Tag: inspiration (Page 1 of 2)

Soul Food Before Thanksgiving

November 13, 2021 /

For Those Who Want a Little Inspiration…

Over the past month I coached an online workshop through National Community Church, teaching people how to share their God stories – the story of how they came to know Jesus and the stories of how God has shown up in their everyday lives – showing them more bout His character.

In our tiny group, was a committed young man who joined us online at 4:30 a.m. his time each week from India! He so inspired me as he shared his story of growing up Hindu, but coming to recognize Jesus as the healer of his mom, forgiver and savior. He has little to no support other than the online faith community and yet he has such a passion for having India know Jesus. Will you pray with me for him?

Gracious Lord, we come before You on behalf of many around the world, like Kirubakaran, who are following You under such difficult circumstances. We pray that your Holy Spirit might strengthen and encourage their hearts. Help them to know that they are known, seen, loved, and valued by You. I pray that even today they might see the fruit of their perseverance. In the strong name of Jesus, Amen.

For Parents (or mentors, aunts, etc)…

I love, love, love this list of 10 Fun Things to Do at Home with Kids and I know they are good, because I did some of them back in the day of littles! Even though my kids are grown, I’d love for us to create a family time capsule over the holidays. Won’t it be interesting to look back on this season 10 years from now? (Hopefully we WILL be looking back some day!)

If you’re like me, you can read something like this and think, “Oh, what a great idea!” but not do anything about it. Maybe choose one idea (or let your kids choose one) and commit to do it this week. Make a memory!

For Leaders…

If you’re a leader, a coach, a teacher…basically anyone who works with volunteers, take a look at these great questions your volunteers are asking.

For Those With Wanderlust…

Those who know me, know I need no extra motivation to travel, but I was captivated by this list of 18 Movies that Inspire Travel and am putting several on my list to watch asap!

So thankful I was able to visit D.C. IRL this week!

For Hosts…

A Hosting Game-Changer from Priya Parker – assign your guests roles. People like to help!

In social gatherings, hosts can also carry too much weight (in part because we want people to relax and have fun.) But guess what? These roles can actually be fun, playful, and deeply simple. It could be, as my friend Nora Abousteit does, that you assign a “Water Minister” and a “Wine Minister” to be in charge of refilling glasses and making sure everyone has enough to drink.

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You might also like my Instagram post with recipe here!

For Nesters

You’ve heard of a “capsule wardrobe”, right? Well what about a “Decor Capsule Wardrobe”? I thought this was a great idea!

For Those Who Want a Book Suggestion…

This was a really good mystery, and I just read that Jennifer Garner has signed to play the lead in the limited series based on the book!

That’s it from me except for one last question…

Who is team “decorate for Christmas before Thanksgiving”, and who is waiting to spring into action Friday, November 26th?

Soul Food for Long Days and Uncertain Times

March 28, 2020 /

The rhythm of our days looks very different in this season.

And yours, if you have littles, will look different than mine, or that of my missionary friends in Jordan, or my single friends in Hong Kong and New Zealand. But this crisis has knit us together across the globe, in ways we couldn’t imagine before.

I have not felt scared, but the other day, after a global prayer call was the first time I felt overwhelmed by the magnitude and implications of this pandemic for those outside my circle.

Then I got this note from our “adopted” son, Michael, who is a brand new doctor in Uganda. He writes, “We have very little to no personal protective equipment (ppe) such as N95 masks, goggles and gowns”, BUT then he goes on:

…some of us were manufactured for times like these. When the world needs us the most, our answer is always going to be “Here I am”

I and 5 other resident doctors have voluntarily been added to the COVID-19 treatment taskforce of the hospital. We have been fully trained on how to respond and remain safe throughout the management of a victim. 

From the view of events, only God can come to our rescue.  But is there a day or Moment when we asked for His kindness and He did not show up? NO!!

So I trust that even this time, the God we pray to and worship everyday will show up for us and save us.

May we be inspired by Michael, who is living out the truth of Romans 8!

…we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:37-39

I wrote on Instagram the other day that I’m convinced it’s not scientists that are going to come up with a vaccine for Covid_19, but desperate moms, stuck at home with their kids who have run out of creative ideas to keep everyone happy and engaged.

A few movies came to mind that might help with that (but are also great for adults)…

Spellbound – a documentary about 8 kids who are compete in the 1999 National Spelling Bee.

Akeelah and the Bee – fiction, about a young girl from south L.A. trying to make it to the National Spelling Bee.

Queen of Katwe – about a young girl from Uganda that discovers she has an amazing talent for chess and how it changes her life.

