What Are You Passionate About?

It's been a while since I've felt inspired to write. However, today I spoke with a very gifted and talented friend, Liza, who encouraged me to blog. She actually has a couple interesting blogs you might want to check out as well. Liza's Eyeview and A Maui Blog. Check them out. She's quite an amazing woman!

We discussed things that we're passionate about. Sometimes, I have a hard time pinpointing what that might be. However, off the top of my head, I would say that one thing is that I have a heart for seeing people get fit and in shape.

What are your passions and dreams? Have you lost sight of what they might be? Maybe it's time to just sit and be quiet for a few moments. See if something comes to you. I'm going to do the same.

PS - Check in again soon as I'll be writing about fitness. Check out KiheiFit.

"Shattered Dreams" - Part 2

We all know that life is not perfect and in fact, sometimes it just sucks. As Christians we're tought to believe that everything's alright when you have Jesus as your Lord and Savior. It is alright, but it doesn't always make this life here on earth wonderful. We lose loved ones through unexpected death, cancer and disease, husbands or wives leave one another, daughters or sons go off the deep end and are admitted into rehab, we lose jobs, and the list goes on. That abundant life that we hear about in the bible just doesn't seem to exist. Or does it?

In Shattered Dreams (based on the book of Ruth), Larry Crabb talks about the lessons he has learned:

Lesson 1 - Our fondest dreams for this life, the ones we naturally believe are essential to our happiness, must be fully abondoned if we are to know God well. Shattered dreams are necessary for spiritual growth.

Lesson 2 - Shattered dreams produce excruciating pain, sometimes so extreme that we fear we cannot survive. And that is true. The person we are before the pain cannot survive. We emerge from the experience of shattered dreams as changed people, but not always for the better.

The pain is not evidence of weak faith. It is evidence that we are normal.

It's part of a necessary process. The pain is necessary if we're to discover within us an appetite for better dreams that before we neither noticed nor appreciated.

Something wonderful survives everything terrible, and it surfaces most clearly when we hurt.

Lesson 3 - Some dreams important to us will shatter, and the realization that God could have fulfilled that dream pushes us into a terrible battle with Him.

Lesson 4 - Only an experience of deep pain develops our capacity for recognizing and enjoying true life.

Lesson 5 - Not many Christians drink deeply from the well of living water. As a result, our worship, our community, and our witness are weak.

Lesson 6 - The past is irreparable; the future is always available. In every case, when good dreams shatter, better ones are there to newly value and pursue.

These better dreams are indestructible; they will not be taken away from us either by God (because He is good) or by the forces of hell (because evil has no power to thwart God's highest purposes).

No matter what happens in life, a wonderful dream is available, always, that if pursued will generate an unfamiliar, radically new internal experience, That experience, strange at first, will eventually be recognized as joy.

Our ultimate hope is not in this life, but heaven and eternity with the one who suffered and died for us.

Stand by for more on "Shattered Dreams".

"Shattered Dreams"

"Shattered dreams," writes Dr. Larry Crabb, "are never random. They are always a piece in a larger puzzle, a chapter in a larger story. The Holy Spirit uses the pain of shattered dreams to help us discover our desire for God, to help us begin dreaming the highest dream. They are ordained opportunities for the Spirit first to awaken then to satisfy our highest dream."

I felt led to start reading this book and it is amazing! Can't wait to get back to it.

I'm volunteering at Hope Chapel so I'm off to work :) .

Waiting....

The new job/employment/self employment search continues and it's quite difficult to tap into what it is I'd like to do versus what it is I've done in the past, or what I'm good at. I've read a couple excellent books refered by Dave Ramsey and written by Dan Miller. 48 Days To The Work You Love and No More Mondays. They have been inspirational to me yet I'm the one who needs to come up with the ideas for self employment or type of job I'd like to pursue.

These bible verses were a good reminder to me today:

Isaiah 48:17 This is what the Lord says- your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go."

Psalm 5:3 Morning by morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; morning by morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.

