Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

missions

Believe you can change the world: Review of A Dream So Big by Steve Peifer

If you aren’t in love with Africa and its people already, then reading A Dream So Big will break your heart for them and leave you challenged to make a difference, however big or small you’re able. dream so big cover

Steve Peifer didn’t want to go to Africa, but after the death of his 4-day-old son, God impressed upon his heart to make his wife’s dream come true. His wife Nancy’s dream was to serve in Africa.

The family spent a year as dorm parents at Rift Valley Academy in Kenya. It was a challenging time and a healing time and they would leave the country changed. Steve’s heart was pierced by the extreme needs of the people, and when he encountered a classroom of children lying on the floor, his whole world was changed. He asked the teacher why the kids were lying down.

“It is Thursday,” she said. “Most of the children haven’t eaten since Monday. If they sit up, they will faint.”

That was the turning point for Steve, and when the family returned to Kenya as full-time ministries, Steve began to act on a vision to alleviate hunger in Kenya.

A Dream So Big is full of humor as Steve recounts his attempts to learn Swahili and interact with the culture. It’s also an honest soul-baring account of his transformation. What started as an escape from grief turned into a lifelong mission.

The impact Steve has made on Kenya’s schools through lunch programs and computer centers is inspiring.

If you’ve ever wanted to change the world but didn’t think it was possible, read this book and believe.

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In exchange for my review, I received a free copy of A Dream So Big from Zondervan through the Booksneeze program.

Where I confess my sins and begin again

I went running this morning.

starting line

Not earth-shattering, headline-making news, but for me, it was significant.

Four months ago, my mom bought me a new pair of running shoes because I asked her to and because the desire was in me to pick up a habit I’d neglected for too long.

And for four months, I’ve made excuses.

Too cold. Too dark. Husband’s new schedule. I’m sick. Too tired. Too many other more important things.

Today, my husband had the day off. And my pants have been fitting too tight. And I ate some delicious food this weekend, and too much of it, so I had fewer excuses.

I’m not sorry I ate the food or that I prioritize other things.

But I am sorry that I have broken a promise.

A promise I made on this blog and then slowly let slip out of my “important” pile.

Less than three years ago, I took up running, training to run a 5K (my first ever) with my husband. And I found out I liked it. I didn’t lose a ton of weight by doing it, but I felt good. I had more energy, and my body was in better shape than it had been.

So when the 5K was over, I kept running occasionally, not as often as when we were training. And I had this idea. I would pay better attention to what I ate. I would exercise. And when the pounds dropped off, I would donate money to a worthy cause. I gave myself six months.

And I failed miserably.

Now, almost a year and a half later, I haven’t lost as much weight as I’d hoped and I haven’t given any money to that worthy cause.

And I could spend a lot of time beating myself up about that or I could do what I did today.

Lace up the shoes.

Stretch out the legs.

And start over. In the rain, no less.

But in a way, I was grateful for the rain as I completed day 1 of the Couch-to-5K plan.

Because starting something good won’t always wait for the right conditions.

Sometimes you have to splash in the puddles and be drenched in the downpour on the way to your goal.

I won’t lie: I didn’t feel great when I finished.

My body ached. I wanted to go back to bed. I was soaked. And all day I’ve felt reminders of what I did in my calves and hips.

But the pain will pass.

And discipline is always hard. Training your body–or your mind or your spirit, for that matter–to do something it doesn’t normally do is hard and takes work and perseverance.

But it is worth it.

I can’t make any promises this time. I won’t tell you that in six months I hope to give $100 to women and children in Liberia or that I’ll be running a half-marathon by the fall.

All I know is today, I ran.

And I will run again.