The Rest of the Story....

There is a reason for my silence during the past few months. So much has been happening in our lives, but it was only for private consumption… until now. Before sharing the unabridged version, I will cut to the chase, and blurt out, “The Trachts are moving west!”

I have accepted a faculty position at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho as the Director of Academic Advising & Testing. There… I said it; it is officially public knowledge. If you want to know more read on:

Three years ago I began a master’s degree program for several reasons. First, I loved my job; I had finally found an excellent career fit in the academic side of higher education. My current job description reads, “Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree preferred.” As I read similar job descriptions from like institutions, and various other interesting job descriptions, I determined that a master’s degree would make my work experience and my education “match.” Second, I had always intended to earn a master’s degree, but I wanted to wait until I really appreciated education, and until I had a strong direction in which to head (i.e., a degree that would lead to an actual job). Lastly, I wanted to give Steve what he gave me – the freedom and flexibility to pursue new opportunities. His work allowed me to fulfill my dream of staying home with our babies; and, his work allowed me to work part-time while also attending graduate school. Steve has interests that he’s been unable to pursue because of his income. A master’s degree would enable me to earn more income. As of June 2009, I earned a master’s degree in general psychology with an emphasis in educational psychology.

I had hoped to either advance within MVNU, or find a new opportunity nearby initially. In fact, last summer I had applied for a position at an institution 30 miles away from Mount Vernon. At that time, I simply could not imagine living in the community without working for MVNU. I loved our life in Mount Vernon, and I was afraid of shaking up our happiness. The position did not materialize, and I felt great relief. Over the course of this school year, however, a sense of disequilibrium developed within me. When such feelings emerged, it was difficult to avoid the blame game (i.e., look for reasons outside of oneself for the source of frustration). I could list all the reasons why I began to search for change, but the reasons are all meaningless now. The bottom line is this: Steve and I believe that God was preparing us for change. Had we been perfectly happy with our surroundings, we would have never considered other options. God clearly has been working in our lives – simultaneously – to bring about our current move.

Fast forward to January 2010. My dear Grandpa Keller passed away in mid-January. Throughout the holidays, we knew the end was nearing, and I desperately missed my family! Such a longing to be near them took me by surprise, as I have lived many miles from “home” for nearly 20 years. When Grandpa passed, and I spent the next week with my grandma, parents, brother, cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephew; and, the longing to be in closer proximity to these relationships grew ten fold. Coupled with the disequilibrium I faced in Mount Vernon, I felt driven to consider new possibilities. In fact, during the weekend following Grandpa’s services, I participated in a special Beth Moore event in Houston, and I strongly sensed a word from God: Change is coming. Be patient and be at peace because I am at work. To symbolize my acceptance of this word, I began using a planner that Beth’s ministry gifted the event participants with that weekend.

Since the spring of 2009, I have been closely monitoring job opportunities at select universities in specific areas of the country – mostly near my extended family, but also in Ohio. There were regularly interesting job openings, but rarely great fits for my specific interests in higher education. I knew that I needed to be ready when the “right” job opening was announced. On the Monday following my return from the memorial services for Grandpa, I noticed the NNU employment opportunity. It seemed like a perfect fit, a great opportunity for advancement, and a “long shot” since I lived in Ohio. With Steve’s blessing, I completed the application packet, contacted some references that lived in Nampa, and began praying for God’s wisdom and His best for our family. Within a few weeks, the ball started rolling.

Before I continue with this part of the story, I must talk about the weekend prior to my interviews in Nampa. Way back in November, I sensed God leading me to initiate a Girls’ Weekend with some of my cousins and aunts in Seattle. We planned it around the Beth Moore simulcast that took place last Saturday. Ten of us met in Auburn and Seattle to eat, talk, and worship together. It was an amazing time to be together, to become reacquainted as a family, and to grow in Christ. The whole experience was clearly a God-thing, and we were all along for the ride. God is such a great tour guide for life! Once again, the Lord spoke to me about being His instrument among this very special group of my favorite people in the world! I can not believe that I allowed the craziness of life come between these relationships for so long! So, the timing of my Grandpa’s passing, this renewal of extended familial ties, and our move west is absolutely amazing!

Steve and I were in Nampa, Idaho for nearly a week of interviewing, exploring, and decision making. Moving on is a strange place to be again. We did it nearly 8 years ago from Kansas to Ohio, and here we are again. We are definitely excited, but also a bit anxious. This morning my Bible study spoke to me. In the book of Ruth, Naomi tells Ruth that it is time to move on from their season of mourning, and begin a new thing. Within the disequilibrium that I referenced earlier, I felt emotions strong enough to resemble mourning. Now, it is clear that we need to move on. Kelly Minter writes, “One of the most remarkable and mysterious parts of life is how our frail and human plans somehow fit into God’s master plan” (2009, p. 96). It takes a firm resolve to follow God’s master plan even when we are so uncomfortable with our present state of affairs. Minter writes, “When we are wrapped in garments of mourning, we’re unavailable for whatever else God has for us” (p. 99). God is leading us toward a new thing, and it is impossible for us to deny it. I can not even imagine denying it!

