It is really difficult to quickly summarize the affirmations, encouragements, and challenges that God impressed on my heart through the Influence Conference.  I shared a little bit about it here, but I'd like to try and give you just a little glimpse of the bigger picture.

Much can be summarized with the words shared by the lovely Hayley Morgan as she encouraged us to link arms with Jesus and walk forward.  Hearing these words at the opening session was like music to my ears and joy to my soul. Finding myself in a place of in-between, unsure of exactly what I'm doing or where I'm going, I really needed this simple reminder to focus not on my lack of direction but on simply walking forward with Him.  Being in this place, it is so easy to get caught up in the lies of the world, the concerns about no direction and the strivings to be as cool as so-and-so or to do something greater.   But as Hayley boldly put it, “If you are believing the LIES you cannot enjoy the FREEDOM of the TRUTH.”

What I know to be true is that He created me. He created me as a good thing in the widest sense of the word.  He has given me passions- He has given me dreams. And it is my duty to own my identity in Christ, and obey the call to action to FOLLOW HIM.

The questions beyond this, the ones that are so easy to get caught up in, like: okay, so I know to follow Him but to where?  What does following Him look like when I really don’t know where He is calling me?  How am I going to be successful and cool and make Him known all at once?  Yes, these ones that so easily and so frequently plague my mind and threaten to throw me off the path... these are the ones that I must work hard to defeat.

Lara Casey, one of the speakers, (and might I add an incredibly talented, God-honoring, and inspiring woman) helped me to counteract these questions and lies as she so beautifully reminded me- the goal in our lives is not to be successful, not to follow our dreams… the goal is HIS GLORY.  This puts it all back into perspective.

Proverbs 19:21 says it simply, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

One of the coolest things, and something that gets me pretty fired up about God, is that He loves us so much that He wants us to be a part of His purpose- to be a part of his incredible plan to reach all nations- to be a part of making His name great.  He could do it alone, He's a mighty God.  But He doesn't, because He wants us to be a part of it!  I love this!

God doesn't give us passions and dreams for no reason- He plants them in our hearts because He wants us to use them for Him, for His glory! I love love love this reminder because it means that this dream that is deep in my soul to use my words for Him, the crazy desire to write a book and maybe even be a speaker for His name- He put that there!  This is one strong affirmation that I so needed to hear.

Jeff Goins was such an encouragement as he said, “If you have a dream, pursue it, protect it, and take care of it—it’s a gift from the Lord.” My dream is not about me, but it needs me.  Well if this is in fact the case, then who am I to disobey what the Lord has put on my heart?

When God puts something on your heart, don’t hesitate- just GO!!!

Reflecting back on all these words and challenges that were shared at the conference, I can’t help but feel my joy begin to overflow. God really did want me at this conference for a reason. He wanted me there to affirm me in who He created me to be.  He wanted me there to remind me that what I am doing is ALL about Him.  And He wanted me there to encourage me that I am so not alone.  This journey is not just to link arms with Jesus, but to link arms with others, to build a strong community where we encourage one another, build each other up, and spur one another on to reach the dreams that God has prepared for us so that we might truly MAKE MUCH OF HIM.

As I settle back into “normal” life, and come down off of the conference high, I know that the days ahead will not be easy. That I will need to work to defeat the lies of the world, and that I will need to intentionally and whole-heartedly pursue Him, no matter what happens. But I am SO excited for the journey ahead- I can't wait to pursue and protect the dream that He has placed in my heart.

My prayer is that you might be encouraged by this little glimpse of what I learned through the Influence Conference.  And that you might join me in linking arms with Jesus and walking forward knowing that  no matter where He leads, with Him there is freedom.
 
.........................................................................................................................................................

I am so so thankful for the Influence Conference, for each of the women who make up the Influence Network core team that made this happen for us, and for each of the speakers who so beautifully glorified the Lord as they shared where He is leading them in their lives. 

