That Thing I Do Now - Vol 85

Happy Weekend, everyone! Can you believe it is almost MARCH already?

It's crazy how February just sort of evaporated (or froze, for some of you!) and here we are, nearly staring March full on in the face! Let's pray she greets us warmly... (Spring, anyone?)

Featured today are posts by Erin Salmon, Donald Miller, Amber Haines, Zach Hoag, Lindsey Nobles, Shauna Niequist, Lisha Epperson, a post from right here... and - of course - a video to wrap it all up! 

Happy Reading! 
(Ya'll know to click on the authors' names below to read the entire post, yes?)

Slow Down... Let's VISIT - A Five Minute Friday Post

It seems Thursday nights can't get here soon enough some weeks!  

I love the #fmfparty Community that gathers on Twitter and all across the Inter Webs on Thursday nights and on Fridays... on into the next week, where we encourage and uplift... where we share prayer requests and praise reports... where we talk food and friends and we find support and kindred hearts and we are reminded that life is good and God is good and we are not alone... and then we all write for five minutes flat, a flash mob of wordsmiths letting our hearts and our fingers do the talking tapping and we hit publish before we can second guess... we just let Him flow! 

Here is our Word Prompt for the day: VISIT

{GO}

To Visit...

To connect, on purpose... to set aside time and space to invest, and spend wisely this currency of time.  

Yes. This.   This is what we long for when we long for Community.  It's not just the not being alone. No, it's also the intentionally being together!

My Honey and I... we do this. We are wired for relationship and we place a high value on valuing others. We host a Home Group on Wednesday evenings again and filling this house with friends for the purpose of visiting --with each other, and with God... this is our Jam!

Lent: the Giving In, the Giving Up, and the Giving Thanks

I mentioned last week that I had plans of writing about Lent.

Until, that is, the God of everything beckoned me to lay aside my time management goals and the blogging schedule I had been keeping and just come and sit with Him.  

At first I began a feeble attempt to explain to Him how I have this schedule and it's not bossy, but it is consistent and comfortable while still stretching me. I explained how I had plans already and, well... you know how that can go.  

Really - it can go either way. He gives us that choice.
But last week, well- I chose the better part.
(At least on Wednesday, anyway!) 

I told ya'll last week that I am no expert. 
Um, let me be clear: At. All.

I have no religious background with Lent. 
I have no list of how to do this Lenten thing 'right'.
To be honest, this may be the only reason why I am willing to try!  

Last year was the first year I ever even considered it. 

That Thing I Do Now - Vol 84

Happy Weekend, Ya'll!

We made it to the weekend! Whether it was long and hard, or short and not so hard, I pray you found a bit of sun or at least safety from the cold, and are ready for a little Sabbath Rest!  Honker down, grab something yummy to sip on, and enjoy this little Gathering of Awesome!

Featured today are posts by Christie Purifoy , Karen Ehman, Lisa-Jo Baker, John Pavolvitz, Jessica Leigh Hoover, a post from right here... and - of course - a video to wrap it all up! 

Happy Reading! 
(Ya'll know to click on the authors' names below to read the entire post, yes?)

An Invitation to Live Life Wide OPEN - A Five Minute Friday Post

I love the #fmfparty Community that gathers on Twitter and all across the Inter Webs on Thursday nights and on Fridays... on into the next week, where we encourage and uplift... where we share prayer requests and praise reports... where we talk food and friends and we find support and kindred hearts and we are reminded that life is good and God is good and we are not alone... and then we all write for five minutes flat, a flash mob of wordsmiths letting our hearts and our fingers do the talking tapping and we hit publish before we can second guess... we just let Him flow! 

Here is our Word Prompt for the day: OPEN

{GO}

Live your life wide open.

Yeah. That.

Because who doesn't want to live like Bob Goff anyway?

Bob Goff is contagious with love and joy and believing impossible things... He invites anyone and everyone to join in and come along and be a part and he shows us how to make room, how to keep inviting more... how to live out loud in our hospitality and grace.  He lives life this way and oh my goodness he makes us all want to believe God and live like this, too!

The Wonder of Time... How It Can Be a Gift or a Burden, and How Our God Isn't Bound to It!

Time has been my focus this year. --Or more specifically, remembering to spend it like money... to invest it and be mindful of managing it better... not wasting it away (or netflixing it away, or busying it away...) but staying present and purposeful in the time allotted to me each day.

If you do this well, then you love all the quotes about how we've all been given the same amount of time... you relish in how it feels to get All The Things done and somehow have time to spare.  To spare, ya'll! I have days like that too, but lately- not too many in a row, and I am working on that!

I am in a season now where I have a lot of time on my hands... my nest is empty and my hours are plenty and yet, still, I can find 5pm sneaking up on me too quickly with little to show for my day!  

I am reminded of my Summer of Silence (#10) and how God taught me that doing nothing and resting are not the same, and that often, when I am willing to be still, He is at work deep down and while I have nothing on the surface to show productivity, productivity that is eternal is happening nonetheless!

But here is what He is reminding me lately...

That Thing I Do Now - Vol 83

Happy Valentine's Day, ya'll!

Whether you are all romantic and swoony or you feel that February 14th is just another day, I pray that at some point today - you feel the Love of God in real and tangible ways!

Below are some Valentine's-worthy posts that I thought were full of Love and Good News!  It's a little shorter than usual, but that's because as much as I want you to read all the things, I hope you are spending the day with friends and family, celebrating love in it's many forms!

Featured today are posts by Richard Paul Evans, Traci Michele, Lisa-Jo Baker, Katie Davis, a post from right here... and - of course - a video to wrap it all up! 

Happy Reading! 
(Ya'll know to click on the authors' names below to read the entire post, yes?)

