Milestones and Road Signs...and the Giveaway Continues!

I had some sweet family members and friends put up several signs in my neighborhood to alert everyone that I was turning 40. I loved it! There was a sign greeting me just about every 50 feet or so.  (I loved them so much, I didn't take them down until last night!) 

As I approached the entrance to the neighborhood, I saw these two signs together and I was struck:

One sign marks a milestone. The other is a road sign.

They both are significant.

The milestone promotes reflection. It is a time to look back, to evaluate, to celebrate, to remember, to give thanks.

The road sign provides direction. It requires looking ahead, gaining perception, making goals, following instructions.

We need both in this life:  milestones and road signs.

I desire to reflect and give thanks and celebrate.

I remember the days long ago.

I reflect on all that you have done.

I carefully consider what your hands have made.

  I stretch out my hands to you in prayer.   Psalm 143: 5-6

But I can't wait to look ahead and expect and see what lies ahead.

The revelation of God is whole

and pulls our lives together.

The signposts of God are clear

and point out the right road.

The life-maps of God are right,

showing the way to joy.

The directions of God are plain

and easy on the eyes.   Psalm 19: 7 - 9

Spend some time today thinking about your milestones AND your road signs. 

We need reflection and direction.

Don't forget to comment here if you want to enter for the giveaway...

I am giving away THREE books that have hugely ministered to me deeply this year and a Starbucks gift card (that ministers to me, too!)

The THREE books:
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
What Happens When Women Say Yes to God by Lysa TerKeurst
Sun Stand Still by Steven Furtick

Here's how you can enter to win:
1. Leave a comment on this blog and if you are feeling punchy, I would love to hear a subject you would love for me to blog about.

2. Spread the word about his giveaway via Social Media -
Facebook, Twitter, etc. and let me know that you did that by leaving a comment.  (Use the share link at the top of the page)

3. Follow me on Twitter (@kelliwommack). If you do already, thanks and let me know that !

4. Follow this blog by either signing up for it via email, Google Reader, or Networked blogs.  (You can do this all via the side bar.) Let me know that you did this by leaving a comment. If you already do, let me know that!

I will close the giveaway, Sunday, October 15 at 5 pm...and announce winners on my Monday blogpost.  I would love for you to win!

Unwrapping the gifts of reflection and direction,

Kelli

Celebrating Forty with Friends and My First Giveaway!

Yes, I turn the big 4-0 today.  
Do I feel older? Well, if you are talking about the fact that I have to hold books out a foot from my eyes now to read them, or the fact that my knees crack when I stand up, or that I feel the need to go to bed at around 9:30, then yes, I feel older. 


Honestly, I am incredibly blessed and I felt like today was a great day to celebrate His goodness in my life...and have a giveaway (that comes at the end.)


Today I am grateful for:


the fact that God loves me unconditionally and that after 40 years, I am really beginning to understand that love. I am thankful for my salvation, for my walk with Jesus, for my calling, and for the Spirit that enables me to fulfill that calling.


my husband of almost 20 years. He is an amazing man. I love him dearly and I am thankful that we have a marriage built on Christ.  We went to our first marriage retreat this year...and were affirmed that we were doing a lot of things right (by the grace of God!) He is my biggest fan...he just never comments on my blog.


my children. Bekah is 12 and wise beyond her years.  I think there is an old soul buried beneath that veneer of a young woman. She challenges me to slow down, to think deeply, and to love wholeheartedly.  Ryan is 8 and rocks my world. He always has. Ryan is a great kid with a big heart, a huge imagination, and a ginormous amount of energy.  My children are gifts that allow me to know and understand God better. And this was the year my family became complete in Christ when Ryan gave his heart to Jesus in July!


my extended family. So many I can't name, but I am thankful for all of them. I am blessed to have such an extended network of support.


my friends. You are one of them. Old friends. New friends. Thank you for your love,encouragement, and prayers. You are a blessing.


my church family. I love Christ Community Church.  I love serving alongside of such godly people who are passionately in love with Jesus.


my ministry at CCC. I never would have thought that I would be paid to do something I love so much. I absolutely love encouraging, equipping, and empowering people for ministry and seeing them reach their full potential in Christ.


my new emphasis on writing and speaking. Thanks to your encouragement and readership, I have been writing on this blog since July 4 and have written 33 blog posts on this blog and have guest blogged 3 times for others. I also went to my first speaker/writer conference  (She Speaks) this year and proposed my first book! I have been blessed to speak over 20 times, lead two bible studies, and speak for the first time internationally at a pastor's conference in Caracas, Venezuela. By His Grace and For His Glory!


These are just a few of many, many things I am thankful for.  Thank you for letting me share them with you.  


Now...for the giveaway...
I am giving away THREE books that have hugely ministered to me deeply this year and a Starbucks gift card (that ministers to me, too!)


The THREE books:
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
What Happens When Women Say Yes to God by Lysa TerKeurst
Sun Stand Still by Steven Furtick


Here's how you can enter to win:
1. Leave a comment on this blog and if you are feeling punchy, I would love to hear a subject you would love for me to blog about.


2. Spread the word about his giveaway via Social Media -
Facebook, Twitter, etc. and let me know that you did that by leaving a comment.  (Use the share link at the top of the page)


3. Follow me on Twitter (@kelliwommack). If you do already, thanks and let me know that !


4. Follow this blog by either signing up for it via email, Google Reader, or Networked blogs.  (You can do this all via the side bar.) Let me know that you did this by leaving a comment. If you already do, let me know that!