This past weekend, I had the amazing opportunity of attending The Influence Conference- a conference all about “making your online life mean something” and making much of Christ. It was an experience that I will never forget; one that has left a life-long impression on my heart.

Spending two solid days soaking up knowledge, challenges, and encouragements from the speakers at the conference, there is so much to be processed and so much to be taken in. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve even begun to process what I’ve all learned. But there’s one strong feeling that I walked away with, and that is one of community.

Signing up for the conference one week before it was to take place, didn’t really allow me the time to find someone to sign up with me, or to make friends over the web to connect with. So going into the weekend not knowing anyone, it felt like there was a very strong chance that I might feel pretty lonely at times. But honestly, other than the first five minutes, it felt like quite the opposite.

Being a believer, we are soo blessed because God gives us an automatic sense of community with each and every other follower of Christ. Through his Son, we are unified by the Holy Spirit, which gives us an indescribable and immediate sense of community that could not be traded for any other. This is one of my favorite things because it’s like an automatic bond, a strong “common interest” that instantly makes it feel like, although we’ve just met, we've known each other for years.

But beyond having this connection, there was a new sense of community that I had never experienced before. Ever since starting my blog a year and a half ago, I have always felt a little bit like the odd one out. Sharing with friends and family that I started a blog, I often got the “deer in the headlights” look, followed by a response like “oh, that’s cool.” Other than one other girl, the lovely Cari over at A Sailor, his girl, and their dog, I have most often felt like the only one in the state of Wisconsin who felt strongly called to be a blogger. Now, I understand that is very much not the case- but when there aren’t any other people who share this interest in my direct circles, it begins to feel this way.

Coming to the conference, it was like a breath of fresh air. For once, I felt like someone else got it. It felt like this was God’s way of saying, “See Mindy? You’re not alone!” I absolutely loved being surrounded by others who, just like me, have their own little space on the web and are trying to understand God’s calling for that in their lives. [Not to mention, I met sooo many sweet and amazing women. Three of whose feet are pictured in the image above: Tanya, Meghan, and Ashton.]

Not only was it affirming and encouraging for where I'm at as a writer in the crazy world of blogging, but it was also a challenging reminder that God really did create us to live in community. He created us to need each other, to challenge each other, to "encourage one another and build each other up." He created us to be just like the word’s definition, “a unified body of individuals” who are so on fire for him that others can’t help but be drawn into the beautiful community that we have with Him.

As I made the 5 hour trek home from Indianapolis, I couldn’t help but feel a little sad as I left what felt like a sweet, protected, little bubble of women, unified through our love for Christ and passion for sharing words on the web.  I am so grateful for each of the women that I met, the awesome team who made it happen, and the community that I'm now excited to be a part of.  Even though we are spread all over the states, this community does not need to come to an end.  In fact, I am pretty certain that this is just the beginning.  

Yesterday, I had the honor of sharing the story of my Grandpa's homegoing as we celebrated his life with many who loved him.  I want to share it with you, because it is a story that needs to be told...

_________________________________________________________________________________

This last week has been one of the most terrible, and the most difficult. It has been full of much sadness, fear, instances of false hope, and a heaviness in realizing that my sweet grandpa wouldn't be here with us anymore.

But amidst the difficult, it has also been one of the most beautiful, precious, and joyful. My family and I had the blessing of spending my Grandpa's last 4 days with him. One of those, was a day just like any other with my grampy. If you don't know him, you must understand that he was extremely intelligent- which always led to a need to understand everything. So in the hospital, we needed to keep his oxygen levels up which meant he had to wear an oxygen mask. Well let me tell you, this mask was something that he needed to understand. All four of us, along with probably every nurse who had the pleasure of caring for him that week, attempted to help him "solve" this mystery. During my turn to try explaining, my gramps said, "Okay Mindy, we're going to lick this." These special moments, along with many other laughs and smiles, and endless I love you's that we shared, made those four days so so precious.

