Big Things

All my life I've wanted to do big things. However, I found it hard to decide between being President of the United States, a rock star, or the first female player in the NFL. But I had big dreams and had no doubt I could do it.

As my life unfolded, I met and married a man who wanted to be a small town pastor. I never liked small towns. I honestly used to feel bad for people who lived in them. When we moved I really thought that if I didn't like it (and I hated it) we would just move back to good 'ol St. Paul. We didn't.

I had big career dreams too. For the past ten years I have been bogged down in nothing but diapers, maternity clothes, toys, strollers and car seats. It seemed to me that I should be out there doing something more important. I wanted to do some tangible ministry but was always tied down with the kids.

I spent a lot of time feeling bad that I didn't have the stuff I had dreamed of in my life. I was just a stay-at-home mom, living in a little town, and my husband was the pastor of a small, struggling church.

I couldn't figure out what God was thinking. I was bigger than this.

Our church is still small compared to most. Sometimes when I read all the good things going on in other people's lives and ministry I feel bad and a little jealous. I only want to share this because I never believed this could happen here: in just a little church without a building, in a little town. O me of little faith.

Last week we had Vacation Bible School. We had 108 kids come. The population of Wrenshall is 333. We raised around $1800 for our missions project in blue collar area that has been hit hard with layoffs. We gave away T-shirts to every child and helper that came. At the program there were over 250 people. We fed 225 people at our picnic.

None of that happened because we are great, only because God is. We don't have a huge budget or a large staff. He does big things in little places where it could only be Him. He gets all the glory.

And he does big things through regular, mommy lives too. I'm doing more great things in my life than I ever could have imagined. God has shown me that to be great, I've got to humbly let Him lead. Maybe to places I don't want to go. Maybe to a place that I hope I never have to leave.



So, if this is your town,
















And this is your church,















and these are your neighbor's turkeys,















and this is your life.
















And you give it all over to Christ, then He's doing big things.

"Great"
by Ten Shekel Shirt
on the album "Much"


I have always wanted to be somebody who is great

To be great in, great in your eyes, is my dream
To be the one who makes you smile is everything

To love my enemies
To serve others until I become the least

To be great in, great in your eyes, is my dream
To be the one who makes you smile is everything

Greatness in this world is different than greatness in your eyes

To be great in, great in your eyes, is my dream
To be the one who makes you smile is everything

To be genuine in my love for others and for you is to be great