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NEW NAME BLOG
NEW NAME BLOG
An ongoing series of blogs written by New Name volunteers and survivors.
An ongoing series of blogs written by New Name volunteers and survivors.
March 2016: A God Both Big and Small
March 2016: A God Both Big and Small
March 1, 2016
Several days ago, as I was taking my dog for our morning walk, I looked up in the sky and behold, I saw what perhaps was the most beautiful cloud formation I had ever seen.
April 2016: Joining Jesus On Bended Knee
April 2016: Joining Jesus On Bended Knee
April 1, 2016
When I think of prayer, I always think first of Hebrews 7:25: “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”
May 2016: When Spiritual Warfare Stops You
May 2016: When Spiritual Warfare Stops You
May 1, 2016
Ever feel like every time you seek to step out in faith that the enemy swoops in to halt your efforts? Spiritual warfare is real.
One Small Voice: Happy To Be An Amateur
One Small Voice: Happy To Be An Amateur
June 2016
I was recently asked what came to mind when I heard the word amateur. Our society tends to think of an amateur as someone who is unknowledgeable or unskilled. Someone who is not quite at the level of a professional or an expert.
The Prostituted Asian Massage Parlors: Don’t look, don’t listen, don’t tell.
The Prostituted Asian Massage Parlors: Don’t look, don’t listen, don’t tell.
June 2016
She’s just a girl. Not too different from you and I.
Or your daughter, or your mother, or your sister, or your niece, or your granddaughter.
June 2016: Praying for the Complete Work of God
June 2016: Praying for the Complete Work of God
June 1, 2016
This morning I watched in horror as one of my kids accidentally sent a priceless vase crashing to the floor. I say “priceless” because the vase represented to me one of the only joyful, lighthearted moments I had for five very long years.
July 2016: When God Uses Brokenness
to Radiate His Splendor
July 2016: When God Uses Brokenness
to Radiate His Splendor
July 1, 2016
Over the past few months I’ve journeyed with a woman we met in a bar. She is dying. She knows Jesus.
August 2016: Listening First in an Upside-Down Kingdom
August 2016: Listening First in an Upside-Down Kingdom
August 1, 2016
Mother Teresa once said that she “did mathematics differently” than most people. Instead of worrying about ministering to a large number of Indian Hindus, she and her colleagues looked at each individual separately.
September 2016: When we can see past evil
September 2016: When we can see past evil
September 1, 2016
G.K. Chesterton once said, "A man knocking on the door of a brothel is looking for God."
October 2016: When it seems as though
God is up to nothing
October 2016: When it seems as though
God is up to nothing
October 1, 2016
I was up again last night at 3 a.m. I’ve heard that, for many, this is an hour of quiet time with God.
Do you want to get well?
Do you want to get well?
November 2016
I could tell the voice on the other end of the line belonged to someone who was tender, broken, and fragile. She was soft spoken, respectful, and incredibly articulate. She shared a bit of her story and my heart wept for her.
November 2016: Seeing Salvation in the Shadows
November 2016: Seeing Salvation in the Shadows
November 1, 2016
I know that Advent is still weeks away, but I can’t help but start to think about it with expectation. This year, my focus is a little different.
Give As You Have Been Given
Give As You Have Been Given
December 1, 2016
It’s been almost a year and a half now since I began going on outreach to Asian massage parlors ...
December 2016: What does it mean to love everyone always?
December 2016: What does it mean to love everyone always?
December 1, 2016
Several years ago, I took some homemade cookies over to my neighbor’s house. They were Muslim, and if you know much about Middle Eastern cultures, you might know the people are hospitable—often spending hours upon hours together in fellowship.
January 2017: When a New Year is Really a New Beginning
January 2017: When a New Year is Really a New Beginning
January 1, 2017
2017 is upon us. As I get older, the years go quicker. Each year, I let out an audible sigh as I consider how I had wanted to tell others about Jesus more and how I had wanted to love them better.
February 2017: When Woundedness Leads to Life
February 2017: When Woundedness Leads to Life
February 1, 2017
Caring for people is sometimes really hard. Helping them move to a place where they can hear and receive love, let alone receive the good news of the gospel, can often take months, years, decades.
March 2017: Like Gold, Like Water, Like Food for the World
March 2017: Like Gold, Like Water, Like Food for the World
March 1, 2017
There are many passages in scripture which remind us that God is with us in whatever may come our way. Isaiah 43:2 is a great one: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you ...
Visiting Brothels in India
Visiting Brothels in India
March 21, 2017
Journal Entry August 4, 2016
At 1:00am this morning I finally landed in Mumbai. And so the journey begins.
April 2017: We Can No Longer Carry the Baggage
April 2017: We Can No Longer Carry the Baggage
April 1, 2017
Last week I was watching an older episode of Veggie Tales in which Junior Asparagus, as usual, says something incredibly simple, yet profound: “If you’re special to Him, then you’re special to me, too.”
