December 31, 2005
Dear Friends and Family:
I have so enjoyed receiving your cards and letters, updating me on what’s happened in your lives. Now it’s my turn, but this letter is so late arriving to you that I’m calling it a New Year’s card. J As I look back over the past year, I realize that I could simply describe the major events to you. But, I’d rather focus on what’s more important to me—the people. As you hear their stories, may you find your own heart renewed as you think about those people who have most directly influenced your own life recently. Let me introduce a few of my VIPs to you, people who have taught me how to be more alive in 2005:
DANIELLE & RENE, who taught me about the Lord’s timing
I am currently in my 7th year at Traders Point Christian Academy and my 4th year as the counselor there. This year, I have had the first-time honor of being the supervisor for Danielle Brown and Rene Arndt, two women who sought counseling degrees from Butler University here in Indy. I was excited about teaching these women, ready to dive in & show them what I have come to believe are the core elements of counseling and working with children. As it turns out, I learned much more than I taught…God knew in advance that I would need Danielle & Rene. He sent them at just the right time.
SCOTT, who taught me that the Lord has plans we may never understand
In January, the middle school principal at Traders Point, Scott Bostick, was killed instantly in a tragic car accident. From the moment I received the news about Scott’s death, my year and my job changed. Danielle had just started her internship in my office only a few weeks before. Isn’t that just like God to give me help BEFORE I knew why I would need it? Life at work was a whirlwind as Danielle (and later, Rene) helped the school family through this time of questions & grief. I honestly could not have done my job well without these women who have become dear to me. We are moving on, with a new principal now, and I feel like a new counselor in some ways. I’ve been reminded about how precious and mysterious life is. I’ve learned about how God uses people to care for the brokenhearted. God has shown me that He is the source of all types of healing.
REBEKAH & TREVOR, who taught me about the Lord’s patience and our choices:
Over the summer, I worked at Ivy Tech State College as an English tutor for students with disabilities. I met Rebekah & Trevor there, blind students with opposite views about the world. Rebekah’s definition of “tutor” was completely different than mine; she thought I was employed by the school to write her papers, not help her improve them. J I learned a great deal about myself when I tutored her—how impatient I can be, how much I depend on what I can see, how little I know about what other people struggle through on a daily basis. We had some talks about Christ & she told me about what she had learned from Him. Rebekah was bitter about her circumstances & we talked about that, too...But, Trevor was different. I’ve never met anyone like him. He didn’t have his sight, but he had a spark in him, a readiness to participate in his own life despite his limitations. Trevor chose to treat people well, to find out about them, and to accept their help with a spirit of gratitude. If I traded lives with Trevor, would I be as thankful? The Lord knows that, often, we may not agree with what He gives us. He also knows, that our day-to-day choices bring Him honor when we praise Him anyway.
AIMEE, who taught me about the Lord’s faithfulness
Over Spring Break, I was able to take a cruise with my twin sister to celebrate our 30th birthday together. We met in Florida, boarded a ship, and set sail for the Bahamas. It was just the 2 of us! We spent long hours talking, swimming, resting, and reading. I remember being on the upper deck with her at night, looking up at the stars as we floated along in the black water below. We could see the moon, feel the wind in our hair, and smell the salt in the sea. It was a silent, powerful moment. Aimee has always been in my life, during every change & in every season. I thought of all the things we’d been through together, all the ways the Lord had been faithful to us for so many years. Being thirty feels like starting a new chapter—it makes me wonder what the next 30 years will hold!
MEGAN, SONIA, & ANGIE, who taught me about the Lord’s beauty
For the 4th year in a row, 3 close friends and I took a girls’ getaway trip together. In May, we went to Nashville for a long weekend to take a break from “the busy life.” We stayed a night at the Opryland Hotel and visited the grounds of Cheekwood Gardens, a enchanting way to spend an afternoon. These women share my love of books and all things artistic---music, and paintings, and nature, and words. When I am with them, I remember how gentle our Lord can be. I am proud to say these women, and other friends in a weekly Bible study group, are constants in my life when lots of other things seem to change so much.
ISAAC, who taught me about the Lord’s joy
My sister Renee, has a son who is about 13 months old. Their family lives in Virginia and I’ve been able to see them quite a bit this year. The one word that comes to mind when I think of Isaac is wonder. He is in awe of everything he sees! He’s learning so much—walking and talking and interacting now. The name Isaac means laughter, something he spends a lot of his time doing. I want to be like Isaac in the year ahead of me. I want to be excited about the world God has put me in—eager to experience whatever comes next. Aimee is expecting a baby this coming spring, so I will be an aunt again, a role I gladly accept with joy.
CAROLYN, AMY, & TRACY, who taught me about the Lord’s presence
At work, it is probably rare to find close friends there. Carolyn & Tracy are co-workers of mine, and Amy used to work with us but is now pursuing another one of her dreams full-time. I am amazed at how God repeatedly has used these women to teach me about Himself. They know how to live authentically. They know that God has a purpose for their lives and they spend time trying to figure that out. When I am with them, I remember how important it is to show up for my own life, receive goodness from the Lord, and then give it back to other people. They know how to celebrate life, so they are my kind of people. Recently, a few of us met for breakfast at Bob Evans. In the course of that morning, I learned more about the Lord than I have in a long time. That’s just the kind of people they are—people who amaze you when you’re sitting at Bob Evans!
GOD, who has taught me that I have more to learn
All of these people, all of these stories, point to one source—God. He is on time. He is bigger than all we understand. He is patient. He is faithful. He is joyful. He is beautiful. He is ever-present. He is authentic. He is good. I know I will always be finding out what the Lord is all about. With God, there is always more—always another blessing in store. I hope 2006 is a year when you discover all the things God is trying to tell you through the people He sends your way.