And if you want a fun comedy, check out The Trouble With Angels – about two students at a convent school who are very creative with their pranks.

And if you haven’t seen A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, now’s the time!

A few posts from Instagram to make you smile…

This has been posted everywhere, but I could watch/listen to it indefinitely. In case you haven’t seen it yet, soak these words in.

I’ve been trying to share a little devotional thought in my Instagram stories each morning, and if you’d like to see past ones, I’m saving them on my story highlights under “Covid_19 Devos”.

What’s keeping you inspired, motivated, and encouraged these days? Share in the comments! (If you’re commenting for the first time, it won’t show up right away, but don’t worry, it will soon!)

Summertime Soul Food

July 25, 2019 /

On Fridays I share what I call “soul food” – stories and resources that I pray will help you connect to Jesus and others. May they be uplifting, and bring a smile to your face.

On repeat…

Is He worthy?
Is He worthy?
Of all blessing and honor and glory?
Is He worthy?
Is He worthy?
Is He worthy of this?
He is.

He is.

Feel good story

Be inspired!

Enjoy a laugh at all the cuteness!

“Real” food = soul food? You may not think so, but connection, encouragement, prayer, and inspiration often happens around our tables so I include it!

I put this on my Instagram stories, and had so many responses, I thought I’d share it here too for those of you not on Instagram! Among the many comments, were suggestions to use this on eggs or salmon too, and someone said you can get a bigger, cheaper version at Costco! Anyone else want to weigh in? Post in comments.

Avocado toast ftw!

I also posted on Instagram about this magical Polly’s mother’s crab dip that may help you solve the problems of the world.

Ingredients:

2  8 oz. packages cream cheese
1/3 cup mayo
1.5 t prepared mustard (Coleman’s)
3 t sherry
1/2 t salt
1/2 t onion juice (opt.)
4 t confectioner’s sugar
1/4 t garlic salt
2 6oz. cans of crab meat or fresh (I tried canned, but didn’t think it was as good) Crackers

Directions: Mix in double boiler, adding crab last. Thin with milk if necessary.
Serve in pie plate with crackers

I’d love to hear from you! If you get this in email, just click on the title and it will take you to the site where you can post a comment. If it’s your first time, don’t worry if it doesn’t show up right away!


Authenticity and Telling a Better Story

November 2, 2017 /

Recently I did something I rarely do. I got 250 pages into a book and quit.

I had invested a lot of time, but I just couldn’t finish.

It was well written, compelling historical fiction about the wife of Emperor Franz Joseph, but I could tell where the story was heading and I just couldn’t take any more narrative about bad, sad choices, no matter how factual the research was.

Do you ever feel weary of authentically depressing news? Disappointed or dismayed over person after person modeling less than noble behavior?

Over the past ten years we have put an increasingly high value on “authenticity”. We want speakers, leaders, pastors, writers who tell us the whole messy truth. We want vulnerability and  transparency. No plastic saints thank you ma’am. This is a good thing.! A great thing even!

Scripture says,

“Confess your sins one to another…” (James 5:16)

“The truth will set you free…” (John 8:32)

But the stories we’re telling aren’t the only stories to be told.

There are true accounts of courage and sacrifice and service.

Stories can be authentic, but also good and inspiring. Not perfect or formulaic, but capable of lifting our eyes and motivating us to become our better selves.

This past weekend John and I were at an event hosted by Opportunity International – an organization that gives micro-loans to the poor to start small businesses, lifting them out of poverty.

The CEO of Opportunity shared this story:

Arles Mina is a client of Opportunity who now makes cheese curds and sells them from a hole-in-the-wall storefront in Bogota, Colombia.

However, there’s more to the story.

A young loan officer found Arles on the streets of Bogota. He was a drug runner for Pablo Escobar and was high on drugs when they met. The loan officer told Arles that he had a future and insisted he take a loan to start a formal business so he could earn a living and work his way off the streets.

Now, Arles says, “Opportunity has made me who I am.”

Arles received a loan from Opportunity. He repaid it and got another loan, and another, and another, expanding his business. Now he employs 3 women.

3 widows.

3 widows whose husbands were killed by the drug cartel he used to serve.

This is an authentic story. A story of redemption.

“…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Phil. 4:8

Yes, we should be informed, and the truth can be ugly, but what if we major on the kingdom stories of restoration, reconciliation and redemption so we may “spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24)?

Spring It Up!

February 26, 2017 /

Going to college in Texas absolutely ruined March for me.

All of a sudden I discovered the secret that had been diabolically hidden from me all my life: In most of the country SPRING COMES IN MARCH!!

