Lean on Me

Many people in my life seem to be just passing through. Sometimes this can be very disheartening - especially since I don't like good-byes. But I guess it is the same the other way around: I am just passing through the lives of others. These transitional relationships are a good reminder that this world is not my true home. I belong to another Kingdom and Country (for which I deeply long).

The Lord continues to weed people and things from my life, which He has done since the year began. Circumstances and distance seem to constantly change relationships or end them. About a month ago, my Chinese friend Andrea moved to the Northeast. I met her almost a year and a half ago and we hung out almost every week. We never did anything too exciting, just hung out and chatted - but our conversations were always an adventure. I never knew what topic of interest Andrea was going to throw my way. She always kept me on my toes. :) Andrea is not a believer, but I pray she will become one. The Lord Jesus always gave me an opportunity to testify to His goodness in some shape or form when we were together. I believe He is working mightily in her life, drawing her to Himself.

I miss this girl!

I recently won a trip to New York (!), so I hope to be able to meet up with her while I am there. Maybe we can go to Chinatown!

One of Andrea's parting gifts to me

With the friendships the Lord has left me, He is teaching me to go deeper. Opening up to people is not something that comes very easily to me, so this has been a rather long and difficult lesson...but it is a sweet one. The Lord has blessed me with several godly female friends (besides my sister) that have become very dear to me. I hope I bless them the way they have blessed me (Proverbs 27:17). God uses them a lot to speak truth and encouragement into my life - something I have really needed these past few months. Learning to lean on others seems to be another way the Lord is breaking my independent and self-reliant spirit.

Lessons from the Lord: patience; being still before Him; trust; endurance; dependence on Him & others

The Hidden Smile of God

I stole the title of this post from the title of one of John Piper’s books. It is something I have been thinking a lot about lately, as the Lord has hidden His favor and workings from me in such a way that I cannot perceive them…or Him. Yet I know that He is working. Even during this time of pain and silence, He is deepening my belief in His absolute sovereignty and goodness. All things are from His hand - both the good and the bad - and He wants me to use these gifts to make much of Him. These are such deep and rich and sweet theological truths and I know they will prepare me for whatever He has in store for me.

God moves in a mysterious way;

His wonders to perform

He plants His footsteps in the sea

and rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines

Of never failing skill

He treasures up His bright designs

And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;

The clouds you so much dread

Are big with mercy and shall break

In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,

But trust Him for His grace;

Behind a frowning providence

He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,

Unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste,

But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err

And scan His work in vain;

God is His own interpreter,

and He will make it plain.

"God Moves in a Mysterious Way" by William Cowper

This weekend, Kristi and I came home to Missouri for our dentist appointments. It turns out, however, that I had the weekends wrong in my head. Our dentist appointments were actually scheduled for next week, not this one. I was so sure that they were on the 23rd that I never even looked at the appointment card that was in my purse. We were on our way to Fredericktown when we figured all this out, so we continued Missouri-bound in faith that we would both still get our teeth cleaned. And we did. Our gracious hygienist worked a little over time in order to work us both in. I am always amazed at the amount of favor that the the Lord gives us with people. The appointment was one of my more painful ones and I received another poor report on my gums. No matter how faithful I am to my teeth and gums, it seems to no avail. I am discouraged. 

How long, O Lord?

An Ode to My Dad

Today is Father's Day and Thursday is my dad's birthday. The older I get, the more I realize the impact my dad has had on my life. These past few weeks, knowing that these two ways to honor my dad were approaching, I have been reflecting on the reasons why I am thankful for my dad. We may not see eye-to-eye on everything, but I really do appreciate him and this is my way to publicly show that.

My sister and I created an "Ode to Dad" video a few weeks ago to give to him as a gift. It contains about 45 minutes of ridiculousness as we recounted stories, jokes and quotes from our dad (though she is editing it down to about 15 minutes). We are definitely our father's daughters. :) Dad says the Hovises have quick wit. It's true. My dad almost always has a comment or remark that's perfect for the moment and leaves everyone in stitches. He's definitely the life of the party at our family gatherings.

He's the one in the middle, about to fall over. :)

Dad has taught me many things for which I am thankful. I sometimes call him the eternal teacher because he is constantly giving a lesson on something. He taught me how to drive, how to fish, how to change my oil (though he doesn't allow me to do it) and to be sort of a germ-a-phobe in the kitchen. He would not allow wet rags to lie around the kitchen. When we finished dishes, the rags went into the dirty laundry. He also wouldn't allow dirty dishes to stack up in the sink and he hated when they were left overnight. I am the same way. I like the dishes washed and the sink empty. He also taught me the importance of cooking (and so did my mom). Dad has very clear-cut roles/chores for men and women. When I was a teenager, he would tell me that I needed to learn how to cook because "a man wants a wife who can cook." Well, I don't know about that, but cooking has saved me a lot of money in not having to eat out. :) Most importantly, Dad laid the foundation for me and my sister in coming to know Christ. He taught us from an early age about the existence of God and about the revelation of Jesus Christ. I was always amazed (and still am) at his knowledge of the Bible.

