The Hourngs in Cambodia!

There are days when the Bible speaks so directly to our heart that we know it is exactly what we need at that moment. Today is that kind of day for me. Our verse is from 2 Timothy 1:7. It says that God did not give us a spirit that makes us timid. Instead He gave us power love and self discipline. This verse stays with me as I write today. I can see how much I need this truth in my life as a mother, as a wife, as a servant of God, as a lecturer, and as a simple believer learning each day what it means to walk with Jesus. Yesterday’s little moment with our son David helped me see this truth in action. We always try to be intentional in teaching him values. But most of the time we know very well that talking alone is not enough. If we only speak without showing, he will not listen or understand. We have learned again and again that the best lessons come from example. God keeps reminding me of something simple. I must live out the values I want him to learn. I must be quick to listen, slo...

Last night during dinner, David began sharing stories from his day at school. These moments around the table are some of my favorites simple, ordinary, yet full of hidden lessons that often reflect deeper truths about life and faith. He told us that after P.E. class, he was the only one among his 7th-grade classmates who took a shower. The rest of them were, in his words, “too lazy to do it.” He laughed as he told us how quiet the shower room was without anyone teasing or bickering. I smiled and thought to myself how refreshing it is to see him growing into a young man who values cleanliness and enjoys the small moments of solitude. Then, with a change in tone, he shared something that caught my heart. “One of my friends from another class shaved his head today,” he said softly. “He looked really sad, so I sat beside him on the bench.” I asked what happened, and David told us that his friend’s father had just passed away. His friend had shaved his head as part of their Buddhist funera...

There are moments in our family life when I pause and marvel at how God continues to work in the little and ordinary things. Parenting, especially in a cross-cultural home here in Cambodia, has taught us lessons far beyond what any book could offer. It’s not always easy, but every challenge we face points us back to God’s faithfulness. One of those areas where God has been showing His amazing grace lately is through our son, David.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” — Galatians 5:22–23 (NIV) When Struggles Become Seeds of Growth David has been struggling with his Khmer lessons this year. As parents, this was one of our main concerns for quite some time. His school (Asian Hope International School) is accredited by the Ministry of Education here in Cambodia, which means he has to meet the same requirements as every local student, including passing the Khmer exam to be promoted to high scho...

👉from Part 1 Is it okay to be disappointed? In our family, we believe it is. Disappointment is not something we hide from our son David. We actually see it as a way to grow. Recently, David tried to start a small chocolate crinkle cookie business. He was so excited, thinking people would buy it all day long. But things didn’t go as planned. Sales were poor, and he felt crushed. He even thought about giving up. One evening, he showed me a diagram he had made—his own little business analysis. He had written down what went wrong and what could be improved: people didn’t see the crinkles, the banner only showed spaghetti, and sales only happened at lunch and dinner. He even listed ideas for making it better. I was amazed. What looked like failure turned out to be a lesson. That night, we prayed as a family. We reminded David that even big businesses fail but learn to stand up again. And more importantly, we reminded him that disappointments can lead us back to God. Psalm 119:105 says...

This might sound like a strange question, especially in a culture where we often encourage ourselves and our children to “stay positive” and “look on the bright side.” But what about those moments when things don’t go as planned? When the effort has been poured in, the hopes were high, and yet the results are not what we imagined? In our household, we believe it is not only okay but also necessary to allow space for disappointment. I know this might sound unusual. For some, discouragement feels like weakness, something we should avoid or quickly cover up. But over the years, especially as young parents, we have learned that disappointments can become classrooms where faith grows, where character is shaped, and where God’s light shines brightest. Our son David recently experienced this in a very real way through something as simple as his chocolate crinkle cookie business . What began as a small home project turned into an unexpected life lesson, not only for him but for all of us as ...

It’s been a beautiful and humbling season in our home lately. If you’re a parent, you know how long school breaks can feel especially when you’re trying to keep a young, energetic child busy and engaged. Our son David has been on a long break from school, over two months, and it hasn’t been easy to keep him fruitfully occupied. Yet, as I sit down to reflect, I’m amazed at how God answered our quiet prayers, even in little ways we never expected. Mark 11:24 has been on my heart as I write this: "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."   This verse has taken on such a tender meaning for me, especially in this parenting season. We didn’t pray for anything extravagant. We just asked the Lord to guide us as we tried to guide David. To help us teach him not just to be “busy,” but to be fruitful. Not just to work, but to work with gratitude and faith. And the Lord truly answered. The Long Break and the Longing ...