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I was running on the trails and passed a young mama pushing a stroller with someone tiny inside. Her daughter, who I’m guessing was three, walked along beside. The little girl sported pink light-up Minnie Mouse shoes and looked at her feet with each step to watch the lights light up. I smiled at the mom, told the little girl, “I like your shoes,” and kept running.  We can't always see the goodness God has planned up ahead. I soon got to my turn around point, circled back, and saw the trio ahead of me. Only this time the girl was not giggling about her shoes. She was screaming and stomping, hands in the air. She ran away from her mom, then back again, her face all scrunched up. Although I couldn’t see it from where I was, and the girl couldn’t either, I knew from experience that not that far around the bend from where the drama played out was an awesome playground. I’d been that mama before. Trying to squeeze in some sort of exercise while juggling littles and trying to make it all a fun outing for them. Having one of the kiddos lose it for a reason that mattered very much to them in the moment, but knowing that even if they were bored or hungry or tired or simply preferred to be carried, if they could just make it four more minutes, they would be delighted. They would no longer care about the thing bothering them, because they would be climbing and swinging and sliding and make-believing all kinds of wonderful things.  the playground up ahead I’d been that mama. But how many times have I also been the little girl? Prancing about delighted about something one moment, only to have a setback–anything from getting a parking ticket to discovering I’m one ingredient short of tonight’s dinner recipe to a book proposal being rejected to being on hold for thirty minutes with the insurance company throw me off on a rant. They all stink–some just more so than others. None of these things are the end of the world. And yet, I gripe. And pout. And everyone in my home hears about it. But why do I get stuck in the yuck? Because Jesus always has more. Better. Waiting just around the bend. I’m always so close to that proverbial playground, even when I can’t see it. I know this because the Bible promises, “surely goodness and love will follow us all the days of our lives” (Psalm 23:6). Not if we do better or try harder or are healed or our relationship is fixed or we contest our ticket or find that ingredient or get that book deal. But surely. Certainly. We don’t have to wait until tomorrow or someday, but ALL the days, including this one now. Jesus has more for you and me. So we get to choose. We get to choose if we’ll kick and scream and pout. Or if we’ll take a deep breath. And ask Jesus to help calm us and help us see things through His eyes. Thank Him for who He is and ask Him to help us take that next step forward. Because He knows all about the playground around the bend and can’t wait for us to get there. We can ask Him for courage to continue, endurance to keep going, and peace to wash over us so we're not worried along the way. He has so much goodness planned for you. That’s why He put you on this path in the first place. You can trust Him.  Philippians 1:6 I don’t know what that looks like for you in the midst of your current mishap, disappointment, challenge, or trial. Jesus might give you the opportunity to try something new and you’ll realize you love it or maybe you’ll meet a new friend or get a better offer or be inspired or learn something important or take a forced break that your body really needed. But I know Jesus promises goodness and love. He has more for you around the corner.
Jesus also promises us a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). And He promises to finish the good things that He starts in you like middle of the day strolls to a playground (Philippians 1:6). So wherever you’re frustrated or let down today or downright worried or frightened. Hang in there. Jesus wouldn’t have put you on this path–even if it feels long or steep or hot–without a good reason. He has goodness and love for you, an abundance of it. He has a playground of sorts waiting for you not far around the bend. For more inspiration find me on Facebook and Instagram