What I have really come to appreciate my dad, is the way he loves and cares for my mom. Next month, they will have been married for 35 years. For most of those years, my mom has had ill health. I had never really thought about how my mom's health affected him until my friend Matt asked me how he was taking it. My dad has supported and cared for her through it all. He bears the burden with her without complaint. I think that is awesome and I highly respect him for it.

"I thank my God in all my remembrance of you," Dad (Philippians 1:3).

A Change in Wardrobe & A Change Within

It’s hot. I am saying this as a statement of fact, not complaint. I’d rather be hot than cold, and all I have to do is remember the harsh winter we had and I am thankful for these hot summer days. I am actually sitting outside now as I type this blog, listening to the songs of the evening birds and the hum of the central air unit. :)
Because of the heat and because the air conditioner in my car isn’t currently working, I have been sporting more dresses these days. I am definitely more of a jeans and Doc Martins kind of gal, but this weather calls for lighter material. Plus, it makes me get outside of my comfort zone. :) This increase in wearing dresses created a need for a pair of dress shoes as the shoes I have are a little too casual. I am not the type that has a fetish with shoes and cannot even remember the last time I bought a new pair, but I stumbled across some that were on clearance when I took Kristi to Kohl’s. As a result, I discovered the difference between $10-$15 shoes (which is what I would normally buy) and $50 shoes (which I would never buy): comfort. You get what you pay for, I guess.



I have been thinking and praying about my future a lot lately. I feel like I know less now about God wants me to do than I did six months ago when I graduated from Southern. I know that I am to serve the Lord overseas, but I have no idea what that looks like. What organization do I go with? What country and people group will I serve? What will my ministry look like? These are the questions the Lord has yet to answer. Six months ago, I thought I had a better idea, but the Lord has been changing my desires (or at least awakening previous ones) and it has given me much to think about. Sometimes I feel like my ambitions and desires are so varied that I wonder how they can be in the same person. Part of me wants to work with an unengaged people group in a remote village – venturing into the unknown to share the love of Christ with those who have never even heard His name. While another part of me wants to work with underprivileged women and/or trafficked victims in the urban slums. And there is the part of me that simply desires to be a wife and mother tending the home (though still serving Christ overseas). Not that all these things are mutually exclusive because I know awesome women who do at least two of the three…but they do seem rather conflicting at the present. Sanctify these desires, Lord.

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” Proverbs 19:21

My boss and I have worked it out so that I can have an extra day off per week. I had been working six days a week and it was catching up with me. It is amazing what an extra day off can make! Plus, it allows me to run errands and such, which I didn’t have time for before. This week I had packages to mail. I told Kristi, who accompanied me to the post office, that it was my Acts 1:8 mailing as I was sending a package here locally, another one to Alabama and a third one to the other side of the world. :) We caused a scene as usual. The post office is like going to the library or DMV - nobody says a word and everyone looks straight in front of them. Of course, Kristi and I broke the silence upon entrance as we were laughing and carrying on about something. Our laughter and banter continued as we stood in line (though we did try to keep it to a low level). The gentleman behind us starting laughing at/with us and began talking to the lady behind him (about us). Then, before we knew it, the atmosphere had relaxed and there was a low murmur in the place. Another job well done by the Hovis girls. :)

Unknown Food

The Lord has been teaching me a lot lately about resting in Him and being satisfied in Him alone. When Jesus walked this earth, He was always about His Father's business. He never missed an opportunity to testify to the grace of God. One such experience was with a woman who was a social outcast because of her messy past (which included 5 failed marriages). His disciples had went to buy food at the time, so Jesus was left alone at a well in the middle of town. This woman came to the well to draw water and encountered Jesus. He told her about the Living Water that He alone can give. By the end of their conversation, the woman realized that Jesus offered her the hope and forgiveness for which she longed and that He had the power to redeem her past and use it for a glorious purpose. When the disciples came back, they tried to get Jesus to eat the lunch they bought...

But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work." John 4:32-34

By God's grace, I am learning the power of this truth. On two different occasions, I had skipped dinner for one reason or another and the Lord has allowed me to  proclaim the Gospel of His Grace, which left me completely full and satisfied. Who needs food when one partakes of the Food? This evening I went out to minister in a club (on a empty stomach). While I am was there, my sisters-in-Christ and I had the opportunity to share the hope and peace of Jesus Christ with a dancer. Her eyes welled with tears as we proclaimed the Truth to her. I embraced her (as I hate to see anyone cry) and told her that she was a beautiful creation of God and that He had a purpose for her. So there I was in the middle of a club with a crying dancer in my arms...and I knew I was exactly where God wanted to be. I wasn't hungry anymore.

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Psalm 34:8 (cf. 1 Peter 2:3)

I have tasted, I have seen and I am satisfied.