The beginning of 2020 I decided to read through the Gospels each month of the year. It really came from a heart of pain. I was feeling my life was valued more for what I could give people than for who I was. I was tired. I was tired of giving so much and not receiving in return. I was tired of filling everyone's cup while mine remained empty. I wanted to build walls around my heart. I wanted to quit serving and giving and do something else, which of course I didn't know what that was. I was experiencing "compassion fatigue" and I wanted to give up on compassion.
Well, like every challenge in life, Jesus met me where I was. He called me back to the simplicity of the Gospel. He called me to study his life once again, but this time in a different way. He wanted to show me how he interacted with the people he created, including me. He wanted to teach me new lessons, reveal things that I needed to change, encourage me and restore hope in his purpose for my life.
For eight months of 2020, and now four months into 2021, I'm still studying his life. I am so blown away and cannot even yet grasp how he continued to meet every person right where they were and continue to do it moment by moment, day after day. I think I could spend the rest of my life studying his interactions with people and never exhaust them.
Everywhere Jesus went was a church service. For three years, every day and night, thousands of people followed him, listening to his every word. Even today millions follow him, listening to every word. Every type of person in the world was among the crowds during that time. Everyone wanting something from him. Some had pure motives, but most did not. ("You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it." Matthew 7:13-14)
There were those that really wanted to know who he was. There were those who just wanted healing. There were those who wanted food. There were those, the religious ones, who wanted to continue to justify their sin so were always questioning, accusing, hating. Just think of every thought you or someone you know have had about Jesus and know that they were there too, trying to gain something from Jesus. There were times he was so weary and yet he continued to respond to their questions, demands, requests... How exhausting that must have been.
What I am discovering this year as I read and re-read, Jesus never turned anyone away. He never told anyone to go away and never come back. He was never afraid to speak the truth to them, which caused some to follow, some to walk away, others to hate him. Nevertheless, they were always able to come back, seek or demand more, and he continued to reveal who he was; the Loving, Just, Merciful Savior that came into the world for each one of them... and for you and me.
Who does that? What kind of person endures so much love, hate and everything in-between and continues to do it every day? Only our God, our Creator, our Savior. Can you even comprehend that? I can't.
As I look at the world today, there is kindness and love in the world. But more and more we are seeing selfishness, greed, manipulation, hatred, lives lived for ourselves and not for God or for others. I'm just as guilty as the next person. I struggle with the purpose I've been called to. I sometimes feel I've done my part. I've given enough. I want life to be simple and easy, just for a little while. But that's not the world we live in. We live in a harsh world; one filled with more pain than anyone can handle. And the world needs people who will be the hands and feet of Jesus. People who will spend their lives not gaining for themselves but pouring themselves out for others.
This type of life is not natural. It's supernatural. It is given by God to those who seek it. But there's a cost to that.You'll be loved. You'll be hated. And everything in between. And it's hard! When you feel you have nothing more to give, God will require you to give more. Because that's what he did. He gave it all. He sweat blood due to the stress of his calling. He begged God for a different life. But in the end, he surrendered and gave it all.
As much as I daily read and re-read, listen and re-listen to two chapters of Matthew that we study each week with the ladies in Uganda, I CANNOT comprehend that type of sacrifice. Maybe I don't want to comprehend. Maybe I want it to be easy. I don't know! But I read and I re-read and I listen and re-listen, trying to understand how Jesus could deal with me, a sinner, and how I can deal with those he puts in my life. I want to know who he is so that I can make a difference like he did. When I feel like it's all in vain, I have to realize that it's not about me. It's about giving to others the hope he has given to me. It's about learning to love well, no matter what the motive is of the person pulling on me.
You probably know by now how much I love music!!! It often speaks to my soul when nothing else does. I heard a new song recently so I played it over and over again until I could understand each word.
I realized it is such a simple message of the Gospel. A simple way I could understand how to live for others and not for myself. Oh, if we could just live the words to this song, what a better world this would be.
Here are some principles from the song. I hope you'll listen to it (it's country but has a nice beat)
Always have an open door
Honor your mother
Visit your grandparents (they have so much wisdom to give)
Be humble and kind
Don't steal, cheat or lie
Don't expect a free ride
Don't hold a grudge
Don't sleep around
Say please and thank you
On the path to the top stay humble
When you get to the top stay humble and kind
When you get to the top turn back and help someone else get there
Learn to stop and enjoy life
Always Be Humble and Kind
These are such powerful truths and they are character qualities that Jesus exhibited. Think how different the world would be if we began to live these out.
May God bless you as you seek to become more like Him!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awzNHuGqoMcAs

​For two years I looked for a bag in Uganda to carry my computer and notebooks to town, instead of a bulky backpack.
I purchased several bags in the local shops but nothing worked, so I finally decided to design my own messenger bag. Here it is. I love mine (a purple one) and use it exclusively in Uganda, and now at home.
For $55 (shipping included) you are helping pay school fees for kids in Uganda and helping Alyssa and I raise money for living expenses there! For a $250 donation to That The WORLD Will Know we will send you one for free.
PM me with the design you like. You can pay via FB Pay or Venmo. We have 20 bags we'd like to sell as soon as we can.
The beautiful models are my staff. They look like professional models.
Thank you!
Photos courtesy of Jesse!!!

​So many wonderful things have been happening the past couple months. I hope you will read about it and enjoy the photos.
I’m happy to announce we have filed for NGO status in Uganda. We have about ten families God had put in my life this trip and in order to serve them we needed to apply as a Non Governmental Organization.
I have four wonderful Ugandan staff that I’m working with and training to run things when I’m in the US.
We have paid for tuition for two students to go to school and are supplementing other families to make sure their children are in school. Thank you so much to those who contributed to their educations.
We have started a weekly mentoring program where we are teaching skills to improve their income. We’ve been teaching sewing skills. Yesterday we had someone come to teach us how to make liquid soap for the ladies to sell. Each lady contributed money for the supplies and left with six liters of soap to sell this week.
We are listening through the New Testament weekly and teaching them how to hear from God as they hear the Bible in the local language. The discussion is so good as we hear what God is showing individual ladies.
We have started a savings program. This week (the first week) they brought money for saving and for emergencies. They are so dedicated to moving out of poverty.
When I get back to the US with full access to FB I’ll update you all in the amazing transformations happening in their lives here. Even physical appearances are changing; gaining weight, smiles on their faces, their ability to pay school fees, etc. God is so good and wants these families to thrive.
It’s been exciting to see the different skills coming forth from them. They are each uniquely designed by God with different strengths and gifts and watching Him restoring hope and helping them grow is the best thing in life.
Pray that God will continue to open doors for them as we continue to work together to bring sustainability. Pray that God would bless every part of their lives every moment of every day. He loves us so much and wants each one of us to become all he created us to be.