Category Archives: Friendship

Five Minute Friday – Mess

Broken heart

Today is the day the writers from all over the world come together for 5 minutes to write freely about one word. Then we link up over at Lisa Jo’s place to share in the fun – want to join us?!

Today’s prompt is MESS

Community can be a beautiful thing. God brings together people from different places and stages in life and amazing things can happen. I have seen it happen in my own life and marveled at how God made a way in all of it.

Sometimes community can hurt though. My heart is a bit of a mess right now over community that has hurt me. It stings when this kind of thing happens…when you feel betrayed.

But I have to remember that this is an attack.

The enemy wants nothing more than to steal and destroy those very things that bring us joy.  When we experience real community and God is given the glory, we shouldn’t be surprised when an attack comes out of the blue…unexpected.

It caught me a bit off guard really…thus the mess of a heart.

But a dear sister-friend reminded me that these kinds of things don’t define me. I can have what would be my normal reaction and run away from community…or I can have a God-reaction and find joy even in the mess of it all.

So I am seeking to find joy.

My heart hurts, but I am trusting God with this mess too. I am discovering that I can laugh because of Him. I can forgive because of Him, I can stop comparing and pointing fingers and just love because of Him.

In my broken but healing, mess of a heart, I say YES to God. Trusting that even in this He has a plan and a purpose. That this is a training ground for bigger things and it will all be ok. It won’t always be easy, but He has promised that He is with us even in the hurt.

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Yesterday Kristen Welch’s new book was released “Rhinestone Jesus“. It is an amazing book and tells of her journey of saying yes to God even in the thick of her messy life…you will be transformed by her story of what God did next!

Photo Credit: Free Grunge Textures

Laughter is Good for the Soul

Laughter. Well laughter, talking and chocolate, would be a good way to sum up the most amazing weekend that I just spent in Houston. 😉

From the moment we arrived there was a hum of voices over the house. Sisters gathering for learning, planning and soul feeding. All of that and more happened in the matter of a few short days.

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When Dominic asked what we did on Friday, I said we laughed and talked. Because really that is what we did. Gathered around Gindi’s table we share stories, and tears…we got “real” almost immediately. We shared past hurts and current struggles. We found that while each of us are different, there is something so very common binding us together.

We are a community. A sisterhood of women. (<====Click to Tweet)

When I woke up on Saturday morning I had a calendar reminder that it was Karlena’s birthday. While I will always feel sadness that she isn’t here with me…it was such a gift that I woke to these amazing women surrounding me.

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We spent the majority of the day on Saturday getting down to the business of the God-sized Dream site. I learned so much that day. From editing tips (which I obviously am still learning…ahem) 😉 to planning for the future direction and leadership of the site. Every woman brought so much to the table, it is quite amazing that God has brought such a diverse group of women together!

Then we had some fun when Gindi let us all raid her necklace stash and purse collection as we got ourselves all dolled up for a fancy dinner at the Galleria in Houston.

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This weekend was such a gift to me. And to add to that God gave me a couple of blog posts to write when I was flying home. (yay for getting my words back!!) Look for those in the next few months over at GSD.com.  🙂

I walked away from this weekend away grateful.

Grateful that God brought us all together. Grateful that so many of us were able to gather together on that specific weekend. Grateful for Gindi’s hospitality and how wonderfully that her home worked for all of us!  Grateful for all of the families that supported us as they were left behind so we could gather together.

The future is exciting. I am blessed to be a part of this team and can’t wait to see what God is going to do next! Thank you friends for loving me and blessing me in so many ways this weekend!

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Holy Ground

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I could feel it even as we were flying. We were entering a space of Holy Ground. Not because of the “where” of our meeting, but rather because of the God that brought us all there.

Each one of us faced a difficulty the week leading up to this trip. From struggles in marriage, the sudden loss of a friend, to health issues and disappointments at work…we all felt that the enemy was attacking us.

Personally, I forgot my boarding pass and my headache meds. I even stood at the completely wrong gate almost missing my second flight.  All of this after probably one of the most stressful and difficult days I have ever had on the office on Thursday.

I had left home with such a heaviness in my spirit. 

