That Thing I Do Now - Vol 67

Hey ya'll!  How are you doing? I pray your week was great, but that your weekend ahead is even better, because - of course!  You know the drill here... I read all sorts of amazing things all week long online and then I hook you up with A Gathering of Awesome, just in case you missed it!

Hello Fall & #iphoneonlyphotography                    

taken on a Family walk down by the river...    

Featured today are posts by Lisa Jo Baker, Deb Wolf, Kelli Woodford, John Pavlovitz, and the #Write31Days blogger who is somewhat new to me: (only not techinically... but she's not been featured here until now!) Erin Salmon... and - of course - a video! (Oh yes... and the Winner of the #WordsMatter Giveaway announced, too!)

Happy Reading! 

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

* This one by Lisa Jo Baker over at Incourage.me with When You Worry Your Life Is Too “Small” to Qualify for “Big” Ministry...
"Sister, don’t tell me you don’t make a difference. Don’t tell me that your life is small; that the sun sets and rises on the same day in and day out and that you don’t make a difference.

I don’t want to hear that.

Don’t tell me that pulpits are only found in churches and speeches only come from stages. Don’t tell me that microphones are necessary to be heard.

Don’t for a second succumb to the bald-faced lie whispered sneaky sneaky sometimes only inside of our own heads that ministry begins and ends with serious theology instead of Cheerios-encrusted carpets.

Don’t tell me that Cheerios, diapers, laundry, and dishes aren’t serious theology.

Don’t tell me that Gospel doesn’t sound like a working mother who rises while it is still dark to provide for her family.

I don’t believe that we are playing make-believe when we dress-up our daughters in all the courage and conviction to last a lifetime of love stories found first, middle, and last in the pages of the only good book that ever mattered."


* This one by Deb Wolf over at Counting My Blessings with 7 Steps to Becoming Authentic and Intentional...
"Do you have what it takes to be authentic? Real? Yourself?

It’s not easy. It doesn’t happen accidentally. Being authentic requires being intentional..."


* This post by Kelli Woodford with A Fall Song...

"First you pursue us with blood maples and tease with your decadent, hazy light. Then you weave through the woods like the scent of decay that surrounds us with every step. Light bathes from above, so plentiful that not even the blood maples or the honey oaks can soak it all up before it overflows the canopy, spilling priceless gold onto the crunchy floor." 

* This post by John Pavlovitz with The Church Worth Coming Back To (A Message For The Left-Out)...
"This week, I found myself in uncharted waters.

For the first Sunday in 17 years, I was not on staff at a local church; waking-up without a group of students and families to care for, and without a building to drive to; no sermons to give, no songs to sing, no greetings to deliver.

With the suddenness and messiness of the transition of the past few days, I knew there would be grief and confusion to process, and the dizzying flood of conflicting emotions that comes with any major life change. (In a year that’s seen me lose my dad, leave a job, move our family, and now be leaving another job, I fully expected those feelings of loss and sadness to come, and they have).

However, the one thing I didn’t expect to feel so instantly and so sharply in response to losing this central part of my life, was relief.

There was an almost tangible exhale in my spirit, that was both sadly surprising and yet so very welcome."


* This 31 Days series, 31 Days of Finding Your Identity in Christ by Erin Salmon with Who Jesus Says We Are: Fully Equipped...
"Maybe you’re like me, wondering how little old, tired you will ever be enough. Maybe you’ve tried every last method of the world and nothing has worked, and maybe now you’re left staring at a little pile of rocks wondering how in the world you will ever be able to bring down the giants in your life.

I think the truth is, sometimes, we won’t be enough. At least not on our own.

You and I will never be able to do everything. But through Christ, we have the strength to face all the things that are set before us. Scripture says that we have everything we need.

You and I? We are fully equipped."

* This one right HERE from my own series, 31 Days of Resting in Him with "Easier Ways" Part 2...
"It's in those times when we KNOW that He is close and that there is no distance between us, no gap, no sin, nothing hidden or in the way... it's in those times that entering in to His Rest is easy.

Because, His Rest is, simply, His Presence... His favor... His Refreshing and Restoring and His working all things together for our good... His Rest is actually us ceasing, and Him increasing.

"Easy" ways to enter in still require effort... we still must be intentional about making time and giving room and accepting the gift of Rest that He offers.  "

Plus: the video... Seriously, my friends... I am so blessed by this Blogging Community and to have God connect me with writers, sisters, friends... kindred hearts from all over the world and this video?  This is an original song, written and performed by my dear friend Dana Butler as part of her own 31 Days series (31 Days of Authenticity)... enjoy!

                 

Lastly, the Winner of the

$50 #WordsMatter

Letterpress Blocks

by Dayspring

Prize is:

~KARIANNA A.~

Congratulations!

(We will email you soon!)

Happy Weekend, ya'll!