From my kitchen to the ends of the earth

Today I invite you into the heart of our home. My kitchen. See it there behind the orange couch.  It’s not the biggest kitchen I’ve had, but larger than the smallest. My husband painted those cabinets a light grey when we moved in, with a promise to one day remodel it all. But I’m happy as it is; even with that cracked side of the electric stovetop and broken down microwave.

Because what I like most about my kitchen... is that I don’t see it.

Smack-dab in the middle of our home, a breezeway between Living Spaces and loved ones.

Turn around to find our breakfast nook.  Surrounded by windows, encircled by flowering plants; where hummingbirds and bluejays join us for lunch.

When we moved in I bought a glass top kitchen table for the nook, because I didn’t want to see a table.  Again,  I wanted only to see what is lovely to me;  my sons, their handsome Dad, family and friends.

Blessed here in our own little world.  Having picnics in our park, three meals a day.

Lovely, isn’t it? I could end here, with encouragement to focus in at home and love on your beloveds. Nourish them, from the heart of your home. Be content with the broken stovetop burners and chipped cabinets.  But I can't stop here; we must press on beyond our nooks, beyond our glass windows where light pours in.

The only decorations within our nook are a set of 3 dry erase board and an antique coal bin I painted bright green. On the boards I scrawl verses and prayer requests. Pictures of the children we sponsor through Compassion International are tucked in the pages of our Jesus Storybook Bible.

And deep in the belly of that little green bin... blank bibles. Each of our sons owns a leather bound bible, filled with nothing but blank pages. We bring them out and pray for the people groups throughout the world, who don't yet have a bible in their own tongue.

 And suddenly the world gets a little bigger than our kitchen nook.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

We weren't called to dwell forever in the comfort of four walls.    We are called to the ends of the earth.  Made for the ends of the earth.  Given the power of the Holy Spirit, that we might go.  But it starts here... in our home, reaching out to our hometown, then one town over, and a little farther out still...  to the ends of the earth.

Glass houses are lovely as the light shines in.  But the light must shine out too.

We must see beyond our lovely homes, to that which is unlovely.  Those in need.  At the ends of the earth.  If we are ever to lead our children to their great commission!

This is Red Letter Truth... just waiting to spill like life blood all over blank pages.  But the life blood first spills from the heart of our home, to those Living in our midst.

From our Kitchens to the ends of the earth!

I am eager to share with you a ministry the boys and I are passionate about.  The Seed Company is the fundraising arm of Wycliff Bible Translators, working together to End Bible Poverty and bring the written, red-letter truth of God's great love to the farthest reaches of earth.

Living beyond our four walls is difficult with young ones, but The Seed Company makes it easy!  Click on this link, or the button in the side bar, then go to "find a project" with your children. Get out your globe, discover where they live and how to pronounce their name; what are their needs, then pray for them as a family, and consider giving to that specific people group.

It costs approximately $35 / verse to translate God's Word into a new language.  And so, back in our kitchen, for each $35 check we write, we add a verse to our Bibles too.

Join us, as we fill blank bibles.