Around campus, you’ll most likely find me in one of two places - tucked away at my office in the Lake House or treasuring time with the children of His LIttle Feet.

Whenever I can, I like to steal away to Estes Park for a day alone with the Lord.   I love a completely un-rushed day, being gone from dawn to dusk.  I take along my Bible, journal, laptop, and camera, and spend hours cozy in a coffee shop.  And being an hour away, the beautiful drive to Estes provides for rich prayer time - the very best start and finish to my get-away day.

Right now, I’m reading Terrify No More by Gary Haugen.  For the Orphan Awareness class here at Ellerslie we are looking into the crisis of child sex trafficking and I have been shaken by this unbelievable book.  It retells the epic, real-life rescues of International Justice Mission, awakens grief for what these little prisoners face, and testifies of God’s power and protection to rescue.

If you’re out and about Windsor, you’ll probably find me on my townie bike or at the Ludy’s house, playing with 4 of my all-time-favorite bundles of kiddo sweetness. 

Tea or coffee? (in case you want to treat the staff)

YES.  Plain jane green tea or a Christmas blend cafe ole with one pump coconut.

Peonies, soft scarves, and kindred friends always make me smile.  But to plant a smile soul-deep, all I need is to be arms-embraced, face-to-face, nose-to-nose with a little orphan.

My favorite aspect about the Ellerslie environment are the sounds.   The gentle murmurs or passionate cries of prayer, the laughter in times of sweet fellowship, the words passed along in edification and encouragement, or the simple sound of nothing as souls seek their Beloved Almighty in stillness.   And the sound that most recently causes my heart to smile are the 15 Haitian children’s voices singing in worship.

The funniest thing that's happened to me at Ellerslie is... (blush) Well, after our handbook was released to our first term students I was corresponding with one of our young men about various logistics.  After I closed the polite email, I proceeded to write a new email to invite Leslie to go with me and the children to an upcoming production of Mary Poppins that was coming to town.  Unbeknownst to me, I had sent the email to this young man rather than Leslie!  And with the email not specifically addressing Leslie, I (a young woman who hasn't been on a single date) had appeared to throw decorum to the wind and ask this student on a date just before he arrived onto a campus where dating was not permitted!  (He handled it graciously and with a knowing chuckle)

A historical Christian character that could be my replacement here at Ellerslie would be...  Oh, there are so many godly women that I would immediately have replace me, if so I could sit at their feet, learn from them, and serve alongside them.  In many ways these women are a part of my work, because their testimonies have so deeply influenced my own faith and walk with Christ.  To choose just one is difficult, but I might say Gladys Aylward.  She was inadequate, ill equipped, un-trained, and not highly educated, but she had the audacity to obey and believe in her God.  And she did far and above any dream for her life.  I long to be like her, taking every new opportunity and not looking to my training or strength, but looking to my Perfect Provision and Adequacy, Jesus Christ.

My number one highlight from the current/past Ellerslie term is undoubtably what happened on October 27th, of our 2010 Fall term after years and years of prayer.  My brother John's life was fully given over to our Lord Jesus Christ!  It thrills my heart that this was the place and time that God gained possession of this mighty man in the making.  You can read the whole story HERE (on page 53)!

Something I’m most excited about for you as a student is... the thought of where God will have you at the end of your 9 week term.