Friday, August 31, 2007

My Missionary Friends

I realize that the links I feature on my "Blogs I frequent" sidebar might be too numerous to entice you to click on many of them, but I do regularly update that section, removing blogs of friends that, though I love them, they don't post often (or ever!), and adding new friends' blogs I find.

I want to highlight 2 blogs for you to check out: my friend Christen Taylor and my friend Rachel Wind. Christen is a new missionary to Brazil, and you can follow her spiritual jour
ney as she adjusts to a new culture and language, mothers her children and seeks to reach the Brazilian people for God's glory. She is a dear friend who I miss very much, and her posts are so often challenging as she is very real about her walk and struggles.

Rachel is a new friend I met here at our church in Louisville, Clifton Baptist. She and her husband are preparing to go back to Asia for a second term with the IMB. I was so delighted by Rachel in the time I was able to spend with her -- her attitude, delight in small things, appreciation of beauty, as well as her talent and personality just blew me away! She reminds me of a combination of Jill Humrichous and Christen Taylor. I had a picture of the two of us at the book shower we gave her during her time at Clifton, but I can't find
it now! ***Edit: I found it! (obviously) ***Rachel was such a breath of fresh air to me, with her God-centered, fun-loving thinking and speech. Here's a quote about being homesick while overseas "Wherever your family is, you're home . . . and when you're with the Lord's family, you're home. When I'm longing to put down roots, I'm really longing for heaven."

Come meet these two fabulous friends who have left the comforts of home and familiarity to follow hard after God in other worlds! I'm sure you'll love them as I do.

8 comments:

Brittany said...

Gret-
Have you ever read Trial and Triumph or Famous Men of the Middle Ages? We're reading them for school right now. They are GREAT books! Lauren doesn't want to put them down. They're both books w/ short descriptions of people from the midieval time period (in case you don't know) and how they lived (or didn't) for God and the impact they made on their surrounding peers and even now. What a fun way to learn history! Just thought I'd throw that out there.

I LOVE Christen. I'm a frequent visitor to her blog as well.

Would you please email Jill my email address?

Brittany

periwinkita said...

"but I do regularly update that section, removing blogs of friends that, though I love them, they don't post often (or ever!)"

Does that mean you're going to remove me soon??

Gretchen said...

Brit,

not sure I have Jill's e-mail . . .

I've never read those books -- have to check them out!

Johanna -- you were on the bubble until your recent post. :) I got a couple pictures you could put up. Hee hee.
How did the kids like the decor downstairs? And Mandy?

sara said...

I will check out their blogs..I always like your recommendations!

About your comments on my blog...I totally agree about art in churches- I wish we had stained glass everywhere and sculptures, paintings, etc. Hey...we will be building a new church in a year or so..maybe we will be different! :)

Also, Thank you Gretchen for your "skinny" comment. I appreciate that!!!! I am trying to excercise and trying to eat better-baby steps....!

Anonymous said...

It's so great to meet missionaries, people whose lives are dedicated to the Lord. We had missionaries to India at our church on Sunday and over for dinner tonight. They were a real blessing to our family.

jillybean said...

Is it unsafe for me to post my email address on this blog?

Anonymous said...

Sorry to hi-jack your blog, Gret...

Jill- I'm blsdmamaof2@yahoo (obviously pre-Nathan days). I have another one, but I'll give that one to you after I hear from you.

James and Christen said...

You are so sweet. Thanks for your vote of confidence! I wouldn't be doing a blog if it weren't for you!

I am praying for both you and me, every time my knee hurts! I find it interesting how slow this is healing. I think God is trying to remind me to humble depend on HIM.

Do you have skype? We tried to find your skype name but couldn't. Let me know!

Love ya - Christen