Wow, there are some good waves today.

At first, I was frustrated about staying in the condo because little man needed a nap. But as I sit here on the balcony watching my family play in the ocean, I have nothing to complain about. Typing away and relaxing with my coffee beside me. Finally some me time.

We have such a special family. See all those people in the picture? That’s them. Right now, the adults are standing around talking at the water’s edge while the kiddos are playing in the shallow surf. Jeffrey is testing a boogie board made for little people, while Katherine is carrying a bucket that is almost as big as she is. Yesterday, we watched baby Josh feel the waves hit his toes for the first time.

I. Am. Blessed.

I’m trying to take in every breath. To enjoy every moment I’m given while we are here this week. Vacation goes so fast. Just like life.

What moments have you been missing out on lately? Stop today and just try to take in every moment. They go away too quickly.

God is connecting me with some incredible women lately, including the ladies at the Encouragement Cafe. I feel honored that they allowed me to share my heart through a devotion on their site today. It's a bit of my testimony... and I hope you will join me...

Click here to visit the Encouragement Cafe and read. After you read, I would love for you to come back here and share a comment with me.

***And the winner of a copy of Notes to Aspiring Writers is... Kandi Hampson! Thanks to all who entered... Don't forget that you can get Brooke's eBook right now for just $2.99 here: Notes to Aspiring Writers.***


As an “aspiring writer,” I was excited to see what new tidbits of information Brooke had to offer. I have admired her since I found her in blogland. Her heart… her sweet spirit… her pure joy of writing… and her desire to see moms on their knees in prayer for their sons. What I found in this eBook was more than I expected.

You see, this “how to” eBook is not what you would think. It’s not about how to technically improve your writing. It’s about how to ready your heart for what the Lord has in store for your life. It’s about finding HIS plan for your life, NOT chasing your dreams.

As I have been preparing to leave for She Speaks, this very easy and quick read has spoken to my heart in a very convicting way. As I go to the conference this weekend, I will be seeking what God wants to do with me next. Not what I think is the next step in my writing journey.

If you are an aspiring writer (or anyone who is trying to figure out God’s plan for your life), I encourage you to read this great eBook. It will convict you and it will change your perspective… in a good way.

Thanks, Brooke, for giving me the opportunity to receive a copy for free to review for you. I am honored to be able to recommend Notes to Aspiring Writers to those who read this blog.

And as a special gift, I am allowed to give away ONE copy to a reader. Here are some ways you can get in on the giveaway:


You can do any or all of the above. Leave a comment below telling me each thing you did (obviously #3 will speak for itself)… and each will be a SEPARATE entry. :)

I will close the entries on Monday evening, July 25^th, at 5:00pm EST and the winner will be announced on Tuesday morning.

If you want to go ahead and buy the book so you can start reading, you can do so by this link: Notes to Aspiring Writers by Brooke McGlothlin.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the changing of the seasons. In the past six months or so, several seasons of my life have changed:

• I left work to come home and be a mommy;
• Joshua was born;
• Jeffrey graduated preschool;
• Because of changes at the church AND my not working there anymore, the sense of my “identity” in ministry has changed;
• My best friend moved away.

Accepting change has proven extremely difficult for me. I get stuck in comfort zones that seem to be missing the exits… at least in my mind.

Today I was given an awesome opportunity to guest post at Rachel's blog, The Lazy Christian. Since you have stopped here, I hope you will go over to read today's post about why we cannot claim ignorance when it comes to our sin! :) Then come back here and leave me a comment. Have a wonderful Friday!

Visit Rachel's blog: www.thelazychristian.com.

This is a re-post from November 2010. I'm going to try to start this series again... and actually keep going with it this time! :)
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In just a few weeks, I am turning 37.  Don’t ask me why this one is hitting me so hard… it’s not like this is a milestone birthday or anything.  Maybe it’s because this pregnancy is quite a bit tougher physically than the first 2 were.  Just reminds me that life is moving fast beneath me.  So, the time has come for ME to refocus on what is important in life.  To make some changes and to stop focusing on the temporary.  Out of that brainstorm comes RE:FOCUS, a time on Mondays to really stop and think about where your heart and mind should be spending most of its energy... And THIS is the FIRST post, the FIRST Monday.  Each Monday you will find some kind of writing here which will hopefully encourage you to draw your focus back to the main thing.

Focus is a hard concept to master.  Sitting here at Panera with my “cappuccino in a mug”… don’t ask me why it tastes better to me just because I get them to put my drink in that special fat, round mug.  Maybe it reminds me of when I worked at the Master’s Loft (good memories).  Maybe it’s the same reason as why Coke just tastes better when you drink it from one of those little 10-ounce glass bottles… See how easy it is to lose focus (especially for me and my ADD self)?  I was just starting a thought, and then my brain rambled on to why I like my cappuccino in a mug.  Anyway...