It is bluebonnets and cherry blossoms, lemon bars and strawberries, and the sweet aroma of honeysuckle drifting in through open windows, and THERE IS HOPE STREWN EVERYWHERE LIKE CONFETTI!

In Minnesota, March is the cruelest time of the year. It brings to mind a totally different spin on the phrase “March Madness”.

WE HAVE MORE SNOW IN MARCH THAN ANY OTHER MONTH.

WE  GIVE UP ALL HOPE OF EVER SEEING THE SUN AGAIN IN OUR LIFETIME.

via GIPHY

March is a perpetual month of Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Days, which is why I decided we need a dash of inspiration and a pinch of sparkle. How about a Spring It Up Challenge to get us through March?

There are no rules, just a prompt for every day. Do one day or all. Do alone, or with friends. Get creative! Have fun!

Share on Instagram with the hashtag #springitup if you want.

Spring It Up Challenge!

  1. Wear something pink – bright pink or blush pink, lipstick or scarf, shirt or tie…anything counts.

2. Celebrate! Invite friends over for a “March will NOT defeat us!” potluck. Ask each person to bring a food that reminds them of spring (or summer) and have them share why. Choose the date today.

3. Clean out one closet, drawer, or bookshelf. Make room for Spring!

4. Be a joy-bringer. Smile at every stranger you pass. Let others go first – through doors, in lines…

5. Write a note of affirmation to someone. Add some confetti before you seal it up 🙂

6. Go shopping for one warm-weather item – sandals, swimsuit, new top, outdoor entertaining items…

7. Hug at least 3 people today.

8. Buy yourself a bunch of flowers.

9. Put on music and dance!

10. Write out Isaiah 58:11 and reflect on it. Which words do you need most?

11. Take a flower bulb to a friend who needs hope to grow.

12. Wear something the color of sky and sea.

13. Splurge on a donut with sprinkles.

14. Take a walk at sunrise or sunset. Breathe deeply.

15.   Bake something fun and springy and bring it to share with your colleagues or staff at church or a non-profit.

16. Surprise someone with a bouquet of helium balloons

17. Make a new recipe with a green ingredient – avocado, lettuce, asparagus, mint chip…

18. Find 10 things to be thankful for today. Say them out loud as you notice them. Write them in your journal.

19. Put a happy, colorful screen-saver on your phone.

20. Take a picture of one thing/person/experience that brings you joy and post it online.

21. Grab a friend or your spouse and go out for an ice cream cone.

22. Make hamburgers on the grill for dinner (no matter how cold it is!)

23. Get out colored pens or pencils! Letter and/or illustrate Psalm 36:5. Post a picture!

24. Buy a funny card to send someone.

25. Plan a dream vacation or weekend getaway. Even if it’s a hope for the future, get online and look at pretty pictures.

26. Make/eat something with strawberries today – yogurt parfait, green salad with strawberries, strawberry smoothie…

27. Create a Pandora or Spotify station of summer tunes.

28. Call a friend who is life-giving.

29. Buy a beautiful magazine on one of your passions with images that spark your imagination.

30. Buy coffee for a stranger.

31. Google  the song “Knee Deep” by the Zach Brown band featuring Jimmy Buffet – play and sing along!

Click here for a shortened version of this calendar of inspiration to print up and put on your fridge!

If you’re reading this on email or on your phone and want to comment, just click on the title and then scroll down!

Now go for it! Share on Instagram with the hashtag #springitup.

 

 

 

 

 

Soul Food in Small Bites

October 9, 2015 /

If you’ve been reading this blog for long you know my delight with Zechariah 4:10 that cautions  “do not  despise the day of small things.” so this week I thought I’d share some “small things” that have inspired or delighted me.

Twice in the past two weeks we’ve spent time in D.C. and every time I’m here I’m distressed by the many homeless people on the street. I bring a supply of McDonald’s gift cards to give to those in need, but it’s such a small thing for such a big problem.

  1. I was inspired to see this story about someone else doing a small act of kindness that is so thoughtful.

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2. Can you tell what this is?

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It may sound crazy but it is the trail of a worm who made it from one end of a clay tennis court to the other. I absolutely marveled at the courage and resolve of this little guy.  

Did he get lonely? Discouraged? Scared? Did he consider that his efforts might end in failure or death? I know, I know…it’s a worm. But still!

This small picture of bravery made me think of small, but powerful efforts to resist violence in the Middle East.

This week John and I have been privileged to attend a leadership gathering hosted by The Telos Group, a remarkable organization committed to being pro Israeli, pro Palestinian, and pro peace. They have drawn together many of my heroes.

