friendship Archives - Jacque Watkins

A Letter to You, For When You’re Weary

May 16, 2013 by Jacque 10 Comments

Dear weary mom,

I see you. And I’ve been you. Weary, drooping, and exasperated, like week-old tulip petals trying to hang on. Fading and withering, more and more … until weak, and all used-up, and falling right down.

I am you. And I know.

I see the messes you face over and over again.

The Cheerios appearing on the floor without fail, every single morning.

The dishes piling one on top of another … because the dishwasher’s already clean and there isn’t even one moment to unload it.

The toys regenerating and scattered throughout the house.

The crayon marks and drops of watermelon juice smeared all over the floor, which you only notice after stepping there.

The shoe closet littered with empty water bottles, because those boys discarded them in a rush while re-packing their baseball bags.

The layer of dust on the corners of each stair and the dried blue toothpaste clumps in the sink.

The crumbs of goldfish decorating that carpet you just vacuumed yesterday and the papers piled all over the counter.

The unmade beds and unopened mail, and empty toilet paper roll … the one changed only by you.

Believe me, I see. And I know.

I see the craziness of your schedule as you try to survive each day.

I see how you wake to their bickering, negotiate their apologies, redirect their insults, and teach them to forgive each other over and over again. I know that process is long. I know the detour it cuts into your day. I know.

I see how you spend hours in the car. How it’s morning school drop-offs, and just hours later a Kindergarten pick-up. And without even two hours more, I see how you leave for elementary pick-up and linger around waiting for that high-schooler to be out. Multiple schools, multiple drop-off and pick up times.

I see how you drive all over town accommodating dance lessons and soccer practice, baseball games and youth group meetings, hours and hours in the car.

I see how you take all of them to the grocery store and beg them to obey. And by aisle four, two are fighting over the police-car-shopping-cart’s steering wheel, while another one’s trying to climb out of the basket altogether.

I see how you stand and cook dinner and maneuver the cranky dinnertime hour. How you answer their philosophical questions and debate their intellectual points, as you try to follow the measurements of that recipe before you.

I see how you run a marathon every single day. Multitasking, constantly thinking, and trying to plan a step ahead all along the way. The sheer physicality of it is exhausting. I know.

I see how you want to exercise but can’t. How you want quiet time but know nothing of quiet. And how you long for simpler days where you cease to run the crazed race as someone demands something at every hour.

But mostly, I see the intentions of your heart, and the desperation that resides there.

You long to be seen, and you want to be known. You want the reassurance you’re doing what matters, and in the process you’re not making too big a mess of it all.

You want to be seen for your intentions, and valued for trying … And I do see how you’re trying, yet wishing for something more, and craving the security instant success could bring.

I see how you’re stretched thin but keep hanging on.

How your doubt hovers like a cloud,

How your effectiveness seems uncertain,

And how you’re wondering if you’re cut out for this at all.

I see how you purpose to train and teach your children to become who God wants them to be. How you long to love them, but sometimes don’t really like them. And how the guilt weighs you down as a result.

I know your patience wanes and you reach your limit. I can hear the tone of your voice grow as the words you speak become arrows that pierce their hearts. Even the best of us blow it. We do. Oh how I know.

I see you. I’ve been you. And many, many days … I am you.

But the desperation of my own weary heart wants you to know we are in this together, my friend.

You are not alone.

This life as a mother is one of the hardest ones ever. Not for the faint of heart at all.

But may I whisper something to your weary heart even now?

God … loves … you.

And He chose YOU, for these dependent little moldable lives.

He picked you, amidst these adolescent years, for this. Even now.

And with His help, you really ARE enough. Because He says you are. [Tweet that]

You must know that today … YOU are seen and YOU are known. By Him and by me.

You. Are. Not. Alone.

With much love for you. And much hope for our continued time together,

I’ll be joining some beautiful women over at the new blog, Hope for the Weary Mom. Together we’re called Team Hope, and we’ll be spending time with you every Tuesday through Thursday, getting to know each other, with reassurances to your weary heart that you are not alone.

And every Thursday, starting TODAY, there will be a Dear Weary Mom link up, with mammas sharing their words of encouragement and hope.

You can visit the blog, like the Facebook page, or follow on Twitter.

Won’t you join us?

