my everyday blessings by Lisa Lehman @StudioJewel

When the new year turned the corner, I was well aware of what was ahead.

That’s just plain funny.   The line up there is what has been sitting in this draft post for about six weeks now.  It’s a lie.  I had no clue what was ahead of me other than what God told me.

Surrender every single breath to me this year.   – love you, God (dude…)

I have, have been trying and continue to surrender every single breath.  It’s not been easy by any means.  He’s called me to a season of pouring out that has been beyond comprehension.

I’ve had the privilege of working behind the scenes with some amazing women on the BlissDom Conference this year and I’m excited to be joining them and hundreds of other glittery gals at the Opryland Hotel this week.

I have learned so much and been a part of a huge community of women working their bottoms off to bring attendees an environment filled with Love, Business and Community.  HUGE blessing.

One of the most exciting turn of events is my role with Picha Global, LLC as their launch project manager /operations coordinator.  I know, right?  Who knew? Not me… but it’s exciting to watch four amazing and entrepreneurial women who have a passion for changing the world build something mind blowing..

We launch in three days.  Yep… three.  I hope you will join me in loving on Picha Global and spreading the word.

Picha Global Launch from Picha Global on Vimeo.

“Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it’s written for us. God wants the combination of his steady, constant calling and warm, personal counsel in Scripture to come to characterize us, keeping us alert for whatever he will do next. May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. Then we’ll be a choir—not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to the God and Father of our Master Jesus!” Romans 15:4-6

Happy New Year – may the Promise and Hope of Jesus Christ guide you throughout 2012.

Well howdy.   I had no idea that being in the season of the empty nest could be so busy.  But indeed it has.

First and foremost.. thanks to my friend Alli for the recommendation.. and to the amazing creative genius of Hannah Braboy you are viewing a totally new blog..

Would love it if you began to follow me at dedraherod.com .. eventually after some more changes and more new stuff, we will completely transition away from justachick.com but don’t worry!  I’ll let you know when those happenings are coming down the pike. yikes!!

Thanks for bearing with me during all the changes, He’s been so audaciously grand to this mess of a girl.

Wondering what has been going on?  Here’s a quick update via camera photography:

1) Karen and I enjoyed our second 5k together the end of October  2) We celebrated fireside with a latte and yummy breakfast.  3) I worked incredibly hard to get our 2011 Biotechnology Guidebooks out to all the high schools across the state; 4) had lunch with some besties from youth group days – Cara & Bev (sisters) are the real deal; 5) shopping with sister friend, Suzanne we found a new desk chair for me – called GRACE! HA;  6) a day with my friend and mentor Tami Heim in TN.  She’s amazing and has been blessed with a couple new roles.  One at CLA and a grandmommy (2/12)! 7-9) Stinkin’ Mary R. Snyder blessed me and couple of buddies with a cruise trip of a lifetime. watching the sun rise/set every day on the water.. giggles and music.. blessed beyond 10)got off the boat and proceeded to get so ill.. won’t bore you but goodness fruit made it better! 11) Thanksgiving and college adults home.. bliss 12) Behold the Lamb with Andrew Peterson and sweet girlfriends.. no words. 13) i love my Kelly.. excited about our SSMT time in Houston in Jan. 14) inside out PB cookies for work party – YUMMO 15) decorating for Christmas 16) back at it after being so stinkin’ ill.. feels good.

What’s been going on in your world?

I just can’t begin to put into words what these last 7-8 weeks have meant to my relationship with Him.

I totally get that it’s Him y’all.  I get that.. but when I decided to lead Tammie Head‘s Duty or Delight? study.. I had no idea the POWER of His Words through her.  I truly thought we were going to dig deep, but um, not to the life changing depths that He’s taken us to.

I had no clue.

I’ve done lots of studies.  I have.. not to boast at all…but I’ve done a ton out of my desperate need to know Him more.  Out of my desperate need to be held accountable.  Out of my desperate need to fall in love with Him more deeply.  His Word has changed my life forever.

I’ve been changed by the other studies.. and then I haven’t been changed by some.  It hasn’t been the studies, or the women gathered with me, it’s always been me.  My heart, my lack of obedience.

