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Do you have a group of people who you regularly talk about your faith with? Who you consistently pray with? Share your struggles and ask your questions? Learn from their experiences? Get encouraged by and encourage them? Or are you “doing your faith by yourself”? I get it. I did my faith by myself for years. I read my Bible and prayed and loved Jesus, but felt uncomfortable sharing my fears and doubts or asking anyone to pray for any of the real concerns I had. I was also nervous about being in a group with people who I feared knew their Bibles better or were “better Christians” or who would judge me for my past–who would look down at me. But I was missing out on so much!  Are you doing your faith alone? How's that working out for you? When we gather together we can be pointed back again and again to how much Jesus loves us, how He’s on our side fighting for us, how much grace He has for us. The truth is, we’re all on faith journeys. We’re all figuring it out. We’re all still learning. There’s no such thing as a “better Christian.” We all have so much to learn from each other–from each other’s backgrounds and experiences and stages of life, from what God is teaching them, what they’re reading in their Bibles, hearing in their prayer times, struggling with, discovering, how God has answered their prayers and opened doors in their lives. And you 100% have something to teach the others in the group no matter who you are. Even if you’ve just met Jesus. Even if you’ve never been in a group before. Even if you’re not even sure where to start in your Bible. You have the things God is teaching you, Jesus is whispering to you, the prayers deep down in your heart. The stories and perspectives only you have from walking in your shoes. You can benefit from the experiences and wisdom of others in a small group AND enrich and encourage others by being in a small group. It’s a win-win for everyone!  Where to start?
Jesus said, “Where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” Of course Jesus is with you when you’re alone, but when a group of people seeking Jesus gets together there is power in that. This is how the church began. Read the book of Acts if you want the deets. Groups of believers gathered in homes and prayed and talked about Jesus’ teachings and spent time together on the regular.  Keep it simple--just gather together. Listen, it doesn’t matter if you meet in a house or a restaurant or at church. It doesn’t matter if you meet every week or every month. It doesn’t matter if you use a book or set curriculum or if people take turns setting a topic or you simply show up to share what God has been doing for you and how you’d like to experience Him even more. It’s the getting together–that’s where the magic happens.
My husband and I have been in a variety of small groups over the years. Some have worked. And some…have not. When a group fizzles out or people move away or it feels like a really bad fit it can be easy to give up, to say, “I tried it, but it didn’t work.” But the Bible urges us to “not give up meeting together, but encourage one another (Hebrews 10:25).” If you need a nudge to sign up, reach out or try again–this is it! A smaller gathering of people following Jesus is a safe, comforting place for you to grow your faith, your joy, your peace, your purpose, AND a wonderful opportunity for you to do the same for others who are also seeking the abundant grace and love Jesus invites us into. For more inspiration find me on Facebook and Instagram
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We hear a lot of buzz around the word community. We see it depicted so perfectly in shows like Sweet Magnolias where three women have been best friends since childhood and still share all their dreams and hopes and worries with one another, even starting a business together. But in the real world on the other side of the Netflix screen it’s sometimes more challenging to find those kinds of relationships.  People move, demands on our time and energy are high, and schedules are busy and often don’t match up with people we’d like to connect with. So why should we prioritize community when it feels like it’s out of reach or a lot of work? Community gives us a sense of belonging, a feeling of security and support, and reminds us that we have purpose. Things most of us crave. God’s Word illustrates the importance of community. In the opening pages of the Bible God declares “It isn’t good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). Jesus tells the disciples that if two of them ask for something in His name their prayer will be answered and that if two or three folks gather in Jesus’ name, then He’ll be there with them (Matthew 18:19-20). And the author of Hebrews instructs us to not give up meeting together, but instead to encourage each other (Hebrews 10:24-25).  there's a reason for all this hype around community Mental health research shows that people with a healthy community have lower rates of depression, anxiety, and stress. Yes, please to all of that. So what does this mean for me and you?
 Hebrews 10:24-25 But how?