I think you’ll be so very glad you did!

Filed Under: Adversity, Character, Community, Failure, Faith, Friendship, God's Promises, God's Sovereignty, Hope, Hope for the Weary Mom, Motherhood, Relationships Tagged With: aching, failing, friendship, longing, motherhood, realness, weary mom

We Are Better Together :: The Romans Project {Week 1}

May 7, 2013 by Jacque 4 Comments

Every Friday the emails start rolling in, and they continue arriving one by one throughout the weekend. One at a time, I download the attachment and listen to each voice recite scripture.

We are in this together.

A group, just over ten of us, with a unified goal.

Acquaintances brought together with passion and conviction to learn God’s Word and hide it in our hearts.

One verse at a time we read and repeat, meditate and learn, memorize and recite.

In three different versions of Romans Chapter 1, there is something powerful and encouraging as I listen. Their voices lift me up and give me the confidence I need to continue on, in what seems to be an impossible memory project.

We are always better together than we are apart. [Tweet that]

We were made for each other–made to encourage, edify, strengthen and support.

We were created to connect and relate, because something changes for the better when we do.

Our doubts are shattered,

Our anxieties are calmed,

And our fear is demolished.

Paul, the writer of Romans, spent years connecting with others. He traveled extensively, establishing churches and investing in the ministry of each city. And he was faithful to stay connected with each of them, even when He was gone. He wrote letters and sent messages and longed to encourage them in their faith.

Paul knew it was connection that brought credibility. And credibility gave weight to his message. Although he was called as an apostle of the living God, his humility set him apart, facilitating his connection with both the Jews and the Gentiles in powerful and influential ways.

As we walk through this life, seeking to know God and glorify Him in our lives, we are indeed lifted and edified because of our relationships with each other.

Our companionship enhances our faith.

Our faithfulness increases our trust.

And that trust in one another is the foundation for love to grow between us. [Tweet that]

A kind of love God intended for us to experience all along.

As we live a life of faith, community and companionship are a gift. A gift that unwraps itself in every conversation, every letter sent, and every text received. Every interaction boosts our confidence and propels our perseverance, as we continue running toward the Savior who delights in our pursuit of Him.

We were made for each other.

God designed us to impart spiritual gifts to each other to make each other strong. Love and joy. Peace and patience. Kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

We become stronger together because we are not alone.

This very day, may we know the beauty of community, right where we are.

May we become the kind of friend we are longing to have in our own lives.

May we be the one who…

Says that encouraging word,

Sends that random letter,

Or dials that number on the phone.

May we purpose to pursue connection and participate in community. And as we do, may we be encouraged and inspired because,

We. Are Not. Alone.

God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of His Son,

is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times;

and I pray that now, at last, by God’s will, the way may be opened

for me to come to you.

I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift

to make you strong–that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged

by each other’s faith.

Romans 1:9-12 (NIV)

What has community done for you?

How has it lifted you up and helped you go on?

Filed Under: Authenticity, Bible Memorization, Character, Community, Faith, Friendship, Relationships, The Romans Project Tagged With: connection, friendship, Romans

To Risk is to Be Brave

May 3, 2013 by Jacque 12 Comments

To risk is to be brave. Because there is no bravery without risk.

I recently completed the Strengthsfinder assessment for the second time. It was for a leadership class I’m in, and to my amazement my results were almost exactly the same as four years ago.

I’m a communicator and a relator, someone who likes harmony, who individualizes her interactions with others, and loves to achieve with lots of responsibility and dependability thrown in for good measure.

Basically, I live for relationships. Nothing feeds me more than to connect and relate with others. But never in a superficial way.

I want to connect deeply. To see, and be seen. To know, and be known.

No matter who I’m with or what setting I’m in, this pursuit of relationship is my main goal. And that’s why I think relationships are so risky for me, because most of the time, I care too much. I can read into things. I can over analyze what is said. And I can beat myself up for saying or doing or being the wrong way.

I’ve found the degree to which I care, is usually the degree to which a beautiful relationship emerges, one that’s open and honest, real and satisfying. But I’ve also discovered, the degree to which I care, is also the degree to which pain pierces my heart when rejection comes.

To be brave is to risk.

To risk having and holding something of beauty,

Or to risk a hurting heart, one wounded by the sting of rejection.

