7 Encouraging Bible Verses to Keep Close to Your Heart

Posted on May 15, 2013 by lifehappenswhen

We all have days and moments in life when we need to be encouraged. We often cling to our friends and family for comfort, strength, and encouragment in those times, but it’s just as important to turn towards the Bible. It is filled with words of not only encouragement, but of hope, peace, strength, and love.

On the roughest of days, here are 7 Bible verses that build me up:

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
-Psalm 46:1

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
-Philippians 4:13

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; be not frightened, neither be dismayed; for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
-Joshua 1:9

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
-John 3:16

“Peace I leave you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”
-John 14:27

“What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”
-Romans 8:31

“My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.”
-James 1: 2-4

What is your favorite encouraging Bible verse?

Life happens when we find encouragment from scripture.

This Little Light of Mine {Book Review and Giveaway}

Posted on May 9, 2013 by lifehappenswhen

One thing I love about the Catholic Church is the cyclical nature. I love that as the year unfolds, we enter and leave one liturgical season after another. It’s comforting to me.

There are plenty of ways to make the most of our faith during Advent and Christmas. As Lent comes, we offer sacrifices to grow closer to Christ. We rejoice triumphantly during the Easter season.

But the vast majority of the liturgical year is filled with Ordinary Time. How do we make the most of it? As Kathleen Basi says, “Ordinary Time is make-or-break time for one’s faith. This is when we choose to be comitted, feet-on-the-ground Christians, or slide into mediocrity.” We can get lazy if we let ourselves.

That’s why her newest book, This Little Light of Mine: Living the Beatitudes is so encouraging. She gives parents and children practical strategies to live out our faith in the seemingly ordinary moments of our life.

I was so excited when Kathleen reached out to me to see if I would review (and give away a copy of) the book. I’m already a big fan of Kathleen’s work! You might recall me telling you that her book, “Bring Lent to Life” was part of my daily Lenten routine. Also, the practical ideas for serving others and growing in faith from her book “Joy to the World” provided the inspiration for my family’s Advent Acts of Service.

This Little Light of Mine was exactly what I’d been searching for to not only grow in my own faith journey, but to teach the faith to my children.

Each chapter provides a look at Scripture, the Ten Commandments, and/or the Sacraments. It then breaks down one of the Beatitudes and relates it to our everyday lives and our Catholic faith, often referencing the Catechism of the Catholic Church. There is a section written specifically for adults and a section written in kid-friendly language. At the end of each chapter is a section called, “Just Live It” that provides realistic suggestions and activities to live our faith out loud. I think grade schoolers and older could read this book easily and gain wonderful insight into living a vibrant and authentic Catholic life.

My own kids are too little to read this book with me, but it is still pertinent to our family. As Kathleen says in the beginning of the book, “The best way to ensure that religious formation “takes” is for parents to live their faith, to be seekers alongside their children.“ This book offers practical ways to live the faith as well as grow in knowledge of the faith in order to teach it to our children (and others).

This Little Light of Mine is thought-provoking and forces us to consider tough subjects including our own shortcomings and the necessity of suffering, but Kathleen’s down to earth writing style makes it easy to read and digest.

I’m positive that This Little Light of Mine will be a book I come back to again and again, especially as my children get older and can read with me. It is an invaluable addition to my Catholic library, and it should definitely be in yours, too!

Want a chance to win a copy? Just leave a comment on this post to tell me why you want the book and you’re entered! That’s it. I’ll pick a winner next Thursday! Good luck!

Life happens when we make the most of ordinary time.

Do You See What God Sees?

Posted on May 7, 2013 by lifehappenswhen

I’ve always been incredibly self-conscious. In my teens and early twenties, that self-consciousness teetered on self-doubt and self-loathing.

I compared myself to other girls and I always came up short. In those days, it was all about what I didn’t have.

I didn’t have beautiful, long, soft, flowy hair.

I didn’t have a gorgeous, smooth, blemish-free complexion.

I didn’t have trendy clothes or any fashion sense at all, really.

I didn’t have a size zero body.

I didn’t have pearly white, straight teeth.

I definitely didn’t have the chest so many other girls were blessed with.