Although in the midst of it, the time felt unbearably heavy, I am so thankful for every second, because each one was laced with love and an indescribable evidence of God's faithfulness. Every step in the process of grandpa's homegoing was protected and planned out ever so carefully by our heavenly father. From the doctors with their careful and concerned explanations, to the nurses who took such good care of my grandpa and cared so lovingly for our family, there is no doubt in my mind that God was making sure that gramps was protected and treated with extra special loving care as He called him home.

Besides sharing some of these special moments - I need to tell you about the amazing way that God brought grandpa home. Those last moments, standing by my grandpa's side are moments that will forever be written on my heart. Not just because they were the terrifying and sad moments when I lost my grandpa- but because they were filled with an overwhelming sense of God's presence as He called my grandpa home in the most beautiful, most profound, and amazing way.

Standing next to my grandpa's bed, my sister and I on one side, mom and dad on the other- I clenched my sister's hand as we told him how much we loved him and that we were right there by his side. It was in that moment, when my mom leaned over to my grandpa and told him that he was going to meet Jesus, that I realized there was an overwhelming sense of strength, peace, and assurance in that room. After those tender moments of saying our goodbyes, the only thing that felt appropriate was to worship the Lord, singing songs to grandpa as he prepared to meet our maker. Lifting up our voices in praise, unsure of how or what songs to sing, it felt as if we had keep singing, as if that was the only way God had ordained for grampy to go to heaven.

Time went by, we continued to sing and came upon what we now know to be our last song. As we lifted up the chorus of the Revelation Song, which reads "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come. With all creation I sing, praise to the King of Kings. You are my everything, and I will adore you," it was as if the Lord was telling us this was grandpa's time. In unison each of our voices got louder as we proclaimed these words, and lifted up to the God who we know was very much present in that room with us.

During our last time singing the chorus, my sweet grandpa took his last breath and went to be with Jesus. As quickly as an overwhelming sense of panic and sadness filled the room as we realized that this man we loved so much was not with us anymore, an indescribably powerful sense of excitement, joy, and peace filled the room. God made it so beautifully clear that He was with us and that He had come to take the one that he loved so much, home to the place He prepared for him. I will never forget when my mom tearfully exclaimed, Daddy- I am so excited for you, you're there!!

The reason that I feel such a need to tell you this story is not to make you sad, but so that you might share in the joy and excitement of this amazing moment that God set out for my grandpa. And so that you might know that we have an awesome God who loves us SO much that not only does He give us strength, joy, and peace in the most difficult of moments, but that if we claim Him as our savior He really really does show up and take us home to be with him in heaven.

There's one last piece of the story that I'd like to share with you...

A few days after my sweet grandpa left us, I thought about that special moment as we sang the Revelation Song. My curiosity got the best of me as I knew that this must be in the book of Revelations if it's called the Revelation song. Googling the words, I can't describe the joy that came over me when I discovered what I'd found. Revelations 4 talks about the throne of heaven- what it looks like, what's there, what it sounds like- and in verse 8 it says, "Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,' who was, and is, and is to come."

I am so in awe and wowed by the beautiful moment in which my family and I had the AWESOME privilege of joining the heavenly hosts and ushering my grandpa into heaven.

My hope is that you might walk away from this celebration of my grandpa's life knowing two things: that my grandpa was an amazing, loving, generous, selfless, bundle of joy and that we have a reason to celebrate because our awesome God welcomed him home with a fanfare!

I'm sitting outside, praising the Lord for this beautiful beautiful day, and taking a break from unpacking, cleaning, and organizing, to tell you a little about just how crazy this past month has been.  If you would have asked me a month ago, how the next 4 weeks were going to pan out, there is no way I would have been even remotely close...

