A Heavenly "Atta Girl" Delivered by Little Lips

Cuddled in a sea of pink blankets and flowered pillows, I listen to her read. Her sweet little voice makes the words float, light and carefree. As they hit my ears and heart they are heavy with meaning, and I can hardly concentrate.

Every night we read a page from Jesus Wants All of Me, giving us an incredible opportunity to discuss Scripture, the short devotion and pray together. I don't think she'll go to bed without it anymore. She is seeking for the meaning, the hope, her Jesus. But tonight, as she read, I knew those words were for me.

A kiss from my sweet King.

A heavenly "atta girl" delivered by little lips.

With the support of my amazing husband I am beginning to investigate growing into the ministry God continually calls me toward. To encourage women in the everydayness of life. To point to God and help create events, blogs, spaces, studies and more where women can breathe and fill up with Jesus.

Common Graces is the start of a faith journey.

As I stand with my toes on the edge of an adventure ready to begin, Isabel read this to me tonight:

"Big God

God picked me. He has a plan for my life. We will go many places. Together we will do wonderful things. But His plan is much bigger than places or things. I cannot see it just now. But in my heart I hear it calling. I hear it calling me to Him!.

Behold we are going up to Jerusalem. Luke 18:31

Thank you, Jesus, for lifting me, leading me, and filling me with the joy that makes my heart sing Your beautiful love song to everyone I meet."

Seriously??!?!?

Don't you love that our God is infinitely powerful and intimately involved in our lives?

Next week, I'll officially kickoff the new website, the new and improved (with half the calories and no trans fat) blog, and this adventure with giveaways, sneak peeks of upcoming events and spotlighting some awesome organizations that shine Christ into dark corners of the world while giving tangible help. Join me, okay??

For now, friends, can I ask you a favor? Would you join me in prayer? Pray for this ministry, for the women God has already made divine appointments with, for my family and for His glory to shine from my heart, my keyboard, and my life. Pray that I am filled with the joy that makes my heart sing His beautiful love song to everyone I meet.

******

Friends, this is the last week I'll be posting here...please visit Common Graces. I look forward to connecting with you there.

Cuz my Life is a Sitcom

The chandelier is rattling from the kids jumping off beds upstairs...hmmm, I swear I told them not to do that. I continue to chop tomatoes...rattle, rattle, thump.

Music blaring. Kids can't hear me yell to stop. Hands covered in tomatoes. I'll tell 'em to stop as soon as I finish these onions too.

Tears streaming down my face. (gotta love chopping onions) Hands covered in tomatoes and onions. Music blaring. Thump. Bump. Rattle. Rattle.

Suddenly there is a fly bug thingy going down my shirt? Really?? A bug??

And then as though there wasn't enough happening....

Knock. Knock. Bark. Growl.

You've got to be kidding me.

More knocking. More barking. More thumping and rattling. Tears. And, yes, the bug is still down the front of my shirt.

As I open the door I can't help but laugh (through the tears still streaming down my cheeks). There are the dear ladies from a local church that desperately want me to sit and talk with them about the literature they keep leaving me.

There I stood. A teared-up, wriggling, sticky mess. Water boiling on the stove waiting for canning. Kids coming through the ceiling. Dogs barking and knocking me around.

Literally these ladies looked at me and walked away. NOT ONE WORD! Oh how I wish I could have heard their conversation as they backed out of my driveway -- eyes averted so they didn't make any sort of eye contact with me.

I wonder - will they be back???

Just had to share...cuz some days I feel like my life is a sitcom!