31 Days of Resting in Him...

October is where it's AT, ya'll! Along with All Things Autumn (#Swoon!), the month of October brings with it the annual #Write31Days challenge, hosted by The Nester, aka Myquillyn Smith.  This is the third year that I have played along, although by about October 18th, it doesn't feel like playing anymore... at. all. But it's always a great challenge and there are so many amazing series to read along with or bookmark for later!

The Challenge goes out to bloggers everywhere, and the idea is to pick ONE TOPIC and write about that one thing, - Every. Single. Day. - for 31 days (aka October).

My first attempt at this challenge was back in 2012, when I was answering the call to write in this space consistently! And what is more consistent than writing Every. Single. Day. ... you can read that series at your leisure HERE (31 Reasons to Fall for Autumn).

Last year in 2013, I wrote 31 Days of Encountering God, both in ways that I do and that you can!  You can read that series HERE...

But mostly, I am hoping that you will join me this year, 2014, for a series that - to be honest - I was reluctant to dive into.  I was wanting something easy, something fun, something - slackerish?  Instead, I asked God if He had something that He wanted me to write and I heard ever so clearly, this:

That Thing I Do Now - Volume 63

Hey there!  Happy Weekend, my friends! We actually had days of rain and overcast days. For this desert dweller, rain is a welcomed treat... but only for a day or two, and then we need our sunshine again! (Yes, we are quite spoiled!)

I am praying for a long, long Fall - filled with all the bounty of all good things. (and then a short, short winter - because - cold!) But I digress... with the rain, came more reading... so settle in all cozy like and enjoy this spread to feast on!


Happy Reading! Featured today are posts by Sarah Markley, Shauna Neiquist, Emily Freeman, Micah Murray, Andrea Levendusky, Christie Purifoy, Jessica Hoover, and - of course - a video!  Enjoy!

(Ya'll know to click on the authors' names to read their whole posts, yes?)

Because... she asked.

What a fun night over on Twitter for the #fmfparty... lots of great encouragement, fun hashtags, prayers, and of course - talk of food!!!  I love love love this Community of Writers who go all out in a FlashMob frenzy and write for Five Minutes flat on one word... it's so much fun! (Ya'll should join in!)

Anyway - here we go: Five Minute Friday - Our Word Prompt is: BECAUSE

{GO}

I missed out on yesterday.  All day long I was out of it... battling a painful headache and not able to get to anything on my Bossy List of Things To Do.  

That Thing I Do Now - Vol 62

Happy Fall, Ya'll!  (Wait... what? Too soon?)  Our little town hosts a State Fair and this weekend we are kickin' it County Fair style! Small Town Parade? Yep.  Midway rides, and corn dogs, elephant ears, 'concerts'... you betchya!  We even offer up some Deep Fried Prayer! (We rent a booth and offer prayer and blessings through out the fair! This is the second year a group of us is doing it and we have such a blast showing people that God is in a good mood and that He loves loves loves them - no matter what!)

Happy Reading!

Featured today are posts by Jennifer Dukes Lee, Nish Weiseth,  Kelli Woodford, Shannan Martin, Lisa Leonard, Ashley Larkin, plus a book review of Holley Gerth's new book and a video by Steffany Gretzinger!  Enjoy!

(Ya'll know to click on the authors' names to read their whole posts, yes?)

The Anchor Holds... a Five Minute Friday post

I made it, ya'll! I finally made it over to Twitter to party it up with the amazing Five Minute Friday Community of writers. It is always so much fun and I had been hit and miss for way too long! I wasn't sure if I would make it because I was setting up the Prayer Booth that we work at at the Fair, but I snuck in with plenty of time to chat it up! Now... on to the writing part...

Anyway - here we go: Five Minute Friday - Our Word Prompt is: HOLD

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I keep talking about it, I know. Talking of how I have been in this season of Waiting and now, seemingly suddenly, it is starting to feel like it is nearing an end.

It's like I have resisted it for so long... I just recently let go, and let Rest find me like the gentle rocking of a boat on evening waves -a rhythm that ebs and flows without fear, because the Anchor is holding somewhere, tethered down deep.

What Your Heart Needs for the Hard Days - a Book Review

There is this woman... she is amazing, and loving, and just overflows with encouragement, and oozes Jesus in all the best ways. And there is this book that arrived on my doorstep during one of the hardest weeks of Days so far...

That Thing I Do Now - Vol 61

Good morning! I pray you are enjoying a weekend that is filled with just what you need, whether that is rest and peace, or adventure and work... maybe a divine mixture of both!

"Get Ready! Get Ready! Get Ready!" - Five Minute Friday

Once again... I had plans, ya'll! I had cleared my schedule and planned an easy dinner and I was going to be sitting right here in this chair at 5ish to chat and party it up with the #fmfparty crew... but you know how it goes. The day gets away from us and your All Growed Up Girlie stops by and plans are pushed aside to catch up and hang out... I mean, I love you all but come on? You get it, right?  So - it's later now, and I missed most of the party... but here I sit... ready to write!

Anyway - here we go: Five Minute Friday - Our Word Prompt is: READY

{GO}

So, it's no secret really. I have written about it several times over the summer...

God has had me in a season of waiting... a season of silence...
(apparently, until -well, soonish!)

The Mighty Power of a Simple Shift in Perspective

Perspective is powerful.

When it is even just a little bit off everything I see is tilted, off-center... topsy turvy, askew, uncertain.

Uncertainty is powerful too... and it can freeze this planners' heart and stop all forward motion.  I find when I am uncertain, I stop all the things. It's not that I need to know every detail or have a color-coded mapped-out plan (although... ) but I find when I am uncertain, my perspective starts getting all out of line and I can fall for the same old lies.

I can feel small. Insignificant. Unimportant.

I can make excuses or put things off... ignore promptings of the Spirit or hesitate long enough to miss an opportunity. 

I can forget that it's not all about me or that it should always, really, be all about Him.

That Thing I Do Now - Vol 60

Happy Weekend, Everyone! Can you even believe we are in SEPTEMBER already? Gah... every time, I feel old - but still - time is just slipping by so quickly!

Ya'll... you can't even know! Last week into this week was... just hard.  It caused me to be unplugged and MIA a bit more than usual which was both good and necessary! And yet... you know how I love you and how I would never leave you empty handed, with (gasp!) nothing to read! So here ya go:

I Can Find You In the Whisper...

Good morning! What a concept, right? Writing a Five Minute Friday post on a Friday!  I have so missed the routine of jumping in to the party on Thurdsay nights over on Twitter (at #fmfparty) but last night was the NFL season opener and, well, I DO live in #HawksNation and it's a pretty big deal around here so it was a given that we would all be gathered around a different kind of screen, cheering on our team - to victory! #GoHawks

Anyway - here we go: Five Minute Friday - Our Word Prompt is: WHISPER

{GO}

Sometimes, God thinks He is p-r-e-t--t-y funny!

I have been not writing (much) this summer.

He has been calling me to sit... to wait... to be Silent.
(Like - actually Silent.) 

What I Learned in August...er... well, over the Summer.

Here we are, in SEPTEMBER! 

SEPTEMBER, ya'll? For the love... how did that even happen? Honestly?

It is now the beginning of a new month, and a whole new season! With Summer wrapping up and Fall making his glorious appearance just around the corner, it's time for my favorite link-up where I share a random Gathering of Awesome things that I have learned... attempting to once again remember! 

So, here we are: What I Learned in August -well, let's be real... it's been since May!