Thoughts at Christmas

Lots of things are on my mind as Christmas is nearing.  Of course worrying about if I have all the right gifts, what food I’m going to make, etc.  Also, this Christmas I’m trying to make sure I take in every moment, every smell, every act of love, since I can’t be sure we’ll be in the country next Christmas. J But I really have 2 things on my mind that I feel I need to write about.

#1- This terrible tragedy that occurred in Connecticut.  I have to be so careful how much news coverage I watch about it because it is so heartbreaking.  It is only by the grace of God that nothing like that ever happened to me while I was teaching in public school.  I cannot imagine going to school, expecting a normal day, and then everything changing so quickly.  I have imagined the scared teachers hiding with their kids, thinking that could’ve been me.  Would I have been able to stay calm?  Comfort them?  I know I would have been praying, because that is the only thing that can bring comfort in such a time.  I do not have words to express my feelings of sorrow for the families and friends suffering at this time.  My prayers are with them as there will be many unopened Christmas presents this year.

#2- Moving to a lighter subject, it has been so wonderful being home the last few weeks and getting to hear my Pastor preach.  He has brought up a point that is sticking in my mind and I want to share.  I have never really thought about Mary and how significant she is in the Christmas story.  (By the way, I in no way mean to make her a deity or saint, but I believe we can learn a lot from her.)  Imagine a young girl, preparing to marry, and an angel tells her she’ll soon have a baby.  How crazy is that?!  But beyond that, imagine being chosen by God for such a holy responsibility!  God looked down and saw her life and decided SHE was the person who He could trust with His Son.  This makes me think, what does God think when he looks down on me?  Would I even come close to the type of person He trusted with His Son?  My other thought about this is I know we all have a holy responsibility.  God has a will and plan for all of our lives.  It may not seem as significant as what Mary did, but if it’s what God wants, then it’s what we should do.  Let’s think about Mary this Christmas and ask ourselves, is our life as open to God’s will as hers was? Would we sacrifice our bodies to fulfill His plan?  Would we sacrifice our family and reputation to fulfill His plan? {We know that not everyone believed she was conceived of the Spirit, so in that time/culture she may have been shunned.  We at least know that Joseph “put her away privily”. (Matthew 1:19)} Would we follow His plan without questions? 

Praying you and your family have a Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year!  My love to you all! ~Kayla

Busy Life as a Missionary Wife...

Wow- Apparently the last time I sat down to blog was in September... 2 months ago. So much has happened in that time. We have been staying in Little Rock, Arkansas this whole time, and making trips to churches within the state for Sunday services and Association meetings. While here, we have been able to share our work in 16 church services, and 10 association meetings. I have a whole new respect for the missionary wives I adored when I grew up. Getting dressed up like you're going to an interview, putting on your happy face regardless of your mood, and trying to remember faces and names of hundreds of church members and pastors several times a week is a very challenging task. All while missing home, and living out of your suitcases. This makes one very sleepy girl!
Jared and I have been doing well. Through the business, we have been able to enjoy the leaves changing and the beautiful scenes of fall that I sort of missed seeing growing up in Florida. We've gotten to see quite a few deer, which are beautiful as long as they aren't running in front of our car! We also got to get away a few days for my birthday! This was so nice. We spent 2 days with no driving, no appointments, just me and Jared enjoying some fun times in Branson, MO. I am still coming to grips with the fact that I'm 25, when sometimes I feel like I've just graduated high school! I guess 25 isn't so bad... as long as I still have no gray hairs!
I can say that certainly one thing that has kept us going while in Arkansas is the friendships we have made. The couples that live at the Missionary Baptist apartments have done more for us than they know. They have made sure to include us in evening meals, movie nights, pumpkin carving, nights at the park, bonfires, and more, and this has been so special. To so quickly take strangers under your wing and treat them as family says a lot about the type of people God has brought to this seminary. We have been blessed by the friendships we have made and pray God will bring blessings to all of these special people. We're praying for them and hope we can all be together again one day! (Of course we will! Just maybe not in this life.)
Our plans for the next few weeks may actually be more busy than our last few. Tomorrow we are leaving for a meeting in Louisiana, this weekend we'll be up in North Arkansas, next week we'll be in Texas, and then we'll begin to make our journey home for the holidays! Boy, am I excited to be going home!!
Continue to pray for us, as we are asking for when God's exact time for us to move will be. We are praying for this coming Spring. For now, that is all on my mind. Thanks for reading and God bless!

