The Hope of the World

In his book Courageous Leadership Bill Hybles writes:

"If leaders in business, government, or education increase their competence through reading this book, that's fine.  But I am not writing primarily to them. In the end, even though their work may be exceedingly important, the cause to which they have dedicated their leadership skills has one thing lacking:  it does not have the power to change the world. What makes my heart beat fast is engaging with leaders in local churches because I believe that the local church is the hope of the world.  I believe to the core of my being that local church leaders have the potential to be the most influential force on planet earth. If they 'get it,' and get on with it, churches can become the redemptive centers that Jesus intended them to be. Dynamic teaching, creative worship, deep community, effective evangelism, and joyful service will combine to renew the hearts and minds of seekers and believers alike, strengthen families, transform communities, and change the world." (page 12)

The local church is the hope of the world.

 I should just drop the mic and leave it right there.  But, I'm not going to do that. This post is not a political post. I will not discuss nor share my opinion of any aspect of the recent presidential election and the chaos that has been stirring since then. Christ-followers, it is time for us to remember that our hope does not rest in a worldly-institution, whether it be business, education or the government. Yes, each of those institutions are incredibly important and can have a huge effect on our lives while we remain on this earth; but this world is not our home and our hope rests in Jesus alone. He is the only person who has the ability to effect any real lasting change in our lives. Also, the local church is the only institution that was commissioned to carry the Good News of Jesus and to spread the hope of the world. It is time for us to represent Jesus and carry out that work as the body of Christ.

My Summer Experiences: Part Two - New York City!

The first weekend of August I got to spend a few days in New York City.

The last time I was in NY City was in 1995 for my high school senior trip. Suffice it to say, it had been a while since I visited the Big Apple. I was in NY City in August to attend and present at the Conference on Teaching and Learning in Accounting and at the American Accounting Association's Annual Meeting. My poster presentation was on a project I developed last year for my introductory financial accounting course. The poster looked great and I met lots of people there.

Being in New York City was amazing. Going to Hawaii and being in New York showed me how much I appreciate experiencing new and different places; that how much life is enhanced when we experience things beyond our own little realms. Flying into NY City my breath caught when I saw the Statue of Liberty. Seeing the great buildings and other notable landmarks of the city was amazing, even if it was busy, a little smelly, and mildly claustrophobic. The following are a few pictures from my trip.

My girl was excited that I got to see a little bit of Broadway.

 Me in Central Park!

 

My Summer Experiences: Part One - Hawaii!

Ah, the lazy summer days have come to an end. My girl and I are back in school, the hubby is working harder than ever, and the dog has free reign of the house (as if he didn't before). I can't believe the time has come. The summer flew by and now it's time to return to the routine of class preps, homework, after-school activities, and restful weekends.

It occurred to me that I have not shared two fantastic experiences I had this summer. The first experience was the eleven days that the three of us spent in Hawaii.  The second experience was the four days I spent in New York City. Both we absolutely amazing, in similar but different ways.

Hawaii is awesome. 'Nuff said. I encourage everyone to go at least once. Though Hawaii is a part of the US, it really feels like a different country. It is simply beautiful and the overall atmosphere is slow and relaxing.

We spent the first four days on the absolutely gorgeous island of Kuai. Kuai is one of the least commercialized islands of Hawaii causing the landscape to not be interrupted by buildings and other structures.

The ocean is simply beautiful there.  The water is clear causing it to reflect the most beautiful blue from the sky.  The water is slightly cool but we had so much fun playing in the waves.






We also went ziplining! I had not been before this trip and it was so much fun! We had amazing views from various points of the island. Of course, my girl was a pro and simply fearless as she went from line to line.

We also got to view some amazing waterfalls. The roads were a little curvy and none of us felt great when we got to them, but how we felt went away when we saw God's beautiful creations!






We spent the rest of our time on Maui. Another beautiful island, only a little more commercialized and fast paced.  My girl and I had a wonderful time doing a LOT of shopping on this island and we ate some amazing food.  We attended a luai. It was a fantastic show. The show discussed the history of the Hawaiian islands and focused on native dance. And the native Hawaiian food was awesome!

Another incredible experience was finding a black sand beach. Most of our vacations are taken on the eastern shores of the United States where the sand (and the water) are grey. Imagine my surprise and happiness when we found this gorgeous black sand beach!

We spent several hours on this beach enjoying the peace and the beauty of it. All three of us left with a bit of a sunburn.





Our trip to Hawaii was an amazing adventure and what I described here are just a few of the experiences we had while there. I'm so thrilled that we had the opportunity to go. Kevin and I honeymooned there 15 years ago and it was our goal to go back.




It was amazing. And it has definitely inspired me to visit other places in this world. I want to experience and explore more of God's beautiful creation.

