obedience OVER sacrifice.

"Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice." 1 Samuel 15:22

I've been chewing on this verse for the past month or so. To obey is better than sacrifice...what does that mean? And why is obedience better? Doesn't God love sacrifice? Doesn't He call us to live, love and spend ourselves sacrificially?

I didn't get it.

The verse just didn't sit well with me either. For some reason it kind of felt like a BIG slap in the face. And here's why.

Lately, I can't stop thinking about the sacrifice. It's all around me, everywhere I look. As we get closer and closer to Thailand, the sacrifices get bigger and bigger. It seems like they're constantly in my face, almost screaming at me.

When Steven and I are at our support meeting with grandma and grandpa Sauder and grandpa Sauder starts crying. When he tells us, through his tears, that his true desire is for us to come back and take over the farm... Sacrifice in my face.

When I tell my grandpa, my most favorite person in the whole world, that we'll be gone for 3 years and don't plan on coming home. When he shakes his head with sadness and tells me in his low, gentle voice, "Lauren...I miss you every day. Don't go..." Sacrifice in my face. (insert crying here)


When I see this beautiful face. Knowing that I won't see her grow up and that she probably won't know her Auntie Lauren and Uncle Steven... Sacrifice in my face.

When we are raising support for everything--our income, our insurance, our housing, our food, our transportation, our clothing--and letting go of our comfortable jobs... Sacrifice in my face.

When I see all my friends having babies and knowing that expanding our family is not something we will be doing for quite some time... Sacrifice in my face.

When I drive by that perfect yellow house with white shutters and a big porch, telling myself that I may never even have a house someday... Sacrifice in my face.

And when I think about boarding the plane. The plane that will take me half way around the world--away from my mom, my dad, my grandparents, my family, my friends, my comforts, and all that I love--my heart starts to hurt, big tears start to fall and the overwhelming sacrifice is right there, in my face.

That is why I've been chewing over that verse for the past month and why it's felt like such a big slap in the face. What do you mean, God? How can obedience really be better than sacrifice? Don't my sacrifices mean anything?

But then it hit me.

Sacrifice is all about me. Obedience is all about God. Sacrifice is giving myself glory. Obedience is giving all glory to God. And maybe that's why.

Maybe that's why God desires obedience over sacrifice.

Because with sacrifice comes entitlement. It's almost as if I thought God now owed me something because of all that I was sacrificing for Him. Wrong. It doesn't work that way. And when I stopped and thought about it, I had basically been telling God "If I give up all these things, Thailand better be awesome. You better bless everything we do and You better make all this worth it." What a great attitude, huh?

When God called Abraham to sacrifice his one and only son, he radically and whole-heartedly obeyed. He didn't mull over the HUGE sacrifice God was calling him to make. He just did it. Abraham knew that it wasn't about him, but that it was all about serving and following God. Abraham knew and lived obedience over sacrifice.

And so I'm learning. I'm learning to ask God to change my mentality. To help my heart know that it's not about the sacrifices I am making. Yes, they're hard. Yes, they're still a reality. But I need to have a more "it's not about me and all about Him" mentality. I'm learning that I'm no one special or super-spiritual just because I'm going to Thailand. I'm learning that I'm just obeying the Word of God and going where I know He has called me to go. Simple as that. I'm learning to see my self-righteous and self-indulged attitude as deep sin and asking for forgiveness and a new selfless focus. I'm learning about obedience.

My "sacrifices" were just my way of childishly complaining all the way to Thailand. But I don't want to be that child. I just want to be His little one that simply follows her Daddy's voice.

it's just a little thing.

It's just a little thing, it's just a little thing.
But it will make a change, it will make a change.
See His Kingdom come in every small thing done.

Words to one of my favorite songs, The Kingdom, written by a dear friend.

Those lyrics touch my heart every time I listen to them. They're simple words. But simple words with deep meaning and encouragement. It gets me thinking and moving every time.