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Have you seen the movie The Adam Project? Without spoiling anything it’s about a forty-year old pilot who travels back in time in an attempt to save the world from some nasty tyranny. In the process he encounters his twelve-year-old self. Because it’s time travel, there are rules about not interfering with the past, but there are some things that forty-year-old Adam really wants twelve-year-old Adam to know. It’s my birthday today, and I’m feeling reflective. I’m wondering what would I tell twelve-year-old Laura if I could?  I must totally love you guys if I'm sharing this picture of me in 6th grade LOL! What would I tell myself in sixth grade? The girl with the giant glasses and braces and frizzy hair whose Dad had left again? The girl who believed all her friends were prettier and cooler and more interesting than her? The girl who believed her brother was smarter and more talented than her? The girl who loved books and learning and school and ballet, but hated the fact that those things made her brainy and nerdy and not like everyone else? What would you tell your twelve-year-old self? Would you believe you? Gosh, there’s so much I would want to tell junior high Laura (starting with suggesting some curl cream and highlights). I’d tell her that Jesus loved her so much that He would never leave her, even if other people she loved did. I’d tell her that Jesus knew everything that was going on in her life and in her heart, and that it was safe to tell Him anything and everything. He wouldn’t think she was weird or silly or make fun of her. He loved her just how she was. But I don’t know if telling her would actually mess things up, if it would prevent her from some of the things she had to learn by trying, experiencing, crying, failing, getting back up again, and somehow getting through, gaining insight, and growing in the process. There was an interesting plot twist in The Adam Project, not where the older Adam is talking to the younger Adam, but where their Dad is talking to them. The dad goes on and on saying, “I love you. No, I really love you. I want you to understand how much I love you. I’m so proud of you. I want you to believe me, I love you.” Or something to that effect. This is the part that did me in. Because truly? What is way more valuable than what I would tell my younger self is what God, my Heavenly Dad, my Creator, the One who makes rain fall from the sky and grows plants from the ground would tell me, what He was telling me then, and is telling me now, and is telling you, but that was and is so hard to hold onto in this world of ours. Jesus would tell twelve-year-old me, and fifty-four-year old me, and my kids, and my friends, and everyone reading this the same thing. He would say, “No matter what other people think of you, or even what you think of you, I love you and chose you even before I made the world.” (Ephesians 1:4)  Psalm 139:13-15 God would go on and on like the dad in that movie saying, “I love you. I made you exactly how you are on purpose and I think you’re really amazing, actually breathtaking. I love that you’re… shy/loud/artistic/athletic/a thinker/a doer/someone who enjoys that kind of music or food or art or books or activities/chatty/quiet/logical/a dreamer… all of it. I love you so much, I’d do anything for you. I gave my very life for you, because I want to be with you always. I’m never leaving you. No matter what you did or do. I love you. I love you. I love you.”
Today I turn fifty-four. This is my present to me and to you. This reminder that the thing Jesus most wants us to know is that He loves us. He tells us over and over again in Scripture and if His words weren’t enough and we had some doubts, He died for us. Talk about all-in love. Walk around like you believe this today. In your conversations and interactions, in your work and your play, when you’re alone or with others, live as if you are fully loved for exactly who you are. Because you are. Believe down to your bones not just in a theoretical God, but a living, active Savior who loves you desperately. Your self worth is wrapped in Him and not of this world. Part of me wants to shake twelve-year-old Laura and tell her this. But she eventually learned it. These days I’m trying to hold onto this truth and live it out every day. Join me? For more inspiration find me on Facebook and Instagram Do you remember what happened on Sunday? I know, sometimes I forget what day it is, let alone what happened three days ago. Personally, since Sunday I’ve had to say goodbye to both my daughters who went back to their college and apartment. Which means I also got a little weepy. I’ve made meals, graphics, and beds. I’ve gone on a run in the woods and a grocery run. Not to mention all the texts, conversations, stories, posts, and songs that I’ve given headspace to since Sunday. Our minds are full. Our lives are noisy. Wait, what was Sunday again?  Is your mind still on Easter? It was Easter. The day Jesus conquered death and sin. The day dead things came to life. The day freedom came to all. The day Jesus declared nothing could ever separate us from His love. Not even an enormous boulder, false accusations, betrayal, torture, finger pointing, excruciating pain, loss, sorrow, grief, or death. And Jesus, the One who did all this for you, for me, says:
 John 15:16 These promises from Jesus are still true. No matter what you faced so far this week. No matter what you’re staring down for the rest of the week. Jesus still gave up His life out of perfect, faithful, never ending love for you. And then He wrestled death and sin to the ground and rose from the dead. This changes everything.
