Let yourself smile, be crazy inspired, laugh, love & really live the gift of this life
just a little bit more this weekend…
Serving up only the Good Stuff for you & your people right here:
oooh, beauty! Come stand in awe and take a deep breath with us?
– All this glory! Astounding! –
Don’t miss this on being a woman of bold prayer – we could all use more of this!
Okay– now you just HAVE to read this. HOPE stories in the midst of crisis in Turkey.
A love-letter to libraries — this will do your heart good.
< deep exhales over here >
Thank God for His kindness and forgiveness! A revelation of this can make us ALL teary.
Ohh don’t pass this one by! This is a great word for us!
a humbling delight to be included in Trinity Forum’s round-up of “special listens” — For your weekend podcast listening: Ann Voskamp on What Sabbath Looks Like for Her, and Relying on the Provision of the Lord
What this man does to tackle loneliness in retirees? We like this!
And what else could we do to combat the needs we see? #bethegift
Post of the Week from Around these Parts
Honestly? Marriages are extremely fragile things, not an accomplishment to be proud of,
but a miracle to be extremely thankful for.
And every wedding aisle is a narrow way:
Love is always the narrow way that limits in some ways — but in other ways, deeply expands & fulfills one’s soul.
And maybe this is what the deepest heart of all the lovers — both old & young — really just need to share together today:
What All the Lovers, Old & Not-so-old-At-All, Really Need Today
THIS: “Christianity is cruciform-shaped. It cannot be anything else. And the impulse we feel within us to try to contort that cruciform shape, to make it more effective, more viral, more powerful in a mass-media age, is an impulse that can only end in disaster.“
The Mark of Church Health We Often Omit
The groan and glory of our work — God doesn’t diminish our work or it’s value — He values deeply what each of us put our hands to. Really great, encouraging read.
Who just needs some JOY this weekend?! (Sound up on this one!)
the return of the bookstore – cheering wildly for all of this!
Now these teachers? Being the gift? <tears!>
When someone goes out of their way to love well.
Yeeees!!!
oooh! now this is so good!
“…surrounding ourselves with unread books enriches our lives as they remind us of all we don’t know. The Japanese call this practice tsundoku, and it may provide lasting benefits.”
This mama going after her big dreams and graduating in her 40’s?
listen up– IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO START CHASING YOUR DREAMS!
– This is just too cute –
Who wants to come see this with me? Just beautiful!
On the Book Stack at the Farm
Read Kate Bowler‘s recent guest post:
When We Don’t Feel Very #Blessed
Don’t miss Wendy Speake‘s recent guest post:
An Invitation to Feast
A Gentle Nudge to Keep Creating & Dreaming
“You either bury all your fears in real faith. Or you’re burying all your real talents.”
You know that thing you wanted to make, create, write, dream into existence — but there’s always a million reasons why it feels impossible?
And every time you look at the blank page, the blank screen, the blank canvas–
you see a crowd of critics & mockers rolling their eyes back at you?
And you’re tired of making excuses — but aren’t sure how to really start– or keep going?
The one’s that your heart – & the art you always dreamed of making —
will thank you for reading right to the end:
If You or Your People – Little or Large – need a hug & More Courage to do the Thing You’re Made to do, You Need — Your Brave Song —
To Sing God’s Love Song About You on Repeat in Your Heart.
We created this one for YOU, and especially for:
- the uncertain and not sure
- for the outsiders and all who aren’t sure where and how they belong
- for the all the littles and bigs — who all need the freedom of being child-like
- for everyone who is a maker – all of us! – who need to know a love so large it pushes out all their fears!
Come along and enjoy this with us?
So much glory and goodness in this place.
“Even in the silence
Jesus you’re working
And I believe it still
I believe it still
So let your promise be fulfilled”
[from our Facebook community – join us?]
Frankly? Fear is one brute of a conniving monster,
and fear tends to defend itself with the roaring mask of anger….
or fear disguises itself with a bloated, sauntering pride ….
or fear goes around relentlessly shaming,
thinking if it piles on enough shame,
it can flatten you till it reshapes you into being someone better.
But really?
Shaming those anxious, fearful parts of your souls —
fails to actually calm those parts down.
And this is what actually, gently, helps:
Instead of trying to beat parts of you into being braver, calmer, better …
give those parts of you the beats of a greater love song to dance to.
Because this is one of the very deepest truths in the whole of the universe:
When Love sits down
with fear —
so many things
calm down.
When Love puts its arm around fear — so many fears melt.
Only Love Himself is large enough to enfold fear.
What refreshes your life —is the fresh wind of His love.
When you know Love Himself holds you —
courage takes hold of you and you rise to meet the moment.
You can rise to braveness,
when you feel the depths of your belovedness.
That’s all for this weekend, friends.
Go slow. Be God-struck. Grant grace. Live Truth.
Give Thanks. Love well. Re – joy, re- joy, ‘re- joys’ again
Share Whatever Is Good.