It's just a little thing, but it will make a change. These are words I regularly need to hear as I often become paralyzed by the task at hand. It's just hard for me to look at the world, its hurting people and overwhelming corruption, and not be discouraged. And because of this, there are many times when I don't want to go to Thailand. It's when I'm reminded of how engraved sex-trafficking is in its culture, when I read that 95% of its people are Buddhist and less than 1% Christian, when I see our missionary friends getting kicked out of the countries they've devoted so much of their lives to, that I ask myself, "what's the use?" It's at those times where the task at hand feels so big, so heavy, so unchangeable.

But then I'm reminded. It's just a little thing, but it will make a change. Maybe going to Thailand is just a little thing. Maybe we won't see the end to sex-trafficking, maybe the statistics won't change, maybe we'll get kicked out. But maybe, just maybe, I'll befriend one prostitute and share with her the unconditional love of her Savior. Maybe one Buddhist family will come to know the Way, the Truth, and the Life through our interactions with them. Maybe we'll leave a lasting, eternal impression on a few people's hearts and souls before we have to leave. Maybe all the little things we do while we're in Thailand will make a change. Even if it is small and seemingly insignificant, it's still an eternal change for the Kingdom. And well, it doesn't get any bigger than that.

For all the pessimists out there that don't yet fully believe in this "little thing" philosophy, here's a real life example. It's a video of 4 children that were forever changed through ordinary people who decided to do just a little thing. Usually I'm not a big proponent of "$1 a day will feed this child" kind of videos, but this one is different.

It's different because I know 3 of the children in the video.

They're dear friends. They're brothers and sisters in Christ. And they're my classmates at Moody.



What amazes me about their stories is how much God worked in their lives through someone back in the States. Their sponsors are ordinary people, like you and me, who just decided to do a little thing. I often wonder if they knew what a big impact they would have.

And what really hits home is seeing that Richmond, Tony & Michelle's lives weren't changed through the money their sponsors gave, but rather through the letters their sponsors wrote. Change is personal. Personal connection is what touches our lives and moves our hearts. It's what changed my 3 friends' lives. And it's what can change others and maybe, in return, even the world.

Writing a letter to a child in Guatemala is just a little thing. There are millions of little things that we can be doing for the Kingdom. But the question is, are we actually taking the time out of our busy schedules to do them? Let's not be paralyzed and overwhelmed by the world, let's just be faithful to the little things and believe God for big changes.

It's just a little thing, it's just a little thing.
But it will make a change, it will make a change.
See His Kingdom come in every small thing done.

*If you want to sponsor a child through Compassion, visit http://www.compassion.com/

a paradigm shift.

4 years ago, something happened. Something so monumental that it altered the course of my life. In all reality, it was actually something quite small, yet so incredibly effective. A tiny change that led to a radical paradigm shift in my way of thinking, feeling, and living.

I started reading the Bible differently.

That's all. (Sorry to disappoint all you 34 followers out there.)

Without really realizing it, I had spent most of my life reading the Bible as a "self-help" book. If I was having a bad day I would look for something in Psalms to cheer me up.
Psalm 34:18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Thank you God. Quiet time, done.)

If I needed forgiveness, I'd go anywhere in the New Testament.
Colossians 1:13-15 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Thank you Jesus, I feel much better now.)

If I needed some encouragement, I'd flip around until I found something to my liking.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (With Jesus on my side, I can do anything! I'm the King of the world!) Okay, so maybe a slight exaggeration there, but you get where I'm going.

And if you don't mind, I'd like to take you on a further journey of what I discovered once I stopped reading the Bible as my self help book. I learned that God's Word doesn't revolve around me. It's not something I read to feel better about myself. But rather, it's something I dig into so that I can understand my God better. It's something that God has used to reveal Himself to me so that I can fall in love with His character and purposes. It's ALL about Him. And NOTHING about me. Radical paradigm shift.

