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@audreycfrank Tears streamed down her face as she tried to explain between sobs what was causing her so much woe.  “Jusdhat siadillf mmmeisgah wumph!” I do not speak Sobbing Hiccup very fluently, and I truly had no idea what was making my child so upset. One minute we were driving happily down the road on a sunny afternoon, talking about Christmas. The next thing I knew she was unintelligible and crying her eyes out. Turning… Read More

@audreycfrank I struggled to open the lock on our massive wooden front door. Bang, bang, bang! Whoever was on the other side was impatient. Finally, the latch gave way, the weight of the door pushing it inward. Standing in a pool of golden lamplight was a woman about my age. The burqa she wore was shabby and torn but tidy and clean. Chin held brave and high, she looked directly at me with dignity despite… Read More

@audreycfrank It was Christmastime in a land far from home. I was expecting our third child, and my sense of smell was working overtime. Nauseated and homesick, my attitude was anything but joyful. I was pretty sure I was inadequate for the tasks in front of me at that time in my life, and a sick pregnancy was not helping me feel courageous or motivated.  Bundling up one afternoon, I sought solace and fresh air outdoors… Read More

@audreycfrank It was Christmas Eve and we were very far from home. I made my way out of the ancient, walled part of the medieval North African city where we lived and wound up the narrow road that clung precariously to the towering hillside. My small car joined a throng of little taxis, dusty vans, donkeys, and people on foot. The sounds of one of my favorite Christmas carols rose in my ears as I… Read More

@audreycfrank Our family has one secret recipe. I gladly share all the others with friends, but this recipe is top-secret, and only my children will carry it on. It tells the story of our love and our life, and one day, our legacy.  Deep in the bush of Africa as a new bride, I had to figure out how to meet my husband’s need for chocolate. Over time I developed a moist, dark and delectable… Read More

@audreycfrank He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, And from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.  They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my stay. He brought me forth also into a broad place; He rescued me, because He delighted in me.  Psalm 18:16-19, a thanksgiving psalm of David… Read More

@audreycfrank I would rather go on my grumpy way, most days. I hate to admit it. But seeing the world as a to-do list, annoying and pressuring, is much more natural some days than seeing it as a gift to be opened carefully, thoughtfully, joyfully. I confess I am an ingrate who has been given more than she deserves, loved with a love that I never earned. I have every reason to be thankful every… Read More

@audreycfrank There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. (1 Samuel 2:2) Gratitude reveals much about who a person is and who or what she relies upon. Our identities are established upon so many things: who our parents were, where we grew up, what job we have, what relationships we have. Thanksgiving, or lack of, often flows directly out of these foundational aspects… Read More

@audreycfrank A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. Isaiah 42:3 A golden fleece of evening sunlight spread over the gentle hills, inviting the village to slow down and rest after a dusty day’s work in the cornfields. The murmur of women and children as they exchanged their short-handled jembes for water buckets rose like a lullaby over the beautiful evening landscape. A shrunken old lady wrapped… Read More

@audreycfrank But as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; you are my God, do not delay. Psalm 40:17, NIV I learned early in life to be ashamed of my need. [tweet_box design="default" float="none"]#Shame teaches many untruths; one of its most cruel is: It is wrong to be #needy. [/tweet_box] Needy. Clingy. Desperate. Leech. All these unkind words are tossed around to describe… Read More