As I mentioned in my last post, my husband and I finally found the house that we had been searching for and the closing day was rapidly approaching.  Everything was going SO smoothly.  Financing fell right into place, packing went swimmingly (thanks to my fab mother and sister who pushed me), our sweet families signed up to be our moving crew, and we were successfully meeting my challenge to move forward in the process with no stress.  That is, until the day before closing...  During our final walk through in the house, we discovered a flea infestation.  Let me tell you it was not the best experience.  Finding these not-so-nice, jumpy little insects all over my ankles, our realtor called his pest buddy to find out that not only were our suspicions correct, but that fleas are actually relatively serious because they can be a real pain to get rid of.  Our happy-go-lucky, move-in process suddenly took a violent left turn.  Instead of being able to move right into our new spot, we were going to have to delay the move about a week, find somewhere to store our belongings, and move in with my lovely sister who so kindly offered us her spare bedroom for the time we needed to be out of the house.  

One of the most difficult things for me wasn't just the icky and annoying bugs that we found in our house- but was more about the destroyed expectation.  I was so hopeful and trying so hard to make everything joyful and smooth, and to no avail, just like life does- I was thrown a curveball.  I realize this is very much a "first world problem," but it seriously took a jab at my joy.  One night, when we were vacuuming the house (one of the 17,000 times we vacuumed in hopes of getting more fleas out), I lost it.  It was one of those movie scene cries where as I'm cleaning the kitchen floor a tiny chunk breaks off the tile causing me to fall to my knees, throw out a few choice words, and proceed towards a full, wheezy breathing, cry session.  In the moment it was both tragic and ridiculously humorous as I pictured what I just did.  But overall, I felt like my joy about the house had been crushed.  Parts of me wanted to say, forget it- I don't even want this house anymore, I'm too bummed and too discouraged!  

Honestly, it was a really challenging time.  Something that I wanted to be so monumental and so joyful had turned into what felt like a wreck.  The night of the movie-scene cry, I returned back to my sister's house and continued to shed a few tears on her shoulder.  She had been reading her Bible when I walked in, and during a cry break- she shared with me a Psalm that had been a great encouragement to her.  The chapter is Psalm 91.  It is a GREAT chunk of verses that talks about the Lord being our refuge and fortress and God in whom we can trust.  But the verses that struck me were 9-12.  

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 

As you can see, the words that specifically spoke to me were "NO DISASTER WILL COME NEAR YOUR TENT." This was the encouragement that I so badly needed.  Reading these verses, I took them quite literally and was like YEAH, that's right!  With the Lord as my refuge, no matter how many fleas, or how long it takes to get them out, or how many toilets break or how many other homeowner-type troubles plague our new place... through Him, none of these will break or destroy us.

I am so thankful that my sister turned me towards this scripture because it was exactly what I needed to begin to change my attitude, trust that it will all work out, and FIND the joy, even in the "disaster."

3 weeks have come and gone since that fateful day of the fleas.  We are now living in the house (not the basement yet- since that was the fleas territory I'm avoiding it until Orkin comes again and gives the all clear) and our joy and excitement continues to grow stronger each and every day.  God totally, totally provided for us in this challenging time.  Not only did he provide us with a place to stay and the encouragement just when we needed, but He also revealed this icky problem to us before we bought the house.  This was a huge blessing, as it enabled us to have the seller pay for the treatments and give us a bit of cash back for the inconvenience.  He is most definitely our refuge and fortress.

Looking forward, I can't wait for the day when we can look back and tell the funny story of the fleas with laughter and joy in our hearts.  I'm still clinging to those words in Psalm 91, and feel like they're written on my heart as I will most definitely continue to proclaim them as we continue on this new journey as homeowners.

Praying that you might be encouraged as you deal with whatever disaster may be in front of you.  Know that He is faithful and will protect and provide for you. 

After 6 months of house shopping, 30 showings, two really creepy serial killer-esque basements (seriously... like a Dexter episode), and countless MLS emails, we finally FOUND OUR HOUSE!!!!!  I am SO excited, but I have to be honest and say that even though we are only 2 weeks away from closing and moving, I still have not wrapped my mind around the fact that we are purchasing this as our very own.  I mean really, a house!?  Yikes!!!