Love, Summer
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Christmas Letter: 2002
Christmas, 2002
O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining! It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth! Long lay the world in sin and error pining till He appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices—for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!!
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices! O Night Divine! O night when Christ was born! O night divine! O night…O night divine!
Dear Friends and Family,
I wonder…I wonder where you are—right now. In case you didn’t know, it’s a joy for me to think of you, even if I imagine you’re doing routine things.
You just got the mail, right? What are you doing? In my mind, I see some of you unpacking boxes from a move to a new place. Others are returning from a long commute from work, or trips to the mall, or the post office, or the Laundromat. Some are decorating a wonderful little Charlie Brown tree for your first Christmas together or maybe putting New Baby down for a nap. More than a few of you, I would guess, might be waiting by the window, full of that excitement that comes when family will arrive “any minute now.”
Whatever you’re doing, take a break from it. Just for a few minutes. Go back up to the top of this page. Read the words of the hymn O Holy Night. No, scratch that. Don’t just read them. Read them aloud. Sing them. Pretend you’ve never heard them before. It’s amazing how one little song can serve as such a big reminder of this: God can be trusted. He is divine. He is in charge. And He sent His son into our world, confined Himself to a human routine, in order to speak to us on our level. He came so we could see with human eyes how much He loves us. He came to change our lives. And He is still doing it. He is still changing those who have given their lives to Him. Do you want some proof of that amazing truth?? Here are some of the ways God has spoken to me in 2002 A.D.:
SUMMER, YOU CAN TRUST ME. YOU’VE GOT TO CHANGE YOUR PLANS.
“A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices—for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!”
I’ve learned this year that sometimes God does His best work through us. Other times he works better when we, in all our desires to make things happen, simply step aside. It’s amazing the things that will happen when we let his glorious new beginnings break through—just the way HE wants them to.
I graduated from Butler University in May with my Master’s Degree in School Counseling! A lot of you have prayed along with me about how and where to use my counseling skills best. I’ve been a teacher at Traders Point Christian Academy for 3 years and, since there was no counseling department there, I assumed I’d have to find a new place to work. So, I planned my little heart out. I planned so much I was weary from trying to figure out how everything was going to work together.
And then, it was just like God to give me that thrill of hope. So that He alone would receive all the praise, God did what I could never have planned or even imagined on my own. He created something out of nothing—a Christian counseling department at Traders Point for me to start this year! Since August, I’ve been counseling kids in grades pre-school through 8th grade who have a variety of academic, behavioral, and emotional needs. It’s been an incredible experience to work with the families and the educators on a grass-roots effort like this. My heart’s been broken when I just hope I’ve done the right thing for a child. But, I’m busy marking down even the smallest of victories in their lives; my favorite is a smile from a student (or parent) whose pattern is tears. I’m learning so much…helping the kids (and myself) understand that the plans of God are right and perfect. Sometimes they are hidden from us so that we might seek Him, ask Him for His guidance, and ultimately trust Him more. How much we miss when we think that hope lies in only what we can see!
SUMMER, YOU CAN TRUST ME. YOU’VE GOT TO CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE.
“Long lay the world in sin and error pining till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.”
Sometimes, I look at the junior highers at school and I think, “I can’t wait until they learn to look outside of themselves, to see something bigger than their hair, their clothes, and what they’re doing after school tonight!” Then, I stop. I think about myself. How often am I pining after my own sin or someone else’s error? How much time do I spend in my own little world, forgetting the Big Picture and all God has done for me?
In July, I was able to go on a fantastic trip to Prince Edward Island with some of my dearest girlfriends—Angie, Megan, and Sonia. It was a dream to go to the land of Anne of Green Gables, to get away from my daily world, to write, and to rest. The women I traveled with are constant examples to me of how to live the faith-filled life well. We are blessed to have each other, to live in community together all on the north side of Indy, to trust God together.
I remember sitting on the red rocks of the coastline with those women, looking out to the endlessness of the ocean. I remember praying, “God, show me again who you are. I love you. But, I admit it. In spite of all your blessings, I worry. I focus on my own “stuff.” I want to know how you’re going to work it all out—my friends-life, my work-life, my love-life, my church-life—I want to know the answers. I give You it all, even though I don’t know what you’re going to do. Show me that You have a larger plan in this.”
A few days after I returned from Canada, I was in the midst of my routine. I was driving home from school and was involved in a very serious car accident. During a left turn, I was broadsided on the empty passenger side by a truck traveling about 70 miles per hour! The car was totaled, I went to the ER by ambulance, but I had hardly a scratch on my body. After looking at the photographs, I realized…what could have happened. My daily perspective is different since then. Yes, I still worry a lot when I should trust a lot instead. But I think God has used the accident to teach me more directly what Savior means. Indeed, when God appears, our souls really do feel their worth.
SUMMER, YOU CAN TRUST ME. YOU’VE GOT TO CHANGE YOUR POSTURE.
“Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices! O night divine! O night when Christ was born!”
Sometimes, I act as if God were my servant instead of the other way around. I give Him a list of things I want Him to fix. I think that if these things would just happen, my life would certainly be better, maybe even Perfect. In turn, He asks me to remember Who He Is. I read the words of Isaiah 45:11-12: “It is I who made the earth and created mankind upon it. My own hands stretched out the heavens.” It’s a call to remember my posture. When was the last time you came to God to simply give Him praise?
For me, it was during my sisters’ weddings. Aimee and Renee have both gotten married in the last year and a half. I remember thinking during the ceremonies, “God, you have brought these blessings into our family. Who could do this but You?” Brian and Seth are hand-picked by God, given to the girls as pure gifts. The weddings were clear evidence to me that God knows best.
