That is Brave

I don't know if you had a chance to catch Wednesday's Mid-Morning when it aired...but it was an extra special one for me.

My first time to sit in Lynne's chair for a full hour - other than a BLT show. My first time to choose a book and read it and make notes and settle on questions and place a call to a guest before the show began. A guest I'd have for a full hour.

I'd love to tell you that I was Lynne-esque about the whole thing...cool and calm. But the reality was my hands shook through the entire thing, and had it not been for the literal ARMY of prayer warriors surrounding me...I am not sure I'd have made it.

Ryan took time to pray with me earlier in the week - praying circles around all the parts of first-time-hosting that made me nervous, and then he majorly spoke my love language before work, when he slithered out of the house to get me this surprise {which he doctored up with notes all around}:

And when show time came, I settled in knowing I had done all I could, knowing people were praying, and I did my best:

Appropriate that my first interview was on bravery.

Annie talked about how bravery looks very different for different people. AMEN TO THAT. I wanted to show you a sampling of some of the ways bravery has shown up for me over the years:

Back in May 2010, when I was smack in the middle of the darkest season of my life, bravery meant getting on an airplane all by myself {first time to ever fly alone} to travel to Virginia Beach to see my best friend. Flying alone was brave and traveling at all during a debilitating season of the soul was brave times twenty.

In October 2010, bravery was getting in a car by myself and driving to Wisconsin - alone on unfamiliar roads for the first time ever in my life.

In June 2011, bravery was packing up the only office I'd ever worked in throughout my adult life and saying goodbye to a job that felt "safe" to follow God's call to WBCL.

In September 2011, bravery was standing on the stage {not to talk. Just taking a step ONTO THE STAGE} with Jim and Ron during the first concert I ever worked. I nearly passed out over that!

In November 2011, bravery was walking onto a stage - this time TO talk - as I worked the David Phelps concert and actually got to introduce him. Speaking in front of more than 2 people was brave. I don't know how many were in the room that night, but it was CONSIDERABLY more than 20.

In September 2012, bravery was running a 10K - especially since I'm not a runner.

In May 2013, bravery was ziplining. Not gracefully. Just doing it.

In August 2013, bravery was climbing to the top of a lighthouse. I'm afraid of heights. Every step was a prayer.

That same month, bravery was taking a Segway tour on vacation. A picture worth 1000 words:

Last month, bravery was taking my first {and last} ever theme park ride.

And just a couple of weeks ago, bravery was sitting in my car watching my husband drive away for a rafting trip with the guys: our first time apart.

Bravery has many forms. But oh how we need to celebrate it. Every. Single. Time.

Hoping you'll join us for BLT to share YOUR stories of bravery. #thatisbrave

God's Words in Your Mouth

Tuesday I spent the afternoon with our good friend Dr. Mitch Kruse, filming episodes of his television show, Restoration Road. I was part of a group that included comedian David Dean and volleyball player William Robbins, founder of Empowered Sports Club.

Guess which guy is the volleyball player and which one is the comedian!

As Mitch led us through Philippians 4:8 - 20, I was struck by the vast differences of our insights on the same verses. And I think that's something worth noting.

God has things to reveal and to say to the world about Himself that He can only express through you and me...and Billy Graham and Beth Moore and Mother Teresa. All of God's children are chosen, known, and beloved unique revelations of their Father. Walking billboard that proclaim, "This is what God looks like."

His words in your mouth and my mouth. His life in your actions and my actions. Our lives matter in God bringing His will to pass because He has graciously chosen to include us in answering the prayer, "Thy kingdom come."

So we listen to Him in prayer and silence and His Word. AND HE GIVES US UNDERSTANDING.

And be sure to pay attention to what you hear. The more you do this, the more you will understand--and even more besides. To those who are open to my (Jesus) teaching, more understanding will be given. (Mark 4:24, 25)

We then share this ongoing stream of understanding in the comings and goings of living.  

Comedian David Dean reveals the humbling challenge of showing up at an event of just 35 people -- and internally bending his knees to Jesus in order to give a full-arena performance. That's how David once experienced Philippians 4:12, being content with little, in this case, an audience. William Robbins reveals the steady-keel identity that grows out of focusing on what is true about Who God is and who He declares William to be. Yes, Philippians 4:8 secures his identity whether he receives praise or criticism. 

These men, different from me in ways beyond gender, encouraged, challenged, blessed and entertained me in ways Billy Graham, Beth Moore, Mother Teresa, and everyone else can't. 

And I heard and saw God.

Memories and Dreams

Ryan works in health care, which means he doesn't always get holiday weekends. He works at a rehab hospital, and patients have to be seen 365 days a year. And so it was, that this past holiday weekend, I spent a lot of time home alone while he worked every day but Sunday.

It was a lovely weekend. LOVELY. I had the perfect mix of work and fun...and while I would have loved more time spent with Ryan...I appreciated every moment I had on my own.

One of my projects was to start {yes...a year and a half later...START} our reception scrapbook. Turns out once I got going on the thing, I couldn't stop, and I did all sixty-some pages of that book in one day FLAT.

I loved reliving the moments. All of them. Like the one where Ryan actually hauled our deep freeze from our house to the reception site so we could keep our 15 gallons of pre-dipped ice cream cups cold until it was time to serve.

Or like the moment when, while we showed the video of our ceremony, I slid over to the gift table and stole two cards so Ryan and I could fan ourselves, because we were SO WARM in that room.

Or like the moment when one of our bridesmaids, Sara, could barely contain her excitement, because she got to meet LYNNE! LYNNE FORD! {That's what she kept saying...It's LYNNE! LYNNE FORD!}

They were good memories. Ones that made me smile as I transcribed the stories of the pages of the scrapbook.

Later in the weekend, I looked through some of my older scrapbooks, just for fun. Just to remember what I'd forgotten.

I looked at the book of my vacation to Virginia Beach in May 2010 - smack in the middle of my heart's desert. I hadn't been sure I was capable of traveling by myself in such a heartsick state.

I smiled at the first picture of me with the ocean. It was the first time I had ever seen any ocean, and it was the first time in WEEKS a genuine smile had crossed my lips.

I giggled at the picture my best friend took of me with the giant shell on the boardwalk. Right when she snapped it, some guy sat down on the other side, and it kind of looked like I'd smashed him.

And I remembered the feeling of relief when I made it safely home to my sister's house {she ran me to and from the airport}. I had actually accomplished a hard thing, and I was so proud of myself!

Good memories...hard memories...but all preserved as a testament to the work God had done in my heart!

I didn't just relive the past while Ryan was rehabbing patients. I did a fair amount of dreaming for our future. Pinterest and I spent more than a few hours together while I mentally designed our someday house and imagined everything from paint colors to furniture placement.

I dreamed about ministries we might be part of and entertaining we might do in our home. I brainstormed book ideas and Bible study topics and anything else I could think to ponder.

Memories and dreams do a lovely dance. They take you back to a place and time you've already walked and give you the confidence to walk ahead into an unknown. To be reminded that joy can be found in the places of deepest heartache and that celebrations are never perfect, but they're always worth giving honor to the reason for the celebration.

How I love them both...the memories and the dreams. And as I glide through this life and more dreams come true and take their places in the scrapbooks of my life, I'm just so very grateful for the God Who has walked with me in the deserts and over the mountain tops!