When we moved to Ohio eight years ago, I prayed this prayer, “Lord, either open the doors so wide that we can not help but walk through them, or close them so tight that we would not dream of attempting.” I found myself praying the same prayer during this season of transition, and God is clearly speaking – even though I feel anxious about the unknowns. My theme verse for this season is:

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43:18-19, NIV).

Now that I can freely share how God is working, I hope to be more active on this blog again. The Bible study I referred to by Kelly Minter has been a tremendous source of inspiration and peace during this time.

An Every Day Kind of Obediance

Trust in the Lord with all you heart,

and lean not on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him, 

and He will direct your path. 

Proverbs 3:5-6

I have fears of the unknown, fears of embarrassment, and fears of failure.

I like safety, comfort, and security.

I am thinking about 3 scenarios, and none of them are perfect. Within my understanding, all 3 make me feel anxious for various reasons. But, my understanding is extremely limited....

Lord,
help me to trust You,
lean on You,
acknowledge You, and
wait on Your direction
with peace and confidence.
Amen.

Be Prayerful

"Pray continually...." 

I Thessalonians 5:17 (NIV)

Lysa TerKeurst (2010) spoke of praying continually, but how does one pray continually? Praying continually hinges on realizing my utter dependence on God - continually. When I recognize my need for God, and when I realize that God desires to meet that need, then my weaknesses serve as a trigger to pray. My weaknesses are numerous, therefore I am in a perfect position to prayer continually (personal communication, TerKeurst, 2010).

For example, I have an addiction to food. To combat this addiction, I am choosing to participate in a restrictive diet for 40 days. Each time my stomach growls; each time my mouth waters; each time I long for food that I am choosing not eat at this time, I am seeking God to strengthen my resolve. It is continual - believe me!

Lysa TerKeurst (2010) reminds me that God longs to be my portion each day. By addressing my food addiction, I am placing myself in a position of weakness in order to experience God's power in my every day life.

What is your area of greatest need?

Will you allow your weaknesses 

to be a trigger to pray continually?

An Unusual Connection: Vampires, Lysa TerKeurst, & Beth Moore

What do Vampires, Lysa TerKeurst, & Beth Moore have in common?

When I am in connection with how God is working around me, Truth strikes me from multiple sources. Several months ago, I wrote a series of blogs relating to "The Twilight Series." I am currently reading Beth Moore's newest book "So Long Insecurity;" and, this week I am wrapping up an event featuring Lysa TerKeurst, as the speaker. I am home today, and happened upon Focus on the Family's broadcast entitled, "Navigating the Vampire Phenomenon, 1."

One of my biggest questions regarding "The Twilight Series" is the extreme obsession I see among very young girls, teenagers, young women, and middle-aged women. Females of all ages pour over these books (reading them many times over), see the movies with great anticipation and joy, and talk about the characters like they are real people. As I read Beth's discussion of insecurity, which includes many real-life examples of women who share, with intense honesty, their own struggles with insecurity, I can not help but wonder about how fiction like that of "The Twilight Series," negatively impacts woman's view of real life and love. As was stated in the broadcast above, I also can not help but question the source of need that this obsession represents.

Lysa TerKeurst points out (on her blog, in her spoken messages, and in her books) that humankind is created to crave. In Truth, God created us to crave Him! Yet, we attempt to meet that craving with everything but God, or a combination of things, along with a sprinkle of God. I attempt to fill my cravings for God with food, with work, with busy-ness, with service, with entertainment, with human comforts. I see a STRIKING CONNECTION between the insecurity of women, the innate pull of our cravings to be met with something or someone, and the obsession with vampires!

Don't label me "self-righteous." Though "The Twilight Series" has not sucked me in, I succumb to hundreds of other powerful (and inappropriate) cravings - not the least of which is food.  

Oh God, fill my life with You.

Move me to crave you first and foremost!

Allow every other pleasure to be enjoyed 

through the filter of Your perfect love for me,

 and Your complete fulfillment in me. 

Amen!

Messages From Heaven Via Humans

Open My Heart

Open my heart to Your Word; enlighten me.

Open my heart to Your Word,

And make me see

That all of life's meaning

Can be found in knowing You.

But how can I know You

If Your Word is not my rule?

Open my heart to Your Word;

Illumine me.

©2001, Geri Rosser

Dr. Geri Rosser led the students who provided praise and worship for the women's conference. They were FABULOUS! When I set this up with Geri, she did not want to intice the students with promises of an honorarium. She wanted them to participate with a heart of service. So, we surprised them each with a check at the end of the event. I love surprises!