In the rare moments when I felt pretty, I was always immediately overshadowed by someone I thought to be so much prettier. In the occassions when someone would tell me I was beautiful, I’d roll my eyes in complete disbelief.

Though I’m still a self-conscious person, over time I’ve grown more comfortable in my own skin. I’ve also learned that real beauty goes far beneath the surface.

Still, I’m often very unhappy with what I see when I look in the mirror. These days it isn’t what I’m lacking, but what I have instead.

Gray hairs. Wrinkles. Child-bearing hips. Thunder thighs. Stretch marks. Lots of extra pounds. And despite already birthing two children and currently bearing one, still a remarkably small chest.

My husband tells me every day that I’m beautiful. I only roll my eyes some of the time. I really do believe him, but I often wonder if we’re looking at the same person.

Last week, I was just having one of those days. I happened to stop by Kathryn’s blog and caught a recap of her daughter’s First Communion. Man you guys, Kathryn knows how to throw a party, but that’s beside the point.

What caught me totally off guard and brought me to deep, inconsolable tears was an interaction she had with her daughter at the end of the day. Just before her daughter changed out of her pretty dress, Kathryn had her look at herself in the mirror.

“Never forget how beautiful you look today. That’s how God sees you everyday.”

What wise and powerful and truthful words to say to your child. That’s what I want to teach my children. That’s exactly what I want my little girl, who will no doubt be filled with the same self-consciousness I’ve carried through the years, to know.

But beyond teaching the magnitude of God’s love to my children, I realized her words applied to me, as well. And they apply to each and every one of you.

God didn’t make any mistakes when He created us. He made us just as we are for a specific reason and He loves us more than we could ever understand.

When we’re 20+ pounds overweight. When we accidentally ruin our hair. When acne covers our face and scars cover our body. Freckles. Crooked teeth. No make up. Beautiful white dress or frumpy sweatpants.

God loves us. In His eyes, we are beautiful. And he wants us to love ourselves, too. He wants us to see the same beauty He sees.

If you’ve been down on yourself because you don’t like your hair or your weight or anything much about yourself, stop a moment and think of a time when you felt beautiful. That’s how God sees you right now. That’s how you should see yourself, too.

Life happens when we see what God sees.

P.S. This is in no way a plea for compliments on how I look. For real. We all have those days when we’re less than pleased with what we see in the mirror, right? Thankfully, Kathryn so openly shared such an intimate moment with her daughter. She reminded me what I should have been focusing on all along.

Faith and Love in Action

Posted on April 30, 2013 by lifehappenswhen

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. -Romans 12:10

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a real blessing. Children a man has when he is young are like arrows in a soldier’s hand. Happy is the man who has many such arrows. He will never be defeated when he meets his enemies in the place of judgment. -Psalm 127:3-5

Remember these commands and cherish them. Tie them on your arms and wear them on your foreheads as a reminder. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you are resting and when you are working. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates. -Deuteronomy 11:18-20

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven; a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted. -Ecclesiastes 3: 1-2

Every good gift and every perfect present comes from heaven; it comes down from God, the Creator of the heavenly lights, who does not change or cause darkness by turning. -James 1:17

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. -Colossians 3:15

Life happens when we put our faith and love in action.

Prayer for the Weary

Posted on April 18, 2013 by lifehappenswhen

Sometimes my prayers come easily and naturally. It’s comforting to kiss my little ones, tuck them into bed, and offer a prayer while standing over them in their darkened room.

It’s easy to pray for my husband, our family, and our friends.

It’s easy to pray for the special intentions of others and for the world.

I read several different devotions each day. I try to read the Bible each day, as well.

Still, I feel like my prayers are so inadequate. I feel lost, unsure of what to say. I complicate things because I try to formulate the “perfect” prayer. And sometimes, I’m just too weary to say anything at all. The day usually wipes me out and before I know it, I’m sound asleep in bed.

During Lent, one of my goals was to read the Gospel of Mark in 40 days. I actually read it faster than that. It was a short, quick, familiar read.

I enjoyed the experience so much, I challenged myself to read each Gospel all the way through over the next few months. Sometimes I’m guilty of just flipping through until I find a passage or two that I like, but reading Mark from start to finish helped me rediscover forgotten stories and helped me get back in the habit of actually reading from the Bible daily (rather than just a quick verse or two or the daily readings).