May God help all of us change during this coming year, so that, little by little, we may see more things as He sees them. May we give up more of our agendas in exchange for His much more perfect plans. May we live remembering God can be trusted and He deserves all praise.
When I think about the night in Bethlehem, I picture it differently than the traditional nativity scene. We’ve become used to stables made out of plastic in our neighbors’ yards or perfect porcelain shepherds keeping watch near our Christmas trees. I don’t think that’s how it really happened. I don’t think anyone was standing up. Not Joseph, not Mary, not the wisemen, maybe not even the horses—nobody. Every person who recognized Jesus as the Christ probably fell on their knees in worship. That is the only wise thing for men to do. They heard angel voices, proclaiming that prophecy had, indeed, come true. The Messiah had come!
Love,
Summer
O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining! It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth! Long lay the world in sin and error pining till He appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices—for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!!
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices! O Night Divine! O night when Christ was born! O night divine! O night…O night divine!
Dear Friends and Family,
I wonder…I wonder where you are—right now. In case you didn’t know, it’s a joy for me to think of you, even if I imagine you’re doing routine things.
You just got the mail, right? What are you doing? In my mind, I see some of you unpacking boxes from a move to a new place. Others are returning from a long commute from work, or trips to the mall, or the post office, or the Laundromat. Some are decorating a wonderful little Charlie Brown tree for your first Christmas together or maybe putting New Baby down for a nap. More than a few of you, I would guess, might be waiting by the window, full of that excitement that comes when family will arrive “any minute now.”
Whatever you’re doing, take a break from it. Just for a few minutes. Go back up to the top of this page. Read the words of the hymn O Holy Night. No, scratch that. Don’t just read them. Read them aloud. Sing them. Pretend you’ve never heard them before. It’s amazing how one little song can serve as such a big reminder of this: God can be trusted. He is divine. He is in charge. And He sent His son into our world, confined Himself to a human routine, in order to speak to us on our level. He came so we could see with human eyes how much He loves us. He came to change our lives. And He is still doing it. He is still changing those who have given their lives to Him. Do you want some proof of that amazing truth?? Here are some of the ways God has spoken to me in 2002 A.D.:
SUMMER, YOU CAN TRUST ME. YOU’VE GOT TO CHANGE YOUR PLANS.
“A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices—for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!”
I’ve learned this year that sometimes God does His best work through us. Other times he works better when we, in all our desires to make things happen, simply step aside. It’s amazing the things that will happen when we let his glorious new beginnings break through—just the way HE wants them to.
I graduated from Butler University in May with my Master’s Degree in School Counseling! A lot of you have prayed along with me about how and where to use my counseling skills best. I’ve been a teacher at Traders Point Christian Academy for 3 years and, since there was no counseling department there, I assumed I’d have to find a new place to work. So, I planned my little heart out. I planned so much I was weary from trying to figure out how everything was going to work together.
And then, it was just like God to give me that thrill of hope. So that He alone would receive all the praise, God did what I could never have planned or even imagined on my own. He created something out of nothing—a Christian counseling department at Traders Point for me to start this year! Since August, I’ve been counseling kids in grades pre-school through 8th grade who have a variety of academic, behavioral, and emotional needs. It’s been an incredible experience to work with the families and the educators on a grass-roots effort like this. My heart’s been broken when I just hope I’ve done the right thing for a child. But, I’m busy marking down even the smallest of victories in their lives; my favorite is a smile from a student (or parent) whose pattern is tears. I’m learning so much…helping the kids (and myself) understand that the plans of God are right and perfect. Sometimes they are hidden from us so that we might seek Him, ask Him for His guidance, and ultimately trust Him more. How much we miss when we think that hope lies in only what we can see!
SUMMER, YOU CAN TRUST ME. YOU’VE GOT TO CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE.
“Long lay the world in sin and error pining till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.”
Sometimes, I look at the junior highers at school and I think, “I can’t wait until they learn to look outside of themselves, to see something bigger than their hair, their clothes, and what they’re doing after school tonight!” Then, I stop. I think about myself. How often am I pining after my own sin or someone else’s error? How much time do I spend in my own little world, forgetting the Big Picture and all God has done for me?
In July, I was able to go on a fantastic trip to Prince Edward Island with some of my dearest girlfriends—Angie, Megan, and Sonia. It was a dream to go to the land of Anne of Green Gables, to get away from my daily world, to write, and to rest. The women I traveled with are constant examples to me of how to live the faith-filled life well. We are blessed to have each other, to live in community together all on the north side of Indy, to trust God together.
I remember sitting on the red rocks of the coastline with those women, looking out to the endlessness of the ocean. I remember praying, “God, show me again who you are. I love you. But, I admit it. In spite of all your blessings, I worry. I focus on my own “stuff.” I want to know how you’re going to work it all out—my friends-life, my work-life, my love-life, my church-life—I want to know the answers. I give You it all, even though I don’t know what you’re going to do. Show me that You have a larger plan in this.”
A few days after I returned from Canada, I was in the midst of my routine. I was driving home from school and was involved in a very serious car accident. During a left turn, I was broadsided on the empty passenger side by a truck traveling about 70 miles per hour! The car was totaled, I went to the ER by ambulance, but I had hardly a scratch on my body. After looking at the photographs, I realized…what could have happened. My daily perspective is different since then. Yes, I still worry a lot when I should trust a lot instead. But I think God has used the accident to teach me more directly what Savior means. Indeed, when God appears, our souls really do feel their worth.
SUMMER, YOU CAN TRUST ME. YOU’VE GOT TO CHANGE YOUR POSTURE.
“Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices! O night divine! O night when Christ was born!”