May 2017: When Lament is Needed, and Good
May 2017: When Lament is Needed, and Good
May 1, 2017
Lament: a passionate expression of grief of sorrow.
Not one of us willfully walks into places of lament ...
June 2017: He Makes Beauty for Ashes
June 2017: He Makes Beauty for Ashes
June 1, 2017
I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. Job 19:25
Next month marks the anniversary of the death of a sweet, courageous, and strong gal we met during outreach. Trisha’s life left a mark on me that will last my lifetime.
August 2017: Holding God's Word in Our Hearts
August 2017: Holding God's Word in Our Hearts
August 1, 2017
Likely you are very familiar with First Peter 3:15. It tells us to always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks us for a reason for the hope that is in us.
The Lost Girls Of Mombasa
The Lost Girls Of Mombasa
August 1, 2017
All of my senses became alert, suddenly. I sat upright, peered in wonder, the type of wonder that makes you feel sick to your stomach. A sharp intake of breath, like you’ve been punched in the gut.
Weren't You Afraid to Travel to Africa?
Weren't You Afraid to Travel to Africa?
September 7, 2017
I took a trip to East Africa this summer. It wasn't all that surprising, I guess, for those that know me. Last year I went to India and China, and you can often find me exploring big cities in America's sea to shining sea, and taste-testing every ethnic restaurant ...
September 2017: When We Need to See the Insignificant
September 2017: When We Need to See the Insignificant
September 1, 2017
Over the course of the past few months, my 3-year-old has continued to remind me of an injured ant we stumbled upon in late Spring. “Remember that ant that was hurt, mommy?” “Remember how it was walking funny?” ...
Oct 2017: When ‘Winning the Lottery’ Isn’t What We Think It Is
Oct 2017: When ‘Winning the Lottery’ Isn’t What We Think It Is
October 1, 2017
I just celebrated another birthday. With so much brokenness in the world, I am increasingly feeling as though I won the lottery.
...
Nov 2017: People May Think They Have No Fear When Really They've Never Been Tested
Nov 2017: People May Think They Have No Fear When Really They've Never Been Tested
November 1, 2017
Is it possible to live a life completely free from fear? It sure does sound attractive.
...
Dec 2017: The Windows to the Soul?
Dec 2017: The Windows to the Soul?
November 1, 2017
There’s something very powerful about looking someone in the eye. It’s personal, and often times, if we are honest, nerve-wracking. Can they see something in us we don’t want them to see? Will they see our faults, our shortcomings, our smudges? ...
Jan 2018: It's a New Day!
Jan 2018: It's a New Day!
January 1, 2018
We all love new beginnings and second chances. Maybe we’ve wronged another, or another has wronged us. Perhaps we’ve failed to get something accomplished that we had hoped, or we are late for the hundredth time.
February 2018: A God of Safety in a World of Chaos
February 2018: A God of Safety in a World of Chaos
Feb 1, 2018
“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.” - Proverbs 18:10.
March 2018:
Living Faithfully Each Day, Reaching One Person At A Time
March 2018:
Living Faithfully Each Day, Reaching One Person At A Time
March 1, 2018
The great preacher Billy Graham has passed away at the age of 99. Having preached to more than 200 million people in his life, his legacy is powerful and rich ...
April 2018:
The Freedom of Forgiveness in an Unforgiving World
April 2018:
The Freedom of Forgiveness in an Unforgiving World
April 1, 2018
"But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." Luke 6:27-28 ...
May 2018:
God on the Other Side of the Box
May 2018:
God on the Other Side of the Box
May 1, 2018
If you are anything like me, the shutdown of Backpage.com last month caused mixed emotions, ...
June 2018:
The Sufficiency of God
June 2018:
The Sufficiency of God
June 1, 2018
I live with C-PTSD (complex post traumatic stress disorder). This means many things but on a daily basis it's a continuous battle against intrusive thoughts, irrational fears, and heightened physical responses ...
August 2018:
The Pilgrimage of Trust
August 2018:
The Pilgrimage of Trust
August 1, 2018
Trust is a fragile word; it's essence is shaped by experience. Living in a fallen world, trust can feel impossible once shattered. Dan B. Allender said "Trust is a giving of our soul to another with the hope we will not be harmfully used." ...
September 2018:
Evidence of God During the Darkest Times
September 2018:
Evidence of God During the Darkest Times
September 1, 2018
We’ve all had them. The dark nights of the soul. The pain that swallows us whole. The sense that God has left us ...
October 2018:
Never Alone
October 2018:
Never Alone
October 1, 2018
“You are never alone.” This concept, more than perhaps any other in the English language, is what our hearts long to hear ...
November 2018:
Because of Jesus
November 2018:
Because of Jesus
November 1, 2018
She asks to meet so that she can improve her English. So amidst the aroma of coffee and tea, the laborious exchange of English occurs between us....