eagles & life. all the updates.

hi friends. did you forget about this space too? 

i think i might've because it has been a minute or five. 

i had the realization earlier this week that i still have this space here. and i need to send out more regular life and ministry updates so i might as well smoosh the two together.

the last handful of months have been busy. the kind of busy that i never wanted. the kind where you kind of feel like you're drowning because real rest is so rare.

dramatic? maybe a touch.

but it was a lot.

work has been crazy busy, of course, all the prep work for two teams of ladies migrating to charlotte for the summer will do that. but on the life front: maycember is a real thing, and this year it seemed to take over april as well. {if you don't know what maycember is, this will help: maycember.} our kids are now rising 5th and 3rd graders, and our baby is a kindergartener! 

they wrapped up soccer, preschool, and school through may and as soon as soccer was done they immediately moved on to summer swim team.

some days i had to remind myself to breathe as we navigated through the spring. 

now we're still in the midst of a busy season, but the type of busy has shifted. because the ladies of the lady eagles arrived back in may, and this season is at the heart of what we work for all year. because while we have three different teams that we organize, two of them are only here for the summer. so the majority of what we work for happens now. 

this is what we've worked toward for nine months. 

for this time. 

with these ladies. 

on the holy ground of a soccer field. 

where the God of the universe dwells because {more than} 2 or 3 have gathered in His name. 

to play the game for His glory.

i still have moments of wondering whether or not i can sustain this type of pace for much longer, but having the ladies here, having the constant reminder of why we do what we do - so souls made in the image of God can know Him better, and walk with Him more closely, and glorify Him in how they play the game and how they live their lives - helps me remember. 

{rec day: when our teams dress like they did as rec players}

do i forget a lot? yes, of course. i'm human. how quickly i forget. {you do too, just in case you were feeling a little unsure.} 

we are all like the israelites wandering in the desert constantly shown God's glory - in the pillar of cloud, in the pillar of fire, in the face of moses, and in the manna & quail falling from the sky -

but we still construct the golden calf. 

but then, on monday nights, i come together with our wpsl ladies for team dinner. we worship through fellowship and song and study the word together, and i get a little bit of a taste of how God is sanding off the rough edges in each of our lives. 

and it's a little bit easier to remember. 

supporting my work means supporting the hours and hours {and hours} of preparation for this year's tour {ie: soccer missions trip} to medellin, colombia. the generosity of support poured out for me means that 26 of our people boarded airplanes and used the tools of a soccer ball and a field to share the love of Jesus with kids in colombia. 

{in medellin, colombia}

it means we got to organize a team of our adult league ladies who went to regionals in texas last weekend. they stayed together for the weekend, and got to both catch a glimpse and be a glimpse of what it means to play soccer to glorify the Lord.

{our adult league squad}

supporting this work means helping us bring about 50 ladies to charlotte for the summer. they come together as teams and communities who are poured into by their host families, coaches, staff members, teachers, dinner hosts, and teammates, and have the opportunity for their lives to be completely transformed by the gospel.

because of a silly game. and because of the pricking of the hearts of people across the world who recognize that God is the God of everything, including this beautiful game. and the God of everything can use this game to impact lives and hearts.

so thank you for supporting the work. 

and if you don't support this work, find the one {or ones} that prick(s) your heart. 

the Lord calls us all into the work He is doing. one way or another. He lets us be a part of it. we get to do His work. and support His work. 

we get to be the toddlers who sweep the kitchen floor.

despite the ways we mess it up, we still get to help. 

not because we deserve it, but because He is gracious and He loves us.

what part does He want you to play?

xoxo