Someone was missing at lunch today

I went to the elementary school to have lunch with Jeremiah and Maiesha today for the first time this school year. This is their 6^th week of school and I just realized today how bittersweet it is to be back in that cafeteria. I am not sure if I have been putting it off subconsciously or if I just haven’t made the time to get over there. My kids love it when I come to school for lunch. This year their two lunch periods overlap so for a few minutes I get to set on the little stage with all 4 of them plus whichever friends that happen to tag along. Someone is missing however, our sweet little friend Andre.

Andre and his family lived in our neighborhood last year. Jeremiah played football with him at recess most every day. We decided to walk to his house last fall to invite him to the elementary lock-in we host at our church. From that day forward, Andre and his siblings began frequently visiting our house after school and on the weekends. By the end of 3^rd grade Andre had become a member of our family. He went to church with us, ate meals with us and spent countless hours playing at our house. As a mom, I began to see Andre as one of my own although I knew that he had a family who loved him. His personality was a lot like Jeremiah’s so it was easy to identify with him and care about him. We received the news in June that Andre and his family would be moving back to their home town in July. My heart was broken. The thought of never seeing him again was gut wrenching. He had his own knock every time he came to our front door and we would never hear that again. I would never hear his laugh and see his bright smile again.  

Here we are about 9 weeks since we said good bye to Andre and I catch myself looking for him when I am out running in our neighborhood. I look for him after school in the place where I meet the kids for snacks. My heart skips a beat each time the doorbell rings followed by a knock. All we have left of him are memories and pictures. I do hope we will see him again someday, and I continue to pray that God will cultivate the seeds that were planted in his tender heart. I pray that God will protect him and that he will never forget us because hardly a day goes by that I don’t think of him.

So… today as I sat in the lunch room with my children I was looking for Andre. God quickly reminded me through a lovely conversation with Ms. Mary that he has placed me and our family in this school to reach so many more than just Andre.  God has new opportunities for us to share the hope of Jesus with his precious little ones and their families. Ms. Mary wanted to thank me for getting Maiesha to school early each day to lead the chant for Rise and Shine assemble. She said she could tell that we teach Maiesha biblical things and our conversation unfolded into the purpose that God has for us. Then Jeremiah came and brought two friends with him that I didn’t know. I introduced myself to Isaac and Jacob. A couple minutes later we started talking about how the three of them could be the Old Testament crew. I shared the stories from the Old Testament to explain how Isaac was Jacob’s dad and how Isaac was the beginning of God’s promise to Isaac’s father, Abraham. They loved the stories. I told Jacob he had a twin brother, Esau, and then Jeremiah started talking about how Jacob tricked Isaac and stole Esau’s birthright. The boys started playing around and I had to help Chloe with her food so the stories stopped, but as I plugged back into their conversation I hear Jeremiah tell the boys about King Solomon and the 2 woman who fought over the baby.

Wow! Isn’t God amazing? I miss Andre so much, but look at the opportunities he has put in our path that I may have missed if I was still focused on him. Every relationship we are given is for a season. We have no way of knowing how long that season will be so we have to seize every moment for the sake of God’s kingdom and reaching “just one more”. It is so hard to say good bye and risk being broken hearted as one season draws to a close and the next looks uncertain, but God is big enough to guide us through and guard our hearts and minds. When we are walking the path he has for us, there is no safer place to be.

God has called me to minister to children – first to the 4 he gave me and then to each child he puts in my path. It is such a bonus to see and hear of my children being bold and unashamed as they share Jesus too. One of our family verses is 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIrV) “God didn’t give us a spirit that makes us weak and fearful. He gave us a spirit that gives us power and love. It helps us control ourselves.” We have been reading and praying this verse together for about 2 years and as I type this I realize how God has been answering those prayers.

The Total Life Makeover

I have been reflecting over my entire life the last few months as I realize the magnitude of all that God has entrusted to our family. I can see how I have grown and matured as a woman, a wife, a mother, and most recently a ministry leader. I can see how God placed so many people in my path who have invested in me to bring out the skills and qualities he hard wired me with. I have learned patience and perseverance where I once would have demanded immediate results or else. There has been one major change in our family in the last 6 months that is spilling over into all areas of our lives. Let me take you back to January 2014.