We’re going to spend the next few weeks talking about some different kinds of community you can engage in and grow in as well as some ways to plug into existing communities or even create your own. Be on the lookout for some emails in your inbox (if you’re not signed up already for my emails–shoot me a message) and my stories on Facebook and Instagram. Meanwhile, I’m praying that we all connect with people who inspire, support, encourage, and point us to the love of Jesus. We have a family tradition of packing our most worn out, grossest gym shoes for family vacation. You know the ones that you wear for yard work or a particularly messy house project? Or on muddy, rainy days? The pair you have your kids wear on their field trips? Yeah, those shoes. That way, while we’re at the beach, who cares if a wave washes over your shoes? Who cares if your sneakers get filled with sand? What does it matter if they get splashed with briny ocean and smell horrific the next day? Not us Smiths. Because we know at the end of the trip, we’ll leave those shoes there. We won’t need them any more.  The shoes we left behind at the beach this year. Now, keep in mind these are shoes that we probably should have pitched a month or two prior to our beach trip. But because of our tradition, it forces us to take inventory of our shoes and pick a pair to say adios to every summer. And the way it feels to throw those sneakers away? So freeing. To know I’ll never again have to wear those stinky shoes with the hole in the toe and the worn out souls, that even though they took up space in my suitcase on the way here, they won’t take up any room on the way home. Or ever again. This year as we were tossing these old gym shoes, it got me wondering what else I needed to leave behind at the beach from my life? What else was worn out, past its utility, no longer served me? And I don’t mean was there a pair of jean shorts I’d outgrown. I mean what was God calling me to purge from my schedule, my brain, to free me up for the goodness He has for me? I posed the question to our family. The answers included wanting to leave negative emotions, worries, the feeling that we need to control everything, some unnecessary tasks, stress, fear of the future, and too much time on our phones at the beach and return home without any of these burdens. Obviously no one wants these things in the first place, but they just kind of grow and pile up and evolve until one question in our mind or stream of thoughts or activity in our days turns into something that’s taking us away from all the love, hope, joy, and grace Jesus offers us.  Just like our annual shoe exercise helps us purge a pair that needs tossed, this mental exercise can help us eliminate some things in our lives that also need pitched–things that might be keeping us from the abundant life Jesus has for us (John 10:10). Jesus gives us so much goodness– rest, meaning, purpose, and peace. He will love us forever and never leave us. But sometimes in order to receive all the fullness Jesus has for us, we need to lay some things down. Simon and Andrew left their fishing nets. As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him (Matthew 4:18-20) James and John left their boat: Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him (Matthew 4:21-22). Not because those things were necessarily awful, but just because they were hindering the disciples from stepping into the full, free life He had for them. What’s hindering you from all of God’s goodness?  What do you need to leave behind? I don’t know what Jesus is asking you to leave behind today, but I’m guessing as you read this something came to mind. It could be a habit, an old perspective, an excuse, one of the things my family listed or something else altogether. But two cool things about Jesus:
So, what do you need to leave behind? Reply and let me know, so I can be praying with you for newfound freedom. Let’s lighten our loads and put some more spring in our steps to walk into the abundant summer Jesus has waiting for us. For more inspiration find me on Facebook and Instagram Over a scrumptious dinner of skillet biscuits and slow roasted chicken at a hip little restaurant that sprouted up a block away from the house she grew up in, I had the absolute joy of celebrating my mom’s 80th birthday. I asked her what wisdom she’s learned over her years that she could share.  Celebrating my mom's birthday with her boyfriend and my brother Mom didn’t hesitate. “Things always work out for good,” she said, nodding. “You might not think they will. They might seem pretty horrible, but they always work out for good.” She speaks from experience. My sweet, loving mama has lived through enough drama to create a Netflix series that runs several seasons long. When her father abandoned her family when she was little. When her mother was battling cancer. When Mom and her four siblings all lived together in her grandmother’s one bedroom apartment… and all of those things are just in Season 1, before she graduated from high school. But my mom? Tells me every day how blessed she is. Because she has incredible friends, a kind, sweet boyfriend, fabulous health, a family who adores her, lives in a darling condo, is active in her local church, and is beloved by everyone she knows. She has endured so much. And it DID all work out. As the words fell from her lips Romans 8:28 popped into my mind: And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. God has caused everything to work together for my mom who loves God–the struggles. The pain, the sorrow–all of it worked into a bouquet of joy. Mom loves her life and is surrounded by people who love her. It’s just as God promised. Of course it is.
