I made a “crazy”, out of the blue, surprised myself (and still in a bit of shock) decision a few days ago.
I’m going to the Proverbs 31 Ministries She Speaks Conference in July.
Will I see you there?
She Speaks
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Tag Archives: I~speak
Hermitage Hills & A Wild, Highlighted Hair!
Good Monday Morning!
Just as I suspected I would, I met some wonderful women at Hermitage Hills Baptist Church last week! I was warmly welcomed and enjoyed meeting new “sister-friends.”
More than ever before in my life, I am aware of just how much we need one another.
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| The Gardening Themed Table where I sat ~ Lovely! |
Life is just better when you have your “sisters” to share it.
I grew up in the middle of two brothers so I never had to share a room, or clothes, or any of my “stuff.”
When I went away to college, I got a little taste of “sisterhood.” Well, a BIG taste of sisterhood. Some I liked. Some…not so much.
When we walked through the cancer diagnosis and passing of our boy, Andrew, I depended on my sister-friends. They did not let me down. So anytime I get to meet more of the sisters, it’s a good day!
I got a fabulous surprise when I found out that a friend of 20+ years was driving up to hear me speak in Nashville. Michelle is from the town in Georgia where my husband and I married and eventually moved from to Florida 21 years ago.
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| Michelle & Melanie |
She sent me as message confirming she was coming and then she asked me if I wanted to play “Beauty Shop.”
Uh…hello. It’s my favorite game!
Michelle is a super talented hairdresser and used to do my hair all those years ago.
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| Foiled! |
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| After |
Now I have a little favor to ask of you. Speaking of hair, I had a wild one several days ago. I entered a contest to become an Oakley Women’s Product Ambassador. I could enter photos or a video, as well as answer some questions and write an essay on the theme of “Performing Beautifully.”
You can help increase my chances of winning by voting for my video submission. There will be 10 winners chosen and 20% of the votes come from FB voting. The remaining 80% is from a judges’ panel who views the photo/video and reads the essay.
To vote for me:
- Go to www.performbeautifully.com.
- Click on “vote now.”
- Click on “view video entries.”
- My video is in the left column, 2nd place. I’m wearing the red Team Andrew shirt and you’ll see my name listed.
- Click on my video to watch.
- Click on “vote” and then consider sharing on FB and encourage your FB friends to vote for me!
- You can vote one time per 24 hour period.
THANKS! My FB badge is in my sidebar if you want to “friend” me.
Get Ready, Get Set, Go!
I am getting ready and getting set to go! We leave for Maryland in a couple of days.
My girl and I are going together. She will sing and I will speak. (I’m singing, too.)
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| My girl and me…5/10 |
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| LaDon & Steve |
We’ll be staying with them. LaDon and I go waaaaay back. She and Steve are a great couple. Steve is the pastor of the church where I’ll be speaking. He has invited me to speak with him in the Sunday a.m. services.
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| My boy, Avery and me…6/10 |
I’ll be missing this boy while I’m gone.
And this man.
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| My One Fine Man and me…7/10 |
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| Sleepy Head Ted |
And this pup.
This boy I never leave behind because he is always in my heart. But I’m always missing him.
http://www.youtube.com/get_player
Andrew and his passion ~ skateboarding
Today marks nine months since Andrew left Earth for Heaven.
Nine Months.
Monday Magnificat – A New Day ~ A New Door
Do you sense a new day dawning? Do you wonder what lies on the other side of the door you have yet to open? I don’t know what opportunities may be on the other side for you. I don’t know what your potential or your passion is. I don’t know what God has been speaking to your heart lately.
But I do know that God has a plan for each of us and that He formed us each for a purpose. Your purpose is what you were born to accomplish. God places within our hearts His desires. He may put several things in your mind or heart that He wants you to do, each one for a different season of your life.
Do you have an interest or a vision? A “vision” without passion is just an interest.
- Interests come and go.
When my daughter was little I had an interest in making hair bows and trimming out her socks to match! Yes…I have pictures. No…I’m not posting those! That interest lasted long enough to make and trim 5 sets.