Right now, I’m reading through Matthew. The other night, I was feeling drained from another long day. I wanted to turn out the lights and go to sleep, but I knew I really needed to read from Matthew, at least for a few minutes. Part of what I read that night was Matthew 6: 7-13. It spoke to me so much and put my heart at such ease.

“When you pray, do not use a lot of meaningless words, as the pagans do, who think that their gods will hear them because their prayers are long. Do not be like them. Your Father already knows what you need before you ask him.This, then, is how you should pray:

‘Our Father in heaven:
    May your holy name be honored;
may your Kingdom come;
    may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need.
Forgive us the wrongs we have done,
    as we forgive the wrongs that others have done to us.
Do not bring us to hard testing,
    but keep us safe from the Evil One.’

The Lord’s Prayer- The Our Father. It’s simple. Familiar. Comforting.

Of course, we MUST build a relationship with God. We must form a friendship with Christ. We must go to church, serve the Lord, follow His will for us. And we must pray.

But sometimes we are weak and weary. Sometimes we are angry and broken. Sometimes we are lost.

God already knows what’s in our hearts. He knows what we need and He knows what we want. He’s not asking for a longwinded speech. He only wants some time with us.

So on those days when you can’t find the words, know that you don’t need to. Offer up a simple memorized prayer to the Lord. Or sit in prayerful silence. He’ll hear you just the same. And He’ll appreciate that you made the effort to talk to Him.

Life happens when we pray.

A Four Year Old’s Prayer Gets Answered (And So Does Mine)

Posted on April 9, 2013 by lifehappenswhen

He has a little brother on the way!!!

For weeks, Lucas has been begging to know whether the baby was a boy or girl. He REALLY wanted a little brother.

I explained to him that we don’t get a choice. We have to be happy with whatever God blesses us with.

He took that in stride, but at one of my appointments, my doctor joked that the heartbeat “sounded like a girl.” When I told Lucas that, he was clearly put out.

Since then, he’s asked nearly every day whether the baby was a boy or a girl. Finally, the other day, he said, “Mommy, even if the baby is a girl, we’ll still thank God, right!?!?”

I had to laugh. Of course, Lucas!

We had our ultrasound last week. We decided to drop the kids at my mom’s house, so they didn’t know we were finding out that day. After we picked them up, we surprised them with ice cream. Mike prepped Lucas by asking him lots of questions, especially about how he’d feel if the baby was a girl.

He said, “It’s okay, but I really want a boy.”

I asked him what he would say if it was a girl. He said he’d say, “Aww man!!” Ha!

As they ate their ice cream, we told them. The look of joy on Lucas’s face was precious. He’s already a great big brother. This baby boy is sure lucky!

As for me, I’m so grateful that everything seems to be fine. I mentioned weeks ago that I’d been holding this pregnancy at arm’s length out of fear and lack of faith. The baby has started moving more and more, which has been a relief in itself. Still, I was frightened. I tried so hard to hand my worries over to God, but they still consumed me.

I found it fitting that the Gospel reading at church this past Sunday was all about Thomas (John 20: 19-31). As Thomas refused to believe Jesus was alive without seeing the mark of the nail in his hand or touching the nail marks, so I’ve been a “Doubting Thomas” this entire pregnancy.

I had to SEE my sweet little baby via ultrasound to believe.

Relief washed over me. Thanksgiving flooded through me. My faith in God was restored. Suddenly, I could let myself dream about this little boy growing inside me. I could smile over his constant movements and kicks. I could hold my hand over my belly and feel such warmth within my heart.

At church on Sunday, as I listened to the Gospel, I heard Jesus talking not to Thomas, but to me.

“Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

What I realized in that moment is that God is always with me. Sometimes it doesn’t feel that way. Sometimes life is really hard and lonely. But He is with me, carrying me through the darkest of times.

He has a plan for me. He has a plan for each member of my family, including this tiny bud of a boy inside me. It is not up to me to decide my own fate or this little baby’s. But, God was with me all this time, even though I didn’t let Him in. He could have given me the peace I craved if only I’d trusted. And He continues to be with me. He continues to be with my baby.

