Sunsets...

Dennis and I watched the most amazing sunset overlooking Lake Michigan last night. It couldn't have been more perfect.

What makes sunsets so romantic?

The end is love...

The word "sanctification" has always intrigued me. Even as a teen I was asking questions about the meaning of the word. Definitions such as "set apart," "sold out for Christ," "a holy and pure life," "total surrender," seemed to help wrap my mind around it (sort of), yet it was still vague. What exactly does a sanctified life look like? This past June I got my answer.

I had the privilege of being a student of Dr. Chris Bounds while taking classes at IWU a few years ago while finishing my degree. I was thrilled when I heard that Dr. Bounds was to give the first of three sessions on the topic of "holiness" (3 sessions included: Personal, Corporate, and Global Holiness) offered during the General Conference of the Wesleyan Church that Dennis and I attended in June.

My heart stirred when I heard Dr. Bounds say this: The end of sanctification is not the freedom from sin. The end is love...set free to love God with all heart, soul and strength. Free to love God and others. We have the internal resources through the indwelling Holy Spirit to do so.

Obviously, God deals with the sin issues in our lives, but to know the end result of a sanctified life is love... that draws me to my faith of Christianity all the more. And, wouldn't that make sense since we have a God who loves the whole world?

30 years ago today...

A Family in Transition...

There are times when a family might be in transition simply because all the children are still in the home and usually due to a job relocation, the entire family makes the move from the known to the unknown, familiar to the unfamiliar... everyone eventually settling in to a new place in the same location at their own pace.

Maybe it's where all our kids are at in life (still in their 20's), or maybe it's because somehow (I wouldn't know why!) they got this adventuresome spirit of travel in them... who knows, but most of us seem to be in transition, even though we don't all live under the same roof. It's crazy - a new phase of life, furthering education, changing jobs, moving - transition is hitting us all at the same time, but each in our own part of the world.

We told Julie that if she would just move to Florida, we would have a kid in all four corners of the U.S.

Here's the lowdown...

Josh & Kari - they just left for 5 weeks in Eastern Europe (still living in Pasadena) AND the big news is that a little Jackson is on the way, due to arrive around February 11, 2009!!

Clint, Jamie, & Evee - they have been in transition all summer since they left Eagle Church in Indy... leading a mission trip to Liberia over a 45-day experience and now soon to head to Princeton, NJ where Clint will be attending Princeton Seminary.

Mike & Joni - an unexpected job offer came up for Mike in Redmond, WA (minutes from Seattle) and in a matter of weeks they moved! Mike will be worship pastor at Timberlake Church beginning next Sunday.

Julie - soon to begin another year at IUPUI and soon to move within Indy since her roommate (and owner of the home she rents from) is getting married.

And talk about transitions... Dennis and I celebrate 30 years of marriage tomorrow! Still hoping to sell the house and move to Grand Rapids, finding a new rhythm as Dennis dives into his new district position, enjoying engaging with churches and ministerial couples along the way, and still in love.

God is good and He is faithful in all of life!