To Love Beyond

A New Heart and Spirit

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 20:46:30 GMT

Ezekiel 36:26-27 "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes and be careful to obey my rules."

Do you want this? Do you wish to know more of what you were created for with fresh perspective and purpose? I have been feeling prompted to share what has been on my heart recently trusting that it will encourage you, whether you are going through a season of breakthrough or heartache or somewhere in between. Let’s be real…we are people with many different emotions, sensitivities and perspectives. The age-old saying that says, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” is so far from truth.

Is that really what we want? A heart that doesn’t feel hurt and pain? I can understand if you answer yes or no to that question, and here is why. In the not-so-distant past, I do think I suffered from a case of what some may call "compassion fatigue." I hate to admit it, because I desire to have a humble, compassionate heart like Jesus every day. But over the years, I put up some walls in this one difficult relationship to keep my heart from feeling hurt on a regular basis. I know it was not healthy or right and I’m not proud of it by any means. I, also, know I contributed judgment and unkindness in this relationship and am regretful about that. Gratefully, Jesus is bringing healing and restoration to my heart and to this relationship. He is taking out the heart of stone and giving me a heart of flesh! We need pruning to grow and produce fruit. Our hearts need nurturing and correction. It’s not always pretty, but so worth it!

the word I sensed holy spirit give me for 2026 is diligence…and this is the verse he highlighted with it...

“watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” Prov. 4:23

For me this year, it is diligence in these key areas:

Pursuing Jesus and limiting distractions…especially in regard to social media
Pursuing loving others well and full restoration in a challenging relationship
Pursuing prayer, wisdom and health
Pursuing the God dreams in my heart and believing for miracles

I encourage you to take time and sit with Jesus. Ask Him what is on His heart for you and then listen. He wants to speak! As I listened for what Holy Spirit was saying for 2026, I sensed Him saying that His voice is going to be louder this year for people than it has been previously! So if you are discouraged in not hearing His voice, sit with Him and listen. Also, declare over yourself that you can hear His voice…just like it says in John 10:27 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

The second part of my key verse from 2026 is this: ”...For from it flow the springs of life.” That’s what I want! Life, peace and joy bubbling up inside of me and spilling out wherever I am. Let’s be diligent to watch our words and our heart posture…it really matters to Jesus!

The Cottage and the Loft

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 20:44:00 GMT

Rest, reset and be filled

Nestled on the back roads of Lancaster County in Bird-In-Hand, PA is the cutest little AirBNB, the Loft. Along with its sister rental, the Cottage, this space is full of light, tranquility and greenery! The welcoming touches of peaceful music playing, a s’mores kit with homemade marshmallows, and a large whirlpool tub are just some of the luxuries that we enjoyed! The owners are lovely, live on the property and had a helpful list of wonderful local places to get a bite to eat.

Nearby, you will find Linden Coffee, Water’s Edge Mini Golf, as well as, being close to Kitchen Kettle Village and other attractions in Intercourse. This beautiful spot was a perfect place to just enjoy time spent as a couple away from the hustle and bustle of the day to day. Quality time is so valuable in a marriage!

So whether you are looking for a romantic getaway with you husband or a personal retreat spot…check out The Cottage and the Loft !

Top Travel Tips

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 17:45:45 GMT

You may be surprised to know that travel can be very affordable if you are willing to take time and do your homework!

Whether you are planning a trip domestically or internationally, I just wanted to share some helpful travel tips that we have learned over the years. If you’ve known me for any length of time, you know that I absolutely love to travel! But where did that desire come from?

Growing up as a little girl, I watched my parents travel a lot. This was made possible since my dad was a lawn mower salesman with Honda Power Equipment and other brands. These companies gave him many complimentary trips to lovely places including Japan, Fiji, Hawaii, etc. I have good memories of him bringing little souvenirs home for us, each time he traveled. Sometimes, my mom was able to join him. They, also, did some cruises and other trips with friends over the years. Serving as missionaries in Canada with Northern Youth Programs was part of their journey, as well, before I was born. I believe that is where much of my heart for travel and missions began…with my adventurous parents!

So let’s get to the point…here are some travel tips to consider:

1. If you are willing and able, be your own travel agent! Booking tickets does not need to be daunting, just relax and pull up Skyscanner first. Type in your desired dates. If you have flexibility, that is the best way to find the cheapest flights. I search all of our local airports and decide which is the most inexpensive all things considered . For my local friends, these are the airports I check with their airport codes:

Harrisburg International: MDT

Philadelphia International: PHL

Lehigh Valley: ABE

Baltimore/Washington: BWI

Washington/Dulles: IAD

Newark/Liberty: EWR

John F. Kennedy: JFK

In addition to these are two very small airports that are so easy to fly out of to local places such as Orlando, Florida are:

Lancaster Airport: LNS

Trenton-Mercer: TTN

*At these airports, you can literally park in the parking lot and it feels like you are going to the grocery store. So stress-free!

You may be saying, some of these are NOT local and you’re absolutely right, but sometimes it pays to drive a bit farther if you don’t mind driving. I’ll explain more…

Airlines have hub cities so if you can find where they are located, you will, most likely, find a better price. For example, we often fly Korean Air to Southeast Asia. John F Kennedy(JFK) airport in New York City is a destination city for Korean Air so flights from there are substantially cheaper than the more local airports like Harrisburg or Philadelphia. But clearly, to get to JFK is no small feat and you have to decide if it is worth it or not. But if you choose a more local airport option when you fly this long of a distance, you will probably have an extra layover. When we fly out of an airport that is farther away, we either find parking at a place like The Parking Spot or book a hotel and stay one night either at the start or end of our trip. If you choose the hotel option, check out the Park, Sleep, Fly website and it will include parking. Another option I want to try when flying out of JFK in New York is taking the train out of Lancaster, PA. I know you have to switch trains so this may not be a great option if you have a lot of luggage.

2. Another tip for buying plane tickets is to book domestic flights 1 to 3 months in advance and international flights from 3 to 6 months in advance. You can set fare alerts which will come to your email if the price fluctuates. Generally speaking, it is cheapest to fly in the middle of the week or sometimes on Saturdays. When I search for a flight, I look for the most inexpensive on Skyscanner and then compare on the actual airline website. I don’t mind booking off of a third party website, but sometimes going directly through an airline is easier if you would need to change or cancel for some reason. You, also, can accrue points with the airline that way.

3. If you are traveling internationally and have a long layover(more than 8 hours), you can check at the airline information desk to see if you can get a complimentary hotel room. This is so nice as those long flights can be exhausting. We did that with our kids and at least once, we had a hotel with a swimming pool that we all enjoyed. Another time, my husband and I just paid to use an airport lounge which included unlimited food, drinks, showers and a quiet room where we could sleep. This was worth the money!

4. My husband, Chad and I, use a Capital One Venture travel card as our main credit card which accrues points and we have gotten free flights over the years this way. With this Venture card, it paid for one of us to get Global Entry. Global Entry makes returning to the US from international flights much easier. You can skip those long immigration lines. Also, it includes TSA pre-check which is helpful when traveling in-country.

5. Strategically packing your travel bag is, also, essential. In my personal item(handbag), I keep our passports and travel documents, chapstick, gum, tissues, napkins, snacks, hand sanitizer, a book to read, and anything I might want in the airplane. It is nice to have a handbag that fits under the seat in front of you so you don’t have to retrieve it from the overhead bin during the flight. If you take an empty water bottle, you can fill it after security so you stay well hydrated during your travels. Please do not try to limit liquids so you don’t have to use the airplane toilet…dehydration is a real thing and not a good way to start or end your trip. We try to choose at least one aisle seat so we don’t have to crawl over others to get to the aisle, especially on those long flights when people’s sleep patterns are different.

6. What to wear…I like to dress in layers as some planes are cold and others are very warm. If you are limited in luggage space, this is another benefit of layering as you can take more clothes that wouldn’t fit in your bag. About luggage, make sure that you have checked each leg of your flight to know how much baggage is included. The budget airlines that you might fly nationally often only include a handbag in their most inexpensive fare, so book baggage when you order your tickets instead of at the counter as it will cost less to do it that way.

7. And the last tip I have for you is if you are going out of country, consider purchasing a travel insurance plan in case of emergency evacuation or illness. These plans often do not cost much, but can bring peace of mind and be helpful if needed. I recommend Nomad Insurance through Safety Wing who offer a couple of different plans for a reasonable price.

