ENCOURAGEMENT

I believe encouragement flows out of learned experience. I know of people who can pump you up with a smile. But ask the origin of the upward facial tilt and you will find it came deflated from a trial, inflated from a triumph. Have you felt lifted up by someone's words? Chances are that person crawled up from disappointment after disappointment to reach the pinnacle of inward peace. That inward peace turned outward into praise.

Encouragement from the lips of learned experience flows fluid and free.

I encourage whom my heart dubs the "Faithful 46." You are the ones who have joined this blog over the years in its meanderings of truth. Ever desiring to point women to Christ in the tough trenches of life, you have made this blog possible by your faithful visits. May God lead you ever closer to your destination, which is deeper in Him.

As you know, God instructs us to make plans as He directs our steps. A wonderful, coming-of-age consumes Embrace His Truth. I walked in unfamiliar territory this past weekend at She Speaks as I "pitched" the follow-up companion to my "Pieces" book. The two publishers with whom I met offered suggestions and insight. In fact, one of them took a copy of my proposal! I know this is only a step in the journey, but it feels good moving this vision in the right direction.

My husband and I will be vision casting for Embrace His Truth (another learned experience, for sure!) and I'd like to invite you on this journey. Would you consider...

• Reviewing / commenting on sections of "Pieces: The Journey Journal?"
• Praying for ministry opportunities, vision and direction?
• Contributing content (articles / pictures / ideas)?

Feel free to send your comments to my email. Thanks and blessings!

WEAKNESS - 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9, 10

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Have you felt faint-hearted, sickly, vulnerable, defenseless, ineffective or inadequate? The world scribbles such nom-de-plumes on anyone they consider weak.  But God sees us differently.  He etched your name and my name on His hands and extends them out as a place of refuge, rest and rejuvenation.  Our feeble strength can’t muster that kind of sacred power, so why try?  Boast in what God has to offer...weakness and all.  Because His power is more than sufficient to see you through any situation!

A BLOGGER'S HEART

"Be anxious for nothing...well, you know the rest of the Philippians 4 verse, right? I've poured out and still God pours in more. More opportunities to make His glory shine in my dark places. More chances to serve Him and you in my transparency. It doesn't make posting easy, but I didn't sign up for easy.

I cried, "here am I Lord. Send me," when brokenness called. I listened as a women group leader in Living Waters' off and on for nearly 15 years. I saw hopelessness restored. I taught and encouraged shattered souls and exhorted stubborn aversions to staying stuck in sin. Was it easier to offer my 2 cents in tough issues instead of Christ's? I must admit at times, yes; most cases, no. But weighing the cost, Christ's offering was far more valuable than the advice my own frail frame could ever give. Because after all, I walked the same journey and experienced the consequences of my humanness. Therefore, like a survivor thankful for Christ and the Cross, I blog.

I needed to share my thoughts because next weekend (July 25-28), I will be headed to Concord, NC for the annual She Speaks Writers Conference hosted by Proverbs 31 Ministries. This will be my fifth year in attendance and this year, I feel strongly directed to step...no plunge into the unfamiliar. This feeling has me a bit (GULP) nervous and though Philippians 4:6 states to make my request known to God, I need a few "Aaron's" and "Hur's" to lift up my arms (oops - if you don't know the story, read Exodus 17:7-16).

I have two publishers' meetings scheduled for my follow-up book I've entitled, "Pieces: The Journey Journal". Last November, I gave birth to the impetus behind this journal. "Pieces: Choosing Peace in the Rebuilding of Our Lives" was not only a labor of love but a painful delivery. The process of self-publishing and promotion (both not easy), needed to be experienced much like a first-time mom desiring to give birth naturally. The next birthing needs assistance (click the pic to order an e-book; email me to buy a copy)!

Where do you come into this blogger's heart? In my own strength right now, my proverbial "Amalekites" are discouragement and anxiety. I mean what writer ever feels good enough about what she writes? It is a battle to keep things in perspective and that isn't always easy. But again, I didn't sign up for easy and writing to bring hope and encouragement to survivors is why I cried, "Send me!"

My requests have been made known to God, but my arms could use a lift. Will you pray as God leads you? Pray also that He keeps me open as one of His servant scribes.

Apart from my YouTube video posts, I will connect before I leave. In the meantime, my prayer for you...

Sweet Savior - When we call, You answer. Simple, promise-filled words, but oftentimes tough to remember this side of heaven. But I will trust Your great ability to remind us, to embrace us, to lead us homeward. Keep each of my readers, sisters and sojourners focused and familiar to Your call. AMEN!

WHATDOESITMEANTO 101

Just once I’d like my words to resonate with my teenager. Wouldn’t you? You give correction, but even when they’re dead wrong, they would rather die than admit it! Defeat? No such word in the T.V. vocabulary (that’s Teenage Version).

For the most part, he’s a good kid. He’s hard working, friendly, funny, considerate of others who can’t speak up for themselves, polite and respectful. But translate that language at home, and it is as foreign as the Islamic regime interpreting the Geneva Convention peace treaty. Every word spoken is like an insinuation. Every attempt at a half-way descent conversation is misconstrued as an interrogation. While driving to the store the other day, I thought I’d stay on benign subject matter. “Hey, what color would you paint that house over there?” “I wouldn’t!” Withholding an internal sigh, I then asked, “Well what color do you think dad would paint it?” “I don’t know!” “Honey, I’m just trying to make conversation.” A shrug of his ambivalent shoulders caused the A/C to crank up at least a few degrees.

It takes love and patience to raise our children. I’m no statistician, but I can predict with 100% accuracy that if we have children, they will turn into teenagers. And they will morph into more than the sum of their childhood parts. We just need to stay the course and to keep focused on Christ when those “morphed” parts challenge our parental ground. When they are ambivalent, stand your ground. When their responses are hard to pin down, stand your ground. When they would rather negotiate than cooperate, stand your ground. When their brand of communication consists of glares and grunts, stand your ground.

There may be times when the perfect answer in the moment seems elusive. But we serve a perfect God who created teenagers in His image as well. He alone knows what to do in those moments that aren't so perfect. Am I there yet? Truthfully, no, but I'm aware of my humanness. During the pre-teen years, I use to mushroom in retaliation, arguing with my son like a mad woman. I cried out to God asking, "What's my child's problem!" The proverbial plank and speck had emerged and "whatdoesitmeanto 101" became recurring lessons to this day. What's "whatdoesitmeanto 101"? Well...

• What does it mean to extend forgiveness
• What does it mean to show mercy
• What does it mean to love unconditionally
• What does it mean to listen when we'd rather teach a lesson
• What does it mean to stand our ground
• What does it mean to walk away from a fight
• What does it mean to re-engage after a tense conversation
• What does it mean to p.u.s.h. (pray until something happens)
• What does it mean to truly connect with our teenager

Parenting a teenager is tough, but the way I see it, God fully equips us for the task. He strengthens our words to pray. He expands our hearts to love. He builds up our courage to trust. Defeat? In Christ, there is no such word in the P.V. vocabulary (that’s Parenting Version).