A Must Read- The Shack

Several weeks ago my dear friend Betsy told me that I should read "The Shack",by WM. Paul Young. I knew I was getting ready to be very busy with the move. However, I went ahead and purchased the book and began reading it. I am glad I did. It is Sunday afternoon and I am sitting in my quiet chair as I have just finished the book.

This story touched my heart, challenged my mind, and revealed more about God than I could have imagined. It is ironic that one little creative work like this could be packed with so much truth and power. It is truly a message from the Lover of our souls crying for us to seek Him and learn who HE really is.

The story is about loss, grief,unforgiveness,confusion,and hopelessness. It will stir your core and show you that we all have a shack or two within our own hearts. Where is that deserted, cold and empty place in you? How did it get there? And why does there never seem to be any answers as to the inward questions of "Why?"

Did you know that within the very shack erected within you is an opportunity for you to find life and truth? But you have to go there. Someone is calling and is inviting you back to the "shack" Going there is excruciating, but a great surprise awaits you if you will only make the journey and walk through the door.

Your perspective of God will change as you will experience sides of Him you never knew existed. Your religious views will be shattered and your mindsets pulverized. He is real, relatable,tender,and affectionate. He knows the things you love and what you enjoy. His passion for you is like the breath of a thrusting wind. He does not push Himself upon you but only invites you into His arms. At the shack, you will find that the very place of pain is a refuge of fulfillment and healing. You will find yourself being carried in His arms as He knows you like no other knows you. You have heard it before, but you will truly know it after your stay in the Shack.

Go with Mack to the Shack, a simple family man who has experienced torrents of pain in his life. You will never be the same again. You will be changed as you sit and commune with the Lover of your Soul. He is calling and He is waiting. Let us go.

Deeply hidden within
nestled behind
gnarly twigs
iced vines, broken shingles
exists a bottomless floor
where uninvited sorrow
come to dwell.

It lays there only to catch death
Hope ceases, joy releases
never to return
life void of being recaptured
all is doomed, and nothing
ever to bloom again.

In the mind's eye
this is all there is
but obvious reality is not
truth's stance.

In the heart
the lies come,
distress hovers,
constantly as robbers
of life's treasures.
Then a shack forms.
In me, in you.
Time strolls
And the shack rots
But never disintegrates


Deceit never wins
in the hand
Of the Lover.
He scrutinizes
knows and redeems
He waits at the shack
where the evil one ravaged innocence
And hedged hope until it smothered.

The tattered and torn shack
where all seemed to end
Was where the Lover waited
to bind the shack within

Cascading tears water
Holding a seed
Of eternal life
In its crystal wealth
The Lover knows
what you need.
In the plot where
You only saw death
Life will meet you there
At the truest of depth.

Come to the shack
The Lover will build it again
He will fill it with joy
Beauty and life from His hand
That which was lost
You will find never was gone
And a ravaged heart
Was never alone.

(I wrote this poem as the story inspired me. You may not understand it unless you have read the book. However I pray that you will read the book and then tell your family and friends about it.
I realized that we all have heart held shacks in difficult seasons of our lives. But the shack is not the end. We must expect the Lover to be who He says He is no matter how He chooses to reveal Himself to us. He is good. He is good. He is good. As we truly learn of Him and of His tender mercies and touchable love, we learn more and more that He is good and kind. No matter what the pain you have suffered whether through death, abuse, sickness, betrayal, God is a good Father and He wants to show you that He is just that....simply good.)

More from the Valley of the Sun

Here are more photos. We took these this morning. When you wake up here it looks like this at 6:30 a.m. So of course everyone is getting up earlier. The pictures of the palm trees, the back yard and the dove were taken from the master bedroom picture window. This morning I was sitting in my "quiet time" chair by the window...praying for strength. The whole process has taken a toll on my body it seems. As I was praying and crying a little asking God to help me, this beautiful little dove (in photos above) landed on the wall. He just sat there very still for at least 10 minutes. I went and got all the children and showed them that it was God's message to us that He is with us and that He is helping us.

I was also reminded by the Lord this morning that we all tend to put too much pressure on ourselves...especially mothers. We need to learn to rest instead of being so restless thinking we should be doing more than we are doing.

After that moment we all went outside and just played in the sun. We spied a couple of butterflies and crickets. Then we googled to find out what crickets eat.They like to eat each other and they enjoy drinking beer and vinegar. We got a kick out of that.

Okay Moms ....stop pressing on yourself like I have been doing. The work is going no where...but the special moments with those precious little ones are as a vapor. Take every opportunity to embrace these rare moments with these priceless little gems.

Update from the Sunny Valley

Here are a few random photos from last weeks' move. The top picture is of John carrying the final box off of the truck. And he was still smiling! There are also a couple of photos of the house inside and out. The inside picture is of the dining area and kitchen. Our huge table is swallowed up in the spacious dining area...no more carpet there! We can sweep up the crumbs! Hallelujah. We will post more pictures of the house later with furniture.