Sometimes, I act as if God were my servant instead of the other way around. I give Him a list of things I want Him to fix. I think that if these things would just happen, my life would certainly be better, maybe even Perfect. In turn, He asks me to remember Who He Is. I read the words of Isaiah 45:11-12: “It is I who made the earth and created mankind upon it. My own hands stretched out the heavens.” It’s a call to remember my posture. When was the last time you came to God to simply give Him praise?
For me, it was during my sisters’ weddings. Aimee and Renee have both gotten married in the last year and a half. I remember thinking during the ceremonies, “God, you have brought these blessings into our family. Who could do this but You?” Brian and Seth are hand-picked by God, given to the girls as pure gifts. The weddings were clear evidence to me that God knows best.
May God help all of us change during this coming year, so that, little by little, we may see more things as He sees them. May we give up more of our agendas in exchange for His much more perfect plans. May we live remembering God can be trusted and He deserves all praise.
When I think about the night in Bethlehem, I picture it differently than the traditional nativity scene. We’ve become used to stables made out of plastic in our neighbors’ yards or perfect porcelain shepherds keeping watch near our Christmas trees. I don’t think that’s how it really happened. I don’t think anyone was standing up. Not Joseph, not Mary, not the wisemen, maybe not even the horses—nobody. Every person who recognized Jesus as the Christ probably fell on their knees in worship. That is the only wise thing for men to do. They heard angel voices, proclaiming that prophecy had, indeed, come true. The Messiah had come!
Love,
Summer
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Christmas Letter: 2003
December, 2003
“There is no greater invitation to love than loving first.” St. Augustine
Dear Friends and Family:
Many people agree that Christmas is about “love.” By this they might mean the love of presents or big fat men in red suits or time off from work. They might say that you can’t have Christmas at all without the love of a mother for her child or a husband for his wife or a family for their friends. And they’re right. Christmas is about love.
But this love is not cheap or simple or plain. If we think of the Christmas story itself, we will realize that the love God demonstrated when He sent Christ to the world is not merely warm and fuzzy or sentimental or weak.
God chooses to give the kind of love that is
fierce and full of Himself and wild and courageous and risky and dangerous and merciful and REAL.
So many of you have been my examples this year. You live out this kind of love. You have demonstrated right before my eyes how to give more of yourselves to Christ and to others. I have been with you—celebrating miracles, counting tears, laughing, seeking God’s will, getting to know you better, deeper, WELL. It has been quite a journey and here are a few things I’ve learned over the past 12 months that encourage me to praise Him more. These are evidences that God is LORD, in the Christmas story, and in my own life. Look at what He has done with his real, true, pure love:
God’s love is not predictable.
What do you do when God completely surprises you?
God chose a few lonely shepherds on a hillside to be the first to hear of Christ’s birth. What if they had said, “God, this is not the Savior we have in mind—send Him back and we’ll wait for the one we want?” I’ve learned this year in new ways that I never know what God is going to do tomorrow, who He’ll bring into my life, or how He’ll make use of things. What God desires is for my heart to be open to the amazing gifts He wants to give in my life—He will make me ready for the changes He ordains. One of many surprises is that in January I moved in with a new roommate, Christi Childs (TU ’97). We got reconnected after some years out of touch and she’s one of my greatest unexpected blessings this year! We have a beautiful townhome that’s often full of new and old friends, laughter, and late-night talks.
Another experience I didn’t expect this summer was the chance to travel to France! My sister Tiffany was a student there through an IU honors program. My mom had the opportunity to learn about the high school program overseas and I very quickly hopped on the plane with her! It was a three-week adventure: visiting the students, speaking the language, getting lost driving through miles of countryside, sitting on the rocks on the coastline at sunset…but the French people were my favorite part. We dove into their culture and got “out of our comfort zones.” I wish I could tell you about the whole trip. From café owners to cathedral visitors, from pedestrians to Parisians—we met so many incredible people. It was as if God was saying, “Look beyond what’s happening in your little corner. Open your eyes wider to see what I’m doing all over the world. I’ll show you step by step where I want you to go—in Indy, Chicago, overseas, or just next door…Participate with eagerness in the larger plan I have for you. GO! Give me glory wherever you are!”
God is not afraid to live, or to love.
What do you do when God says,
“Go! Love the way I ask you to! Live the way I want you to?”
At just the right time, God conceived a son in Mary. I’m sure she didn’t fully comprehend what this miracle would mean. But God’s plan is not dependent on our understanding. Mary’s answer was, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38). Oh, that we all might live with the kind of courage that is free to trust in God completely!
I am in my 5th year working at Traders Point Christian Academy, my 2nd year as the school counselor for students in preschool-8th grade. It’s a ministry that requires a lot of me and I’m learning all the time. Some days I’m reluctant and feel ill-equipped to involve myself in the children’s pain and trouble…I feel the weight of the responsibility of this type of ministry. Other days, I am ready to dive in because I recognize that God is working in me. I have so many stories of the things He has done to bring healing in students’ lives. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to record the growth I see in them daily, and to disciple them in their new faith.
I love getting down on the kid level, looking them in the eyes, and saying in different ways, “Getting better is going to be a lot of work. We’re going to cry and pray and wonder and wrestle with hard things. But we’re going to do this together. I’m not going to leave you when you’re hurting. It’s going to take a lot of time, but you are so worth it!”
God would do anything just to be with us.
What do you do when you realize His sacrifice?
When I consider the way God loves, I am in awe. He never gives up. He is unafraid. He loves until it hurts, then loves some more. He doesn’t think about what He will lose; His only thought is for His people. He gives up his most prized possession. Think about that. He didn’t send His son to simply visit us. He sent Christ to die for us. He wanted us to do MORE than exist. He wanted us to really live. His birth, His death, His Spirit left behind, His return someday for those who have given their hearts to Him…it’s all God’s way of saying, “I want to be with you.”
