid under budget.  

The scripture in Corinthians reminds us that no matter where we are or what we are doing, people will notice us.  Sometimes God just wants us to be there, living the life.  We carry the presence of God in us by the power of the Holy Spirit, this aroma of Christ that speaks to those in need.  Let us remember this, and move forward with the full confidence of Christ in us.  It is He who transforms lives.  We trust and obey.

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A Good Day

These days I find myself exhausted constantly because of some health problems with which I have been dealing.  So when my morning meeting was canceled and I knew that the day would go at a slower pace, I'll admit I was a little relieved.   I was able to get a good amount done before heading to Harbour Mill House for our Tea and Coffee Drop-in.  I caught this bit of sky on my way there.

 

Here is another view from the quay on which Harbour Mill House sits.

It's beautiful isn't it!  Of course only in Ireland can you have this sunny day with only a few clouds, and still be rained on while standing in a freezing wind!  After running a few errands, I returned home to my kitchen filled with the tempting smells of the morning's labours.  

I had sweated some onions, carrots, celery and a parsnip in a bit of olive oil with salt and garlic.

  I always make sure to use the leafy bits of celery as well as they seem to add a lot of flavor and also look pretty floating in broth.  Of course I had to use some fresh sage from my summer container garden.

Then came the remains of the roasted chicken I had made for company on Sunday.  Irish chickens are amazing, so juicy and full of flavor.   It doesn't look so amazing with most of it gone, but any soup lover knows the potential of such a thing.

Topped off with water and some seasoning and it remained simmering until I left.  Now at home I sit in silence.  It was a calm day, but productive and not rushed.  I am tired, but not broken.  I am thankful.  I am breathing.

I am happy to be in this moment...

in my warm home with this bowl of soup

under this evening sky.

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A Little Love Goes a Long Way

Today we stood in the middle of the shopping centre encouraging folk to participate in the Christmas shoeboxes with Team Hope.  We had pre-wrapped empty boxes to help make it even more convenient for those in these last days of the appeal to participate.  It was so touching to see people ask if they could actually have the bigger boxes since they wanted to pack more!  The thing is that every box represents one child who will have a Christmas gift who otherwise wouldn't.  Each box represents one child who will experience a moment of love.

Can you imagine these precious children in that moment, with a bold revelation of love?  To be in such a place of squalor and have someone stretching across continental borders, giving a piece of themselves just to say, "You are worthwhile and I love you."  The stories that come out of these moments tell of the transforming power of love.

Now imagine yourself.  He stretched across heavenly borders, giving all of Himself just to say "You are worthwhile and loved."  Does time slows a little?  "You are worthwhile and loved."  Can you see hope push out despair?  "You are worthwhile and loved."  It's overwhelming, isn't it?  "You are worthwhile and loved."  We are left transformed.

We can but bow in humble adoration for the One who is love itself.

Oh how He loves us!

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A Nod for the Sibs

We have such a good God. 

Yesterday marked six years since my father died.  I was thinking about this last night and remembering that last week.  The family situation was difficult and the story is too involved for a post such as this.  I note this just to say God does amazing things even in the midst of grief.  With this loss, it felt as if my already damaged family had just irreparably shrunk, but then God surprised me.  God kept a promise to my father from which my sister and I benefited.  The day before he died we were connected with two half-brothers with whom we had not grown up, but we had always longed to know.  Six years ago, my family got bigger.

I am thankful for a fulfilled promise and the joy of having not one, but two big brothers.  I love them both and am proud to be their baby sis. 

I am thankful that I've never known life without my sister.  She is my absolute favorite person in the whole world!

Although I live an ocean away, I am thankful that no distance or time can change the fact that they are family.

Today I am marking a day of thanks for siblings.  Join me.  Say a prayer for your brothers and sisters, and brothers/ sisters - in law, and brothers/ sisters in Christ. May God bless them and protect them.  May He shower them with His love that they may know the fullness of Him.

This picture was taken the first weekend we had ever had all four of us together.

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A Taste of Truth

Okay so this isn't quite what some would expect, so let me explain...

This weekend, I joined a few friends from Dublin for a girl's escape!  We went up to Belfast to attend a worship and prayer evening.  On the way back the next day, we stopped for lunch at a place recommended by someone from the church.  Would you believe it was a garden center?  I knew you wouldn't, which is why we took the photo of me nibbling the seed cone!

Actually the place had a lovely restaurant where I enjoyed a typical carvery lunch, finished off with a Florentine Cookie, one of my favorites, and a good cup of black coffee.  As we gave thanks for our meal, the verse above went through my head.  I was so grateful for the provision God had made for such a weekend.