I realized this as I was exposed to this thing called 'The Biblical Basis for Missions'. It took me on a wild exploration that led me to see that the Bible stories I had learned growing up extended way beyond my selfish implications of them. It showed me that God was on a mission, from the beginning of time, to see His name be glorified throughout the world. It begged me to stop asking the question of "what is God's will for my life?" and instead start simply asking, "what is God's will?". Many of you have heard Steven and I talk about this shift in thinking, this amazing journey, this radical paradigm shift. But to those of you who haven't, I hope you enjoy the ride of seeing that it's not about you, but all about God and His name being made great among all the world.

Bible Story #1: David & Goliath
1 Samuel 17:50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.

My self-help book interpretation: Just like David, as long as I have faith, I can slay the big giants in my life too.

Paradigm shift: David says to Goliath,"This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head...and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel." 1 Samuel 17:46
(Ooooh, the purpose behind God using David to defeat Goliath was so that whole world would know of Him and His great power. Hmmm.)

Bible Story #2: The 10 Commandments

My self-help book interpretation: God gives me these commandments to obey so that I can be a good person and go to heaven.

Paradigm shift: In regards to the 10 Commandments, Moses says "Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'" Deuteronomy 4:5-6
(Ooooh, the 10 Commandments are so that the whole world can see and know God through the way we live our lives. Hmmm.)

Bible Story #3: Daniel & the Lions Den
Daniel 6:22 Daniel answered, "O king Darius, my God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king.

My self-help book interpretation: As long as I trust God, He will save me from the dangers and enemies in my life.

Paradigm shift: Sometimes I just need to read a little further...
Daniel 6:25 "Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: "...I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever...He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions."
(Ooooh, God saves Daniel not only because of Daniel's trust and God's love for him, but also so that all peoples, nations and languages would know God's reputation and name. Hmmm.)

Do you we see a pattern here? But wait, there's more...

Bible Story #4: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace
Daniel 3:26 So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

My self-help book interpretation: God loved Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego's loyalty and heart towards Him and saved them from destruction. If I align with God, He'll have my back too.

Paradigm shift: Daniel 3:29 "Therefore, I (Nebuchadnezzar) decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces... for no other God can save in this way."
(Ooooh, God saved them so that the king would spread God's name and fame to all peoples and nations. Hmmm.)

Bible Story #5: Solomon and his wisdom

My self-help book interpretation: God made Solomon wise because he asked for it. If I ask God for things, He'll bless me with them.

Paradigm shift: 1 Kings 4:34 "Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon's wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom."
(Okay Lord, I'm starting to get it...)

And here was the real kicker for me. This one verse, Psalm 67, sums up this small but major change in my life.

Bible Story #6: Psalm 67
Psalm 67:1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us...

My self-help book interpretation: Literally, heard this verse my whole life in church. God, bless me! Be gracious to me! Make your face shine upon me! It's all about me, God...didn't You know?

Paradigm shift: Let's read the verse in its entirety...
Psalm 67:1-2 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, so that Your ways may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.
(Ooooooooh, you mean God blesses me SO THAT I can bless the nations? The blessings aren't just for me to keep because God loves me? Hmmm.)

I could go on forever. Don't worry, I'll spare you. But the list does go on, and you check it out for yourself. (Psalm 33:13-14, Psalm 46:10, 86:9-10, 96:3; Isaiah 11:9-10, 49:6, 52:10, 61:11; Jonah 4:11, Habakkuk 1:5, Zephaniah 2:11, Haggai 2:7, Zechariah 8:20-23, Malachi 1:11)

So as this paradigm shift began to take way, naturally my relationship with the Lord began to change. I started to see Him, His Word, and the world through a new pair of eyes. My new outlook began to shift from constantly looking inward at myself, to a fresh upward and outward focus. It revealed God's heart for the world and His desire that all people know Him.

This small shift in how I read my Bible eventually led me to where I am today. It was a quiet, yet constant invitation to something beyond myself.

Read God's Word differently. In the process of seeking Him deeper, it will inevitably change you and bring you to places you never dreamed you would go.

open for suggestion.

