March 23 - The One Thing

Recently I was feeling overwhelmed. My brain was shorting out as I tried to remember all the little pieces of things I felt responsible for carrying out and completing.  I wrote them all down. When I finished, I realized there were too many for one little me. Exasperated, I prayed: "What am I to do? How did this happen? Why do I feel this way? What can I do?" And finally, "What is my purpose?"

In an instant, I sensed God speak: "You were created to be loved by Me and to let Me love others through you." Period. No more. No less.

Today, let's narrow our focus; shorten our lists; and build upon that for which we were created.

John 13:34 - "Love each other just as much as I have loved you."

March 22 - Stop Planning. Start Doing!

Every year I buy a fresh new planner and begin to create my perfect year with goals and strategies; dreams and hopes; prayers and pleas.

But I feel like this year my message to me is "Stop planning. Start doing." 

There is comfort and safety in the planning, isn't there? It feels important, but has little power on its own. It takes legs and hands; a mind to create; and a heart to risk and have faith that we can and we will. 

How do we break free of the planning and start the "doing?" Take one step today. Another tomorrow. Begin the task, type the word, buy the paint, make the call, find your team, meet one deadline. You are on your way! You CAN and you WILL because you are not alone! Go!

Habbakuk 2:2 - Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.

Proverbs 16:9 - In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

March 21, 2018 - Five Things a Puppy Knows About Life

1 - Life is AWESOME!
2 - Wild moments are important before naps.
3 - Love is returned with more love.
4 - The world needs to laugh.
5 - Everyone needs a friend.

Proverbs 17:22 - A joyful heart is good medicine.

Here is our new Aussiedoodle, Daisy, saying "hello" to Allison, Patsy, and Dolly.

Feb. 7 - Is Your Dream Impossible Enough?

Sometimes I look at my big dream, my passion, my gifting, my business, my age, my looks, and on and on and think "that other person has way more going for her! I don't know enough! Who would want me? I'm sure to fail!" But nothing can be further from the truth. The truth is, my passion was given to me by my Creator. His promises to me tell me He wants me to go for it. His delight is in me. And as long as my delight is in Him, he has already given me the desires of my heart.

He is with me in what He has given me to release to this world. What may seem impossible to me is totally possible with Him. With God as my partner, I can't fail. I will win, I will be successful, and quite possibly I will change the world!

Psalm 37:4-5 - Make God the utmost delight and pleasure of your life, and he will provide for you what you desire the most. Give God the right to direct your life, and as you trust him along the way, you'll find he pulled it off perfectly! (TPT)

The Miracle of the Eggs

It snowed in Denver this week. A blowing, icy blast of crystals accumulated to 6 inches.
Cozy in their coop, my chickens (Reba, Dolly, Maybelle, Allison, Patsy, and June) were afraid to come out in the cold.
But here is the rest of the story.
Early that morning after shoveling snow, Rick decided to take a dozen eggs to our neighbor. That left us with 1 egg. Then Rick asked if we could have German pancakes for breakfast. "Really?" I thought. "You just gave all the eggs away!" Dismayed, I contemplated asking Rick if he could borrow a couple eggs back. But...we decided to wait on the hens. And by golly they started going to work. Instead of the normal 3 eggs per day, we had a whopping 7 by the afternoon. They more than doubled their daily egg production.
I think I am finally getting that we can't out-give God. When we generously give, He promises to give back in abundance. After we thanked God AND the chickens - we had a perfectly puffy German pancake.

Mark 6:41 - Then Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, gazed into heaven, and gave thanks to God. He broke the bread and the two fish and distributed them to his disciples to serve the people - and the food was multiplied in front of their eyes.

How To Be Brave

The thought that a path is lit up before me and that I am never alone as I set foot upon it helps me to be braver than I could ever be without this promise. I am a risk taker; an adventurer; a dreamer; and a woman who believes in impossibilities. Without faith, I could be none of these. I am so thankful to the illuminator of my path.

Psalm 18:28-30: God, all at once you turned on a floodlight for me! You are the revelation-light in my darkness, and in your brightness I can see the path ahead. With you as my strength I can crush an enemy horde, advancing through every stronghold that stands in front of me. What a God you are! Your path for me has been perfect! All your promises have proven true. (The Passion Translation)

Inviting the Quiet

My email and FaceBook feeds are inundated with messages trying to entice me to learn, buy, join, or stand for or against something. It is ultra-annoying and I am spending the morning unsubscribing to most everybody that is doing this. So now I am looking at my own business. How can I help people on the internet without burying them in sale-sy messages? I HAVE to be better than this. There must be a way.

In my own life, I want to simplify. I love what Henry David Thoreau said:

"Our lives are frittered away by detail. Simplify! Simplify!"

I don't want my life to be frittered away. Today, I will relish being still and will invite quiet into my life.

How are you doing this in your life?

Luke 5:16 - But Jesus often slipped away from them and went into the wilderness to pray.