Listen

     

     I don't know about you, but I need a wisdom that doesn't come from me.  I need insight and discernment that can only come from God.  The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 2 that "...the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us."  I need understanding that can only come from the Spirit! 

     Sometimes this understanding and insight comes specifically through the scriptures, God's inspired word. Other times it comes through prayer and time spent alone in quiet with God.  And it even comes through the gentle admonishment from a friend or trusted loved one.  Over the years, I've noticed that for me personally, when God really wants to get my attention about something, a certain theme or word will come up continually, in all different areas of my life.  Over the past week or two, this has been happening.  A very specific word keeps coming up in my life.

Expectations: Not so random thoughts about the day

Sometimes I just have to laugh at myself!  Especially when I catch myself in the middle of having unreasonable expectations of myself.  Tonight, I am hosting a Noonday Collection Trunkshow, which I am super excited about!  (I don't purchase jewelry and accessories often, but when do, I want it to be from a company that cares about those that it works with and supports them with a more than fair compensation for their product!)  Oops...back to the topic at hand.

Anyway, in preparation and anticipation of having friends in my home this evening, I had put crazy ridiculous expectations on myself.  Let me just spell it out for you.  I wanted to have my kitchen painted, completely finished and decorated, complete with new light fixture, pictures framed on the shelf, and my wall finished with our school map framed, a new white board up, some fun family photos framed, and the magnetic display board up.  Hello??!!  What was I thinking??  The painting did get done. And the map is on the wall.  But that is IT.  Oh, and it doesn't stop there.  I wanted to have a new mirror up on our mantle, photos updated in the family photo frames, and a coat rack up in the hallway. Of those things, the coat rack is the only thing that was accomplished, with the help of my awesome husband! (Thanks, Babe!)

Why do I do this to myself? Why do WE do this to OURSELVES? Why do we set ourselves up to be disappointed in ourselves?  And possibly make others around us miserable in the process??? Why do we think that things have to be perfect?  What really matters through all of this?  People.  Relationship. And for me personally, having a home that is welcoming and genuinely full of love!  That said, my home will be relatively clean, but it will not be perfect.  I will not have done all that I had hoped to do.  And that is honestly OK with me!

I hope you have a GREAT day and that you will be loving and accepting of who YOU are at this very moment!

Freedom and the 4 M's

If you have followed me for any length of time, then you know that I am big into Essentialism.  I want to live with joy and purpose, and if the things that I own, or the ways that I choose to use my time or gifts, don't bring joy and purpose, then I need to move on from those things.  I've highlighted this book before, but for a bigger picture into this, check out Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown!  It is an excellent book, and touches not only on your personal life and the stuff that you own, but also on your professional life!  I recap all that to say that lately, when it comes to how I have been managing my home and the stuff that I own, I have not been living out my beliefs.  I'm busted! I haven't been putting into practice many of the things that I know to do. So, to keep myself accountable, I'm just going to lay it all out and walk this journey right here.

The reason for this journey is FREEDOM and it's based on what I'm calling my 4 M's. I want to MANAGE the MINOR things in my life so that I can MASTER the MAJOR, or important things in my life.  So often, I let the minor things, the house cleaning, the chores, the grocery shopping, the piles of stuff, etc, master my life. Instead, I want to learn to manage those minor things to a point that I can move on and master the major things in my life. The more that I can do this, the more that I can pursue freedom in my life to be who I was created to be.  It's all about FREEDOM. This isn't anything  new or ground breaking.  And I understand that the "majors" in all of our lives look different. For that matter, freedom will look different for all of us. But I believe that there is power in sharing our story and I hope that you will be encouraged by mine!

Along the way, I'll also share some favorite resources, books, and websites that have been a help and encouragement to me!  I hope you'll follow along!

October Favorite Things: Connection

Spoiler alert...this isn't going to be a normal "Favorite Things" post. Something happened today that I wanted to share with you about. 

My phone took an unexpected swim early this morning. And in hope of recovery, it has been sitting in a jar full of rice for the better part of the day.  The good news is that it appears to be mostly functional.  Siri does come on at random times, which is hilarious and frustrating at the same time.  I tried to turn her off, but the voice command kept taking over and making random phone calls.(I apologize in advance if you get a random phone call from me...)

Promise #3 - Strength

I don't know about you, but this is exactly what I need today!  God gives us strength to do whatever it is we need to do.  As I get ready for work, prepare the boys for a snow day at home with their dad, and think ahead to all that needs to get done today, I can't do it alone.  I can't do it in my own strength.  But I can do it with God's help.  And I can do it well!  My hope and prayer for you (and for myself) is that we  will believe this promise today and walk in it's truth!

