Earthblog

Joni Menard

Simply put I am a daughter and a sister to 4 brothers, wife to Curt McKinney, and mom to 3 living sons and a Nani to Cora, our granddaughter. The Lord knew I needed more females in our family and just recently blessed us with a daughter- in- love, Ashley. He Loves me.

I have been in and out of relationship with God most of my life. A voice when I was really young asked me periodically through the night “do you love me?” I did not know who was speaking to me. I wish I had asked someone to help me figure out who was speaking to me. I decided as a young person not to believe that God existed, there was too much pain and evil for me to believe that there was a Loving Being behind all of it. Then I met a believing Hindu in my early twenties who told me it really did not matter that I didn’t believe because God simply is. His statement made me angry. I was under the illusion that what I thought and believed was the only thing that mattered. His statement pressed me into a pursuit to find out if it was true. If God could not exist because of evil, I found I could not explain the origins of goodness.

Today, I know it’s true, not just intellectually but experientially. I consider myself a sister on a journey to know God better and willing to share what God has given to me that will help others discover the joy of living in His affection. That greater awareness of God’s presence and His love and grace is for everyone.

I have been married to Curt McKinney since December 21, 1979; he is pictured with me on the home page of the web site. We moved to Oklahoma in 1980 after graduation from Missouri State, Curt with a degree in Geology and me a B.S. in Biology. Curt has enjoyed employment with Devon Energy of Oklahoma City all these years. I was employed with the Oklahoma Medical Research Institute (OMRF) in Oklahoma City and then attended graduate school at the Oklahoma Health Science Center was awarded a Master’s of Science in Microbiology. Then we decided to start a family. My life really changed.

Our sons, Nathan, David and James live near us attending graduate and undergraduate school at the University of Oklahoma. Because I homeschooled all three of our boys I am very invested in their educations.  They love me well and they know me even better. I treasure all that I know about Father’s Love for me that I have learned because of my marriage and my motherhood.

I have also been blessed with many mentors and friends who have encouraged me on my journey. Renee Brunette is one of those precious saints in the Body who has shown me the art of spiritual direction and small group facilitating of others on this journey. The last 3 years of learning to live loved with Renee and other brothers and sisters the Lord has drawn to TBC has been the most exciting adventure of my life. I had no idea we could experience freedom, love and trust to this level. And I look forward to an ever expanding experience of that freedom to be who God made me to be as His kid in this world. And if in that process I get the joy of helping others, no matter where they are in that journey, experience that freedom as well then all praise and thanks be to Him who loves us more than we can ever know.