My Fairy Tale

Every girl wants her fairy tale. Mine started when I was still in high school. Of course I had dated a few guys, but my fairy tale began when I was in 11^th grade. I had met this COLLEGE GUY. Yes, I got to tell all my friends I was dating a guy in college. And they were still dating immature high school guys. I got jokes like, “He’s a pastor? You’ll never have any fun!” Of course I think they were jealous, and I may have bragged a bit, but my reasons for dating were so different than theirs. They wanted a person to obsess over, hang all over, spend every second with, and then drop him as soon as the next “cutest” guy walked by. I was looking to marry.

I was so blessed with a Christian family where I had example of couples to follow. I was also blessed in my teenage years with a pastor’s wife with a passion for helping young ladies grow into the women God wanted them to be. When I was about 13, our group of churches in Florida started “Secret Keepers”, based on Dannah Gresh’s books Secret Keeper and The Bride Wore White. We had girls retreats that taught about what these books and the Bible said about dating, marriage, sex, and boys. These retreats led me into the path of looking for a husband, not just a boyfriend. We learned about saving ourselves physically, spiritually, and emotionally for our future husbands. According to the Bible, you only get one! So shouldn’t they get all of you? Not just the pieces left over after silly relationships?

So, little did I know that while God was speaking to me about all these issues at the retreat in March of 2005, that God was preparing me for something great. Just this past January (2012), while we were packing up our house for deputation, I found my notes from that retreat. In it, we were given the assignment to write a prayer to God, and ask him for all the things we wanted in a husband. I absolutely do not remember writing this prayer, so what a surprise to find a sentence that read, “Please send me a husband to do mission work with.” Here’s the incredible part- I met Jared just 2 months after that retreat. Isn’t it crazy that we can look back over our lives and see how God has been writing our stories? His ears were listening the day I said that prayer, and he sure did answer it!

I’m writing this to try to encourage those who think they will never find their spouse, or who are tired of chasing around silly relationships. PRAY for your future spouse! Remember, “Ask, and you shall receive.” Also, SAVE YOURSELF! Your spouse deserves all of you, and you deserve all of them! Physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Don’t load up your life with baggage and experiences you can’t take back. God meant you for one person. And believe me, it’s worth the wait!

So here we are, seven years after our fairy tale began, married, and about to start the mission work I prayed for. Our marriage is not always perfect, but God’s in charge and he’s still writing our story! I’m excited to see how it ends… but I’m sure it’ll be Happily Ever After!

 

 

Ladies: If you haven’t read Dannah Gresh’s book, I encourage you to do so! Even if you’re married, there is a lot of great info for your daughters and help for healing your past. Check them out! http://purefreedom.org/index.htm

What we've been up to

The last few weeks have flown by! We ended the month of August by getting on a plane in Indiana and flying home to Florida for a week. What a wonderful time we had. It was great to see Jared’s family, since we had not seen them since March. I always enjoy time with my family. Jared and I were so excited to even get to spend a day at the beach! The reason we really went home was to report to our home church, which we also had not seen since March. What a great time of encouragement to know we have not been forgotten and that we are still loved! J I know that we won’t be forgotten, but sometimes it does get lonely on the road.

So, after a week of being home, we flew back to Indiana to get our things and then made the 10 hour drive to Arkansas. This is going to be our home base for the next month or two as we visit churches. We are staying in the apartments at the Missionary Baptist Seminary in Little Rock, and I am so happy! While being on deputation for 9 months, we have stayed numerous places. Once we shortly rented a house; we’ve stayed with quite a few families; we’ve stayed in a mission house; and stayed in a few hotels. But this apartment has me so excited. I’ve actually unpacked my things for the first time in 9 months! I know we’ll only be here for a few weeks, but I feel like this is somewhere I can completely relax and settle for a little while. The atmosphere helps make this apartment nice, too. We’re surrounded by young families who are studying in the seminary and by other missionaries doing exactly what we are. And it’s nice for a Florida girl to see some rolling hills and trees other than oak.