Indeed God is our provision, our source and our hope.  While His great love endows many blessings, we do not need excess in this natural world to be sure that God is looking out for us.  When I lived in Africa I met many who only had millet, a kind of birdseed, as their food, yet they were overflowing with the joy of the knowledge of Christ.  They knew He could work in all situations as they kept their eyes on Him and they believed Him for it.

Let us today, cast aside our worries and believe God for who He is.  Let us seek first His kingdom and His righteousness for He is good and He is trustworthy.  Let us take a moment to thank Him for all He has done and in His great love continues to do.

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A Song for Sunday

I was at a conference recently where we sang this.  It had been so long since I'd heard it yet I instantly remembered it.  It is simple yet so powerful.  The melody was stuck in my head for weeks.  When it was sung at a meeting I attended last night, I knew I wanted to post it.  I love it and hope you do too.

This post is linked with the lovely folk at Spiritual Sundays!  God bless.

Choup!

Well the rain has finally settled in and Ireland is feeling, well... more Irish.  I had some dried chickpeas so I decided to make one of my all-time favorite soups to warm myself up.  It's another easy one-pot wonder that I first tasted at Lorita's house shortly a couple of years ago.   I don't know if we even make it the same way, since I was in such a rush to try it at home that I forgot to get a recipe or even a name.  So this is my take on it.  I call it Choup because frankly it's easier than saying Chickpea Chorizo Chili Soup, besides it's more fun.  Doesn't it just beg for the exclamation point!  Choup!

It's not the greatest shot, but I was already eating when I remembered to snap this.  I didn't want it to get cold trying for the perfect pic!  Can you blame me?

Try it for yourself:

Soak dried chickpeas overnight, drain and rinse.  You can use canned chickpeas if you want to skip the soaking, just be sure to drain and rinse.

In a large soup pot put about 1-2 TBSP olive oil and turn to medium heat.
          1      Onion, thinly sliced
          3-4   Carrots, diced
          1      Potato, large diced   OR   1/2  Turnip (aka Rutabaga or Swede) diced
                  Garlic
                  Salt
Cook together until onions are sweated.  Then add:
          about 2/3 C  Chorizo, diced 
                  or however much you want really - I probably used just over a half cup
          about 3 C or 2 tins Chickpeas, well drained and rinsed
Stir together and cook for just a few minutes.  Then add:
          1 Tin of diced tomatoes 
                  I cheated with some halved cherry tomatoes and 2TBSP tomato paste 
          Water - have it come up a couple inches higher than just covering 
          Cayenne Chili Pepper (optional)
          Salt & Pepper  to taste
Cover and cook until chickpeas are tender.

This is the perfect soup because it is warm, hearty, and full of flavor despite being so simple.  The carrots and tomatoes bring a lot of sweetness, the chili brings some heat, while the chorizo adds a saltiness and fills the soup with its smoked paprika flavor.  The chickpeas also make it really filling.

Go on, try it.  Don't forget to tell me what you think!

Sligo

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The waves crashed against the thick grasses that grew at the base of the castle edge.  I was in Co. Sligo, a five hour drive north from my home on the southern coast.  The weekend getaway was meant to be a retreat for folk from all over Ireland, but I was struggling.  My prior weeks had been riddled with emotional and spiritual battles, as well as major physical issues.  The weekend should have been a respite, but just a few hours into the journey the clutch stopped working and the problems didn't stop.  The weekend became a very tangible expression of the need to be fully dependent on God alone.

The location was lovely, the people even lovelier and all the activities were well planned.  I was however disconnected from that.  I was suffering from a kind of trauma and I was not doing a good job of hiding it.  I was thankful for the space people gave me, even if sometimes it was out of awkwardness rather than understanding.  With the weekend as a culminating point for all I had been facing, the weeks following the event were marked with fragility.  Yet God, being faithful as He is, brought beautiful healing. 

The retreat was in August, but I hadn't opened up the pictures I took until this week.  It was nice to see some pics of friends, reminding me of good conversations and even humorous instances.  Most images were moments of silence though, those seconds of stillness in the nature God created.  God speaks to me in nature, and when I saw the pic above, taken from the safe battlements of Parke's Castle, He spoke to me of His mercy, hope and healing.  He is such a good God.

For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You

In a time when You may be found; 

Surely in a flood of great waters  They shall not come near him.
You are my hiding place;  You shall preserve me from trouble;
         You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.   

Psalm 32:6-7

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A Double Portion

The weeks that rest at the change from August to September here in Ireland are stained purple from the wealth of wild blackberries.  I was overjoyed to not miss the picking as I detailed here in a previous post.  Now, at the end of October those days are gone.  All that remains of the wild hedges are the dried nubs of a bounty spent, with just the odd berry remaining as a reminder such as I encountered on this day.  This is just the way nature works, and yet God surprises.

Peppy Fulfills His Purpose

I love autumn.  It is by far my favorite season.  I love the cool crispness in the air, the earthy tones of gold everywhere and the smell of fireplaces in the evening when the sun sets much earlier than just a month or two before. 