Pursuing relationship is always a risk. One only for the brave.

And I imagine some might say, is it worth the risk? Is the beauty worth the risk of the pain?

And I say yes. Yes. YES.

Without risk, without the bravery of transparency and vulnerability, one thing is sure: there will never be beauty and there also will be no pain, because there will be no relationship at all.

To risk is to be brave. There is no bravery without risk. And there is no courage in the absence of fear.

I’ve done my fair share of risking in relationships, and I’ve had my fair share of the sting of rejection.

That time I asked her to be my blogging mentor and she said no.

That time I sent that email in that I-don’t-know-what-got-a-hold-of-me-moment, telling her how I’d love to be considered to write.

That time I went to that dinner party, not knowing one other person there. How I stood around all awkward, trying to interact but sticking out as the biggest loner there.

Rejection is bound to happen. Pain is an inevitable part of life.

But I’d rather be brave, take the risk, and put myself out there.

I’d rather be scared and push past my fear with courage and bravery, and pursue connection anyway.

Because it’s only with a brave risk, that the beauty of relationship will be realized.

And I don’t know about you, but that beauty is what I want.

When have you taken a risk and pursued a relationship?

How brave did you feel in that moment?

I’m joining Lisa-Jo, over at her site today, to take five minutes and just write without worrying if it’s just right or not. The challenge is to write for 5 20 minutes flat with no editing, tweaking or self critiquing, with the prompt she gives. And today, her prompt:

Brave…

Filed Under: Authenticity, Character, Community, Faith, Five Minute Friday, Friendship, Marriage, Relationships Tagged With: friendship, intimacy, realness

Because God Knows Just What We Need :: (in)RL 2013

April 28, 2013 by Jacque 24 Comments

God always knows just what we need and He orchestrates everything to be beautiful in His time.

I’m a relator and a communicator and there are few things I love more than to connect with others.

I believe in community, and connection, and the powerful beauty that blooms when two hearts are seen by one another.

I believe in the risk of relationship, and in choosing to look past the superficiality of a moment, to the authentic realness of another.

So you can imagine how thrilled I was, as I prepared to host my second (in)RL conference with my sweet friend Denise–a conference connecting women in real life, right where they are, sponsored by Dayspring’s (in)courage.

I was so surprised. Unlike last year, women actually signed up! Women who were strangers to me, who wanted to come meet together in real life. And eventually there was fourteen in all. Fourteen! Now I know that doesn’t sound like a lot to you, but compared to zero ahead-of-time RSVP’s last year, let’s just say I was Oh. SO. excited!

But then … three days before the conference, it began. One woman after another wrote to say they wouldn’t be able to come after all, sending her wishes for a wonderful time.

My heart sank.

Was it me?

Was something wrong?

Were they afraid?

Why couldn’t they come?

For three days before the conference, the messages continued, with the last two messages chiming in early Saturday morning. Denise and I were down from fourteen to just three.

The crazy thing was, for the past months I’d been praying God would send just the right women to our in-real-life meet-up.

I asked Him to open doors for connection and to provide opportunities to love on broken hearts … hearts broken by community, by life’s circumstances or by even by past failure.

And wow! That balmy California afternoon, God answered my prayers! The three women came, bringing their smiles, chocolate brownies, and gorgeous pink tulips.

Denise and I had the most splendid time loving them and listening to them … with them loving and listening to us in return.

The moving (in)RL keynote kept us all nodding our heads and moaning our mmmm’s after each woman shared…

How to stay, even when you’ve been hurt.

How to stay through sickness, loss and sadness.

How to stay through life’s transitions.

How to stay when you don’t have time,

And how to stay because it’s the right thing to do.

Oh how the words of the (in)courage women resonated with each one of us, serving up nuggets of truth that fed us right there.

We stayed and talked around the kitchen. And as we casually loaded our plates, and plopped onto the bar stools at the counter, the transparency of the women on that video set the precedent to inspire our sharing with one other.

You see, it wasn’t just about being brave enough to show up at a stranger’s house and risk interaction (in)RL.

It wasn’t just about drinking iced tea and eating baked potatoes with loads of toppings and strawberry spinach salad on the side.

No.

