May 2017

YOU GIVE!! (AND TAKE AWAY...)

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God you give and take away
Oh you give and take away
But my heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

Matt Redman - Blessed Be Your Name Lyrics | MetroLyrics

The words of this song rang true last week as we worshiped the Lord with our friends Charlie and Camille for the last time before they left Costa Rica. Charlie and Camille had come to Costa Rica just days after we did on a study abroad program.  They're Glenn's former students from Central Christian College of Kansas, and having them here for the past 3+ months helped us to feel a little more at "home". But their classes had finished, and it was time to say goodbye. At the same time Glenn and I finished our first trimester at the language school, and it was time to say goodbye to friends from the school who were graduating. And if you know me, you know how I hate saying goodbye.

During our first major ministry move, I was struggling to leave a church we loved, filled with friends we love.  The superintendent's wife said to me, "Ministry is full of 'Hi's' and 'Goodbyes.' You better get used to it." And after 18 years of ministry, that has been more true than I could have imagined, and I've never gotten used to it.  However, as we were gathered with our friends, singing this song for the final time together it really hit me, friends may be near or far away, but my heart will choose to say, "Lord, blessed be Your name!"  What an awesome prayer!  

We can put most anything into this verse such as jobs will come or jobs will go, homes will come and homes will go, it really isn't important which of life's circumstances are in focus, what matters is the cry of our heart. I always want my heart to choose to say, "Lord, blessed be Your name!"

Our new trimester will begin soon, so we will soon be saying hello to new friendships, and we know that these new friends will be moving to new countries a few months from now. But for now we focus on the "hello," on the friendship we can share, and on the mutual encouragement we can be for each other with the time we have together.

I love having friends who live all over the country and around the world.  My life is better because God has given me so many amazing people in my life.  So God, thank you for giving us people to be in community with.  God, thank you for giving us people who want to impact the world with your love, even if it means being far away from those we love. I pray our hearts will always choose to say, "Lord, blessed be Your name!"

The rainy season has begun.

The rainy season has begun.

April 2017

WE ARE DEFINED BY...

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I had a big exam in my grammar class on the last Friday of March.  It lasted two hours and included both perfect and imperfect past tense in Spanish.  After we received our exams, our teacher, Ana, was going over the test with us. One of the students was certain he was going to fail. He asked, "Am I defined by this exam?"  She said, no we are not defined by our exams but by our character all trimester.  This made me think of our tests in life.  Do my struggles, failures, choices, and tests in life define who I am?  I truly believe the answer is the same answer that Ana gave, no.  But I do believe that my tests, struggles, failures, and choices impact who I am, even if they don't define who I am.  A year ago, I was struggling as a mom just thinking about moving my kids overseas.  Now I struggle with living in a new country, being a full-time student, mom, wife, ect.  In my past I have struggled with losing my father-n-law to ALS, experiencing miscarriages, going to seminary, moving to a new city, and the list could go on and on.  All of these experiences have impacted who I am, but none of them define me.  So what defines us?  Our relationship to Jesus is what defines us.  I am a child of God, because Jesus loved me enough to die for me and make a way for me to live a life of freedom and wholeness.  I accepted that gift of grace and began this journey at camp when I was 14 years old.  I am defined by my relationship to my Father, my God. I am his child.  As Semana Santa (Holy Week) will begin in a few days, let's remember that we are not defined by what we cannot do, or what we've done that we shouldn't have done.  But we are defined by the fact that Jesus came to earth as a little baby and grew up to die on the cross for our sins so that we could live.  There is hope in this messed up world, and his name is Jesus.

Lorenz Happenings.

It's been a busy month: A trip to see Volcán Arenal, Fun with friends in the park, and science fair projects.  All four kids did great in the science fair.  Both Libby and Ellie got first place in their classes. 

March 2017

Meet Yay Duck and Yuck Duck

When our family had the privilege of attending MTI (Missionary Training Institute) last August, we were introduced to Yay and Yuck Duck.  They are a "pair-of-ducks" that represent the paradox of the good parts and difficult parts of life. A paradox is a statement that seems self-contradictory or absurd, but in reality it expresses two truths. Much of life, whether living overseas or in Anywhere, USA, is a paradox. For example I love snow, but hate the cold. Both statements are true, but they seem to contradict each other. Finishing our second month here of language school in Costa Rica we took time to check in with our kids during our family devotions to see how they are doing. We asked them to give us a Yay Duck and Yuck Duck from their first two months.  I so was pleased by their responses that I wanted to share them.  Ellie said, "Our house is small, but I like learning Spanish as a family."  Jakin answered, "The Ticos always get my name wrong, but I got a new drum."  Isaac responded, "Learning Spanish is hard, but I'm glad that I am learning Spanish."  Libby said, "My Yuck duck is loosing my freedom, (since she has to be escorted everywhere she goes), but other than that everything else is a Yay Duck."  Glenn and I had the same Yay Duck, spending more time with our family.  We all walk to school together and are more consistent about worshipping together as a family at home.  Glenn's Yuck duck was that our furniture isn't very comfortable, while mine is learning Spanish is very difficult.  

Many of you know that I've been concerned for our kids moving to a new culture, language, and school.  But I want you to know that God has answered so many prayers.  Thank you for praying for us and our kids.  Thank you for your thoughtful notes of encouragement and personal expressions of kindness.  I was also thankful for the things that were not Yuck Ducks for the kids.  No one mentioned all of the walking we have to do, or that they hate it here and want to go back home, or that they miss the things of home.  I understand we have not finished going through culture shock as a family, but I wanted to celebrate with you that God is good and we are doing well.