Do you need a RECHARGE?

Last week we had a much-needed fall break on campus, and I was able to take a couple of vacation days to spend Thursday through Sunday with my family. We rented a house, and for the first time since I’ve been married (now going on nine years), we took a family trip together: my parents, siblings and spouses, and nephews.

We haven’t quite settled on a name for our now annual trip to Wimberley (we’re thinking reunion is over-used), but the tentative name is recharge (props to my sister for that ;)).

Y’all, my heart is full, and I certainly feel recharged.

I finished three fiction books.

I laughed until I cried on several occasions (literally, tears streaming down my face!).

I swam in 65-degree water with my three-year-old nephew because, well, he wanted to.

I started a short story.

And I got to spend real quality time with family.

Nothing makes me happier than some good ole quality time.

Perhaps my favorite memory is watching my nephew air guitar and sing during our impromptu worship jam while my brother-in-law made breakfast. (If I haven’t said so—you should buy the Pursue Worship album! It’s incredible!)

There’s a song on the Pursue album titled My Shepherd, and the chorus begins, “I won’t want for anything.”

Isn’t that God’s promise to us?

At this point in the semester, the craziness is cranking up. Piles of grading. Work events. Church events. And October is only the beginning—then it’s Thanksgiving, then Christmas.

“I won’t want for anything.”

Time. Energy. Provision. Grace. Strength. Patience.

“The Lord is my Shepherd, and I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He quiets my soul.”

Reciting that verse brings so much peace to my heart.

Friends—do you need to recharge at this moment? Do you need the Lord to take you beside still waters?

Whatever you’re facing today, this week, this month, He is enough. You’re not lacking anything you need in Him. 

"Let Us Strive to Find Rest"

I’ve been reading about rest in Hebrews 4, studying from different commentaries on this word and its meaning (which is layered). Although the writer seems to be talking about multiple meanings of rest, I’ve been mostly dwelling on this:

“So, then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his” (Hebrews 4:9-10, ESV).

If God, who needs no rest, rested, how could we not follow his lead? So, I asked myself—what does rest mean to me? What does rest look like?

Sometimes it’s being curled up on the couch with a book or watching a movie or show with Howell or sitting on our front porch, watching the barn swallows. But my favorite happy place?

This.

My dad purchased a few hundred acres of land shortly after I graduated from college about an hour away, and this place has become a little oasis for us. There’s always work to be done, something that needs to be maintained—like shredding roads, spraying mesquites or weeds, repairing fences, etc.—but then we play.

And after we play, we sit. On the porch. On the patio. On the back of a tailgate.

The stars are not veiled by city lights, and the only sounds are the crickets and the distant coyote call.

That sounds like “Sabbath rest” to me.

I’ve always loved Psalm 23—“He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.”

The Lord does it all; I need only follow and submit my heart to His. There’s no other effort.

I actually love the way the writer of Hebrews says, “Let us therefore strive to enter that rest…” (4:11).

Let us work to rest? Let us make an effort to rest?

Seems paradoxical, but it reminds me of Jesus’s words to His disciples: the only work for you to do is believe (John 6:29).

When it’s that kind of effort toward rest, it’s an easy striving.

What about you, my friends? Are you taking time to rest? Do you have a happy place—where your heart finds peace, and your soul is restored?

It’s an effort we’re commanded to make. Let us strive to find rest this week. 

"Writing WITH God:" A Refreshing Weekend in the Springs

For the first Saturday in April, I was blessed to attend the ACFW “Write in the Springs” event with the local Colorado Springs chapter. (Although I’m here in Texas, my closest chapters are Colorado Springs or Dallas—both six hours away!)

I didn’t know anyone attending the event—and as an introvert, meeting new people feels scary sometimes. But God truly went before me to open doors.  I sat between two multi-published authors, and I was overwhelmed with their kindness and advice.

Allen Arnold’s message for the day could not have been more timely. (If you’re going to ACFW in Nashville, I encourage you to go to his “Two Realms” session.)

I won’t divulge his message too much, but suffice to say—I approached my writing from the wrong realm. He talked about writing with God, not for Him or about Him. What a powerful concept!

Writing with Him means positioning my heart to be open before Him, to be led by Him, to hear Him.

And to do that, we have to walk in who we are in Christ, so we can approach Him and know Him as the relational Father, not as a distant or uncaring or angry or disappointed Father.

At one point, Allen asked us to spend time with the Lord individually and ask to receive from Him how He feels about our writing.

I don’t know why I had never done that before—and I don’t know why I expected something negative (like the voice of an angry critic: do more of this, don’t do that, etc.), but what I heard from Him I will treasure forever.

I finally have a vision statement for my writing, and I can see my work as He sees it, which means I can see the purpose He has for it. I feel so encouraged to keep pursuing this journey.

But the BEST part of my weekend came later that day—when Howell and I got to spend the evening with my favorite author and her husband. She is an award-winning, multi-published author, but she treated me as a friend and offered incredible advice and direction.

She even asked to read my first chapter. (*SQUEAL!*) I was scared to send it to her (But she’s so awesome, and I’m so…) But I’m glad I did because her suggestions and comments were positive and encouraging and incredibly helpful.

It’s been almost two weeks, and I’m still on cloud nine from that trip. I made new friends, I received great advice from several people, and the Lord refreshed my soul! What a blessing!  