“What else?” I asked Mom. “Take care of other people,” she answered without missing a beat. Mom cares for so many; she speaks from a place of authority. She visits friends in hospitals and nursing homes, cooks and takes countless meals to friends who are sick or who just returned from out of town. She takes friends’ dogs out and waters neighbors’ flowers. She listens to others’ problems and invites people over for a meal or a game night. She lives this out on the regular. Again, Mom’s words echo the wisdom from the Bible. “Love one another as I have loved you,” Jesus instructed us in John 13:34 moments after He finished washing the disciples dirty, smelly feet. Mom’s last piece of wisdom was similar, “Be a friend.” My brother asked, “Who should I be a friend to?” Mom answered, “I don’t know. That’s up to you. Just be a friend.” It reminded me of when a man asked Jesus how to have eternal life. Jesus pointed the man to scripture, specifically to, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Which sounds a lot like “be a friend.” And, just like my brother quickly asked Mom who he should be a friend to, the man quickly asked Jesus, “Who’s my neighbor?” Jesus answered the man by telling the story of The Good Samaritan, showing us that everyone is our neighbor. We’re supposed to love everybody. Just like Mom left her answer open-ended, knowing everybody could use a friend. If we see someone at the proverbial side of the road or perhaps sitting by themselves at a game, meeting, or gathering we can chat with them, offer a smile, a handshake, maybe sit down next to them–be a friend.  Mom blowing out the candles on her cake I’m sure my mom could have continued. She’s lived so well, so firmly rooted in her faith in Jesus and love for others. I was struck with how each nugget of wisdom she shared came straight from scripture. It makes so much sense, because the Bible holds so much wisdom. God dictated the words to human scribes, so that we could step into the full life God always intended for us to have all the way back to when He first placed humans in the glorious Garden of Eden. And every day since the day we messed up by eating the one thing God told us was bad for us, God has been trying to take us back to His goodness over and over again, to lands flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8), to peace, love, and joy (Galatians 5:22), to truth and life, so that we may have life and have it to the full (John 10:10).
I highly advise listening to the wisdom of the people you respect who are a generation or two ahead of you. They’ve done a heck of a lot of living and have so much to teach us. But also, I advise opening your Bible or Bible App. You don't have to live for eighty years to access this wisdom!!! It's right at your fingertips! It doesn’t matter what time of day or if you listen or read, but get into God’s Word. Let it wash over you. Let His wisdom that He always intended you to know and flourish by fill your heart and mind. Trust in the fact that God DOES work all things together for good. It’s who He is. Take a moment to do something kind for someone else today–it can be as simple as shooting a text or helping someone carry in their armful of supplies (or toddlers). And be a friend. It will help you step into the goodness God has for you and you, like my mama, just might find yourself declaring, “I’m so incredibly blessed.” For more inspiration find me on Facebook and Instagram My husband and I just got back from an incredible trip. Brett spoke at a conference in Switzerland and then taught a seminar in France. What good wife would make their husband do all that international travel by himself? Not me.  Brett and I with Lake Geneva and the Alps right behind us. We’d never been to Switzerland before. And there we were on the edge of Lake Geneva (which is crystal clear and 46 miles long!) surrounded by the Alps, crisp mountain air filling and refreshing our lungs. And God’s presence was so tangible. The mountains were enormous. We couldn’t help but be in awe of God and how immense He must be to create things of such vast size and splendor. Every time we walked outside I gasped. The magnitude and beauty of God’s creation literally took my breath away. We had been to Lyon, France before. Fifteen years ago we had the blessing of living there for five weeks while Brett did some work at the same university where his recent seminar took place. This town is packed with beautiful memories for us. While Brett was working I walked to our old apartment. I strolled to our favorite bakery, still there, and bought (and ate) a warm baguette. As I popped into the church where we’d worshiped and roamed the route we had walked each day, I was flooded with God’s faithfulness. I felt like I was in a movie, and this was the flashback scene. Tears sprang to my eyes as I meandered down our old alley. I could picture my kiddos spinning on the spinners at the playground where they played every day. And I felt God telling me, “Look at what I gave you then AND where I’ve brought you to now. How much I blessed you then. How much I’ve blessed you now. All the countless prayers I’ve heard and answered in these fifteen years.” God’s goodness was so real and so present to me in those moments. His love flooded over me. I can’t really put into words how special and personal it all was, but I can declare how real and good and