That is if you’re not into full-on fluffy, feel-good words that drip thicker than syrup but leave the soul empty, hungry inside. Give me Truth in a relatable way and God will do the rest.
Because it matters, right? Devotionals are an investment. Not only do they cost money (unless you win this copy!), they also become a companion of sorts. It’s why pages that start clean with crisp edges can end with tear-smudged words, spilled coffee, and cornered edges. In my copy of Awaken: 90 Days with the God Who Speaks by Priscilla Shirer, you’ll find them all.
I didn’t read a devotional, I went on a journey.
And as a result, God taught me the beauty of biblical community, bruising a few toes, and severing one in the process. He also revealed through His Word and those He gave her, what real freedom looks like, how to listen for His voice, and how to fan the flame into a frenzy for God’s glory.
But y’all, the words He chose and placed on Priscilla’s heart to share in recent days have especially awakened my spirit to His presence through both encouragement and conviction.
These words are for you and me, and anyone longing to draw closer to the One who draws us near:
“No act of service is too small. The little piece you do matters. Every piece matters. They’re like ripples of water circling outward from a skipped rock. Everything you do creates an impact somewhere else you cannot see, but it’s a part of the big picture that God is putting together.”
“Compassion is willing to be inconvenienced. Compassion compels.”
“In-between times are necessary. They are the bridge between what He has done for you and what He’s preparing to do in your future.”
“He wants us to see our weakness mixing with His strength, causing our work to actually…work.”
“When our hearts are full of gratitude and humility, certain of God’s love, and when we genuinely prize the worth of those around us, we will release a steady stream of graciousness that refreshes others through everything we say.”
And then there was Day 64:
“Your God can be trusted. He will grant you the full supply you need to excel at His purposes today, no matter how varied or prodigious those tasks may be. Every decision you need to make, every task you need to accomplish, every relationship you need to navigate, every element of daily life you need to traverse, God has already perfectly matched it up with an equivalent-to-overflowing supply of His grace.
…because of His extravagant grace you will never lack, you’ll be more willing and able to give freely of yourself and your resources, certain that God will always replenish your supply.”
I read this on a day when my heart skipped that extra beat it seems to have⏤a day when, before opening the book to this page, I was frazzled, not sure how to arrange the to-dos.
My mouth fell open and almost flooded from the tears rolling down my cheek as I read her words…twice.
“God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 CSB
This is our God! He is personal and He is present, whether we feel it or not.
“A better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.” Hebrews 7:19 CSB
Did one of the above quotes speak to you today? Please share! You’ll encourage others and also have a chance to win a copy on Friday.
*If you don’t want to wait to grab a copy, Amazon has temporarily reduced the price of Awaken: 90 Days with the God Who Speaks. By purchasing the book through the orange link, I will receive enough money to put toward a cup of coffee at no extra expense to you. For more information on my affiliate statement, please see the sidebar. Thanks!
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Bi-weekly posts offer a pause of goodness to your busy days, and once a month, you’ll also receive a fun but pithy newsletter with the latest happenings in the Tiny House on the Hill, practical ideas for drawing nearer to God and loving others well.
So, come on over and sit a spell. I’d love to get to know you!
Because surely biblical community and coffee go hand-in-hand.
For instance, remember the eavesdropping that took place in a North Carolina cafe last October? (If not, you can read about it here.) My being tucked away in a dark corner of a coffee shop isn’t unusual, but my willingness to interrupt the conversation of two young women I’d never met? Highly unlikely.
If you know me or have followed my writing for two minutes, you know I’m an introvert to the core. I love people but quickly crumble inside without ample space to breathe. Tapping keys, not stranger’s shoulders, is more my style.
But God.
Two words that weigh as heavy as the world He came to save.
Who needs Once Upon a Time when But God starts the story of every believer?
My story began three decades ago, but God used two young strangers as a catalyst to reboot my sluggish spirit.
“God wired us for biblical community. Yes, even us introverts. Since moving to the country, I’ve sensed a tug to be involved with women at a nearby campus. I don’t know one woman yet, but God does and I look forward to seeing what He will do. Want to join me in praying for God’s lead on that particular adventure? (I’d love to pray for yours too!))” – from my post, The Day Eavesdropping Inspired This Titus 2 Woman to Tears
I touch on the answer to this prayer in a follow-up post, The Night This Titus 2 Woman Hosted a Tea Party. Biblical community involves more than simply gathering together, but spending time with our small group women, getting to know them, and allowing them to get to know me feels like a healthy first step for this late-blooming introvert.
In fact, after I type this post, the list-making begins in preparation for our church’s women’s retreat this weekend. And this might be a good time to define the word journey, as used in the title of this post.