I hope I inspired you to take an adventure, whether it is a mission trip, vacation or both!! It’s so great to expand your horizon and step away from the daily pace of life. God has created beauty all over this earth so get out and explore!

Burned Butter Shrimp

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 20:29:15 GMT

Perfect Holiday Appetizer

At the beach this year, I decided to treat the kids to some shrimp and try a new recipe that looked mouth-watering! This recipe is from one of my favorite recipe books, Food From The Heart by Heidi Matson and Ann Traffiie . These were a hit with my family!! And most likely, you will have most of the ingredients on hand, apart from the shrimp. So give it a try!

Shrimp:

1 lb. medium size(raw, peeled, deveined, 40-50 pieces per lb.)

1/4 cup butter (divided)

1/2 lime(cut in two)

Shrimp Rub:

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. paprika

Directions:

To thaw: dump frozen shrimp in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes. Drain well.
Make rub.
Heat frying pan on medium high.
You will cook the shrimp in two batches.
Melt 1/2 the butter(2 TBSP), till it turns brown around the edges.
Sprinkle with 1 & 1/4 tsp. of the shrimp rub mixture.
Cook for three minutes, and turn shrimp. Cook for three more minutes. If using cooked shrimp, cook two minutes.
Squeeze 1/4 of a lime(1/2 tsp.) over hot shrimp. Stir. Remove from heat to serving dish. Wipe pan.
Repeat steps 5-8.

This serves approximately 4 people.

Breathtaking Bali in Indonesia

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 20:46:10 GMT

A jewel in the Indonesian archipelago!

When my dear Australian friend, Sahra, started dreaming about a fun way to celebrate her 40th birthday, she reached out to my friends and I with whom she served years ago in Cambodia. What an honor!! The conversations started last year already and by spring of this year (2025), we had a date on the calendar to meet in Bali, Indonesia. Indonesia is made up of approximately 17,508 islands and is the world’s largest archipelagic state. Bali is a place I’ve desired to go, but I had it tucked away for some later date! Because it is really a day and a half journey from home(about 24 hours in the air not counting layovers), it made it a bit more complex for me. But I’m so grateful that my solo travels went well, thanks to the Lord and people praying! I must say that I really missed my travel buddy though! a.k.a. my husband…my best friend :)

It began with a short commuter flight from the Lancaster airport to Washington, D.C. I recommend doing this flight with Southern Airways Express if you are flying out of Washington/Dulles, as it saves so much time and stress on the roads around the capital area. The only thing to consider is if you get sick in small planes, you might not want to attempt it. My ride was a 10 seater Cessna plane which was a bit bouncy at times, especially until we reached the correct altitude. Also, the timing needs to work with your other flights. I ended up spending some time in the Washington/Dulles airport waiting, but not too long. Lancaster Airport is so simple and stress-free to fly out of. I noticed that you can also fly Breeze Airways to Orlando, Florida from Lancaster Airport.

Friends, you can call me crazy, but I do really enjoy flying! Even on this extremely long trip, I was mostly relaxed and used the time just to read, journal, rest, watch a couple of movies, talk to people and just soak in being served food and drinks. :) There was one event that caused me to be deeply disturbed on the flight from Malaysia to Bali. The flight attendant came across the loudspeaker announcing that they were now going to spray the cabin with insecticide. What?!!! That is awful! So here they come down the aisle with their spray as I buried my face in my shirt!! This is unusual and I’m still unsure why they did it. Did someone have bugs? :) Ugh!

But I lived to tell about it, lol!

So…after landing in beautiful Bali, I waited at the airport for my sweet friend, Mollie(who was arriving from Cambodia), to get a taxi to our hotel( Frii Bali Echo Beach ) in Canggu. If you are in certain Asian countries, GRAB is an inexpensive and reliable form of transportation. If you do not have a plan, most likely you will be ripped off at the airport as local taxi drivers can spot tourists a mile away. All you have to do is download the GRAB app and you can use the airport Wi-Fi to book one. Just a little travel tip…always turn your cellular data off on your phone before leaving your country so you are not charged per day, unless you have a plan that includes out of country data. I realize I am sharing a lot of details, but I am hoping to inspire some of you to get out there and travel!! There are ways to travel economically and I plan to share a blog with more travel tips in the near future.

The first two nights were spent in a small hotel in Canguu, a trendy town that has so many creative boutiques and cafes. My three friends and I spent a lot of time walking the streets, perusing the little markets and shops, as well as, finding fun places to eat. As a surprise treat for her birthday, Sahra took us to an adorable shop where we took a perfume-making class and created our own scent at Our Projects . So fun!! My favorite restaurant in that area was Penny Lane , a gorgeous place with international cuisine. Check out the link to see the incredible architecture!

But I will say, the best part of this trip was reconnecting with these dear friends and the many good talks we had! It felt so easy picking up where we had left off, even though it had been 8 years since I saw Bre and Sahra from Australia. Mollie still serves with her family in Cambodia with Iris so I’ve seen her more recently on our trips there. I’m always thankful for time with her! The encouragement, giggles and rest was just what all of our hearts needed! Bre has very young children so she just joined us for the first 3 nights of the trip.

Staying at Villa Ella June was a highlight for sure!! This was our home for the next two nights, still in the Canggu area of Bali. This Moroccan-inspired retreat was a two-bedroom villa that had its own pool in the front and a gorgeous view of rice fields out the back. It was a peaceful area, but we could easily walk to restaurants and shops, although the sidewalks in Canggu are sometimes non-existent or dilapidated. This villa would be a perfect place to stay on an anniversary get-away or honeymoon!! While we were in this area, we took a taxi to the beach hoping to see the sunset. But that night, it was cloudy so we missed it. Very near the beach was a Japanese restaurant where we enjoyed a lovely dinner and celebrated Sahra’s birthday with the staff coming out singing and treating her to a delicious dessert!

The final stop for our last 3 nights was the Akela Villas in Ulawatu, Bali. This beautiful, airy villa was situated in a quiet, rural area so we decided to rent motorbikes to get around easier. Ulawatu is a beach town famous for surfing and had a laid-back feel. The rocky cliffs that are scattered along the shoreline were stunning! And the varied shades of blue water was picturesque! In this town, we enjoyed the shops, pop-up markets, the spa, fun little dining spots and the beach!

On the final day of our time, after saying goodbye to Mollie, who had to head to the airport earlier, Sahra and I checked out of our villa. We did more shopping and then spent the day at a local hotel where we had our nails done, used the pool and just relaxed. We all flew out at separate times so I took a taxi to the airport by myself. Needless to say, traffic was crazy and I felt a bit stressed that I wasn’t going to make it on time for my flight! On top of that, my driver decided to stop in the village at his house to drop something off. I love Asia and the relaxed culture…makes me smile. Thankfully, I made it in time and it all worked out! My heart is full and I’m so grateful I had this opportunity to spend time with friends in Bali! If you decide to visit this lovely place and have questions, feel free to reach out on my contact page.

Cafe Awaken-A Dream Becomes Reality

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 18:51:05 GMT

Resurgence:a rising again into life, activity, or prominence…a synonym of resurgence=awaken

Where do I begin with this incredible adventure that culminated into beautiful Cafe Awaken? It was first a thought, then a dream that God put inside of my husband specifically. The passion of starting a business as a way of empowering the local people, as well as, supporting our family and the ministry grew over the years as we served in Cambodia.

But starting a business in another country where language was a barrier seemed a bit overwhelming. Should we do a coffee shop or kid’s play area as a way of bringing the community in to a place where they could encounter the presence of the Lord? These were some early thoughts we had.

We were heading to an Iris Asia conference in Thailand in 2014 and Chad’s prayer was that we would know clearly after this time there, what business God wanted us to pursue. Such a neat story, but we connected with about five individuals or couples who were running coffee shops in Asia! It was so clear and a couple of those guys were resources to help Chad when he had questions in the preparation/daily operations of the cafe.

I will add that up until this point, we were not coffee people and knew little about quality coffee, which is quite humorous looking back on it now. But we enjoyed the learning curve and definitely developed a taste for it. I love how Jesus cares so deeply and knows the desires of our hearts before we ask! Partnering with Him is such a privilege!

I want to insert here that it is so important to water and grow the dreams that the Lord has put in your heart!!