When I consider the way God loves, I am challenged. I want to really live, not for myself, but for God. I want to be OPEN to the plan of God—even when my heart is broken, as it has been this year. When I love, I want to give my whole self, patiently and purely. I want to stop counting the cost and start loving. I want to be found with my arms out-stretched, ready for all the joy and all the pain involved in people’s lives…Through Christ, I want my imperfect love to be fierce and full, wild and real, merciful and courageous, and so complete. Christ is the only true example of that kind of dangerous, honest love.
When we follow Him, we get it. We understand that real love is never simple, but it’s worth all the hard work. We understand that God gets the glory when we love well. And, we know that when we turn the next corner, God will surprise us with another chance to LIVE, to LOVE, to GIVE.
“Our notion of sacrifice is the wringing out of us something we don’t want to give up, full of pain and agony and distress. The Bible’s idea of sacrifice is that I give as love-gift of the very best thing I have.” Oswald Chambers
“There is no greater invitation to love than loving first.” St. Augustine
Dear Friends and Family:
Many people agree that Christmas is about “love.” By this they might mean the love of presents or big fat men in red suits or time off from work. They might say that you can’t have Christmas at all without the love of a mother for her child or a husband for his wife or a family for their friends. And they’re right. Christmas is about love.
But this love is not cheap or simple or plain. If we think of the Christmas story itself, we will realize that the love God demonstrated when He sent Christ to the world is not merely warm and fuzzy or sentimental or weak.
God chooses to give the kind of love that is
fierce and full of Himself and wild and courageous and risky and dangerous and merciful and REAL.
So many of you have been my examples this year. You live out this kind of love. You have demonstrated right before my eyes how to give more of yourselves to Christ and to others. I have been with you—celebrating miracles, counting tears, laughing, seeking God’s will, getting to know you better, deeper, WELL. It has been quite a journey and here are a few things I’ve learned over the past 12 months that encourage me to praise Him more. These are evidences that God is LORD, in the Christmas story, and in my own life. Look at what He has done with his real, true, pure love:
God’s love is not predictable.
What do you do when God completely surprises you?
God chose a few lonely shepherds on a hillside to be the first to hear of Christ’s birth. What if they had said, “God, this is not the Savior we have in mind—send Him back and we’ll wait for the one we want?” I’ve learned this year in new ways that I never know what God is going to do tomorrow, who He’ll bring into my life, or how He’ll make use of things. What God desires is for my heart to be open to the amazing gifts He wants to give in my life—He will make me ready for the changes He ordains. One of many surprises is that in January I moved in with a new roommate, Christi Childs (TU ’97). We got reconnected after some years out of touch and she’s one of my greatest unexpected blessings this year! We have a beautiful townhome that’s often full of new and old friends, laughter, and late-night talks.
Another experience I didn’t expect this summer was the chance to travel to France! My sister Tiffany was a student there through an IU honors program. My mom had the opportunity to learn about the high school program overseas and I very quickly hopped on the plane with her! It was a three-week adventure: visiting the students, speaking the language, getting lost driving through miles of countryside, sitting on the rocks on the coastline at sunset…but the French people were my favorite part. We dove into their culture and got “out of our comfort zones.” I wish I could tell you about the whole trip. From café owners to cathedral visitors, from pedestrians to Parisians—we met so many incredible people. It was as if God was saying, “Look beyond what’s happening in your little corner. Open your eyes wider to see what I’m doing all over the world. I’ll show you step by step where I want you to go—in Indy, Chicago, overseas, or just next door…Participate with eagerness in the larger plan I have for you. GO! Give me glory wherever you are!”
God is not afraid to live, or to love.
What do you do when God says,
“Go! Love the way I ask you to! Live the way I want you to?”
At just the right time, God conceived a son in Mary. I’m sure she didn’t fully comprehend what this miracle would mean. But God’s plan is not dependent on our understanding. Mary’s answer was, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38). Oh, that we all might live with the kind of courage that is free to trust in God completely!
I am in my 5th year working at Traders Point Christian Academy, my 2nd year as the school counselor for students in preschool-8th grade. It’s a ministry that requires a lot of me and I’m learning all the time. Some days I’m reluctant and feel ill-equipped to involve myself in the children’s pain and trouble…I feel the weight of the responsibility of this type of ministry. Other days, I am ready to dive in because I recognize that God is working in me. I have so many stories of the things He has done to bring healing in students’ lives. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to record the growth I see in them daily, and to disciple them in their new faith.
I love getting down on the kid level, looking them in the eyes, and saying in different ways, “Getting better is going to be a lot of work. We’re going to cry and pray and wonder and wrestle with hard things. But we’re going to do this together. I’m not going to leave you when you’re hurting. It’s going to take a lot of time, but you are so worth it!”
God would do anything just to be with us.
What do you do when you realize His sacrifice?
When I consider the way God loves, I am in awe. He never gives up. He is unafraid. He loves until it hurts, then loves some more. He doesn’t think about what He will lose; His only thought is for His people. He gives up his most prized possession. Think about that. He didn’t send His son to simply visit us. He sent Christ to die for us. He wanted us to do MORE than exist. He wanted us to really live. His birth, His death, His Spirit left behind, His return someday for those who have given their hearts to Him…it’s all God’s way of saying, “I want to be with you.”
When I consider the way God loves, I am challenged. I want to really live, not for myself, but for God. I want to be OPEN to the plan of God—even when my heart is broken, as it has been this year. When I love, I want to give my whole self, patiently and purely. I want to stop counting the cost and start loving. I want to be found with my arms out-stretched, ready for all the joy and all the pain involved in people’s lives…Through Christ, I want my imperfect love to be fierce and full, wild and real, merciful and courageous, and so complete. Christ is the only true example of that kind of dangerous, honest love.