Journey:a passage or progress from one stage to another (dictionary.com)
Staying home, drinking coffee from my afternoon mug (yes, that exists), writing, playing with my grandkids, organizing organizational books currently stuffed in a cluttered closet⏤these are comfortable places for me. Traveling, sharing a room with even the best of choices (and she is!), being with truly wonderful people 24/7, and all that goes with this is not comfortable for me.
But God is doing a new thing, I perceive it.
He is making a way through my comfort zone, providing refreshment in a place that’s long felt deserted.
I have a long way to go on this journey with much to learn, but God is helping me progress from one stage to another. He’s not asking me to become someone I’m not. Instead, He’s empowering me to become someone I could not possibly be without Him.
Yes, the enemy whispers there’s too big of an age gap for connections to be made this weekend, but a young woman once told me that Titus 2 women are needed — and we Titus 2 women need them too. So I prepare with an excitement that’s surely not natural.
And to think it all began in the corner of a crowded, dimly-lit coffee shop.
In keeping with the definition of a journey, where would you say you are in relation to pursuing biblical community?
a. sipping lavender lattes in the cafe corner? (pre-clueful)
b. receiving words from strangers that could be a “direct message” from God? (open to receiving)
c. feeling oddly awkward that God might be up to something you didn’t expect? (contemplating)
d. taking steps to put yourself in the path of biblical community? (still clueless but desiring to become more like Christ to the point of obedience?)
e. signing up for a women’s retreat or other gatherings that are not normal for you? (becoming a comfort-zone crusher!)
f. fully integrated into biblical community (refusing to allow natural tendencies to overrule God’s supernatural power, putting the gospel on display in beautiful and unexpected ways.)
I’d love to know! Share in the comment section and you might just win your own eavesdropping session at Starbucks. {Told you I had a long way to go!}
Thanks for stopping by the Tiny House on the Hill. If you’d like to receive my bi-monthly posts, plus Tiny House Tuesday, where you can spot the latest photos and updates, subscribe in the sidebar. As a small token of my appreciation for your support of this ministry, you’ll receive three fall calendars with daily prompts to watch for God’s goodness, perhaps in ways you may not expect.
Funny how hurricanes force you to re-think everything.
We were one sheet of underlayment away from having the base of the roof covered before we left for our beach vacation. Apparently, Hurricane Florence decided to follow us home. Before we knew it, forecasters were predicting sustained winds up to 50 mph and possibly 12″ of rain. This could be the first test of the Tiny House on the Hill’s survival despite the fact that summer storms march over these mountains like soldiers going off to battle. The wind, the rain, the wind.
Thankfully, Brian secured her to the ground with these bad boys early on in the process. We felt she’d stay put, but with the potential for tropical downpours, it was vital to find a way to protect the interior of the house. Although empty, we prefer she stay dry for obvious reasons.
A few of the tarp grommets popped off during a recent storm so our confidence was waning. Let’s just say it didn’t take long for Brian to work his magic, aka, head to Lowes.
He purchased four overly-sized straps and a sturdy rachet system. Two straps hooked together created one large enough to wrap around the entire house. We buckled her down at the front of the house, as well as the back. Finally, a thick sheet of plywood was bolted over the door opening.
No, it wasn’t her prettiest moment, but it certainly was her most secure.
While we had no control over Florence’s path or destruction, we rested in knowing we’d done everything possible to secure her well. Thankfully, Florence skirted around us, but our hearts broke for those who faced her head on.
Pre-hurricane sky with no filter.
The broken, but well-braced tiny house, reminds me of us.
None being whole, perfect, or complete. Missing pieces in the form of loss, feeling invisible, waiting, or the gaping hole within us that longs to know or draw closer to God.
Being a Christ-follower doesn’t always protect us from diseases, accidents, or hurricanes. Few people explain this better than John Piper but suffice it to say, when our spiritual positioning is under the umbrella of Christ, we can know that He covers and protects us in such a way that we can find rest during any storm this life may bring.
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1 NIV
God covers it all.
Is there some way I can pray for you today? Nothing is too small. If you prefer not to share your request in the comments section, feel free to email me via the envelope icon in my sidebar. I count it a privilege.
Thanks for stopping by the Tiny House on the Hill!
Not just any ice cream, mind you. It must include sweet morsels of cookie dough, thin mints, or chocolate chips⏤sprinkles, syrups, or anything fruity are simply not invited to the party.
Recently, while wiping minty green deliciousness from around my lips, the words Where is your self-control? rudely interrupted the moment. The words stunned me even more than the fact that I was returning a half-eaten pint of my favorite meal snack to the freezer.
We know when it’s time for a change. And this was that moment.
Scenes from the last two years darted past.
Let’s see. There was the stress of prepping our old house to sell, then the move, writing two books in one year, the heartbreak of returning a beloved puppy on Valentines Day, and struggling with a couple of ongoing medical issues that wiggled fingers from their ears, double-dog-daring me to just try and lose the weight.