There’s a Hillsong line that says, “To your glory, for your glory.”

That’s what I continue to speak over my work and over my writing journey.

This semester is soon ending, and I feel more revived than ever to keep writing and editing and pursuing options to get my work out there!

Writing friends: How are you feeling these days? Do you need the Lord to refresh your soul? Ask Him how He feels about your writing. I promise you’ll feel restored. >>> Click to Tweet

In the Stillness: Hearing God's Voice

Fall has arrived, and my heart is full of gratitude. This is the season to be thankful, no? I love those moments when we get to take a ‘timeout,’ sit in front of the fire, maybe watch a little Hallmark Christmas movie.

Photo bomb compliments of Rizzoli! :)

I had the opportunity to rest on Sunday (which seems appropriate since we’re to honor the Sabbath once during our week), and I was thankful for the time to reflect. We have been going and going with something almost every night of the week for a while, and finally, we had a night at home!

Across from me on the couch, I found myself staring at a recent gift Tomi gave me:

Thankful, Grateful, Blessed. 

Amen. 

I have found more peace in 2015 than I’ve had in recent years—and not because of any major life event, not because I’ve experienced any specific changes. I’m still married to the same incredible man. I have the same amazing job. I teach the same remarkable classes. My routine is untouched for the most part. 

But I’ve experienced God’s nearness this year—His presence and His overwhelming love—in a way I can’t fully express. God is always good, always faithful, but this year, He has been so near, so tangible. And He has changed my heart in more ways than I can measure. 

Early in the year, I spent 40 days in intimate prayer with Him, recording His words to me every day. Those days were powerful, and I learned to recognize and be confident in hearing God’s voice. Even after the 40 days were over, I loved to hear His words to me—His personal words—every day. I am for you. I love you. I want to carry all your burdens. 

This fall semester has been crazy busy—more so than any I can remember. I can’t put a finger on it; I don’t know exactly what the difference is. But if I’m not careful to stop, to listen—I’ll miss His words to me. I’ll miss the gifts He gives me every day. 

Sometimes in our busyness it’s easy to overlook God speaking to us, and instead, our own thoughts crowd our head. 

I have too much to do.

I don’t have enough time.

I didn’t finish that today—and I really needed to.

I shouldn’t have …

I can’t…

I won’t….

On Sunday, our pastor read an excerpt from a book titled The Soul of Money. The writer notes that we wake up every morning thinking of how we didn’t get enough sleep, we have too much to do—we wake up feeling behind. Then we go to bed thinking of all that we haven’t done or didn’t accomplish in that day—we go to bed feeling unworthy, inadequate. 

This, my friends, is no place to live. 

Before we know it, we are operating from a mindset of lack instead of a mindset that says He is enough, and we are enough, and we can do everything through Him. Grace, my friends. Grace is God’s ability, God’s power in us. 

He gives grace to the weak.

He gives more grace to those who are humble.

Grace upon grace.

There’s grace for you today. Breathe in. Close your eyes. Stop for five minutes. Turn off your phone. Ask the Holy Spirit to come in power, to fill you fully.

He will.  He always will.

Take a "Time Out" from Being Busy: Encouragment from His Word

I’m technically recycling an old post for this week’s Transparent Thursday, but I genuinely feel like God put it on my heart to re-share these truths from His word.

There’s something about this time of year. We are entering the holiday season with Thanksgiving and then Christmas, and there’s so much rush, rush, rush that seems to start from now until January. I was looking at my calendar for November, and there are maybe 1 or 2 days that don’t have any social events written on them—for the whole month. And I believe that’s true for most in this season of the year.

I love sunsets—especially out here in West Texas. They remind me of Hebrews 13:8—“Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” When I pause and take a "time out" to watch a sunset like the one I watched last week (below), I'm reminded of His faithfulness.

#NoFilter

So, friend, I invite you to take a "time out"—even if just for a few minutes. Read through these ten words from the Lord and drive them into your heart as truth. We serve a good God; He is our Father; He loves us unconditionally. We never have to perform or please to gain His attention or His affection. He is already for us; His love is immeasurable and complete. It already is.

Just ‘be’ in His presence today. Let your weary heart find peace and rest in His word:

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1. Those who expect/wait/hope/trust in me will not be disappointed/ashamed/kept waiting. (Psalm 25:3)
2. I have not forgotten you; you are not passed by. I am El Roi—and I see you. (Gen 16:13)
3. I am 100% for you—so nothing and no one can stand against you. You are more than a conqueror. (Romans 8:31, 37)
4. I am good, and I give good gifts. (James 1:17)
5. I am not withholding blessing from you. I only have your best interest at heart. (Psalm 24:5; Psalm 37:25-26; Psalm 84:11)
6. Everything I do is because I love you. (Deut 7:9; Zeph 3:17; 1 John 3:1)
7. I am with you always; I will never leave you nor forsake you. You are not alone. (Deut 31:6; Joshua 1:5)
8. I have a plan for you—and you can trust that it is good. I order your steps perfectly. (Jeremiah 29:11; Psalm 37:23)
9. I will perfect that which concerns you. I am the author and finisher for your faith. (Psalm 138:8; Hebrews 12:2)
10. I am your protector, provider, healer, and comforter. In me, you are complete, made whole, satisfied, filled, and secure.