When we follow Him, we get it. We understand that real love is never simple, but it’s worth all the hard work. We understand that God gets the glory when we love well. And, we know that when we turn the next corner, God will surprise us with another chance to LIVE, to LOVE, to GIVE.
“Our notion of sacrifice is the wringing out of us something we don’t want to give up, full of pain and agony and distress. The Bible’s idea of sacrifice is that I give as love-gift of the very best thing I have.” Oswald Chambers
Christmas Letter: 2001
Christmas, 2001
“O, Come all Ye Faithful, Joyful, and Triumphant
O Come Ye, O Come Ye to Bethlehem,
Come and Adore Him, born the King of Angels…”
Dear Friends and Family—
Hello! I’m at school today, where, I suppose, I’m expected to have my mind on my work. Instead, I’m thinking of you.
You see, we just finished our weekly chapel. It’s on Wednesdays—every Wednesday from 8:45-9:30 at Traders Point Christian Academy. I’m in my 3rd year of teaching there, working with learning disabled students 3 days a week. Today was like every other, I suppose—we filed in the chapel and prepared the kids for worship and hearing the Word. Admittedly, my mind was full, thinking of all the things I had to do today—I was busy. I almost missed the beauty around me. I almost didn’t see it at all.
The kids were singing Christmas songs at the top of their lungs. “O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL”…”GLORY TO THE NEWBORN KING”…They had a joy that would have inspired them to run outside and make angels in the snow (that is, if we had any snow)! I could tell some of the children, while looking out the windows, could imagine the snow. They were probably wondering why it was invisible to adults. J
The children are busy, too. One child was worried about something he lost yesterday and another was “stressed” about show-and-tell later this afternoon. They have math timed tests to take and recess games to win. But yet, they took time to sing songs—worship songs. On a Wednesday. With not a Christmas present in sight. The kids’ joy told me they really understood the words they were singing…born the King of Angels—do they know what that means? It seemed, with all their smiles, they did know. That’s when I thought of you and I—the adults. Do we “get it”? Do we know what we are singing about?
OH, COME: The song reminds us, all of us, to come to Jesus. I’ve learned so much this year about taking time to worship, even in places like the car, in line at the post office, overseas in the Ukraine this summer—anywhere is a good place to be in His presence. Grace Community Church in Noblesville has become a home for me, in many ways. I’m challenged there to remember that life is to be lived in community; that when Jesus calls His people we should answer Him together, as a unit. Many times, I’m tempted to believe the lie that my life belongs to me. When we come to Him, we remember that God has a plan for us, He will take care of us, and our lives can be full of His blessings rather than our busyness.
ALL YE FAITHFUL: This song calls Christians faithful people. What, or who, brings out faithfulness in you? I’m still earning my Master’s Degree in School Counseling at Butler University in Indianapolis (the key word here is still). I graduate in May, so I’m filling out job applications and praying about the best place to use my counseling training. My passion for students has intensified in the past year as I’ve worked in the counseling offices of area schools. If only I had room in my apartment to take some of these kids home; it’s difficult to work with them for a little while and send them home, knowing what they experience there. My job with learning disabled kids has given me real day-to-day experience as a child advocate, something every counselor needs! I’ve learned this year that faithfulness is obedience with a heart. When the alarm goes off in the morning, we’re called to obey, to get up, and to go to our workplaces. But faithfulness is getting up, going, and remembering that work is a divine appointment, a place to put feet on our passions for the work of God in the world.
ALL YE JOYFUL: Come, all ye joyful…When was the last time you were truly full of joy? Go ahead. Think back. To this morning, last month, maybe even last year. I absolutely love this fact: God’s plan for each of us will include assigning us tasks that give us joy. What you most like to do, God will most likely ask you to do. This is because your joy is part of what gives God glory. Isn’t that powerful? I’ve realized this year that I’ve spent some wasted “joy-less” time choosing to do things that don’t give God the honor He deserves. So, I’m changing. I simply want more joy. I want my mind to be full of reminders of who God is, not full of worry. So, I’m signing up for less things, in order to give more to some things. I’m spending more time with people who encourage. I’m writing more. I’m learning to be gentle, rather than hard, on myself. These choices have made my time with God fuller, more enjoyable. That’s what He wants!
ALL YE TRIUMPHANT: O come all ye triumphant…I don’t think I’ve ever really thought about these words in this song. Triumphant, here, refers to us, not to God. That’s hard for me to grasp, because it’s not a word I would use to describe myself, most of the time. We are called to be the servants of God in the world, sounding His trumpet and telling His truth. We might be asking ourselves, are triumph or praise possible in a world of terrorism? Sometimes, lately, it feels like it will always be Sept. 11, 2001—like the clock has stopped somehow. In a sense, until Jesus comes back, that’s true. But God has always known that real love is experienced when it’s chosen, not forced. We are not robots. He’s given us choice—the freedom to love Him, or not.
It’s true. We live in a world where we can choose to turn away from the goodness of God. We can choose to stand in the rubble of New York City and believe that’s all there is to life—disappointment, destruction, fear. But there is another choice. We can come to Jesus, knowing Who He Is, and stand triumphant because we know this is not our home. Jesus came to us to bring us back to Him. He was born in the midst of our fallen world, in the “rubble” of a stable. He was born for you, that you might live in triumph! Are you doing that? He died on a mountain with His arms outstretched…think about that, the hope of that for you. I think a mountain was a chosen way of saying, “Come up here, my children. It’s time for you to come up from the low country, from your despair, from your pits of rubble, and start living. For my Spirit is here for you now, and we will live together in heaven on the highest mountains of all!”
