Owyhee Trip

Mike left yesterday for a one week trip on the Owyhee river. He and his team of  3 other guys will be leading a 6 day trip of kayaking for a group of Young Life students from Alaska. The last trip he did on the Owyhee was a little dangerous due to the water being extra high. Please pray for safety for the entire group (rapids will be tricky and rattle snakes are also very common in this area), open hearts where life change can occur, and a fun time on the river.

This summer has been filled with ups and downs. God has certainly been teaching us a lot about trusting in His guidance for our future and reliance on Him in all things. After Mike gets back from his trip on the Owyhee, he will go straight into 2 weeks of leading 3 rafting trips a day on the Main Payette river. As a wife, it has been such a joy to see Mike doing something he is good at and loves. Continued prayers for safety would be so appreciated! 

What a Stud!

God Story

I have been waiting to tell this story, mostly because I don't know how best to write it without it getting long and drawn out. I will do my best...

It was my prayer that by the end of the school year I would be able to secure a full time teaching position. I had high hopes when I was called in for an interview for a part time teaching position with Cole Valley Christian and a separate interview with a boys ranch just outside of Boise. I thought for sure that the Lord would provide through one of these two positions; even though I wasn't terribly excited about teaching only part time and the boys ranch would have been quite a new challenge. Even still, I had an open mind and was willing to go with it if that was the Lord's provision. I just wanted to be teaching again.

As most of you know, I did not receive either of those positions. What you may not know is that the week following both of those let-downs, I hit a pretty big wall. I was frustrated with God, unsure of his provision, scared of the unknown, and most of all feeling purposeless. My poor husband tried his best to reaffirm me and encourage me, but, truly, nothing he could say or do helped the situation. I just felt so low.

At the end of that week, Mike decided to take the day off of work to help take my mind off of life. We went for a bike ride, went to ice cream and just talked. When Mike leads rafting trips, he always asks the group a question to gage their spiritual state, so he asked me the same question. "If Jesus were in this boat with you, would he be guiding the boat, sitting next to you, or sitting in the hills?" My response, "I know that Jesus is guiding my boat, but I feel like he isn't even in the hills." Later I realized that that was a lesson Jesus was trying to teach me; the difference between relying on what I know to be true verses what I feel to be true.

That same night after our bike ride, I came home to message on my phone. It was the principle of Cole Valley Christian school asking if I would come in for an interview for a FULL time teaching position! She also mentioned that we would be talking about "the spiritual side of this job". For the first time in my life I was nervous to talk about "spiritual things". God and I weren't on good terms and even though I knew what God was trying to teach me, I felt like I was in a dessert without water. I had no idea how I would be able to talk about God or anything good that he was doing in my life.

In the interview, the first thing the man said was, "I have reviewed your application, resume, and letters of recommendation. Honestly, it all looks perfect and we aren't in the business of hiring perfect teachers. Tell me about a time in your life where you have struggled, doubted, and not been on good terms with God." It was in that moment I knew why God had allowed me to struggle so much the previous week. I looked at the man with tears in my eyes and I said, "I'm there right now. I am learning to rely on what I know to be true rather than what I feel to be true. But to be quite honest, it sucks."

The next day I was offered the job! I couldn't help but laugh. God had brought me to a low, I believe, because if I hadn't come to that low, I would have walked into that interview and would have pretended to be the "perfect" teacher. Funny, that's not what they were looking for. (Thankfully).

To add to this God story: It was last spring when I subbed for a teacher at Cole Valley. As I sat at this teacher's desk and looked around the room, I got this feeling in my spirit that that room would become my classroom. At the time I had no reason to think that and chalked it all up to wishful thinking. Yesterday I received my room assignment and NO joke---it is that exact room! God is CRAZY awesome. Sometimes it just takes longer...in his timing and sometimes we just have to be quiet, listen, and choose to follow even when we don't feel like it!

Love Life Like a Dog

 Early this morning Mike and I decided to be lazy and watch a TV show on the laptop while still in bed. To be kind, we let our puppy out to play while we watch the show and we even left the back door open so that she could come in and out as she pleased--big mistake! Scout was gone for a good 15-20 minutes before she leaped onto the bed and kissed us all with her heavily caked mud face! She had found a mud hole on the side of the house and she was covered -thick! While the mess was disastrous (literally throughout the house), all Mike and I could do was laugh. Scout didn't have a care in the world; she wasn't afraid of getting into trouble, or the mess that would come. Instead, she was enjoying life; embracing it and living free; not a worry to be found!