Then there is the story of the name, Cafe Awaken, and how it came to be. When praying one day, Chad heard the word “resurgence” in his spirit. He looked it up and it means a coming to life again after a time of dormancy. Resurgence felt like a difficult word/concept in this culture so he found a synonym “awaken” to use. This was such a clear picture of what God was doing in the precious Cambodian people.

You see from 1975-1978, Cambodia was ravaged by the Pol Pot regime and the country was devastated by a mass genocide. Years later, we were seeing people coming to life again and our hearts desire was to see them grow and prosper, ultimately finding the One who is trustworthy and sees them.

So after finding a reasonable 3 story flat/apartment for rent, we(mostly Chad) set to work…a renovation project that would take longer than expected to complete. Despite challenges of finding a good designer, cafe equipment and all the legal paperwork to start a business, God gave wisdom, direction and blessed us greatly! Our Iris team, also, was such a huge encouragement and help in the process!

Then, God gave us the sweetest staff! One of our primary visions for Cafe Awaken was that women who had been caught in the vicious cycle of trafficking or prostitution could have a healthy job where they would learn their true identity as much loved daughters and feel God’s presence and love in a family setting.

At the start, we hired Christian girls with the intent that as we discipled and trained them, they could then help to mentor those from hard places who came next. Especially as the Khmer language is quite challenging when sharing about Jesus and Biblical concepts.

So these five girls(pictured above) were our first precious staff who truly became like daughters to us! It was such a joy to spend time learning from them and doing regular discipleship with them. They loved our kids well, too, since they were often around the cafe with us.

Chad’s heart’s desire was to do the cafe with excellence…for it to be a place of beauty and peace…where people could tangibly feel the presence of the Lord. So in 2015, we opened our doors to Cafe Awaken! We offered fresh baked goods and delicious coffee with our Cambodian roasters sourcing fresh beans from different parts of the world. We learned so much from this roasting company called So Wat Coffee Roasters.

Later on, we expanded our menu to include sandwiches and salad. Also, we brought in a cake decorator to teach the girls tips and they excelled in creativity! Soon, we were able to offer decorated cakes for special occasions.

Another important aspect of Cafe Awaken was establishing a prayer/worship room for our team to gather for weekly meetings. It was so special having this space in our cafe on the second story as it became a hub for the people we served alongside. Also, we had two rooms where our staff could stay if they needed housing. In the back of the cafe, we created a kid’s play area stocked with toys and tables so busy parents could relax and enjoy some down time as well. Overall, we loved the interaction with customers and creating an inviting atmosphere for people to encounter the love of Jesus!

In 2017, after sensing the Lord leading us to move back to the States, we left Cafe Awaken under the leadership of Jacob, our friend and teammate with Iris. He did an excellent job continuing with the vision, but in 2018, things took a turn. In our little town of Sihanoukville, another people group began moving in, renting and buying property for crazy prices. Our landlords told us that they were going to raise the rent to 4 times the amount we were paying. It was impossible to keep the building at this price, so Chad & I flew over to look for another space and pray about what to do. But the prices in this area all became crazy expensive so we needed to close our doors. This was very difficult as it felt premature. But the Lord gave grace in it all.

After all of this, one of our girls launched her own cafe in her hometown with a similar vision to ours. This felt so encouraging and redeeming!! And as I write, her and her dear husband with their two small children are thriving in their little town of Kep…lighting up their world with Love Cafe!

- Jo Sauder

The Raw and Real

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 19:24:02 GMT

His heart for us is good…He weeps with us.

Jesus has been prompting me to write again, but this time just from my heart…where I am at.

So I’ll dive in…

The past four years have held some significant grief and trauma for me. Because of some hard things we have walked through as a family, there are times that my heart feels very disappointed, frustrated, even angry and the tears flow. But one thing that I am learning in the midst of it all, is that even when I don’t understand, I can trust Jesus’ heart. It sounds like a “Christianese” thing to say, but it’s where I am at. I know my Father and believe I will see so much good come from the difficult. His heart for us is good…He weeps with us. I can’t imagine doing life without Him! I will share some of our journey here with you...

It started in July 2020…our oldest son, Zach, had just gotten married the month prior and it was such a happy time! But one day at work, I got a phone call from our daughter-in-law, Krystal, saying that her father had a heart attack and was being rushed to the hospital. This dear Martin family had already said goodbye to 3 of their 10 children/siblings one night in 2011 when those children had a terrible car accident. My heart broke for her as she soon told us that he had passed away. Mark, her father, was our friend too…a true hero of the faith and a world changer for sure! This was all so much on their young marriage. My momma’s heart broke for them.

In September 2021…our second son, Andre, got married and again, it was such a special time! But little did we know that just six short months later, on March 31, 2022, Andre would have a work accident resulting in paralysis from the waist down. Another call at work which took me very off guard…my friend, Cheryl, saying that Andre fell off of a ladder at work. Cheryl is Andre’s mother-in-law and one of my dear friends. She asked if I could meet Kaila(our daughter-in-law) and take her to the hospital. Thankfully, before her and I left for the hospital, Andre was able to talk to her on the phone from the ambulance so we knew his brain was fine! Then the difficult journey began…like a nightmare that you think you will wake up from.

We arrived at the ER in Reading and as they wheeled him back the hallway for testing, they allowed Kaila and I to see him. On the way to the hospital, we had received word that he could not feel his legs. The test results showed significant injury to T8 and T9 of the spine. The doctors made the decision to wait for surgery until the following day after some of the swelling had gone down. Rods were placed in Andre’s back and we prayed and waited. Those days were so hard…Andre had so much pain and the unknown about whether the feeling would return to his lower body was so difficult.

After some weeks in the Reading Hospital, he transferred to an excellent rehab hospital in Philadelphia called Magee. This was home to him for about 5 weeks until he was released to do outpatient therapy at the Magee Outpatient facility in Philly and later at Hershey.

Fast forward till today…Andre is dealing with paralysis from the waist down, but we are still awaiting and contending for a miracle. We are holding on to the Word/promises of the Lord and prophetic words/dreams He has given. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever and nothing is to difficult for HIM!!! I invite you to believe and pray for a miracle with us!

In this all, we are grateful that Andre was able to get an office position at the amazing company he had been working for, Lanco Mechanicals. Insurance provided a new modified car for him which has been a huge blessing. And this summer, Andre & Kaila’s new accessible home was completed! We are so thankful for these things and hold on to hope of complete restoration of feeling for Andre.

Our third son, Shaun, came back from Mozambique this year where he had served in missions with Pioneer 61 and has found a solid, great job at Keystone Custom Decks! Spending time with his fiancee, Lydia, has been one of his top priorities. They got engaged in November this year and will be married on August 2, 2025! We are excited for them!

Ari, our 16 year old daughter, is in 10th grade at Kingdom Homeschool Services and works part time at 3 Sisters Chicken. Sometimes, I can’t believe our youngest is driving and nearly 17!

And yet another piece in the tapestry, the Holy Spirit has been speaking to us about Cambodia again. To say we left part of our hearts there would be an understatement. Check out my post about our recent trip there this fall! Considering spending time there again feels a lot more difficult since we cannot just pack our 4 little kiddos up and do life together in another country like we did in 2012. We would be leaving many dear ones behind. At this point, we are sensing it will be shorter seasons…a little more back and forth from here to there. But our hearts are open and we are listening.

But one thing I’m learning in it all, Jesus is writing our story and knows the end from the beginning! He is good and faithful! He is the God who sees and He weeps with us in the hard, but rejoices with us in the delightful seasons. It’s a trust walk daily and a call to fully surrender our expectations knowing that His plans will ultimately be best for us. He just wants our “yes."

Where has it been hard to trust and surrender for you? We are all a work in progress, but let’s get real with the Lord and fully give Him our “yes” and our trust this Christmas season and in the New Year. And I encourage you to be real with others too…authenticity is so freeing and important!

Our Second Home

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 15:01:57 GMT

“For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” Isaiah 55:12

Praying dangerous prayers is 100% worth it! This time, a simple prayer produced a fruitful trip to our second home…Cambodia.

The end of April this year, I was spending time with Jesus and I told Him this...