Geri wrote the above chorus; it really touched my heart, and it is perfectly in line with the Truths God is teaching me. Thank you, Geri, for saying YES! to God.

How can I sum up Lysa TerKeurst's messages without "spilling the beans?" God is powerfully at work in her - using Lysa's body, mind, and soul to proclaim His message. My most profound comment is, "WOW!" :)

How many times a day/week/month/year do we find ourselves asking "Why, God?" Whether it is a personal hardship, the hardship of a close friend/family member, or a hardship of disasterous proportions, the "Why" questions of life are frequent. Lysa encouraged us to turn our thinking around.... Instead of asking "Why?" questions, talk to God:

"This is my reality, God.... What do You want me to do with it?"

I may be out-of-control of the circumstances, but (with God's help) I may be in-control of my reactions. Check in tomorrow for more!

Be joyful always; pray continually;

give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

Event Planning: What is Success?

Success in planning the MVNU Women's Auxiliary Spring Conference is measured by how God works.I really wish that I had kept a journal of all the glitches that have occurred in the weeks prior to this event each year! At first, these glitches always catch me by surprise, and even make me mad; however, I firmly believe that these glitches represent evil's desire to shift the momentum away from honoring God.

There is not one bit of doubt in me that the devil was in our credit card machine this year!!! From start to finish, registration was a problem in 2010. Had I the time to be discouraged, I might have been by the low number of pre-event registrations. The credit card machine was one source of our apparent low numbers, but our actual numbers were right on target. Praise the Lord!! While we raise funds at the event, we do not intend to make much money from the cost of registration - our initial goal is "break even" on average.

When I arrived at the venue on Friday at noon, I was caught up in a seemingly (at the time) huge glitch.... Our tables and chairs had not been delivered! I'll be honest, I freaked a bit! Then, I took some deep, cleansing breathes and addressed the problem. Sure enough, the dilemma was solved with time to spare! Thank you, Jesus!

All of the stresses that occurred in the months/weeks/days/hours prior to this event were worthwhile when the music began! This year an MVNU student praise team led worship for the first time. They were wonderful, and the women loved having students on the platform. I believe it is great testimony of how valuable our students are - they give me hope for the future! Dr. Geri Rosser led the group; she also shared a prayer chorus that she wrote and arranged. I hope to share that with you soon!

Our featured speaker this year was Lysa TerKeurst, President of Proverbs 31 Ministries. One of her books is titled, "What Happens When Women Say Yes to God." I am thankful that Lysa said "Yes" to God. Her ministry is rich, authentic, and so down-to-earth. By the grace of God, her messages touched single women, married women, women with no children, moms, grandmas.... everyone, young and old. The response was amazing! I am excited to share some specifics from Lysa's talks, and their impact upon me personally... tomorrow.

P.S. I just realized that I never shared with the specifics of Beth Moore's message upon me in January. I will do that soon!

Spiritual Gifts in Action: Event Planning

I plan one, big event a year: the MVNU Women's Auxiliary Spring Conference. I believe I was 11 years old when I first planned something significant. It was a summer babysitting service with my best friend. We called it "Snoopy's Place." Cute, huh? We offered our services every Tuesday and Thursday throughout the summer. Our plans included a scheduled play time, sack lunches, snack time, and rest time. We made a significant amount of money! Nearly 30 years later, as a busy mom, I know why our services were so popular!

Throughout junior high and high school, I planned events for school and for church. It just came naturally to me, and I loved it! During my senior year in high school, I planned a formal, Christmas dance. It was an extremely memorable experience, and I learned a bunch! My planning joys continued throughout college with my biggest feat being the Homecoming Coronation during in my junior year.

My first job included event planning, as well. As the Administrative Assistant for the Director of YOUTH IN MISSION, I planned the summer training camp, and the fall recruiting tour. It was a blast!! Beyond that job, my event planning energies turned back to volunteer services through church. These volunteer experiences matured my passions for women's ministries. As a result, when the opportunity arose for me to volunteer as the conference coordinator for the MVNU Women's Auxiliary, I found the perfect marriage of my Spiritual gifts, interests and passions.

I love helping women grow in their personal relationship with Christ! Coordinating an event that is aimed at inspiration and spiritual transformation among women is quite fulfilling for me. Our 2010 event was my fourth consecutive conference. Over four years, we've had Liz Curtis Higgs, a group of 4 ladies with a long name that I can never remember, Shaunti Feldhahn, and Lysa TerKeurst. Each year holds a special place in my heart, but this year was particularly amazing!

Success in planning this event is measured by how God works. I can 't wait to tell you more... tomorrow!

"This is why I remind you to fan into flame the spiritual gifts
God gave you when I laid my hands upon you."

2 Timothy 1:6 (NLT)