God wants us to come to the realization that we need Him. We can’t do it alone. We can certainly try, but the road is much harder and more burdensome than when we allow Him to carry us through.

What we tend to forget in this life is that there is another life waiting for us. We get wrapped up in the temporary joy and bliss of an earthly world. But so little of that matters in light of what’s ahead.

That’s what God wants us to understand.

Sometimes He brings that to us by way of this obstacle or that one. Sometimes He brings that to us through loss and grief. Sometimes He brings that to us by denying us what our heart wants more than anything.

And sometimes, He brings that to us through a tiny miracle growing within.

We all have a daily choice. We can doubt, fear, worry, lash out at God, blame Him, and hold Him at arm’s length.

Or we can be patient and trust in His plan for us. Cast our cares on Him. Thank Him. Praise Him. And believe.

Sometimes I wish I still had the faith of a child. As soon as Lucas heard it was a boy, he said, “I knew it!”

He knew it all along because he trusted all along. He couldn’t see, but he believed. He believed in the ultimate goodness of our God. It’s easy to forget that goodness in the hardness of life.

As I continue to prepare for this new child of mine, I pray that I can learn to have faith like a child again. To fully hand my fears and worries over to God. To believe that He will take care of me. To know that His plan for me (and my family) is greater than anything I could dream on my own- even when there is suffering and sadness involved. To put my trust in Jesus. To be able to say to Him, “Jesus, I trust in you” and really, truly mean it.

I hope all that for you, too.

Life happens when we believe.

Thoughts on Thursday

Posted on March 14, 2013 by lifehappenswhen

I have so much I want to say, but I can’t seem to formulate the right words. I know many of my readers aren’t Catholic, but many of you are, as well. Regardless of your faith, surely you understand the great significance of the election of a new pope.

As we waited in joyful anticipation for that white smoke (the signal that a new pope had been elected), Catholics from all around the globe united in faith. The media (albeit mostly biased and critical) watched and waited. Many of our brothers and sisters of other faiths waited and watched, as well.

It was suspenseful. It was dramatic. It was beautiful.

When Pope Francis greeted his flock for the first time, a wave of gratitude, admiration, respect, and awe flooded through me. This man I’d never heard of and knew nothing about took hold of my heart immediately. His gentle voice. His humble demeanor.

I looked over at Mike and said, “I love him already.”

That was before I knew what a humble, selfless, simple servant he was.

That was before I knew that when he became bishop in Argentina, he declined the nicer home and car his title earned him. Instead, he chose to live in a simple, small apartment heated only by a stove and take the bus to work each day. Humble. Selfless. Simple. Servant.

That was before I realized how very much he respects the dignity of all human beings. That he’s a champion for the poor and that he has been known to wash and kiss the feet of AIDS patients who are dying. Humble. Selfless. Simple. Servant.

That was before I knew that after being elected Pope, he took the bus with the other Cardinals home rather than ride in the Papal escort he’d earned. Humble. Selfless. Simple. Servant.

The media, the secular world, and even some lukewarm Catholics seem to have it out for my Catholic Church. They want to talk scandal. They want to make villains of some very holy people. They worry only about their own whims and agendas. Those Catholics should get with the times! Modernize! Ease up on this! Allow that!

They were clearly disappointed and dismayed that the Cardinals chose a 76 year old man who is faithful to the doctrine of the Church, but I’m not.

I’ll be the first to admit that the Church’s teachings are sometimes difficult to understand, even harder to accept, and nearly impossible to follow wholeheartedly. I spent many years of my adolescence and young adulthood fighting against and totally breaking many of those teachings. It has only been in the last few years that I’ve really, truly embraced my Church.

Does that mean I’m perfect? Does that mean I agree with every teaching? Does that mean I follow every teaching to a T?

Well, that’s just absurd. I’m human. By default, that makes me a sinner.

The difference is perspective. Once upon a time, I wanted to change the Church. Now, I understand that it’s me who must change. The thing I’ve grown to love most about the Catholic Church is that she doesn’t budge- not for me, not for anyone. Her doctrine might not be popular, but she stands unwavering.