I was driving in the car one morning agonizing over our financial situation. From the outside we looked like we were pretty responsible with money. We tithed every month. We drove one car to save on gas, insurance, etc. We had put down $6000 when we bought our van to keep the payment really low too. We put a large down payment on our house to keep our mortgage payment low. We dressed modestly with very few frills or expensive name brand purchases. One the inside and felt physically ill each month as I would balance the checking account to see that we had over spent again and had to use money from the savings account to fill the gaps. I cringed every time we swiped a credit card to get a few groceries and buy a gift because it was something “extra” we had not anticipated. We had some lingering credit card debt from renovations on our house. Inside I felt like I was drowning and Tyrone didn’t really see it that way when I would nag him about it. (See Proverbs 19:13, 21:9) While driving, I started praying. I asked God to help us become financially responsible. I asked him to open Tyrone’s eyes to our debt and show him how to lead our family in this area. I asked that God work that out between them and that I would not demand it happen my way. That I would truly allow Tyrone to lead and I would follow hard after him as the head of our home.

Later that evening, Tyrone mentioned something that he wanted to talk about, but was hesitant because he thought I would have an “I told you so” attitude (back to the nagging wife). He started telling me about a conversation he had with a colleague who shared a book with him called “The Total Money Makeover”. The colleague was not a Christian at the time, but he wanted to know about our church and if this kind of stuff was being taught there because it was changing his life. My initial response to Tyrone was YES I am all in. I explained how I was just praying earlier that day for this very thing. Tyrone’s colleague dropped by a couple days later to let us borrow the book. We talked more about how he was using the budgeting and debt elimination plans to develop a vision for his financial future. Before that night was over, Tyrone had read through at least half of the book. By the end of the weekend, he had read it through at least 2 times and we were on our way to setting up our very own total money makeover.

Here we are 6 ½ months into the plan and it has been an amazing journey. It was really hard at the beginning. As much as I wanted to rid myself of the felling of drowning every month, I really didn’t want to sacrifice my way of doing things. I really didn’t want to let Tyrone lead, but I knew I HAD to. I have never seen him so focused. I have never listened to him talk about a vision for our future and details of what it looks like. It’s incredible! The only choice I had was to be his biggest fan and submit to his leadership because it was clear God had answered my prayer in a major way.  We don’t use credit cards. We have eliminated over $30,000 of debt. The only payments we have left are Tyrone’s student loan and our mortgage. We have an emergency fund for the breakdowns and unexpected things. We bargain shop. We have self-control. We have plans and goals and we work to follow the plan and reach the goals.

A few weeks ago I was reading Malachi 3:10 NIV and adding it to my list of Bible verses I am systematically working to memorize and the light bulb really went off.

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. ¹¹ I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty.”

We give 10% of EVERYTHING to our local church now. We give additional money to other missions organizations to support local and international ministry leaders who we know.  We give our time to help people in our community and build relationships with people who live differently than we do. God has thrown open the flood gates and we are experiences his blessing. This isn’t about financial blessings alone however. Our marriage relationship is growing more intimate. We are devoting more time to family stuff. We are joyful because the stress of financial uncertainty is gone. We have had countless opportunities to share our story and rejoice with others who are starting their own money makeover. We are managing time better. We are setting goals are making plans to achieve those goals. For example, Tyrone has lost 35 lbs this year which was an impossible task in years past. I am training to run a 15K in October. There is a youthful glow about us. Jeremiah is training to test for his black belt in taekwondo in October. Maiesha is taking ballet lessons again which she loves and is so good at. We are all competing in taekwondo now (except Chloe – no baby classes offered). The list goes on and on.

In verse 11 God tells the people what bad things he will prevent when we chose to be faithful with what he has given us. I am here to testify that God is faithful to his promises. We have tested and see that he does not lie. Nothing is wasted and nothing is lost when we chose to trust God. We are not perfect and we will make mistakes in this process, but it is undeniable – the total money makeover has become a total life makeover. God is painting a masterpiece and we are starting to see more of the canvas. It is beautiful!