Hmm. I suppose there may be a lesson in this for us. Yes, one lesson is to not let our "child" run free without any guidance or direction, but the second lesson...to love life like a dog!

"When the Devil Gets the Best of Me"

The month of May has been a particularly difficult month for me. The beginning of the month brought hope and excitement with the opportunity to interview with 2 private schools. I have been out of the teaching field for 3 years now, and I have always felt like the Lord wasn't finished with me yet (in regards to teaching). So as the interviews came, my trust and hope that the Lord was carving his way for me to teach again grew stronger. My hope for purpose was expanding! I thought that surely between 2 interviews, I had a good shot at getting at least 1 of the jobs; that was until I remembered that Idaho is in the process of cutting hundreds of veteran teachers. So there I was a young teacher with hardly 2 years of teaching experience going up against teachers with 15-20 years on their resume. (and yes, for those of you thinking that God is bigger than a resume, I do believe that...but not this time).

It was a no from both schools. So there I was, more disappointment and questions flooded my mind. To be honest, I felt quite sorry for myself (and at times still do). I questioned God's goodness, his "will" for my life, and my purpose. Getting older and not moving forward was something I dwelled on and was turning into bitterness deep down inside.

It wasn't until I went to the gym one afternoon that God chose to do a little work on me. When I get stressed and the tension builds up in my chest and head, the best thing to do for me is to run. I can't run far or for long but I run as hard as I can. I blast my music and I focus on running off all the energy built up inside of me. As I was running that day, a song came on by Big & Rich called, "When the Devil Gets the Best of Me". 

As I tried to run my problems away this song blared in my ears and it was this particular line that God used to challenge me. "Yeah, the man in the mirror ain't the man that I oughta be. Tell me why can't I see, when the devils got the best of me."

That line didn't take away all my "problems". It wasn't a revelation of God's love for me, but it was a reminder that the Devil can get the best of my mind. Someone once told me this analogy: we are all on this train riding through life. On the left side, we can look out the window and see all the junk in our life; the things we wish were different. Or, we can look out the right side and choose to look at life's beautiful moments. So as I listened to that song, I realized that the Devil had the best of me. He was distracting me, pushing me to look out the left side of the train rather than look out the right side. Even though my life is still not what I had expected and yes, at times, disappointing, I choose to look out the right side of the train and I choose to not allow the Devil to get the best of me.

MRI Update

We thank the Lord for His goodness and provision! My MRI results came back normal which means I do not have any brain tumors! I am relieved and so very humbled by God's goodness. With these results bring more questions about what is causing headaches and dizziness, but I have decided that managing a headache is so much easier with the weight of worry taken off my shoulders.

While this is a time of celebration for answered prayers, God has also used this experience to reshape my heart and give me renewed sensitivity to those who are struggling with cancer. So many people all around the world are facing the worst battle of their lives. As I celebrate clear and negative test results, so many others aren't so lucky.

It is with this good news that I choose to pray for those who haven't heard good news and I encourage all of you to do the same; pray, encourage, donate time and money, and do whatever you can for those who are facing this tough battle! 

Early Summer Report

So much to report on!

-Mike is busy with training. He has been enjoying the last few weeks of raft training, but today starts the intense, never ending, get ready for summer, training in the areas of rafting, climbing, first aid, swift water rescue, and kayaking. He is learning so much! Please remember to pray for safety and wisdom as all our guides learn and put into practice all they know as they minister to students all summer long!

-Sheila has been subbing a lot the last few months. Subbing has taught her so much about what being a good teacher looks like. She is thankful for the learning opportunity and the extra income from these last few busy months before summer.

-Sheila has also been dealing with some health issues the last month or so. Before Easter she suffered from some major vertigo and nausea. The doctor has suggested an MRI, so this Thursday she will be getting an MRI of the brain. We would appreciate your prayers for a healthy brain!

-In the midst of Mike's busy schedule and Sheila's uncertain health issues, they have still made time to enjoy Idaho and each other. This last weekend they went on a "date" to the shooting range. Mike wanted to make certain that as he is gone this summer, Sheila would know how to defend herself and home....so Mike taught Sheila a thing or two about shooting guns!



Thank you friends and family for all your love! We appreciate your prayers and continued support. Even though you are far away, we hope this blog makes you feel a little closer! We sure do miss y'all!

