Well, I have had it on my heart to do a new blog for over a year now, and all of my other work has taken precedent. One being travel. Until now.

I love to learn. I love to write. And, I got a new computer last week after my old one crashed. So, no more excuses.

I have chosen Mark 12:30-31 for the basis of this blog.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Why? Partly, because Jesus said that there’s nothing more important than these things. So, that’s a pretty good reason. But I also feel like it covers everything that we experience, want to grow in, want to learn about and struggle with how to live.  Because, if I am to love God with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind and all my strength, as well as love my neighbor, what does that look like practically? And how? Is it ever too late? For me or my kids? What if I’m tired? What if I don’t really care?

Well, hopefully this will be a place of encouragement and hope. A place where you might even learn something, or better yet, be challenged to live something. I know one thing, I’m in it too. I’ve made a bunch of mistakes and I’ve worked hard to right wrongs done by me or to me. So, hopefully from my thoughts and ramblings, you will see that you are not alone. And that there is hope for every part of us: heart, soul, mind, strength. And even some left over to give to our neighbor.

And another thing I know, I must take care of my heart, soul, mind and body in order to function at my best. And I must live from a healthy place in my heart, soul, mind and body too. So, we will talk a lot about that.

Each blog will (hopefully) fit in to one of these categories. Here are just a few things that might be talked about. Just a start….

Heart – Healing for… Expressing our emotions. Our feelings.

Soul – What is our purpose? Meaning for why we live? What spiritual disciplines can we practice for our soul? What are some ways to explore spiritual formation.

Mind – Inform our intellect. Share what we are learning. Believing the truth of who Christ says we are.

Strength – Our bodies. Physical stuff. Healthy living. Rest.

Neighbor – Who is our neighbor? How do we love them? What matters to them?

You get the gist… I have learned a lot in these %$ years, and I want to give it away. I have stories to tell that need to be told. I have places and experiences to share with you that have changed me. And I live each day grateful for all that God has done for me. I don’t deserve it, but I want to give him the credit, and give him the glory so my grandkids will hear how big and awesome and powerful our God is. And hopefully you will see that too!