Riches of Relationship

For every one of the pictures in this particular blog post, I could have written a separate entry. I surely wanted to!

But because each day was so filled to the brim with the riches of relationship, I didn't get to.

However! I DO NOT want to forget any of those precious times so instead lovingly post a few pictures to remember the time I spent with these dear ones.

Like my dear Haley, our daughter-in-law, married to Caleb. I drove up to Fort Collins to spend the night with her last week. Oh my, the blessing and gift that it was to be with her!

Then there was Sunday morning. Dave and I were at his boyhood home church, Bethany Evangelical Free in Littleton, Colorado. Our dear friend (and Dave's Sunday school teacher long ago!) gave us his adult Sunday school class hour to share about the Prayer Room. Mike prayed for us before we started an hour of prayer with all those in the class. SO very special and meaningful.

After class, Dave had the joy of preaching for the Sunday service at Bethany.

And I had the joy that day of being with family, including my mother-in-law and my maid of honor from nearly 30 years ago!

We went for lunch with my in-laws, my brother and sister-in-law, and my maid of honor and her husband. SUCH JOY to be with these truly beloved ones.

And as if that wasn't enough goodness and richness, I spent time in the afternoon shopping with these two friends of nearly 33 years!

The blessing continued into the next day as we gathered together with over 50 people from 16 churches around the US who partner with our Czech team to bring the Gospel to young people there. Some have partnered with us for 22 years now!

One little picture and a few sentences about this summit meeting just cannot do justice to what it meant to have them gathered for the sole purpose of asking the question, "What else can we do to come alongside and partner with you in sharing the Gospel and discipling young people."

Seriously. These people's faith, commitment, heart, time, vision and prayer is SO VALUABLE to us.

And to the young people in Czech who have yet to hear about Jesus! And these people are serious about wanting to get that good news out!

I was in the hall outside the meeting room talking with someone when all of a sudden this beauty stepped out of the room.

I had no idea that Jess was there.!! Who is Jess? One of our JV interns from a number of years ago! She was an extended intern with us in Czech so I'd had the opportunity to get to know her a little bit. What a gem she is!! And what joy to see her again and catch up on her life and ministry in Minnesota.

And then there were the Graumann's, a special missionary couple who toured with our EXIT TOUR ministry for many years, sharing Tom's story of being "Twice Saved". Click HERE to read that amazing story!

By Monday night I almost felt like I couldn't take any more goodness from the Lord!! And yet He had more.

After a special morning of sitting at the breakfast table for hours with my mother and father-in-law as they told me stories about their lives, my sweet sister-in-law stopped by with her granddaughters to see us. It was just the best to have time to soak in these sweet relationships.

As we left Denver on Tuesday night, I literally felt like I was going to burst for having experienced such goodness from the Lord in the form of all these relationships. He didn't have to do that! But He did.

Psalm 31 says, "Oh how abundant is your goodness..." And I can testify to that! I don't know why or how He did that. But with all my heart I thank Him for nourishing my heart and soul with the riches of being with these dear ones this past week.