close our God is.  the cobblestone streets of Lyon, France And coming home? Back to Ohio? I was once more overwhelmed by God’s goodness. For this life I have here and now. For our small college town with brick streets, local shops, a bandstand and random festivals year round that remind me of Stars Hollow. For beautiful trails and our quiet home at the end of a cul-de-sac so close to campus. For my husband and our kids and the work we get to do and the authentic, loving church we attend. I didn’t have to go to the Alps for the first time or return to the cobblestone alleys of Lyon to find God. He was in both those places. So tangibly. But He is also here with me on the floor of my family room where I’m currently typing. And He’s with you, too, wherever you are. I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast (Psalm 139:7-10). Where are you today? Did you think you’d be somewhere else at this age or stage? Are you exactly where you thought you’d be, but it’s harder or different than you imagined? Or have you been somewhere so long that you feel like you’re stuck in a rut? Or maybe you’re in transition–about to move or switch jobs or change your relationship status and you’re feeling uncertain, confused, unsettled. Or maybe you really want out. Or you really want in. Or perhaps you’re perfectly content. Wherever you are… God is with you.  Psalm 139:8-10 You can discover (or rediscover) God’s goodness by taking time to gaze at breathtaking landscapes, marveling at the fact that God designed and created vibrant spring flowers, gurgling streams, and the canopies of tree branches providing shade overhead. You can become more aware of God as you take note of familiar sights and sounds, remembering all God has given you and done for you–blessings that surround you on the daily, how far He’s brought you to bring you to here. You can connect (and reconnect) with God by noticing the wind you can’t see but can feel so marvelously blow through your hair and thanking God for His love unseen, but so deeply palpable or by listening to a pipe organ play a hymn that reminds you of God’s promises or truly paying attention to the voice of someone you love, thanking God for creating that person and putting them in your life.
Wherever you are–whether you’re exactly where you always hoped you’d be or still figuring out why you’re here or what’s next, God is with you. He loves you. He is for you. He is fighting for you. He is listening to your prayers (and answering them). He is creating beauty around you and memories that one day you’ll hold dearly. He is comforting and protecting and equipping and energizing and fortifying you. No matter how high or low you are. Because God loves you more than you could ever imagine. And He promises to never leave you (Hebrews 13:5). Most of my usual running route is paved through the woods, but my favorite part is the last part–the part that goes off the paved path and onto a path paved only by feet. One day recently when I got to this part, not far along there was a large branch that had blown off a tree in the previous night’s storm blocking my path. I was feeling fairly tired that day, and considered turning around and just heading back to the trailhead and ending my run, but I decided to push myself a little bit further. I paused running long enough to grab the branch and haul it off to the side–off the path and into the woods.  How can you clear the path for someone else? Not much further along there was another branch. This time I felt a nudge to clear it, not necessarily for me, but for whoever might run this trail behind me. It was such a lovely thought. To be able to make someone else’s run or walk or hike a little easier. Maybe for a mama holding a child’s hand or one of the fishermen I sometimes saw in this part of the woods hauling their rods and bait boxes. Perhaps for another runner, trying to make a certain time, so they wouldn’t be slowed down. Or maybe, just so someone else would have it a little bit easier. I was so excited by this idea that I continued even further–more than I’d planned, trotting along and moving branches.  Galatians 6:9-10 It got me thinking about how I could do this not just on the trail, but in life. Who might be coming along behind me that I could clear the path a little bit for, make their way a little simpler? Someone starting out on their mental health journey? A young mama? Or newlywed? A woman wanting to read her Bible “more” but not knowing where to start? Who could you clear a bit of trail for? The teen who plays the sport you did in high school? What do you wish you would have known at that age? The college student worried about majors and internships and what’s next? What advice could you have used? The person starting their own business? In the position you used to hold? Pursuing their certificate or degree? Trying to balance a budget? Buy their first home? Set some boundaries? Try a healthier lifestyle? What do you wish someone would have told you? What have you learned along the way?  Loving others pleases the Lord and boosts your mental health. Clearing the trail for others, obviously helps them. But it also helps us. Serving others eases our stress, activates positive emotions, and can reduce depression and anxiety. Paul urged the church in Galatia (and us), “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone--(Galatians 6:9-10).