  • Robi Damelin, and Israeli mom who lost her son to a Palestinian sniper, working side by side with Bassam Aramin, a Palestinian whose 10-year-old daughter was gunned down by an Israeli soldier.
  • Daoud Nassar, a Palestinian Christian farmer surrounded by Israeli settlements and subjected to repeated persecution whose message is “We refuse to be enemies” and continues to respond to oppression with love.
  • Roni Keidar, a British Israeli living on the border to the Gaza strip, building bridges between people of all different faiths and political leanings.

Might you take a minute to pray for these hidden heroes who are doing small but courageous acts of love in hard places?

3. I’ve been reading a book with a small word for a title. 

Mark Batterson wrote IF to unpack Romans 8, the chapter about God’s unshakeable love, verse by verse.  I’ve been reading this devotionally, one chapter a day. Mark is inspiring and challenging as always. This is a book about possibilities!

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4. A small dessert – Mini Caramel Apple Cheesecakes, a recipe I pinned from Cooking Classy. Check it out!

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Summer Reading and Resources in a Hard Season

July 10, 2015 /

 

IMG_0431As most of you know, this summer has been an emotional roller coaster for our family as my little brother battles cancer. Honestly, I’ve had all the crazy irrational thoughts like…

“If I don’t think about David in pain, it’s not really happening.”

“If I don’t go see him he’ll continue to live.”

I’ve had some precious time with David, and am so grateful for faith-filled family and friends who have leaned in with us. I’ve prayed and prayed til I think if God was lesser He’d tell me to get lost and stop bugging Him. But He doesn’t.

Tuesday David was moved to home hospice.

Bottom line is that I’ve craved a mixture of meaningful and soul-strengthening stuff to read, but most are escapist, with themes of redemption and happy endings.  As I mentioned before, I get a lot of book suggestions from my friend Joanne’s reading blog.

The first isn’t a book, but a great new app I found called Abide. It has guided prayer for many different situations. You’ll quickly find some voices you like better than others (somehow, the men bug me, but I love the women). It’s been a lovely, quiet guide.

Also, most nights John and I watch an episode of the West Wing. This is nothing new, but if someone in our family hasn’t gotten you hooked on this inspiring show, you haven’t talked to us in the past 8 years. Watch the episode, Shibboleth from Season 2 anytime you’ve had a rough day. Here’s a clip.

Then there are some lovely (and fun) books I’ve been reading also…

Joy in the Journey: Finding Abundance in the Shadow of Death

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Last year we walked alongside our friends, Steve and Sharol Hayner from a distance as Steve battled pancreatic cancer. In February he went from life to Life. Perhaps it was God preparing us for this season with my brother. We “walked” this with Steve and Sharol through their Caring Bridge posts. Because those posts ministered to so many, IVP has created a book from that content. I re-read it yesterday and it was a gift all over again.

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The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan – Such a guilty pleasure! American twin, Rebecca Porter goes to study for a semester at Oxford and ends up falling in love with the future king. Although it depicts a debauched lifestyle, there aren’t lurid details and it’s a really engaging read.

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Water From My Heart – Classic Charles Martin, one of my favorite authors. This is the story of Charlie Finn, a former drug dealer whose devastating life choices lead him to Nicaragua where he finds redemption through a relationship with an old man, a young woman, and her daughter.

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The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain “He was about to commit a forbidden act. A transgression. For a man should never go through a woman’s handbag.”  This is the story of a bookseller in Paris who finds a woman’s abandoned purse. When he empties it, there is no phone or contact information, but there is a red notebook with some clues as to who the owner is, which he begins to follow. Meanwhile, the owner, who has been robbed of her bag, lies in a coma. This is a quick, clever, delightful read.

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Ordinary Grace by William Kent Kruger. I loved this book! A beautifully written, compelling coming-of-age story of mystery, tragedy, love and redemption set in a rural Minnesota town in 1961. You can read Joanne’s full review here.

ordinary-grace

Your turn! What are you reading that you’d recommend?

 

 

One Thing to do in August we Promise You Won’t Regret

June 20, 2015 /

John and I really don’t endorse many things. We don’t endorse political parties or candidates. We don’t don’t recommend realtors we know, and rarely endorse movies. We’re kind of like Switzerland.

But there is one event over the years that we have enthusiastically, unequivocally endorsed and guaranteed as a “sure thing”. We have said, “If you do this, we pinky swear promise you won’t regret it.” (Gulp.)

Every year we have invited folks from our church to attend the Global Leadership Summit  at Willow Creek Church in Barrington, Illinois. And we have promised them that it will be well worth the sacrifice of time and money it will take to make it happen. That’s a big promise, but we have never regretted it, and neither have those who come with us.