Because if Jesus can overcome death, promises to stay with us, fills us with joy, and chooses us as His own, then everything’s going to be okay. We will get through the hard things. We don’t have to do it alone. We can find joy where we are. We don’t have to prove ourselves. We’re already chosen and loved. I want to cling to these truths everyday. So yes, Easter was a couple of days ago. But what happened that day? What Jesus did for you? The amazing grace and abundant life He offers you? His love? Those things never expire. They are true today, tomorrow and always. Let’s live like it. For more inspiration find me on Facebook and Instagram Over spring break we toured the Biltmore House. It’s known as the biggest private home in America–178,900 square feet, 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms and 65 fireplaces. 250 rooms total. Wow! George Vanderbilt had it built, moved in, and threw a Christmas extravaganza for his friends in 1895. Think of all the first class glamor and grandeur of the Titanic but on land.  The stunning exterior of the Biltmore House Walking through the rooms with the guided audio tour in our ears my mind pictured driving through the gates in a carriage, being shown the room Vanderbilt and his staff had gotten ready especially for me with fresh sheets on the bed and fresh flowers cut from their extensive gardens sitting in a vase by the bedside where I might stay for weeks on end to visit. I imagined getting “dressed” for dinner in an elegant gown (I do love the red carpet) and being seated at the dining room fit for royalty where a multicourse meal would be prepared and served to me on gold rimmed china. Imagine having that much care and intentionality put into your stay! None of the Vanderbilts live in the house anymore, and realistically if they did, I would not be on their invite list. Also, I would have felt extremely awkward and out of place with all those forks and finery. I’m a girl who loves to get dressed up, but also loves to slip on my pjs and smiley face slippers in the evenings. I’m sure by the first meal I would have wondered what in the actual world I was doing there. There are so many times in life where I’ve felt out of place, like I don’t belong. You? Like meeting my husband’s parents for the first time at a restaurant. They asked me if I played golf. “Ummm, no,” I answered. “Really?” They seemed so confused. When we ordered our meals they asked, “Why don’t you eat red meat?” “I don’t like it.” I answered, but it sounded more like I was questioning myself. Gosh I wanted to impress them but, gheesh, I didn’t even know how to answer the questions that seemed important to them. Or walking into a Bible study at a new church we were attending. I knew exactly one woman in the room. We got along, but weren’t close. Also you were supposed to have cash to pay for the workbook, but I didn’t, because who knew? Well apparently everyone else who all knew each other and seemed to be in on some secret Bible study code.  Here's me in sweats (not a gown) where I'd feel most comfortable--the library! Look at all these fabulous books! Or climbing the bleachers at the first high school sporting event of one of our kids. I hadn’t been in a high school stadium since I was in high school. But I saw some women wearing team gear who were obviously other moms and found a seat next to them. I introduced myself and told them who my daughter was. They smiled, told me their names, and proceeded to reminisce about the time they’d double dated to prom. As they cheered for our team, they also laughed about last weekend’s cookout at their mutual friends’ house. These ladies were friendly, but I was clearly not one of them. In all these scenarios I felt out of place. Like I did not belong. Did not fit in. Could not fit in. But here’s the truth. I am still 100% me when I walk into a mansion, restaurant, church, stadium, or any other room. Nothing changes about me. About how God made me. My strengths don’t disappear. The people I love and who love me don’t vanish. The things that bring me joy don’t stop making me smile. Same holds true for you. But we tend to forget. We tend to think if we’re not like them, if we don’t know them, if we don’t know the things they know, then we’re not okay, or not included. We get the sudden idea that we should be more or less or wear that brand of shoes or eat red meat or have $15 in our wallet or have somehow shared some of their previous experiences. But Jesus says differently. The Bible says even before God made the world, He loved and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes (Ephesians 1:4). What? Before there were mansions, restaurants, bleachers, or Bible studies God loved and chose you and me. He chose us to be without fault. Yeah. He did. He does.  Brett’s parents soon welcomed me into the family and loved me as if I were their actual daughter. I ended up teaching multiple Bible studies at that church where I initially felt out of place. But I never fit in with the team moms who’d known each other for decades. They were nice enough. They just shared too much prior history. There have been other times I’ve felt like I didn’t fit, but discovered that was a good thing, because it wasn’t actually the kind of crowd or place I wanted to fit into. Yet other places I’ve tried or wanted to be included, but never was. Sometimes you will and sometimes you won’t belong or fit into a crowd. That’s just life.