We each had similar experiences. Traveling from different areas of the country, and in spite of all the roadblocks, we came. We prayed over flights, we struggled with the fear of meeting friends in real life for the first time.

But we came because God orchestrated it.

He had called each of us.

We were gathering for soul feeding and in my bones I knew that He was meeting us there.

On my way out of town on Thursday I was leaving a vox for Mel, telling her about my awful day…and then I saw it.

A rainbow.

A rainbow where it shouldn’t be one. There were no rain clouds, I don’t know why it was there but it took my breath away.

I stopped what I was complaining about and told Mel that was a sign.

God’s promise for all of us.

I knew we would all be ok. No matter what the enemy tried to throw at us. God had called us together and He would meet us there in Houston.

We each have the opportunity to commune with God. (<====Click to Tweet)

He will meet us where we are. We just need to have willing hearts to seek Him.

The promise isn’t just for us here in Houston, it is for everyone. No matter what your day or week might have looked like, no matter what darts the enemy has tried to throw at you.

Have hope!

Remember the beauty of a rainbow and God’s promise to be there for us.  Enter a place of Holy Ground with Him.

He has a call on each if our lives.  You friend, have been called. Don’t ever doubt it!

We are celebrating His goodness and faithfulness right along with you, as we praise His name in this Holy space in Houston.

Photo Credit: rwangsa

The Gift of Friendship

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One of the biggest blessings that have come out of the past year and 1/2 are these beautiful women. Women that have poured into me. Prayed for me and blessed me with laughter.

On Friday, really really early on Friday, I will be flying to Houston to spend the weekend with 10 of the 12 founding members of the God-sized Dream website. We are meeting to dream and plan together….to seek God’s vision for the site and of course to eat way too much and laugh. Oh how I need to laugh!

This trip, and my ability to go, is a blessing in so many ways.

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The community that we build online is real. It matters, it changes us.

I wasn’t aware that I could be filled in this way. That I would have the opportunity to pour into others….these crazy ladies that I met online! 😉

Holley and I!

But it has happened, and the chance to spend even just a weekend in real life together, well I am almost beside myself in anticipation.

You see on Saturday is Karlena’s birthday….

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A birthday that I can’t celebrate with her in person. Her loss in my life is still there….

But God.

Oh how He has filled my life to overflowing with the presence of some amazing women. And that this weekend was THE weekend that worked for so many of us to gather?! That at a time I would be feeling extra lonely, I will be surrounded by friends that are doing the very things that Karlena did with me.

Praying for me, encouraging me, being that light….that example of faith.

Thank you God. Thank you.

While Karlena will never be replaced in my heart, I am so grateful that God has filled that need for friendship with some wonderful women.

Friendship, real life, true friendship is a gift.

My prayer for each person reading here is that you will have someone in your life that is filling your need for true friendship, and that you would be able to be that gift back.

 Lord, Thank you. Thank you for the gift of friendship. Thank you for filling my life with wonderful women who love You and love me so well. I lift up anyone who is feeling lonely today, who is searching for that friendship but doesn’t have it now. May they feel your peace and love even more today. In Your Great Name, we praise you! Amen

Each Wednesday we meet to join Holley in her 2014 Encouragement Challenge. If you need a little uplifting for your day jump on over and join us won’t you?!

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To The Ones Who Inspire Me

Allume-1**Thank you Melissa for this beautiful picture of just a few of the lovely women that have become sisters to me…while you are not all pictured here you are a part of my story. Thank you.**

There is a community of women that have become family to me.

While we started out as strangers a little over a year ago, today so many of you are women that I couldn’t imagine going through life without.

I have watched as you have grown in your God-sized dreams.

I have seen some doors open, and some close…but always at the guiding hand of God. With hearts full of faith and a desire to seek His plan you, my sisters, have journeyed forward.

I have seen you and I have grown because of it.

Your faith has been an inspiration to me.

Your courage has helped me fight my own fears.

Your strength and prayers have lifted me up in my times of weakness.

 My life is changed because of you, and I am so grateful.

I write here in this space because you have encouraged me, told me that my stories matter too.

I hope that this will always be a place that I can do the same for those who pause here.

My dear dreamer sisters, thank you.

My words don’t adequately express my love for each of you.

You are my people, my tribe and I am blessed.