Hi. My name is Lauren Sauder and I have a problem.

I'm tired. (Okay, that may not seem like a "problem", but I promise it is.)

When anyone ever asks me how I'm doing these days, that's my typical response.

"Oh, I'm good. I'm just so tired."

Seriously, if you just looked at my calendar it would probably make you tired too. For example, in the month of April there were only 3 days that Steven and I didn't have something marked in. It's true. Whether it's having someone over for dinner after work, a meeting at church, or a support appointment out in the suburbs, the Sauders are constantly on the go. Now, I don't say that to brag about our popularity because, well, that would be just silly. We are far from popular. I say it more as a confession: We are far too busy and it's starting to get to me.

It's a confession that my tiredness is a sign of my sinfulness.

I admit, it's my own fault that I'm so tired. And it's my own fault that my poor husband is so exhausted too. You see, I make it this way. I plan our life in a full throttle, all or nothing, "let's get the job done and move on" kinda of way. And it's exasperating. Even if we do manage to have a quiet night at home, it never ends up feeling that way. Either I feel guilty that we aren't doing anything or I'm busy thinking of what needs to get done next and nagging Steven of his "to-do" list.

Gee, don't I sound fun? (I told you I had a problem.)

The truth of the matter is that I've lived this way for quite some time and I've always thought of it as a good thing. I like feeling the sense of accomplishment when I can cross things off my list or when I look back on all the things we did last month. I take pride, too much so, in the fact that I'm not a lazy person who struggles with procrastination or complacency. Yes, I even pat myself on the back frequently for this "go-getter" attitude of mine.

Woohoo, way to go me.

But lately, life has started to catch up with me. And in my attempt to work hard at raising full support so we can be on our way to Thailand, I have completely exhausted myself.

And my sin has been fully exposed.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
~Matthew 11:28-30

My sin is that I live in direct opposition to this invitation from Jesus.

He says, "Come to me and I will give you rest."
But I say, "No. I can do it myself."
Jesus says, "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
I say, "No it's not. There's so much wrong in the world, so much pain, so much to do, so much to fix. Your burden is so heavy."

And because of that, I act as if I am God...or maybe just that I don't need God. I act as if I don't trust God...or maybe just that I have more faith in myself. I act as a prideful person who wants all the glory...or maybe just as someone who's too impatient to wait for God to do the work. Regardless, no matter how I look at it, it's sinful and wrong.

And the bottom line remains the same: I love being busy, taking matters into my own hands and out of God's. And I don't know how to stop.

You see, my problem is not new to me. I've known for quite some time now that I struggle with this. But here's the hard part: I don't know how to change. Jesus says that faith without works is dead. But then He also rebukes Martha for being too busy to rest in Him. How do I love God and serve Him wholeheartedly without feeling like His burden is so much to bear?

I don't know how to balance the two. And to no surprise, I've never been good with balance in my life. Obviously, I know the alternative--the other side of the scale. It's to slow down, not take as much on, spend time with the Lord, learn how to love Him without being a busy body. All good things.

But honestly, and really honestly, I think I view those things as mere excuses. Excuses to being lazy. Excuses to living comfortably. Excuses to ignore God's calling for your life. Excuses to doing nothing.

And there within me lies the problem. I'd rather be a tired person living out my convictions than a lazy one who just talks about them. As wrong as that may be, it's why I stay the way I am. It's why I don't know how to stop being busy. It's why I don't know how to change.

And so, there it is. A confession that my tiredness is a definite problem that is in need of some serious intervention. I know this is something that sleep won't fix. It's a matter of the heart, a cycle I have created and not let go of. So, I'm open for suggestion. Or prayer. Or rebuke. Or all of the above. Anything that will show me how to truly rest in a healthy and fruitful way in the Lord.

Business AS Mission.

With all the talk about our upcoming plans, I thought I'd dedicate this blog to help people gain a better understanding of what in the world we're going to be doing.