One of my favorite expressions is “clear the mechanism.”  I love baseball and I love movies, so when the two of them meet, it is pretty incredible!  In For Love of the Game, Kevin Costner is a pitcher who has the ability and discipline to get to a place where everything around him is completely blocked out.  Anytime the voices, people, criticism, noise, or even OUTSIDE thoughts get in the way, he reminds himself to “clear the mechanism.”  In this movie, you even see visually how he truly gets to a place of complete tunnel vision.

In our lives, there are so many distractions.  Our jobs can be difficult and stressful.  Relationships with co-workers, friends, neighbors, family, etc. can be hard.  Even “good” things in our lives can distract us from the true main thing… Our spouses & kids can distract us.  Housework can distract us.  “Church” can even distract us.  TV, facebook, internet, sports, music…. Must I go on?  Anything tangible in our lives can take the place of the One who should be our true focus.  Anything can become an idol.

My challenge to you and to me this week is to “clear the mechanism.”  Really take time every day to spend with God.  Not out of habit… or guilt… or as a chore.  Spend some real time developing the relationship between you and your Creator.  God is so good and He wants a relationship with us.  Not a relationship that is built from “what we have been taught all of our lives,” but a real, growing, thriving relationship with 2-way communication.  And remember, you don’t have to do all of the talking.  In your human relationships, if you do all of the talking, do you ever really get to know the other person?  Get to know Him.  Let Him talk to you.  And when those distractions come…. clear the mechanism.

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. – Colossians 3:2-3

Next Monday… Philippians 4:8, part 1

If you are reading this on Facebook, visit my blog... growwhereyoureplanted.com

In just a few weeks, I am turning 37.  Don’t ask me why this one is hitting me so hard… it’s not like this is a milestone birthday or anything.  Maybe it’s because this pregnancy is quite a bit tougher physically than the first 2 were.  Just reminds me that life is moving fast beneath me.  So, the time has come for ME to refocus on what is important in life.  To make some changes and to stop focusing on the temporary.  Out of that brainstorm comes RE:FOCUS, a time on Mondays to really stop and think about where your heart and mind should be spending most of its energy... And THIS is the FIRST post, the FIRST Monday.  Each Monday you will find some kind of writing here which will hopefully encourage you to draw your focus back to the main thing.

Focus is a hard concept to master.  Sitting here at Panera with my “cappuccino in a mug”… don’t ask me why it tastes better to me just because I get them to put my drink in that special fat, round mug.  Maybe it reminds me of when I worked at the Master’s Loft (good memories).  Maybe it’s the same reason as why Coke just tastes better when you drink it from one of those little 10-ounce glass bottles… See how easy it is to lose focus (especially for me and my ADD self)?  I was just starting a thought, and then my brain rambled on to why I like my cappuccino in a mug.  Anyway...

One of my favorite expressions is “clear the mechanism.”  I love baseball and I love movies, so when the two of them meet, it is pretty incredible!  In For Love of the Game, Kevin Costner is a pitcher who has the ability and discipline to get to a place where everything around him is completely blocked out.  Anytime the voices, people, criticism, noise, or even OUTSIDE thoughts get in the way, he reminds himself to “clear the mechanism.”  In this movie, you even see visually how he truly gets to a place of complete tunnel vision.

In our lives, there are so many distractions.  Our jobs can be difficult and stressful.  Relationships with co-workers, friends, neighbors, family, etc. can be hard.  Even “good” things in our lives can distract us from the true main thing… Our spouses & kids can distract us.  Housework can distract us.  “Church” can even distract us.  TV, facebook, internet, sports, music…. Must I go on?  Anything tangible in our lives can take the place of the One who should be our true focus.  Anything can become an idol.

My challenge to you and to me this week is to “clear the mechanism.”  Really take time every day to spend with God.  Not out of habit… or guilt… or as a chore.  Spend some real time developing the relationship between you and your Creator.  God is so good and He wants a relationship with us.  Not a relationship that is built from “what we have been taught all of our lives,” but a real, growing, thriving relationship with 2-way communication.  And remember, you don’t have to do all of the talking.  In your human relationships, if you do all of the talking, do you ever really get to know the other person?  Get to know Him.  Let Him talk to you.  And when those distractions come…. clear the mechanism.

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. – Colossians 3:2-3

Next Monday… Philippians 4:8, part 1

If you are reading this on Facebook, visit my blog... growwhereyoureplanted.org

I am a mess. It's time to get real.