Jared and I have been doing well. We focus on staying healthy and happy- probably what everyone should do in life. Living on the road we have been eating a LOT of fast food. So we are trying to exercise some more (and eat more Subway!) and make sure we are getting plenty of sleep. To stay happy we make sure to watch funny movies often and try to do some sightseeing during the week. Please keep us in your prayers for safety and that we will reach the support amount needed so we can prepare to move!

32 years...

It's been awhile since I've had time to sit and write. "The Life of a Missionary Wife" is very busy. We have been going back and forth across Michigan, and are preparing to make our way back to Indiana later this week.
But I really want to write about what's on my heart. Tomorrow, my parents celebrate 32 years being married. I am so thankful that God gave me godly parents who raised us in church and have always put Him, and then us, before themselves. My parents, in my eyes, are the perfect example of what God wanted a husband and wife to be like. They care so much for each other, even after all this time.  In this crazy world where divorce is so common, I'm so thankful that my parents have always been faithful and loyal to each other, and that they can still laugh and have fun together. I hope and pray that my marriage will be as strong as theirs is in 32 years!
While thinking about what makes my parents so special, I realize if I just strive to be like them in these ways, then I know God will bless my marriage, too.
1. My parents ALWAYS had us in church. We hardly ever missed. I remember one time when I was 10 years old I was very sick and my mom had to take me to the Walk-in Clinic. That was the first time I realized life goes on outside of the church walls on Sunday!! What a great testimony to parents who's daughter is so blind to the world outside. Thank you to my parents for protecting me from worldly things and raising me in church.
2. My parents always sacrificed. We were never rich growing up. But we were always given way more than we needed. One particular time that comes to mind is when I was in high school my brother and I wanted to go on a trip with the high school band and we needed money to go. My dad sold his old car in the shed, that he had planned on restoring as a hobby, in order that we could go on that trip. It did not hit me at the time as these events unraveled that this is what was happening. He kept it quiet. He did not complain about his sacrifice, he just did it. When I realized it years later, and even now, I still feel guilty that he felt he had to do that for us. But thank you to my parents for being such great examples of selflessness.
3. My parents always loved us. Of course we were not always the 'perfect' kids, but they love us no matter what we do! Completely unconditionally. Our house was always filled with laughter, and hugs good night. And now that I'm older, I realize we squeeze in more love time than we used to. And I love that! I love that we are still growing closer as a family, and this is because of the example my parents have been to us. Thank you to my parents for all your love.

To close, I cannot thank God enough for the parents he's given me. And I cannot thank my parents enough for all they've done for me. I love you with all my heart. Happy 32nd Anniversary!

P.S. No tears!

