Sharing Secrets +BIG DREAMS+Great Fears

Is this thing on?

 

Tap. Tap.

 

Can you hear me now?

 

I wasn’t sure if my computer would work it’s been so long since I opened it.

 

You’ve heard you can’t be two places at once?

 

It’s true.

 

To be present offline is to be absent online.

 

The last month I’ve done my best to be more present in my life offline.

 

My baby turned EIGHT and still.  I can’t even deal.

 

The farm is busy and H-O-T.  Our goat, Sweet Pea, had twins, and all of the HAY is AT-LONG-LAST out of the fields.  This year has been the year of repairs.  Each trip to the hayfield beckoned a repair to either a tractor, piece of hay equipment or trailer.  The cowboy in holy desperation with hands in the air declared more than once, “I’m listening, Lord!!”

 

 

Our garden despite the on-again-off-again rain or lack of is providing plenty for which we are grateful.

 

 

Three out of the four weeks in June someone from our family was at Ponderosa Bible Camp.

 

 

I’ve mentioned our boys want to live there, and I’ve decided it might not be a bad idea.  It’s quiet, beautiful and tucked away from the busyness of the world.  The week I was there speaking our precious friends, Chris & Gina, graciously helped shoot a “What is #PrayBig?” video to be released soon. (Nose shot vs. A selfie stick?  Maybe a selfie stick isn’t such a bad idea! )

 

Speaking of #PrayBig.  How about #PrayBig went to CANADA this week?!?  A dear friend on mission took 45 journals with her that many of YOU helped purchase! (MUCHAS GRACIAS!!)  While there, she met a lady who lives in Georgia who does prison ministry. Because technology is not all bad, I was able to speak to the group via FaceTime a few nights ago, and now a long and short story: #PrayBig is going to be going to the Georgia State Prison!!!!  Only God.

 

In other news, Summer is made for reading, right?

 

A few books you’re sure to devour:

 

#1- If you haven’t already, GO NOW! Sure to be a sell-out:  A Different Beautiful by Courtney Westlake is set to release August 1.  Go PRE-ORDER here–>www.courtneywestlake.com

 

#2  Fresh Out of Amazing by Stacey Thacker had me at the title.  Stacey has allowed me the privilege to be on her launch team.  It is set to release September 1.  I’ve just started and already sense this will be one to read and reread and reread particularly for those of us who struggle with being all the things to all of the people.

 

– #3 I’m late to the party on this one but cannot believe how many of the words in this book God has written on my heart!  The Circle Maker:  Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams & Greatest Fears by Mark Batterson is THE-BEST-  and one of the most challenging books I may have EVER READ!!!  Seriously,  highlighting every word or every other on most pages.  It is that good and has had me on my face.

BIG DREAMS & GREAT FEARS, just so happen to be a couple of my favorite themes because we all have them.  Dreams and fears are common denominators God uses to keep us humble and dependent on Him.

 

What are your BIG DREAMS & GREAT FEARS?

 

Because accountability is good and this place is that for me, I’m going to be real and share a couple of secrets we’ve been sitting on.  I’m going to share because we covet your prayers. And not the, “Praying for you”  and forget kind of prayers but the real praying without ceasing kind of prayers.  The persistent widow prayers.  Bold prayers.  The #PrayBig kind.

 

Fear is entangled in our secret places. It’s in those secret places the enemy whispers lies to us.  He tricks us into thinking it’s about us or what others will think of us or say about us when actually, it isn’t about us at all.

 

It’s all about God.

 

Honoring Him in thought, word and deed.  Glorifying Him.

 

In Him, we live and breathe and dream and hope.

 

It’s because of His love for us we can live free from the bondage of despair and death and can share His love with others.  It’s because of Him and His love overflowing that we have surrendered to the call to become foster parents.

 

The tango of “okay God, and no-nevermind, or no, not right now”  has been going on for over a decade.  We first requested the paperwork to become foster parents thirteen years ago after the loss of our first child.  We have sought that same paperwork four times during these many years only to ignore it until now.

 

Why now?

 

A year ago this month I visited the Good Shepherd Children’s Home in Honduras.  Many tried to warn me and did their best to prepare my heart for the wrecking and by wrecking I mean the undoing.  The shaking up!  The love overflowing for the orphans I would encounter.  Nothing could have prepared me for the goodness of God I experience in that sweet, heaven on earth where the fruits of the Spirit were so thick and evident.

 

A week later upon returning home, J and I were making our bed one morning when I had the come apart.

 

“It’s NOT OPTIONAL!  We aren’t called to love the widows and orphans when it’s convenient or when we have enough money or when we have enough time! We are commanded to care for them.  We can’t put it off any longer.  Jesus is coming!”

 

He looked at me with fear in his eyes not because I was scary although at that moment I was very scary but because he knew it too.  It was time.

 

So, in October, we started the long, wearisome process but because of life, small business ownership, and speaking engagements it is now mid-July and we are just finishing.

 

Now this,  the day before yesterday.  The words we’ve been praying to hear and yet knew we would be scared to hear.

 

“We are looking for placement for a child.”

 

So here we are, waiting, praying our guts our for the children God has handpicked to join our family. Maybe for a little while and maybe for a long time?  Here is where we stand:

 

There’s not a day ahead God hasn’t seen.

 

We will trust in Him.

 

What area of your life is God calling you to trust Him?

 

Finally, for the BIG DREAM!!

 

Last year with great hesitation, full of anxiety and inadequacies, I attended the Dave Ramsey/Christy Wright Business Boutique.  It was inspiring, life changing and perfect timing because it was exactly one month before the release of #PrayBig.

This year I am making plans to attend again but this time, I have submitted the #PrayBig journal and products to be considered for the vendor hall at the conference.

#crazy!  I am waiting to hear back from them and would love it if you would whisper a prayer.  Whether a yea or a neigh we will praise Him even if…

because

 

“If you aren’t willing to put yourself in ‘this is crazy” situations, you’ll never experience ‘this is awesome” moments.” -Mark Batterson  

 

So here’s to #crazy BIG DREAMS and great fears!

The best is yet to come!

Much love,