An Unexpected Ministry

If anyone would have asked me fifteen months ago what my ministry would be right now, I would have never guessed that it would have been reaching out to other widows. In all honesty, I would have never chosen such a ministry for myself for obvious reasons. I would have much preferred to be encouraging married people, or helping new moms get through the transition of infancy. Even though I wouldn’t have chosen this ministry, I know that it is the one that the Lord has called me to. It is the one that has blessed me more than any other ministry I have had before. I have found more healing and have experienced God’s love more through helping others in my situation than anything else. I believe that God performs a supernatural work in our lives when we take the focus off of ourselves and the hurt of our own situation and turn around and help others. I see the hand of God in this ministry and it is so humbling. I have had more widows (several of them young with small children) come into my life in the last year than even seems possible. It kills me to see someone hurting like I hurt almost fifteen months ago. It’s devastating. But, because of what the Lord has brought me through, I believe that I can reach those people in a way that other people can’t. I pray that I can be a voice of hope and love to those who feel like they can’t make it through the next five minutes. I pray that I would point them to the ultimate source of love and encouragement – Jesus Christ. The Lord brings healing to me every time I reach out to someone else. This new ministry is an ongoing reminder of God’s faithfulness and love. He never left me. He is still here with me. He has already gone before me. He is so good. My mother-in-law shared this devotional from Greg Laurie with me today. I thought it was so good and spoke my heart better than I could ever articulate.

Why Does God Allow Trials In Our Lives?

There are many things that could be said in response to the question of why God allows trials in our lives, but here is one you may not have considered: God allows trials and hardship in your life so you can help others. As a result, whatever difficulty, challenge, or suffering you may be going through need not be wasted.

Paul writes, "He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer" (2 Corinthians 1:4-7 NLT).

There is no better time to minister to others than when we are hurting

It seems that when we are in need, when we are facing crisis, the world should just stop what it is doing and think about us. We think that we need to be cared for, encouraged, even catered to. But the reality is that when you are hurting, if you will reach out to someone else, you yourself will be replenished and helped. Jesus said, "If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving–large or small–it will be used to measure what is given back to you" (Luke 6:38 NLT).

There is always someone worse off than you

After my beloved son Christopher was called home to heaven, people commended me and our family for continuing to minister, despite our pain over his sudden passing. While I appreciate those kind words, I must tell you that it actually helps me to help others. My heart goes out to other people who are suffering like it never has before, especially if it is the death of a child. So it helps me to help them. Even writing these words help me, knowing that they may minister to someone, somewhere.
I'm sure you know of someone who is hurting right now. Perhaps they have cancer, or have recently lost a loved one, or their marriage has unraveled. Go to them and seek to be a friend and encourage them today.

Don't waste your experiences

God is in control of your life, and allows trials to come our way in order to strengthen us spiritually and make us more like Jesus. Whatever you are facing, know that someone else is facing it too. Perhaps you could share with them some of the things the Lord has shared with you, and "be able to give them the same comfort God has given us."

I am not alone

I am so thankful for loving family and good friends. I don't know how I'd get through this life that the Lord has chosen for me without them. Christmas turned out to be a nice day. We had a house full of family and friends, which is such a blessing. It was a day filled with joy and laughter. I wasn't alone, and you can't imagine what that means to me.

I sat through a Christmas Eve service without Jimmy for the very first time in fourteen years. He wasn't there holding my hand through the service like he always used to do. I missed him so much as we lit our candles and sang Christmas carols. It broke my heart, but praise the Lord I wasn't alone. I had my precious friends Jeff and Ginger on one side of me and my sweet in-laws on the other side. What a comfort it was to just have them there.

My heart broke as I wrapped the boys' Christmas presents on Christmas Eve without Jimmy. I missed how silly and giddy he got the closer it got to Christmas morning. He always stayed up late to make sure that everything in the house was just as it should be before he went to bed. I longed for him to be there, but thank you Jesus, I wasn't alone. My sister came upstairs and endured wrapping tons of presents with me (she got stuck with lots of oddly shaped boxes that aren't so easy to wrap!). She made me laugh and kept me company. I love her for the amazing woman she has become and the source of strength she is for me.

When the boys woke up Christmas morning, I wished more than anything that Jimmy was there to see them. I wanted the boys to wake up to their dad fidgeting with the video camera while they were anxiously waiting to tear into their gifts. My heart hurt, but God is good, I wasn't alone. When my boys woke up on Christmas morning, they didn't see their dad, but they did get to see a bunch of family that love them more than they could ever know. They woke up to smiles and laughter (and lots of presents!). They laughed and smiled. It did my heart good.