The other pictures are of the outside. The children are enjoying this the most. And you see the spa. It has been great putting the little ones in there before bedtime. They are nice, limp, and go right to sleep! Smile.

Below that you see the pictures of some of the terrain on the drive over. Windmills in Texas and mountains galore from West Texas all the way to Arizona! It was a beautiful journey. Praise the Lord that the Cogburn school bus made it with no problems at all. God was faithful and His wind surely carried us here. There will be more updates. Keep checking. We miss and love you all.

The Cling Factor

I know some of you peek in here to see what is new. I have not updated in a while so just thought I would take a moment to share. This season has been one of high momentum. It is much like riding the Marta at the airport. You had better hang onto the rails or you are going to get jerked around a bit.

This is much like the season we are in. God is literally picking us up from this place and setting us down in a new place. Personally, I am so used to being in the waiting mode. Every thing before has been very slow. We have prayed and waited, cried and fretted, waited some more, rested, and cried again.

How overwhelming it is to watch God set you on the fast train and boy you better hang on or you are going to get spiritual whiplash. Just a little over a month ago we were in agony..wondering if God was ever going to "do something" We had run out of money,strength,and hope. However, the one thing we did not lack was the God given ability to look to our faithful Father. No matter where we were emotionally, we stayed in His face and remained in His embrace.God was working all along behind the scenes and now the deliverance has come.

I also have learned that God is not concerned so much with our performance in the test. Sometimes you are up and sometimes you are down. However, He is looking for one thing...."The Cling Factor" He hovers and waits and continually makes Himself available in order that we may grab hold to Him no matter the mood we find ourselves in.

In less that a month, we have found ourselves preparing to move across the country. God provided a promotion for John. He is working for Armorworks in the Phoenix area, managing 10 engineers. Imagine the challenge of building relationally with that group of people? Also he will be contributing to the protection of our country through development ideas for military wear, machinery, and vehicles.

I am so happy for him after he has worked in an environment where he was demeaned in many ways and even judged with sarcasm for being a father of 9. He endured it all quietly and patiently.

God truly is our Vindicator. We just have to wait and allow Him to be that for us when it is so tempting at times to build up our own walls of justice. When we take those matters into our own hands, we usually just end up building strongholds of bitterness for ourselves and we become bound in the snare of the evil one.

We also found a house very quickly. When John and I visited Phoenix a couple of weeks ago we must have looked at fifteen homes. The houses were lovely but there were no backyards. Just this week, John found a home with a huge, grassy back yard for the kids to run and play. The house is also one story which is something that I had prayed for.

The moving truck comes today. We will load over the weekend and hope to be out of here by Tuesday or Wednesday. The train ride continues.....and the story goes on.
God has truly taught us many things in our five years here in Atlanta. He has been preparing us, refining us and humbling us. I appreciate Him for that...and we know the process will continue...stayed tuned for more.

YOU SHALL FEAR THE LORD YOUR GOD, YOU SHALL SERVE HIM, AND TO HIM YOU SHALL HOLD FAST,AND TAKE OATHS IN HIS NAME.HE IS YOUR PRAISE AND HE IS YOUR GOD WHO HAS DONE FOR YOU THESE GREAT AND AWESOME THINGS WHICH YOUR EYES HAVE SEEN. DEUTERONOMY 10:20-21

Back to Baca

Today I was in store for a very special surprise. Not the kind where you jump up and down with excitement and elation. But the surprise of finding where your heart is and the urgent call to visit the valley of weeping once again on behalf of another.

Last year I had two miscarriages which happened about 3 months apart. It was the most painful time of my life. To me it was as if I had lost one of my living children. Eight months have gone by and not a day goes passes that I do not think of those two little angels who are thriving in Heaven. Time is healing the pain but some days the grief comes as an unexpected visitor.

However, today the Lord had something in mind that would open my heart to another's pain. Believe me, I felt the sting for another as I have never before experienced. Maybe the Lord gave me a little glimpse or "prick" in my heart of how He truly aches for us and the deeper reality that He not only understands our sorrows, but he feels them as if they were His own. He claims every pain. He weeps in the deep recesses of His heart for his beloved.

My phone rang this afternoon and I found myself talking with the sweetest young lady who had lost her baby a month ago. The little boy was 19 weeks gestation because the mother's cervix was incompetent. They named the baby Caleb and he lived for an hour and a half after he was born. My heart stung with sorrow as this precious woman poured her distress out. We agreed to meet next week and I want to give her God's love. I am so happy that I can give her something...I can give her comfort, encouragement, gifts, and most of all love. I have cried all afternoon for this precious woman. God loves us so much. We so often underestimate the depth of His feelings for us. He truly captures every tear and treasures them as priceless gems.