But y’all.  I am having the hardest time putting into words what this study has meant to me.

It’s been an honor to study under Tammie for these last few months. But that sentence doesn’t even cut it.

He’s changed me. Completely changed our relationship. He’s doing a new thing.

Besides Crossings by my sweet Suzanne … and mama Beth Moore… this woman, with the Power and Knowledge of the To-Be-Able has devastated me for life.

If I could stand in front of Tammie and tell her anything… I wouldn’t.  I would hug her, I would hand her a latte and I would stare at her with tears rolling down my face and I would pray over her.

I pray that He blesses her with every Spiritual blessing that is His to give… that her family is blessed for generations to come for her obedience.. and that He gives her more studies to share with us.

I pray with everything in me that if you haven’t studied Duty or Delight? that you will…

Have you completed Duty or Delight?  Tell me what you would say to Tammie about how He has changed your relationship from one of duty to delight…

I spent the evening on Friday with these women…

worshipping with Chris and Leah Catherine… basking in sweet fellowship, journal making, food and the Word brought by the Holy Spirit and Suzanne Matthews.

It was a COMPLETE gift.  Suzanne taught out of the book of Hosea and has really left me speechless and introspective. Pondering so much…

Her message has ushered me into a whole new conversation with Him and he’s leading me back to the place where our relationship began. (Hosea 2:14)

The Biblical way to return to God (after a season, after we have run away, daily returning) is through repentance.

There’s a three-fold process to rebuilding a repentant heart:

1. Allow God to bind up our woundedness – unwrap your wounds and present your woundedness to Him.  Unwrap yourself.  Be honest with God.
2. Wake up.  Be made alive.  Let Him till the soil.  Let Him fertilize the ground, rejuvenate your soul.
3. Let God (and only God) validate, fix you and make you better than you were before.

It’s worth the pain to get to the place of restoration.  Only when we get to a place of repentance and restoration will we be able to serve Him…

And that’s just a smidgen of the few hours…

I am amazed at the thread of commonality.  What He continues to speak over me.

He’s revealed a new season to me.  But before He pushes me out to be about His business…

He calls me to cultivate a truly repentant heart. To till up the soil and let Him work out the muck and foreign objects.  He’s calling me to turn it over, asking me to put my face smack down in the nasty of it all.  He’s asking me to let Him fertilize the soil so that His harvest can flourish.

“The things of this world are in a bidding war over you.  But then… Jesus walks into the marketplace to claim us just like Hosea claimed Gomer after unspeakable heartache and damage.” - Suzanne Matthews

Have you given all of the muck and mire to Him?  Have you physically said the words “I REPENT” over the mess?  Have you allowed Him to restore you?  He’s claimed us.. and He chooses to do it every day because He loves us so scandalously.

I’d love to hear how He’s working it out in you..

I’ve written about the new season here and here and He’s changing me from who I have been.

My prayer has been that during this time of fresh starts and lots of spaces of time for focusing just on me is that I won’t.

Oh that I won’t focus on me at all.

My prayer is that He makes a fresh start in me.  That He turns my heart and ears and mind completely towards Him.

Completely away from me.

God, make a fresh start in me,
shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.
Don’t throw me out with the trash,
or fail to breathe holiness in me.
Bring me back from gray exile,
put a fresh wind in my sails!

Psalm 51: 10-12 MSG

He has a fresh start for me, I can feel it… I just don’t want it to have anything to do with me.

What fresh work is He doing in your life?  How are you encouraging others around you?

** alert ** I am about to get my geek on… feel free to avert your eyes.

It all started with this tweet from my friend Robyn to my amazing sister, Lisa:

Robyn had just shared on the Twitter that her Life Planner had arrived and how excited she was about it.  HOLD THE PRESSES.

My sister and I are complete calendar/administrative/organizational freeks.  Tru dat. Robyn had unleashed a wild hair.

Then.. I went shopping on the Erin Condren website.  The joy that I felt was amazing.. truly.  It was almost as if the angels were singing around me. AND, then it hit me.  This would be a window shopping expedition.  Not a purchasing expedition. Small sigh. Three in college… means little to no discretionary funds if we are to remain debt free.  Thank you Dave Ramsey.