If you want us to move back to Cambodia at some point, have the Iris team reach out to us with something specific. Little did I know that this little prayer would bring a voice message the following day from my dear friend, Mollie, who is one of the Iris team leaders. She gave us a couple of opportunities to consider coming back to Cambodia for. So crazy that Jesus answered my little prayer that quick!! He cares so much about the desires of our heart! So Chad & I prayed, talked with our kids and decided we will move forward and join part of the first Iris Harvest School in Phnom Penh, Cambodia! Shaun had just been in overseas missions so he decided to stay home and keep working, but Ari, our 16 year old daughter, joined us.

a trip to remember...

So after getting approval from Chad’s amazing family company for him to be off for a month, we booked our flights and headed to Cambodia on September 29, 2024! Our heart behind this trip was to go and support the team (our friends) who were hosting the first Harvest School of Missions for 8 weeks, as well as, be praying to see how the Lord leads us in possibly returning at some point. We had booked a fully furnished apartment in the capital city of Phnom Penh where our Iris team is located. The view of the city was lovely as we were on the 11th floor with a balcony! (also, no mosquitos since we were up so high!)

Most days, we joined the team comprised of a handful of international students, the Iris Khmer staff, and some other Khmer students. It was such a special group of people! We were encouraged by many speakers who shared and the sweet worship. Praying for and encouraging the staff and students was part of our focus as well. We had one on one time with various missionaries and people there which we enjoyed! I was able to spend a lot of time with one of the precious women that had been working in the bars. She has pulminary fibrosis and needs a miracle! Sitting with her at the hospital and other times spent together was so special to me. She recently gave her heart to Jesus and praise God, the bar she was working in closed so she is free!

One highlight was when our friend, Jen, found a space to rent in the red light district where she will open a cafe. So exciting! This same space will be a place of ministry, English classes and worship for our Iris team. This felt significant to us as Chad especially has a heart for business as missions and we have been believing for another cafe for Iris since the one we started in Cambodia closed in 2018. I plan to do another blog post sharing about our nearly 4 and 1/2 years spent in Cambodia at a later time!

Spending a night in the province was another highlight…very stretching but so incredible! A group of about 25 of us took a big bus from the capital city of Phnom Penh driving about 2 and 1/2 hours to Prey Veng province next to the Vietnam border. We stayed with this precious, Christian Khmer family in their stilt house. There are very few Christians in this community. After getting there, they served us a delicious meal and then we did home visits, sharing Jesus’ love, giving gifts, praying for the sick and inviting them to the evening service and the following day’s events. This was so special as we saw people get healed and give their hearts to Jesus during this time! One girl, who barely spoke and had mental challenges, received Jesus, got a huge smile, and then started speaking. She received a lot of prayer over the weekend and the family was so open…with her Grandpa also giving his heart to Jesus! Our big bus getting stuck a few times added to the adventure as well. It was very challenging sleeping on a straw mat with no mattress or pillow(other than rolled up clothes), and many barking dogs, but despite the lack of sleep, it was such a rewarding weekend! Ari stayed with our dear friend, Mollie and her kids and had a wonderful time at the mall, the safari park, and getting coffee!

Taking a trip south to Sihanoukville, Kampot and Kep to visit good friends and our former cafe girls(spiritual daughters) was a gift too! We were so happy to join one of the girl’s engagement celebrations. Also, we were able to visit another one of our cafe girls and her family who started a cute cafe called Love Coffee. Her heart is for people to experience the love of Jesus there in her small town and she is doing a wonderful job as a mama of two, wife and cafe owner! Some of our other former teammates/friends live in this area and it was great catching up with them too. It was nice to get out of the big city for a bit.

Riding scooters, traveling on Tuk Tuks, shopping in the market, and having iced coffees were some of the simple joys we reveled in throughout our month long visit back in Cambodia. But spending time with all of our people, one on ones, bar outreach, province outreach, and worship were definitely highlights! The day we left, November 1, 2024, the team prayed and prophesied over us which was so encouraging. God did so much and we are grateful for these 4 and 1/2 weeks in our second home!

Living in the Kingdom of Wonder

Sat, 05 Oct 2024 09:08:19 GMT

What is it like to raise a family in a different country?

This post starts where the “Exploring Thailand and Cambodia” post left off…I know it is backtracking in our story, but thought it would be valuable for those feeling a call to missions and raising littles. Being led by the Holy Spirit, we felt that we were supposed to sell our lovely home in the woods and our share in the family business.. We prayed that if we were not meant to go to Cambodia, God would close the door, but no door closed. In fact, our home sold privately in a week! I will share that this process was not easy on any of us…having a big garage sale, seeing our belongings disappear…not knowing fully what we were walking into. But to encourage you, His way is always best, not always easy but so worth it!

And He just wants that “yes” in our spirits.

So we set off for Phnom Penh, Cambodia in October 2012 with our kids ages 11, 9, 7 and 4 years old. I remember waving goodbye to our extended family as we left in a big van loaded with suitcases. No shipping container…just the max luggage plus buying a couple of extra large suitcases. So many emotions…excitement, uncertainty, and sadness to name a few. I want to insert here that it is important to include your kids in the process of discernment, but Holy Spirit holds the final say. Hear their hearts and take time to process with them, but where God leads, He brings grace and peace to the whole family. We were homeschooling at the time, which made the transition a bit easier. But really nothing could prepare our kids for that first drive to our home in Tuk Tuks from the airport. The sights, the sounds, the smells…it was all so new! A Tuk Tuk is a covered cart pulled behind a moto(their name for a scooter). We needed two Tuk Tuks because we had so much luggage. Needless to say, the Tuk Tuk I was in with two of the kids got lost…oh my…the city is huge! But God…He worked it out and after our driver contacted the other Tuk Tuk driver, we made it!

Our team was so welcoming and kind, loving on our kids too. The house we rented from a Swiss missionary family who was on sabbatical was nice with a large courtyard outside. A mango tree and other plants grew in front of the home, but most of the area was tile with room for a car and motos. We lived about 10 minutes from the Iris team house where we went frequently for team meetings and worship. Other than that and getting groceries/going to the market, we spent a lot of time at home together in those beginning months. This was difficult for Chad coming from a regular job in the States. He helped homeschool the kids, but this was so different from what he was used to...plus the culture shock of it all.

Living in the large capital city of Phnom Penh was certainly an adventure with our 4 kids! But overall, they did so well in the adjustment! Cambodia is called the Kingdom of Wonder which the title of this post refers to. Certainly, it is a place of wonder with so much going on! We made connections with other missionaries who had kids, which was helpful. But our kids never fully got settled in this city because we knew it was temporary…the home we were renting was only available for 3 months. So we needed to make a decision. We felt called to move to Sihanoukville, 4-5 hours south of the city, but our team was not ready to move at that point. They wanted to stay and do more language learning. Since we felt strongly that the Lord was leading us to Sihanoukville, we decided to move on ahead of the others and that way we didn’t have to move to a different place in Phnom Penh first. What an experience…moving to a city where we did not know one person or the language! Through a local Christian international school and church, we found a language teacher who taught the kids and I, while Chad attended a language school nearby. We focused on homeschooling the kids, language learning and building connections with other missionaries/ministries.

Sihanoukville was a much smaller town along the Gulf of Thailand. Being situated next to the beach was a treat! But hidden behind the beautiful beaches and laid back culture, was the ugly hidden mess of sex tourism, drawing many from the US, Europe and other cultures, to come and take advantage of women and kids. A neighbor we met said that he had a friend who bought a child in the market for $1000…he said he will never speak to that friend again because of that. But these are the kind of sickening stories that were unravelling in front of our eyes. One of the girls on our team was driving her scooter in the countryside and parents from the village shop where she stopped offered their child to her. It was all so difficult and alarming. Then we heard that one of the islands nearby was home to kids who were taken there to make child pornography. The heaviness was tangible. I remember going to the grocery store seeing Western men with these cute Khmer women on their arm and I would get angry. Clearly, some cases were legit, but it was hard to tell. Even now the tears well up as I write this. But I told the Lord, you are going to need to help me with this, because I can’t live in this place with all this angst and frustration. And He DID help me…to have grace and love despite the depravity I saw so blatantly. Not that my attitude was perfect or that I never felt frustration over it, but overall, He gave me peace and grace for it. Just a word of encouragement with this, ask Jesus for what you need, especially in perspective shifts…He WILL do it!