I saw Sound of Music recently and I love that first scene—Julie Andrews singing, high on a mountain, at the top of her lungs. It’s a mental picture for me of triumphant dependence of God, acknowledging that He is our rest and our joy. When I pray, I try to picture myself on a mountain, “Lord, I want it all. I want all your plans for me, all your best for my life. I open wide my arms and my spirit soars with your joy. I can’t help but sing to you, for “Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, you who have done great things. Who, O God, is like you?” Psalm 71:19
COME AND ADORE HIM, BORN THE KING OF ANGELS: I hope, this Christmas, the beauty of Who God Is doesn’t pass you by. I love all of you and I thank you for the many ways you challenge me to love God with more of my heart. I don’t know what is ahead of me. None of us knows what 2002 holds for us. We can’t even predict what will happen 5 minutes from now. But we can rest. We can live faithfully, joyfully, triumphant. After all, the King of Angels is charge and only the best is ahead of us. When the snow does come to Indiana, I’ve decided to make as many snow angels as humanly possible. I am a child of God, but I’ve also decided to be a teacher with a child’s heart. One of my new year’s resolutions is to never lose sight of the wonder of life—to consciously live in the spirit of joy God gives.
Thankful for each of you,
Summer
“O, Come all Ye Faithful, Joyful, and Triumphant
O Come Ye, O Come Ye to Bethlehem,
Come and Adore Him, born the King of Angels…”
Dear Friends and Family—
Hello! I’m at school today, where, I suppose, I’m expected to have my mind on my work. Instead, I’m thinking of you.
You see, we just finished our weekly chapel. It’s on Wednesdays—every Wednesday from 8:45-9:30 at Traders Point Christian Academy. I’m in my 3rd year of teaching there, working with learning disabled students 3 days a week. Today was like every other, I suppose—we filed in the chapel and prepared the kids for worship and hearing the Word. Admittedly, my mind was full, thinking of all the things I had to do today—I was busy. I almost missed the beauty around me. I almost didn’t see it at all.
The kids were singing Christmas songs at the top of their lungs. “O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL”…”GLORY TO THE NEWBORN KING”…They had a joy that would have inspired them to run outside and make angels in the snow (that is, if we had any snow)! I could tell some of the children, while looking out the windows, could imagine the snow. They were probably wondering why it was invisible to adults. J
The children are busy, too. One child was worried about something he lost yesterday and another was “stressed” about show-and-tell later this afternoon. They have math timed tests to take and recess games to win. But yet, they took time to sing songs—worship songs. On a Wednesday. With not a Christmas present in sight. The kids’ joy told me they really understood the words they were singing…born the King of Angels—do they know what that means? It seemed, with all their smiles, they did know. That’s when I thought of you and I—the adults. Do we “get it”? Do we know what we are singing about?
OH, COME: The song reminds us, all of us, to come to Jesus. I’ve learned so much this year about taking time to worship, even in places like the car, in line at the post office, overseas in the Ukraine this summer—anywhere is a good place to be in His presence. Grace Community Church in Noblesville has become a home for me, in many ways. I’m challenged there to remember that life is to be lived in community; that when Jesus calls His people we should answer Him together, as a unit. Many times, I’m tempted to believe the lie that my life belongs to me. When we come to Him, we remember that God has a plan for us, He will take care of us, and our lives can be full of His blessings rather than our busyness.
ALL YE FAITHFUL: This song calls Christians faithful people. What, or who, brings out faithfulness in you? I’m still earning my Master’s Degree in School Counseling at Butler University in Indianapolis (the key word here is still). I graduate in May, so I’m filling out job applications and praying about the best place to use my counseling training. My passion for students has intensified in the past year as I’ve worked in the counseling offices of area schools. If only I had room in my apartment to take some of these kids home; it’s difficult to work with them for a little while and send them home, knowing what they experience there. My job with learning disabled kids has given me real day-to-day experience as a child advocate, something every counselor needs! I’ve learned this year that faithfulness is obedience with a heart. When the alarm goes off in the morning, we’re called to obey, to get up, and to go to our workplaces. But faithfulness is getting up, going, and remembering that work is a divine appointment, a place to put feet on our passions for the work of God in the world.
ALL YE JOYFUL: Come, all ye joyful…When was the last time you were truly full of joy? Go ahead. Think back. To this morning, last month, maybe even last year. I absolutely love this fact: God’s plan for each of us will include assigning us tasks that give us joy. What you most like to do, God will most likely ask you to do. This is because your joy is part of what gives God glory. Isn’t that powerful? I’ve realized this year that I’ve spent some wasted “joy-less” time choosing to do things that don’t give God the honor He deserves. So, I’m changing. I simply want more joy. I want my mind to be full of reminders of who God is, not full of worry. So, I’m signing up for less things, in order to give more to some things. I’m spending more time with people who encourage. I’m writing more. I’m learning to be gentle, rather than hard, on myself. These choices have made my time with God fuller, more enjoyable. That’s what He wants!
ALL YE TRIUMPHANT: O come all ye triumphant…I don’t think I’ve ever really thought about these words in this song. Triumphant, here, refers to us, not to God. That’s hard for me to grasp, because it’s not a word I would use to describe myself, most of the time. We are called to be the servants of God in the world, sounding His trumpet and telling His truth. We might be asking ourselves, are triumph or praise possible in a world of terrorism? Sometimes, lately, it feels like it will always be Sept. 11, 2001—like the clock has stopped somehow. In a sense, until Jesus comes back, that’s true. But God has always known that real love is experienced when it’s chosen, not forced. We are not robots. He’s given us choice—the freedom to love Him, or not.