Most people know the basics: We're going to Thailand. For 3 years. With the hopes of doing business. Business as mission. Seems simple enough. But naturally, more questions arise.

One of the big ones we've encountered so far is, "So...what IS 'business AS mission'?" Well, I'm glad you've asked.

But if it's okay, I'm going to defer the question to Bill Job. He's the President and Founder of Kingdom Business in China and, below, he defines the real meaning of business as mission and his belief that true business creates eternal value. It's a powerful 4-minute video illustration that sheds light on the possibilities of how a workplace can become an incredible ministry field. And well, we would be honored if the Lord would let us be a part of something like this in Thailand.

Take a look.

My ABCs of tHaNkFuLlNeSs.

Spring has sprung. Yes, indeed! Oh my, how I love, love, love SpRiNg!!! I love closing my eyes, taking a deep breath, smelling the fresh air, and feeling the heat of the sun on my face. Ahh...there's nothing better. I don't know about you, but something inside of me comes alive again in the springtime. Life just seems so much more refreshing and vibrant.

Naturally, this great springtime mood also causes me to be much more thankful. I was driving with the windows down the other day, just taking in all that was wonderful and good, and an overwhelming sense of gratitude and thankfulness overcame me. I started to not only thank God for His beautiful creation that faithfully buds anew every Spring, but also for the beautiful people that He has placed in my life throughout all its seasons.

I am truly blessed. And I'm learning that this is not because of my material possessions, but rather because of the people I get to walk this journey with.

And so, without further a due, here is my ABC list of thankfulness. A characteristic for every letter of the alphabet that describes a person I am blessed by and thankful for. Yes, I could have highlighted 100 different people whom I dearly love and adore, and maybe I will some day. But for now, here's just 26 wonderful, amazing, and deeply appreciated people God has placed in my life to mold, teach and change me. I am so thankful for each and every one of you.

A is for animated. Animated is for Jasmine.The first time I heard of Jasmine, Steven had called me on his way home from a Campus Crusade meeting. All he said was, "Lauren, you've gotta meet this girl. She's this happy, bouncy, crazy, girl who is interested in missions. You'll love her." And well, 4 years later, all I can say is that Steven was absolutely right. I do love her and her fantastically animated personality.

B is for beautiful. Beautiful is for Leila.Need I say more? Leila's mommy has an amazing blog about sweet Leila Lou. It's pretty much the highlight of my day when she posts new pictures and stories about this beautiful baby girl. Man, I just melt. Don't you?

C is for cool. Cool is for Matt & Aimee.Okay, "cool" may seem corny, but hear me out. My brother and sis are cool for a couple of reasons. 1. They're so much fun and they're just the kind of people that you want to be around. 2. I always thought of Matt as such a cool kid when I was little. He was the the guy in high school that everyone loved, that everyone thought was funny, and that everyone respected. Plus, he was the captain of the football team and well, that was just cool to me. I loved telling people that Matt was my brother...I was so proud. 3. Matt & Aimee are the most "cool, calm & collected" couple you'll ever meet. Although Leila has sometimes caused them to be a little more "on edge" these days, for the most part, they've still remained abnormally laid-back. (Sometimes I think Steven wishes they'd rub off on me a little more...)

D is for deep. Deep is for Margie.My amazing mother-in-law whom I thank God for A LOT. With all the horror stories you hear about mother-in-laws, I know I'll never have one to tell. From the very beginning, Margie opened her arms and heart to me and embraced me as one of her own. Some of my deepest conversations have been with her and I just love how I can count on her for compassion, sympathy, understanding and grace.

E is for effective. Effective is for Kaitlin.Just spend a day with Kaitlin and your life will be affected. Listen to her music, it's effective. Talk to one of the kids she invests her life in, they'll tell you she's effective. Meet up with her for coffee, you'll leave with a better understanding of how to spend your life having an eternal effect on others. She's such an inspiration.