Summing up nearly 4 and 1/2 years in a single post is difficult, but overall, Cambodia won our hearts! The people, the culture and purpose we felt were such a gift, something I would never trade for money! My favorite thing was seeing my husband’s heart come alive being in his element of empowering others and being that “father figure” so many lacked. Most of these years, we continued homeschooling the kids, but one school year, we gave them a new experience. There was a Korean-run international Christian school, called Life School nearby our house. They asked me to teach in their university there…so crazy as I do not have a degree which I told them. But, they really just needed good English speaking teachers so I said I will try it! This gave us a discounted rate on tuition for our 4 children. What an experience! I taught Teaching Methodology in English to university students where English was their second language. But I loved my students and it was a great way to share Jesus and connect with people! And it was so good for the kids to get out and make connections at school.

Finding close friends for our kids was very difficult in this little town. For a season, we did spend time at the beach most Sunday afternoons with a large missionary family from the States who had kids similar ages of our kids. They all enjoyed playing volleyball, flag football, etc. Also, some of our boys were able to play instruments on the worship team at a local C3 Church and we joined that church body Sunday mornings and on outreach. One of the most memorable outreaches with them was to a garbage dump outside of our town in the countryside. It was heartbreaking! These families that lived at the dump rummaged through garbage, looking for treasures…The kids sat there with flies on their little snotty faces, unfazed. But it was a joy to love on them and bring gifts!

About 4 months after we moved to Sihanoukville, our dear friends and team leaders, Joel and Sahra, joined us in Sihanoukville which was such a blessing!! This is one of our favorite things from our time in Cambodia…the gift of team and authentic friendship/connection. We worshipped, cried, played and prayed together! There is something about a team of people who have a common interest/goal who are dedicated and willing to stay connected through the wonderful and the difficult times! Trust me, it wasn’t always easy but overall, it was so good!

Two of the main things we did as a ministry, Iris Cambodia, was start a day center for at-risk kids from a local village and open a coffee shop that would be a vocational training ground and a place that we, as a team, could meet to worship and pray. I will do a separate post on the coffee shop, Cafe Awaken, since that was a vision that the Lord placed on Chad & my hearts and was such a miracle coming to fruition! The day center, purposely named the Dream Center, was spearheaded by our friend, Mary Grace. With her expertise as a social worker and her desire to bring the children into a safe, family culture, the Dream Center was a huge success! There were so many hurting and broken families in the villages nearby and we would walk with the kids to the center twice a week. Alchoholism and gambling are rampant which also, gives way to abuse and trafficking. We had a property with a lot of green space where many soccer games were played, as well as, a small building where boo boos could be bandaged and games could be played on rainy days. Our Khmer staff were incredible and loved the kids so well!

In conclusion, the dear Khmer people won such a special place in our hearts despite some hardships we faced such as various scooter accidents, a home robbery in the night, and other sickness. Seeing people encounter Jesus, miracles and freedom were worth every dollar and minute we spent there! Love those around you with all of your heart in every season and place the Lord leads you too! Overseas is not better than the States or western world, it’s just important to be faithful to the calling on your life wherever that may be!

Stopping by Istanbul, Turkey

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 18:50:35 GMT

layovers don’t need to be boring!

I’m all about reasonably priced airline tickets, but they are not always the most convenient routes! This is when you need to decide whether your time or money is more valuable. In February 2024, we visited our son, Shaun, in Mozambique.(see the most recent posts of Tete and Tofu Beach) This is quite a journey from the US with a few more tricky pieces involving small airlines that do not travel to Mozambique everyday. So with the extra details, we decided to use our Iris travel agent, Shelly, who was super helpful!

The most economical tickets by far, were ones which had very long layovers in Istanbul, Turkey. Praise Jesus for connections as I reached out to my friend, Melanie, who served in Turkey with her family as missionaries for many years. She shared how there is a great way to see some of the beautiful spots in Istanbul, Turkey for free if you have a long layover (6-24 hours) with a tourist program called TourIstanbul. Through Turkish Airlines, they used a complimentary shuttle bus to and from the airport for this tour. I will say that if sightseeing is not your thing and you are exhausted, you can ask for a hotel to rest if they have one available, but you cannot do both a complimentary room and a tour.

After more research and knowing this would be a good way to see Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey plus use up a lot of time, we took those reasonable tickets! After landing in Istanbul airport on the way to South Africa and Mozambique, we immediately went to the TourIstanbul desk where they gave us badges and had us wait with a crowd of people for the next evening shopping tour. Since our plane arrived around dinner on the way over, we could only do the evening tour which included shopping at Galataport and a complimentary dinner in the courtyard of the Dolmabahce Palace. But it was a nice way to pass some time! A couple of fun facts about Galataport is that it is the world’s first underground cruise terminal and it borders the Bosphorus Strait! It was gorgeous seeing this at night and I was able to pick up a few gifts in the mall.

After spending a restful night in South Africa and then our amazing time in Mozambique, we headed back to the States once again flying through Turkey, but this time with a much longer layover during the day.

So we headed to the TourIstanbul desk again and were able to go on a 6 and 1/2 hour tour of the city. We saw some of the lovely historic sights in Istanbul. This half day tour included complimentary breakfast and lunch.

Visiting the Topkapi Palace was probably my highlight, but we, also, saw the beautiful Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome: German Fountain, Serpentine Column and the Obelisk of Theodosius. There is some rich history in these places and other than it being a cold, damp day, we so enjoyed our time there! So if you enjoy history and are flying Turkish Airlines through Istanbul with a long layover, try TourIstanbul…it’s completely free and you’ll be glad you did!

Gorgeous Tofu Beach

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 20:23:34 GMT

The raw beauty of the african coast

I don’t know about you but I love finding hidden gems in unsuspected places! One of these places was a beautiful village on the coast of Mozambique called Tofu Beach in Inhumbane. While we were on a trip recently to visit our son, Shaun, in Tete, Mozambique, we took a little side trip to this relaxing beach to refresh and process.

We spent 5 days here staying in lovely accommodations called Kumba Lodge. The lodge sat on top of a sand dune that overlooked the ocean and had an infinity pool. Shaun’s friend, Keruso, also, joined us for four days.

Chad & Shaun learned to surf and thoroughly enjoyed that! My highlight was taking a dhow boat, which in essence is a sailboat, with a local gentleman where we did snorkeling/picking up shells. It was amazing and we saw starfish, seahorses and beautiful fish! It was a long journey in the hot sun, but it was such a neat cultural experience. Many men and women were fishing out in the bay on sandbars which looked like such a hot and tedious job!

It was fun buying some souvenirs from the locals which made their day. An eventful part of the trip was one evening when Shaun was headed to his room in the darkness, he stepped over something. Unbeknownst to him, we would later learn it was a rock python! The lodge owner assured us that they will not bother us…they are just good at catching rats. Also, there may have been a toad in our toilet. So if you are in this part of the world, and you don’t mind a few critters, I highly recommend Tofu Beach!

Tete, Mozambique-Desert and Dreams

Fri, 23 Feb 2024 13:13:17 GMT

Bring Justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause

What a privilege it was to be able to travel back to Mozambique this month! The place where it all began in 2011 when God gave us unity and clarity about what missions looked like for our family for our next season. Although we really wanted to visit Pemba this time to see Rolland & Heidi, we decided not to go to that area as the insurgents have been moving closer to Pemba(where our mission school had been held). Please pray for Iris Pemba as so many of their pastors are in danger and churches are being burned down!

Tete, where we visited, is a city southwest of Pemba and is far from the coast. It is known to be the hottest and driest city in Mozambique. That being said, it was super hot! But we arrived with excitement to see Shaun again and meet his dear friends at the mission base there. This 10 day mission trip to Mozambique will be one to remember for years to come! I was reminded that in the giving and going, there is always receiving too…these amazing people taught us so much!

Our son, Shaun, had been serving in Tete for nearly 7 months and we travelled over to visit him and see what God was doing in that part of Africa. He was serving with Pioneer 61 , a ministry who has been loving on the poor in the mid-western part of Mozambique for 10 years already. Nick & Marlene Boyd, the founders of the ministry, have lived in unimaginable conditions at the start of the mission. We saw their very humble beginnings in a little concrete room with no air conditioning or electricity and now the lovely house that Nick has built for them on base. Today, they have a construction company where they hire and raise up local guys, giving them a solid job and discipling them. Another part of outreach there is in the brothels, bringing hope to the beautiful women who are broken and vulnerable. One of these precious women, who was their first rescue, works on base as a nanny/teacher and she is amazing!

