incourage — We are THAT Family

Six Quick Things

12:08 pm Bykristen

Two posts in one day?
I know. Cool.
I also have a tattoo. (My mother-in-law still doesn’t know. No Internet at their farm, plus there’s always socks.)

I wrote about shutting my big mouth over at (in)courage today. I’m on a word fast.
I spoke at a women’s event in Dallas on Monday about God-sized dreams. They blessed Mercy House with a God-sized offering and we nearly sold out of product. My big kids and hubby ran the table while my youngest ate people’s left-over cupcakes right off their plates.
We played hooky at the Great Wolf Lodge (our first visit-loved it!)
Mercy House t-shirts (women’s v-neck) are on sale for only $10 (while supplies last)
My Blessings Unlimited Store (sidebar) is having a very fun Spring sale (up to 75% off)
A few weeks ago, my hubby (@nascardad on Twitter) cashed in his Christmas Groupon gift from me and raced around the track at crazy speeds. He’s hot.

That is all. Y’all have a happy weekend.

Date night is happening for us. What do you have planned?

Filed Underdeals, incourage, My Life10 Comments

How to Kill Joy

1:23 pm Bykristen

I wrote one of those “the truth hurts” posts over at (in)courage.

I don’t suffocate joy in my life on purpose, but I still do it.

Join this important conversation?

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For When You Don’t Feel Beautiful

8:32 am Bykristen

I stood in the baby aisle at Target, overdue with my first child. Every inch swollen with expectancy. I read labels of diaper ointment and rubbed the foot kicking my side.

Someone stood beside me. I could feel her staring at my profile. I pointed my belly towards her and smiled. She leaned in and said the words like I took her breath away, “Oh, you’re so beautiful.”

I looked down at my too-tight shirt and tugged it over my child. I couldn’t see my feet, but I knew the flesh pressed out of my sandals.

Me? I looked around the empty aisle.

I smiled shyly, smoothing my messy hair. How I longed to hear those words and not just because I was awkward and uncomfortable. I never felt like a beautiful girl. Cute, sometimes pretty, but never beautiful.

And then she tried to sell me Mary Kay.

(Click over to in(courage) to continue to read…..)

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On Community {Announcing (in)RL}

9:40 am Bykristen

[Today, I'm rounding up a month of blog posts from the (in)courage girls, a progressive blog party, so to speak. Melissa of The Inspired Room tagged me.]

Community has hurt me.

I have been wounded by gossiping women, friends who questioned our choices and walked away when they couldn’t dream with us.

When I started blogging four years ago, I was drawn in by the community. It felt like a safe place where I could interact, but still guard my heart.

Little did I know, God would use this community of strangers to heal me.

When I didn’t have a lot of real life people to count on, I had you. Not only did you dream with me, you jumped with me into the unknown. You are a huge part of this. You are a huge part of me.

God used my pain from community wounds to show me that community would also heal me.

In the last year and a half, He’s surrounded us with real life community. Friends who listen, support, serve along side of us.

Lately our family has felt maxed out: running Mercy House, working jobs, loving our kids. But our real life church community has stepped in and held up our arms. We are surrounded by our online community and supported by our real life community.

It’s a breathtaking place to be.

I think that’s why I’m such a huge advocate of (in)courage’s initiative to foster real community right where you are. It’s called (in)RL and it was created for you.

My online and real life friend, Lisa-Jo, explains it best:

So basically, (in) RL kicks off with a webcast for everyone to watch in their living rooms Friday, April 27 and then a dedicated day of (in)courage meetups on Saturday, April 28- imagine little beach house parties – all around the country and globe and a webcast for everyone to tune into. A local meetup on a global scale; friends will gather to watch live webcasts of (in)courage contributors and community, connect with one another, and discover new friendships they didn’t know were right around the corner!

Want to sign up? It’s simple: register here (it’s $10 and you get a t-shirt and card pack – awesome deal!) and then sign up here to host or attend an (in)RL beach house party.

Hosts also have the opportunity to purchase specially discounted beach houses in a box, which are chock full of amazing DaySpring products.

Don’t let your community wounds stop you from discovering the most meaningful community you’ve ever known.

Filed Underincourage, My Life4 Comments

When Inadequate Is Adequate

7:04 pm Bykristen

She didn’t have much.

Actually, compared to what we have, she had nothing.

But her little was enough.

Imagine the bleak scene: a starving widow in a desperate famine, preparing her last meal-a tiny bit of flour and oil- so she could feed her child and die.

[I've seen pictures of the famine going on in the Horn of Africa today. It's not hard to recreate the horror of the situation.]

A stranger, a man of God, showed up and asked her for bread. She told him her situation. I can almost see the defeat and sorrow etched into the deep lines of worry on her face. Elijah tells her to step out in faith.

She did as he asked. She prepared the bread and gave it to the stranger.

She gave all she had, even thought it wasn’t much to look at. The flour and oil never ran out. He turned her little into a lot.

Her inadequate offering became adequate.

(click to continue reading at (in)courage)

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