But there is someone with whom you always fit, are always welcome, included, and valued. He loves you and has open arms waiting for you. His name is Jesus. Walking around the rooms of the Biltmore House and how they were so well tended I kept thinking of when Jesus said, “Trust me. There is plenty of room for you in my Father’s home. If that weren’t so, would I have told you that I’m on my way to get a room ready for you? And if I’m on my way to get your room ready, I’ll come back and get you so you can live where I live” (John 14:2-3). Jesus always has room for us. Jesus always wants us with Him. Jesus invites us to hang out with Him every day. Jesus prepares rooms and places for us, with much more intention and care than the Biltmores and their staff ever did for their guests. What Jesus offers is way better than fresh flowers or fresh sheets or multi-course meals. It’s unending love and grace and joy and peace. We matter to Jesus. He loves us. No matter what rooms or groups you walk into today, don’t believe for one second that you need to be anyone other than who God created you to be. Jesus says differently. Jesus welcomes you saying, “I am so glad you are here.” For more inspiration find me on Facebook and Instagram We had a big change in plans, and I was going to be gone a lot in the coming months. Also there were travel details that needed to be tended to immediately, plus I had texts and emails I needed to respond to. Did I mention I didn’t get enough sleep last night? My chest tightened and my pulse raced. The irrational thought of, “NO! It’s too much!” repeated in my mind and my stomach flipped then flopped. I’ve heard a million times, “to hold every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5).” Are you familiar with this Bible verse? I believe it’s a great strategy, but often oversimplified. Just telling these thoughts not to exist, just holding them tight and not letting them spiral is a start, but not usually enough to bring me back to God’s beautiful reality. I tried. I tried dismissing the anxious thoughts while answering an email. I tried pushing them to the back of my head while tending to the details. But putting these thoughts in a cage wasn’t getting it. Because I could still see them there, pacing around behind the bars, taunting me. I felt a nudge to spend time in prayer, but dismissed it. I got the nudge again, this time obeyed, and plopped myself on my fluffy gray prayer pillow.  My prayer pillow I started talking to Jesus about the whole thing. Why do I feel this way? These are all good opportunities. They aren’t too expensive or too far or too much, but they feel like it and also like way more than I can handle. Everything feels like too much. Like it’s out of control, and I want it to stop. My heartbeat quickened as I relayed this all to God. It’s a control thing, God pointed out. Right. I really prefer to be in control. You were never in control, Jesus reminded me. I promise, you think you want to be, but you don’t really. It’s so much better that I’m the one keeping the planets in orbit and your heart beating. Good point. Jesus and I talked like that for a while. He directed our conversation, so I could see what was happening and why. He showed me why my thoughts took this turn, then reminded me of ways He’d been there for me in the past and of how much He loved me. Jesus planted the words trust and release in my mind. Trust and release. The words echoed in my head. I meditated on them. It made me picture myself spreading out my arms and falling backward into a pool, Nestea plunge style, fully trusting that the water would be there, that no one would substitute cement for water while I had my back turned, that I would land in a refreshing, silly splash, laughing. Then I imagined another scenario, me in a boat, just along for the ride. Blue water beneath me, a sunset ahead. Beautiful. But I wasn’t driving. I wasn’t in control. And that was just fine. It was wonderful actually. Trust and release.  the peaceful sensation of a freeing boat ride After a bit I stood up, feeling so much more peaceful. Completely different than when I’d entered. I still had the same things I needed to do. My plans had still changed, but now I viewed these changes as opportunities instead of obstacles. As things God had in store for me instead of things I was losing. My pulse was normal. My stomach calm. All because I prayed. Holding our thoughts captive doesn’t just mean putting them in a box on a shelf. It means handcuffing those negative, angry, stressed out, worried, frightened, or hopeless thoughts before they start upending everything in sight then turning them over to Jesus so He can take care of them. We don’t have to try and dismantle those thoughts by ourselves. We also don’t need “prayer pillows,” I just really like mine :). We can ask Jesus to step in. And He always will. This is where reading the verses around “hold every thought captive” helps me out. The Apostle Paul doesn’t instruct the church in Corinth to push bad or harmful thoughts aside. He starts by telling the Corinthians, For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 Paul says in this world we’ll have some wacky thoughts bombard us. True. He says it’s a battle to take those thoughts down. Also true. But Paul reminds us not to freak out, because we can tap into God’s divine power to tear down lies of culture, the enemy, and even the lies we tell ourselves. Whew! Just saying, “bye, bye bad thought,” might work sometimes, but that usually just delays when that thought bothers me instead of getting rid of it altogether. Recognizing a thought is bad, untrue, or toxic is an awesome first step. But then it helps so much to grab that yucky thought and intentionally hand it over to Jesus, asking Him to use His power to help us untangle it. The Message translation of this verse says, “Our tools are ready at hand.” Let’s use them!  2 Corinthians 10:3-4 Life is fast and expectations, situations, and opinions fly at us and our gut reaction is to grab the things we like or want and swat away the things we don’t want. But the beauty of life with Jesus is we don’t have to do anything alone. We have an all-powerful, all-loving Savior who is on our side. We can take each harmful thought and hand it over to Him. We can ask Jesus to help us see this opinion or roadblock or overload or slow down or speed up through His eyes. Where are the blessings here? What can we be doing? What is the truth of the situation? Who can help? And in our conversations with Jesus, He’ll calm, empower, and direct us. He’ll flood us with love and joy and peace. Our thoughts will turn from negative or scary or prideful to thoughts much more like His of kindness, goodness, and grace.
