“Where no oxen are, the manger is clean, But much increase comes by the strength of the ox.” Proverbs 14:4 (NASB)
This verse was shared as it applies to relationships. When we interact with people it can get messy. It is not always clean. Yet, we were created for relationships. We need one another. On my grandpa’s farm, we would get up every morning and clean out the animal stalls. The mess did not clean up itself. You cleaned the stalls because the animals had value. How much more valuable are people? We need to be willing to be in the work of cleaning up the messes of people’s lives even when it flows over into our clean manger. We do it, because people matter to God. We do it, because we too are messy and need people willing to be in our messes with us. Strength comes in numbers. We need each other to be strong. May God give us the grace to see past the mess to see the value of the person.
Mary studied Mechanical Engineering as an undergraduate student. While studying she traded semesters working at NASA in Houston, Texas. It was while working at NASA that she felt the tug on her heart that God had another plan for her life. Upon graduation, Mary proceeded to serve as a missionary for the next 11 years of her life; she served in Greece the last two years of her service. Upon returning from Greece, she pursued her Master's degree in Counseling, which led to a job with a major university. It was while working there that God did what God faithfully does, she found herself working as an engineer again as she managed major construction projects for the university. She also pursued her Master's degree in Engineering Management and her Professional Engineering License. Mary now on her ministry and writing. When Mary left missionary service it was her desire to return to fulltime ministry one day. She had her first outline for a book in 1989 (a book she has yet to write). Her first book was published in May, 2014 with the second quickly on its heels in December, 2014. She continues to write and is developing an evangelistic series of books centered around Jesus Christ. Her prayer is that her books will bless others' relationships with our Father God and His word.