F is for fun. Fun is for Justin & Jenny.This one is self-explanatory. Anyone who has spent time with these two know what I'm talking about. Between Justin's wittiness, Jenny's boisterous laugh and bubbly personality, and their flirtatious banter with one another, I always seem to be smiling and enjoying life when they're around. I couldn't imagine these past few years without them.

G is for giving. Giving is for Michael.If you're having a bad day, Michael is there. If you need a friend to run errands with, Michael is there. If you want a companion in the kitchen, Michael is there. If you're scared to study abroad alone, Michael is there. Miguel, my friend, thanks for always giving so much of yourself to everyone and anyone.

H is for honest. Honest is for Traci.I love a lot of things about this girl. And I mean, A LOT. But, if I had to narrow it down to my most favorite thing about her, it's her honesty. No matter what's going on with her, she's always had enough courage to be honest with me and tell me like it is. I love that. And I really respect that. It's refreshing to have a friend like her--for me, she provides a place that's real and authentic.

I is for integrity. Integrity is for Dad.My daddy. He has such integrity. I used to think this was something that all dad's possessed. Growing up, I thought the way my daddy lived his life was how all men, all dads, all people lived their lives. I was wrong. The more I grow up, the more I appreciate and respect the man my dad is. Yes, sometimes I make fun of how "inside the box" he is, but I love how he "plays by the rules" and always does what is right.

J is for joyful. Joyful is for Kori.Kori and I are a match made in heaven. Seriously. God knew what He was doing when He made us roommates for one short summer. As soon as I met this girl, love and joy just radiated from her. And I knew instantly, she was someone I definitely needed to be friends with. Kori's my go-to-girl when I'm feeling down and need a pick-me up. She knows how to love people well and has a way of making people feel genuinely valued. She's an absolute joy in my life.

K is for kindred spirits. Kindred spirits is for Brett & Liv.Ever just meet someone and feel like you just connect? That's how Steven and I feel about Brett & Liv. As one of our friends would say, we have great "couples chemistry". Not only are Liv & I extremely similar, it just so happens that our husbands are best friends and quite similar to one another as well. One time Steven was telling Brett of a stupid fight we had just had and it turned out that Brett and Liv had the very same one too! We're just connected like that--or maybe just equally as crazy. :)

L is for leader. Leader is for Steven.I mean, I hate to brag, but my husband is pretty awesome. He's pretty much the best guy I know. He's the one I trust with my whole heart. He's the voice of reason in my life. And he's the leader I'd follow anywhere. Yes, even to Thailand. :) But really, Steven's just one of those natural leaders that people tend to follow. I think it's the way in which he lives his life with such drive, determination and hard work that people naturally respect and trust him. Under God, there's no one I'd rather have lead me.

M is for magnetic. Magnetic is for Charlotte.People travel from all over to see Char--or atleast my family does. Spend one day with her and you'll understand why. She's just *magnetic*. You just want to be around her. You want to love on her. You want to be a part of her life. I've learned so much from Char in the short time I've been her nanny. She's such a trooper with such an optimistic outlook on life. She's never thrown a temper tantrum, never pouted because I said "no", and has the sweetest demeanor and personality. To put it bluntly, she's given me a very unrealistic picture of parenthood. This precious girl, without a doubt, has drawn me in and captured my heart.

N is for noble. Noble is for Steve.Noble: Having or showing qualities of high moral character, such as courage, generosity, or honor: noble spirit. The definition says it all. That's my father-in-law. I so respect the life he lives and how he uses his blessings to bless others around him. I admire the way he has raised his family and I know a lot of the things I love about Steven stems from characteristics he saw in his dad.

O is for open. Open is for Peter & Lindsey.Oh how I love my friendship with the Nelsons. It's so open. So vulnerable. So freeing. Steven and I feel like nothing is off limits when we talk with the Nelsons. And while that may seem weird, it's actually really wonderful. Our friendship is a place of confession and grace. It's somewhere where I can be open with my failures and trust that they're gonna love me anyway. They've probably seen the worst of me, but they've still stuck around. And well, that's pretty great.