The whole process with this house has been sort of surreal.  When the images popped up on my computer screen, I had a feeling deep down in my gut that this was the house God had chosen for us. From that moment on, it became more and more clear that this was in fact where He wanted us to be.  I shared more about this process over on Circle of Friends, where I'm a contributing author.  There you'll find the full story about how God paved the way and communicated to us through His peace that passes all.  I am so thankful, and still in awe of the way that God provided for us- but making my first attempt at rifling through our storage space and organizing boxes, it is really easy to forget all that peace that has marked this experience and feel myself starting to get anxious and stressed out.

Feeling myself getting worked up, I decided that instead, I am going to try with everything that is in me, to make this whole moving process stress-free.  I know that sounds a bit crazy, and somewhat impossible but I am going to be as disciplined as possible to make it true.  This isn't the first time that I've chosen this mentality.  From day one of wedding planning I told myself, and everyone else in the process that I was bound and determined to have the process be stress-free.  I think people thought I was crazy when I said it. Wedding planning without stress?! Of course, it had it's moments, but honestly, making that choice from the beginning played a significant role in the peace and joy that I felt throughout the entire process as well as on our special day.  I look back on that time and am so thankful that I made that decision early on and stuck to my guns, giving myself the opportunity to focus on the joy and not on the stress.

God didn't create us to be stressed out, anxious people.  We have a choice to either get all worked up about the details and the craziness, or focus on the joy that can be found in each and every moment.  I know that this is going to be a difficult mentality to maintain.  I already found myself fighting off the stress as I thought about the packing process (I hate packing with a passion).  But I am going to work my tail off, and do whatever I can to remain stress-free.  God is so good, and He has blessed us so much with this house- I want to do what I can to remain in His peace and run from the stress cloud that can so easily devour us.

If you think of me, pray for me in this process?  It is going to be a difficult, yet so joyful time- I just know it.  Can't wait to reveal more about our lovely abode!! More images and hopefully fun home-projects to come.

For quite sometime now, I have been dreaming up how I want to re-organize and re-design my little space on the web.  I am still in the process of dreaming this up- it is on my ever growing list of things I want to do... but I've felt the need to wait for a "big reveal" sort of moment when I had all my little eggs in a basket and had every corner of my blog re-designed and set to go.  But then last night, as I was playing with the A Beautiful Mess app on my iPad, I created a little placeholder for what I hope will someday be an amazing and fitting header.  It was fun to make, and I like the feel of it so I decided to get over my perfectionistic attitude for a little bit and allow myself to throw it up here until I figure out my new and complete redesign.  (And this header finally has my new blog name on it!) I had been so stuck on this "wait till it's perfect" mentality, that I think I took away some of the fun of having a blog in the first place.  I felt a sense of returned freedom as I let go of that mentality and simply changed the image that took place at the top of my page.  So this is me saying, watch out- I'm cutting loose and letting myself have fun with random changes and redesigns on my page.

I really look forward to the day where I can look at my page and feel proud and satisfied with what I've created.  I know that it will come, someday.  For now I am just going to keep plugging along, keep learning (I'm taking a class about re-designing my own blog by the ladies over at ABM called Blog {Design} Love!) and keep dreaming up my perfect design.

Who knew I was limiting my own freedom and fun?!  Cheers to cutting loose and finding joy in things that are less than perfect.

Happy Fourth of July day, nails!  I know the fourth has come and gone, but thought I'd share a pic of the holiday sparkle nail that I wore on the the special day.  I was a bit lazy in my attempts to create a firework nail or some other fancy new creation, but was happy with the end result consisting of patriotic colors and a bit of sparkle.  It's about time I got my head in the game and created some fun new art to add to my repertoire.  Perhaps I shall put that on my list for the upcoming weeks...

Hope you had an excellent 4th of July, and that your summer is amazing thus far!
xoxo