It’s important to note, Paul got that memo from Jesus. Jesus tells us on repeat to love one another. And making someone else’s path a little clearer looks a lot like love. We all have life experiences. Failures and victories we’ve learned from. And people who helped us get where we are. What if each of us took a few moments today, it doesn’t have to be a big thing, to pause whatever we’re running towards to clear a branch or two out of the way for the person a few steps behind us? I ordered a Honey Baked Ham and turkey. I found the cutest Easter plates and napkins. I knew the perfect dress to wear at Easter service, the pastel one with all the colors of a basket of dyed eggs. My sweet mama was coming. Both of my incredible daughters who live out of state were coming. And I got Covid.  The Easter dress I planned to wear and plates I planned to use. If you met my mom you’d think she was in her fifties, but she’s in her seventies, and although she’s super healthy her age group puts her at high risk. One of my daughters is running the Boston marathon in a couple of weeks (I know! Amazing!) and the other is a college athlete with spring games right around the corner. The last thing I want for any of them is to be sick, in danger, or run down for the things they’re looking forward to. And so, everyone did a pivot. The girls decided to go to my mom’s instead of our house, so at least they’d get to spend Easter together. Our youngest didn’t want to miss out on that fun and decided to join them. And so we sent the 9.5 pound ham with our son. And Friday morning as my kids were driving towards my mom I stayed quarantined in the guest room (where I’d been all week) with a pile of books and my laptop wearing sweats and feeling exhausted. Yes, I cried. Yes, I wanted to see my family. Those are real feelings, and Jesus has no problem with us being real with our emotions. But also I was filled with peace that this was the right decision to love my family well. To keep them from getting sick. I was flooded with gratitude for a family I love, who wants to be together, but dang, I wanted to be with them. And here’s the thing. God is still good. Good Friday still happened. Jesus, the Son of God, the One who is seated on the throne of heaven still gave His life for you and me out of pure, selfless love for us. Jesus loves you and me so much. And nothing. Nothing can change that. Ever.  Romans 8:38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). No matter my circumstances or your circumstances I know in my heart Jesus is still for us and not against us. He still loves you and me. His love endures forever. He chose us to love for all eternity. He gave up everything for us. And nothing can change that. …….. I wrote all this on Friday, because writing is how I sort through my feelings. And I was feeling all the feelings. Then Sunday morning I tested…negative. And my husband and I threw our things in a bag and drove two and a half hours to my mom’s house and were still able to celebrate Easter with family. That negative test felt like my own personal Easter miracle, like my stone rolled away from my grave. It literally opened the door from the guest room where I’d been quarantining and allowed me to walk out free. And it figuratively removed the barrier from celebrating with people I love.  The sunset from the guest room where I was quarantined. On Easter morning over 2,000 years ago a stone was rolled away for ALL of us. No matter what your Easter looked like. No matter what lies ahead of you this week. No matter what that test or email or text said. No matter how your physical or mental wellness feels right now. No darkness–certainly not spoiled plans or disappointments, or a virus can change that. None of us need to be slaves to our sins or our past or our shame or our fear. Jesus set us free from all of that. Because He loves us. And He invites us to walk out of those musty old graves.