P is for principled. Principled is for Joshua.I have a confession: I was kinda scared to meet Steven's brother, Josh. He knew what he stood for and what he's about...and that was extremely intimidating! But now that I know and love him, I realize that I had nothing to fear. While Josh is a highly principled person with a high standard of living and faith, he's also this really sweet, endearing and loving goof.

Q is for quaint. Quaint is for Andrea.She's charming. She's crafty. She's artsy. She's my baking buddy that puts my cakes to shame. She's the kind of person who will spend hours in her kitchen just to make you something special. And she doesn't just do it because she's good at it, but more so because that's how she loves on people. And yum, her love is reaaaalllly delicious.

R is for respected. Respected is for Grandma and Grandpa.Anytime I think about life without these two, the tears immediately start to well up. They've been such an intricate part of my life and have always been the people I deeply admire and look up to. Just listening to them talk about their lives in the internment camps during World War II, you can't help but have a great respect for how much they've overcome and how they've kept a positive attitude through it all.

S is for servant. Servant is for Mom.Yes all mothers are servants. But I think my mom takes the cake. Example: When I was teaching and living at home, I would have to leave the house by 4:30 am. My dear mother would wake up with me every morning, pack me a lunch and send me on my way with a homemade breakfast burrito in hand. I mean, who does that? It may not seem like a big deal to you, but it was to me. In fact, it was so impactful, that I told Steven when we got married that I wanted to do the same thing for him. So there I was, trying to be a serving wife, waking up with him and making him breakfast every morning. This lasted for two months, tops. So while I surrendered to the comfort of my bed and more sleep time, I learned a valuable lesson on my mother's sacrificial servanthood throughout my lifetime.

T is for tender-hearted. Tender-hearted is for Doug.My brother is crazy. Everyone knows that. My brother is hilarious. Everyone knows that. My brother is one of the best story-tellers around. Everyone knows that. But, what many may not know is that Doug is one of the most tender-hearted people I know. It's, what I think, one of his best qualities. Yes, he's the life of the party, but he's also a deep feeler who cares for others and is just genuinely sweet. He's the kind of guy who swallows his pride and says he's sorry if he's hurt you. He's the kind of guy who takes his dad out to the Chinese food and a movie just to spend some time with him. He's the kind of guy who often calls his sister just to say "I love you".

U is for unwavering. Unwavering is for Kyle.Unwavering is a characteristic you definitely want in a doctor. And well, Dr. Kyle is just that. Whether it's working crazy hours at the hospital, studying for big exams, or just figuring out life as a new resident in Wisconsin, Kyle always seems to remain steady and full of faith. He doesn't sweat the small stuff and when I'm around him, I'm encouraged to do the same.

V is for vulnerable. Vulnerable is for Kaiti.I have always admired Kaiti's ability to be vulnerable with others. It comes so naturally to her and stems from her teachable and humble spirit. I remember our long chats while she was in Peru, going through high highs and low lows, all the while being very open and honest with where she was at and how God was using each experience to sanctify her. I so appreciate that and wish I could be more like my sweet friend.

W is willing. Willing is for Katherine.Okay, so maybe she wasn't willing to touch the fish, but I'd still describe her as willing. My dear cousin has always been so willing to support me in any way she can. From playing with me every day while my mom was in the hospital, to being the first person to send me a check whenever I was fundraising for anything. Katherine has always had my back, always pursued me as a friend and always willingly gave of herself.

X is for eXceptional. eXceptional is for Kelsey.Kels, do you think you got gypped with "eXceptional"? While you actually possess all of the characteristics mentioned so far, I actually think exceptional fits quite well. My sis, Kelsey, is truly exceptional...in everything she does. Steven had always told me about this amazing sister that he had, but it wasn't until I actually met and got to know her that I truly saw where he was coming from. Kels excels in the classroom, on the basketball court, in her relationships with others, and in her walk with God. Even though she's 7 years younger than me, she's someone I look up to and really admire. I hope I have a kid as exceptional as Kelsey someday.

