When Small Wonders Add Up To Kingdom

This past weekend was full... as in, super full.  

But it was filled with all kinds of blessings and so much honor! None of it felt bossy at all!

I'm gonna do this post old school... a throwback of sorts to Multitudes on Mondays or #1000gifts!

Because... well, 
I introvert on Mondays. Hard. 

And last weekend was full and blessed and it involved all kinds of extroverting, so we're gonna keep this short! Plus - Vacation!  Yep... we are leaving town in just a couple of days so there is all of that prep work that must get done, too!

We started off Friday night with a Wedding Rehearsal... way  (read: way, way, WAY...) out in the country... you know, where the buffalo roam.

When We Believe, But Do Not Expect... A Five Minute Friday post.

Once again I managed to have a meeting scheduled for Thursday night. This means I was only at the Twitter party for a few minutes, but oh how I love to pop in, even if only for a few!

This is Five Minute Friday (- a five minute timed free write) and our One Word Prompt for the day is: EXPECT

{GO}

If I would stop and just do the math, (...which I will not!) I would tell you that this past week -- it has cost us, my friends!

Things just kept breaking down (or catching on fire) and adding up and I was given ample 'opportunity' to worry and stress!

It was put before me and just when I felt justified to give in, I heard the Lord whisper loud in my ear,

"You CAN choose that route. But that's not the way I would go. You can worry and stress and let fear stroll right in to wreak havoc... OR... Or you can choose the path I would take! It's up to you!"

So, instead of letting the numbers add up quick and drown me in all those worse case scenarios that eat away at our peace, I decided to follow His lead and simply do this:

Choose to Trust.
Easy Peasy, right? 
Except when it's not!

I realized that I believe for a lot of things, but sometimes I forget to follow through with expectation!

Just when I was ready to give in and give up, He whispered soft, "Beloved, don't lose heart!" and I felt faith rising up... and not only that, but a sense of anticipation and expectation... I began to imagine what it could look like if He came through!

When Life Comes at You Hard... A Small Wonders Post

Y'all...? I mean... 

Last week, after weeks and weeks of thinking, praying, and second-guessing ourselves, we bit the bullet and booked three flights... a (not quite) impromptu birthday trip to take with our girlie for her twenty first birthday. (Hold me.)

And here's the thing: we are not gamblers... (clearly.)  

We are not impulse buyers or spontaneous travelers and while this particular trip started as a joke and an ode to Gilmore Girls, it began to feel actually somehow important. Necessary even. 

What?  
I know...

I know how silly crazy that sounds because we are not doing anything huge... no overseas flights or Kingdom centered plans. No.  We are going to Vegas. We are looking forward to a pool and an umbrella drink. We want to see the lights and relax together... to drink in something new while strolling side by side by side.  All of us... together. We want to see the Grand Canyon and make some more memories for our little family of three... long road trips, private jokes, laughing at nothing and everything, holding hands... we want that. We want all of it... and so even though we don't really have a vacation budget we decided last minute(-ish) to just go for it! We'd never regret the trip and God provides and so we clicked Book Now and I'm not even joking with you, less than 48hours later we hear two horrible very bad words strung together: New Transmission.

Yeah. That.

On Resting, Growing, and Being Tethered - A Five Minute Friday post.

My Thursday was booked... but some of that 'bossy' included fun things like a Watercolor Class with a friend, and --of course, Five Minute Friday on Twitter (#fmfparty)! A little of the unfun bossy? Work... and car problems... yeah - UNfun and uber Bossy and potentially costly, too!

This is Five Minute Friday (- a five minute timed free write) and our One Word Prompt for the day is: GROW

{GO}

I'm learning - and relearning Rhythm.

The repeating of sound and tempo... a rush of energy, followed by an slow unfurling of rest.

But just this morning, I found myself breathing deep and saying yet again, "I repent, Lord... --for in my slowing and relaxing, I've forgotten to Rest WITH You."  

I've been mindful of being present and resting in Him... but some times I forget that to truly do that, I must also rest WITH Him!