"I Don't Want to Go" by Avalon sums it up well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGnhB4zYXzU

On my knees

I was agonizing over a situation last night. I had made myself physically ill thinking about it. As quickly as I realized what was happening, the Holy Spirit shouted in my ear you must get along with God and pray. Tyrone couldn’t get home from taekwondo class fast enough. I had the kids get to work on their bedtime chores. Tyrone walked in at 8:15 and I told him I had to leave. He gave me the “what have I walked into” face and precariously said, “Why?” I simply explained I had made myself sick obsessing about something and I needed to go for a walk and pray.

We made it back to the kitchen by 8:45 to sit down and visit for a few minutes and field the last couple bedtime requests. By 9:00 I was feeling more settled and Satan got in my ear. He tried to convince me that my conversation with Tyrone was enough and I should just sit down with baby Chloe and relax. My flesh was tired and I thought maybe that would be enough. Thank goodness the voice of the Holy Spirit was louder, and I left the house. I buckled Chloe into the stroller and grabbed the dog’s leash. Chloe was thrilled to be riding like a big girl and Buford was excited to hear my voice as I opened the gate to let him out. Off we went to encounter God.

As I prayed over a neighbor’s child, my family, some friends in a challenging situation, a mom and her kids, and the thing that had me so worked up, God met me on the poorly lite streets of my neighborhood. The weigh was lifting. My anxiety was subsiding. That was exactly what I needed - time alone in the peace and quiet of my Redeemer. It became time for me to stop talking – prayer is a two way conversation – and listen to God. (This is far more challenging than just saying amen after I think I have said it all. I am learning how to listen and not just talk at God.) He was gently reminding me how much I need him, and as he so often does, God gave me a song as I rounded the corner for home. I pulled that song up on my phone and began to pray it - “Lord I Need You” by Matt Maher. It was playing through the second time as I arrived back in my yard. I looked up to see a clear star-filled sky and knew it was not time to go in the house yet. Chloe was asleep in the stroller and the dog was content to hang out with me. I fell to my knees right there in my yard and hit repeat on my song. Buford laid down next to me. I had been with my Savior and I had to worship him from a posture of brokenness and humility. I wanted to sit at his feet and acknowledge that I needed him.

The song says “Teach my song to rise to you when temptation comes my way. When I cannot stand, I’ll fall on you. Jesus you’re my hope and stay.” What a beautiful twist of my life verses Psalm 25:4-5 “Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me for you are God my Savior and my hope is in you all day long.” When I get tempted to do this life on my own, in my own strength and understanding, the Holy Spirit reminds me to cry out to God. When I can’t stand I can fall into him arms and be at rest.

As I rose to my feet, I looked up to see those stars once more. I finished my prayer with this.

Thank you, God, that you are bigger than the expanse of the sky and that you created a universe that I cannot fathom, and at the same time you choose to live inside of me and care about the tiniest details of my daily life.

Thankful for my Sufferings

"Let suffering be the door you walk through that draws you to deeper intimacy with Jesus. Suffering can do that, if we let it. And though it would never be the doorway we would choose, it is one we will never regret walking through."

This is a quote one of my Facebook friends posted from something she had read from John Eldredge.  The title was "We can have understanding or we can have Jesus" It is so true. We often seek to understand our circumstances through our own limited knowledge, and we forget to consult God who has the entire view of our lives right in front of him with HIS BEST in mind for our whole journey. He knows how today's triumphs will help us through tomorrows troubles. He knows how tomorrow's suffering with give us perspective and wisdom to celebrate next week's successes.

So on this Thanksgiving I want to reflect on the challenges I have faced that have helped shape me for this season of life. These are the things I want to be thankful for this year because without them I don't think I would have many of my rewards.

I am thankful for "oops" pregnancies because without them I would not have 2 (Maiesha and Chloe) of our 4 children.

I am thankful for 2 miscarriages because they helped me understand how fragile our lives are and how much I need to trust God.

I am thankful for my Grandpa Keppeler's funeral because I learned how to worship God through my grief.

