Uncategorized – Page 2 – S T R E A M S + T H O R N S

Behind the Picket Fence

She stood there, cautiously baring her heart to me. Her words said to me that she thought I had it together. She thinks I know what the heck I’m doing every day when I wake up and all the things from near and far are calling my name. Instantly my mind went back to aContinue reading “Behind the Picket Fence”

These Demons are Pretty

“Go watch Elliott,” Richard said to me very seriously. I stepped into the kitchen in our tiny wooden jungle home and looked out onto the back patio where Elliott liked to play in the big water basin. He was three and a half and full of imagination and wonder at all the things the worldContinue reading “These Demons are Pretty”

A Slave Set Free

I hopped off the back of the mototaxi and peeked my head in the door of Grace House to surprise her. She hugged me tight and kissed my neck, smiling that wide open smile that I remember from three years ago when I first met her. I hugged her right back and told her howContinue reading “A Slave Set Free”

Life Off the Bandwagon

As I watch from a distance the United States becoming a huge mess, I have very conflicting emotions. On the one hand, I long for God to open eyes so that we remain the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave. But on the other hand, I simply wait and pray. After all, it’sContinue reading “Life Off the Bandwagon”

A Father for the Fatherless

I\’ll never forget the look on his face. It is a memory that has come to mind many times since that day over three years ago now. I watched as a man staggered around, finally collapsing to the ground in a heap of drunkeness and I glanced over to see the stare on Rafael\’s face.Continue reading “A Father for the Fatherless”

Pray for Grace House

I sat across the living room from her and I felt like with each word coming out of her mouth, someone was placing another brick on my shoulders. God brought her here and this journey has been devastating to all that I have ever known. For three years now, our life has been turned upsideContinue reading “Pray for Grace House”

The Savage

I remember very vividly the first time I saw him. Mariclene had been our breakfast visitor for a while and on occassion she would show up with one of her biological siblings so they could also devour eggs and bread, often their only real meal for the day. He was butt. naked. Every time heContinue reading “The Savage”

Missionary Rehab

I sat alone in our new-to-us car and I banged my hands on the steering wheel and yelled at God that I was angry that this was happening. That I didn’t want this car or these plans or these good-byes. I let Him know straight up that it was unfair because we had planned ourContinue reading “Missionary Rehab”

That Time We Moved to Mexico

I love to write. It’s something God has gifted me with and I love to use it to share what He’s doing in and through His Body in the jungle. I’m passionate about it. But something I’ve noticed in this social-media-saturated culture is that people are overwhelmed by media. Pictures, articles, words. They are allContinue reading “That Time We Moved to Mexico”

When You Know You Aren\’t Called

I watched him as he focused so intently on those little circles on the page. His little hand moving slowly but surely. It felt surreal. This is the same boy who I had little hope for. The one I wrote about just last year and the emptiness in his eyes. And yet here he was,Continue reading “When You Know You Aren\’t Called”