It was about the real me, seeing the real you, and connecting with one another because of the Jesus in us both. [Tweet that]

It was about our stories, and pure transparency, and us bonding in our brokenness.

It was about staying even now, here, in real life.

We were strangers. Yes. But we were sisters in Christ too.

We were sisters sharing who we really are, where we’ve really been, and who we are becoming in Him.

Sisters in Christ sharing all the ways we’ve been broken…

By divorce, or a move across the country,

By surviving cancer, or being bedridden and housebound for a year,

By loving an unbelieving spouse, or by trials in the workplace,

By the death of an adult daughter and the months of drowning in deep grief…

Broken, yet mended by Him.

We discovered in our short time together, the countless obstacles we face which threaten to kill our joy. And one of the ladies shared the way she stayed afloat, instead of drowning, after the death of her adult daughter just two years ago … she counted one thousand gifts and beyond. And counting and naming gifts had changed it all.

The day after our gathering she sent me a picture of her journal, with us as new friends being right there amidst the counting. What a gift!

God knew just what we all needed (in)RL that Saturday afternoon.

God knew as we came together, there would be much bonding through brokenness, and that is a gift of pure beauty from Him. [Tweet that]

It was a gift of connection…

A gift of opening our hearts to one another and seeing each other not as we are, but as who we can be in Him.

A gift of authenticity and friendship beginning (in)RL.

New journeys starting, and new thoughts of how to stay were taking hold, with much grace offered to our own hearts along the way.

Small really is the new big, and I’m so thankful for how God orchestrated it all. For how He knew just what we needed and how our hearts were touched and changed.

The hours seemed to fly, and when it was time to go we squeezed one another and left giving thanks for our (in)RL time together … a time we all needed .. a time leaving us with hope…

Hope to risk more,

To build bridges more,

To die to self more,

And to stay, even when it would be easier to run.

Thank you Lisa-Jo Baker for your God-sized dream, realized (in)RL, and for all the wonderful people at Dayspring’s (in)courage who made (in)RL possible. What a gift you all are, not only to me, but to thousands of women!

Now I am blessed with three new friendships (in)RL, having bonded through the beauty of our brokenness and through the goodness of the mending we are finding in Him.

God is so good.

Has brokenness ever bonded you with someone?

How has friendship been a gift in your life?

To purchase the (in)RL 2013 DVD – The Challenge to Stay in Community click here

Enter code INRL2013 for 25% off

To read about all the (in)RL meet ups around the world,

visit (in)courage by clicking here

*This post contains affiliate links.

Filed Under: (in)RL, Adversity, Brokenness, Community, Divorce, Faith, Friendship, Grief & Suffering, Relationships Tagged With: connection, friendship, realness

Won’t You Join Us for Community, In Real Life?

April 15, 2013 by Jacque 13 Comments

It all started with Angie Smith and her blog Bring the Rain. My friend Kathy had been reading her words for a long time, and one day was introduced to Ann Voskamp through Angie’s blog.

Kathy and I had become friends in real life while attending a small couple’s home bible study through our church.

Every Tuesday night, for three years, we met in the comfort of that home … eating, fellowshipping, and learning about God’s Word together. I loved that community.

I’ll never forget the January day in 2011, when Kathy called as I sat in the Ft. Lauderdale airport waiting for my flight. My husband and I had been on a cruise for our 10th anniversary and were on our way home.

“You not going to believe this book, Jacque. You have to get it before you leave … you won’t be able to put it down…”

I fumbled on my phone to find the book online, to purchase and download it in time for my 5-hour flight back to California. And I don’t think any flight went faster than that one, as I soaked in the words of One Thousand Gifts, with all their beauty right there before me.

It wasn’t long after that, Ann’s site led me to a community online called (In)courage, Home for the Hearts of Women. As I began to read, post after post was saturated with endless encouragement, and I grew to look forward to that post in my inbox every day.

I began connecting on Twitter with others who read (in)courage, and soon established online friendships with other (in)courage readers … women who loved God and others too.

My online friendships transformed into in-real-life ones, as I had the privilege to meet many of them in person at a conference called Allume that October. What a gift they were, and still are to me!

And this past year, I am one of the (in)couragers, co-leading one of many online groups, cultivating ongoing community and relationship with each other.