I am thankful for having precancerous cells on my cervix because I learned that I am not invincible and must live every day to the fullness of  the Glory of God for I don't know how many days I have been given on this earth.

I am thankful for the marriage challenges we have faced because I have learned how to be a better wife and I can share my story to encourage other wives in their own struggles.

I am thankful for having to walk away from "dream jobs" because it has given me time to devote to being the mom my children need.

I am thankful for having to say good-bye to friends each time I have moved because it pushes me to connect with new people wherever I go.

I am thankful for the pain of 4 epidural free deliveries because I have a little glimpse of the pain Jesus experienced to die in my place to save me from my sins.

I am thankful for fouling the best shot put throw of my college career because I learned that I don't get any "do-overs" so I must make the most of every opportunity. I also learned that I cannot achieve success through a fear of failure.

I am thankful for falling 20 rebounds short of 1,000 in high school basketball because it reminds me to give all my effort all the time so I don't fall short as a wife, a mom, a friend, and an employee.

My sufferings seem small as compared to other people's stories, but they are mine and they are real for me. As the quote states at the top of this entry they have each helped draw me into a deeper intimacy with my Savior. I don't have to understand why, but I do have to trust that God has painted a masterpiece even though I can only see part of the canvas.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:1-4 NIV

My God dream

Since my last blog, God has been doing a work in me. He is showing me a little more of the BIG dream he has planned for me. We have been doing a series at church about Joseph the Dreamer. It is specifically speaking to the “God dream” that we each have. Joseph was given two dreams as a teenager which God fulfilled many years later once Joseph was ready and in position. He went through so many trials and a few triumphs on his way there, but God was faithful through it all, and Joseph learned how to be faithful and trust God to keep his promise. God saved a nation through Joseph. Who could have guessed that when his brothers sold him into slavery.

One phrase from last week’s sermon has really stuck in my mind – hindsight provides clarity. I love hindsight. I love to look at a particular situation in my life and rewind through my life to see all the events that led to this point. If I have not done ____, I would have missed _____. If I had missed _____, I would never have met _____. You get the idea. God seemed to be telling me that he has wired me to minister to children. Children are my mission field. In hindsight, it makes perfect sense, but I have been fighting that for a while. I have down played the significance of working with children and investing my life in them. I confess I was looking for something more glamorous.

I started serving in the nursery at our small church when I would about 10 years old. I loved being in there snuggling the few precious babies we had. I didn’t mind changing diapers, and I thought it a wonderful challenge to be able to calm a crying baby who missed his mommy. I worked as a babysitter through junior high and high school for cousins and neighbors. One summer I did it full time for two kids who are now in college or maybe finished with college by now. (I feel old.) I mentored teenage girls in foster care when I was in college. Tyrone and I trained kids at a tennis club after we were first married. I coached JV girls’ basketball and Varsity track for 7 years in South Carolina and Indiana. I lead children’s ministry at our small church plant back in South Carolina for a year before we moved to Indiana. I read stories to kids in elementary school and planned parties as homeroom mom. A couple years ago God put it on my heart to feed kids who are hungry. We started with one family. Now our house is becoming “the place to be” after school for some kids in our neighborhood who just need a place to play, and they usually need a snack too. They walk home from school with us just to talk.

I have been working part-time as the Children’s Ministry Director at our church for more than a year now. I took the job out of obedience because I felt it is what God was calling me to at the time. It was something I said I would never do again (never tell God never). I figured it was another step toward that BIG thing out there in the distance that I was meant to do. Now I think it IS the beginning of the BIG thing. The clarity of hindsight has shown me that God has been getting me ready all these years. Now he has positioned me in a thriving church (in a state I never thought about living in) where I can have great influence on a community of children and families who need Jesus. By making a difference in this community and pointing young children toward Jesus, they will be able to go out and reach the world with the Gospel. A wise person told me recently that I must be doing that in my own home first or I have missed the point of the position I have been given. She was so right! It begins right here in my own home with the 4 (wow, I still have trouble with that number) children God has blessed us with. They are gifts from Him. Four hearts that desperately need to see Jesus and find relationship with him. I am so thankful that Jeremiah and Maiesha have already made that decision. Those little eyes are watching through my successes and failures  as I model a relationship with my savior each day for them.

