Be in the moment.
That phrase is permeating this season in our lives. I knew we were rushing in life, but had no idea how much we were missing by planning ahead and planning too much. The preciousness of life and relationships can be lost when our thinking is all forward-looking.
This is one of the great lessons we carry with us from our time at the Mountain Learning Center.
Our life is taking on a richness as we move more slowly, and appreciate the interactions we have with God and one another. Soon after we left Eastside, we were able to spend some time with my brother and sister-in-law in Wisconsin. One night my brother and I had a couple of hours to just talk. I was conscious of the love we share and the gift we had been given in being together. While at June Lake, Bruce and I soaked in quiet moments while kayaking (just paddling and drifting across beautiful alpine lakes), sometimes talking, sometimes listening to the wind in the trees, or just looking at the majesty of the mountains God has created. And last night I watched Karina try on her wedding dress – via Skype – and saw the smile on her face as she shared the moment with me.
These moments...and so many others...are blessings. We regret the times when we've let such moments pass by without fully embracing their richness. Each moment is a gift from our loving Father, and for this we truly are grateful.
- Julie
About Me
- Bruce and Julie
- After seasons of working in both the for-profit and non-profit worlds, God called both of us into ministry. We have two over-riding passions: (1) to communicate - via speaking, teaching, and writing - God's truth as found in the Bible, and (2) to help men and women experience a faith in Jesus Christ that meets the deepest needs within their souls. + + + + Both of us are ordained ministers in the independent Christian Churches. Bruce is the Preaching Minister at Garden Way Church in Eugene, Oregon. Julie has earned a certificate in Spiritual Direction, has been a Women's Pastor and an adjunct college professor, and oversees a non-profit women's ministry called "the unfolding soul". Together we are developing a prayer garden at our home in Springfield called The Lavender Pavilion. + + + + We have been married for more than 30 years and have three adult children.
