Very cool blog site

August 27, 2008 | Faith: Knowing Christ

I discovered a new blog today that I love. The author is Anne Jackson, author of Mad Church Disease. I think I liked her immediately just because of the title of her book, but then I read her blog.

Guess what she’s done?

She’s encouraged people to give over $90,000 to change the world. If you ever read my teen blog (Real Teen Faith), you know that this is my heartbeat. Sometimes as believers we point out what we think is wrong with the world, but forget to do something about it, or we wait until we can do something big, forgetting that together we can really make a difference.

Two days ago Anne Jackson asked her readers to give to Compassion Intl’s global food crisis fund. She hoped to raise $400 that day to match a donor’s challenge. So far, over $2,500 has been raised.

I’ve been sitting on a challenge for several days, afraid to ask you or others for help. It seemed too big. It was difficult to ask people to help you in your dream to make a difference. But when I see what one person can do when she teams with her readers, her friends, and strangers who just want to help, it encouraged me.

So, tomorrow we’ll talk. Okay? Cuz I have a dream to place some books in the hands of women who just want a second chance. 

time keeps on ticking

August 26, 2008 | Family: Nurturing Family, Just me

I sat on the bed with my daughter. She was in for the weekend to visit a friend. We started talking about when I was a young mother.

“What was it like?” she asked.

Crazy. Chaotic. Tears. Joy. Love. Messy. Poop, lots of poop. Fatigue. (more…)

One of those stupid dreams

August 22, 2008 | Just me, Ministry Life

I had one of those stupid dreams last night. You know, the ones where you are somehow unprepared. Whether it’s you left your underwear at home, or don’t know the combination of your lock. Except this was a play and I had a part. I was a pirate.

I held my script, but the guy’s scarf kept covering the words. So they gave me a hand-held monitor, but I couldn’t see it because the lighting was dark. So they moved me away from the guy with the scarf and tried something else, except I forgot who I was in the play so I didn’t know where to begin.

This went on for hours, or maybe it was seconds. All I know is that I continued to say things like, “I’m sorry. I really think I can do this. I don’t know why I can’t find the words. I’m usually much better at things like this.” (more…)

That little “check”, what’s that about?

August 19, 2008 | Faith: Knowing Christ, Ministry Life

I received a great opportunity the other day. I wish I could tell you about it, but it’s in the works. When it’s public knowledge, we’ll chat, okay? I promise!

But there was something inside of me — a hesitancy, that I couldn’t ignore. When that “check” is there, I need to wait. Maybe I need to say no, or maybe I need more information so that I can say yes.

One night I couldn’t sleep, and as I lay there I thought about the opportunity, and I realized that it was bigger than I first imagined. Not in the sense that it would promote me or my books, but bigger spiritually. 

I started to pray, and all the outside issues fell away and I saw the opportunity clearly–through spiritual eyes instead of my own.

When morning broke, I knew the answer would be yes.  (more…)

Just a thought

August 18, 2008 | Just me

Heard this week:

The best things in life are rarely things.

Denver News

August 16, 2008 | Family: Nurturing Family

I’ve been in Denver and what a week it was. It ended with a nice surprise–a gift, actually–that I didn’t expect.

I arrived at the Denver Intl. airport and found out that most shuttles don’t go to Arvada, where I needed to be for an interview on Denver Celebration, a Daystar program. I “shuttled” between three or four transportation services who all said, “check out the next guy”.

I decided to rent a car and was surprised that I could rent a beautiful 2008 silver Toyota 4runner SUV for less than the shuttles would have cost. I hit I70 West, and found Wheat Ridge/Arvada 30 minutes later.

I was on ”Denver Celebration” to talk about The Mom I Want to Be and The Woman I am Becoming with host Linda Evans Shepherd. If you tuned in and wondered why my hair was so flyaway, it was because of the fire alarm and evacuation at the hotel while I was getting ready. Nothing like running downstairs and outside with wet hair. (more…)