Content

Today has been one of those days where everything has been beyond disappointing. I spent most of the day feeling sorry for myself; wishing I was Kate, the soon to be princess, with the world in her hands to do as she pleases. But, I am not a princess and today has been one of those "feel sorry for me" kind of days.

It was later in the afternoon that I felt God's nudge to open to Philippians. Isn't it quite magnificent how powerful God's words are and how they can transform our mind and outlook on life. The following passage is what God used to pull me out of my "woe is me" attitude. Perhaps it will encourage you as well.

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:12-13.

Wow, to be content in ALL things----something I choose to work at.

Mike's "office"

Mike is on the river for his second weekend of raft training. They have yet to flip a raft---which is a good thing! I was hoping to get out and take some pictures of him in action, but that didn't happen (yet) so instead, I thought it would be fun to show a few pictures of Mike's "office".  My sister took these photos last fall. Aren't you jealous of Mike's office?!

Of course, these shots are of the slower moving water. The part of the river Mike has been working on is much more powerful with class 3 and 4 rapids and the river is much higher right now with snow melting into the river. (Got to make sure I don't misrepresent the hard work my man is doing!)

We are so thankful to be able to use this scenery as a back-drop to share Christ with students. It is almost impossible to deny God's existance when you experience views like this! What a mighty God we serve.

You are more than welcome to come and share in the fun and beauty---our home is always ready for guests!

Raft Training: Day 1

Day 1 of raft training has come to an end and Day 2 is already underway!

I came home last night and realized that this is what my bathroom is going to look like for most of the summer...full of sand and hanging soaked raft gear. It puts a smile on my face because every time I see that raft gear hanging, I can think about all the students who heard the gospel and had one life changing adventure trip!

Those who are curious on how day 1 went, here are a few quote from Mike as he recapped his day for me.

"The rapids are a lot bigger than I thought they would be!----way different than Wisconsin."

"I have so much to learn, but I got to guide the raft and I felt pretty good!"

"I wasn't cold for most of the day, but now that I am done, I'm ready for a hot shower. It would have been too cold for you, Sheila."

"Can't wait to learn more. I'm excited!"

Church

Church. If you ask Christians what the definition of church is, I am sure you will get all sorts of answers. If you ask college Bible students what the definition is, you will come up with even more extreme definitions. Answers that range from, "church is where two or more people are gathered" to "we are the church". No matter your specific definition, I am sure every Christian can agree that, as believers, it is important to be plugged into the church. As Mike and I have had a unique past couple of years, we haven't been able to dig roots into any particular church. We have our home churches who have supported us in this ministry adventure, but we haven't had the opportunity to serve... until now. Mike and I started regularly attending a church near our home here in Boise. We didn't expect to get plugged into the church right away, but I guess God had other plans. God has given me the opportunity to serve in the women's ministry. Mike plays the drums on an "as needed" basis. And we serve together in the Creative Arts Ministry; Mike creates all the light schemes and patterns for worship while I am heading up the drama ministry. It feels good to be serving in a church again. There is something instinctively at our core that longs for community, fellowship, love, encouragement, and truth. No wonder Christ put such an emphasis on the church in the New Testament. As we serve, we grow. As we commune, we love. As we engage in fellowship, we encourage. As we encourage, we find truth. We are thankful to finally have a home church again, and we are humbled to have the opportunity to serve!

Road Trip Lessons and Reminders

Well, we are back from a 2 week adventure. We loved our time with so many friends and family! We thought we would take a few minutes and share a few things we either learned or were reminded of during our trip.


Reminders:
1) 3,800 miles on the road is a VERY long time to be crammed in a car with two dogs and a spouse----but we were reminded how good road trips are for the soul! How often do we get to slow down, see the beautiful country and get hours upon hours to talk with your spouse and reflect on life?! I am so thankful for those many memories!

2) Wyoming is a big beautiful, and yes, boring state! Take note, if you ever find yourself driving in the middle of Wyoming, make sure to fill up your gas tank every time you see a gas station; they are few and far between! While the state has beautiful scenery, Mike is convinced that only three people live in the state---it is mostly wide open country :-).

3) We couldn't have wished for a more supportive group of family and friends. Our family and friends are the most loving, supportive and encouraging group of Godly people. We are so thankful to have each of you in our lives. Truly, we would not survive living and serving in ministry here in Idaho without each of you!