But I did celebrate with my sister as she ordered hers….

And then guess what happened? A blessing arrived…

Oh my… if the angels weren’t singing when i was window shopping.. they certainly were singing when my gift from my Sissy arrived.  JOY.  pure JOY.  If you are an organizational crazy gal like me then you will LOVE love LOVE this product.  Lots of places to be creative while staying on top of things.  Daily entries have room for morning, day and night.  Make sure you stop by and check out Erin Condren as well as checking out my friend Rachel Reeves over at No. 17.  She blogged about the awesomeness that is the Life Planner here and here with a giveaway to boot!  Stop by and check it out.

BUT alas… I have some exciting news to share with you that is happening today over at Erin’s shop.  CUSTOM.. yeppers.. and amazing iPhone covers.  YES.. SIR REE BOB!  You might want to jump on over there and snatch you up one… or two.. or more for Christmas gifts.  I just happened to find some discretionary funds to be able to grab one myself… Even being blessed by organizational wonderment can be all about expecting Jesus.. especially when you trust Him with every single detail.

What blessings have been unexpected for you today?

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So, last night after an afternoon in the doc’s office (love her), a late afternoon steroid shot and a family member struggling with life in general, I asked my sweet friends on the Twitter (yes, I say THE Twitter) to pray.  The warriors rallied and are continuing to rally on our behalf.  I was moved to sobbing tears (I know it might have been the shot.. but I don’t think so.) by their authentic walk right alongside me.  To stop and intercede on our behalf, to write us on their hearts.  I tell you, there is no greater tangible gift in my life than to have brothers and sisters praying.  Then this morning He wakes me up to this:

Come to Me with your defenses down, ready to be blessed and filled with My Presence.  Relax, and feel the relief of being totally open and authentic with Me.  You have nothing to hide and nothing to disclose, because I know everything about you already.  You can have no other relationship like this one.  Take time to savor its richness, basking in My golden Light.

One of the worst consequences of the Fall is the elaborate barriers people erect between themselves and others.  Facades abound in the world, even in My Body, the church.  Sometimes, church is the last place where people feel free to be themselves.  They cover up with Sunday clothes and Sunday smiles.  They feel relief when they leave because of the strain of false fellowship.  The best antidote to this artificial atmosphere is practicing My Presence at church.  Let your primary focus be communing with Me, worshiping Me, glorifying Me.  Then you will be able to smile at others with My Joy and love them with My Love.

1 John 1:5-7; Exodus 33:14; Philippians 4:8-9 – Taken from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young, October 19th

Shaking my head, I am continually amazed at the way He loves us.  I don’t ever want the sweet expectation of Him to go away.

What are you expecting of Him today?

Life literally got away from me.  Can you tell that I am not a pro blogger?  I didn’t have this challenge well thought out.. I didnt’ have an outline completed about what I needed to post or talk about.  I literally jumped in!

iStock photo

But I am so glad that I did. It’s forcing me to flesh this walk out with Him. Expect Him.

I’ve just spent a long weekend with all three of the college kiddos home.  It was such a sweet time.  And not long enough for me.  But certainly long enough for them.  That is a GOOD thing.  It means they are feeling like their new homes are good places.

I expected Him to show up in the being together and He did.  Just the hanging out and chillin’.  It’s needed.

I expected Him to show up in the laughter and the giggles and the lameness of the board games.

I expected Him to show up as we all headed to church together.

I didn’t expect Him to show up in the tension.  I didn’t expect Him to show up in the goodbyes.  I didn’t expect Him to show up in the parenting of the children from afar.  I didn’t expect Him to relieve my fears so quickly.

He’s a much better parent than I am.  He knows what they need much more than I do.  Parenting’s for the weak.

I’ll say that again.

Parenting is for the weak.

In our weakness He is made strong.  In the weakness of our parenting.. He is made strong.  Stay the course friends.  We can’t stop praying or expecting Him… in the words of my college man.. “Don’t give up.. cause it matters so much.. and it gets better.  It really does get better.”

“Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,   My grace is enough; it’s all you need.   My strength comes into its own in your weakness.
Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 MSG

 

I love you dearly.