-
Telling the Story: The search for a vessel
BY DAWN REED I was searching for a container, a vessel. A tiny fern needed a place to grow. Every spring, my beloved showers me with flowers and plants to be potted on the front and back porches of the parsonage. They are a friendly welcome to family and friends. Some of my favorites are…
-
Telling the Story: Growing in a hard spot
BY DAWN REED It caught my eye as I drove out of the church parking lot. I slammed on the brakes and then inched backward to take a look. There, in the middle of the blacktop, was a tiny sprout of green. Getting out of the car, I couldn’t help smiling. In a large field…
-
Telling the Story: Trusting in many things
BY DAWN REED Each one of us had lugged two 50-pound suitcases to the check-in counter. One held personal items; the other was full of medical or dental supplies. We also had carry-ons and backpacks. We had a plan and a mission: we were headed to Nairobi, Kenya, for a medical and dental clinic with…
-
Telling the Story: A 95-year-old treasure
BY DAWN REED “At exit 15, turn left. Go 8 miles and turn right. In 2 miles, turn left and go six more miles.” We had exact directions. It sounded like a treasure map. Indeed, it was. After an hour and 40 minutes, we arrived at our destination: Bethel Christian Church. My friend Becky and…
-
The stain of oil, the stain of sin
BY DAWN REED The clanging alerted me that there was a problem. Some sounds are not ever supposed to come out of the dryer. I hurried to the laundry room. Yanking open the dryer door, I began pulling out my beloved’s dress pants and shirts. (The load was his good stuff for church.) In the…
-
What’s next?
BY DAWN REED My co-worker Michelle gave her heart to Jesus when she was 14. Over the years, she has served at her church in many ways: children’s church, Sunday School, VBS, and wherever needed. Months ago, her new pastor asked the congregation, “What’s next?” Yes, they were loving and serving the Lord, but what…
-
Leaving Africa
BY DAWN REED Let’s begin at the end. I am writing this on the plane. We are boarded and ready to return from Gate Five in Nairobi, Kenya. The captain has just finished making the traditional announcements in both German and English. The flight attendants have shown the obligatory video regarding every emergency imaginable. We…
-
What God can do with a motley crew
BY DAWN REED They didn’t look like much. Three “D’s.” Described as “distressed, in debt and discontented,” they weren’t exactly the kind of bunch you’d want to throw in with. Distressed also means “upset, distraught, troubled, worried.” In debt? I know exactly what that is: financial bondage. Been there, done that. Synonyms for discontented are…
-
A mission trip to Kenya
BY DAWN REED Winnie, about 6 or 7 years old, came to the clinic because she had a toothache. She opened her mouth wide and I saw the problem. Two of her back teeth were broken off. They looked painful. I work for a pediatric dentist. Helping kids get out of tooth pain is my…
-
Beware of hasty decisions
BY DAWN REED Decisions made in haste or on emotions don’t usually turn out as planned. I can attest to that. One morning in eighth grade, I did something very, very, very not smart. It seemed like such a cool idea at the time. Trendy even. No one had ever done it before; I would…
Category: Telling the Story…