One of the Hardest Things for Me on the Road... Struggles with Celiac Disease

Being on the road all the time and out of the comforts of home many things are hard. Being away from family, not having your own space, not having a schedule are all hard. But one of the hardest things for me involves eating. Four years ago I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Celiac Disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, barley, and oats. Gluten is found mainly in foods but may also be found in everyday products such as medicines, vitamins, and lip balms. So since gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley, and oats, I cannot eat the regular breads, cakes, cookies, pasta, and processed foods that most people eat. If I do eat it, I get very sick, like food poisoning. Eating gluten with Celiac can cause many problems of the digestive system, including cancer. It can also cause malnutrition, anemia, osteoporosis, miscarriage, liver diseases, and more. So obviously I have to stay away from gluten. I have no choice.
When I first found out I had to go on this diet it was very depressing. Being the only person to not eat cake at a party, or have a piece of pizza was very hard. I felt alone, like I was weird, almost like the leper- an outcast. Many people did not know what gluten was and did not understand why I could not just have "one piece". My mom was so great at experimenting with new flours, trying to recreate something so I could eat it. And sometimes I forgot I was eating something 'different', but it was still hard. Now, Celiac Disease is becoming more easily diagnosed and even some athletes are choosing to go on the diet for the health benefits. Therefore there are more products out there that I can eat. We were even able to have a gluten free wedding cake! (The topper we ate a year later was not so good though, :) guess the wheat really helps it preserve.) Restaurants are now coming out with gluten free menus! Sometimes that only means 2 or 3 choices to eat, but at least I know it's safe!
So this brings me to our current situation. We are traveling all the time and visiting churches all day on Sundays and on most Wednesdays, and a majority of churches provide some type of meal for the visiting missionaries. This is such a kind thing to do for us, don't get me wrong, but it can pose a problem for me. A lot of preachers will take us out to eat. This is usually a good scenario, since I can decide what I order. But sometimes they want to go to places that are hard for me, a pizza place or Italian place, and I have to nicely explain that I can't eat there. That is what makes this so difficult. Most people have no idea what having a food allergy is like! Usually they are understanding when I ask them to change plans, but I'm always put in an awkward situation where I have to explain the problem, explain why I can't have it, explain what is safe to eat, and apologize over and over for any inconvenience. The worst case scenario is when we're invited to someones house who's already prepared a meal. I walk in, smell what's cooking, and am left guessing if I can eat it. Then we sit at the table and I have to ask questions about how it was prepared and what ingredients were used. There have been a few times I've had to refuse a meal, and eat some of my snacks I leave stashed at all times in my purse. I was told once by another missionary that we should call each pastor and explain my situation before we go to each church. However, I guess my southern upbringing makes me too scared to do this. I feel I should not assume someone is going to provide us a meal and feel it too forward to call and ask them to make plans for us. But then I'm stuck in situations like what I've been describing.
The whole point of this story is not to make people feel sorry for me, or call out a preacher for the meal they provided us, but it is to hopefully make people aware of the situations of others. Three times on our deputation travels we have actually been asked by the preacher himself if there was any special situations they needed to be aware of. What a blessing to know someone cares enough to ask even before meeting us!! I know there are many more people out there that do care, but forget to ask or don't think to ask. So I'd like to encourage all of us to think about how we can be servants to someone. Perhaps you could show a visitor where the restroom or nursery is when they visit your church. Or maybe tell someone new to the neighborhood where the best places to shop are. Let God's light shine through the way you are accommodating to others!


More about Celiac Disease- http://www.celiac.org/

Traveling in the Northeast

The last few weeks for us have been SO busy! The month of June we spent most of our time in Vermont. This was my first time that far north, and was a huge blessing because that is where the majority of Jared's family is. Jared was born in Vermont, but spent most of his childhood in Maine. So while visiting churches we were able to see a lot of his family I had never met before. How exciting to get to see Uncles and cousins with similar facial features- perhaps what our children will look like! While on our trip, we were able to drive by Jared's childhood home in Maine. Jared's parents decided to move there to try to start a church when Jared was only 1 year old. They actually held church in this home for awhile. His home looks mostly the same as it did when Jared lived there a little over 10 years ago, however, it is no longer just a home, where a church once met. It is now a business. Not just any business, but a "Spiritual Enrichment Center". Our hearts absolutely broke when we saw the sign. They claim to be "The Area’s Best Intuitives, Mediums and Psychics with Metaphysical & Spiritual Gifts." To me, I cannot believe that a place where God's people once met just so easily changed into such a place in just a short period of time. Of course that building was not the "church", it was just a building where they met, but this just brings up a point in my mind. How soon will it be until some of our church buildings are no longer holding church services, but something else that does the opposite of glorifying God? During our deputation visits, many of the newer churches we visit are not meeting in brand new buildings, but old church buildings they bought and remodeled. Church buildings that have been abandoned for years. While this is perhaps a benefit for the new church, maybe a faster, cheaper way to get started, I can't help but wonder what happened to the church that used to meet there? Why is it that so many churches don't last?
I heard a sermon last night on the lukewarm church (Revelation 3:14-22). A lukewarm church is a church that has grown careless with their walk with God. They know what they should do, but they are not doing it. A church that just "goes with the motions." God says it's better to be a "hot", on fire church for Him. Perhaps this is the problem! How can a church survive if it is not on fire for our Lord? This is actually a personal issue. The church cannot be on fire unless its individual people are on fire. This is of course a challenge for me, but I hope it is a challenge to you as well. Are we doing everything we can to stay on fire for our God, so that we can help our church thrive? This is my prayer!