Y is for YYYYYYY (pronounced WHY). YYYYYYY is for Grandpa Sauder.Awww, Grandpa Sauder. Look at him, don't you just wanna squeeze him? I had to fit him in this list because the guy is just so darn loveable. I can't really explain the "whhhhhhhyyyyy" characteristic, you just gotta know him to appreciate it. All you need to know is that I'm really hoping Steven grows up to be as jolly, messy, and funny as Grandpa Sauder.

Z is for zealous. Zealous is for Dave.I've never met anyone who can preach it like Dave can. He has a zeal for the Word of God, for people, and for Christ's name to be known among the earth. And it's pretty contagious. Even if I only spend 5 minutes with him, I leave on fire for the Lord. He's spoken such truth into my life and I'm thankful for his passion and enthusiasm to bring people to Jesus.

And so it finally comes to an end. Thanks for reading about the people that I'm so very thankful for. May we always remember and celebrate the people in our lives who make our world a better place.

I couldn't help myself.

I'm starting to fear that this blog is becoming quite the "Debbie Downer". While I'd like to think of myself as a happy and bubbly person, I am usually moved to write when I feel just the opposite. When my heart is heavy, when my sin is suffocating, when my faith and life don't seem to match up, is when the words start to flow. And ultimately, it's where I grow.

And while I'd like to say that today is the day I'm turning things around, that I'm blogging about the sunshine and the springtime and the happy lighthearted things, I can't. Today's a heavy one, sorry.

I just couldn't help myself.

With the Easter season still fresh in my mind, I can't help but continue thinking about the cross. While I hate to admit this, I usually don’t like to think about it very much. Yes, I love to reflect upon what Christ’s death means, but I tend to gloss over the brutal reality and details of what actually took place that day on the cross. Oh how much the perfect Son of God endured for me, for you, for the world. It’s too horrific, too inhumane, too painful for me to think about.

But I need to. Jesus deserves at least that much.

To be frank, I used to even think that it wasn't that big of a deal. I remember thinking as a little girl, "Eh, Jesus on the cross couldn't have been too bad. If I had the chance to die for the whole world, I'd probably do it. No biggie." You see, I viewed Christ's death as rather simple.

He died. He rose again. Woohoo, thank you Jesus.

I didn't understand its depth, its anguish, its heartache. I guess my Sunday school teachers spared me the details and sheltered me from the gruesome reality. I'm thankful.

...kinda...

While I doubt I could have handled the following video clip as a young child, part of me wishes that this was more of the image I had of Jesus' death. Christ on the cross has become so commercialized, toned down, and kid friendly that, for me, has drowned out its deep significance and sacrifice.

It's hard for me to watch this. And I bet it'll be hard for you to watch it too. This video is painful, scary, and deeply upsetting. It leaves me with big tears running down my face. I don't want to watch it, but again, I know I should. I know I have to.

Not only because Jesus deserves that much, but because it helps me. It helps me grow in my love and sacrifice for the Son of God who loved and sacrificed so much for me. It helps me know His hesed more deeply, which helps me give it more freely. It helps me be more thankful, so truly thankful.

Though it's gut-wrenching, it really does help me. And maybe it’ll help you too.



Oh, Jesus... You bore that for me. The innocent and perfect lamb. Crushed and bruised. Hung on the cross. To die. For me. So that I may live. Oh, Jesus... How did you do that? You didn't deserve it. And I don't deserve what you did for me. Oh, Jesus... is this what grace feels like? Oh, Jesus. Thank you.

Oh, God... You sent your Son to die like that for us. How could you do that? If Jesus were mine, I would have ripped Him off that cross. Is that how much you really love me? That you would allow your one and only flesh and blood to suffer and die for a sinner like me? Oh, God... I don't understand this love, your hesed. It's too big, too radical, too unbelievable. Oh God, how much I love you because of how you first loved me. Oh God, how I owe you my life. My all. My everything.

Oh sweet Jesus, Father God, thank you.