I also understand that there has been scandal in the Church. I’m not ignoring it or defending it. But here’s my two cents, for what it’s worth. Even the holiest among us are human. As I mentioned above, by default that makes them sinners, too. Yes! We put our faith and trust in the leaders of the church. Yes! They should be held accountable! Yes! They should be held to higher standards.

But let me ask you this: When do you most notice the Devil at work in your life? Is it when you are living day to day with a lackluster faith? Is it when your conversations with God are minimal, at best. When life is easy, and you’re floating through with eyes on earth and not toward Heaven. Because that’s NOT when Satan likes to creep in on me.

No, he weasels his way into my life at the moments when I’m growing closer to Christ. When I’m intentional in my faith. When I’m deliberately trying to make myself better.

Has anyone ever dared (or cared) to think about that in regards to the scandals and corruption that have been prevalent not only in the Catholic Church, but in the entirety of the history of the world?

And that’s all I have to say about that.

I’m sure the media will dig up some kind of dirt on our Pope Francis (if they haven’t already). I’m sure the secular world will roll their eyes and mock him. I’m sure those lukewarm Catholics will continue to fight for change that just isn’t going to happen, and they’ll curse his name because of it.

But I believe in him. I have high hopes and great faith in a man who chose St. Francis of Assisi as his namesake, who bucks tradition only to show us how to be more humble, selfless, and simple. He is a true servant of God, and I hope that we all learn from his example.

I will pray for him all the days he reigns.

Habemus Papam! We have a pope!

Life happens when we elect a new pope!

Image Source

Give Until It Hurts

Posted on March 7, 2013 by lifehappenswhen

I mentioned at the beginning of Lent that I would be reading the book, “Bringing Lent Home with Mother Teresa” by Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle.

The book is a devotional that carries you through each day of Lent. Each day consists of a quote from Mother Teresa, a reflection for parents, a family prayer (my kids are still too little, so I just do this by myself), a story from Mother Teresa’s life, a suggestion for fasting and almsgiving (that are geared toward older kids, but are easily adaptable for adults), a final prayer, and a thought to carry you through the day.

It sounds like a lot, but it’s really a quick read. I have been reading it alone, but my sister has been reading it with her kids ages 13, 11, and 6. We’ve all benefited greatly from this book.

While it is a quick read, it is far from “easy.” If you know even a tiny bit about Mother Teresa, you know what a humble, generous, loving, devout person she was. This book challenges us to be like her.

I have found this book at once fascinating (I LOVE Mother Teresa) and terrifying. It has really turned my faith and my life upside down.

And though my kids are too young to read this book with me, I’ve been astounded by all the ways I’ve been able to take what I learned and teach it to them.

The first Tuesday of Lent, the quote from Mother Teresa was this:

“We must give until it hurts. For love to be true it has to hurt. It hurt Jesus to love us; it hurt God to love us because He had to give. He gave His Son. This is the meaning of true love, to give until it hurts.”

Ouch.

The story from her life talked about how it bothered her that too often people only gave out of their extra or what they had leftover. They didn’t feel any sense of sacrifice when they gave. She told the story of meeting a beggar who wanted to donate money to the poor. He gave her a small amount of change that didn’t amount to anything, but it was all he had. Mother Teresa was torn because she didn’t want to take the only money he had for food, but she decided to accept it anyway. The man was overjoyed at being able to give. Even though he didn’t give very much at all, it was worth so much more because he gave out of love and sacrifice.

When I read that story, I immediately thought of the widow from the Gospel:

Jesus looked around and saw rich people dropping their gifts in the Temple treasury, and he also saw a very poor widow dropping in two little copper coins. He said, “I tell you that this poor widow put in more than all the others. For the others offered their gifts from what they had to spare of their riches; but she, poor as she is, gave all she had to live on.” -Luke 21: 1-4.

Obviously, this gave me a great deal to ponder. My family has most certainly been blessed. While we strive to be generous, we are often guilty of giving out of our surplus. This day’s devotion challenged me to be generous out of love and sacrifice, not out of duty or guilt.

I didn’t realize that very day I’d have the opportunity to teach Lucas a very difficult, but relevant lesson.

We are also doing “40 Days of Food” during Lent. We have a designated box and each day, Lucas and I place a non-perishable food item in it. I let Lucas pick (with some help) a food item out of our pantry to put in the box.

