Blogger and Writer: Capturing Stories of God's Grace
Thanks to everyone who participated in our conversation about childhood dreams and the visions God is breathing into your life right now.
Congratulations to commenter #3 . . . Sally! You are the winner of the Everyday Matters Bible for Women! I will send you a private message about getting the book to you.
Stay tuned tomorrow–I’ll be announcing the book club choice for March!
Picture yourself when you were a kid—say, ten years old. Old enough to have discovered a bit about who you are, but young enough not to be jaded by things like pragmatism and budgets and the real world.
What did you dream about?
What did you hope for?
What visions did you have for the future?
When I was ten, I had aspirations of becoming an astronaut and an author. The intergalactic dream died a quick death when I realized I didn’t like any classes ending in “ology,” but the writing dream was harder to shake. I fantasized about putting words onto paper in a way that clicked with people and made them think and prompted them to say, “You too?”
And so, with some help from Mom and her cabinet full of craft supplies, I managed to put together my own book—a gripping tale about Molly the Mouse, who is deeply misunderstood, gets lost in the countryside, and eventually finds love and a home. (I think this title is actually the first in a two-part series about Molly Mouse, if I could only dig up the next book somewhere in my box-o-treasures.)
When I grew up, I shelved the writing dream, immersing myself with words and books but not believing I could write. That was for people who were smarter than me, more creative than me—people who had something important to say. But that little nugget of a dream never went away.
I think that’s how it is when God plants a desire or a passion or a dream in us. It may get buried for a while, but he never forgets about that dream-seed.
So what are the dreams planted inside of you?
What is buried in your heart under the layers of sediment and years?
It can be scary to dig down and excavate those places, because when we do, we expose tender, vulnerable pieces of ourselves to potential hurt. And we open ourselves up to potential disappointment and failure.
But you know what is worse than failing? Never finding out what God would do with those dream-seeds if we gave him a chance. Never tasting the joy that comes with doing what we were made to do. Never giving other people a chance to be fed by our gift.
“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”
Frederick Buechner
Twenty-five years after writing that first book, I am a little stunned to see my name on the cover of a real book real book. (It’s in small letters, but look closely—it’s there!) This book wasn’t handwritten and photocopied, and it required none of Mom’s craft supplies. But the feeling inside is the same, a quarter of a century later.
Whatever passion is burning inside of you, whatever dream is hiding there under the surface, I encourage you to chase after it—to go after that place where deep gladness and deep hunger collide.
And if you do, I’d love to hear about so I can be there, cheering you on.
***
In honor of launch week for StephanieRische.com, I’m giving away a copy of the Everyday Matters Bible for Women. To be eligible, simply answer this question in the comment section:
What was one of your dreams as a kid? What did you want to do or be someday?
Submit your answer by Monday, March 3, to be eligible to win.
Thanks to everyone who stopped by the site this week–I loved meeting up with you here!
And now it’s time to announce the winner of the necklace:
Congratulations to commenter #16 . . . Nadia! I’m so glad you stopped by! (Nadia, I’ll send you a separate message about getting it you.)
A special thanks to Daniel Rische, the official number selecter. Please see our highly technological selection method to the right.
If you didn’t win, you can visit Women at Risk to find other beautiful jewelry made by rescued women, or you can keep an eye out for today’s post . . . and a chance to win a free Bible!
Have you read Cooked by Michael Pollan? We’ll be discussing it as part of the virtual book club series on Tuesday! Hope you can join us. If you enter a comment, you’ll have a chance to win a free book!
When I was growing up, I had lofty aspirations of becoming an astronaut. In retrospect, this desire was likely sparked by watching SpaceCamp one too many times rather than by any real interest in scientific advancements or lunar landings. (And, for the sake of full disclosure, maybe I was also enthralled by those cute little packages of astronaut ice cream.)
But when it came down to it, the greatest pull of the astronaut life was the adrenaline-laced takeoff. After months, maybe even years, of training, it all comes down to one big moment. As the seconds tick backward from ten, you hold your breath, knowing that this critical juncture marks the difference between launch and disaster, success and failure, life and death.
That moment contains all the drama of new beginnings, new explorations, new adventures.
In good news for all of us, this website launch has significantly less drama attached to it. And unless for some unforeseen reason I die of embarrassment at some point along the way, the stakes are not life-or-death. But even so, I am holding my breath in eager expectation of this new beginning.
I’m looking forward to connecting with you, hearing your stories, and sharing glimpses of grace together. God tends to do some wildly beautiful things when he brings people’s lives to intersect, and I’m eager to see what he has up his sleeve for all of us.
So thank you for joining me here. I invite you to nose around the website, check out Sarah Parisi’s beautiful work, and make yourself at home.
And now, for that SpaceCamp moment you’ve been waiting for: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 . . . takeoff!
I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
—Isaiah 43:19
***
In honor of the website launch, I’m giving away a free necklace today. It was made by a woman who was rescued from the sex industry in Bangkok, Thailand. I had the privilege of serving on a short-term trip with Kay and Mike Killar of Samaritan Creations several years ago, so it means a lot to me that this necklace was made by one of the precious women in their ministry. To see more beautiful products made by at-risk or rescued women, check out the Women at Risk site here.
For your chance to win, simply answer this question in the comment section:
What new thing is happening in your life right now? Is there something you’re getting ready to launch?
Be sure to submit your answer by Friday, February 28!
I’m excited to announce my first FREE PRINTABLE. Simply save the image to your computer and print. Image is 8×10 and ready to frame.
I’m over at Today’s Christian Woman today, writing about what an old bed-and-breakfast taught me about the hard, beautiful work of marriage.
