Earlier this month I attended a women's conference in Nashville called the Influence Conference. We had worship time together, heard from several speakers, and did a break-out session. During the whole day, I had two favorite speakers -- Jess Connolly and Rebekah Lyons. It was during their talks that I heard God speak to me about something He's been calling me to do. Today, I'm sharing more about what they said, what I got from it, and how I'm answering God's calling. Inspiration from Influencers During Jess Connolly's talk, she reminded me that there is no fear when you've let go of your Continue Reading
What God Said to Me at Allume 2015
A couple weeks ago I attended Allume. When someone asks me what Allume is I always say, "a blogging conference." But Allume is so much more than that. Yes, I learn a little bit about how to improve my blog, but this conference is a lot more about my heart than about my space on the Internet. Last year was my first time attending Allume. I had been longing for community, and Allume gave me a fresh dose of fellowship -- just like I had been needing. Last year was all about connecting with others, handing out business cards, and learning as much as I could about blogging. This year was Continue Reading
When You Don’t Feel Loved
I'm a woman. In case you didn't know. I've been learning a lot about myself as a woman lately. Things that I knew deep down about myself, but I didn't realize I am that way because of the very fact that I am woman. While reading The Language of Love and Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs I learned that I need love. I've always longed for love, for the feeling of being loved. But now I realize it's a part of the nature of woman. We all want to feel loved. When reading The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman I learned that we all (men and women) have love tanks in a sense. Sometimes, our Continue Reading
2015 Word of the Year
This post contains affiliate links. For my full disclosure policy, click here. Are you one of those people who chooses one word to represent the year ahead? I like to do that, and I've been doing it for the past few years. I remember that my word for 2013 was Love. And my word for 2014 was Explore. This year, I am doing something a little different. Instead of choosing one word to represent the coming year, I am choosing two. That's right. I'm totally breaking the rules and choosing two words for 2015. This year is going to be so full of so many things that two words are needed. Brave Continue Reading
How Hospitality Can be as Easy as Learning One Word
One of my hobbies used to be swing dancing. I joined a swing dance club in college and learned a lot of fun moves. After the lesson each week during club, we would all practice the moves by dancing together. I went every week and saw the same people. I got asked to dance by the same guys a lot. There was one guy in particular who I had danced with a few times before, but every week he wouldn't know my name. After swing dance club one night, I was telling my friend how much it bothered me that this kid couldn't remember my name after weeks of dancing with him. I specifically remember saying, Continue Reading
Neighborhood Ice Cream Social
Remember when I wrote that post about striving for hospitality? Well, I didn't want my hospitality toward my neighbors to end with a plate of brownies. I wanted to do more. Late one night, as I laid in bed trying to sleep while my mind did the opposite of sleep, I remembered reading a post called How to Host an Ice Cream Social This Summer. (Read that post here.) The idea stuck with me. Everyone loves ice cream, right? I worked all the details out in my head that night before eventually falling asleep. The next day, I told my husband about the idea, and to my surprise, he wanted to do Continue Reading
Running: How God Cares
Confidence. I hadn't been feeling it. I gained some weight over the holidays, as most do. But it just wasn't coming off and my workouts of running hadn't been as good as they were before the holidays. I could see the difference in my body, and I was not pleased. Wednesday night as I said my prayers with my husband before we went to sleep, I asked God to help me have better workouts. I asked Him to help me lose this extra weight and that I would feel confident about myself again. That might seem like a silly thing to pray about when so many other awful things are happening in this world, but Continue Reading
Ways to Fuel the Fire in Your Heart
For the sake of the world, burn like a fire in me. Light a flame in my soul for every eye to see. For the sake of the world, burn like a fire in me. As I sang these lyrics during worship at my church, the words stirred in my heart and God began to speak. As the song ended, I sat down and began writing on my bulletin. Scribbling what I was hearing God whisper to my heart. I didn't want to forget those words, and I knew it needed to be shared with you. Burn like a fire in me. Have you ever started a fire? There are three things needed: a spark or flame, oxygen, and some type of fuel. Continue Reading
On Letting Go & Having Empty Hands
The other day I had a dream I was with an older couple -- family friends of ours -- in a parking lot. This couple had to make a list of things they would give up, and then they were really letting go of things things, really living without them. Then the dream made a turn toward ice cream ... but that's not the point. I began thinking about this list of things to give up in my half asleep/half awake state. What would I be willing to write on my list? What could I live without? There are several things I would have trouble giving up and letting go. Cable - how would I watch my favorite Continue Reading
Look at the Rainbow
Last week I was on a mail kick. I love getting mail -- let me clarify, I love getting mail that is for me and is nice. Bills and junk mail do not count as nice. But whenever I receive a card, a letter, or even better a package -- I get SO excited. And almost as much as I love receiving mail, I love sending out mail. I could stand in the greeting card aisle for hours! It gives me joy to send some upliftment out to others. My computer is telling me "upliftment" isn't a word. So I declare it a word right now, and it basically means encouragement. So last week, I sent out several cards and Continue Reading
Great and Mighty Things
Pray about it. Dream big. Then write it down. That's basically what the new book I'm reading said. The book is called Intentional Blogger, and the authors wanted me to make goals for my blog. I'll be honest with you ... I thoroughly read that chapter on setting goals twice. I skimmed over it another two times. I printed off the printables they included for the goal setting chapter. And I sat there and stared at them for quite some time. Writing out my goals for this blog was difficult for me. I went back and forth in my mind. I asked my husband for help. He said my goal should be for Continue Reading
When God Doesn’t Answer
Heartbreak. Prison. Job interview. Travel. Safety. Future. Homework. Stress. Health. Forgiveness. Salvation. Healing. Comfort. Peace. All of these things have been in my prayers lately. I feel like my prayer list has been full to the brim recently. Do you ever feel like that? I've been praying for friends, family, acquaintances, and even strangers. I keep a prayer request list in my head. Sometimes, when it gets extra full I journal my prayers. Sometimes I pray with my husband. Sometimes I pray alone. I pray in the shower, in the car, while I work out, before bed, or in the Continue Reading