Jesus is still doing miracles. He’s still flipping a week long bout with Covid to no longer contagious on Easter morning. He still paints the sky in a kaleidoscope of colors every night. He still reconciles relationships and gives people new chances and opens new doors and offers us the exact insight we need at the exact moment we need it. And so, powered by Christ’s inexplicable love, we can step out of what’s holding us down or back or under and into His marvelous light. We can find joy in the sound of a bird song or a sip of warm coffee or the melody of our favorite song. We can take one step forward. And tomorrow another, heads held high. Because no matter what’s going on in our lives–you and me? We are fully loved by the Creator of the Universe, the Prince of Peace, the Lord of all, the Son of God, the Savior of the world. He is risen indeed. A year and a half ago my friend Kristin noticed a trail near her house was called “Daffodil Trail” but there was not a single daffodil on it. She decided to change that. She rallied a couple of friends, bought hundreds of daffodil bulbs, and went on a stealth mission. Can you picture it? A handful of middle aged women all dressed in black sneaking onto a trail predawn and planting bulbs with the Mission Impossible theme song playing? Dun dun dun da dun dun…  Daffodil Trail And in March of last year that trail was popping with golden blooms. Kristin said, “We went down there to check them out, and we literally squealed with joy when we saw all the daffodils.” Kristin went to be with the Lord in May after a brave battle with pancreatic cancer. But she left her mark of beauty on this world. On my life. On so many lives. And in so many ways. In part with some flower bulbs. Daffodils come back year after year meaning anyone who walks along Daffodil Trail this year or ten years from now will be overwhelmed by the sunny yellow beauty and think it was always that way, because shouldn’t it be? I want to be like Kristin and create more beauty in this world. The Apostle Paul told Timothy he wanted people to be “doing something beautiful for God and becoming beautiful doing it” (1 Timothy 2:10 MSG). Yes! Let’s do that. Let’s do something beautiful for God today and as a result become more beautiful.
We can add beauty to the world in a million ways. We can give a hug or a compliment. We can bake bread or brownies. We can write a song or a sonnet. We can clean out a garage or a drawer. We can paint a picture or a wall. We can string fairy lights on our porch or light a candle and fill a room with the beautiful scent of vanilla or lavender. Listen, you don’t need me to tell you there are some really ugly things in our world. There is hate and racism and war and violence and injustice and disease and jealousy and greed. But you and me? We have the opportunity to make things more beautiful. To shine Christ’s light and grow beauty all around us.  How will you create some beauty today? And it’s interesting, because when we take the time to create beauty, when we invest in making the world more beautiful by buying the bulbs or putting sprinkles or glitter on top, by playing the music or planning the outfit or laughing out loud, we feel better too. God reminds us of how much He loves us and all the goodness He has for us. Bonus, creating beauty boosts our mental health.
Ready? Let’s do it. Let’s create some beauty for our good and for God’s glory. The 40 days leading up to Easter (Lent) started six days ago. It’s a time set aside in some church traditions to get closer to Jesus. If you didn’t give it much thought but you wanted to, or if you’re intrigued, it’s not too late. It's never too late to get closer to Jesus.  It's never too late to get closer to Jesus. If you considered doing a reading plan or being more intentional with your faith walk, you’re allowed to start right now. No guilt. No problem. (I have two free reading plans linked below if you’re looking for one). If you wanted to give something up or build a healthy rhythm into your life–why not start today? If you thought about fasting, but didn’t, no big deal. You still can try if you want to (any questions on fasting–message me, I love to chat about how to do it safely). And if you don’t feel comfortable fasting, that’s okay too. Lent isn’t about following rules. Being a Christian isn’t about following rules. It’s about following Jesus.  Because when we do, we become more like Him–more loving, more giving, more peaceful, more confident in who we are and the work we’ve been given, more patient. Yes, please. My favorite thing to do is to tear down the lies of the world and the ones in our heads so we can live in Christ’s truth–I do it for you, but the reason I know it matters is because I need it. I do it for me, too. So this Lent, this is my focus, marinating myself in Christ’s love for me. Reminding myself who I am because of Him. When self doubt and negative self talk slithers my way, I’m grabbing the armor of God and holding up my shield of faith, sinking my feet into His peace, waving around my sword, which is the word of God, verses I know by heart, or ones I just read that morning. I’m standing strong in the fact that God made me in His image, goes before and behind me, says I’m wonderful and His masterpiece, that He calls me holy and chosen and royal. He says, does and believes all these wonderful things about you, too. Join me in this pursuit? It's never too late to get closer to Jesus.