Hmm…turns out, it wasn’t ice cream I tasted. It was my emotions. If only they were fat-free. *sigh*
Convinced I couldn’t gain control of my eating habits, or the expanding waistline, I gave up. I grew comfortable buying one larger size after the other, but way down deep, I knew my lack of self-control was costing a lot more than 4.99 a gallon.
So I whipped out my favorite sketchbook, turned it sideways, and drew a line down the center of the page. Each column claimed a title.
The left column: Results From Eating Poorly. Keeping it real here, folks:
Avoiding people I haven’t seen since the added weight.
I’m not reflecting the power of self-discipline.
Feeling dumpy.
Slave to sweets.
I run away from the camera and videos.
The right column: Benefits from Eating Healthier
Live unashamed!
Healthier body, mind, and spirit.
Attention and energy will shift more to others (instead of worrying about what people think about me.)
I won’t shy away from the camera, whether it’s snapping shots with my family, fun selfies with friends, or video opportunities.
This time next year, I will be healthier, stronger, and more energetic. (One of the reasons we moved closer to the mountains was for the convenience of kayaking and hiking.)
There I sat, comparing the two columns and circling key words, like avoid, slave to sweets, not reflecting⏤followed by⏤live, unashamed, won’t shy away.
For the first time in two years, I saw my life choices for what they really were, as well as their cost. Two scripture verses quickly followed:
You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything.1 Corinthians 6:12
[Truth is, I had given food way too much control over my life. It was my comforter, my be-happy-for-ten-minutes drug, my thoughtless activity. I want my life to reflect what I believe, not what brings me relief.]
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 6:22, 23 NIV
[I agreed with the voice that had rudely interrupted me only minutes prior, saying aloud, You’re right! I have no self-control. God said, “Wrong! I have given you everything you need to exercise self-control. My power lives in you. Depend on Him, not yourself.”]
I prayed for help, wisdom, and a desire to eat healthier.
I came up with a simple plan to focus mainly on my eating habits. If I tried too much at one time, I would be overwhelmed. I re-started Weight Watchers, looked back at this post in 2015 for tips, and instead of finding ways it wouldn’t work for me, I found a way to make it work. Now I make a weekly menu and stock my fridge with all the right things (I use my extra points on the weekend for a cupcake — and I enjoy every bite!)
I dedicated the plan to God with open and outstretched hands, confessing I can’t do it without Him.
So why am I sharing this journey with you at ten pounds down instead of waiting for a whopping victorious number?
Because it’s the small, strong, day-to-day choices we make that are to be celebrated.
It’s not about arriving at a certain number on a scale, or making “x” amount of money, or gaining “x” amount of social media followers.
It’s about arriving at the feet of Jesus.
Is there a situation in your life that might benefit by drawing a line down the center of a page?
On my ride home from the conference, I could barely see the ground for all the clouds. Two weeks later, I was sniffing dirt.
Two weeks after that, I was back to downing coffee, tweaking chapters and polishing an introduction, only to dust the dirt off my dreams once again. I think the word disappointment sums it up pretty well.
Somehow I feel like I’m not alone.
Disappointment is one of the most common emotions we experience. A dream job fizzles, friends let us down, or life simply takes unexpected detours. One doesn’t have to look far to find unmet expectations.
And yet, it’s what we choose to do with this disappointment that determines our next steps, and even our future.
“Don’t ever let today’s disappointment cast a shadow on tomorrow’s dream.” – Unknown
From Genesis to Revelation, we read of the disappointed. Moses, David, Rachel, Hannah, and poor Elijah was so downhearted, he asked God to take his life. Disappointment can dim our perspective, resulting in long-term discouragement, the too-early release of a ministry, the loss of relationships, depression, etc.
Perhaps it’s my own struggle with depression that alerts me to its danger, inspiring me to remember the following. I hope in some small way, it will help you too.
BE KIND TO YOURSELF
Imagine telling a friend to “get over it” when the disappointment is so new it cries when spanked. So why would we treat ourselves any differently? I gave myself three days:
Day 1: Embrace the numbness. It tends to clip the heels of disappointment.
Day 2: Engage in prayer.
Day 3: Write down the next right thing to do and the specific steps required to move forward.
This structure proved helpful for my situation. Obviously, there are no time constraints for those who grieve or a 1-2-3 formula for deeper disappointments.
Maybe you’re wondering why I didn’t devote the first day to prayer? It’s not that I wouldn’t or didn’t want to, but in a way, I couldn’t. Numb is numb. Instead of beating myself up for it (which I’ve done in the past), I embraced it as tightly as I did my heavenly Father’s love.
God knows the time required for filtering our emotions down to the point of an offering.
PRAY IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
On the second day, and the following few, I noticed how my prayers were laser-focused on writing. Such as, What can I learn from these experiences?How should I proceed with the book?Should I proceed with the book?
