Archive for November 2014

Dragoste este....Love is....

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Tonight I had the complete privilege of starting our two month (or so) Bible Study on Love.   I have been researching and studying and we have been so busy lately, and I just felt grumpy tonight when I came home to do my last minute preparations.  My sweet, patient, and kind husband (the BETTER half of Team Jones), could see my frustrations and quietly sat down at the table with me and opened his Bible.  I was looking through my notes and laughing (rather sardonically) at God for the topic that He chose for this week-when, at that moment I was quite "unlovable".  You know when you just want to be mad about something.  Like you are grumpy and you just need to be grumpy?  That is where I was.  Then I began reviewing my notes of what love is (as defined in 1 Corinthians 13 and others).  My tense shoulders started loosening.  Brian wrote down a few verses and notes for me to consider adding to the Bible Study tonight...and I felt my grumpiness melting away (sure...five minutes before I was holding on to the grumpiness with all that I had).  But, Then I looked across the table at my man epitomizing what Paul says love is.  He was being patient....and kind...and unselfish.  He was loving me even when I was really being quite a stinker!  My heart melted and the verses Brian chose for me were just beautiful additions.  One of the verses was from Song of Songs 8:6-7.  On the page he handed me, his lefty chicken scratch said: " These verses were written about a young couple in love...but it is an allegory (it mirrors)God's never ending relentless love for us".  I love that man, y'all.  These verses got me so excited about Bible Study.  I reviewed the plan with Brian and I just couldn't WAIT to get to Bible Study with our girls.  I was busting at the seams to share what God had revealed to me.
  In Bible Study, we talked about what we think love is and what true love is and how the world changes our view of love.....then we looked to God's instruction book for our lives.  I know you have probably heard 1 Corinthians 13 at more weddings than you can imagine (we had those verses read at our wedding as well), but tonight it hit me.  These verses aren't just about marital love...they are about the loving "others" that He COMMANDS us to do.  God expects us to be patient, kind, not jealous, not boastful, not proud or arrogant,  to endure even in the uncomfortable times, and to chose love.  He expects us to behave that way with OTHERS.  Not just those in our immediate circle.  Yes, these verses are important for marriage...but they are important for all relationships.  You probably already "got" that message....but it hit me tonight.  After sharing scripture and discussing the attributes of love according to God, and how much God loves us and that His love is the blueprint for how we should love others.  I ended with the verses from Song of Songs 8:6-7...this is how my Bible(NLT) reads:

Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm.
For love is as strong as death,
its jealousy as enduring as the grave
Love flashes like fire
the brightest kinds of flame
Many waters cannot quench love,
nor can rivers drown it.  
If a man tried to buy love
with all his wealth,
his offer would be utterly scorned. 

You may not find this is as  amazing as I did.  But my Savior pursues me!  His love for me is relentless...even when I am grumpy and fail miserably....even when I am selfish with my time and my gifts...He pursues ME!  Even when I am just plain awful....My God chases after me.  Nothing can separate me from His love.  He is patient and kind and doesn't keep records of any of the mean things I have done.  He loves me....and He wants me to love HIM....and He wants me to show His love to others.  Y'all.  This was good stuff for me.  We talked about the importance of understanding His love for us and what His love looks like.  If we don't have His love...we can't be love.  We can't share love.  Without love, We are just noise....we have nothing and we are nothing.  Paul told the Corinthians that LOVE is the most powerful gift God has given us!  I cannot wait to dig deeper into this with our girls next week!  Friends, I hope you know that God loves you.  Like HE LOVES YOU...not like you love Chick -Fil-a or how you love SEC football...HIS LOVE iS SOOOOO MUCH BIGGER THAN ANYTHING OUR BRAINS CAN FATHOM!  
That is good stuff y'all.  I hope you know that God loves you and I do to!!!

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Tuesday, November 4, 2014



Hello friends!
   I haven't had a chance to share this with you just yet!  Our friends Ken and Emily have recently started a new business.  They are designing and making some awesome mouse inspired shirts like these:





Aren't these shirts amazing?  I really want one...but to ship it to Moldova would be a bit much:)

Each month they will be giving part of the proceeds of their sales to a favorite missionary or cause.    Our friends chose Team Jones in Moldova to support this month!  Yeah!!!   They have a write up about us here.  Please take a moment and go check out their amazing designs and consider supporting us by purchasing some AWESOME shirts!!!  November is Team Jones month!!!  Go check out Wear A Happy Thought today and do some Christmas shopping:)

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Bucolic Surroundings

This morning as I was walking down the dusty gray dirt road to our big van, my ears were filled with the sounds of dogs barking, cows bellowing, roosters crowing and chickens clucking their morning greetings.  These sounds are part of my life every day, the sound of gravel crunching, dust settling, and creaky iron gates opening mix with the sounds of animals and make for a beautiful symphony of country living.  When I look out of my window, I see herds of cows and goats and a beautiful walnut orchard.  All of these sights and sounds blend  and just overwhelm me sometimes.  Who am I that God thinks I belong here....working in this beautiful country with these beautiful people?  Who am I that God thinks I am capable and competent enough to be a part of the lives of some of the most amazing young people in the world?   When I look at the smiles and laughing eyes of our girls and guys here...God just stops my heart.  He just overwhelms me with how amazing He is.  When I am with  our guys and girls, I  feel like my heart might literally burst with all the love I have for them.  They are so amazing...and God chose me and Brian to be here.  Of all the people in the world, God chose us.  I am rambling, but God just overwhelms me with His love and goodness sometimes. I pray that my ears and eyes never tire of the beautiful sounds and sights of our bucolic surroundings...I pray that they never become so common that I take the beauty for granted. I pray that my heart always feels overwhelmed with love....and that I never ever forget the miracle that is the lives of my family here.

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