That Thing I Do Now - Vol 34

Happy Weekend, ya'll! This week kicked off Lent and there were ALL kinds of awesome online talking about what it is, why we do it, what we miss... as well as what we are giving up or adding to... so much awesome and I will just say - I have never 'done' Lent. Just as I had never 'done' Advent before last Christmas.  I am pressing in... unsure really of what to expect, oh - but I know what I am hoping for! More of Him... a cleaning out of my heart to give it more wholly to Him... so some of this Gathering will include those posts because - well, we'll call it research! There are a few other non-Lent related posts as well! Enjoy!           

I am - as you are reading this - enjoying (by faith) the Faith and Culture Writers Conference (Sarah Bessey and Deidra Riggs are two of the keynote speakers... don't be jealous!)  I am sure I will have some words to share about all of that next week, so don't forget to check back in a few days or simply subscribe (enter your email right up there to the right) to not miss a single post!  So - I will write a recap of sorts of my experience soon.

Until then...

Happy Reading!
Enjoy!

* This one by Rhonda Quaney on When You are Preapproved.  Rhonda is part of the Launch Team for a new book, The Love Idol, by Jennifer Dukes Lee.  This post was part of a great link up this week, where we invite you to join us in laying down the Love Idols that we run to for approval and affection - not just for Lent, but for good! She is talking about meeting the author at a Retreat... and referring to a story Jennifer shared: "As she spoke there, she showed us pictures from a missions trip she had been on, of actual mud pies that are served in Haiti. She told of how the people make these pies to fill their stomachs because there is not enough food. They eat mud pies to fight off hunger pains.  

In America I'm eating my own form of mud pies trying to find temporary relief from my soul hunger." 

* This post is also penned by a fellow Love Idol - uh - thrower downer (?) Carey Bailey.  So good... so honest... on the Love Idol of Numbers! "I lift them up, I value them, they give me worth and meaning. They prove I am useful and productive. These numbers assure me that I am a contributing member of society."

* This post over at Encourage.me by the ever lovely Lisa-Jo Baker on What if's that matter... ”What if you changed up the dialogue in your head? What if you listed the things you were good at, the tasks you’d accomplished, the dreams you were chasing and the people you mattered to?”

* This one from my sweet friend Nikki from Simply Striving over at 5 Minutes for Faith on The Mystery of Grace... "Grace is love that never fades, fails, yet always forgives and forgets.
Grace is loving someone anyway."

* This piece over at outside the city gate by Kris Camealy on Redemption Songs (A Reflection on Lent.) "Lent is neither quick nor clean.The confession of sins spills out of my mouth, out of my heart, at the foot of His throne. The whole 40 days of this dim Church season fill us with an ache we work tirelessly to diminish the other 325 days of the year. Lent comes as an abrupt quieting to the comfortable noise of our every day."


* This post right HERE from Abiding Love, Abounding Grace where I reveal what (some of) my issues are... what I am attempting to give up for Lent "When God asks me to do something, I vow to say Yes without hesitating; without talking myself out of it or giving excuses.  I am shining the light on the corners of my heart and I want every Thump. Thump. Thump. to beat Jesus. Jesus. Jesus."

Lastly... A video... because that's just how we roll around here! Sometimes it is a funny... sometimes it is a testimony or a short interview, or worship - but we always like to wrap this Thing up with a little something to see. You may notice the above reading list is just a little shorter than usual - yeah... it's because this video is a bit longer than what we normally end up with (still under 20 minutes) so warm up that coffee and settle in. You seriously want to see this one!

CLICK HERE: This Guy Faces Off with a Ugandan Witch Doctor and What Happens Next Is Unbelievable

What did I miss? Did you find anything Amazing online this week that I didn't list here? As usual, link it in the comments and share the love!