Although I do need to step out in faith and push on doors, I also trust God to be true to His word and promises. I want God's best and don't want to settle for anything less than that. Sometimes that requires waiting.....patiently waiting.

I'm so thankful for those rememberance stones that I have, that waiting for God's best has always been well worth it. Are you trusting God for something? It's well worth the wait for His best. Don't be impatient and allow good to be the enemy of God's best. We're His children and He loves us and wants to give us His best.

This is Cliff waiting for our wedding ceremony. One of my rememberance stones

is waiting for God's best in a husband for me. He was well worth the wait!

Labor Day

Labor Day seems to mark the end of summer. Kids are back in school, football is starting back up, and it we'll soon be kicking off fall.

Hope you do something fun and enjoy the day.

Happy Anniversary!

Five years ago today, by the beauitul ocean in Kihei, Maui, with our wonderful family and friends, Cliff & I were married. As I look over the pictures and recall the day, I can't help but get tearfull. Our special day was so full of God's love.

Cliff is an amazing man of God. Little did I know what God had in store for us when we said "I do" to each other, however, our God is faithful to complete the good work that He has started and is continuing to do in our lives. My husband has so many great qualities that I don't have. He's the incredible balance that I need. He's my best friend and confidant. He is quick to forgive and ask for forgiveness. He was hand picked for me by God and is a wonderful gift that I will forever be thankful for.

The gusty winds will always come, however, God's amazing love and faithfulness have and will continue to sustain us through the storms as long as we keep our eyes on Him.

Thank you for five wonderful years. I love you Honey!

Crazy Love

I'm currently reading a book called "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. It's so appropriate for where I'm at in my life.

Chapter 7 is "Your Best Life....Later", Francis refers to Isaiah 58:2-14. These versus particularly ministered to me. V9-12 If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. the Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

If we "spend ourselves". Wow! We're each given different gifts and talents by our Master. The thing that matters most is how we use what we have been given, not how much we make or do compared to someone else. What matters is that we spend ourselves.

New Respect

This is going on my third week of unemployment and after 30 plus years of working, it sucks.

I have a new respect for those people who call and ask "are you hiring"? Believe me, it's pretty humbling. Especially when you get someone on the other end who has an attitude or acts like she's annoyed that she has to answer your call. If the tables were turned, I think the response would be a bit more compassionate.

Last week I had the opportunity to travel to the Northwest. It was so special to spend time with some friends and just hang out without an agenda.



This is Moriah and she's seven. She's displaying one of the many pictures she colored or created for me. I wish I had a dollar for every time she said to me "I love you Auntie Jeri." She's a very special little girl.




This is a picture of my three "God children". They bring me lots of smiles and joy. Aren't they beautiful?

Saturday afternoon, the family took me to Mt. Bachelor and we all rode the ski lift to the top. What a spectacular view from up there. This picture was taken at the bottom before we went up.

All this was taking place while my husband was getting ready to run the last leg of the Hood to Coast Relay. He ran the final leg for his team which finished in 29 hours, 748th place, with very little sleep. Congratulations to Team Vyanet. Well done!

Only the beginning.....

Friday, August 14th was my last day of 7 years of employment with a company that I was a part of from infancy. Things change and that is something we're told that we can count on. However, are we ever prepared for it? Not really. As much as I tried, facing Monday and the unemployment line wasn't the easiest thing I've ever done. However, as I looked at many people facing the same situation, I knew my situation was much better than that of others.

Ironically, I had the opportunity to meet a young woman by the name of Sarah who was from my home town of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. As she told me her story of the loss of her job and applying for welfare, and a broken relationship, I couldn't help but feel her sense of hopelessness. I was able to listen and encourage her, however, my greatest regret was not getting her phone number. My prayer is that she will be touched and ministered to by our God of all comfort.

Today, I decided to do something as I've felt a tug. God in His great faithfulness has been preparing me over the past several months for some new, different, and exciting. Who knows what will become of this blog. However, my prayer is that some way, some how, it can touch the lives of others.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV) For I know the plans I have for you, "declares the Lord," plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.