Instead, I've felt the racing rhythm

of my heart slamming against walls I have built,

rather than resting in the tenderness of His embrace.

But thank God, 

These are the Days of Patio Sitting...

Amen?

She is Priceless... Global Giving Day!

Today is May 10th, and this year - that means two things:

1. My girlie is 21 today... 

I know. I need a moment, y'all!                                 

Also there is this:

2. It's Global Giving Day and I am partnering up with Fair Trade Friday and Mercy House Global

So really... the whole She is Priceless and #putonyourpearls campaign is helping me to celebrate not only my girlie (Happy Birthday, bear!) but all girls... 

“She Is Priceless” Is A Campaign To Make A Difference In The Lives Of Oppressed Women.  

And we all want to do that, right?

It comes as no surprise if you have spent any amount of time in my little corner of the interwebs here that I am a huge fan of Mercy House and Fair Trade Friday. I fell in love with this ministry years ago and have supported them ever since.  

Here's the thing though: Our budget is crazy tight and we can't give as much as we'd love to - but we give what we can and amazingly enough, God continues to help that grow.  But ministries like this require a lot of funds, so even if you can't give much (like us), I encourage you to pray about giving something. 

When I heard that Mercy House Global was partnering with She is Priceless for Global Giving Day, I was all in!

How To Make a Difference: Hosting a Sole Hope Shoe Cutting Party

One of the exciting things of starting a church is that you get to be the boss.  Also - this is one of the NOT exciting parts, too... but I digress...

Seriously though, when you are the boss you get to just throw ideas out there and decide things, and pretty soon a whole bunch of the church is staying after service to trace and cut denim and assemble kits that will be made into shoes that will change the world for Littles in Uganda, because - what else would you do on a Sunday afternoon?

Well it turns out, whatever that may be - it pales in comparison to the opportunity to save and change lives for children in Uganda, while providing fair trade work for adults as well! 

If you've never heard of Sole Hope before, let me encourage you to check them out (here) and look into hosting your own Shoe Cutting Party (here)!  

You Don't Want to Miss This... a Five Minute Friday post

My calendar this week was full of all kinds of bossy... and what I had planned on Tuesday had to be rescheduled for Thursday, thus - I missed the party! Still... I can't not write... so here we go!

This is Five Minute Friday (- a five minute timed free write) and our One Word Prompt for the day is: MISS

{GO}

I reread an old post this morning. You know, it was one of those facebook memories and it was a year ago... a little wrap up of my time spent in Nebraska at Jumping Tandem.  

It made me miss the peace and the stillness before we jumped right in to the crazy!

It made me miss the quiet before the storm and it reminded me to stay present --even as the winds come straight at me and the waves swirl all around.  

I know this... this slowing to breathe... this Sabbath 
Rest that is necessary and wise.  

I know this.  It's just I don't always do it!

And yet - when I miss the least amount of details and accomplish the most amount of Kingdom good, it is when I'm remaining present, holding both my heart and hands wide open to the possibilities of the day.

It's when I am childlike.  

And when we can be like that... well, we miss the hard parts of adulting and we find wonder and blessings all around us... we find the things we don't want to miss!

When You Pray, Pray Like This... a Guest Post for Asheritah Ciuciu

In the Gospel of Matthew, up on a hillside surrounded by crowds who were spiritually hungry and wanting, Jesus lays out truth and teaches with authority.  He touches on the Law, on anger, adultery, making oaths, loving your enemies, and then He goes on to say, “And when you pray...”

When… not if!

When you pray, pray like this…

I am honored to be over at my friend Asheritah's place, One Thing Alone.  We are talking about prayer because, of course! 

Join me?  
Click HERE to read more!

P.S.  I'm linking up with these lovely writers:

Kelly Chripczuk  for #SmallWonders 

Holly Barrett for #TestimonyTuesday

Kelly Balarie for #RaRaLinkUp

Kristin Hill Taylor for #ThreeWordWednesday

Jennifer Dukes Lee for #TellHisStory