This particular day, I gave him three boxes of macaroni and cheese (each different flavors) to choose from. He looked at his choices and immediately burst into tears. He didn’t want to give any of them away.

It took me awhile to realize the source of his tears. You see, we’ve been slowly eliminating processed foods from our diet and our pantry. I hadn’t made a box of mac and cheese in weeks (maybe months). These boxes were Annie’s Organic brand, which are still processed, but not quite as much as the regular kinds. I usually reserve this mac and cheese for special occasions or nights when I’m totally wiped out.

Lucas didn’t want to give away any of these precious boxes of macaroni and cheese. He loved them too much. It hurt him deeply that I even suggest we give one of the boxes away.

As I hugged and consoled him, I knew this teachable moment was a gift from God. Once he calmed down, I explained to him that somewhere out there is a little boy who is very hungry. He isn’t as lucky as we are to have a whole pantry filled with food. He doesn’t have any food at all.

We could give him some green beans or a can of soup, but wouldn’t it be so nice to give this little boy one of our boxes of macaroni and cheese? That way he could fill his belly up with something yummy that he would really love, too?

At first, this didn’t satisfy Lucas. In fact, he clung to those boxes of mac and cheese even tighter.

I continued by telling him that God really loves it when we are kind to others by giving them food when they don’t have any (which he already knew). I added that God loves it even more when we give something that we really like to someone who needs it more than we do. Sometimes it hurts to give and be kind to others, but that’s how we show God we love Him.

Lucas pondered it for a moment more, but he finally placed one of the boxes of mac and cheese in our collection box. I wiped his tears and told him how proud I was of him.

I watched a tiny smile cross his face. He said, “I know someone else who is proud of me.”

“Who?” I asked.

“God.”

He ran off to play. When he wasn’t looking, I wiped away my own tears. My 4 year old had simultaneously made my heart ache as I watched him learn a tough lesson and filled my heart with pride as he handled the situation with more grace than I often do. The macaroni and cheese was never mentioned again, but I think about it every time we place a new item in the box.

And I may have made him macaroni and cheese that same week.

Whether we’ve been blessed with a lot or we struggle to make ends meet, we are called to be generous to others. There is always someone less fortunate. There is always someone who needs something more than we do- be it money, food, or clothes. There is always someone who would be blessed so much more by something we have.

When you find yourself giving from your surplus or reluctant to give at all, think of the beggar that Mother Teresa encountered who was so joyful as he gave away all his food money. Think of the woman from the Gospel who gave everything she had. And think about my little 4 year old who gave his beloved macaroni and cheese.

Be more generous than you planned. Give away that item you aren’t quite ready to part with. Give deeply. Give more. Give with all you have.

Life happens when we give until it hurts.

Okay, God

Posted on February 25, 2013 by lifehappenswhen

Thank you so much for such an incredible response to my last post! I am simply overwhelmed by the love, support, and encouragement!

I think God answered my prayer LOUD and CLEAR by way of some of the most loyal readers on the planet. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!

To show my gratitude, here is the cutest picture on the planet. This is Lucas circa Summer 2009. Sigh.

I have to be honest with you, though. Part of me hoped that I would get the feedback that I received, but the other part of me kind of hoped that I’d just hear more radio silence.

I know. I’m weird. I’m fishing for compliments one minute and the next I’m buried under a pile of pillows, red-faced and embarrassed. I never cease to be amazed by my intricacies and quirks.

I have always LOVED writing, but it’s one thing to love something and an entirely different thing to be called by God to do it.

It’s scary to answer that call, especially because writing is so very personal.

It puts me out there in all my exposed glory (or lack thereof).

It forces me out of my comfort zone in all sorts of ways.

It opens me up for rejection, humiliation, and criticism.

And as much as I LOVE writing, the words don’t always come easily. My blog posts are very much a labor of love. Oftentimes, I’m entirely drained by the time I hit “publish.”

I’m forever on this hamster wheel of “Did I get it right this time?” “Do they understand my point?” “Does this make any sense?” “Did I encourage them?” “I hope I didn’t come off as arrogant or immodest!” “Did I offend anyone?”