I also had an interest in stenciling walls. That interest lasted until the pain in my neck and shoulders became unbearable as did my resemblance to Quasimoto.
The stenciled wall project? Never finished. And no pictures. Thank goodness!
I was interested in those things and many others for a short while. Somehow my interest waned or haulted completely.
Vision is long-term.
- Vision stays with you.
The vision of my heart was present when I was a young child. Looking back I can remember snapshots in time in which I play-acted my vision. Since that time I have had pictures in my mind’s eye in which I play out my vision or destiny. Sure, I have had some opportunities that have trained me and helped develop gifts. I’m thankful for those. But there is more. I know it. I can feel it. I can see it.
I hope you are aware of the purpose for which God created you. I hope you have clear vision. Perhaps your season in life has changed and your spiritual eyes have caught a glimpse of a new day, a new door. Do you see the Lord beckoning you to enter through another door? If He is calling you, you must rise up and go toward that calling. One thing is for sure, stepping through that new door requires faith and action on your part. It may, at first, be uncomfortable and perhaps disconcerting.
But realize that as you step through the door, there is One who walks with you. And your obedience to go through the door opens wide the door of faith for others to stream through to a relationship with Him. That’s the way vision works. On arrival, they got the church together and reported on their trip, telling in detail how God had used them to throw the door of faith wide open so people of all nations could come streaming in” Acts 14:27, MSG.
God designs you with a purpose and places a vision in your heart to live out that purpose. It is a blessing to you but it is not just for you!
Stepping through the doors God opens for you opens doors for many more!
Is there a new door in your future? I’d love to hear about it. Do Tell!
My Monday Magnificat? Jesus opens the door. He walks me through the door. He IS the door. For this, I utter my praise!
Magnificat – an utterance of praise from the Latin magnificare – to magnify (photo by Linda Charlene)
Monday Magnificant – The AH in SistAH.
Sistah Ruth and Melahnie aka Bellah~Mellah
This is Ruth. Notice the family resemblance? She’s my sistah. Not my sister. My sistah. We are not related in the ordinary sense of the word. So we are not sisters. But we are related in the spiritual sense. Thus we are sistahs. Ah…now you get it. We are family not by flesh but by spirit.
This is Ruth. Notice the family resemblance? She’s my sistah. Not my sister. My sistah. We are not related in the ordinary sense of the word. So we are not sisters. But we are related in the spiritual sense. Thus we are sistahs. Ah…now you get it. We are family not by flesh but by spirit.
When God changed Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai’s name to Sarah He gave them each a part of His own name, the ah in Yahweh. God changed their names as one of the signs of His covenant with them.
Very simply put, God’s covenant was one of blessing on the lives of Abraham and Sarah and their descendants. And we, their spiritual descendants, are recipients of that same blessing. “Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all…” (Romans 4:16).
Isn’t she beautiful?
My sistah Ruth is such a treasure to me. As a Bible teacher herself, she is a gracious supporter of my teaching and speaking. A couple of weeks ago, I concluded a teaching series that I wrote, entitled Spirit~Filled & Spirit~Led. My Sistah Ruth was there every week right up front nodding, taking notes and encouraging me. This month she is leading a Bible study through the book of Romans. And I am there. Taking notes. Nodding. Listening. Loving the Word she brings. What a wonderful example she is to me! My covenant sistah Ruth.
My sistah Ruth is such a treasure to me. As a Bible teacher herself, she is a gracious supporter of my teaching and speaking. A couple of weeks ago, I concluded a teaching series that I wrote, entitled Spirit~Filled & Spirit~Led. My Sistah Ruth was there every week right up front nodding, taking notes and encouraging me. This month she is leading a Bible study through the book of Romans. And I am there. Taking notes. Nodding. Listening. Loving the Word she brings. What a wonderful example she is to me! My covenant sistah Ruth.
How about you? Do you have covenant sistahs who support and encourage you? Are you a covenant sistah to someone? I’d love to hear about it. Do Tell!
My Monday Magnificat? I praise God for sistahs in the faith! For this I utter my praise.
Magnificat – an utterance of praise ~ from the Latin magnificare to magnify