Thank you again Lord for sorrows. God, I cannot love in sincerity unless I have tasted the sting of death, loss and disappointment. Love means more to you than anything Lord. It is so obvious. Oh the valleys formed within our being through tremendous aches that only form a space to drink in Your love. The beauty of Your ways God...overwhelm me with awe and wonder. Incredible Lover and Hero of My soul.

BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE STRENGTH IS IN YOU, WHOSE HEART IS SET ON PILGRIMAGE.
AS THEY PASS THROUGH THE VALLEY OF BACA (WEEPING) THEY MAKE IT A SPRING;THE RAIN ALSO COVERS IT WITH POOLS. THEY GO FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH;EACH ONE APPEARS BEFORE GOD IN ZION. PSALMS 84: 5-7

Mystical Beauty

We arrived home from our housing visit in Phoenix Sunday. I am still in a strange daze as my mind keeps wandering back to those strange mountains. Never have I experienced anything like this unique area of the United States.


As we were flying over Arizona toward the city, the thickness of the mountain terrain seemed eternal. Then suddenly we were upon a flat, dusty and widespread landscape: the city of Phoenix. It was like nothing I have ever seen. The last time I flew was 16 years ago when we lived in California for 3 months. Therefore, my face was pressed against the plane window like an excited little girl. I felt the smile and delight of God.

As we were getting ready to land in the "Valley of the Sun", I felt the Lord whisper, "This is your new land. This land is your land." Immediately I fell in love with this mystical city.

Every street traveled there holds wondrous views of mountains. These hills are nothing like the mountains in the east. They are all rocky and jagged. Every afternoon, white fluffy clouds settle over the mountains. It is as if God Himself is taking a seat on the peaks to watch over the city. I felt His presence so intensely there. I thought continually of Moses and God on the mountain of Sinai.

The land there is dirt, dirt, dirt! However there exists an unusual beauty. One cannot help but fall in love with the uniqueness of the land. The tallest trees are palm trees. There is tumbleweed and cactus. The blooms are breathtaking. Everywhere you look are flowers and blooms. The sky is of the bluest hue I have ever seen and the palm trees look majestic against the aqua sky.

The people there are of such diversity...much like here in Atlanta. The woman who checked us to to our hotel was from the Republic of Georgia. She was beautiful. She liked me!! HA HA!!! I believe people will listen to me in Phoenix when I share about Jesus! They loved my accent and I loved theirs.

The city is indeed mystical. I am looking forward to digging in and discovering the mysteries of this unusual land. I felt such a peace there. Yet the Lord showed us that there are many poor in spirit in this city. I will be writing more about this new adventure. We are truly leaping with the Lord and know there are many more exciting excursions ahead.

The Valley of the Sun

You never know what tomorrow holds. However, we serve and follow an adventurous God. I never imagined five years ago that I would be living in Atlanta, Georgia. Five years later we find ourselves preparing to move 1600 miles across the United States to Phoenix,Arizona. Talk about suddenly! Three weeks ago we were wondering if God had forgotten us. Now we feel we are being swept up in a strong yet tender wind; swept away to a land we have never seen. I am excited about the adventure ahead. Oh to be carried by God while He is running! It is so fun. My energy level is better than ever. I find myself excited and laughing a lot...rolling on the floor and playing with my kids. I feel like a kid again. Something has changed and I am changing. Praise the Lord!

We will travel to Phoenix in our 15 passenger van. It will be three day trip and will drive across several states we have never set foot in. Hopefully we will stop along the way and enjoy some sights. We will pack fun snacks and games to have in the van. However, I will miss my oldest. He has a job here and has decided to stay. He has been with me just about every day for 18 years. It is time to let go of him. I have released him to God and peace fills my soul.

Here are some neat things I have learned about Phoenix.

-Half of the population of the entire state of Arizona is in Phoenix. In fifty years, the city has grown from 100,000 persons to 3 million.

-The cost of living in Phoenix is cheaper than the national average.

-More than 4 out of 10 persons who live in Phoenix say their personal quality of life has improved over the past year.

-Three out of ten people say there are too many people and one out of seven say it is too hot. People have been saying that since 1880.

-Phoenix is only 4 hours from San Diego. Many Phoenicians go to the beaches there for vacation.

-The summers are hot! Usually topping out at 120 degrees. But the humidity is low. In the winter the coolest day is usually around 68 to 70 degrees.

-Phoenix averages about 211 days of sunshine a year. An additional 85 days are only partly cloudy. That leaves only about 69 days of clouds or rain.

-Phoenix does not observe day light savings time.

-Some people leave soft, cushioned furniture outside. It stays nice and does not get moldy because there is not much humidity.

-Citrus trees are very popular. You can grow grass and beautiful flowers there. Foliage thrives there and it is like this all year around.

These are just a few tidbits I have learned about Phoenix. We will be visiting there this weekend. I will tell you more when we come back. Off we go to the "Valley of the Sun"!!!