4) My husband is actually quite the funny guy! His sense of humor is what attracted him to me in the first place, but as many of you married folk know, the stresses of life hit and having fun with your spouse can often get kicked to the curb. On our trip Mike and I had fun together and I was reminded of how funny of a guy he is! I'm one lucky girl.


Lesson:
1) As many of you know, support raising has become quite difficult for us in recent months. To be honest, in the last month (before this trip) there were times where Mike and I looked at each other and asked the question, "Is this really where God wants us...". But God is faithful and he really used this trip to show us that YES this is where God wants us for this time of our life. While the support raising process is taking longer than we would have hoped....we do feel that this is God's direction for us and we are thankful to feel a peace about it ----even as funds are lacking.

2) Trusting on God is worth it all!


To those we saw, thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedules to see us and hear how things are going. We love you all so much and miss you....but serving Him is worth it all! Truly.

Road Trip Beauty

18 or 19 hrs. and 1200 miles after leaving Idaho we made it to Omaha! The roads were clear and God's beautiful country was stunning. Even though driving that distance can feel LONG, exhausting, and not worth the time, I would encourage all of you to plan just one cross-country road trip in your lifetime. You will see such beautiful country, learn so much about your 'road trip buddy' and meet some incredible people along the way!

Our little Scouty girl on her first trip. She did better than expected...being that she is our wild child!

And she is daddy's little girl plus, an extra navigator.

(We do have our other dog, Bear, on the trip...but his photo shots didn't quite turn out!)

Thanks for all your prayers! It has been so good to see so many of you! We will keep you posted.

Omaha & Chicago bound

6 am on March 3rd is almost here and the excitement is consuming the Sharpmack home! As I type, laundry is in it's 3rd cycle (yep, I procrastinate!), the dogs have been to the groomers and look like beautiful dogs again (they were looking more like rats for a while), and I am making my chores and odds & ends list, to be done after blogging, of course.


Tomorrow we will hit the road; 17.5 hrs. of driving to be exact...and yes, we are bringing the puppies, so I guess we could round it up to 20 hr. of driving. Crazy! As we drive, we are optimistic and looking to arrive in Cheyenne, WY tomorrow night and arrive in Omaha Friday afternoon. We will be in Omaha from Friday- next Tue. and we will be in Chicago from Wed. the 9th-Sunday the 13th. We already have appointments and coffee dates scheduled with many of you, but if we haven't connected up with you....of course we would love to! Give us an email at ssharpmack@hotmail.com and we will make a date! Who knows how long it will be before our next trip east.


For those in the Omaha area, we will be showing a documentary this Sunday, 6:00pm, at Westside Church. This film captures the incredible journey of a group of cancer survivors that take a Youth Dynamics Adventures trip down the Owyhee river. This film is a professional, moving and inspiring film that everyone should see! Come join us...and we may have some food!
Here is a clip:
http://vimeo.com/7400308


With that said, we will see you all very soon!

The New Look

Thank you to Mandy Brush for helping to recreate this blog! We are so fortunate to have a "blog guru" to help us get a fresh new look! We look forward to keeping you up to date with what's going on with YD Adventure and the Sharpmacks.


Let us know what you think of the new look!

Fashion Guide for the Raft Guide

Dear Future Raft Guides,
If you follow these simple fashion rules, you will be the biggest stud to raft the waters of Idaho (and perhaps the world!).


Rule #1: Make sure to wear a sexy tight black wetsuit. Purpose: to protect your skin from unwanted freezing cold water from turning unsaid body parts blue.

Rule #2: Make sure to add layers as to be 'fashion forward' in this post-modern world. This over layer is called a splash jacket. Purpose: Similar to the wetsuit, this final layer will guarantee that you look like a professional stud (and not a crazy, adventure addicted maniac) as you raft the snow melted, freezing, yes, freezing cold water in early May.

Rule #3: Always wearing this studly NRS navy blue hat and accessorizing with the "know it all, Yeah, I'm that good at rafting" smile will be sure to guarantee you the title as the biggest stud to raft the waters of Idaho. Purpose: To Love Life!

As you train for your first rafting expedition, be sure to keep us posted and let us know how our fashion tips worked out for you!

