Something really cool happened to me this month- something I've never done before, never been part of before. I was selected to be on a launch team for one of my favorite authors, Jen Hatmaker! Her newest book, For the Love, is releasing August 18th, 2015. I have had the privilege to read an advance copy of the book, as well as be connected with 500 other wonderful men and women from all over the world who are also reading the book along with me.
At first, I was unsure, because although I LOVE Jen, this book isn't about her. It's about the Lord. So I wasn't sure what I would find when I joined our Launch Team Facebook group: a bunch of Jen fans, people serious about the words we publish about our creator God, other aspiring writers... I just wasn't sure.
Let me just assure you, that this Launch Team is full of caring and loving people. There has been so much openness and confession and prayer requests and praise- it's really one of those things that has taken on a life of it's own. Pretty soon, the ladies on the team from DFW are coming to a meet up I'm hosting. We plan to discuss the book, meet each other in person, and just enjoy this short but fun season!
One more really fun connection is that there is someone on the Launch Team that I actually know in person prior to the Launch Team- Katie. We met at the Linger Conference, and she stayed with my friends at the #highchapelhouse while she was attending the conference. We found each other in the Launch Team Group, and that has been so cool and fun!
The book is now available for preorder, and I can't recommend it enough. You'll be so glad to have this arrive on your front stoop or delivered to your ereader!
Two other great options to start with if you haven't read Jen's other books are Interrupted: When Jesus Wrecks Your Comfortable Christianity and 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess. These will tide you over until August 18!
*Disclaimer- These Amazon Smile links directly benefit Naomi's Village by donating a portion of the purchase price to the organization.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Good Gifts
I have been so encouraged in the Lord over the last two weeks, but today specifically... Just wow. I am seeing with fresh eyes that his creation is just beautiful- from our recent awesome snowy weather, to a friendly gesture offered on the way into a store- and even us, as persons. The human race, created in his image, continues to ask all around, to anyone or anything that will hear, "Do you hear what I have to say? Do you still love me?" When we understand that our Creator answers those questions for us with a resounding "YES!"- that's a good gift.
Late one evening, I whispered to a friend, "What if God makes me stay in Africa forever and I never get to get married?" To which she replied: "He's still good. He's better." And that's true. When what we desire isn't what God has for us right now, we question his sovereignty. We wonder what we can do or say or be to get him to do what we want. And you know what the truth is? No matter what the circumstances are, he is for our good. That's a good gift.
I was talking to another friend a few weeks ago about how bad settling is for our hearts. That we take what we truly don't want because we feel we deserve less than our dreams. So if we don't take the consolation prize then we'll never come close to what we really want because we know us. For example, I could have settled 10 years ago, 8 years ago, or 7 years ago and married a type of man that was funny, smart, prideful, dishonest, cowardly, abusive... you get the picture. I sure wouldn't be heading to Kenya and I sure wouldn't be able to walk in all that God has asked me to. That's a good gift.
On Monday, I will have to do a very difficult thing that I do not want to do. It's one of the bigger tests of my trust in God than anything else about my move. I have to give my dog away. I am so thankful that she is going to a great family, with a host of legitimate dog sitters, lined up and ready to help out, if needed. Being sad is my only issue. That's a good gift.
I also found out that two dear friends (TWO!) will be out to Naomi's Village/Kenya within my first four months on-the-ground. God is showing his tender love for me in that I will have sisters with me in some of these first on-the-ground moments: the blissful, the difficult, the lovely, the lonely. That's a good gift.
"Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!"
Late one evening, I whispered to a friend, "What if God makes me stay in Africa forever and I never get to get married?" To which she replied: "He's still good. He's better." And that's true. When what we desire isn't what God has for us right now, we question his sovereignty. We wonder what we can do or say or be to get him to do what we want. And you know what the truth is? No matter what the circumstances are, he is for our good. That's a good gift.
I was talking to another friend a few weeks ago about how bad settling is for our hearts. That we take what we truly don't want because we feel we deserve less than our dreams. So if we don't take the consolation prize then we'll never come close to what we really want because we know us. For example, I could have settled 10 years ago, 8 years ago, or 7 years ago and married a type of man that was funny, smart, prideful, dishonest, cowardly, abusive... you get the picture. I sure wouldn't be heading to Kenya and I sure wouldn't be able to walk in all that God has asked me to. That's a good gift.
On Monday, I will have to do a very difficult thing that I do not want to do. It's one of the bigger tests of my trust in God than anything else about my move. I have to give my dog away. I am so thankful that she is going to a great family, with a host of legitimate dog sitters, lined up and ready to help out, if needed. Being sad is my only issue. That's a good gift.
I also found out that two dear friends (TWO!) will be out to Naomi's Village/Kenya within my first four months on-the-ground. God is showing his tender love for me in that I will have sisters with me in some of these first on-the-ground moments: the blissful, the difficult, the lovely, the lonely. That's a good gift.
"Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!"
Matthew 7:9-11
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Living Again
In the space I'm living in these days, much of what I feel is temporary. There is a cleansing sense of sloughing off that which bogs down, encumbers, and settles. Then, there is the mourning- desiring things to remain as they are, despite the coming certainty of supernatural disruption. Mourning losses, mourning the deaths of dimmer dreams, and mourning change.
Another interesting phenomenon is the duplicity of emotion that exists in my heart. I have never had these two extremes of loss and gain exist in my soul at the same time. The knowledge that I am fiercely loved by a good father in Heaven matched with all dearly loved relationships that I must leave behind in presence, yet not in heart. Looking ahead to the woven fabric of God's good order and plan, yet turning around to say goodbye to lovely aspirations that aren't meant to be, for me- either ever- or just not at this moment in time. Being okay with certain unknowns and wretchedly asking "Why not, Lord?!" for others.
Over the last three weeks specifically- with time to rest, breathe out, and resettle- I have rightly found my place of living instead of merely existing- which is what I felt that I was doing from Thanksgiving until recently. To be free from all of the frantic tasks of the last two months has been such a blessing. I am now finding a new rhythm of prayer, reflection, and conversation that I had been missing- and that I will again be missing in a few short months, I'm certain. That is, until the Lord gives me new and different community.
I have an odd sense of peace in this place- with deep sadness yet thankfulness in loss, but also with intense excitement and wonder at what is ahead.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
Another interesting phenomenon is the duplicity of emotion that exists in my heart. I have never had these two extremes of loss and gain exist in my soul at the same time. The knowledge that I am fiercely loved by a good father in Heaven matched with all dearly loved relationships that I must leave behind in presence, yet not in heart. Looking ahead to the woven fabric of God's good order and plan, yet turning around to say goodbye to lovely aspirations that aren't meant to be, for me- either ever- or just not at this moment in time. Being okay with certain unknowns and wretchedly asking "Why not, Lord?!" for others.
Over the last three weeks specifically- with time to rest, breathe out, and resettle- I have rightly found my place of living instead of merely existing- which is what I felt that I was doing from Thanksgiving until recently. To be free from all of the frantic tasks of the last two months has been such a blessing. I am now finding a new rhythm of prayer, reflection, and conversation that I had been missing- and that I will again be missing in a few short months, I'm certain. That is, until the Lord gives me new and different community.
I have an odd sense of peace in this place- with deep sadness yet thankfulness in loss, but also with intense excitement and wonder at what is ahead.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-6 ESV
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