The Lord was so good to me when He put me in the family that He put me in. He blessed me abundantly when he surrounded me with the friends that are in my life. Each and every one of them have taken the edge off of the pain of the last eleven months. I truly don't know where I would be or how I would have survived this season of my life without them. Thank you to all of my precious family and friends. I love each and every one of you SO very much! I pray that as a new year begins, the Lord would bless you for all that you have done for me and for standing by my side. Thank you SO MUCH for not letting me walk through this alone!

An Amazing Act of Kindness

Even though I was a bit apprehensive about Thanksgiving this year, I made it through the day just fine. Bev, Les, Vic, Adam and my mom were all here and we ended up having a wonderful day. Of course it was hard not having Jimmy here, but I was so thankful that it turned out to be such a nice and peaceful day. I was so concerned about making it through Thanksgiving that I didn’t give much thought to the day after. Every year Jimmy would set up the Christmas tree, and I would spend the afternoon decorating it while he went outside to put lights on the house. We would put on Christmas music and get the whole house ready for Christmas. There was something about this time of year that just brought out the best in Jimmy. He would do silly things like always make sure this little bubble light that we had was plugged in and turned on. He would go shopping for our dog, Ranger, and make sure that he had a new collar and treats to “unwrap” on Christmas day. He was a frugal guy all year long, except when it came to Christmas. He would get all caught up in the spirit of the season and the cost of things didn’t matter quite as much when it meant that he got to put a smile on the face of someone that he loved. This was by far our favorite time of year. It’s hard for me to believe that just one year ago, this is what was going on in our house:



This year, the day after Christmas was a tough one. I was just filled with a lot of emotion that I wasn’t expecting. I had to figure out how to put up our Christmas tree on my own. It was so heavy, and I couldn’t figure out how to plug the silly thing in. I got so frustrated and upset that Jimmy wasn’t around. I was in tears when I sent a prayer up to the Lord explaining to Him that I had no clue where the silly plug for the tree topper was and begged Him to help me find it. It wasn’t long before the Lord, in His sweet mercy, showed me where the plug was. I managed to get the tree up. Emotionally, it was such a tough thing, but I made it through. The part of the day that broke my heart into a thousand pieces was when Braxton asked if I was going to put lights up on the house. I had to explain to him that I had no clue how to put lights on the house. He was so disappointed. It killed me. We left to go to Louisiana this past week and my sweet friend, Tianne called to check on me. In the process of chatting with her, I spilled my guts and told her about my rough day. When I hung up the phone with her, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that she would orchestrate what she did. With the help of another friend of mine, Dan Barnes, the two of them certainly made up for my bad day and then some. I pulled into my driveway after being gone for several days and came home to this:



I was in complete shock! I cannot believe what they did for me and my boys. What an amazing act of kindness! My friend Carol said, “It was a God thing in lights.” I couldn’t have said it better myself! Tianne and Dan – THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOO MUCH! There are just not enough words to thank you! I wish you could have seen the excitement on Braxton and Auston’s faces and heard their squeals when they saw the lights. It was priceless! You guys are an amazing testament to God’s love, and I am SO thankful to have you both in my life!

Getting in the Holiday Spirit!

Growing up, I spent every Christmas at my Aunt Rose and Uncle Jimmie’s house. On Christmas Eve, my Aunt Rose, my cousin Alida, my sister Victoria and I would spend the entire day baking all sorts of goodies for our extended family that would come by and visit later that evening. It was one of my favorite Christmas memories. This year, I decided that I wanted to relive old times and ring in the Christmas season by baking with my family. So, on Wednesday morning, mom and I packed up the car and the boys and headed to Louisiana for some fun. When we got there, I knew that we were in for some SERIOUS baking when I overheard my Aunt Rose recap to my cousin Alida all of the groceries that she had already purchased. In that list were TEN pounds of sugar and TEN pounds of flour – I kid you not! If you know my Aunt Rose, this would just make you laugh because you would understand that she does NOTHING halfway. Her kitchen seriously looked like a stocked grocery store when we got there. Alida and I woke up early Thursday morning and started baking while my mom, Aunt Rose and my Aunt Dot watched our kids. We baked from around 9:00am to 11:30pm – once again, NOT kidding! We had a blast, and I laughed until my face hurt! It was just what I needed to get in the holiday spirit! My Aunt Dot came into the kitchen and helped us at one point. She made sure that our kitchen was clean and sanitary - she recommended that I pull my hair back, and I ended up wearing plastic gloves!! She warned me that if I had been working in her kitchen that I would have had to wear a hair net! I’m so glad we weren’t in her kitchen! Hairnets are NOT cute! If you know Aunt Dot, I know you’re laughing at this. She is such a nut! So, we baked all of our yummy (and sanitary!) goodies and packaged them all up on pretty trays to be shared with our family and friends. Mom, Aunt Rose and Aunt Dot spent the day driving all over town delivering our treats. From the sounds of it, they had a ball and people were surprised and so excited to get our trays of sweets. It made for a super fun getaway! Thank you Aunt Rose, Alida, Aunt Dot and Uncle Jimmie for such a wonderful week! I love you all a ton and look forward to doing it again next year!!! ;)


Me & Alida ready to get to work!