I don’t know what thoughts you’re fighting today. Thoughts of not having enough time, energy, answers, resources, of not being enough. Maybe it’s the opposite. Maybe you’re having thoughts that you’re too much, the expectations on you are too much, the stress is too much, the expenses too high. But Jesus wants to help you sort through all these thoughts. He wants to show you what’s true about yourself–He loves you. And your situation–He’s with you and fighting for your good. Release your worries to Him. Trust Him with your future. He is the Prince of Peace. And He’s on your side. There’s a road I travel that has one of those speeding signs that posts the speed limit and shows how fast you’re going as you drive by. This one has an extra feature I haven’t seen anywhere else–a thumbs up or thumbs down. The first time I drove past, a giant thumbs up lit up. I immediately grinned, kind of nodding my head, like, that’s right, I got the thumbs up. Approval. It’s one of our biggest human desires. It’s why all the Apps are designed as they are, to give us little hits of approval and achievement as we go, to keep us scrolling, playing, and clicking away.  I do want approval for lots of things, but mainly, I want Jesus’ approval for how I live my life. And not in an earning points kind of way, like if I volunteer or attend Bible study I’ll get extra stickers on my Jesus chart. He doesn’t look at us like that. No, in a, “Jesus I want to seek you first. I want to follow You, because You always know what’s best and Your ways are better,” way. I want His thumbs up--you can do this. And if it's not the right thing for me, I want His thumbs down, so I don't step into anything that's not where I can best serve Him. We don't need one of these wacky signs to get Jesus' opinion, we just need to ask Him. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 My husband and I are both trying to figure some things out. There are pros and cons no matter what either of us decide. Brett and I both want to do God’s will. So how do we decide if we should move forward or hold back, say yes, or no, speed up or slow down? We talk to Jesus about it.  Where is Jesus calling you? Up or down? Forward or back? It usually happens like this. Brett and I are on a walk or sitting on our porch talking, and as we’re processing we share a decision we’re trying to make, that it’s been in the back of our mind for an hour or day or week and we haven’t put much focus on it. But now that we’re talking…hmmm. One of us tells the other we’ll be praying for their decision, and then we usually just start praying out loud, because why would we wait? And then we’ll both keep praying for our own decisions and the other person’s decisions in our personal prayer times. Because Jesus asks us to seek His kingdom first (Matthew 6:33). To follow Him (John 8:12). To listen to His voice (John 10:27). And when we do, He promises us all kinds of good things, an abundant life (John 10:10), the light of life. Which is way better than a thumbs up. Asking Jesus is the first step, then we need to actually look at the signs, not the kinds that light up on the road, but the signs God gives us. Is He giving us a thumbs up or down? How do you know? Read the Bible and keep your eyes open for something that speaks to your question (Not sure where to start in reading the Bible? I have a free guide here). Have someone who loves both Jesus and you be praying for you and your decision. Ask them to let you know if they hear anything. Be alert to the things around you–a song you hear, a conversation with a friend, something you read, a podcast you listen to–that confirms what you should do one way or the other. I’ll often get a tug in my heart. Sometimes it’s an almost sick feeling, a nope, that is not a good idea feeling. Thumbs down. Other times it’s a yearning, an ache, like I really need to do that thing. Thumbs up. God has all kinds of amazing things in store for us. He will guide us to what and when they are if we ask Him.  Proverbs 16:9 I find I rarely get answers as quickly as I’d like, but I always do get answers from God. During the waiting we can prepare for the answer. Trying to figure out if you should switch jobs? You could update your resume and Linked In profile and see who’s hiring in your line of work while you’re seeking an answer from the Lord. Wondering if you should move? You could search homes in the area you’re considering moving to and talk to anyone you might know in that town. Trying to decide if you should take some classes in something you’re passionate about. Check out which classes are available. When? How much do they cost? And when the time is right, Jesus will let us know if it’s time to slow down, drop that idea all together, or speed up. He wants what’s best for us, so He’ll show us the way. What are you seeking God’s direction on? Leave a comment. I’d love to pray for your discernment. And if this spoke to you, share with a friend :) Don’t forget to seek answers in God’s Living Word, the Bible. Here’s a FREE guide to get you started. For more inspiration find me on Facebook