There are so many wonderful groups … Bible study groups, moms groups, military or ministry wives groups … caregiver groups, writing groups, homeschooling, and empty nester groups … and there are groups for those struggling with chronic illness, depression, infertility or children with special needs groups. Really, no matter where you are or what you need, there’s a community of (in)couragers waiting for you. All of them led by some amazing women with generous hearts.

For RSS and email subscribers, click here to view the video

In the fall, I co-led our online (in)couragers community in reading Lysa TerKeurst’s book Unglued. Over ninety of us met every week, discussing the chapters and enjoying a private Facebook page to get to know each other more, as we learned to make wise choices in the midst of our raw emotions.

And this spring, our (in)couragers community is learning how to take the shattered pieces of our lives and allow our hearts to be mended by God, as we read Angie Smith’s book, Mended, all together … over seventy of us being made whole in community.

My life is richer because of this beautiful (in)courage community and I’m so thankful to Angie for being faithful in the little things that began it all … thankful for how God took her words, and used her faithfulness to bring me into this beautiful community I’ve come to know.

We were never created to be alone.

God made us to crave relationship with Him and connection with one another … and community is His answer–a place to be heard and valued, supported and loved.

Whether it’s in real life or online, community is a gift that never ends. ←Click to Tweet

Because there is so much value in community, (in)courage is hosting the 2nd annual (in)RL conference, an opportunity to deepen our friendships in real life.

There are many meet-up locations for you to attend, in cities all over the world, with a wonderful agenda in store. And I’m hosting one of them again right here in my home. We had such a fun time last year and I can’t wait to connect with everyone this year too!

Wherever you are, community (in)ReaLife , is coming to you for FREE, right where you are.

So won’t you take a step into community?

Join us Saturday April 27th for (in)RL…

I think you’ll be surprised to learn the blessings God has in store, as you step out and into the richness of community that God has waiting for you … community you were created to enjoy!

To Register for (in)RL … click here

To find a local meet-up near you … click here

(And if you live anywhere near Southern California,

you’re welcome to join us at the meet-up at my house … by clicking here)

I sure hope to see you there!

What is your favorite experience in community?

What is one fear that holds you back?

Filed Under: (In)couragers, (in)RL, Community, Relationships Tagged With: connection, friendship

(in)couraged to mend :: Join us??

February 12, 2013 by Jacque 49 Comments

(In)Courage is a captivating online community, longing to connect women beyond the blog post, not only in real life, but online as well. And we’re so excited to be partnering with them once more as incouragers!

Last session we walked through Lysa TerKeurst’s book, Unglued, as we learned to make wise choices in the midst of our raw emotions. We interacted with one another on Facebook and even hosted a few link-ups for fun. And we’ve been eagerly anticipating this new session, which begins today and runs through April 27!

I’m joining my dear friends, Tracie and Denise, as we walk together through these next few weeks, into the wholeness God has for each one of us. And we can’t wait to (in)courage you!

We are women who have walked and lived through broken places. And because of those valleys we’ve seen God’s redemptive power, love, mercy, and grace move through our lives. We’ve experienced healing, freedom, and forgiveness … and we want you to experience it too.

We’d love to have you join us in discovering the glory God intended for each and every one of us as we dive into the hope He has for us, and into relationship with each other!

This session we’ve chosen to study Angie Smith’s latest book, Mended: Pieces of a Life Made Whole.

Listen in close, as Angie shares a bit about the heart of her book…

(If you’re reading via email or RSS feed click here for video)

“We’re never too broken to be mended!”

~Angie Smith

Tracie, Denise and I will take turns posting reflections on our blogs each Thursday. Also, we’ll share with you at our private Facebook page, incouraged to mend, and host link-ups for you to share too. If you have pieces of your life you’d like to see made whole, we’d be honored to have you join us each week!

Here’s what we’ll be discussing, as well as what you can expect:

February 21 – Intro to Book :: Jacque

February 28 – Chapters 1-4 :: Denise

March 7 - Chapters 5-8 :: Tracie

March 14 – Chapters 9-12 :: Denise

March 21 – Chapters 13-16 :: Jacque

March 28 - Chapters 17-19 :: Tracie

April 4 – Chapters 20-22 :: Jacque

April 11 – Chapters 23-25 :: Denise

April 18 - Chapters 26-28 :: Tracie

April 25 – Chapters 29-31 :: Concluding Thoughts

We’d love for you join us!