Sincerely,

Raft Guide Experts

Do Something

I read the "old fashion" newspaper yesterday for the first time in a very long time... depression set in very quickly. Don't get me wrong, I am a news junky. In fact, the second thing I do in the morning (after making coffee) is turn on the Today show; something my husband has just had to get used to. All that to say, I am very aware of current events, but there was something quite melancholy about sitting in an empty room, holding open that enormous gray paper and reading reports on government issues, economic crisis, and education reform. Honestly, it made me want to run- run far far away with my hands covering my ears so as not to hear any more of the world's problems. I hear Ireland and New Zealand are quite beautiful!


As I was planning my dream escape from reality, I was reminded of a man. This man walked the earth thousands of years ago and he could have easily run. He could have made his dream escape a reality, and I am sure his dream escape would have been to a place more beautiful than Ireland or New Zealand. He could have ignored all the problems in the world. He could have refused to save the world; to let us be taken over by our lust and sinful desires... yet he didn't. He took action. He believed there was a better plan; a plan full of love and sacrifice. This man, beaten, hungry, bloody, and broken hung on a cross and said, "Forgive them for they know not what they do." He believed that to run away or ignore the world was not the way to change things.


Today I sit with the newspaper in front of me and instead of wanting to run away to Ireland, I choose to be an active Christ follower. I choose to be well informed, to fight for justice, and to help the helpless. Running away or ignoring the issues isn't what Jesus did and it isn't what Christians should do. We need to stand together and be active in this life. Imagine what changes we could see happen in this world if every Christian were to follow Jesus's lead and do something to change the world! What will you do?


"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:17

Prayer

Prayer. It has been on my mind a lot lately. Mostly, I have been challenged. To be honest, I am quite bad at it; praying that is. More specifically, I am bad at believing in the power of prayer. I pray often and about so many things, yet if I am honest with myself, I must admit that there is a small speck of me that doubts...so the question is, do I believe that prayer makes a difference? Do I truly believe in the words from Ephesians 3:20, "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us..." If I did claim that truth then I know my prayer life would look much different.

I am reminded of other major religions that are faithful to the act of praying. They pray for extended periods of time, often stopping their daily routine to pray before their Gods. -They must believe or they wouldn't devote so much time to the action. They are fully devoted. It is with this thought that makes me wonder how devoted am I? How devoted are western, American Christians, who have direct access to the one and only God? Do we truly believe in the power of prayer in our lives?

Perhaps this is just an internal struggle that I am having, but it makes me wonder how many Christians are out there that are faithful believers and yet, are dry and full of doubt when it comes to their prayer life and they are too scared to fully admit it to themselves or others.

Prayer. Another challenge from God. "Sheila, do you truly believe, as you speak to me, that I am listening and I am doing (and will do) much more than you could ever imagine or request?"

Refocus: Part II

As our family and friends in the Midwest just got dumped on by 22 inches of beautiful fluffy snow, we have been enjoying sunny spring like weather (with a hint of crisp winter still in the air). I am not sharing this to rub it in your face if you are fighting through the waist high snow and pleading for spring. Instead, I tell you this with excitement in my soul! With the onset of spring comes an anxious Sharpmack household; wilderness trips are right around the corner!

YD Adventures is currently booking up all rafting, kayaking, and climbing trips for this summer and fall. Currently we have more trips booked then last year at this time; real students are coming and will soon experience God in a new way! We are also excited because there will be more full time staff this summer then in recent years- with that, we hope that we will be able to lead even more trips.

In order to get ready for those trips, a lot of preparation must be done. Mike is already working to be in top physical shape in order to lead wilderness trips effectively (he has lost almost 20lbs!). He begins swift water rescue training, raft guide, kayak, and climbing training later this spring. Mike is excited and anxious about this as the rivers out here are a lot more powerful than what we are used to in Wisconsin. Also, all raft gear, kayaks, and climbing gear are starting to get pulled out of storage so that they can be assessed, repaired and prepared for the spring.

In addition to preparations for spring, YD staff still have the opportunity to work with students in the public schools as they lead rock climbing classes and challenge course activities. This has been an awesome opportunity to build intentional relationships with students.

As we get ready for this spring, Mike and I will head out on one last "support trip" until next fall. Our goal in this trip is to share and spend time with our current supporters- as you are the ones that have blessed us with this opportunity in ministry! We will also be looking for opportunities to share with small groups, Bible studies, student classrooms, churches, chapels, and anyone who would be willing to hear about our mission. We have currently raised 65% of the finances needed to be considered 'full time' with YD Adventures. We are anxious to be at 100% by early this summer!