and Instagram  Yesterday I was able to drive to Asbury University where a spontaneous revival has been taking place for the last nine days. Basically, a weekly student chapel service from Wednesday, February 8 still hasn’t ended. I mean it was “over,” but students stayed and prayed and worshiped and confessed and were healed and were saved and the University canceled classes, and students kept coming back, and other people joined in and it’s still going on. You can read more about how it started here. We saw license plates from Wisconsin, Montana, Florida, Texas, and everywhere in between as we tried to find a place in the small Kentucky town to park our car. Senior citizens, babies, college kids, people my age, brown people, black people, white people, all gathered to worship Jesus. My emotions are currently high and my thoughts are still swirling. I think it will take me several days to fully process what I experienced. (I’m jotting this all down so quickly, please forgive me for typos.) But these are my two biggest takeaways for now:  Hughes Auditorium yesterday at Asbury University 1. God is on the move. Are you familiar with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis? In the book the land of Narnia has been cursed by a wicked queen who has made it always winter but never Christmas. Then, seemingly out of nowhere ice starts to melt. Flowers begin to bud. Frozen rivers start to flow. And the Narnians whisper to one another, “Aslan is on the move.” And it fills them with such hope. Aslan, who represents Christ in the allegory, is alive and well and moving. This changes everything. And in our world where there is pain, suffering, racism, disease, loss, loneliness, and hate the whisper of “God is on the move,” brings me so very much hope. And He is on the move. It was so apparent as hundreds of people from all over the country lined up outside this campus chapel hoping to get in, hoping to catch a glimpse of God’s glory, feel His presence, experience His grace. It was apparent that God was on the move as strangers standing in line prayed over one another. It was obvious that God was on the move as the people who filled four buildings (the chapel was over capacity and these other three buildings served as overflow) sang, “God I need you.” And, “How He loves us!” And, “Is anyone worthy? He is!” Yes, God is on the move. And what a beautiful, powerful, hope-filled thing that is.  Psalms 66:5 2. Come and see.
When a man named Philip found his friend Nathanael he told him, “We have found the man the prophets wrote about–Jesus.” Nathanael was skeptical, so Philip invited him, “Come and see.” On the very first Easter morning Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to the tomb where Jesus had been buried with spices. Suddenly there was an earthquake, the giant stone was rolled away from the tomb entrance, and an angel appeared. Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying.” –Matthew 28:5-6 Come and see. Come and see. Come and see. It’s the words I kept hearing Jesus whisper to me when I first heard about what was going on at Asbury last week. It’s what I heard Jesus repeat to me when my twenty-one year old son told me he had gone to the campus. It’s the words I felt as I watched all these people yesterday from all walks and stations of life flooding to Hughes Auditorium on Asbury University’s campus in Wilmore, Kentucky. I heard Christ’s invitation. And I saw His people responding. They all came to see. If you’re curious about what revival is or what’s going on at Asbury, I invite you to go and see what it’s all about for yourself. If you’re skeptical, if you aren’t sure about Jesus, if you’ve heard conflicting ideas about Christianity, if you’re intrigued, if you’re not sure what to believe, I invite you to come and see. These things I know: Jesus changed my life. I have never felt a love that compares with His love. Jesus said He came so that you and I can have an abundant life. There is nothing you've done that is too big for Him to forgive. Jesus said the two most important things we can do are to love Him and love each other. That’s who He is and what He wants for us–abundance and love. But don’t take my word for it. Come to Him. Ask Him questions. Yell at Him if you need to. He can take it. He’s God and He knows why you’re upset. Weep with Him. Collapse into His arms. Tiptoe toward Him or sprint toward Him. But come to Him and see for yourself what unfailing love and amazing grace look like. For more inspiration find me on Facebook and Instagram I was on a run, almost at the end, when God nudged me to go spend a few minutes in the bird blind adjacent to the trail. Which seemed weird, because I had less than a half mile left, it was freezing outside, and although I’d been in the fenced off sanctuary designed to view birds, I pass it frequently and rarely enter. But I felt pulled. So I ran off the trail and unlatched the gate.  the gate to the bird blind I had no idea what God had in store for me here. But I felt like there was something, so I sat on the bench behind the wooden wall “blind” to