And how will we connect? Easily!!

You can participate and connect by…

Reading the book Mended: Pieces of a Life Made Whole, by Angie Smith

Joining us each week for a summary post, hosted at one of our blogs

Connecting over at our private Facebook page, incouraged to mend

And on Twitter or Instagram, using the hashtag #bemended

Don’t forget, we’ll also be hosting a link-up each week as a way for each one of you to share your thoughts, interact with, and visit one another!

To join our private Facebook community, follow this link→ incouraged to mend

You can also find us on Twitter or Instagram…

Denise J. Hughes @denisejhughes

Jacque Watkins @jacque_watkins

Tracie Stier Johnson @tmstier

Lastly, because we’re so excited about this book and can’t wait to (in)courage you through it,

we’re having a fun giveaway today!

Here’s all the giveaway details:

{What?}

We are giving away one gift set: a copy of Angie Smith’s book Mended: Pieces of a Life Made Whole and a Dream Dayspring tote bag!

{How?}

~ Leave a comment below {any ol’ comment}

~ Tweet the giveaway {but come back & leave a comment} And below is a prewritten tweet! Easy Peasy!!

Join #incouragers @denisejhughes @jacque_watkins @tmstier & win a copy of Mended, by @angiesmith19 ←Click to Tweet

~ Facebook the giveaway {but come back & leave a comment}

~ Blog the giveaway {but come back and leave a comment}

{When?}

Now through Friday, February 15 – midnight {EST}

One winner will be selected via random.org, and will be announced on Twitter and our incouraged to mend Facebook page.

We look forward to seeing how God moves us, grows us, heals us and mends us through this study, into women who are more whole … and we can’t wait to connect with you all!

Have you ever walked through brokenness?

What are you most looking forward to this session?

Filed Under: (In)couragers, Community, Mended, Relationships Tagged With: brokenness, connection, friendship, growth

For When You Long for Community In Real Life

January 14, 2013 by Jacque 1 Comment

Every human heart longs for connection and community–to be heard and understood, to feel wanted and valued. We crave interaction.

And while on-line relationships can be great, there’s nothing like lingering in real life–taking the time to pause and sit face to face … talking, sharing, and laughing.

And this year, (in)courage will be hosting its second annual (in)Real Life conference…

A chance to meet within our local cities,

To establish connection right where we are…

In the communities where we really live…

With a free webcast on Friday April 26th, and even more from the webcast as we meet together in real life on Saturday April 27th!

To view the video trailer of (in)RL 2013, click here.

The staff at (in)courage spent two years listening to women in the comments section–women who were craving local, real life community. And in 2012 they held their first ever world-wide conference, exploring the nitty gritty of community.

I hosted a meet up last year and we had such an amazing time! I learned about Instagram for the first time and even created my own account … it was SO MUCH fun!

Here’s a small look back at (in)RL 2012…

To view the video of snapshots of (in)RL 2012, click here.

And this year, they’re doing it all again … (in)RL 2013 … a chance to meet others in real life, right where you are. To go beyond the online comments section of a blog and connect in person, face to face.

And I can’t wait to host another (in)RL meet-up this year! And I think you’d love it too!

Think of it as a FREE girl’s weekend away…

One that doesn’t require packing or plane tickets …

Where you can kick off any expectation of perfect,

And set aside your fears, your shyness, or the worry that you’re not good enough.

Registration for (in)RL 2013 begins TODAY!!

Won’t you hop on over, check out the agenda, register, and then find a meet-up in your local area? And if there isn’t one nearby your community, perhaps you’d consider volunteering to host your own meet-up?

Let’s step through blog posts and into each others’ real lives – on April 26-27 and beyond!

Everyone who registers for (in)RL 2013, receives a copy of (in)RL’s first eBook: “Best of the Beach House 2012.”

And if you register today, Monday Jan 14, you’ll receive a copy of the (in)courage 365 Daybrightener as a gift! (while supplies last–US residents only).

Won’t you join us?

What fun it will be, to be in-real-life together!!

Will you be registering for (in)RL 2013?

Do you have any questions I can answer?

