Embrace the Suck (Repost)

July 9, 2014 by

Hi friends… For the next few weeks, Wednesdays will be dedicated to re-sharing some of my favorite posts. I am so blessed to be working on some “big rocks” and pretty awesome God-sized dreams, but I need time to make that happen. So after much prayer, here we are. I pray you enjoy these words… And thanks for extending me Christ-like grace. Oh. And everything is still business as usual for our Thursday #EverydayJesus link-up, so don’t miss it!

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Sometimes, life sucks.

Yeah, I said it. And yeah, I said it on a Jesus-loving Christian blog.

But its the truth. Sometimes life sucks.

We live in a world of pain. Of hurt. Of disease. Of evil. Of hard circumstances. Of moments where we wonder how the heck we are supposed to continue to function.

“Sucky” things in life range from the seemingly small and trivial (I lost my stupid wallet– again!) to the painfully large and unexplainable (Acts of terrorism. War. Violence. Etc.)

So yeah, it’s the truth. Sometimes life really just kinda sucks. [Read more…]

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Strength Training with Christ

July 8, 2014 by

Strength Training with Christ

I have been on a journey to “get fit” for about seven years.

It started in college with a challenge from my Animal Science Anatomy and Physiology professor. He said that if we would take initiative to go to the rec center and meet with a trainer for a fitness/nutrition evaluation then write a paper on it, we would get a few points of extra credit.

Who knew that the one of the most rewarding, challenging, painful and sweaty experiences of my life would be motivated through academics? [Read more…]

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Video Blog: God’s Perspective

June 17, 2014 by

Today’s Take-Home Message:

Sometimes we are too close to see things clearly. 

Sounds a bit counterintuitive, but it is so true. Check out today’s video blog for a little somethin’ somethin’ on how to step back and see life through God’s perspective.  [Read more…]

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The Best Boss

June 10, 2014 by
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These three little piggies were “take-home” souvenirs from my first-ever job. Fact #1: Pigs are rarely a profitable undertaking. Fact #2: This is probably the second most unattractive picture ever taken of me. High school was precious.

I jumped head first into the “working world” the summer after turned 16 as a sophomore in High School.

My first ever “real” job was working on a several-thousand head farrow to wean/breeding and gestation swine operation in Minnesota.

It was a trip. (Literally.)

Since that point, I have held several jobs. Some were seasonal, some part-time and some big-kid-post-college-graduation full-time jobs.

With each of those jobs, I had a boss.

Looking back, I would have to say I have had some pretty great supervisors. Folks like Todd, Brenda, Cindy, and Sharon.

But I have also has some not-so-awesome bosses… Who, because I am a Christian and love Jesus, shall remain nameless. (You are welcome, un-named leaders in my life.)  [Read more…]

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From Fun to None & Back Again (#EverydayJesus)

June 5, 2014 by

Welcome to another week of our Everyday Jesus link-up. Be sure to link-up below this post, comment on your neighbor’s blog and share with your friends… Because Jesus is everywhere, every day! 

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I used to be a pretty fun-loving gal.

In college, I was almost always up for a random adventure or spontaneous activity with my friends. Weekend road trip to another state? Sure. (As long as I didn’t have an exam on Monday.) Free tickets to a football game? Sign me up.

Then life happened. Graduation came, I married my beloved soldier and began to try to figure out this military wife life.  [Read more…]

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iPad Art for the Heart: Walking on Clouds

June 4, 2014 by

Hi friends… For the next several weeks, Wednesdays will be dedicated to re-sharing some of my favorite posts. I am so blessed to be working on some “big rocks” and pretty awesome God-sized dreams, but I need time to make that happen. So after much prayer, here we are. I pray you enjoy these words… And thanks for extending me Christ-like grace. Oh. And everything is still business as usual for our Thursday #EverydayJesus link-up, so don’t miss it!

***

My iPad is the bomb diggity. (Yes, I’m bringing that phrase back. Excited for it to catch on.)

Honestly, I probably don’t use my trusty iPad to the extreme that some hardcore Appladdicts do. (That’s my new name for people who love Apple products.) But I L-O-V-E the convenience and entertainment it brings to my life. Plus, it was a gift, so that’s a total bonus.

When I still worked at Christ Community before our PCS, we would all have the chance to do staff devotional during our staff meetings every so often. This blog is what happened when it was my turn. And while it was initially unexpected, I managed to integrate some iPad art into the heart message. Here’s how things went down… [Read more…]

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Not-so-lonely Road

May 28, 2014 by

Hi friends… For the next several weeks, Wednesdays will be dedicated to re-sharing some of my favorite posts. I am so blessed to be working on some “big rocks” and pretty awesome God-sized dreams, but I need time to make that happen. So after much prayer, here we are. I pray you enjoy these words… And thanks for extending me Christ-like grace. Oh. And everything is still business as usual for our Thursday #EverydayJesus link-up, so don’t miss it!

***

We’ve all experienced it at some point in our lives.

That moment of heart-heaviness. It feels like we are surrounded by darkness. We might be by ourselves or in a crowd of people.

Either way… we just feel straight up lonely.

Lonely, at least in my personal opinion, is one of the most un-fun places to be. Now, true loneliness is a heart issue and is very different from intentional solitude. We all need some “alone time” every now and then, whether it is to rest, recharge, reflect or just  BE.

But being lonely, especially in our hearts, can be a painful and scary place. [Read more…]

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Would you REALLY??

May 27, 2014 by

My woman brain goes weird places every now and then.

If you don’t believe me, just ask my husband. (He says I am “abnormal.” But this is coming from a man who chews his toenails and watches weird space documentaries on TV… sometimes simultaneously. So I vote his “abnormal” is unfounded.)

But my brain really does come up with crazy thoughts sometimes. Occasionally they are good thoughts, just letting my imagination run about what God might have planned for us in this world. Sometimes I daydream about heaven and anticipate meeting Jesus for the first time. And yes, my brain will often try to put “scary” thoughts in my head revolving around severe sickness, accidents, death etc. (At which point I promptly tell Satan to GET BEHIND ME as I pray Philippians 4:8)

There are a few occasions when a semi-profound Jesus thought randomly pops out of these thought tangents.

Like this one: “Would I REALLY die for Christ?”  [Read more…]

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Building a Christ-Like Marriage: Communication

May 19, 2014 by

Miscommunication. It is one of those seemingly insignificant aspects of our life that remains insignificant until it actually happens and you and your spouse are engaged in a no-rules-who-will-tap-out-first-cage-match situation.

Not that I would know, of course. I mean, Brandon and I communicate perfectly. Flawlessly. We communicate so well, it is practically an art form in our house.

OR NOT.  [Read more…]

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Baby Steps

May 13, 2014 by

For my entire adult life, I have always heard parents talking about the “big” firsts  in their child’s life: First tooth, first solid food, first vacation…

And yep, you guessed it– first steps.

I never really knew what a big deal those first steps were until we had a daughter of our own.  [Read more…]

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