The Normally Amazing Show

Man, that was a hard season! And yet, it appears as though it's creating some beautiful fruit...

Encouragement for those who are experiencing a Winter season in their relationship with God, prayer, the Word, and worship.

Something important happened for one man and it can (and should) happen for you and I, too.

I was recently challenged to not look at life as if seasons of it are just crappy iceberg lettuce salads with unripe, sandy tomatoes.

You'll see what I mean.

I was praying and praying about a problem but kept FEELING hopeless about it.
Something had to change.

I'm gettin' wicky with it. (It will all make sense...)

Lots of people asking questions about what exactly I'm doing with my new job. 

Also, I'm on a journey to get to know and understand Jesus Christ better. Wanna join me?

I love a good hearty stew. With warm crusty bread? I can't even deal. Amazing.

But whatever you do...DON'T take the stew. 

Dannah Gresh kept dropping truth bombs about COURAGE and it was too explosive with awesomeness to cut any shorter. 

Once again, this interview is a hefty mix of laughter and solid Truth from God's Word.

A little snippet on three things I consider when making education choices for our kids.

Plus, a loud call to unity.

Kim Michell. If you follow me on IG, you've already gotten a glimpse of her dazzling personality. Kim is walking through the hardest season of her life right now and is also asking God how she can help others find freedom in Jesus. 

She is gifted in counseling and talks to us about why we can go so quickly into rage or isolation when someone does something that gets under our skin. This could be a game-changer for you.

When Laura Booz first leaned across the table and told me she was publishing a book on motherhood, I danced a thousand internal happy dances. 

Raise your hand if you're guilty of wanting to be the Holy Spirit in your husband's life... (I see those hands!)

This is a sidebar conversation I had with Carrie Porter about this very thing.
Like Kenny Rogers so eloquently pointed out in his song, The Gambler: 

"You got to know when to hold 'em.
Know when to fold 'em..."

Carrie Porter. I've known her since she was "knee high to a grasshopper" - well, at least since she was in high school. At different points I've had a front-row seat to her growth in the powerful gift of intercessory prayer. 

After this podcast, you will feel inspired anew to approach the throne of grace with confidence to receive mercy and grace in your time of need.

Laura Yocum. If you don't know her, that's a bummer. But maybe you know someone like her?
A woman who puts the stake of God's Truth in the ground and doesn't have any intention of wavering from it. 

Aubrey's voice is like butter. You'll want to listen to this episode a thousand times just to hear her say all of the words. 

I'm not joking.

A little teaching on our jacked-up definition of what "happily ever after" is and then a little interview with Aubrey Brush - a single woman full of the Spirit and full of intelligent conversation surrounding contentment and joy.

I found a nugget of truth in God's Word.
Wanted to share.

I see you, friend who is dreading Mother's Day. Here are 3 three things that are helping me. Maybe they'll help you, too.

Mother's Day isn't all candy and flowers for everyone. It's a really complicated holiday for a lot of men and women. This year's been especially hard for me. Lots of tears. Lots of grief. Lots of...nameless wild emotions.

Today I talk about two very different prayer experiences I had recently with two different parts of the body of Christ. I also talk about our pastor's recent resignation and the Big Ugly it stirred up in me. (Yikes.)

Don't worry. I haven't started smoking.
But I did find out I'm obsessed with smoke. And you possibly are, too.

Here's a rapid-fire message on all my significant takeaways from this year's virtual IF:Gathering. It's like a whole platter of your favorite appetizers at Applebees (without all the grease and cheese)!

Also, I spend the first 3 minutes talking about seltzer water. So there's that.

Let's go for a car ride together. We'll talk about silence before God, unworthiness and our old friends, Mary and Martha.

I'm no "Betty Bible Drill" - which is precisely why you might want to listen to this.

PLUS how to engage in worship when you're watching virtually.
AND how to worship when you don't feel like God is close.

I'm normal.
You're normal.
God is AMAZING.

These are things I definitely do and use when I'm diving into God's Word. 

All of the links I mention:

To kick off 2021, here's a tiny little episode packed with four really practical things I actually do to keep my mind from wandering during times of prayer. As Troy Bolton famously sang, "You gotta keep your head in the game." 

Is your mouth losing the battle against complaining these days? Me, too.

Do The Mary Challenge with me!

Get ready to fall in love with the wonderfully hope-filled ANNE YORKS!

She is a women of hope and much of that was gained through persevering through trials.

We also talk about the difference between Hope and Optimism.

Four things Andy and I do to keep our marriage strong.
Also, you'll learn how messed up I was when we first got married.

Don't hesitate to send this one to your spouse.

Nothing too heavy here today. Just me and Andy laughing our way through the story (that began in 7th grade) of how we met, fell in love and got married.

Also, you'll hear how I came to give my life to the Lord.

And, white turtles. You'll learn about white turtles. I apologize in advance. Maybe I should have edited that out...

Where do you allow your brain to sit down and put up its feet?

If you're looking for the real, raw rumination of a woman pressing into healing only the Lord can give, you are in the right spot. A woman of God I know (who chooses to remain anonymous) wrote this allegorical piece as she processed some of her own wounding and the insecurity it produced.

Abby Bradbury's love for God's Word is inspiring and contagious.
And she shares some practical tips on journaling that just might set you free.

One word in Acts 2 kept getting all up in my grill. So I dove into it and got my mind blown!

Well, life sure has been stripped of many of its distractions, hasn't it? What's your response been as you've looked at your marriage, job, church and life without all the distractions you're used to seeing? 

Buckle up. You're about to meet your next best friend.