There’s nothing wrong with these prayers. And yet at that moment, I realized my focus was more on the writing and less on the Author. I paused, thanking God for reminding me that He’s not nearly as interested in my writing as He is with me, His daughter. It’s my heart He desires above all, not my fingertips.
REMEMBER, GOD WASTES NOTHING
My disappointment quickly faded and I’m now working on new projects. Every word is for His glory regardless of the type of book that holds them. And if I had to do it all over again, I’d still climb into the rollercoaster because some lessons can only be learned from a heavenly perspective.
How do you handle disappointment? Please share in the comment section. Encourage away!
If you’re the one struggling today, know that I would count it a privilege to pray with, and for you.
Or maybe you know someone who would be encouraged by this post. Feel free to forward it and/or share.
Notice the title doesn’t say How to Balance Summer Months with Your Calling.
That’s because I’m still learning. But I hope by sharing my struggle we can face the fact that it’s not easy and that’s okay.
So how do we leverage the blazing days of summer for God’s glory?
I remember being a mom of young boys during the summer months while also teaching a Women’s Sunday School class.
I was intentional in spending time with the boys when they were out of school for the summer. Mostly because I just loved the pudding out of them (Southern saying) but also because I wanted them to have good memories of their childhood. Maybe it’s because I was an only child who was rarely around small children and never really babysat that I felt I had to be more intentional in making this happen. So at the beginning of summer, I made a plan.
One year, the boys and I wrote out a variety of chores and put them in a jar. They would draw one or two each day and if they completed them, they earned points to redeem for staying up later at night, a meal of their choice, or other fun things.
We went to the library, visited my grandparents in the next town over, adventured on unknown backroads, swam in a variety of public pools, and rarely missed an opportunity to stop by the local TCBY on the way home. Being the best mom that I knew to be for my boys was my second calling (with the first being a godly wife — or at least trying to be.)
But I was also called to teach.
When I became a Christ-follower at the age of 27, I couldn’t tell you where to find the book of John in the Bible. So even though I was growing in the Word by taking Precept, it still took me longer than most to prepare my lessons. I also liked to add a creative element here and there, which also took a lot of thought and prep time. Most of the year, I spent hours every day preparing for my class. I loved it! So when the boys were home for the summer, I had to figure out how to balance these two callings, while keeping the boys as my top priority. People always say that children grow up before we know it, and they’re right. Now the boys have families of their own and I couldn’t be prouder of them. {Glory to God!}
And yet, the struggle was real.
So I made a plan and adjusted a few things to help keep my priorities in order:
I designated mornings and early afternoons to activities with the boys.
Mid-afternoons were “free” time where they could play with Ninja Turtles or shoot hoops.
During their free time, I studied.
I incorporated videos by Kay Arthur and Wayne Barber of Precept Ministries into the Sunday School time to lighten my load.
Did it always go as planned? Nope. But I had three goals for my summer: Have meals ready for Brian when he got home, spend quality time with the boys, and to do my best in preparing the lessons, trusting the Lord to fill in the necessary gaps.
Nailing Down My Goals Helped to Keep My Priorities in Order
Today, I am blessed with grandchildren, two in town and two in Ohio {Pass me a tissue!} One of the reasons we chose our home almost two years ago was for the pool. We knew the grands would enjoy it, and they do. Few things in life bring more pleasure than grandchildren. Pure joy!
Not my grandchildren but aren’t they cute?
The Calling Has Morphed into Writing But the Struggle Remains
Yes, it’s different. I’m not directly responsible for raising the sweet munchkins and they don’t live with me but I still had to find a way to balance swim time with the calling to write. Sometimes I struggle to keep the energy level up in the afternoons so I need to work during the times when I have the most clarity.
So I Made Another Plan
Reserve the mornings and all day Friday for writing.
Keep the afternoons free for the kiddos to swim whenever they want to ride up.
On the day I keep them each week, bring the swimsuits!
Obviously, this is a fluid schedule, open for changes at any time but having a little structure in place helps to keep my priorities in order. I want to be the grandmother God and I desire me to be, as well as the writer⏤in that order. {And yes, having Brian’s meals ready when he gets home from his now one-hour drive is still a priority. *wink*}
It’s not a perfect plan, never has been. But most mornings before I begin my day, I open my hands to the heavens, palms up.
This simple act reminds me that this day is not mine. It is God’s to do with what He wills. And His plans never fail.
I would love to learn from you. How do you juggle your priorities during the summer months?
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“Your God can be trusted. He will grant you the full supply you need to excel at His purposes today, no matter how varied or prodigious those tasks may be. Every decision you need to make, every task you need to accomplish, every relationship you need to navigate, every element of daily life you need to traverse, God has already perfectly matched it up with an equivalent-to-overflowing supply of His grace.