It’s true. We live in a world where we can choose to turn away from the goodness of God. We can choose to stand in the rubble of New York City and believe that’s all there is to life—disappointment, destruction, fear. But there is another choice. We can come to Jesus, knowing Who He Is, and stand triumphant because we know this is not our home. Jesus came to us to bring us back to Him. He was born in the midst of our fallen world, in the “rubble” of a stable. He was born for you, that you might live in triumph! Are you doing that? He died on a mountain with His arms outstretched…think about that, the hope of that for you. I think a mountain was a chosen way of saying, “Come up here, my children. It’s time for you to come up from the low country, from your despair, from your pits of rubble, and start living. For my Spirit is here for you now, and we will live together in heaven on the highest mountains of all!”
I saw Sound of Music recently and I love that first scene—Julie Andrews singing, high on a mountain, at the top of her lungs. It’s a mental picture for me of triumphant dependence of God, acknowledging that He is our rest and our joy. When I pray, I try to picture myself on a mountain, “Lord, I want it all. I want all your plans for me, all your best for my life. I open wide my arms and my spirit soars with your joy. I can’t help but sing to you, for “Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, you who have done great things. Who, O God, is like you?” Psalm 71:19
COME AND ADORE HIM, BORN THE KING OF ANGELS: I hope, this Christmas, the beauty of Who God Is doesn’t pass you by. I love all of you and I thank you for the many ways you challenge me to love God with more of my heart. I don’t know what is ahead of me. None of us knows what 2002 holds for us. We can’t even predict what will happen 5 minutes from now. But we can rest. We can live faithfully, joyfully, triumphant. After all, the King of Angels is charge and only the best is ahead of us. When the snow does come to Indiana, I’ve decided to make as many snow angels as humanly possible. I am a child of God, but I’ve also decided to be a teacher with a child’s heart. One of my new year’s resolutions is to never lose sight of the wonder of life—to consciously live in the spirit of joy God gives.
Thankful for each of you,
Summer
Recounting Our History with God
At church this weekend, our pastor was talking about the value of recounting the things that God has done in our lives.
I was looking through some old journals on Sunday and found some Christmas letters I've sent out in the past few years. What a reminder these letters were of the faithfulness of God!
My next few posts will be a few of these letters. I haven't sent one out in a few years, but I promise, in December I will renew this annual tradition. :)
I was looking through some old journals on Sunday and found some Christmas letters I've sent out in the past few years. What a reminder these letters were of the faithfulness of God!
My next few posts will be a few of these letters. I haven't sent one out in a few years, but I promise, in December I will renew this annual tradition. :)
I joined the world of blogging!
Remember this line from the Sound of Music film?
"Let's start at the very beginning...a very good place to start..."
Well, this is me. A newborn baby in the world of blogging, wide-eyed and ready to see what this is all about! Thanks to all of you who have given me encouragement to write more, write well, and write now.
Back in college, I was living and breathing the art of writing---doing it all the time and "in the zone." I knew it was time to declare an English major when I called my mom and said, "I just LOVE writing all these papers!" :) I worked in the writing center at Taylor University, helping other students find that perfect paragraph that expressed their desired outcome exactly. Whenever I was able to do that, I had the same feeling that a basketball player probably has when he scores the 3-pointer in the last second of the game. There is such a natural high for me when it comes to words and languages and the people who use them.
Since college, I have been writing, but, honestly, I haven't had the "go-get-em" kind of courage I used to have about sending things out for possible publication--or even sharing my work with others who know me well. I want to use this blog as a catalyst to change that. I'm hoping the blog will jump-start my "writer's block" and "writer's fear"---possibly opening larger doors to my dream of paid publication. I AM a writer and it is time to celebrate that, devote time to it, and enjoy it publicly again. God knows how He's gifted me and I want to use my writing to bring Him glory.
I don't quite know how I'll use this forum, but here are some ideas floating around in my excited head: book reviews, commentaries on public events, editorials, travel diary entries, moments of reflection on God (who He is, what He's done, His goodness, His mysteries), insights about the little beautiful things in life that pop out at me randomly, etc.
Thanks for joining me on this journey to step out and do something new! It'll take me some time to figure out all the cool things I can do on here!
Till the next post,
Summer
"Let's start at the very beginning...a very good place to start..."
Well, this is me. A newborn baby in the world of blogging, wide-eyed and ready to see what this is all about! Thanks to all of you who have given me encouragement to write more, write well, and write now.
Back in college, I was living and breathing the art of writing---doing it all the time and "in the zone." I knew it was time to declare an English major when I called my mom and said, "I just LOVE writing all these papers!" :) I worked in the writing center at Taylor University, helping other students find that perfect paragraph that expressed their desired outcome exactly. Whenever I was able to do that, I had the same feeling that a basketball player probably has when he scores the 3-pointer in the last second of the game. There is such a natural high for me when it comes to words and languages and the people who use them.
Since college, I have been writing, but, honestly, I haven't had the "go-get-em" kind of courage I used to have about sending things out for possible publication--or even sharing my work with others who know me well. I want to use this blog as a catalyst to change that. I'm hoping the blog will jump-start my "writer's block" and "writer's fear"---possibly opening larger doors to my dream of paid publication. I AM a writer and it is time to celebrate that, devote time to it, and enjoy it publicly again. God knows how He's gifted me and I want to use my writing to bring Him glory.
I don't quite know how I'll use this forum, but here are some ideas floating around in my excited head: book reviews, commentaries on public events, editorials, travel diary entries, moments of reflection on God (who He is, what He's done, His goodness, His mysteries), insights about the little beautiful things in life that pop out at me randomly, etc.
Thanks for joining me on this journey to step out and do something new! It'll take me some time to figure out all the cool things I can do on here!
Till the next post,
Summer
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