the good news girl
My friend, Roxann, told me that she plans to prioritize bible reading and prayer with God as her first thing each morning during Lent in an effort to build a lasting habit. I think that’s such a good idea. To wake up a little earlier and offer those first moments to God.
I’ve been working on that. And I actually created a space in my house designated for that purpose. A place to read and pray and journal before the morning starts …
Get in the habit of saying, “Speak, Lord,” and life will become a romance. ~ Oswald Chambers
I’m an ex-worrier. I spent a good chunk of my life unleashing myself from the monster called Anxiety. And I’ve had great success through prayer and re-focusing my attention on the Truth.
But lately, a creepy little monster by the name ‘Am I Making a Difference’ has surfaced.
The beast most often haunts me at night when I am about to fall asleep. I put my head down on my pillow, spent from the day and I wonder: Am I making a difference? Is anything I’m doing really helping anyone? [Read more...]
My husband says a lot of interesting things from the pulpit. Some are stunningly profound. Some simply inspired. And some are just weird Will-isms … like voy a la elsewhere. But I digress. The one thing he says that’s really sticky around ACF is ‘Yay God!’
It’s a phrase that has been around our church since it’s inception. I think the most poignant moment for me was when we finally moved into a building (we were portable for years!) and right after the joy of that service, we all walked outside to see a small plane circling the church property with a huge banner that said: Yay God!
It was a big moment for our church. But the truth is there are tons of yay God moments in everyday life hidden in the little things.
A couple years ago, I wrote about The Joy Challenge ~ which is about expressing thanks daily. This year, I decided to try something different. I’m going to instagram my daily thanks. Just one a day.
I’ve kind-of been all over the map where publishing is concerned. A book about busyness, a book about parenting teens, a book about marriage and a book about sexy marriage.
It’s a diverse set of titles. And for years I felt distraught because I couldn’t come up with a big ‘brand’ and a genius marketing plan. For years, wise advisers warned me that I should focus in and get ultra niche-y.
But I just didn’t know how. And all I’ve really ever wanted to do is encourage people to live out the greatest commandment in a real and meaningful way in everyday life. I realize that’s pretty broad. Not super niche-y. But …
I want to love God with all my energy, all my life.
I want to love people well.
And I want to encourage you to do the same.
So I’ve found as I walk out that mission for my life, I encounter stumbling blocks. And that’s when I end up writing books. Hence, the latest diet book.
Why did I write a diet book? Because I needed to lose weight. And I needed to eat right. And the struggle with food was affecting the one relationship that I couldn’t escape. The relationship I have with myself. And that smacks against part of the mission … to love your neighbor as yourself. [Read more...]
I had no plans of writing today. But then, I didn’t know that today would be a day that Ben needed help sharing his story “with the rest of the world.”
Ben Breedlove.
We got to know his family years ago through school. And Lake Austin. A senior in high school – just like my daughter.
Ben met Jesus yesterday. On Christmas. Unexpectedly.
“Do you believe in angels and God?”
“I do.”
Please join me in praying for the Breedlove family.
{This was Ben’s Story ‘Part One.’ To see Part Two, click here. To hear his sister’s beautiful eulogy … click here.}
Alex Eklund is a freshman at Baylor. And he started a movement … just by posting something on Facebook. Check out the video. (Trouble viewing in reader? Click here.)
Pretty impressive, huh?
Alex Eklund is a brave kid. He’s taking a stand on something that flies in the face of culture. And he’s getting pretty beat up on YouTube because of it. [Read more...]
You might not know this but I died a little when I wrote this post. Because I made a confession. I remember writing the post, reviewing the draft and debating whether I should publish it.
It felt so vulnerable about the post. And the longer I waited to publish it, the more ashamed I felt. The voices in my head said people would read it and think less of me. That I should know better. And that I could handle the issue on my own.
But then something happened. [Read more...]
At the gym last week, I was talking with a friend and she told me that she struggled with a half empty perspective. A dreary outlook. A gripey attitude.
So I suggested she start a gratitude journal. To write down a list ~ 30 things a day for the next 30 days. I basically issued a Joy Challenge.*
What I realize from experience (I’ve issued my self a Joy Challenge dozens of times) is that not only does thankful living change your attitude and your mood, but it also changes your relationships.
About 15 years ago, Will and I went through a really difficult season (listen here) in our marriage. Along with counseling, I kept a gratitude journal. It was a vital piece of repairing our relationship. [Read more...]
