An envelope from you is a gift of your time and attention to encourage someone in love.
Today I am thankful for… envelopes
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?
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.
stand firm
Of all the things in the world where we could dig in our heels and not waver… it should be about the truth. We are called to stand firm. Let’s make sure we know what we’re being asked to stand firm in. Spoiler… it’s not politics.
gifts
Sometimes the in between moment, can be the best moment to sit with God, reflect, and be thankful.
belief
If we want to change outcomes we often start with trying to change our actions. But what if we have to go back a few more steps? Because if you start with actions, you’re going to run out of juice and burn out. But if you believe something at your core, the downstream impacts are longer lasting.
Meeting Notes: Conference Edition: Day 2
Day 2 Recap... God is a long term planner. Beyond the 90 Day Roadmap. Beyond the 3-5 Year Strategic Plan. Maybe we shouldn’t expect people to have a 3 second or better website load time when it comes to every day life.
Meeting Notes: Conference Edition: Day 1
When you attend a conference over several days, there is a lot you could and should remember from the time you invested to be there. But (spoiler) most of it you won’t. If you took notes (which you should), rereading those notes is a good way to challenge yourself. I reviewed my notes from my last year of reading the Bible and noticed some themes. This week I’ll be sharing them and today we start with #1. It’s not about me (or you).
anxious
Do not assume one sentence, one word, one photo, one post, is the entire story. Hunt for context.
getting loud again
I love to present. And I used to do it a lot. On a personal level I presented to college students and fellow alumni. At my job I traveled around to small groups and big groups to lead discussions, introduce concepts and help with technology. My favorite was presenting from a stage to a roomful... Continue Reading →
Lessons: Sub Zero Edition
My Most Recent Lessons: Sub Zero Edition... (1) Sneezing (2) Self-Doubt (3) Beer (4) Marketing and (5) Mourning
my feet
Today I am thankful for... my feet. And the grass I was able to walk on. And the memories of jumping, of grandparents, of all that has been gifted to me.
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.
sometimes
most times social media ruins me. annihilates me. into a spiral of zombie behavior and destructive comparison. but sometimes it makes me cry in a good way. a healthy way. that reminds me of humanity and love and strength and compassion. That reminds me not everyone is selfish and self centered and tone deaf. Not... Continue Reading →
clutter
Today I am thankful for... clutter My home office had devolved into a life size junk drawer. It became the destination for random pieces of paper, bills, boxes, cards, decorations, pictures, notes, "ooh I should save this" type items I couldn't be bothered to better assess in the moment. And so the piles grew and... Continue Reading →
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 →
push pause
There is a lot of background noise (and foreground noise) in life. A lot of things going on that want or demand our attention. And when we're in the middle of a tough time, a tough relationship, a tough job... (fill in the blank)... every ask seems louder, every task more daunting. So what are... Continue Reading →
leaves change
I love fall. The trees go through a season of change every year. They don't freak out when their leaves fall off. The world is not ending. This change sets them up for something beautiful next year. Next year they will be taller and stronger than before. We have the opportunity to be stronger after... 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 →
rebuild
It takes more than a day to rebuild. But it's worth it. There is a lot of history (and even recent stories in the news) of people destroying buildings. But the stories we hear about less, though they happen, are the people coming together to rebuild. Those stories aren't as enticing. Being patient, determined and... Continue Reading →
trust directions
One of my favorite scenes from Indiana Jones is when he has to walk across a chasm and trust there is a bridge beneath his feet even though he can't see it with his own eyes. That first step was a step of faith. He had to trust the directions and the instructions even though... Continue Reading →
dignified strength
I take way too long to get ready. To pick my clothes, do my hair, put on makeup. It's really a sloth like pace. I am under this assumption that what I wear and what I look like matters, and it will somehow impact the way others treat me and think about me. Unfortunately there... Continue Reading →
perspectives change
My life is not the only storyline in this world. Everyone starts from a different place. Everyone has different circumstances. Everyone has different hurts and pains and joys. In 1 Corinthians it says that love does not demand its own way and yet so often we are frustrated because people don't see a situation the... 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 →
dramatic lighting
I am thankful. It's been a rough 2-3 weeks for me. But today I find myself looking out the window and genuinely smiling. Not much has changed in my circumstances honestly, so why the smile? I can see colors. It sounds silly, but looking at the pond and the trees and the sky I realized... Continue Reading →
accomplished heart
This morning I wrote down the following prayer before I opened my devotional, "Thank you God for the morning & the sun. Quiet my heart and my mind to focus on you and not rush through you like a checkbox on a to-do list." Then I open my devotional and the title for today, "The... 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 →
suns out
Note: Attempting to take a bicep selfie at work is highly awkward, I do not recommend it... But as the saying goes, suns out guns out so here we are. The sun is up and it's a new day, a new gift I get to decide what to do with. Will I recoil in fear... Continue Reading →
distracting opportunities
