Need an Inspiration? I've Got One for You!

My Inspiration For You: Genae Lanier, my sister-in-law and kindred spirit

A little over two and 1/2 years ago, I was lucky enough to meet my future husband and find out that he had a sister my age.  I was lucky that his sister was the kind of girl who would share her bedroom and clothes with me.  I was lucky that she, Genae, liked me (or at least she acted like it) and welcomed me into her family with no questions asked. Now, I am lucky to share my initials (MGL) with Genae and have a sister-in-law that I would have picked to be in my life even if I had never met her brother.

Not just any friend or family member would lay around in their sweats and watch girly movies and chomp on smoothies with me. Not just anyone would accompany me to a tear jerker movie (see my previous blog to read about my need for Genae's sleeves). And most of all, not just anyone would share their hardships and triumphs with me and let me share mine with them.  But, Genae does all the above and I am always excited to spend time with her. I am truly blessed to have her in my life.

HOWEVER, there will not be a lot of time to spend with Genae in the next year.  You see, Genae will be leaving for The World Race on January 5th and will return a year from now.  She will spend 11 months serving Christ and His people in 11 different countries.  If you keep up with my blog, you have heard me speak of The World Race and the way it impacted my life through my friend Halley (who just returned from her journey in July).  After missing my friend dearly while she adventured, I now prepare to support Genae as she does the same.  Wow, right?!  Who knew I would be connected to such great ladies who are so willing to serve our Savior in a BIG way?!

I can't help but be anxious for Genae as she prepares and, to be honest, part of me wishes I could go too.
It will be a different feeling to have a family member serving in such a capacity and wanting so much to be a part of the work she will be doing.  So, while Genae is gone, I will settle for stalking her online and crossing my fingers for a Skype call.  I will pray for her faithfully and do my best to support her financially until she returns.

I often wonder what Genae will feel and go trough while she is serving?
I wonder what lives she will impact and what impacts will be made on her life?
I wonder what will change in my life while she is gone?
I wonder what I will do when I am dying to talk to her and she is in Timbucktoo?
I wonder how the family will hold up without a fundamental part of the unit around to hug and laugh with?

But, do you what to know what I DON'T wonder about?
I don't wonder if Genae will raise enough money to finish her mission with The World Race. I know she will (and you can help)!
I don't wonder if Genae will change the World.  She will!
I don't wonder if Genae will come back and use her experienes to continue to shape lives.  I am positive that will happen too!
And, I don't wonder if Genae will be ushered through this experience by God.  He already is and He's not one to give up!

So, would you like to stalk Genae's blog with me while she is gone? If so, it can be found here:
http://genaelanier.theworldrace.org/

Would you like to join me in praying for Genae, everyone traveling with her and those she will meet? You can. Start Now!

Would you like to support Genae to assure God's plan is carried out throughout the Nations? Do it:
https://www.adventures.org/give/donate.asp?giveto=worldrace&desc=For%20Genae%20LANIER&tuid=3633905

A Global Impact

On Friday, Evan and I were privileged to spend our day representing Sumatanga at a Global Impact Conference. It was such an honor to be counted as missionaries next to those from Togo, Kenya, Mexico and China. I often think of missionaries as those serving outside of the United States and certainly not something that I am. We were able to eat, fellowship and worship with these individuals that were born and serve all around the World. It was a phenomenal experience.

I was completely fascinated to sing old hymns and new praises in English and then sing them again in Swahili and Spanish. It was beyond encouraging to think that there are individuals of all ages and races, singing and praising the same God as I do.

One of my greatest friends, Halley, has been gone since August on the "The World Race." She is serving as a missionary to 11 countries over 11 months and is currently making her way through Africa. I miss hear dearly but it has been awesome to talk to her and hear what she is experiencing and who she is meeting in each place she visits. I cannot fathom how touching it must be to be ushered into worship with those who risk their lives to be Christians, those whose villages have just heard of Christ for the first time and those who unashamedly lift their songs and dance to God in awe of Him even after horrible wars and tragic deaths.

I have not yet had the experience of serving Christ over seas but I like to live vicariously through Halley and those I met on Friday. I feel somewhat more globally connected after standing at the conference with my new foreign friends and by asking Halley to hug everyone she meets on my behalf. I feel a little closer to sharing a little piece of my life with orphans and refugees by sharing a quick word with Hal as she stays up late at night to talk to us back home and through a simple day of fellowship with people I may never see again.

I have no doubt that Halley and her team and those I met serving in Togo, Kenya, China and Mexico are simply doing so out of divinely inspired love. Each of these individuals have made me feel loved and I can only imagine how their love is reaching to all the ends of the Earth. Each of these missionaries have only encouraged me to love more here in Alabama as they are doing the same across their own lands. How awesome it is to be connected all around this World through Christ! I find myself inspired today.

Who is inspiring you?

A New Resolution

I cannot think of the last time I made a New Years Resolution.

Was it when I decided I would actually pick up my toys when mom asked or when I said I wouldn't watch as much Eureka's Castle on television in the afternoons?

Either way, I was under the age of 8 so those most likely don't count. I have decided, however, to join in the trend and make a resolution for 2010. I have decided to keep a blog about the simple things of my life.

Over the past few weeks and days,I have been blessed to spend part of the Holidays with Evan's granddad, Papaw (not to be confused with my granddad, PawPaw). We were able to spend time at his house and listen as he told stories about his life and his love for his wife and marriage of 60+ years. Papaw gave me a lot of good advise for marriage and did his best to recap all the ways he shared his love with his wife. Papaw spoke more than once about the two years away from his lovely bride when he was serving in the military over seas. While he was gone, he faithfully wrote love letter after love letter to make sure she knew she was in his thoughts. He told me,"She was on my mind everyday and I am pretty sure I was on hers too." I have no doubt that he is right.

After leaving Papaw's house, I found myself desperately wondering where those letters have ended up? Will they show up down the road and inspire someone who is lost with or without love (you know what I mean, you've seen it in the movies) or have they been thrown away after all these years?

It was beyond inspiring to listen to Papaw tell about his life and love and know that somewhere, some of it was/is written down. It is so interesting to hear about a persons path that once seemed ordinary and now,years down the road, see that it actually was extraordinary. In Papaw's case, it seems to be extraordinary love. I wonder what the case was for my grandparents? I wonder what it will be in my case?

With this pondering, I decided on this blog. Blogging may not be the most practical way to recap our lives down the road (much like the lost letter writing of the past) but I did not want to live this life without some recap and thought on what it means. So here is to 2010 and a New Years Resolution. Here is to hoping that down the road, my silly struggles and blessings will come to be a story to talk about and a life worth sharing.