God is BIG!

A year of impossibilities, changes, and full of God’s greatness, I am sitting down to write this, soaking it all in, relishing how personal God is to me and how real and Big He desires me to see Him. My theme this year that “God is BIG” has had its daily battles, but also many doses of unfathomable prominence of how awesome our God is. Day after day, trial after trial, happiness after happiness, it is my quest to see God’s greatness. I want my eyes to see more of His power, my heart to feel His constant presence, my mind to dream the impossible, my ears to hear of His power, my soul to seek more and more of Him. God is BIG and I believe with all of my heart that to be true. I want to apply and live Him out in all that I do. It is under His guidance and direction that I tread.

I am currently treading under the title of Ministry Administrator for Thrive Africa as Niel and Alece continue to be on extended furlough in the states. It has meant a lot of adjustment including overseeing and being heavily involved in more areas of the ministry. What a great opportunity to continue to see the vastness of God and experience all that He has for this ministry and the gorgeous people of South Africa. It has also given me the great pleasure to trust Him in all that is going on here. Not only am I supervising four areas of ministry, but I have also taken on another Director role for our Outreach department. I am helping to facilitate our mission teams from around the world, who are here to join with us to raise up leaders in South Africa through relationship evangelism and life exchange. In spending several days with a local family in their home, mission team members are able to share Christ and who He means to them personally, enabling hard conversations of ancestral worship to rise to the surface and be rectified in truth. God demands that He is the only one we worship and it is amazing to see people come together through cultural barriers and be bonded in that certainty.

I continue to function as the Leadership Summit director, working with our phenomenal coaches who bring me joy and display the essence of which Thrive was born; raising up leaders who will teach these great truths to others (II Timothy 2:2). I marvel at their growth and their dedication to God and His students as they travel each day to present God and His truth to students in their own community. They have become mentors, counselors, leaders, and friends. They are doing an amazing work for God’s kingdom and it is a joy to be apart of it.

I can’t wait to continue to share with you how God is BIG – in my life and in South Africa. Thank you for being so patient and understanding in my posts, and lack thereof, as I adjust to a new schedule and more responsibilities.

The Fam's Visit!

You can imagine what a blast I had with my family! How do I even start to capture….and explain all of it? My dad has done much better than I and has been able to capture and describe most of our events, so, as you are able, and want to read more about the Marion adventures, take a peak over at his blogging site, just click here. There are lots of stories to enjoy….at last count there are 23 entries! - Way to go Dad! There are a few fun photos as well. Enjoy! Feel free to comment here or there.

Introducing the Cornerstone Fellowship gang

I’m starting to relive the memories – it’s only been a few days since they have been gone. I’m starting to look through pictures and laugh at our many adventures together. I can’t wait to share them with you. But first, meet the gang. Here they are, the special Cornerstone Fellowship Mission Team: Greg and Muriel Jordan (attended my dad’s first church, the one I was born in), Margaret Mueller (secretary and treasurer of Cornerstone Fellowship, helping to keep all my monies in order), and Mom, Dad, “little” big Bro Andrew (aka Drewski) and my 8 (and a half as she corrects) precious and growing up little sister, Becca. Thanks for coming guys! I loved having you here!!!

Real Hard

It was hard. Real hard. Today I had to watch my family disappear into the crowd while I stood at the "only passengers allowed beyond this point" gate, tears streaming down my face, trying to hold my sobs in. I watched my mom, dad, brother and sister, turn around every few steps, standing on tip toes to see me one last time as we waved our special “I love you” sign. I couldn’t pull myself away from the glass. I couldn’t walk away. I cried harder and harder every time I caught what I thought would be the last glimpse of them. Their nearly 3 week visit to my home in South Africa was now fading into the streams of people flowing through airport customs. It was hard. Real hard. I miss them so much already.