Two FREE reading plans you could use for your Lenten journey to get closer to Jesus. How to Read the Bible and Change Your Life and Taking Care of Yourself Isn't Selfish, It's Biblical.
Click on the pics to download your FREE guides today. Today, my beautiful, talented, Gilmore Girls loving, rom-com writing friend, Betsy St. Amant Haddox is guest blogging AND we're giving away a copy of her brand new book, Once Upon a Divorce. As a divorce survivor and single mom, Betsy St. Amant Haddox shares her own raw, unfiltered story of what happens after the fairy tale ends. In her humorous, vulnerable, and authentic way, Betsy recounts how she navigated her ex-husband's abandonment and the seeming silence from heaven that followed. She takes readers through the thorny path of figuring out life as a single mother, healing from loss, and finding God to be faithful through it all. Once Upon a Divorce proves that the end of a marriage isn't the end of the story.
And now from Betsy.... Whoever says God doesn’t have a sense of humor has clearly never gone through anything difficult. I don’t mean that irreverently. I mean it literally. Some of the funniest things happened during my darkest season of divorce. And not just laugh-out-loud moments, but irony or things others might chalk up to coincidence that I know are otherwise. There are several instances where the humor wasn’t evident until years after the fact. Such as the time my husband had only been moved out for a few months, and I happened to look down while washing my hair in the shower and saw something that most definitely was not supposed to be sitting on the drain between my feet. A scorpion. Let’s just say the arachnid didn’t make it, and he probably also went deaf before he kicked the proverbial bucket (RIP). That poor creature represented everything unfair in that season of my life and really got it. Or the time when another wildlife creature burrowed up under the lining of my trailer and died, and Billy the Exterminator’s (remember that show?) nephew had to come dig it out. (Yes, that experience was as gross as it sounds.) Possibly the most ironic was the time when I almost canceled a first date with a nice single dad because I was so fed up with the entire dating process (more on that in the book) but then ended up going anyway and eventually marrying him.  It’s amusing how God works. Folks often refer to Christianity as the upside-down kingdom. Things typically don’t go the way we expect or hope. Jesus talked about how the least will be made great and the great will be made small. In the upside-down kingdom, leaders serve. Humility is advancement. Sacrifice is honored. Less is more. And in losing our life, we gain it. I don't know where you're feeling upside-down today. Maybe you're not going through a divorce, but you're in a different hard season that feels out of sorts. Shaky. Distorted. Maybe you're dealing with a prodigal child, aging parents, death, grief, financial strain, or some sort of major life transition. Maybe nothing specific has happened, but you wish it would. Maybe you're still single and longing to find a spouse. Maybe you're waiting for that healing, that break through, that promotion or progression that seems like it's never going to arrive. Whatever it is, may I remind you that we can be firmly planted in this upside-down kingdom, on a Rock that never shifts? In this particular kingdom, one that makes little sense to the world, we can thrive. We can have peace and joy not because of our circumstances, but because of the One sovereignly in charge of them all. We can have success, not because of dollars signs and bottom lines but because of focusing on our eternal inheritance that can't be destroyed. (1 Peter 1:3-5) When we cling to the fact that God is writing our story, that this hard chapter isn't the end, that there are so many more pages ahead, we can release our death grip on control. Because He's got a grip on us. Okay, how can you win your FREE copy? Message me one word about how your life is feeling upside down right now. I'll randomly select a winner within a week and Betsy will send you a copy (open only to continental U.S. residents over the age of 18).  In other news...I have a new book releasing February 6! Betsy and I wrote these books during the same time period. I can't tell you how many calls, texts, prayers, and voice memos flew between us as we dove into some painful parts of our stories to reveal God's faithfulness and love. I even interviewed Betsy for my book :). You can pre-order a copy of Holy Care for the Whole Self HERE!
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