That’s why it would have stung a little, but it would have been so much easier to walk away. I could be at peace as I offered up a final prayer to God about it. “Well, at least I tried.”

Yet, I know (and I’ve always known) that this is what God wants from me. He’s been asking me to do it for much of my life. Not just write, but write for Him. Each time I try to hide or run away or pretend like it’s not what He wants, He always reminds me that this is what He wants from me. Sometimes He’s gentle about it, but usually He whacks me over the head with a hypothetical 2×4.

Friends, you were that 2×4 this time.

God reminded me that there are women out there in all different walks and seasons of life who yearn for the same things I do. We want to be loved. We want to be accepted. We want to grow in our faith and grow children in faith, too. We want to live with joy and have hearts filled with peace.

As I journey through life and faith, God has asked me to share my thoughts, ideas, reflections, epiphanies, triumphs, and struggles with you so that you will find what you need from them. That might look different for each of you on one day or it might look the same on another. From your outpouring of love, I was finally able to see what God has been trying to get me to understand all along.

Though it’s hard, even painful sometimes, I will surrender to Him and to each of you. I humbly open my heart to you in hopes that you’ll find comfort and encouragement through my experiences.

But here’s the thing. God is calling you to do something, too. Are you listening to Him? Or are you hiding from Him? Running the opposite direction? Sticking your fingers in your ears and humming to drown out His voice?

Are you scared that answering His call will force you out of your comfort zone, expose parts of yourself you’d rather keep hidden, or open you up to rejection, humiliation, and criticism?

Unfortunately, some of that likely comes with the territory. Lately, I’ve been contemplating my fears and their realities with what Jesus went through. Was He not exposed in all that He did? Was He not rejected? Humiliated? Criticized?

If we are truly His disciples, we’ll likely face those things, and often. We should take comfort knowing that Jesus has been in our very shoes. And look where that got Him- eternal life in Heaven!

I’m not saying it’s easy, but we’ll never find the joy we crave, there will always be a void that can’t be filled, we’ll never truly be at peace until we finally throw our hands up and surrender. “Okay, God. I hear you. I’ll do it.”

What’s God asking of you? Will you answer Him?

Life happens when we do what God asks of us.

Taking Care of Business

Posted on February 22, 2013 by lifehappenswhen

Hi friends!

I realize that many of you have gotten to know me over the last year or so through my writing. Some of you are strangers. Some were once strangers, but are now good friends. Many of you know me in real life in one way or another.

Aside from my sister and possibly a few of my sorority sisters from college, most of you don’t know the flesh and blood me, though. I’m incredibly introverted, which probably seems strange for as much as I share here. It takes a long time to really get to know me. I’m polite and kind and I smile a lot, but it takes a lot to get to the center of me.

One thing I wanted to try to explain to you was that I was blessed (or cursed, the jury’s still out) with an achingly tender heart. I carry the weight of the world on my shoulders. When someone is hurting, I ache so deeply for them that I also hurt (not in the way they are hurting, of course, but in my own deeply personal way). When someone is suffering, I weep for them from the depths of my soul.

In fact, my family often dances around reality with me. They’d rather me only know half the truth than to have me fall into deep despair over the whole.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve truly learned to embrace this aspect of my personality. It really is a gift from God, though sometimes it feels like a burden. I’m acutely aware of the suffering around me, which makes me sensitive to the needs and feelings of others. But it’s a uniquely heavy cross to bear, one that probably doesn’t make much sense if you don’t carry it.

Though my last few posts have been on the heavy side, I assure you that I’m happy and healthy and well. In fact, after I got yesterday’s post off my chest, I went on to have a really wonderful day. I smiled and laughed a lot. I felt a great sense of peace.

I’m just incredibly heartbroken for many people close to me. There is such sadness in the world and sometimes it’s more than I can take.

Thank you for continuing to come back and read what I have to say. It really is an honor to share my soul with you. I’m so glad you are here!

But all that aside, there are some items of business I’ve wanted to address for some time.

First, if you are a fan of Life Happens When on Facebook, thank you! I really appreciate all the ways you show support for me and this blog. But Facebook is really wearing me out. They’ve made all kinds of changes that I can’t seem to wrap my brain around. When I share my posts on there, it often only “shows” it to about one-third of my fans (typically the people who “like” things I post or comment on things I post). Are you one of them? Awesome! I’m glad.