And then, there were the sweet widows…as we sat with them in a very small concrete house, I looked into their eyes, and hurt with them from all the years of pain and struggle that I saw. Deep down inside of these women though, there was hope! Each of them knew Jesus! As Shaun played the guitar, Kenra(the leader of the widow’s ministry at the time), asked the ladies just to be quiet and listen for the Holy Spirit. Logan and Kenra, other amazing long-term leaders at the Pioneer base, felt God asking them to move back to the states recently. Woman after woman from the widow’s program that day shared how sad they were that Kenra was leaving them. I was reminded how our hope ultimately is in Jesus…plans change and people come and go, but He is our Rock. I imagine these dear women who have been through so much uncertainty in life, couldn’t help but think…will all my needs be met after Kenra leaves? The ministry had a plan in place for other women to keep taking care of these widows, spending time with them and making sure their needs will be met, but nevertheless, it was heartbreaking to see all the tears!

The poor have so much to teach us…life can be simple, yet complicated at the same time. More is not always better. One day, we used the washing machine on base to wash our clothes, but as we started hanging them on the line to dry, we noticed they were all brown. Apparently, this was because the water in the pipes was dirty from the tanks being cleaned. One of the kind house helpers on base said we should give all of this dirty laundry to her. She filled bins with soapy water and started washing each piece by hand, multiple times, until they were clean. When I asked if I can help, she told me to just watch. She made it clear that we could help hang the clothes up after she was finished. She was so quick and made it look so easy. She grew up in the village doing this and it was normal to her. When we lived in Mozambique in 2011 for three months with our 4 kids, I started out washing all of our clothes by hand(maybe 3 times), but then we hired a local woman to do it for us as it was a blessing for her and us. I realized again how very spoiled I am…running water, a washing machine and dryer, heat, AC, a car, paved roads, so many options for groceries, and so much more!

Another highlight from our trip was a boat ride in Nick’s boat on the Zambezi river. We saw many hippos, one with his mouth wide open! Thankfully, our boat worked great as hippos are dangerous when you get too close. Nick has had some close calls already when the boat was failing to start up until the last minute. We didn’t see any crocodiles, but they do see them there sometimes. Along the shore, there was a local man fishing who had caught some big tiger fish. Nick took our boat over to the shore to talk to him and ended up giving him hooks and lures to make his fishing easier. I’ll never forget that man’s big smile! Nick loves to fish too and brings hook and lures from the US when he visits, but it was so neat to see his generosity in blessing the fisherman! Seeing the many local people bathing or fishing in their dugout canoes along the riverbanks knowing all that this river held, was so hard for me as I knew the danger these families face daily. From what Shaun said, people from the remote villages also drink that river water. Again, I realized how good we have it living in the States!

One afternoon, Chad & Shaun took a motorcycle ride to the local villages and mountains, while I stayed at the base and made soft pretzels with the missionary kiddos. It was a little wild, but fun! But that hot kitchen…again I realized what a spoiled (blessed) American I am. :) We enjoyed spending time with the three families on base and had quality time with each of them. They served us delicious dinners and we got to listen to their hearts and bring some encouragement too. The base is going through a reset with all the missionaries, apart from the original base leaders leaving, which has been difficult. But I believe Jesus is bringing some clarity and grace in the midst of it. The ministry has grown so much in 10 years which is wonderful, but life has been so busy and exhausting for them. So they are resetting and listening for Holy Spirit to show them what is important for now…not just to spread themselves thin, but to thrive!

I’ve noticed that this is a time of shaking all over the world. Certainly, this was the case there in Tete, Mozambique for Pioneer 61. But shaking is valuable…sifting is where gold is found! It’s difficult and messy, but Jesus knows and is working behind the scenes. We loved all the precious families serving there and believe that God is going to continue to use each of them for His glory!

As Chad & I stayed in a beautiful thatched roof concrete hut there on the base, Jesus was giving us vision and dreams for what lies ahead. We were listening. Maybe it will be other short trips like this one or serving with Iris again one day, but our hearts are to always say yes, no matter the cost!

In my next blog post, I will share about our little 5 day trip we took to Inhumbane, Mozambique…a beautiful city along the ocean where we spent quality time with Shaun and his friend, Keruso, who had, also, served with Pioneer 61. Stay tuned! Also, if you love to travel like we do and are looking for a great travel insurance, check this company out!

https://safetywing.com/?referenceID=26291377&utm_source=26291377&utm_medium=Ambassador

- Jo Sauder

Exploring Thailand and Cambodia

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 20:32:49 GMT

Where is God calling us to land in this Season?

I have to admit that the next chapter of our story surprised both Chad & I and we had to adjust the sails once again. When we give Jesus our yes, it’s not always our first choice or our perfect plan...but it is so worth it and you WILL see His faithfulness woven in your story! I want to humbly add that we didn’t always get it right and many times I didn’t wait patiently, but in His tender mercy, God guided our steps taking us into uncharted territory and we are so grateful!

So I want to pick up where I left off in our story. After returning home from the Iris mission school in Mozambique as a family in December of 2011, we spent about two months at home, reconnecting and processing with our family. Then in March of 2012, Chad & I joined our friends who we had connected with at the mission school on a planned scouting trip to Thailand and Cambodia. These friends carried a similar vision that we did and were from different parts of the world including England, Scotland, Australia, Ireland, and the US. Most of these friends did not have kids yet, so they all were spending one month between the two countries, but we didn’t want to leave our kids that long, so we spent a week in Thailand and then a week in Cambodia, trusting Jesus to make it clear where He wanted us to land.

Thailand was amazing! We joined the YWAM team there in Pattaya doing outreach in the red light district. They had a House of Prayer in the midst of one of the darkest places I’ve ever been with ladyboys, prostitutes, and customers filling the streets. It was heartbreaking to see all the brokenness in this area. On the other hand, it was inspiring spending time with different missionaries there and learning from them! One of my favorite experiences was renting a song-tou, their local form of transportation, to drive through the streets of Pattaya doing live worship as a team!

We ended our time there with a retreat in Hua Hin to pray, dream and share together as a team. Chad and I loved Thailand and honestly, we were thinking...do we even need to do the next leg of the trip...Cambodia? We knew it was dirtier and more difficult, but it DEFINITELY was part of God’s plan!

So after flying into Cambodia, our team leaders, Jason & Kellie Holbeche picked us up from the airport in a tuk tuk...a cart pulled behind a moto. It’s so interesting how we saw God moments woven through this journey. When we lived in Mozambique doing the mission school, we got to meet and connect with Jason & Kellie as they were walking through our base. Often, we didn’t have a lot of interaction with speakers who came to share because our school consisted of a lot of people. As Jason & Kellie shared their vision with the team there in Phnom Penh, Chad & I connected to it very much. Little did we know that what God was about to do in our hearts would change our lives forever!

Our time in Cambodia was spent in the capital city of Phnom Penh. Cambodia is in the 1040 window and has a high rate of human trafficking. Many Cambodians are trafficked to Thailand, which is their neighboring country. We spent time learning the culture which included a trip to the Toul Sleng Museum and the Killing Fields. It was gut-wrenching to hear about the mass genocide called the Khmer Rouge that took place there between 1975-1979. The brutality used was horrible! It helped us understand the culture better and that there was still a lot of fear that remained after the chaos subsided. Just an interesting side note, Chad & I were born in the peaceful town of Ephrata, Pennsylvania during those years of the genocide in 1976 & 1978.

One of the places we visited was the riverside which was brimming with tourists and kids. We played with the kids and observed. Currently, our Iris team working in Phnom Penh does regular ministry there which includes a kids Bible club. Families with kids live on the riverfront and children are sold for sex while some are forced to sell things like postcards to support their family. They are put in very vulnerable and dangerous situations on a regular basis at a really young age. Nearby the riverfront are streets that are loaded with bars and nightclubs with so many dear women selling themselves to make a living or being sold by pimps.

We, also, visited a very poor village, stopping to love on the kids and give some treats. These adorable kids are at risk for trafficking, as well. Many of the fathers are alcoholics since beer is nearly as cheap as water over there, and many kids get addicted to sniffing glue. So much poverty and brokenness!

But in the darkness, we are called to bring His light everywhere we go! It was time to go home, but Cambodia had left a huge imprint on our hearts and we sensed this is where God was calling us. He was beckoning us to light up this corner of the world with Jesus’ hope and joy! So we went home, shared with our kids and prayed. When I think back on this now, just 12 years later, I think about how our kids were so brave and willing to say yes if that’s what God was indeed saying! So we prayed and talked with our families and church leaders. We felt led to move forward until God closed the door...but no door was closed. It was a clear path with Him leading every move.