Filed Under: (in)RL, Community Tagged With: connection, friendship

A Mercy-Found-Me Community {My God-Sized Dream}

January 9, 2013 by Jacque 14 Comments

This year I’m joining a group of sisters over at Holley’s place, as we pursue our God-sized dreams—dreams placed within our hearts by the One who created us, and guess what? You’re invited!

“And while our dreams may not be about something big, our God-sized dreams perfectly fit who we are, what we’re called to do and how only we can make a difference in this world.” ~Holley Gerth

As I’ve shared my story over the past month, of how mercy found me, it’s my deepest desire to know how mercy has found you too—to share our stories and stand arm in arm in this place, declaring to the world that through our tragedies, through our brokenness, and through our struggles and time in the mud,

God is good, and we are loved … and He will leave nothing in our lives unredeemed. ← Tweet that

I have dreams, both big and small. And as this year unfolds, I’ll be sharing some of them with you. And I’m hoping you’ll be daring enough to share some of your dreams with me.

But my primary God-sized dream this year is to build a community right here, in this space, with you.

I dream of a place where we reflect on God’s mercy and recognize His grace in our everyday daily lives. Where we intentionally look to see what He gives, how he cares, and what He provides.

I dream of a place here, where we write about our mud moments, share about our real pain, and encourage one another in the process, so that we can know we are not alone. To know that God is here with each one of us, working and weaving His plan in and through our lives.

I dream of a place where we’re not afraid to admit our weaknesses, not embarrassed to share our brokenness, and that every single thing shared will point back to our God who really does redeem and restore each situation, as only He can.

My God-sized dream, is of a community where we are filled with the wonder of His love, moved by the radical power of His grace, and changed by His generous and unending mercy toward each and every one of us. ← Tweet That

Oh imagine the wonder of us all … united … standing arm in arm, with our scars of this life exposed, transparent, and free. Not to wallow, or complain, or highlight shame or guilt or despair.

But instead, for those scars to declare to each other and to shout to all the world,

How God is with us,

And He is good,

And we are loved,

No matter what!

So here’s the thing. I’m gonna go out on a long, narrow, and very bendy limb, in honor of dreaming–to be true to my God-sized dream.

And knowing it’s a risk, I’m going to stare fear in the face and ask anyway…

Will you join me?

On the last day of every month, will you join me here?

Whatever your situation, however you’re found, let’s meet and give God thanks…

For the way His mercy finds us,

His grace lifts us,

And His power redeems it all.

Will you look back on your month and find some way mercy found you and God gave you grace?

Will you write something from your heart, stare fear straight down and dare to hit publish anyway? Will you boldly come and link up together?

Linking both our hearts and our words in this community…

Where mercy has found us,

And grace overwhelms us,

And how because of Him we will never be the same…

And if you don’t have a blog, will join in and you write your words in the comments?

Will you be courageous with me?

To allow our words to heal … not only your own hearts as we reflect and write, but the hearts of others too?

A community of friends, linking arms once a month, to give thanks for God’s mercy and grace.

THIS is my God-sized dream.

And I’m crossing my fingers, and holding my breath … will you be there?

I can’t wait to see what God’s going to do!

What are you dreaming about?

What is your God-sized dream?

Holley’s written an e-book to help us begin to pursue our God-sized dreams: The “Do What You Can” Plan, 21 Days to Making Any Area of Your Life Better

And she’s hosting a link-up party every Tuesday over at her place to help us all dream together!

Also, as a team, we are getting ready, dreaming dreams, and anticipating the release of her brand new book, You’re Made for a God-sized Dream: Opening the Door to All God has for You, launching in March.

To learn more about Holley, her books, and words of inspiration, go to HolleyGerth.com … You’ll be so glad you did!

Filed Under: Community, God's Mercy & Grace, God-Sized Dreams, Relationships, When Mercy Found Me Tagged With: connection, friendship, God-sized dream, grace, mercy, thanks

For When You Dream of a Community of Mercy and Grace

December 1, 2012 by Jacque 5 Comments

I’m still full of wonder at the mercy of our God—the fact that I don’t receive the punishment I do deserve, but instead am given grace—the gift of His unending and extravagant love I don’t deserve.

I wonder what it would be like for every heart to be found by His mercy and transformed by His grace. To really let it sink in how lavishly loved by God we really are. This is my passion.