If you aren’t getting updates on Facebook, though, I don’t really know what to do about it. The only thing I’d ask is that you try to hop over to my page and “like” or comment on a few things.

I’m really frustrated because I think Facebook is a great tool. It just doesn’t seem to be working for me. However, I would LOVE it if you became a fan, if you aren’t already! Can you help me get to 200 “likes?” I’m at 147 right now! Click here: Life Happens When Facebook page.

Also, are you subscribed to Life Happens When? That means you can receive updates by e-mail. You’ll never miss a post that way! There are a handful of you who subscribed while I used WordPress to keep track of subscriptions. For some reason, WordPress is against me, too. It doesn’t always send out my posts by e-mail. Once I realized it wasn’t working for me, I switched back to Feedburner. If you are signed up to receive e-mails, but don’t always get them, would you do me a BIG favor? Would you re-subscribe? If you aren’t subscribed, would you sign up?

Finally, this is just something I wonder sometimes. I would suspect I have a few dozen people who read my blog regularly. I’m no Maya Angelou, but I’m so grateful for each and every one of you here with me.

Some of you found me on your own. Some of you are my friends from one part of my life or another. But the rest of you can likely be traced to my sister. It’s like she’s Kevin Bacon, but for promoting my blog. (I LOVE YOU, M! I’m VERY grateful for your intense love and support for me.)

Anyway, I know that I have a decent number of people who read my blog. Let’s overlook the fact that I know most of you in real life (most likely through my sister). I know that comments aren’t the end all be all of blogging, but I often wonder why I don’t really get that many, especially because I know you are out there reading. And liking what I have to say enough to come back.

Sometimes it’s frustrating to work so hard and give so much of myself and to only hear crickets chirping in the background. I struggle a great deal with envy and pride when I see that other blogs easily get a dozen comments, often more. What am I doing wrong?

My sister says (she ALWAYS has something to say, by the way) that it’s because what I write makes you think, but doesn’t always lend itself to leaving a comment.

Is that true? If so, then I’m perfectly content with that. I wholeheartedly believe that God has placed Life Happens When before me. I believe I am writing for Him. I believe I am using my gift of writing (that He gave me) to encourage, inspire, and uplift you on your journey through life and faith.

It really shouldn’t be about validation. I know that. I really do. But I can’t help it, I still want validation every now and then. And not just from my sister. If I wasn’t trying to help other people, I’d just talk to her on the phone every day and bare my soul to her.

Oh wait. I already do that.

I found myself discouraged recently. I often feel raw and exposed and incredibly vulnerable after I write. When I don’t get any feedback, I think, “Man. Am I just talking to myself?”

I prayed to God about it. I asked Him to help me know that I am doing this because He wants me to. Because if I’m doing it for me, I’ll just crawl back on over to the cave also known as my “secret blog” and I’ll bare my soul there. Much safer! Less risk. I can babble until I’m blue in the face over there and I’ll literally be talking to myself.

I’m not saying I need you to comment every single day or anything. And of course, there are some of you that tell me in person how much my writing means to you. THANK YOU! But the minute this blog becomes more about ME and less about what God wants me to say, I know it’s time to zip my lips.

So could you just do me a favor and tell me if I’m still encouraging you, inspiring you, and uplifting you? If not, I know I have my answer from God.

And finally, before this officially becomes the longest post of the year (too late), would you please, pretty please share my blog with anyone you think might be encouraged by it (that is, if we’ve all established that it is still encouraging).

Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Happy Friday! I hope you make the most of the rest of your day now that you’re finished reading the longest post of the year! I’ll resume regular blogging again next week.

Life happens when we take care of business.

P.S. If you haven’t figured out by now, my sister rocks. It may seem like I’m giving her a hard time. Well, I kind of am. Lest you feel sorry for her, I assure you I’m only paying her back for the lifetime of grief and teasing I’ve endured from her. All that aside, I know a lot of you wouldn’t be here without her telling you about my blog, so I really am grateful for her, even if she has a big mouth! Oops, there I go again.

And now I’m really going to get it…

Life Happens When

embrace the moment

Category Archives: Faith