You know, it's easy to look fine on the outside, yet be in a bad place. When you realize (or admit to yourself) that you have been in a "slow fade" progression, you have to stop and face the music. Only God knows what is going on inside each one of us. There has been so much going on inside of me over the past few months that is far from what it should be… pretty much the opposite of the fruits of the spirit. It all comes down to an unsurrendered soul.

So, now I’m taking stock. Humbling my prideful heart. Recognizing, yet again, that the perfectionist is not perfect. Repenting. Confessing all the junk. Finding my way back to my first Love, my Creator.

For the past several months, I have been trying to fulfill something missing inside of myself instead of fulfilling what I believe God has called me to do. In a crazy mixed-up way, the very thing I thought was my “calling” turned out to be my own selfish desire… and the one I thought was my selfish desire has turned out to be where God wants me. Now here I am back where I belong...
       
           worshiping with my husband and supporting him in his ministry…   
                                                
                                      playing the guitar… singing… writing… praying.

God is good. He knows we mess up. He knows we get off track. He knows everything we think, say, and do. He still loves us… not in spite of who we are, but BECAUSE of who we are. Every struggle is a test. It is an opportunity for God to get glory because of something that only HE can accomplish THROUGH us.

So I am facing the music… literally and figuratively. Things I am called to do have been neglected because of trying to prove myself and coming up empty. The focus has been on the things and people, not on the GOD of those things and people. So I’m coming back around and surrendering this wandering soul. I’m going to give my all to Jesus. I’m going to correct the wrongs in my life. I’m going to sing. I’m going to play. I’m going to write. This is who I am… because of who He is.

“You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.” - Jeremiah 29:13

www.growwhereyoureplanted.org

One call can change your life.

Fortunately, the call I got Monday afternoon was not as devastating as it could have been. Over the past few days, my mind has been processing the "what if" possibilities of Katherine falling all the way down the stairs at her sitter's house. As you can see from the picture, she is fine, with just a few scrapes and bruises. The understanding of what could have been is almost too much to bear, but it awakens me to the stark reality that God has a reason for allowing this to happen.

The gamut of emotions my heart has worked through has been endless... pain, frustration, anger, fear, gratefulness, utter joy that she is still here... along with the overwhelming obsession to watch her every move, not wanting to take anything for granted ever again!

Yes, I know the cliche, "these things happen," but I also know that things happen for a reason. This was a wake-up call for me, one that I have needed for a long time. God is calling me to get my priorities right.

Don't wait until you receive that "one call" to wake up... Let God become the priority He wants to be in your life... And while you're at it, let Him reorganize your other priorities as well.

"You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart." - Jeremiah 29:13

I just found out that a close friend of mine from college died last year.

Kellie was actually my roommate during my sophomore year at ECU. We lost touch over the years, but I remember her as an amazing person, one of those who always has a way of making you smile. Dance was a true passion of hers and she literally seemed to dance through life.

So many thoughts have run through my head… how God brings people in and out of our lives during different seasons… how we must live each day to the fullest… how we must tell our friends and family how much we love them every chance we get… how I want to leave a legacy of love… added to all of this, I have been questioning how I am living my own life... dancing or just existing…

We must cherish every day. We must cherish those who have been brought into our lives. Though most are with us for only a season, each one helps to form who we become. Kellie definitely influenced my life in many positive ways, and that is how I want to be remembered…

How will you be remembered...

(written 11.18.08)

Last night, i was in a place of total appreciation for the little things in life... dinner out with my family (as a treat), a good cup of coffee, things like that. It was refreshing. I could literally feel my eyes sparkling.

Today, I am reminded that we need to always write down precious moments. Instead of telling yourself, "I will write about this later," actually stop and take the time to write it down. Even this morning, as I write, I can't remember all of the little details that made that moment in time so special. You know, it was one of those "life is good" moments that we should never take for granted. God is definitely in the little things. My life has been so overwhelmed lately with details that just seem to make me crazy!!! It is nice to sit for a little while and just remember some of the things that make life worth living.

I went into my 8-month-old daughter’s room this morning to find her standing up in her crib, holding the rail. In shock, I thought to myself, “where did the time go?” I can remember being in the hospital delivering that little miracle just like it was yesterday. Time passes so fast, and we miss it in our day-to-day worries.

One of my favorite John Lennon lyrics says, “life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” How true! How often do we sit down in the middle of the day just to play with our kids or enjoy a good cup of coffee instead of worrying about “tomorrow”? My challenge to everyone reading this is to take an hour today and just enjoy “where you’re planted”. We only get one chance to live each moment, and I don’t want to look back and wish I had taken more time to notice the little things.