It’s not always words that influence us. Sometimes it’s a pair of fuzzy cow slippers.
3 Lessons of Influence
What is my biggest challenge in life?
Big, open-ended, philosophical questions can have a way of getting to the heart of you, if you let them. So stripping away all of the "it depends" scenarios, what is the first thought that pops into your head when asked... what is my biggest challenge in life?
Lessons in 5 Senses
Two weeks of lessons came down to the five senses... one of them being the importance of taste, and a replacement for the overused lemon and lemonade analogy. May I humbly submit one about beer and brats.
Lessons on Cupcakes and Timing
The last two weeks have been a whirlwind. I'm not sure how it's already mid February. But in the midst of the wind and rain and the snow and the 50 degree weather turned blizzard I took time to reflect... and there are a lot of lessons in the midst of cupcakes.
Today I am thankful for… instructions
Step 1. Read the instructions. Step 2. Follow the instructions. Interestingly, something needs to happen before Step 1. Someone other than you actually has to create the instructions.And we have to actually read them... in context.
supposed to
a poem for the moments when the loss feels big and the love runs deep
Lessons from Les: Perspective vs. Truth
I took this photo. Admiring the fall air, I turned the corner to find a bright green spot on the sidewalk. I knelt down and put my phone in line with the pavement. My little subject came closer, not farther, curious what we were about to do. Several taps later, I’d like to introduce you... Continue Reading →
Lessons: I-39 Style
Don't forget to observe the life you're in and the moment that you're in it. Turn off the radio, the TV, the screen and let your five senses do the rest. Take mental notes of the lessons God is teaching you in small moments, even on a long car ride in the early morning.
it drops
I sat on my porch as it started to rain and I didn’t move. I let the moment move me. And I wrote.
Lessons: Joy in the Mundane
We seek epic moments. We search Pinterest boards for ideas and long for Instagram worthy pictures, but what if joy is in between the layers of the mundane? Between the crosswalk, the pile of dishes, layers of laundry, and in between the cheese and meat of the sandwiches you made this week? What if joy only happens if you notice, and realized you have LOTS of chances to notice?
Lessons: prep and reflect
If I pause and reflect daily, I might get an inaccurate representation of how things are going. A bad day could feel like the world is falling apart. One good day could give me an inflated sense of self and delusional success. But a friend reminded me that reflecting at the end of every week... Continue Reading →
time
When the alarm clock goes off, my instinct is not to wake up. It’s to lie there and debate with myself. One morning I debated with God instead.
windows
Today I am thankful for... windows. When it’s cold and I don’t want to miss it. For the world outside of me, that God allows me to see.
anticipation
God gave us another day. Another sunrise. Another opportunity to choose better. To respond with character, integrity and a patience... that will wait for a sunrise. What will you choose?
Lessons: Road Trip Edition
Font size is important, but so is the 3 second rule, the scan button on the radio, air conditioning, and the messages you choose to share.
go make a sunrise
The sunrise exists because blue and yellow remain who they are, yet hang out together. Together they create a gradient. Go make a sunrise.
Lessons: Special Weekend Edition
Not all lessons occur Monday-Friday. Sometimes they explode all over the counter in a cloud of orange dust on a Saturday night.
My Top 9: Week 3
People say the devil is in the details. I disagree. Beauty is in the details. Insight is in the details. God is in the details. So this week I cut down my list from 20 to 9 and I went deeper.
it’s easy
Sometimes it is helpful to admit that being an adult is hard. Self-control is hard. Choosing to respond with kindness is hard. Choosing to be silent when the world shouts, is hard. Choosing God’s way is hard. But the hard stuff? That is often where the world needs you to be. Where God asks me to be.
fear
I quit my job. But I wasn’t unhappy. I wasn’t running away from anything. I was running toward something.
you’re the one
You’re the one the world has been waiting for. In the rain. In the sun. Take the chance. Make the move. God gave you a purpose. Love.
the we
I tried writing so many times today and nothing stuck. It felt like a ramble of so many disconnected thoughts. Until one photo, with one post, from an old friend, reminded me of how powerful words can be.
the secret
In a moment, in the rain, I heard more, I saw more, and found joy.
responding
We often miss how much control we have in our response. We claim "we had no choice," but it's our response to their words, no matter what those words are, that reveals our character. We have an opportunity, you and I. To receive feedback with curiosity and compassion. To choose a better way.
resolve
I sit here at the tail end of a cold, head pressure filled, mouth dry, teeth oddly achy, nose plugged (and yet miraculously runny at the same time). Laying in bed no longer felt good, so I made some coffee and cleared some space at the table for time with God. I open the Bible... Continue Reading →
one body
Today is a new day, but this body I am sitting in is the only one I get on this earth and there is a lot God has for me to do. Do I treat his gift with respect? Not often enough if I'm being honest. What choices will keep me alert and healthy so... Continue Reading →
follower
He changed. I changed. We're not the same people we were when we got married. He is a better man than he was when I met him, and he will tell you I am a better woman. So what changed? The advice that we listened to. There was a paralyzed man who was told that... Continue Reading →
be available
"to be" is a verb. (Sorry for the impromptu grammar lesson but it's important.) When someone asks you if you are available or if you have time, the real question is will you make time? Will you make yourself available? Because "being" available doesn't just happen. It is the result of your choices, and the... Continue Reading →
choose direction
When your alarm went off did you hit snooze? Or did you turn it off, get up, and start your day? No matter what you've already done, start from right now. Today is filled with micro moments and decisions. Choose. Be selective with your time and your words. Choose time with God and set the... Continue Reading →
walk alongside
I've heard it said a few times that you become a reflection of the five people you spend the most time with. So if you want to become more kind, patient, loving, giving... it seems logical that we should ask whether the people we surround ourselves with exhibit those qualities or not. We walk through... Continue Reading →
positive voice
I couldn't get the phrase "build each other up" out of my head. So I just let myself start to write. I read 1 Thessalonians 5:11 a few times and kept writing. There is a lot of noise and a lot of silence in the world. A lot of criticism and cynicism and jump to... Continue Reading →
insert here
I looked up from my reading this morning at the empty chair across from me and smiled at the thought of what it might be like to share a cup of coffee with Jesus. How would he take it? Black? Sugary latte goodness with whipped cream? When you talk with him does he look you... Continue Reading →
leave joy
When wet grass is mowed, the lines are so obvious, marking where you've been, where you turned, stopped... went back. Honestly you made quite the mess of ruts and mud and its obvious. You have an entire day ahead of you and I have an entire day ahead of me. We can both choose not... Continue Reading →
jessica lynn shull 
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