A Higher Perspective

This year has been an unusually sunny one for Ireland.  It's the middle of October and even though I am definitely feeling the crisp chill of autumn, the sun remains.  Yesterday a few of us were chatting about some of the struggles we face.  Despite the beauty and the genuine kindness of the people, there are many challenges that come with simply serving in ministry and being a foreigner.  As one who loves being in nature, I am thankful for this soft climate as it somehow eases these challenges.  So of course, I decided to take advantage of this late lasting sunshine and I headed for the hills.

Saviour of the World

"So we lift up a shout for his fame and renown
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord
Jesus, Saviour of the world..."

"I was with God and I was with the devil...

"They fought for me, but God won.  He took me by my best hand - the hand of God - and I held on to Him.  I never thought for one minute that God wouldn't get me out of there."

Wild Blackberries

For a year I have waited for this season. My schedule (and lack of transportation) has always precluded me from taking advantage of one of the natural wonders of my beloved Ireland... wild blackberries!

The Heart of Horatio's Matters

It was a nuisance really.  At first we simply noticed an unusual amount of nastiness on the patio.  My flatmate Olivia, whose favorite hobby is cleaning, was even a bit disgusted.  I was concerned for my plants.  I had been watching them grow for a while now, even if I forgot to actually water them.  Just because I'm not the best plant mommy doesn't mean that I don't care afterall.

And when you pray...

Those of you who know me, know that I am passionate about prayer. I am also extremely passionate about unity in the church. As a church community, DCF has combined these two things. Each week we pray for one of the other churches in the larger region around us.

As David Did

^"14 David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, ¹⁵ while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets."
-- 2 Samuel, Chapter 6

What joy, what freedom it is to dance in celebration of the presence of God! On Resurrection Sunday, also called Easter Sunday, the church celebrates how because of Christ we can all freely enter God's presence.

We have a family at DCF that is from Hungary. Their home church in Budapest is one of the largest Pentecostal churches in Europe. It wasn't much more than twenty years ago that this community had to operate underground in the thick of the Communist regime. Despite that, their numbers were large and within a year of the fall of communism, they became a nationally recognized denomination by the State. In just two decades, their numbers have increased to 60,000 people even in today's secular Europe. How did this community celebrate Christ's work on Resurrection Sunday this year? They danced. They danced right in the middle of the Heroes Square, a center of political and historical importance, in an act of worship to the One who gives ultimate freedom.



Yesterday was Pentecost Sunday. It was also the Global Day of Prayer. As we pray for the world, and particularly the persecuted church, let us remember this image. Let us pray. Let us stand in faith and hope. Let us remember that God is bigger than any of our obstacles. Let us remember that through Him we DO overcome. Let us celebrate and never take for granted the gift of freedom He has given us through Christ. Let us dance.

Hit the Ground Running

(figuratively, of course.)

The details of my journey from the States back to Ireland are many and expectedly bizarre. I shall only note the main factors. That Tuesday, I awoke completely unable to walk with intense calf pains and had to be in a wheelchair the whole journey, including through security and on and off the plane itself. I wasn't able to walk again until a day or so after the trip. The wheelchair actually helped get me priority onto the other airline when my flight from Tulsa was delayed, which would have made me miss my overnight to Europe. Good thing as to leave the next day would have put me in the midst of the Icelandic ash cloud, potentially stranding me in either Chicago or London. That being said, I made it into Ireland just a day before they closed the airports. I did have a little pause at the immigration desk at Heathrow again, but only for ten minutes this time. The lady pushing my wheelchair used the time to tell me about the radical transformation Christ did in her life that then led to her whole family's salvation. Good stuff. She prayed for my legs too.

By Friday, I was getting the use of my legs back and the leadership team of DCF was off to Kilkenney where we were hosting an Encounter Weekend. This is the second Encounter we have had, the first being one that we organized and attended. This time we were joining with the team who came last time as their Prayer Team. When we arrived in Kilkenney however, only three people from that team were there. Everyone else was stuck in Holland because of the ash cloud. The three could still do all the teaching but needed help with testimonies and so we sat around discussing who would do what. By the end, we were no longer just praying or sharing, but some of us had also acquired the job of teaching some of the sessions. It was a jump in the deep end for all of us, and while some expressed nervousness, I was excited!

I taught the women's session on The Father Wound. The focus of this session was to talk about how the role of our earthly father, good or bad, can determine how we respond to God as our father. It also addressed our reactions as daughters, our expectations, our perceptions of our own identities, and how this affects our relationships with others. It was definitely a heavy topic, but totally worth it, especially when seeing other women really being able to forgive and break free from lies of the enemy. What a great way to jump back into ministry here in Ireland!