“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us…”
Ephesians 3:20
You Got This Girl- A Missionary Momma’s Hope During the Pandemic
Looking back over the past year, I cannot help but feel like I have been defrauded in so many ways. At the end of every year I spend a week in focused prayer and fasting. It is a special time of praise for what has transpired and prayer for what is to come. It...
Our Favorite Beer Cheese Bread
This is the most amazing bread recipe, the ultimate comfort food. It is super easy to make and you can even be creative and try different ingredients like apples and cinnamon or jalapenos. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do and please feel free to...
Yes, You Can Read the Entire Bible in a Year
One of my all-time heroes of the faith, George Müller one said, “The vigor of our spiritual life will be in exact proportion to the place held by the Bible in our life and thoughts. I solemnly state this from the experience of fifty-four years…I have read the Bible...
Nielsen Family Update Summer 2019
June 21, 2019 Hello Friends, Greetings from our family to yours! Thanks for taking a couple minutes to let us fill you in on our upcoming plans.SUMMER OF TRANSITION! Summer 2019, for our family, is transition time! After 7 years serving as directors of Laredo Stepping...
A Very Nielsen Christmas
If you are anything like me you may have stared with glossy eyes into the heavens throughout the Christmas Season wondering WHY God chose an empire wide census, Bethlehem and a dirty manger for the backdrop of His Most Precious Gift to be presented to all of mankind....
Haters, Lovers and The Golden Rule
Hate is contagious, the more you surround yourself with it, the more reasons you find to wield its destructive power. Haters are simply those who have never stopped to find a better way. Love is contagious as well, the more you surround yourself with it the more...
The Gardener
I want to share this beautiful poem with you. Written by my own daughter for me on Mother's Day. The Gardener~ Here she comes, Upright and joyful, Head high and singing She waltzes gaily in the world. Here she stands Hands on hips Eyes firm and steady A queen...
Sacred Life – A Kona Story
The sand was cool and the sun warmed my pregnant self as I stepped onto the shores of La'aloa Bay. A perfect paradise as I walked along the shore knee deep in the crystal clear blue water. Gorgeously colored fish nibbled at my toes in the calm waters. Never in my...
The Belonging
Throughout the years our family has grown like the morning glories that stretch across my front entryway, tenderly reaching out to the dark places and endeavoring to bring God's beauty into the lives of others. We have a knack for giving those around us a...
Shattered Art
I have unwittingly become a connoisseur of the human experience. Being a career missionary has given me an in-depth look into the trials and triumphs of those precious lives I have been honored to love and serve. It is a labor of the heart when you work with...
Bruchko- The Bruce Olsen Story
Bruchko details Bruce Olsen's amazing true life adventure of his work with the Motilone. The Motilone are a primitive tribe that live in Columbia and Venezuela. As a missionary myself, I have come to appreciate that Bruce Olsen did not go to "Westernize" the...
The Blessing~A Review
John Trent and Gary Smalley eloquently express the Biblical meaning of the "gift of the blessing" in their outstanding revised and updated version of their 1986 parenting classic, The Blessing. Parental approval is the driving force behind how we see ourselves...
Max on Life~A Review
In Max on Life, Max Lucado shares thoughtful biblical answers to over 170 of the most challenging questions. For more than twenty-five years, Lucado's writings have been a source of encouraging advice to many a burdened and perplexed believer. This inspirational...
My Life in the Secret Service
After nearly 30 years of being in the ‘Secret Service’, I am finally coming clean, in a manner of speaking. I can no longer withhold the facts of the service in clear conscience. It is the most important work I have ever been honored to be a part of. But it is not...
A Gumnut Storytime
Cecilia May Gibbs began her writing career at the tender age of 8. Although she was born in England, the Outback was her world and some of Australia's most beloved children's classics were birthed from her imaginative interpretation of the bush. She was first...
Zondervan Sale March 9th Only
Huge Zondervan Bible Study sale March 9th only! I just had to share this amazing sale that Zondervan is having on some excellent Bible Study material. All of the books below are at least 80% off today. Enjoy! [table id=11 /] These...
I Just Want You To Smile, Okay?
I had been completely oblivious to his presence as he snuck up behind me. His words caught me unaware, leaving me nauseated and dizzy as if from a blow. It was a sucker punch from behind and as I reeled around to face my assailant I reached out to steady myself. Hot...
Re:Write Writers Contest and The Ragged Edge
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. Benjamin Franklin We need no other distraction than ourselves when we get together as a family. Memories about missions or wonderful relatives bring hearty laughter and great...
Book Reviews…
I Just Want You To Smile, Okay?
I had been completely oblivious to his presence as he snuck up behind me. His words caught me unaware, leaving me nauseated and dizzy as if from a blow. It was a sucker punch from behind and as I reeled around to face my assailant I reached out to steady myself. Hot...
The Five Senses of a Missionary
Let's be honest for a moment, not everyone is called to be a missionary nor does becoming one happen instantaneously. After living the last 3 decades in faith based mission work, I am still learning what it takes to serve God full time and long term....
Pizza Night in Thailand
We had such a beautiful time when we were at the Home of the Open Heart in Chiang Rai, Thailand this year. We have been blessed to serve at many homes for children around the world and this special place was by far the loveliest. Penny and Paul Wilcox and the rest...
A Music Box Story
Her tiny frame shook with sobs as she stood before me. She obviously knew me and yet I hadn't a clue as to her identity. Beautiful jet black locks framed her delicate features. Her big brown eyes filled with tears. It was one of those tender weeks for me, where my...
The Old Pot
There was a dear woman who lived near me in the barrios of Mexico. She was very poor and cared for several of her grand-children all by herself. She was so sweet, and had an amazing smile. About once a week some of the children would come to the gate looking for...