Joining Holley Gerth and her 2014 Encouragement Challenge. One day a week we take to spread joy to one another! Need a little love this week? Hop on over here and be encouraged!

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Photo Credit: Melissa Aldrich

The Gift of Friendship

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This is Mel.

We met on the God Sized Dream team in January.

Somehow we also ended up in this little “Mastermind” group that was a spinoff of the larger GSD group. There are less than 12 of us in that group so we got to know each other pretty well over the last 9 months.

Then she joined my Hello Mornings Bible study group for a session and she is now co-leading with my other friend Kami this session!

God finds way to bring people together.

This past weekend at Allume we were also roomies and discovered that we are sisters at heart.

I love this woman.

She makes me laugh, she borrows my boots ;), she mails me my computer cord when I have left it in the hotel room.

She is a gift.

Except for the online community – we probably would have never crossed paths. It is all God.

She and her husband were missionaries in Indonesia for 5 years before they had their daughter. She has a passion for others, especially those in other countries. At Allume, Uganda grabbed a hold of her heart.

I will be honest – it stinks not having her closer.

Spending time with Mel and the other girls at Allume gave me a taste of what real community can look like. As much as I wanted to be at home with my family – I didn’t want to loose that connection, that girl time.

I don’t have that here at home and it can be lonely.

But just like my friendship with Karlena, I know that miles do not separate and with social media and Voxer (the greatest invention since sliced bread), it doesn’t feel like she is too far away!

While God impressed on my heart a spirit of giving this weekend He also gave me the greatest gift that I could have asked for.

Mel, you are such a gift to me. I am so grateful that we get to do life together.  I wish it could be over coffee and hot chocolate more often, but since that isn’t possible right now I just praise God for the technology that makes the distance a little more bearable.

I adore you friend. YOU are a gift!

Find Yourself Some Quality Peeps!

I am not talking about the marshmallow chicks here – I am talking about people that you can surround yourself with.

Community – we all need it. And yet, if you are anything like me, while I long for it – I shy away from true community.

Why? Because it can be scary!!

Because behind the mask of perfection that I like to wear is a broken, messy, desperate-at-times woman. And if I get involved in true community – you all might just see the “real” me….and that is scary!

What if the truth makes you all not like me. Then I find myself back in the 6th grade, sitting at home alone on a Friday night the only girl not invited to the best boy-girl party of the year….not that something like that happened to me – but if it did it would be terrible! 😉

But I have found something amazing as I have stepped lightly into the pool of “community”….there are some awesome, real, honest women out there that are just like me. Well maybe not JUST like me – but who “get” me – the real me AND want to invite me to the party of the year too!

Specifically, I have been involved with a small group of women that I have met as a part of this God Sized Dream Team. We have created a place where we can encourage one another, share burdens and prayer requests…it has been such a blessing!

These ladies are my peeps.

And they are lovely. And while I have a hard time sharing ;), I wanted to introduce you to these beautiful women. They each blog and I know that if you get to know them, you will love them like I do!!

Click on their links below and leave them some love. (None of them asked me to do this….I just am so blessed I needed to share the love!)

Alecia, a wonderful encourager, blogs at There’s Something Different.

Elise’s beautiful heart can be found at Our Stories God’s Glory.

Christine, a true sister at heart, shares her life at Living Joel 2:25.

Kristin, a sweet friend, with an (i) no less!!!, blogs at 152 Insights to My Soul.

Lisa has an incredible story and can be found at Life after the Shore.

Mel, my future BFF and Allume roommate, writes at A Barefoot Life.

Elizabeth Anne has some very funny stories to share over at Seasons with Soul.

Chelle lifts us up with encouragement and prayer and writes at Treat Me To A Feast.

and last – but certainly not least…

Gindi, has a loving and caring heart and blogs at Gindi’s – A Refreshing Spot for Working Women of Faith.

Over the next several months you may see these ladies here in this space.  We will be doing some “guest posts” and I know that you will be blessed by each of them.

While my peeps don’t live in my same community – we have found ways to lift one another up, offer prayer and encouragement. If you don’t have a group of people that can do this for you….pray about it and then open your heart to finding community.

And get ready for an amazing ride!!

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