Friday Randomness (Vol. 20)

Scripture speaking to my heart

"I am the way and the truth and the life." ~ John 13:6a

Joy-filled quote

"Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God." ~ Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Ann Voskamp - One  Thousand Gifts

"I turn my hand over, spread my fingers open. I receive grace. And through me, grace could flow on. Like a cycle of water in continuous movement, grace is meant to fall, a rain...again, again, again. I could share the grace, multiply the joy, extend the table of the of the feast, enlarge the paradise of His presence. I am blessed. I can bless. A life contemplating the blessings of Christ becomes life acting the love of Christ."

Featured Three Word Wednesday writer

This will surely be a monthly thing because I'm not doing very well with featuring someone every week. I'm hoping to share another fabulous writer with you next week.

A few of my favorite blog reads

"Your broken and small are big and mighty in the hand of Christ. You are salt that brings forth the richness of Christ into a hurting world.." ~ Why A Small Life Doesn't Mean Useless, by Diane Bailey // Oh, how I loved this post!

"Choosing love is always a success in God’s eyes–no matter the outcome or response." ~ A No-Fail Plan for Your New Week, by Holley Gerth // Holley speaks such beautiful truth. We never fail when we choose love.

"Then this one lie becomes like a weed in my heart. And it doesn’t need water to grow. In fact, it likes drought." ~ Hope In The Weeds, by Meredith Bernard // But there is hope in the weeds! I'm so glad God led me to Meredith. You may remember I shared one of her posts last week too. She has quickly one my heart.

"What if, for one day, Jesus were to become you? What if, for twenty-four hours, Jesus wakes up in your bed, walks in your shoes, lives in your house, assumes your schedule?" ~ A Heart Like Jesus, by Max Lucado // The 40 Days to Easter Devotional series over at FaithGateway is so worth catching up on. I've loved every single post.

My favorite, favorite blog reads

"Like a vapor disappearing and reappearing, floating aimlessly between here and then and when they see me, they see but for a second and then I’m gone and they’re gone and nothing has changed." ~ For When You’re Different From Others, by Duane Scott // Beautiful, beautiful post!

"Yes. Savor the hard stuff. Enter the deep. For that is where treasure lies. Where dross is drained away and love roots deep, where self withers and trust grows, and we learn to abide." ~ Savor the Hard Stuff by Cindee Snider Re // Don't miss this one. A beautiful and moving post by a friend I truly adore. There will be tears.

"Take that glint sharp edge of His Word and hack that snake creeping up the back of your neck." ~ The One Thing You Absolutely Must Do Today, by Ann Voskamp // Amen to every word she wrote!

One of my posts...Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

I guest posted over at my friend Rebekah's of A Soft Gentle Voice this week. If you missed the post would you come on over to her place and read here? I've shared Rebekah with you in previous posts and if you have not taken some time to get to know her yet you are missing out on a real gem.

When your husband hijack's your blog

Not my husband. LOL. But my friend Elizabeth's husband hijacked her blog and honestly his post is all kinds of loveliness. It's short and oh so sweet. Come read here.

A Mosaic of Sojourners

I'm speechless and do not know how to even begin to share with you how humbled I am to be included in an e-Book from the writing team of Outside the City Gate called Pieces of Faith: A Mosaic of Sojourners. Never could I have imagined my name and words appearing in the same book with these writers: Diane Bailey, Amy Breitmann, Tammy Hendricksmeyer, David Rupert, Duane Scott, Nacole Simmons and Kelli Woodford. I'm awe-struck.

The book is "a labor of love, a collaboration voices, is not us standing in our Sunday-best, but writers and artists gathering the truthful pieces of ourselves, our stories, and giving them away."

You can read more about the book here, here and here and subscribe here.

A spoken word poem

I promise you...if you have not seen this video you will want to be sure to watch and listen closely. From IF:Gathering ~ "Esther Generation" by Amena Brown Owen and Ann Voskamp

How do you spend time with God?

Guest writers from the Circles of Faith community (me being one of them) are sharing how they spend time with God. Come join the discussion here. I'd love to hear how you spend time with God.

Favorite new song

"Lord, today You know what I need to do,
But You can do more in my waiting than in my doing I could do.
So I won’t run anymore.
I’m waiting on You."
~ Those Who Wait, by Bethany Dillon

I'm finding JOY in a deployment #JoyDare #1000Gifts

#182 ~ Traffic...for it allows more time for my audio book
#183 ~ A road trip
#184 ~ The boondocks (the word makes me smile)
#185 ~ 80's dance music
#186 ~ Spotify
#187 ~ An oh so quiet hotel in the boondocks
#188 ~ Reflections on a pond
#189 ~ A game of pool...time with family
#190 ~ A full moon
#191 ~ A night full of classical guitar music
#192 ~ Seeing my son on stage
#193 ~ Bagels and cream cheese
#194 ~ Weak coffee...it's still coffee
#195 ~ A much needed nap
#196 ~ Skyping with my husband and son within the same morning
#197 ~ Breakfast with a friend
#198 ~ Snail mail from writing friends
#199 ~ Poets
#200 ~ A Mosaic of Sojourners
#201 ~ Missed alarms
#202 ~ Sleeping in
#203 ~ Loved ones becoming U.S. Citizens
#204 ~ Security systems that keep you safe
#205 ~ A walk (you may see this one again)
#206 ~ Time on the phone with a sweet writing friend
#207 ~ Headphones
#208 ~ Scripture cards from a friend
#209 ~ Rain...more signs of spring
#210 ~ McDonald's biscuits...indulging myself
#211 ~ A message from my husband that says, "I just wanted to see your typed words before I head to bed." ~~so in love~~