Take a Step

I'm not a writer.  I'm not eloquent with words. Often, I say the wrong thing, or the right thing in the wrong way.  I don't have a huge following on my blog.  I don't exactly know what I want to be when I grow up.

But, there are few things that I do know.  I am passionate about people.  I long to see people walk in freedom.  Especially women.  We are so bound up and tangled up with the past, with fear, with feelings of inadequacy,  that sometimes it's hard to move forward.  I know this because I've been there.

This past weekend, I sat in a room with about 20 other women, along with thousands of other women across the screen and around the world, and watched freedom come, chains be broken, and hearts be encouraged.  The IF:Gathering wasn't and isn't about a specific speaker, agenda, or religion.  It's about women around the world gathering together, being equipped, and then being unleashed to live fully their purposes...purposes that God has set on our hearts. It was beautiful.  It IS beautiful.

I am choosing to take a step in faith toward what I feel God has put on my heart.  And I challenge you to do the same.  "Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified: do not be discouraged, for the LORD you God will be with you wherever you go." -Joshua 1:9

If you want to find out more about IF:Gathering, click here.

I will announce soon what one of my next steps is, as you'll see it on the blog!

**A new study of Hebrews starts Monday (2/16) through IF:Equip and I would love for all of the women in my life to be a part of it!  Let me know if you have questions! :)

What the IF:Gathering Means to Me

It's funny.  Actually it's ridiculous.  I have sat down to write this post more times than I can count.  But the words haven't come.  And it has been very frustrating.  Because the IF:Gathering means so much to me.  It was almost a year ago, at the first IF:Gathering, that I really started to dream again about where my life was headed, to remember what Jesus really means to me, to think that the impossible really can happen.

I was newer to the area and had been following the beginnings of the IF:Gathering through Jennie Allen and Jen Hatmaker.  What they were pursuing was a refreshing, pure, simple desire to seek God and to ask tough questions.  What would it look like to live life IF I truly believed God for his promises, for who He is. I wanted to host an IF:Local in my home, or at the church I was attending, but I was scared.  I had fear.  That no one would see what I saw.  That no one would join with me. So I didn't do what I felt called to do.  To put myself out there, trust God, and see what happened.

Fortunately, my story doesn't end there.  I did seek out another church in the area hosting an IF:Local. And I was immensely blessed by my time there.  I did not know a soul and they welcomed me in like I had already been a part of their group for a long time.  I had rich conversation with women of all ages and left the weekend as encouraged by the women I had spent time with as with the Gathering itself.  What a blessing it was!

This year I am very excited to help host an IF:Local!  I am excited to finally be doing what I should have done a year ago. I'm so thankful for the opportunity and I can't wait to see how God is going to show up and move in the lives and hearts of women in our area.

In just over two weeks, on February 6-7, 2015, women from across the nation and around the globe will come together to worship, learn, be encouraged, and equipped to live more fully for God where they are.  I want to encourage every woman I know to come!  Find an IF:Local near you!  Join us here in South Tulsa.  Or host your own!  It's not too late!! There is a powerful movement for Jesus billowing under this.  It is Spirit filled and prayer covered.  It is not perfect, but there is love.  Much love.  And Grace.  And Freedom.

Click here for more information about the IF:Gathering.

To find an IF:Local near you or to host an IF:Local, click here.

And to join us for IF:South Tulsa, please click here!

The Tuesday Review: The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson

I am so excited to do today's review.  The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson has been one of our favorite series to read.  It ranks right up there with The Chronicles of Narnia series by  C.S. Lewis.  Each book is wonderfully written and leaves much room for the imagination, which I appreciate!  There are four books in the series:

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness


North! or Be Eaten


The Monster in the Hollows


The Warden and the Wolf King


We started this series over a year ago and took our time, with my husband reading a chapter on most nights.  Sometimes we had to read two chapters because it was so intense and we couldn't wait to find out what happened next.  And at one point we had to take a break while we waited for the fourth book to be released.

 The themes in this series are not light and easy going.  There are many humorous moments and times when you want to jump up and cheer the Wingfeather family on.  But there are also heartbreaking moments that just might make you cry.  The Wingfeather family shows what it looks like to have great courage and noble character in the face of much trial and tribulation. In the end, Good overcomes evil.  I enjoyed every minute of it!

I would highly recommend this series, not just for older kids and and as a family read-aloud, but for any adult that needs to read a fantastic story of hope.

If you want to find out more about The Wingfeather Saga or Andrew Peterson, check out his website at http://wingfeathersaga.com/welcome/.