School, Dress Code and Creative Expression

With school beginning in a few short weeks (for me and my girl), the one thing that has a constant presence on our mind is… the dress code. Every time we pick up a new piece of clothing, we ask if it will meet the dress code. My girl is attending a new school this year and it comes with a new dress code that we must learn. It’s a simple dress code, requesting that the students’ appearance is neat, clean and modest. I am in agreement with dress codes. I think they provide adequate guidance in helping students learn how to dress appropriately, especially students who may not have parental guidance at home.

But the question that has been floating around my mind these past few days is this… Do dress codes hinder creative expression?

Junior high and high school are times when students are truly learning who they are. Those are the years when they try new hairstyles, experiment with makeup and go through phases with styles of clothes. One day they want to wear six-inch heals, and the next day are Converse. This week the favorite subject is English and next week it will be History. Last night your student watched My Little Pony on tv while braiding her doll’s hair, but tonight she will ask if she can watch a rerun of Grey’s Anatomy with you (which, by the way, the current answer is “No”).  She is constantly growing and learning who God designed her to be.

I don’t yet have a question to my answer, though I’m sure a child psychologist might. But I know that we will continue to work with the dress code and find ways to allow my girl’s creativity and self-expression ring through. Not by trying to find ways to go around it or press what we can get away with, but by remaining within its guidance and allowing God to continue telling her who she is.

The Cincinnati Skyline

When we travel to see Kevin's brother and his family we drive around Cincinnati. The skyline always caught my attention and I couldn't take my eyes off of it.  About four years ago the church we attended began serious talks about opening a church campus in the Cincinnati area.  Kevin and I began talking about being a part of launching that campus and said yes to moving to the area three years ago.  Before our move, each time I drove to Cincinnati, whether it was for a job interview, to look for housing, or any other reason, I would see the Cincinnati skyline and feel something in my chest.  That feeling I could only describe as a "catch in my heart." I knew the Lord was giving me a different kind of love for that city and the area. So I began praying for the city and whatever influence we could have as a church on that area.

Two years ago we moved to a town that is slightly northeast of Cincinnati.  For the 2014-2015 academic year I taught at a university that was located on the west side of the city. Each day that I drove to campus I had the gift of driving around downtown Cincinnati and getting to see that skyline. My heart caught every time. It reminded me to continue praying for that city and area. Though sometimes my drive to and from that campus would last up to an hour (and I am not a fan of driving or being in a car for any extended period of time), I grew to love that drive because I got to see that skyline twice each day.

I chose not to renew my contract with that university for the 2015-2016 academic year and accepted a position with a school that was on the east side of the city. I no longer got to see that skyline. My drive was much shorter and I didn't enjoy it as much. My prayers for the city started to dwindle and it had been several months since I felt that catch in my heart.

Until yesterday.

This past weekend we returned home to Lexington from spending two years in the Cincinnati area. We know God called us to that area for that time, and He said it was time for us to come home. This week and part of next I will drive back to the Cincinnati area to complete a summer class that I am teaching. Due to the new direction that I am driving from to get to campus, I got to full-on see the Cincinnati skyline for the first time in a long time yesterday. It was beautiful, and I once again felt that catch in my heart. It reminded me to continue praying for that city and area. Even though we are no longer a part of that area, I can continue praying that God moves in large ways and that more people come to know His Son. Being a two-year resident of that community is now a part of who I am and I will always have a heart connection with the area. Though I may be gone from it, it will never be gone from me.

Day One (a guest post by my girl!)

Day 1, 6/4/16

Dear Diary,

         Hello. My name is Pinkie Pie. (That’s not my real name) I am a singer and a writer, but I don’t write my own songs. I choose the name Pinkie Pie because she is one of my favorite My Little Ponies.

         Just to change subjects I want to tell you about what is going on in my life. We are moving to Lexington in several days, and I am not prepared. I have 4 boxes packed in my room but there will be a lot more by the end of the week. I will totally miss Ohio but if Jesus has us moving to Lexington for a reason I will move to Lexington.

Zechariah 14:4

On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.

On June 11, 2016, I will be in Ohio that morning and Kentucky that night. Kentucky is my home state, and Ohio is where I wanted to finish growing up. Both states are now a part of me. I will have friends in Ohio and I will make new friends in Kentucky.

Wish me luck while we move! 

Here I Go Again...

Ok, yes.  I did spoof the title of this post from a classic '80s song.  If you really know me, then you should not be surprised.  Anyway...

Our girl came to us a few days ago asking if she could have a blog.  Her response when we asked why is that she wants to share what Jesus has shown her through Bible readings and in her life. Who could argue with that?  However, we were a little hesitant to release her to the internet due to her age. The most viable solution we could offer is that I start blogging again and she could post guest blogs as she writes them.  Besides, I still have lots of random thoughts so why not get them out for the world to read.

So... here I go again! The last blog I posted was in 2012. Don't worry; I don't have so many random thoughts bottled up that I will break the internet from my posts.  However, Jesus has revealed so much to me and I have learned so much and experienced a lot of life during the past few years that I have plenty to write about.  I also cannot wait to post the exciting thoughts that are running through my girl's head.