Laying things down that we love can be difficult...especially people. We felt led to move to Cambodia with no strings attached. So Chad sold his share in the family business and our home sold privately in less than a week! Just felt like such an open door, but it was hard letting go at the same time. We loved our home in the woods on Winding Way and having a stable, secure income! And I want to say clearly...those things are not wrong!! It was just how God was leading us in that season.

So to make a long story short, with the help of our team on the ground there in Cambodia who had moved there about 4 months before we arrived, we found a house to rent for a few months. This home was close to our team’s house and we rented it temperarily from a missionary family who was on sabbatical. This was a fully furnished place where we would call home until we got established. In October 2012, with lots of suitcases in tow, our family of six headed for Phnom Penh, Cambodia, not knowing all the adventures that were in store for us! Stay tuned for more details in this journey in the coming weeks!

Jo Sauder

Sage Chicken with Creamy Potatoes

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 15:33:02 GMT

SAVORY+RICH

Looking for a savory, easy, and delicious recipe on these cold winter nights? This Sage Chicken with Creamy Potatoes did not disappoint! You can check it out in one of my favorite cookbooks: Half Baked Harvest Super Simple. I didn’t have fresh sage or thyme on hand so I used a combination of dried herbs, but I want to try it with fresh herbs next time! The sauce was so delicious and I used some white cooking wine that I had on hand which worked great, although I did cut back on the amount. The added bacon and parmesan gave it incredible flavor! Just add a simple veggie like green beans or steamed broccoli and you have a complete meal!

Sage Chicken with Creamy Potatoes | Serves: 4

2 pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

3 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves

1 pound mixed baby potatoes, halved if large

2 cups dry white wine, such as pinot grigio or Sauvignon Blanc

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus 2 sprigs, for serving

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Place the bacon in a large Dutch oven or cast-iron skillet and cook over medium heat until the fat renders and the bacon is crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon from the skillet and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Wipe the skillet clean.
In the same pan, heat the olive oil over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken and sear until golden, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Stir in the garlic and sage and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
Scatter the potatoes around the chicken and add the wine, cream, mustard, and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Sprinkle in the thyme leaves and crispy bacon.
Transfer the pan to the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are fork-tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
Garnish with the thyme sprigs and Parmesan and serve.

**You can replace some of or all of the wine with low-sodium chicken broth.

Off to Mozambique, Africa!

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 02:25:03 GMT

Learning to Trust God with the Unknown

In September of 2011, our family set out to spend 3 months in Pemba. Our kids had never been out of the country before so this was a huge life change! Living in Mozambique was by far one of the most stretching, but amazing experiences I’ve ever had. We were attending the Harvest School of Missions(HS15) with Iris Ministries(now Iris Global). It was their summer season over there so think very hot and humid! In the natural, we realized that we take a lot of things for granted in the US. There were many times when our Iris base was without water and/or electricity which meant water bottle showers, etc., but it really made us grateful for what we have and gave us a different perspective on life.

Mozambique is one of the top ten poorest countries in the world. But these precious Portuguese men, women and children are some of the most happy and content people I have met. Come along as I share pictures and memories of our time in Pemba, Mozambique along the east coast of Africa.

Everyday life there looked like spending time in the open air school hut with many incredible speakers/missionaries from all over the world, homeschooling our kids, filtering water, doing local ministry/outreach, spending time with the Mozambican kids and then doing a weekend village outreach. Rolland & Heidi Baker who started the ministry are so inspiring and solid, and were a shining example of how to love and serve well. We lived in a very small house with us six sleeping in one bedroom under mosquito nets. There were four other couples/families living in our house, as well, and we all shared a very small kitchen. This photo is missing one young married couple from our house. This was a very bonding, stretching experience, but we learned so much and do not regret it for a minute.

Our kids did really well during the three months we were there in Pemba, although it was a big adjustment. Chad and I had to balance our time with homeschooling and caring for our kids plus all the opportunities for ministry and learning that presented themselves.

Sometimes, we just took turns staying at the house, but other times, we took our kids along to the school hut with books/activities in tow. Some young adults who were attending the school, started a mini Harvest School for kids which our kids attended some days when we were in class. This was so nice and they had fun spending time with some energetic, inspiring young people!

Meeting so many dear people from various countries who became close friends, was definitely one of our highlights! Because of the intensity of the environment there, we developed such strong relationships as we really needed each other and were pressing into Jesus together. One friend in our house encouraged Chad one day saying…”what would keep you from going for Jo’s dream?” This comment impacted Chad in such a powerful way and from that moment on, God put us on the same page. We see how strategic God was in leading us there!

One of my favorite things that happened in our time here was that I was able to be a part of village outreach weekly. One day, Jesus led our small group to a neighboring village through a treasure hunt. This is a really neat way to evangelize and if you want to learn more about treasure hunting, I highly recommend this book: The Ultimate Treasure Hunt: A Guide to Supernatural Evangelism Through Supernatural Encounters by Kevin Dedmon.

After praying and asking the Lord for clues and then listening together, we found a girl, Ganita, who was deaf from birth. We sat in the dirt beside her and sang the song together…Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus, Open our ears, Lord… Then one of the girls in our group spoke in her ear… Jesus. To our amazement, she started to smile and we realized that Jesus just did a miracle! He opened her ears!!!

We confirmed with her parents that she was deaf from birth and now could hear. She came to church and was so happy! Ganita is in the red shirt. During our time in Mozambique, we met so many amazing people, some of whom had the same passion for anti-trafficking in Asia. We started meeting together and from this time of prayer and processing, we planned a scouting trip to Thailand and Cambodia in March 2012. But I will save this part of our story until next time!

- Jo Sauder

Protecting Your Children

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 01:33:48 GMT

"In this technology driven era, be alert to what your kids are seeing and who they are spending time with!"

I wanted to jump on here and share something dear to my heart! As a mom or dad living in this time, did you ever wonder… how can I best protect my kids from human trafficking? Of course, we don’t want to live in fear, but instead be wise and discerning about things.

I encourage you to talk with your kids at a young age openly about this when you feel they are ready. I don’t know that there is a specific age, but I know children are exposed to bad pictures/videos at a young age these days. Communication is key! And developing that trust between you goes a long way!

Another thing to be aware of is often we trust the ones we love most, like family, which is normal. But sometimes, difficult things can happen in families too. Always be aware of where your kids are and who they are with, even family and close friends. A shocking statistic to me is that in 2017, IOM (International Organization for Migration) estimated that 41% of child trafficking experiences are facilitated by family members and/or caregivers.

I wanted to share a few resources with you all that are so helpful which we promote at She’s Somebody’s Daughter, the anti-trafficking organization that I volunteer for. You can learn more about this wonderful organization here: www.shessomebodysdaughter.org

Additional resources:

Dare to say "Yes!"

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 16:20:46 GMT

Learning to Trust God with the Unknown

What are you passionate about? What stirs your heart? This is the first in a series of posts where my heart is to inspire you to dream with Jesus and say “yes,” no matter the cost. Warning…this may seem “out of the box,” but I believe the Holy Spirit still speaks in many different ways, just as He did years ago in the Bible stories we read. We just need to be listening and stay close to His heart.

For me, it all started one day in April 2009 when I watched a short video from Love146, a global anti-trafficking organization. The video was about a girl in SouthEast Asia whose number was 146. In brothels around the world, sometimes the precious girls are not called by their names, but rather a number. This was the heartbreaking case in this story. It impacted my heart so deeply and I shared it with my husband who was, also, astounded.

The following day, I was spending time with Jesus and He spoke to me and said so clearly in my spirit…I gave you the place, now I gave you the purpose. I picked up my journal and wrote what the Holy Spirit was showing me. By the way, I encourage you to keep a journal handy to write down verses and things that the Holy Spirit drops in your spirit. This is one journal/notebook I love from Amazon! I was pretty sure the place was Asia(I thought possibly India, as our church has a lot of connections there, but wasn’t clear on that). And the purpose, I knew, was fighting for these precious girls who were enslaved, some at a very young age. They were held captive and made to perform horrendous sexual acts for multiple men each night. Drugs are sold once, people are sold over and over again…making it a lucrative business.