A small sampling of what Aunt Rose purchased for us to bake


Keepin' it clean!


Our trays ready to be delivered


Braxton, Auston & Caleb all bundled up for a wagon ride


A foxy picture of my Aunt Rose taken by yours truly


Aunt Dot, Aunt Rose & Mom

My Sister

Many of you that know me know my sister Victoria. We have certainly been through a lot together. When we were kids we were arch enemies. She was constantly that little girl that was always copying me or getting into my stuff. She was a tiny little kid, but certainly one of the toughest kids I knew. We fought almost daily and constantly bombarded Mom with phone calls at work about the chaos at home. She was feisty, free spirited and fearless. I was a rules follower, people pleaser, and scared of everything. We were like oil and water. When I left for college she told me that she couldn’t wait for me to leave. I couldn’t wait to go. So I headed off to college and that changed everything. As the miles grew between us, our bond grew stronger and we began to let go of all of the childish battles that were fought between us. We began to realize how much we loved each other. Now she is no longer my pesky little sister, she is one of my very best friends. As an adult, I came to realize that no matter what life threw our way (and trust me it threw a lot!), we always had each other. She and I have been through so much together, and I think that is what has made our bond today so strong. We have each other’s backs – no matter what. After Jimmy passed away, I began to appreciate and love my sister more than I ever thought I could. She became such a source of strength for me. I always thought I’d be the big sister – always the one to be the encourager and advice giver. During this trying time, my little sister became my rock. She prayed for me, called me, loved me and came to be by my side. She slept right next to me for the week after Jimmy died. Once again, she was right there by my side, every step of the way. I don’t know what I would do without her. She is one of the most amazing and precious people I know! Today is Victoria’s birthday, and I want her to know how VERY much she is loved. She is the best sister and aunt in the world! Happy birthday, Victoria! I love you more than you will EVER know!!!

Dorothy York

Please remember the entire York family in your prayers today. Maw Maw York (Dorothy) was called home to be with the Lord today. Please especially pray for Mr. Les, his sister Cindy and his brothers Bobby and Kelly as they lay their precious mother to rest. I know that she was greeted at heaven's gates by one of the most beautiful smiles I've ever seen. I pray that she is dancing in heaven as she embraces her loved ones that went there before her. We love you Maw Maw. You will be greatly missed!

An Awesome Day

Last Monday, I had the ENORMOUS pleasure of attending the Jimmy York Memorial Golf Tournament. My friends Jeff Pelletier, David Rice, Todd Starnes and Todd Hamilton spent the last several months working their fingers to the bone, turning a simple concept of a memorial golf tournament into a first class event complete with lunch, dinner, prizes and a silent auction. The Lord had his hand all over this special day. The weather could have not been more perfect. It was sunny and in the 70’s – very impressive for an unpredictable Texas November! Bridlewood Golf Course was absolutely beautiful, and there was a spirit of excitement and joy that filled my heart to overflowing from the time I got there until the time that I left. Throughout the day, I had the awesome privilege of getting to hang out with the most amazing group of 144 golfers I’ve ever seen. I was overwhelmed to see so many of our precious friends and family come out to be a part of this event. There were even a few people there that didn’t even know Jimmy, which melted my heart even more. It was so completely humbling to see so many people band together to help support me and my sweet boys and to honor Jimmy’s memory. It was a beautiful thing to see. I know that Jimmy would be so ridiculously proud of his amazing friends for doing this for us. I’m sure that he would have loved nothing more than to be swinging his golf clubs out there with all of you. Thank you Todd, Andy and Ray for using Jimmy’s clubs on your first tee off. What a sweet way to remember Jimmy (although from the sounds of the way you guys played, he may have wanted to beat you with them! Ha Ha! J/K!). Thank you also Mark McCord for showing me that your ball marker was “JY”. That is so precious of you and touched my heart so very much! I spent the day just being in awe of such an amazing event. I want to extend a HUGE thank you from the BOTTOM OF MY HEART to ALL of you who helped make the golf tournament such an unbelievable event. Thank you for your efforts, prayers, participation and contributions. It will certainly be a memory to last a lifetime for me. It was an absolutely awesome day!


Jeff Pelletier & Me


Putting Contest


Kevin hoping to get the winning putt


Craig Holst won the putting contest!


Gentlemen, start your golf carts!


And they're off! (Josh & Shelby)


Carl Wayne Bishop played golf on his 40th birthday!!


Vic, Ginger & Me


Ray, Todd & Andy


Mr. Les giving Mrs. Bev a golf lesson


Jeff, Todd, David & Todd - You guys are AWESOME! There are just NO words to express my gratitude to each of you!! Thank you a million times over!