Month: October 2015

I am wrecked. In a good way.

I am overwhelmed. In a good way.

This weekend was a defining moment in my walk with the Lord. I took a bold step in faith and somewhat spontaneously decided to attend The Splendid Retreat in Green Lake, WI. We were surrounded by God’s artistry, both in the peak fall colors of trees creating a tapestry of reds, oranges, yellows, and greens, and in the beauty of the women attending, stepping out in faith.

I knew nobody. I arrived alone.

Driving into the conference center, I felt the anticipation of meeting new people. Would I be welcomed? Would I regret this? Should I turn around and leave?  The flood of emotions was overwhelming. I felt the familiar anxiety of being exposed and vulnerable. This was the point. I needed to be brave and fearless in this journey. The next three days were filled with 38 other women walking in faith together to grow in our relationships with God and an understanding of how we can be whole in our brokenness.

This weekend, God placed pivotal speakers at the conferences, with messages I needed to hear. God knew I needed to hear about accepting grace when those big things are just too big to manage. He’s got this. God knew I needed to hear, through the words of Jana Craft,

Where has God asked you to GO?
What has God asked you to DO that you are avoiding?
What has God asked you to BE that you are hindering?

Why has it taken so long to believe that I am Splendid and Lovely? Why am I getting in my own way, holding back from His plan? When am I going to stop allowing negative thoughts about being invisible and insignificant to infiltrate my mind, preventing me from quieting my mind to hear the words of the Lord?

I left the retreat with a lot to think about, and the voice of God reminding me that I am His. I am His daughter. I also left with many new connections and a sense of hopefulness for the family that was created this weekend.

I left on my own, but I wasn’t alone.

Love is…

• Bringing a friend a hot coffee or meal when they are having a tough day
• Late night feedings with your infant or watching your son play soccer on a cold, rainy morning
• Holding your mom’s hand while she gets a chemo treatment
• A long kiss with your spouse
• Shoveling an elderly neighbor’s driveway when they are home-bound

This list could go on forever. If you spend any time on social media, blogs are articles are ready to tell readers what the true meaning of love is.

This particular verse has been on my heart for a while. Last spring, I was attending a conference and heard Bob Goff speak on the topic of love. He wrote a book, Love Does, chronicling how love in action has played out in his life in some of the most incredible ways. Since that conference, the idea of putting love into action has been a constant in the back of my mind.

Now, throw in a introvert who is not always confident in herself and you’ve got a failure to launch.

Recent events in my small community lead me to believe that there is a growing need for love to be shared through action. Words are not enough. We can express our love over and over again through words, and it will not be received.

Why?

I don’t have any good answers, but I have some thoughts. Perhaps our words and actions are not in sync with each other. Perhaps they hear us say, “you are loved”, but our body language is not convincing. Perhaps we are not following through on our words. Perhaps.

So. This “failure to launch” that I am experiencing? I am turning my fears over to God and finding ways to put my love into action in my little town.

Share your ideas! How can we put our love into action and show those who are hurting or lost that we care?