And I wonder what would happen if there arose a community where we shared our experiences of how mercy found us and how we’ve been met by His grace.

To tell one another what God has done in and through us,

To encourage each other,

And to draw others in who desperately need to know.

I wonder how it would strengthen and empower our hearts to know that our pain and suffering, and our mistakes and failures, are never in vain when we surrender them to God.

I wonder how hearts would be renewed to hear they are not journeying alone.

To hear how God will, and has, transformed even the most horrific circumstances and used them for good.

To understand and know how He can redeem and restore any situation to reflect His goodness and love.

Because He IS that kind of God.

My God-sized dream tonight, is of a community here in this online space, where we are filled with the wonder of His love, moved by the radical power of His grace, and changed by His generous and unending mercy toward each and every one of us.

Oh imagine the wonder of us all … united … standing arm in arm, with our scars of this life exposed for others to see. Not to wallow, or complain, or highlight shame or guilt or despair. But instead, for those scars to declare to each other and to shout to all the world, that God is with us…

And He is good,

And we are loved,

No matter what!

Friend, I’m inviting you today to such a community … this community … that you may know you are never alone!

Has mercy found you?

How has grace changed your life?

I’m joining Lisa-Jo, over at her site today, to take five minutes and just write without worrying if it’s just right or not. The challenge is to write for 5 minutes flat with no editing, tweaking or self critiquing, with the prompt she gives. And today, her last prompt of 2012:

Wonder…

Filed Under: Adversity, Brokenness, Character, Community, Failure, Faith, Five Minute Friday, Friendship, God's Love, God's Mercy & Grace, Grief & Suffering, Hope, Relationships Tagged With: brokenness, connection, friendship, God-sized dream, grace, love, mercy

For You to Know His Mercy {A Brand New Place!}

November 18, 2012 by Jacque 59 Comments

My heart beats fast as I write, groping for just the right words to welcome you to this new place … this beautiful light-filled mercy-space … the one I’ve dreamed of for so long.

The place where I have the chance to meet with you–the privilege to invite you in, with the hope that even amidst your crazy-busy days you’ll sometimes say yes. Yes to come by and stay awhile with me, and the friends who’ll join us along the way…

To walk the dirt paths between the trees, and past the ponds, and stop to chat at the benches on the way.

To gaze at the flowers and notice the dew on the grass and be lulled by the sound of the rustling leaves.

To feel the fresh breeze blowing and take in the stillness of it all.

To slow down and reminisce…

about where we’ve been,

and what we’ve learned,

and how it all gets sorted out for our good…

by a God who loves us so much He just can’t help but bless like that.

We can walk even on days when there’s shade–when the sun is hiding through the trees, or when it’s blocked by the threatening dark clouds in the sky.

And we’ll remind each other even on those days, how there are times we don’t feel the warmth of the sun, but that we know it’s still there.

Above and beyond the darkness.

And higher than the obstacles in its way.

We’ll remember how it will shine strong again–and together that ray of hope will be enough.

We can remember together how our God gives beautiful gifts, and remind each other how all is a gift, even when it doesn’t feel much like one.

That we can trust in His goodness anyway, and hold our hands open and give thanks together anyhow.

We can talk and dream of what the future holds and be reminded that we have hope.

Because God made a way for joy to transcend our circumstances–

a way for hope to resurrect sorrow,

and for His grace rain over us all.

Oh friend … {sigh} I remember how this has been a long time coming–how I’ve been planning and dreaming, rearranging and preparing for these walks with you.

To finally tell you how mercy found me.

To share how it all happened,

And explain to you why I feel so passionate about mercy and grace…

Why I long to display the unrelenting and redemptive power of our God in this place.

But most of all, as we begin to meet here in this new and glorious place, I long for you to find mercy too…

For your heart to know that no matter where you’ve been, what you’ve done, or where you’re going, there is nothing that can separate you from God’s great love … nothing.

And if by chance you come by every now and again, won’t you plan to stay awhile?

We can watch the sunset as it slips below the branches of those tall strong trees. We can breathe deep while it sinks from the sky, and rest knowing that no matter what this day held, morning is on it’s way—a morning where His mercy is brand new and enough, for each and every new day.