In the weeks that followed, I researched more and God continued to break my heart for this atrocity. My husband and I watched Slumdog Millionaire which is a movie set in India based on a true story of trafficking. This was such a difficult watch! Chad’s heart was, also, stirred and God gave him a dream which was confirming that we were being called to make a difference in some way in this arena.

One of the things we did first was take a mission trip with our church to India. The ministries we partnered with there do not directly work in anti-trafficking, but it still was an eye-opening trip and such a great experience. Our church was supportive, but encouraged us to get some training before considering international missions. One of the classes we did was the Perspectives Course on the World Christian Movement. We really didn’t know specifically where God was calling us, but we checked into YWAM and other ministries who worked overseas. Nothing felt right and things were unclear.

There was definitely discouragement and impatience on my part as I felt so passionate and called, but it seemed like a slow moving train. I’m thinking there may be many who can relate to this. Then one day, at a small group gathering in our friend’s living room, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and told me to go sit in this older woman’s lap who was across the room from me. So crazy! I may have met her once before, but didn’t really know her. I did NOT want to do this! It makes you think, would God really ask me to do this?

But I felt such a strong urge, so I obeyed and went over to her. I told her that I sensed the Holy Spirit telling me to sit in her lap but that it probably was just symbolic of me learning from her. She was so kind, definitely older and wiser than me. She began to pray for and prophesy over me. She pulled me into her lap and said that she sees Heidi Baker and orphans. Tears flooded my eyes and I was so touched!

Next, she asked if we’ve considered the Harvest School in Mozambique. We had never heard of it before, but this is what the Holy Spirit used to give us our next clue on the journey, Truly this crazy “yes" was a launching pad into our destiny! After checking into it and praying, we applied and were accepted into the Harvest School of Missions with Iris Ministries in Mozambique along with our 4 kids! This is an incredible, faith-based ministry started by Rolland and Heidi Baker.

So late September 2011, we set out for Pemba, Mozambique with our 4 kids, ages 11, 9, 6 and 3 years old, not knowing what we were doing, but trusting Jesus to make things clear. What followed was a crazy, amazing and stretching three months in the beautiful country of Mozambique in Africa!

I dare you to pray a dangerous prayer… Papa, break my heart for what breaks Yours! Isaiah 61 has been an inspiration to me for years now. We are all called to leave a mark, to imprint the love and truth of Jesus, to those around us and beyond.

Jo Sauder

When in Savannah...

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 22:28:52 GMT

A few Tips for Your next adventure

In May this year, we had the privilege of exploring Savannah, Georgia. If you’ve never been there, I highly recommend it! Between the rich history and the beautiful Spanish moss covered trees, it did not disappoint. We spent the late afternoon/evening the first day on the waterfront, eating dinner at a restaurant overlooking the Savannah River.

After staying at a lovely Airbnb about 20 minutes away from there, we spent the following day walking through downtown Savannah, strolling through the gorgeous Forsyth Park and various other small parks with memorials of famous leaders in history.

The Savannah River and some of my favorite street shots.

Blackened Salmon

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 18:56:45 GMT

SIMPLE + HEALTHY

I love finding a recipe that is simple, delicious and healthy too! We like to eat fresh fish from time to time and this recipe is amazing. It is Blackened Salmon taken from the Simply Divine cookbook:

Blackened Salmon

Fresh salmon (I bought wild-caught at Aldi)

Olive oil

Spice mixture:

2 Tablespoons paprika

1 Tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon basil

1/4 teaspoon oregano

*Directions: Rub salmon with olive oil and sprinkle with spice mixture. Fry a few minutes on each side, until flaky. Then drizzle with lime or lemon juice.

*Tip: I, actually, used a seasoning mix I had on hand called Magic Seasoning Blends-Blackened Redfish Magic which you can, also, buy on Amazon here :

*Another tip is not to overcook the salmon! Use a food thermometer and remove it from the pan when it reaches 120 or 125 degrees.

You can serve this over rice with some fresh veggies on the side and it is a simple healthy meal!

Strong Teams

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 18:39:20 GMT

Does the Lord speak to you?

Recently one day, as I sat down for lunch in the quietness of my kitchen, the Lord started speaking to me, not audibly, but in my spirit, which is normally the way I hear His voice… so I grabbed pen and paper. He said, I am looking for strong teams! Married couples, walking in purity who are laid down lovers of Jesus. In this hour, these seasoned ones will lead the younger into true freedom, fruitfulness, and faithfulness. Put on your humility lenses, not focusing on flaws.

Just like a photographer blurs out the background to focus on the beauty of the predominant image, so we are called to focus on the beauty of others’ hearts and not on their flaws or baggage. It’s time for new lenses in the Body.

This is not a season we want to drag our baggage into. Instead, we let our heavenly Daddy take the alcohol pad and wipe every piece of hurt and dirt from us, even if it’s painful. We are preparing for surgery to remove anything foreign lodged inside of us that is harmful. We ask you to dust off the debris and clear the clutter! I hear the Lord in my spirit say… "Awaken!”

My heart is to encourage each of us to ask Jesus if there are things in our lives that need cleaned up or dreams that need reawakened inside of us…then be ready to say “Yes” no matter what the cost. Let’s open our hearts to the broken and love beyond ourselves with the love of Jesus!

Abandoned Love

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 16:42:21 GMT

Proverbs 19:23 TPT

"When you live a life of abandoned love, surrendered before the awe of God, here's what you'll experience: Abundant life. Continual protection. And complete satisfaction!"

What is abandoned love? I think it means to give or devote yourself fully to loving... letting go of unforgiveness, grudges, anger and pride. It's choosing to keep giving and moving forward despite pain and hurt. It is letting go of selfishness and jealousy to promote and encourage others.

One of the people in my life who I see this so clearly in is Heidi Baker. As we sat in the open air hut in Mozambique in 2011, listening to her share, we suddenly heard loud thuds on the roof. There were rocks being hurled onto our hut's tin roof... a little scary as our base definitely had some radicals of a different faith living nearby. Heidi stopped sharing and looked at her staff. She told them to go get the people who were throwing the rocks over the wall some food because they are probably hungry. This was such a testimony to how she lives her life... intentionally loving, giving and not living in fear.

Abandoned love looks for the treasure and good in others... it does not cast aside the broken or different. It leaves our own wants and desires to seek the Father's.

This is the longing in my heart... to truly live a life of abandoned love, saying "YES" to my heavenly Daddy and "NO" to distractions and self. To live intentionally, making each moment count. To love beyond... "where the rubber meets the road.”

What is Jesus asking you to do today to show abandoned love? Maybe it's reaching out to someone you struggle to love. It’s not easy, but so worth it! This is a season of purification as He is looking for a spotless bride.

"Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause." - Isaiah 1:16-17

Love looks like something!

To Love Beyond

A New Heart and Spirit

Ezekiel 36:26-27 "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes and be careful to obey my rules."

the word I sensed holy spirit give me for 2026 is diligence…and this is the verse he highlighted with it...

“watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” Prov. 4:23

The Cottage and the Loft

Rest, reset and be filled

Top Travel Tips

Burned Butter Shrimp

Breathtaking Bali in Indonesia

Cafe Awaken-A Dream Becomes Reality

Resurgence:a rising again into life, activity, or prominence…a synonym of resurgence=awaken

The Raw and Real

Our Second Home

a trip to remember...

Living in the Kingdom of Wonder

What is it like to raise a family in a different country?

Stopping by Istanbul, Turkey

layovers don’t need to be boring!

Gorgeous Tofu Beach

The raw beauty of the african coast

Tete, Mozambique-Desert and Dreams

Bring Justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause

Exploring Thailand and Cambodia

Where is God calling us to land in this Season?

Sage Chicken with Creamy Potatoes

SAVORY+RICH

Off to Mozambique, Africa!

Learning to Trust God with the Unknown

Protecting Your Children

Additional resources:

Dare to say "Yes!"

Learning to Trust God with the Unknown

When in Savannah...

A few Tips for Your next adventure

The Savannah River and some of my favorite street shots.

Blackened Salmon

Strong Teams

Does the Lord speak to you?

Just like a photographer blurs out the background to focus on the beauty of the predominant image, so we are called to focus on the beauty of others’ hearts and not on their flaws or baggage. It’s time for new lenses in the Body.

Abandoned Love

Proverbs 19:23 TPT ﻿

Proverbs 19:23 TPT