the birds, but able to see them through the slats. And in two minutes I saw redhawks, cardinals, a blue jay, a goldfinch, a purple finch, and several other birds I couldn’t identify darting about and eating from the bird feeders. They were an actual rainbow of feathers feasting on seed someone smarter and kinder than them regularly puts out for them. I was dazzled by their colors, but also by Jesus’ words coming to life right before my eyes, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”--Matthew 6:26 I have a lot of things I’m praying for and waiting for right now. Things that I don’t know how they’re going to turn out, what next steps are, how all the pieces will fit. And yet, God was reminding me, “Laura, look. You don’t have to worry. I will provide. In fact, you can flit around like these birds completely carefree, enjoying themselves and the feast in front of them. See these birds.” I felt God kind of tapping me on the knee, making sure I was paying attention. “I 100% care for them. But you, you are infinitely more valuable to me than these birds. I’ve got you.”  The bird blind is designed to watch birds without them being spooked by your presence. I bet you have things you’re praying for, situations you don’t know the endings to or even the middles to, as well. But Jesus tells us, “No need to worry. I love you. And I’ll provide for you. Everything you need. You mean the world to me.” I love how this verse is translated in the Message: Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds. Jesus invites us into this free and unfettered life. One without cares, because we know God cares for us. Sound inviting? It’s available 24/7 with no cost of admission. All we have to do is follow Jesus.  In Matthew 6:26 speaks of the free and unfettered life. Sure, we still have responsibilities. We need to send the emails, go to the appointments, take care of ourselves, do the prep, put in the time. We’re still entrusted to do the good work God has put in front of us. Those beautiful birds I saw all had to fly to the bird blind, land on the feeders, and grab the seeds with their beaks. But they had zero worries that those feeders would be full. We can follow suit. Go where God sends us (even if that’s a bird blind), action what He calls us to do, and trust in His abundant provision, allowing us to live as carefree as birds.
For more inspiration find me on Facebook and Instagram Today my dear friend, author, and Bible teacher Alli Patterson is on the blog talking about why we need a filter for all the noise and voices we hear each day. A country song played in my car one day. It was about what all country songs are about-- heartbreak and whiskey. My youngest daughter piped up after it ended; “I don’t like that song, Mom. I don’t think God wants us using alcohol to solve problems.” Her sister gave me a huge eye roll at her overly serious reaction, but I was delighted. She had a filter in place for the words coming at her and rejected what got stuck in it.  Why do we need a filter? When you think about “having a filter” you probably think about the words coming out of your mouth. We all have that one friend who says absolutely anything that passes through their mind. However, the much more important filter is the one for the words coming in. The words you let in have the power to alter your life. You need a filter in place for those. Life is full of words; your phone, social media, books, friends, family, even in your own mind. Some words you hear are empty calories at best. Some need spit out altogether, even if they come with the sweet taste of your best friend or your favorite influencer. You can’t listen to all the words in the same way. Instead: you need to hear like a cow eats. Yep, a cow. The cow’s first (of four!) stomach is like a storage bin to hold what comes in until the cow sorts it out through chewing, digesting and - if necessary - spitting things out. Cows take in an unbelievable amount of food but only digest what they really need. You need something to sort out all these words, so you can follow the Lord towards a thriving life in and around you.  My friend, author and Bible teacher Alli Patterson Jesus said, “The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life” (John 6:63). If you want the life God has for you, you need to be filled with his words and let them act as a filter for anything else that wants in. The words that bring health and life will be in-sync with the attitudes, actions, and authority of the Word of God. As you spend time reading and hearing scripture, your filter will begin to catch the words around you that are inconsistent with His voice, love and direction for you. You will also leave space for God’s words to resound in your mind and heart as timely wisdom in your real life. All words are not the same, so get that filter in place with three simple things:
If you want to learn more about how to adopt these practices and build a faith that can stand firm, get my new book called How to Stay Standing; 3 Essential Practices for Building a Faith that Lasts. Chapters 5-7 dive in deep about practices you need in your life to hear the voice of God…because these are the only words that will be standing in the end. Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Psalm 119:89  Alli's book: How to Stay Standing I made some progress in my to-read stack this year, but every time I took one book off, more seemed to multiply in its place. Which is wonderful, because bring on ALL the books! I usually give you my “best” books in a couple of categories each January, but it’s so hard to pick “best” when there are so many grand books. So this year, I’m just going to share some of my favorites. I discovered a new author, Clare Pooley. Her writing is honest and authentic. My daughter loaned me her copy of The Authenticity Project, which I devoured and loved so much I went on to read Pooley’s other novel Iona Iverson’s Rules of Commuting. It was so good I bought a copy for my girl. Both books give glimpses of a variety of individual’s lives that collide under a set of unusual circumstances. Their interactions remind us that everyone has value and deserves to be seen, and that first impressions don’t tell the real story.  The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley I dove into Charles Martin’s third book in his Murphy Shepherd series, The Record Keeper. I raved about the first two last year here ). The Record Keeper was. So. Good. In this trilogy Martin exposes the detestable sex trafficking industry throughout the plot raising awareness of the heinous crimes being committed against young people. But it is the journeys of healing the characters travel that are the gold nuggets here. They remind us that there is hope and redemption for us all. Read these books starting with #1. Allow the stories to roll over you. Breathe them in and believe that the healing grace offered the characters is available for you, too. Because it is. I'm trying to broaden my Midwestern white girl perspective. Two books that helped this year were I Take My Coffee Black by Tyler Merritt and Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson The social justice work Bryan Stevenson does and shares in Just Mercy is beautiful, hard, life-changing work. As Rosa Parks told Bryan when they met, "You're going to be tired, tired tired. So you're going to need to be brave, brave, brave." I learned so much about systemic racism, the prison system, death row, and humanity on these pages. Bryan is so bravely loving His neighbors, taking back ground for God's kingdom, and saving and changing people's lives (Just Mercy is also a powerful movie).  I Take My Coffee Black by Tyler Merritt Tyler Merritt is funny, smart, creative, full of faith and warm-hearted. He weaves important, historical information on systemic racism throughout his personal narrative. Merritt honestly steps into hard life situations, but always bounces back to the love and grace of Jesus. Tyler also loves all things Hamilton and almost every genre of music, which is an added bonus. For a glimpse of Tyler’s work watch his YouTube video, “If Only She Knew” As usual, this year I spent a lot of time reading my favorite book–the Bible. I mostly hung out in the Old Testament (with extra time in the Psalms) but also had an extended stay in Ephesians, plus frequent dips into the Gospels. I read books on faith and Jesus and the Bible. I absolutely loved Shauna Niequist’s I Guess I Haven’t Learned that Yet. I read more World War II Historical Fiction set in France, like Jacqueline in Paris by Ann Mah, because, please, I cannot resist. I also enjoyed a couple of fun romances by Betsy St. Amant like All’s Fair in Love and Cupcakes, because I have a sweet tooth for romance. You can find my reviews on everything I remembered to review on my Goodreads profile.  All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes by Betsy St. Amant Other favorites of the year?
Music wise, I listened to Lion by Elevation Worship on repeat. Shows? Our family discovered a new series on Disney Plus, National Treasure: Edge of History we’re all enjoying. My favorite movies of the year were Redeeming Love, the film adaptation of Francine Rivers’ novel about the book of Hosea and ultimately God’s love for each of us, and Top Gun: Maverick, the follow up to the 80’s classic, full of fighting for what’s good and right, never leaving your wing man, plus a little romance sprinkled in. I also got new running shoes–I switched to Hokas and this running girl’s knees are so thankful! And last but not least, my mom got me to try a new mascara. Thrive, which goes on and off differently than any mascara I’ve ever tried, was super weird at first, and now I’m in love. Plus Thrive Causemetics donates money to great causes to help people suffering from domestic abuse, homelessness, cancer, etc. with every purchase. Win win. How about you? What books, music, shoes, new things did you discover in 2022? What’s on your reading list for 2023? Leave a comment–I’m always looking for more books to add to my stack. For more inspiration find me on Facebook and Instagram |
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