This is the beginning of my BIG thing – my God dream. I am here to, as the Greenhouse mission statement reads, grow kids in God’s grace and love to lead them toward a fully-devoted world changing relationship with Jesus Christ. This dream is bigger than a job at a church. It’s bigger than working in ministry. It is a life style, a culture, as way of living. It is wherever I am. I will always be a mom. My kids will always have friends. We will always have neighbors.

Some people brought little children to Jesus. They wanted him to place his hands on the children and pray for them. But the disciples told the people to stop.  Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t keep them away. The kingdom of heaven belongs to people like them.” - Matthew 19:13-14 (NIrV)

 

 

Something Big

I sat in a room at a table across from a wise, older woman about 5 years ago. Jeremiah and Maiesha, ages 3 and 18 months, played at the back of the room while we talked. It was a pivotal conversation in the way I saw my life’s purpose.

This woman, Pat, was the Women’s Ministry Director at our church in Evansville, IN. She heard me speak at our bi-weekly Mom 2 Mom meeting on the topic of submission a few weeks earlier. We had lived in Evansville for about a year. I jumped into the women’s ministry activities quickly because I was staying home with our kids full-time and I needed adult conversation and interaction. I asked Pat if we could meet so I could share my enthusiasm for what God was doing at that time and to get some direction from someone who had more knowledge and experience than me.

Our meeting lasted nearly 2 hours. I took one brief break to take Jeremiah potty. The thing I walked away with that day is what drives me today. It is also what frustrates me more than almost anything else. Pat looked at me and said Lynette, I sense that God has something BIG in store for you. I don’t know when or where, but I believe it is something BIG. We talked about taking care of my family and continuing to seek God’s direction while the BIG thing unfolds in God’s timing.

Wow! Me? Really? Cool! What is it? Come on – just tell me. Please God, I don’t want to wait. I am ready for it now. These are the thoughts that flooded my mind as Pat spoke those powerful words. They have continued to run through my mind daily ever since that conversation 5 years ago. Many days my motivation is out of a need to be significant and feel important. On my best days these thoughts come from a genuine heart that desires to fulfill the purpose God has for me. I often sit and brainstorm about what this BIG thing could be. I think about what I am good at and what I most enjoy doing. It must be related to one of those things, right?

The trouble is if I am not careful, I get caught up in my daydreams about the BIG thing and forget how important all the big things are in my life in this season. If I am not careful I lose sight of what God is doing to refine in me now. I wiggle and squirm as he chisels away at my layers of selfish ambition and vain conceit (Philippians 2:3) rather than seeing it as part of the journey that will lead me to this BIG thing.

I am a mom to 4 children now. Those sweet babes from 5 years ago are 8 and nearly 7. My little ones are 2 ½ years and 2 months old. I want each of them to have a deep, personal relationship with Jesus and develop a vision for God’s plan for each of them here on Earth. It is my job to lead them toward that vision. Talk about a big job. 

Tyrone and I have walked through some huge challenges in our marriage. We have been married for 12 years by God’s grace. We easily could have given up early on. We could have given up last year if it were not for the prayers of many and the Holy Spirit guiding us. Talk about a big redemption.

Just a few months ago I experienced freedom from a past that had troubled me for more than a decade. In the sweet words of Beth Moore from study “Breaking Free” I can say it is under my feet. Talk about a big triumph.

I am on my way to freedom from my anger problem. I have lived on this earth for 35 years and I realized less than a year ago that I have been an angry person for most of my life. The saddest part is that my anger is often directed at the people I love the most.  Talk about a big transformation in our family.

I work part time at our church which has grown by 40% each of the last 3 years. I am responsible for the children’s ministry – birth through 5^th grade. I have the privilege of connecting with families every week and pouring into their lives. I get to work with 30 to 40 faithful volunteers who pour into each of the 90 plus kids who come to our classrooms every Sunday. Talk about something bigger than me.

I am learning to appreciate and celebrate all these big things in my life. I am becoming a patient person and learning all the lessons God has for me. I can’t help but think how are they all fitting together? How are they shaping me for the BIG thing God has for me?