WHEN the Internet is Holy... a Five Minute Friday Post

I love the #fmfparty Community that gathers on Twitter and all across the Inter Webs on Thursday nights and on Fridays... on into the next week, where we encourage and uplift... where we share prayer requests and praise reports... where we talk food and friends and we find support and kindred hearts and we are reminded that life is good and God is good and we are not alone... and then we all write for five minutes flat, a flash mob of wordsmiths letting our hearts and our fingers do the talking tapping and we hit publish before we can second guess... we just let Him flow! 

Here is our Word Prompt for the day: WHEN

{GO}

I still can't get over last weekend... how God showed up and showed off and knit our hearts closer, tighter, made us even more kindred, as if we thought that even was possible... how He shifted and redeemed and healed and held us... and it all happened in homes and on couches together, but separated by state lines (and lines and lines, all the way from sea to shining sea... oh wait! You know what I mean!) States and Countries apart, distance untraveled and yet we were all together... bonded... (voxing!)

Yes... If:Gathering and If:Locals were happening all over the world and for whatever reason, we were all planning on watching it if we could, when we could, on our own.

But God... But the Internet...

(But Voxer!)

I decided to just put it out there on facebook, --how I was planning on watching the If:Gathering in Austin live streaming on my own... a few others chimed in that they were in the same boat and we decided then and there to watch it alone, together.  

A Valentiney Post of Sorts --because, of course! (A Look at Hosea)

So you know how it goes... It's getting close to Valentine's Day and I have already told ya'll that I am a romantic and I am sure that was a surprise to no. one. And yet.

And yet, I really didn't want to write about Love, or Valentine's Day, or whatever.

I mean, really. The Internet is flooded with posts - some even great posts - about this upcoming 'holiday' and I even posted a Giveaway about it this week. (imagine brushing crumbs off of hands and walking away. There.)  Only not.

Because, here's the real deal: As much as I may have other things floating around my head and heart to write about - at the very core of who I am... well... there is this truth:

It's All About LOVE... (and a Giveaway!)

I can't help it... I love me a good love story!  Romantic comedies and cheesy TV movies that play on my emotions like a pro... yeah. I love them. (I know?)

If you have been hanging around this little corner of the web, then you already know I am all about "Being Love"... I swoon at the Romance of our God.  Me and Jesus... we are tight and I was easily convinced of His great love for me from the very beginning of our courtship!

It took many years longer for me to believe that the Father's heart was all in, as well! --That He was for me and crazy in love with me, too!  It took some healing and building of trust to believe that He was happy to see me when I would approach Him in prayer, in worship, or in the Word.  It took time... but I got there!

That Thing I Do Now - Vol 82

So... we're just not going to talk about the Super Bowl.  For reals... moving right along now...

I am here to hook you up with a Gathering of Awesome reads from all around the Interwebs!  There is so much goodness to be found out there, but every week I find a few Must Read posts that I think will incourage or challenge you in all the best ways! This week is shorter, because mostly - the 'video' I am sharing is Live Streaming and I want ya'll to catch it if you can!

Featured today are posts by Deidra Riggs, Alia Joy, Tammy Hendricksmeyer, Adriane Dimmitt, a post from right here... and - of course - a video to wrap it all up! 

Happy Reading! 
(Ya'll know to click on the authors' names below to read the entire post, yes?)

KEEP - A Five Minute Friday Post

I was so ready for a party, ya'll! And then... well, I pretty much missed it (other than the Cilantro talk, and gleaming a few travel tips!) and yet, just knowing that we are all in one accord here... writing and thinking on the same word, and letting God show up and speak up through our words... yeah. We are not alone. That always helps, doesn't it?

(It's Five Minute Friday... in case you actually DON'T know the drill and you're new around here! Read on to learn what it is, but know that what it is is Awesome! A flash mob of writers who pour our love and encourage and uplift... who take five minutes and write brave, whatever starts flowing... unedited and published real quick like, without over thinking it!  We'd love to have you join us!)

Here is our Word Prompt for the day: KEEP

{GO}

Keep.  Maybe it's because Valentine's Day is just around the corner, maybe it's because it was a cold rainy day, or maybe it's just the year-round Romantic in me, but I love, love, LOVE that the Lord keeps us... This blessing has it all and after a hard day or a long day (or days and days of fog!) this blessing is what reminds me that, really - I have all that I need!  It reminds me that God KEEPS us... that He shines His face upon us... that He is gracious to us, and He gives us peace.   

"The Lord bless you, and keep you;

The Lord make His face shine on you,

And be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance on you,

And give you peace." (Num 6:24-27)

What else is there?

I especially love this verse in The Message:

Oh my goodness, yes!

On How Declarations of Wonder Are All Around You...

A #OneWord365 progress post on how "Wonder" is showing up so far...

Here we are, one month in.  January has come and gone and with it, many lessons and revelations.  If last month is any indication, this year is going to be full!

I know many of you are snowed in, storms - both literal and spiritual - are coming hurling at you, one after another... for some, this Winter is cold and long and dragging on slowly in other ways. Some of you, somehow --you love Winter!

For us, well-- I've written about it a few times already, but for us, we've been fogged in for what feels like forever... no sun in sight. With all the mist and fog hanging low for weeks, romance gives way to darkness and it can start to feel heavy, even if we know it is just an illusion.  

What I Learned in January: a Random List of Lessons and Revelations

So by now, ya'll know how much I adore linking up with Emily Freeman for her informative and fun link-up, What We Learned... and now that January has come and gone, it's time to reflect a little and see what I remember learned!

So, even though no one can know why I keep saying this... here we go (again!)...

Without further ado...

What We Learned in January...
12 Random Things That I Have Learned.