When my husband and I went away for the weekend to mark our second anniversary, we were looking for a place that fit in our budget and could squeeze into the boxes on the already-full calendar. What we hadn’t anticipated was that we’d meet a house with a story—a house that served as a poignant metaphor of marriage. . . .
Click here to read the rest of the story.
This week I wrap up my writing of the online devotions for my church. After being immersed in Psalm 119 for the past six weeks, I have a new appreciation for this longest chapter of the Bible and a deeper love for God’s Word.
Here’s a peek at today’s devotion:
Imagine you’re a pilot, taking your small plane out for a quick flight. When you took off earlier in the day, the sun was shining and conditions seemed ideal for flying. But now the wind is starting to pick up, and before you know it, a dense fog has rolled in. Visibility is low, and it’s becoming more difficult to see landmarks—particularly the horizon.
Then it happens: suddenly your body is saying you’re going one direction, while the instruments are telling another story.
You’re heard warnings about this before—spatial disorientation, they call it. Which voice will you believe? Your inner ear, which is convinced that you’re flying straight, or the plane’s instrument panel, which clearly says you’re banking left? What will you use as your standard to determine which way is up? Your choice could very likely mean the difference between life and death. . . .
To keep reading, click here. And to hear the audio version, read by me and recorded by the talented Daniel Rische, click here.
May you, too, fall in love with God’s Word!
I had the privilege of writing the devotions for my church’s website again this week. Here’s a peek at one of the posts about obeying God’s commands.
Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees! Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands. —Psalm 119:5-6
Let’s just say for a moment that the standard for getting into heaven is being able to long-jump all the way across the deepest part of the Atlantic Ocean. (It’s not, of course, but just humor me for a moment here.) Imagine that the standard has been set, and everyone knows the expectation. Some people train for this moment from early childhood, building their muscles and doing exercises to improve their jumping abilities. Some athletic types are inherently better suited for the event than others. And some people have longer legs, giving them an inborn advantage over their peers.
When it comes time to jump, however, no one could ever come close. Maybe the person with short legs who hadn’t trained at all would make it a few feet. Perhaps the person with the strong quads would make it a foot farther than the average person. And maybe the Olympic long jumper would set a world record, launching his body a whopping 29 ½ feet.
But do you know what? It wouldn’t matter, because none of them would come anywhere near the goal. None of them would get far enough to even see the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, let alone jump there. Even if one person jumped three times as far as everyone else, they would all be so far from the target that the difference would be practically indiscernible. Whether you made it one foot across the ocean or 30, the more important issue is the thousands of nautical miles you have yet to go.
To read the rest of the devotion (or to listen to the audio), click here.
Thanks to everyone who joined us for our virtual book club for January. This month we’re discussing Cooked by Michael Pollan.
Here’s how it works: I’ll throw out a few topics for discussion, and you can write your responses about these topics (or others you’d like to discuss) in the comment section.
Discussion #1: Cooking with the Elements
I thought the author’s structure for the book was fascinating. I’d never considered how different types of cooking fit into the categories of fire, water, air, and earth, and it made for an intriguing setup. I also enjoyed the way he showed his own progression from kitchen amateur to apprentice to blossoming cook. I felt like I could relate since he didn’t start out as an expert, and I appreciated his willingness to jump in to various types of cooking with both feet.
Did you have a favorite section? Which of the elements are you most comfortable in when it comes to cooking? Which elements are you least comfortable in?
Discussion #2: Cooking and Community
I really appreciated the author’s observations about how the way we cook and the way we eat effect how communal we are as a society. I was especially intrigued by his theory that the style of the cooking itself impacts the way we consume meals. When people prepared food around a fire, they cooked and ate together as an entire community. Then when people started cooking with an oven in individual households, cooking and eating became family-centric events. Now, as microwaves and fast food become the meal-prepping tools of choice, the focus is on the individual. One of my favorite parts of the book was seeing how the author’s various cooking experiments brought his family together and resulted not only in edible rewards but also in intangible gifts, such as bonding and conversations with his wife and teenage son.
As our cooking and eating become more individualized, do you think we’re in danger of losing a sense of community and family? Is there anything we can do to promote these values in our own homes?
Discussion #3: Intentional Food Choices
One of the things I appreciated most about this book was the way it opened my eyes to the underlying ramifications of the choices we make about food, cooking, and eating. When we mindlessly stick something in the microwave, pick up dinner at the drive-thru, or prioritize other activities over “scratch cooking,” there are consequences—both for us as individuals and for us as a culture. Although I haven’t necessarily revamped my approach to cooking after reading this book, it certainly has made me more aware and more thoughtful about the choices I make to get dinner on the table. I wasn’t nearly as ambitious as the author (no whole-hog barbecue or beer brewing for me), and I didn’t try any of his recipes, but this book did inspire a few modest “from scratch” attempts. My biggest success was my bread-baking adventure (the first time I cooked with yeast!). I wasn’t ambitious enough to make a starter and baby it for weeks like the author did, but it felt like a step in the right direction.
Did this book cause you to reevaluate any of your cooking/eating choices? Have you ever attempted any cooking experiments similar to what the author describes in this book?
Rating ★ ★ ★ ★
I’d give this book 4 stars. It made me think about food choices in a new way, and I appreciated the author’s style. He was at once knowledgeable and brilliant (I was impressed with the historical context and scientific background he offered throughout), but he was also accessible and an engaging storyteller.
How many stars would you give this book (out of five)?
As a side note, if you liked this book, I’d recommend Bread and Wine, which we discussed here.
{Remember: there will be a free book giveaway for one lucky commenter!}