I know there is something BIGGER still out there for me, but the things I am a part of now are already bigger than what I would have chosen. God knew I would be here where I am now and he had these things in mind for me before he formed me in my mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13). He knows what is down the road. He knows when my story is complete. I need to trust him with those details and focus on the big jobs he has given me now. They are each preparing me for the next season. They are a part of a legacy I am leaving that will hopefully carry on through our children and grandchildren and beyond. I want to be obedient and patient to wait on God’s perfect time for each thing he has for me no matter how BIG or how small.

 

I am confident of this, that he who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).

For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Chloe is 7 weeks old now. Jeremiah and Maiesha are wrapping up the second week of third and first grade respectively. Tyrone started his third year at the University of Arkansas this week. Lydia will begin preschool next week. I am full swing into my second year at our church as the Children's Ministry Director.

Life is crazy! Everyone is tired as we settle into the new routine of being a family of six and the new school year. Tempers are flaring. Attitudes are stinky. Feet are dragging. I have become very sensitive to the presence of anger in myself and people around. All through the spring I was uncovering and learning how to experience freedom from some deep rooted anger. A wise friend shared with me that anger is a secondary emotion most often caused by another underlying emotion - fear, anxiety, or pride to name a few. The trouble is trying to figure out what those emotions are - especially in your children.

We have been spent a lot of time in the past couple months talking to Jeremiah about anger. He is so quick to respond to an adverse situation with anger. It could be difficult school work, an argument with his sister, or me telling him no to something he wants to do. His first response too often is to be angry which typically leads to a bad choice to express his anger.  It has really helped me see how my response to him during these moments can fuel his anger or defuse it. I am learning so much about my own anger and how to trust the Spirit to help me be "quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" (James 1:19).

Last weekend I decided that Jeremiah and I should read through the book of Philippians together. After a sermon series years ago, I wrote in the subtitle "The Joy of the Lord is my Strength" under Philippians. I wanted Jeremiah to see God's Word about having joy in adverse, difficult circumstances. The first night we started chapter 1 he was grumpy and tired and it didn't go very well. The second night, however, was so precious. I read a verse then we talked about it. We came to "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21) and we camped out there. I explained that Paul was writing this letter to the people of Philippi from prison. He was in prison for telling people about Jesus - that was the only crime he had committed. He still had joy and could rejoice with the Philippians in spite of his current living arrangements. He longed to be with Christ in heaven, but he knew and trusted God's purpose for him was not finished on the earth. This really registered with Jeremiah because he has asked on several occasions why he couldn't just go to heaven now. He started to cry as we read and talked.

We continued to read verses 22 through 26.

 "If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! ²³ I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; ²⁴ but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. ²⁵ Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶ so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me."

I explained to Jeremiah that it is not time for him to go to heaven yet. God has big plans and a purpose for him here on earth. Like Paul, he must decide to trust God and remain here and allow each experience - good and bad - to shape him and prepare him for the plans God has for him. Jeremiah began to smile through the tears. He was getting excited at the idea of God using him.

He loves to talk about China and Japan. He often asks when we will take him to one or the other. I said maybe God will send him to China one day to talk to people about Jesus. Then he said he liked Japan better. I said, "Well maybe Japan, then, Jeremiah (Laughing on the inside)." We wrapped it up by acknowledging that, of course, it would be so wonderful to be in heaven with Jesus, but we have to find joy in our challenges and trust that God is using all of life's successes and trials (including Math) to lead us toward him and the great plans he has for us.

What a lesson for me - as much or more than my sweet, tender-hearted son. Life is hard right now. We are all trying to find our way back to "normal" and all the while I continue to realize we can't go back. There is a new normal for our family now. We just have to seek after God whole heartedly to find rest and that "breath of fresh air" that we long for and can only be found in intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father. It would be so much easier to just go to heaven at the moment we accept Jesus as our Savior, but God's plans go one step further. He wants to build a relationship with us and reveal himself to us one challenge and one triumph at a time. He wants to use our journey to reach lost souls with the Gospel to welcome "just one more" of his creation into his Kingdom.