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Each year, Bill Hybels, along with world-class leaders from around the globe, speak on teamwork, vision, significance, conflict, motivation and more. We take notes like crazy, but more importantly, we gather to process and contextualize.

This isn’t just for church leaders. It is for business people, soccer coaches, soccer moms, and influencers in every environment. We have friends in business who bring their whole management teams.

The investment in this time of equipping, inspiration, worship, and fellowship has paid off big time for our church.

It has changed our vocabulary. “Umbrella of grace”, getting from “here to there”, “crucial conversations”, and “true north” are part of our shared leadership language.

It has changed our sense of ownership. When we process as a group, we don’t ask, “What should John do?”, but “What can we do in partnership with God to be more effective kingdom-bringers at CPC and wherever we are?” We all become share-holders in kingdom vision, not just the senior pastor.

It has changed our yearly rhythm. Each summer we look forward to this time, knowing we will get a re-charge that will energize us for the upcoming year.

Here’s the thing…This year, August 6-7, for the first time ever, we’re not taking folks down to the GLS. Instead, we’re going to be a satellite host church. If you are in the Twin Cities, this is your chance, for a smaller time and money investment, to take advantage of this amazing opportunity.

Global-Leadership-Summit

Our church site, CPC, is located at 70th and 100 in Edina, Minnesota. Sign up now! Or if you live elsewhere around the world, you can find a satellite site near you.

You won’t regret it. I guarantee.

For those of you who have attended the GLS, what have been some of your “take aways”?

Why I Love Instagram

June 11, 2015 /

I’m pretty cynical about social media these days. Facebook and Twitter, I’ll throw you a bone now and then, but you really make me tired.  But Instagram??? LOVE!*

I love Instagram because…

  • It helps me be pay attention to God’s everyday graces.
  • It is positive, and uplifting. No one is bashing anyone on Instagram.
  • It is a creative outlet. It gives space to communicate what we’re making, the environments that are moving us, and the relationships we value.
  • It’s visual and I’m visual.

For me, Twitter is mostly information sharing. Facebook is where I post links to the blog and try to affirm others, but Instagram feels like a smaller, more personal, more inspiring world.

I’m really picky about who/what I follow on Instagram. If you put up all pictures of your kids, friends, or family, I figure I’ll see them on Facebook.

But if you want some suggestions of feeds l like, check these out:

1. benjaminhole – the ebb and flow of farming life on the Isle of Purbeck, England

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2. wranglertoday – the Today Show’s puppy with a purpose. These pictures chronicle Wrangler’s journey to becoming a guide dog.

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3. earthpix – amazing pictures of places, people, animals, and nature

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4. thedailyst – The Daily Saint – “By saints I meant people who behaved decently in a strikingly indecent society.” These are pictures of people doing random acts of kindness.

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5. bobgoff – uplifting words and pictures from the indomitable Bob Goff, author of Love Does.

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6. usinterior – beautiful pictures from state and national parks

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What Instagram feeds do YOU like that I should check out??

*If ANY form of social media feels like too much to you and you just don’t want to go there, I get it! Good for you if this is a healthy boundary…one thing you want to say “no” to.

Movies and Two Questions to Help You Live a Better Story

January 5, 2015 /

I, like 99% of Americans am bracing for my post-holiday diet.  This will include all the dis’s – discipline, discomfort, and disappointment that I let things get so out of hand.

I’ve been eating like a bear preparing for hibernation. But it’s not only food that’s been filling me up. With all the new holiday releases, we’ve had a bunch of titles on our “want to see” list.

We saw three movies over the past couple weeks and they filled me up in different ways.

In all three the main character faced pain, conflict, drama, and intense challenges.

I thought that all three were compelling stories well-told on the screen.

One left me sleepless – tossing and turning trying to process why I felt so sad and heavy from the watching.

The other two, although very different from each other, left me informed and inspired.  I walked away feeling stronger, more resolved to live a better story.

As we discussed the first movie around the dinner table I said I didn’t like the main character much. I didn’t like her values or her language.  Mostly I didn’t like the lack of redemption or the trajectory of her life I saw.  As I said this I probably sounded like uptight “Movie Mom” but it was honestly what I felt.

My twenty-somethings responded that this is real life.  This is the way most people live and talk.

Well, yeah, of course it is. I get that.  And I see value in authenticity and exposing ourselves to truth that may be hard to watch because life is sometimes hard to watch. We need to understand a world where not everyone grows the way we’d like them to.

But here’s the thing.  I aspire to something different than most of the “real” world.   Continue reading

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