Okay, I'll go ahead and skip all the apologies - especially since my last two or three blogs dripped with them. What can I say, I have just simply been too covered up in life to keep up with my blog since autumn began. I hate it, because I've met so many of you wonderful people through it ... and I love when I can sit and share with you. There's just simply been too much on my plate and if it makes you feel any better ... I haven't been exercising either. Yipes. I'll let you fill in your own visual there. Not good, people. Not good. :)
So, what has been keeping me so busy? Well, my children and their schedules. My home and all the dust bunnies therein. My ministry work - as my second adult book approaches the press as we speak. My speaking started back full force in September, and that, too, has taken time and attention. We have also been in the official process of finding a new church. I've eluded in past blogs about all that the Lord has been doing in my life this year. A lot of it has to do with this ... and I promise that as soon as I can ... I am going to do a big mama blog about the whole journey. In fact, I am sure it will be a blog series. Katie will be thrilled. :) As it stands right now, the long and the short of it is this:
I have grown up in the Southern Baptist church - and by two amazingly consistent and Godly parents. They have truly lived their faith before me every day of my existence. However, I have increasingly been feeling the leading of the Lord to step out of that and spend a season seeking Him about how He sees His world - His children - His Church. It has led me to places I didn't know were there. It has been a road of seeking, weeping, searching, praying, reading, laughing, writing, begging for answers, finding those answers, and mostly it has been a season of true growth and revival for my soul. Of all places, God led me to the Anglican church - both our local, conservative Episcopal fellowship - but also to a new, thriving branch of the Anglican Church called the Anglican Mission in the Americas. (www.theamia.org)
Of course, there are some doctrinal differences that are there - in terms of what I've grown up being taught. My parents have been very faithful to point every single one of them out on multiple occasions. (iffy smile) (wink)
That, too, has been a journey. But I will tell you all that as this Christmas season has come upon us ... this year ... for the first time in a long time ... I can say that I welcome the season of my Savior's birth with new found freedom - revived passion - extreme eagerness - and a peace that passes all understanding. I love knowing that no matter our age, denomination, or past -- God will provide all the answers we need if we will truly seek His face and wait in the stillness of our hearts for His voice. More to come in the series. :)
Let me say to all of you who have visited my blog and reached out your cyber-hand of friendship to me in this first year of my blogging experience, I pray that this Christmas will be for each one of you - a season of all joy and love through our Lord, Jesus Christ. I will look forward to getting "my blog on" with more consistency as soon as the business subsides a bit!
Ho, ho, ho and Meeerrryyy Christmas,
So, what has been keeping me so busy? Well, my children and their schedules. My home and all the dust bunnies therein. My ministry work - as my second adult book approaches the press as we speak. My speaking started back full force in September, and that, too, has taken time and attention. We have also been in the official process of finding a new church. I've eluded in past blogs about all that the Lord has been doing in my life this year. A lot of it has to do with this ... and I promise that as soon as I can ... I am going to do a big mama blog about the whole journey. In fact, I am sure it will be a blog series. Katie will be thrilled. :) As it stands right now, the long and the short of it is this:
I have grown up in the Southern Baptist church - and by two amazingly consistent and Godly parents. They have truly lived their faith before me every day of my existence. However, I have increasingly been feeling the leading of the Lord to step out of that and spend a season seeking Him about how He sees His world - His children - His Church. It has led me to places I didn't know were there. It has been a road of seeking, weeping, searching, praying, reading, laughing, writing, begging for answers, finding those answers, and mostly it has been a season of true growth and revival for my soul. Of all places, God led me to the Anglican church - both our local, conservative Episcopal fellowship - but also to a new, thriving branch of the Anglican Church called the Anglican Mission in the Americas. (www.theamia.org)
Of course, there are some doctrinal differences that are there - in terms of what I've grown up being taught. My parents have been very faithful to point every single one of them out on multiple occasions. (iffy smile) (wink)
That, too, has been a journey. But I will tell you all that as this Christmas season has come upon us ... this year ... for the first time in a long time ... I can say that I welcome the season of my Savior's birth with new found freedom - revived passion - extreme eagerness - and a peace that passes all understanding. I love knowing that no matter our age, denomination, or past -- God will provide all the answers we need if we will truly seek His face and wait in the stillness of our hearts for His voice. More to come in the series. :)
Let me say to all of you who have visited my blog and reached out your cyber-hand of friendship to me in this first year of my blogging experience, I pray that this Christmas will be for each one of you - a season of all joy and love through our Lord, Jesus Christ. I will look forward to getting "my blog on" with more consistency as soon as the business subsides a bit!
Ho, ho, ho and Meeerrryyy Christmas,
