So what did you think?

You can call in and ask Jennie a question anytime at 407-536-6434.

Face in my hands. Elbows on the table.  My husband was sitting across the table at our lovely unsuspecting Italian restaurant, he pushed in close but I didn’t have words to define the tears hitting the table. He knew. More than 2 years ago we prayed a prayer and it’s repercussions were everywhere.

“God- we will do anything.”

Our anythings…. seem to be costing us everything. Nothing about our previously sane lives are the same. In the last year we have given up all control and God has taken us up on those simple naive little words.

Since we prayed, God led us to adopt a 3 and a half year old little boy from Rwanda making us a family of 6, sell our house, merge our church, turn over leadership and our roles and write/ live 3 projects in the last year for publication and that isn’t all…. so we are tired and empty.

Ironically, I was leaving the next day to interview for a book that was honestly the cause of all of it… Anything. And yet I couldn’t remember why we were doing any of it… I was so tired and unsure of myself and worst of all, God felt far far away.

As my husband pushed in, he whispered, “It’s been a hard year.” And strangely it was comforting to admit that following God was hard.

…. but would I take it back?

God’s very existence demands these words… if we find ourselves at the feet of a God who made us and then set us in our space on this planet for a few days that He spoke into being, what other life are we to lead than the one He wrote for us. And if it costs us everything, comfort and approval and control and easy…for a little while?

Jesus did this…. He lived all in and sold out, with one foot in heaven and one on this earth. And with eternity clear in His mind He said,

“For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.” John 6:38

The implications of knowing His Father was simply to obey Him.

So the implications for us are the same, keep our heads down and listen and do what He says, even if it leads to crying over our pasta sometimes.

And He will probably say things like…

“Give the lunch that you just got from the Chick-fil-a drive-thru, to the woman with the cardboard sign outside your car window.”

“Ease up on your kids- I am not this hard on you- and I am God.”

“Get rid of what you don’t need and don’t keep chasing stuff, because you won’t be here long.”

“Encourage and remind each other that I am real and, and that I’m worth it. I promise.”

“Come back to me everyday. I’m really here. I really see you.”

We aren’t going to take it back…I would rather have nights that hurt than disobey. And underneath all the hard, is a life that I wouldn’t trade anyway. I love my anythings…. even the hardest ones.

My job is sometimes costly and can be lonely, so it was a gift to have a few days of just flat fun.

I joined good friend, Lauren Chandler and new friend, Jenny White on a panel discussing leadership then I spent two days interviewing speakers and authors for backstage at Catalyst.

The culture of Catalyst was one of the most engaging and moving environments I have ever been in. Grateful to have been a part of it.

God used Katie Davis to push us to “Anything” I got to meet her. The highlight of Catalyst for me… ok let’s be fair…. the highlight of this decade for me.

Jefferson Bethke walked up in the green room with my book and asked me to sign it… cracking me up because I am his super fan! I mean it..

He won me over here and especially here.

Sweet Angie Smith and I have been bonding through fire recently. Thankful for her friendship. She was backstage entertaining two of Katie’s girls.

Judah Smith is a passionate mess of a pastor.

Esther Havens is one of my very favorite coffee dates in Austin- we got to hang in Dallas at the Hello Somebody dinner.

My editor and mentor, Debbie Wickwire and lifelong friend, Rachel Boling- we got to spend hours catching up and that alone fills ones soul.

Me and my new buddy Ryan Leak got to interview the leadership legend and Catlayst founder… John Maxwell.

It is well with my soul.

]]> http://jennieallen.com/blog/catalyst-through-my-instagram/feed/ 2 http://jennieallen.com/blog/catalyst-through-my-instagram/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/UntanglingGodAndPonytails/~3/drFkU2XrngA/ http://jennieallen.com/blog/if-god-is-real-003-tell-your-story/#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:01:34 +0000 andytraub http://jennieallen.com/blog/?p=1973 Jennie discusses the importance of telling your story and announces her new site www.WhatIsYourAnything.com

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• It’s difficult when you’re a writer who exposes your soul.
• “You wrote this book for me.” is a common description
• I feel everything you feel.
• The problem is how we were programmed. We were told what it looks like to
• I don’t feel that. It’s not working.
• The more we pretend to have it together the worse we’re going to feel.

So what did you think?

You can call in and ask Jennie a question anytime at 407-536-6434.

The book is out and a lot of fears are being beat down daily around here.

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So what did you think?

You can call in and ask Jennie a question anytime at 407-536-6434.

And now the movie happens to be incredibly moving and genre breaking. It will impact many. See it!

This is me pretending to be cool but coming out of my skin because I was so excited.

My sweet friend Sarah Henry…

Then we got brave and Zac rented an RV.

All of these people…

Slept for a few days in this…

Doing this….

and hayrides and swimming and fishing and hiking and cooking and laughing and fighting and working.

And the new little Chief of our tribe…

note my children were jumping into a river with big rocks, we were both a little concerned (me and the Chief):

And it felt like a Million Miles in a Thousand Years and like we were really living instead of talking about living.

Those are my favorite kinds of days… the days that feel like this….

But my favorite moment of the week was celebrating the spectacular life of one of our favorite people… Riley Jane Clark.

You changed the world with your content smile…

we will miss you sweet girl and can’t wait to see you with Jesus before too long.

Whatever your lot… It was always well with your soul.

So I was approached by someone to start this… And here is why I said yes…

The Vision

Over the coming months Andy and I will host some guests and hopefully it will feel like you get to have a chat with some people that love God and are serving Him in unique ways.

If God is Real…. Then we need to live like it. These people are. The first two episodes are a chance for people to hear a little of our family’s story. Then we will dig in and hear from all types of people who are living lives that scream of a God that is real.

Andy Traub, the host of this podcast, will be posting these. He hosts several other great shows you can check out here.

Welcome to the first episode of Jennie’s new podcast “If God Is Real”. We’ll be releasing a few episodes a month and would love your feedback on the show here at JennieAllen.com or on iTunes. You can call in and ask Jennie a question anytime at 407-536-6434.

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So what did you think?

Leave it

anytime

at 407-536-6434

I know we seem hard to reach, distracted and often arrogant and honestly, sometimes we are. But maybe you can appreciate some of what gets our attention. We are a reckless passionate generation, who longs to know Jesus and change the world.

Our Generation longs for…..

Honesty.

We would rather you be a wreck and honest than polished and plastic feeling. Be a broken sinner and we will forgive you and like you better for it.

Depth.

Don

It is not better preaching, and finer writing that is needed in this day