I have a love hate relationship with doing the dishes. On one hand, I'm super grateful I have dishes and food and a kitchen and a home at all. On the other hand, it's a time consuming chore that leaves my hands dry and raw. I finally understand what that Palmolive lady was talking about... Continue Reading →
sunrise possibilities
I sat in simple wonder this morning. Not trying to solve a problem, make a to do list, or build my schedule for the day. I took a moment to sit, and see and listen. To feel a slight breeze in my hair and the warming sun on my face. To smell the faint hint... Continue Reading →
wait & see
My coffee is way too hot to drink. The steam rises like the sun behind it. So unless I want to burn the roof of my mouth (again) or my tongue (again) I need to wait. What do you see while you're waiting? How often do we see anything beyond the inconvenience we perceive? Today... 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 →
your path
There are days I want to be antisocial. I want to escape into a little spot of solitude and just be. But if I all I do is go from one extreme of running around from meeting to meeting to errand to event... to the other extreme of solitude I'm missing the best part of... Continue Reading →
listen understand
"Listen." Over and over again this morning the word that kept popping into my heart was "listen." On the surface that can seem so passive, especially if you're in a crowded meeting room and you keep wondering why that one person (or no person) is talking. But "listen" is a verb. It implies you are... Continue Reading →
super powers
I always thought it would be awesome to be a super hero. I always wanted the ability to fly. Or to swim underwater without ever having to take a breath. Turns out we each have the same set of super powers. The ability to make people laugh, or cry, or fear. The way we talk... Continue Reading →
make your mark
My husband doesn't like when I wear lipstick. Not only does he dislike the texture when he kisses me, but more often than not, it leaves a mark. I don't blame him, he's not the one who chose to wear lipstick (thankfully) and yet my choice leaves a mark on him. Our choices leave marks... Continue Reading →
Today I am thankful for… dishes
Sure sometimes you have to soak them. Scrub them. Rinse. Load. Stack. Unload. Sometimes they break into a thousand pieces. Or miraculously get lost and result in a no longer matching set. They can represent hours lost cleaning instead of socializing with family. They can result in dry cracked hands. But my dishes are more... Continue Reading →
Today I am thankful for… my birthday
Truthfully I have mixed emotions about my birthday. I don’t want to be the number that I am. At breakfast this morning my husband tried to convince me age is relative. If there were only 183 days in a year I would be 66 by now. If there were 730 days in a year. I’d... Continue Reading →
Today I am thankful for… my kitchen table
Some inherit them. Others sit pretty in rooms that children are not allowed to touch. Some are counters. Or foldable. Or expandable. Some are high tops. Or glass tops. Or low to the floor tops. Some sit two. Or four. Or eighteen. Some are empty. Or cluttered. Or properly set. Some are props. Or decoration.... Continue Reading →
Today I am thankful for… sprinkles
Some people love the cake, or the ice cream, or the frosting. Some prefer syrup, or whipped cream, while a select few gravitate toward nuts. But me… I’m the girl that can’t bypass the bowl of colored mini-twigs of sugar at the end of a build-your-own-sundae line. I keep extra in my freezer just in... Continue Reading →
Today I am thankful for… my nose
i used to hate my nose. i blamed it on matthew. he hit me in the face with a basketball in fifth grade. on purpose. since then i have a bump and a divot. and i swear with each passing that year that is just. keeps. getting. BIGGER. but... I am thankful for it because... it... Continue Reading →
Today I am thankful for… blankets
i live in the midwest where no two parts of the house are ever the same temperature. so presently i sit comfortably under the warmth of one, in the midst of Snopocablizzortex '14 (trademark pending) and as such, today I am thankful for... blankets. the quilt Linda made me for my wedding, and still the only... Continue Reading →
Today I am thankful for… the goose pond
have you seen the glory of the goose pond? the way its inhabitants chase anyone who dares to approach it? the way it supports no marine life? the way it taunts you to ice skate upon it? (don't) it is 15 degrees outside and feels like -4 and i am glad that i am not... Continue Reading →
Today I am thankful for… bullets
No, not those kinds of bullets. I mean the bullets you use to organize lists in documents on your computer. The ones where you can pick if you want to be a circle or a square or a checkbox or one of those sassy Wingding options.These little symbols helped me organize my otherwise scatterbrained thoughts... Continue Reading →
Today I am thankful for… thermometers
the difference between being sick and... holy goodness we better go to the hospital because his brain is on fire! the spread between sushi, salmonella, mouth-watering medium rare and... what the heck you burned it! the cause of disagreements in households everywhere over the proper sleep temperature... yes i am thankful for thermometers. while i... Continue Reading →
Today I am thankful for… zombies
you heard me. zombies. i stood still waiting for her next move. she looked me up and down. i feared that she might use more hairspray. it was the early 90's and i was a proud girl scout. it wasn't popular to be a girl scout. it wasn't cool, and our uniforms were anything but... Continue Reading →
Today I am thankful for… thumbtacks
push pins. thumbtacks. tiny weapons that prick fingers. or something more? in the gray walls of my cubicle they are the holders of memories. the reminders of promises. the keepers of laughter. they are the one object I am thankful for today. at a conference in Austin I saw some of the most amazing presentations... Continue Reading →
jessica lynn shull 
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