For me, becoming a missionary was not an easy road.

It wasn’t the path I ever imagined I’d find myself on or dreamed I would walk one day.

Yet, here I am.

Just starting our second term and still pondering the process of becoming a missionary, what that means and how I landed here.

{the below story was also featured on LiveDead Silk Road}

I was 17 and home from my first youth mission trip to Honduras. On that warm summer day, I sat quietly in my parked car.

I remember that moment so clearly.

It was one of those serious, reflective moments, the kind that cause you to sit still and honestly appraise your life. I looked around at my beautiful little town, my cute little car, my stylish purse tossed on the passenger seat next to me and the many happy people buzzing in and out of stores around me.

Everyone was absorbed in their own lives, completely unaware of the place I’d been, the things I’d seen and the immense need of hundreds of children in the mountains of Honduras who were right at that minute still suffering from the effects of Hurricane Mitch.

Continue reading How I Landed Here at Our Goodwin Journey.

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I am always on the lookout for the best Christian books for women.

Whether it’s finding amazing new authors to follow {you can see that list here} or finding the best family devotionals {you can see that list here} or even reviewing some of my favorite books on amazon, I’m always looking for books.

The best Christian books for women that will challenge, inspire, teach, disciple and lead me in my walk with Jesus.

I have quite a large pile with me here in West Africa that I’m going to be digging into over the next few years.

I have quite a few that are still impacting my heart even now, long after the last word was read.

Highlights, notes, quotes, and ponderings from books that cause me to think, grow and move forward.

I’ve been compiling a list of these best Christian books for women to share with you.

Some of them I’ve read. Some of them are in my pile to read.

Some will be authors you know. Some will not.

{and yes, this post does contain affiliate links for Amazon.

Continue reading Best Christian Books for Women at Our Goodwin Journey.

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I have decided that learning to “think on these things” is one of the hardest things to do.

Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

To which my heart cries, “YES!”

Yet, when reality hits and situations come my way, choosing to think on these things becomes an act of obedience to Christ.

Learning to think on these things takes self-control, solid boundaries, and great faith.

It takes moving forward to the next beautiful thing. Even if it is not so beautiful.

Even when your thoughts seem stacked against you.

In preparation for our second term overseas, I honestly COULD NOT imagine getting on the plane. I didn’t know how I’d feel in that moment and didn’t know know how I’d fly away from America again with a one way ticket.

Knowing the realities of life in Africa, the poverty, the daily struggles, the loneliness, the language barriers, the difficulty of basic things… it seemed overwhelming and daunting in a way I didn’t feel the first time we left.

Continue reading Think On These Things at Our Goodwin Journey.

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Being thankful can be difficult in good times.

Add in times of struggle, moments of challenge and the stresses of every day life and being thankful can be even more difficult.

But what about when God asks us to be thankful FOR the struggles, challenges and stresses?

“…give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” I Thessalonians 5:18

What if He is using these uncomfortable circumstances for something good in our lives?

Charles Spurgeon once said,

I’ve been thinking about this quote.

Kiss the waves

Being thankful for the waves

Remembering that the waves, the struggles of life throw us against the Rock of Ages.

“From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:2

The waves can be annoyances, frustrations, problems or challenging circumstances.

The waves can be your washer breaking, getting rear-ended while driving to the park, your kids not getting along, your day not going as planned, a miscommunication in marriage, an unexpected expense, a problem with a friend.

Continue reading Learning to Kiss the Waves at Our Goodwin Journey.

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“You have family mottos?”

“Yeah… Well, we have these phrases that my dad taught us. My mom added some too.”

This is a common conversation when people are talking to our girls.

The next question is always “What are your family mottos?”

Soon, three Goodwin girls are reciting by memory our list of fun family mottos that are a part of our family culture.

They are good mottos to live by and things that our girls can fall back on throughout their lives.

I shared a few of our family mottos briefly in this post but I’ve been asked by some of you to expound a bit and share them all.

Apart from family devotions and parenting ahead, these family mottos are at the core of raising our girls especially in their teen years.

What is a motto?

Dictionary.com says “an expression of the guiding principle of a person, organization; a sentence, phrase, or word expressing the spirit or purpose of a person, organization.”

What is a family motto?

A phrase or slogan that is a guiding principle for your family or a sentence that expresses the purpose or spirit of your family.

Continue reading Family Mottos – Good Mottos to Live By at Our Goodwin Journey.

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