We humbly ask that if you would like to hear more details about why we have to raise financial support or if you have a small group of some sort that you would like for us to speak to, please email ssharpmack@hotmail.com (we might find you and ask you anyways, so be thinking :-). We will be in the Midwest this March! Also if you would like to make a donation, you can do so at the link below. All donations are tax deductable and greatly appreciated! No matter the amount, it is appreciated and so very helpful!

http://www.yd.org/adventure/idaho/staff/mike_sharpmack/368/

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurabely more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." ~Eph. 3:20-21

Refocus: Part I

As I read back through recent posts, I noticed that I haven't mentioned much about Youth Dynamics and our work out here in Idaho. In the beginning, the goal of this blog was to let friends, family, and supporters hear what we have been doing for the sake of ministry in Idaho. As the blog has evolved, there have been more posts about lessons God is teaching me. I will continue to share those lessons; however, I wanted to refocus for a moment and share about ministry in the Sharpmack family.

We have now been here in Idaho for 6 months! Can you believe that?! There have been very encouraging times and of course, times of loneliness and a longing for the Midwest- "home". In those lonely times, God has been faithful to help us stay focused on the calling He has placed on our hearts: to see student's lives transformed by the power of God's creation.

Just the other day I looked back at old pictures of Mike and I leading wilderness trips and tears came rushing to my eyes. It wasn't the memory of having a fun time on a river trip that first came to my mind, but rather the students who we saw drastically transformed by the challenge (spiritually, physically, and mentally) of a wilderness trip. There is something truly raw and undeniable about living in God's creation and not being distracted by the world around you; truly life changing no matter your age!

It is with those memories and those personal testimonies that we continue to press on. We will not allow Satan to distract us, we will not allow him to divert our attention on the meaningless things in life. We will stay true to the promise that God is awesome and we will be obedient to tell hungry students about our awesome God!

So as we continue to adapt to a new culture, being away from family and trusting God for full support, we thank God that He continues to refocus us and remind us of why we are here in Idaho. ...To God be the Glory.

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is as work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." ~Eph. 3:20-21

Just don't Feel like it...

In the midst of my discouragement over the struggle to find a full time job, God has been faithful. Since I moved to Idaho I have struggled to understand God's plan for "my" life. I have often asked, "what is my purpose in life?" or "why am I waisting my life on these silly part time jobs?" Little did I realize that God was taking me through a long process of breaking me down and humbling me in order to teach me a very important lesson.


Lesson: Your purpose in life is to love whole heartily and to serve others no matter how they treat you, what your social status is, or how "important" you think you are. Serve others and when you are tired of serving others, get up and continue to serve because your service might be the only representation of Jesus that they will ever come in contact with.


Yes, I know, what a simple lesson that can be read over and over in the Bible...but honestly, coming from a girl whose "service" radar reads very low, this lesson has been beyond difficult to implement! It is easy to serve others that think the world of you or who are in desperate physical need of help. It is even easy to do a little thing here and there to make you feel extra generous, but what about the days when you just don't FEEl like it. All you want to do is go to Starbucks, read your book while listening to your iPod to block out the needs around you, and then you walk out the door putting on your sunglasses to cover your eyes from anything you don't want to see. ...and God is asking, "Did you serve the frazzled waitress in Starbucks? Or what about the mother that was sitting in the corner drinking her coffee and wondering how she was going to find the energy to deal with her 5 children while her husband is gone on another business trip?" Yet, so often we continue to walk out that door, turn on our car radio and drowned out the soft whispers that prompt us to go back in.


Unfortunately, so often that is exactly what I do; I ignore all the service opportunities around me because I just don't feel like serving. I think I deserve a day just for me...what a lie that Satan has infiltrated into our culture; "a day just for me".


The way Jesus has called us to serve others is continual, fluid, never ceasing...even when we just don't feel like it.

"If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even the pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." ~Matt. 5:46-48

Scout

Welcoming a new addition to the family:

Scout is a Mini Australian Shepherd/Border Collie mix.

Mike and I recently decided that another puppy would be a great addition to the Sharpmack family. Play time for Bear; snuggle time with Mike; and a more lively home for me. So far Scout is adjusting nicely and already becoming good friends with us all.

As we start this new year with a new friend, we are excited to see what else will come about in 2011. We pray that FULL support and a full time job for me would be included in the new year! In it all, we trust in God's direction for the new year and wait on His guidance and timing for whatever 2011 may bring.