Thanks!...even in this.

Happy Valentine's Day! Today I spent a few minutes talking about some things I have been wrestling with around love and I think you might be surprised to hear the bridge between the patience and kindness of love and growing in the fruit that it brings. Hidden in our discipleship to Jesus, I believe there is an invitation that helps us to receive love and grow in our capacity to give it away. Join me and find out about this simple practice:)

"We make our decisions, and then our decisions make us. In the beginning we have a choice, but eventually, we have a character." John Mark Comer The new year often makes us think through lots of new things. Wherever you fall on the scale of loving making goals or intentions or absolutely hating it, I think this episode will be a refreshment for you! An opportunity for you to see that God cares about more than simply what we do. He meets us right where we are and gives us just what we need. We'll look at Elijah's life and glean some insight for our own.    

Merry Christmas! A few thoughts on how I've been approaching Christmas this year that I thought I'd share with you today. What if the Jesus that came in a manger all those years ago is also about our daily days? What if its the ordinariness of life that is actually sacred?  Today we'll chat for just a few minutes about what's rolling through my mind this morning. Enjoy!

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever Hebrews 13:8 Happy Advent!  In today's episode we're talking about what it might look like to prepare our hearts for Him, to take some moments during this season to purposefully incline ourselves toward the things of God. I'll share with you three things that I've been pondering as I lean into the cadence of this season with hope and expectancy.  (There's also a great prayer at the end my Henri Nouwen that felt like such great preparation for me that you won't want to miss!)

Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.  1 Thessalonians 5:18 The Message Of course I'm talking about gratitude in this episode before Thanksgiving. I hope that our time together makes room for you to notice whats in your life that you've overlooked and want to note your gratitude for. AND, I think you'll be surprised at a story I share at the end and how I found deep gratitude in the middle of BIG fear.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Homer says, "The journey is the thing."   I'm sure many of you can relate to life in the middle space. I'm talking about that place of process where we are trying to figure things out and we often find ourselves without a handle to grab hold of. It can feel so disregulating at times. Join me as I share what its been like for me and as we look back at some others in history who also found themselves in the middle of process. We'll ask the questions, "What if this season, is actually a gift to us?" …."what if this is a place that God is generously offering us?" I'm pondering the idea that this very season could be the exact thing that God wants to use to answer some of my own specific requests of him. Join me ask we talk this through today and hopefully you can find some handles for yourself as you navigate your own middle places.

Purpose in life is far more than property or possessions. Having more to live with is no substitute for having more to live for.   Nicky Gumbel   This worked out so great—-my friend Laurine (who has her own podcast) asked me to come and record (while I was in Seattle, in September) and I enjoyed our conversation so much I thought I'd share it here on the spacious place. We talk all about purpose, sharing some of our own thoughts around it from our own lives. Think you're gonna like it! 

"In the face of God's glorious creation and his perfect law, we are called to both revel and to repent. God's glory and perfection, like the majestic sun, call us to Himself." —She Reads Truth Bible notes   Today's conversation comes out of some time spent in Psalm 19. This psalm is packed with descriptives about what God is like as well as invitation to commune with Him. As I read it I was deeply motivated and encouraged by God's generous pursuit, even through creation—-longing for all to know of His goodness. I hope after listening today, you experience some of the same things!

"Uncorking my thoughts and naming them gives me the ability to receive." Sara Hagerty, The Gift of Limitations   Are you struggling because of some limit your facing right now? What does life look like for you when you find yourself bound by some kind of limitation? I can tell you that for me, I'm often not proud in hindsight about how well I've handled said limitation. I constantly need reminding that God is at work and that my limitations don't limit Him from accomplishing what He has planned to do. I get so forgetful! Today I'll share some of the places in my own life that feel like they could leave me hopeless, and I'll also share some of the ways I'm practicing some rhythms that are more helpful than the run of the mill, anger, frustration or pit of despair, that feels most familiar.

"In the Kingdom of God, weakness is a superpower because in God's Kingdom strength and weakness are not opposites, they're synchronistic with the rule and reign of Christ." Ruth Chou Simons When Paul talks about freedom in Galatians, I think it can feel defeating at times when our lives don't feel like we're necessarily walking in freedom. In this episode I'm sharing some thoughts about what freedom is and what it isn't.  (**Spoiler alert…freedom isn't something we can maintain on our own, and we will never do it perfectly. That's really good news!!! Its not all on us, and perfection isn't the goal.) I'll also share what it looks like for me and the things I begin to notice that have shifted in my heart and mind and my way of being. So join me and lets talk together about how to get back to the free space Jesus made possible for us!