Will there be tears in heaven? A look back at 2018

Today makes one year in Senegal. As we are at the end of our first year and the end of the calendar year I am forced to look back at a year that will not be forgotten. Please allow me to get reflective with you. In the end I hope reflection will lead us into a good future.

Survey: What would you ask?

Your participation with Flyleaf Digest makes writing for this blog fun and interesting. My favorite posts always come from the questions you ask me, in the comments or on Facebook. Today I would like to keep the conversation going. I created a short 10 question survey. The purpose of the survey is to explore your exposure to certain spiritual teachings and provide you an opportunity to ask more questions.

What is the Cost?

On the post Update: Welcome Lodgy KateKing90 Asked in the comments,

I am reminded of John 16:33, ‘In this world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!’ Praying that your church sites would see the Lord overcoming their tribulation and feel his hand raising them up over the turbulence. Praying for peace between the church and those who oppose her. Can you share any more about the site and what is going on where people are specifically opposed to building the church?

I am interested by your question because yes there is a specific answer to your question. (however, I will obscure some of the details of the answer just to protect the people who are involved.) The reason I find your question so interesting is that it lends itself to a greater question that we seldom face as Christians in the States.

When Joy Cries

This week Benjamin was born, child number four of four. I am forced to think back to a time in our marriage when things where much different. We sought the Lord in tears and prayer for eight years to have a child. Now we celebrate the birth of our fourth child. You would think, in this moment joy would be simple, and pure, and a bold statement of God triumphing over infertility in big and miraculous ways. Yes and amen, and yet, no.

Life is messy.

Update: Welcome Lodgy - Thank you!

I wanted to take some time to write to you, our faithful friends and followers.  The past few months we have experienced many difficult trials while in the midst of a massive transition between France and Senegal.  The culmination of those trials was the death of my father, a wonderful man, who will be truly missed. I cannot wait to see him again in the presence of Jesus. 

I want to say thank you to everyone who faithfully reads this blog or supports us through prayer and giving.  There was no mistaking the blessing and presence of God during that time.  This trial would have been much more debilitating if it were not for the out pouring of love from the body of Christ.  

God’s Lamentation Story (An Open Letter from David Hahn)

 (The following is an open letter my father, David Hahn, wrote with great physical and spiritual difficulty as he faced his final battle with brain cancer.  His desire was to share his love for God with his church when he could not but type with one trembling hand.  He wrote this letter to his congregation as an explanation of how God was drawing him into a greater intimacy and worship.  Please read and be blessed as I am blessed by his words.)

Don't Waste Your Depression

I recently shared a video, on Facebook, where a YouTuber spoke openly and honestly about his depression.  It was a powerful video, and an important plea for people to seek help. 

Many of you, my friends and faithful followers then asked me, on that thread, or in private messages, how I was doing and about my own struggle with depression. 

So here is my confession. I frequently battle depression.  In the past I have struggled with disordering depression.  At my worst I could lay all day on the floor under a blanket feeling naked and exposed as the spiritual weight of an anchor was pulling my soul out of my chest.  

When God is Quiet.

As I have mentioned before I don’t like to wait.  I don’t know if it is a spiritual flaw or something else, but I avoid waiting.  However, the reality of life is that we will always have something to wait for.  Right now I am waiting for a mechanic.  The vehicle I was riding in decided it did not want to go to the village today.  So we sit and wait. 

In this moment I have had some time to stop and think through the question, Paul Grenier, that you asked on Facebook. 

“Where have you felt the presence of God in your new home?”  

It's Shocking

Early on in our journey one of the most common questions about moving, and living, cross culturally is the question of cultural differences, and the idea of culture shock.  

WE LANDED!

We landed! Welcome to Africa.  We spent the last year, and some change, in France, learning French.  We changed the country of our destination in Africa.  And our family grew by another member now we are a family of 5.  And as the Language learning center in France was the most fertile place in the world we are expecting to be a family of 6 in July.  Ummm yeah, that was unexpected.