Thanks for helping me celebrate today!  I will post the four winners on Monday, October 17.  


Unwrapping the gifts of life,






Kelli


P.S. You have made my day.  I love you all!

Different... In a Good Way

In 2009, my daughter was 10 and I came across this very challenging blog written by Lysa Terkeurst.  "She Seeks the Uncommon" is a precious outpouring of Lysa's heart for her daughter, Hope. How she begs for Hope to be uncommon in this world. I was moved then in such a way to begin praying for my daughter, Bekah, as Lysa was praying for Hope. And for two years this word uncommon continues to be the descriptive adjective I desire for my Bekah.  

When Bekah was 18 months old, we were at the pediatricians office for a well child check-up and the doctor said to me, "Bekah is precocious." No, not precious (although she absolutely was), but precocious. Not wanting to sound baby-brained, I did not ask what it meant.  I did what any really smart mom would do.  I went home and looked it up in the dictionary. This is was it said, "having developed certain abilities at an earlier age than usual."  The thesaurus used words like, "advanced for one's age, mature, gifted, talented, clever, intelligent, quick."  Wow.  

Fast forward ten years. My Bekah can definitely be described as all of those words the thesaurus listed. Well, except for quick. She might be quick to catch on to things, but she MOVES in slow motion getting out the bed, taking a shower, folding clothes, all of the mundane things.  

In January of this year, Bekah approached me and asked me if she might could try homeschooling this next school year. Well, trying homeschooling is not like trying sweet potatoes. If you don't like it, you can't just spit it out. And homeschooling requires one major thing...me. You have to know that I have many friends that I love and admire that homeschool. But that was never a word that I wanted as a part of my vocabulary. I love my freedom between the hours of 8am and 3pm. I love my ministry that requires me to be available to people. And I love being able to do what I want to do, when I want to do it.  

When I asked her why she wanted to be homeschooled, she had three answers.

1.  "I want to move at my own pace. When I understand something, I want to be able to move on to the next thing. " I get that. She is intelligent and pretty quick to catch on to things.

2.  "I don't want to be at school for 7 hours and then come home and do homework for another hour or two. I want to be able to participate in other things - like drama, extra church activities, and I don't have time to do all that right now because of school." Ok, I get that, too.  I am really vigilant about guarding our family time and I do not allow either of my children to participate in more than one thing at a time. Because we would never see each other or have dinner as a family which I think is super important!

3.  "I want to be different. I feel like God has called me to be different and it is super hard to live that out with all the pressure from people at school. I want you, Mom, to spend at least the next year teaching me how to be bold." This was the clincher.  How could I say no?  


Yes, my precious (and precocious) daughter can be described in many terms. But the adjective that I pray most for her is different. Uncommon. And when the world begs her to conform, I  beg for God to continue transforming her. When her peers encourage her to fit in, I pray that she stands out. When she feels like giving in to the pressures of this world, I pray for the boldness to fight for what she believes in and to remember WHO fights for her.

So, am I homeschooling my 7th grader? Yes. Do I know what I am doing? Not exactly. But God does. He is shaping and molding a precious and precocious girl into a young woman who is different...in a good way.


Who are you praying for today? Your children? Your spouse? I would love to pray with you.  Leave a comment, please!


Unwrap the gift of praying for someone,

Kelli

I am linking up with Women Living Well today...go check out their site!



Linking up with Imparting Grace as well!

She Listens... (She Speaks Takeaway Part 2)

If you didn't read my previous post, you might want to do that now.  http://kelliwommack.blogspot.com/2011/08/he-speaks-she-speaks-takeaway-part-one.html  I just don't want you to be reading this and realize that you have been left out of the conversation.  :)  

http://flic.kr/p/cLpVx

In the words of my daughter, "Isn't it cool when God speaks like that?"  Yes!  And we know it is Him, when we hear Him speak repetitively through His Word, His people, and circumstances.  We also know it is Him when He calls us to do something that is bigger than us.  In her book, What Happens When Women Say Yes to God, Lysa TerKeurst lists a Five Question Filter to know if you are hearing God's voice.  Number four is "Is it beyond me?"  (If you want to know the other five questions, get her book, it is great!)


So, is my call to write and speak bigger than me?  Absolutely!  As I try to sort out why I haven't pursued the writing and speaking more before now, excuses abound.  Not enough time.  Inadequate.  Other things require more of my attention.  I am not as good as others.  No one wants to listen to me or read what I write. I am happy the way things are.  And so on.  (You ever give those same excuses?)  Honestly, all the excuses have one greater source.  FEAR.  I am afraid.  I am afraid of disappointing God.  Afraid of missing the mark.  Afraid of ridicule.  Afraid of rejection.  Afraid of the future.  Afraid of...failure.

"Haven’t I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take.” Joshua 1:9 (Message)


God not only wants us to be bold and courageous, He commands it!  Why?  Because fear is paralyzing.  Fear renders us ineffective for the Lord.  And His perfect love casts out fear!


In a recent journal entry, I wrote, "Fear surfaces all too readily.  It creeps into my thought patterns, affects my body, and my way of life.  Where is my trust?  Do I really trust God?" It pains me to write those words.  It pains me even more to share them with you.  But maybe you experience this when God calls you to do something bigger than you.  So, what do we do?


He Speaks, We Listen.  Our response to His speaking is to listen.  That may sound obvious, but do your children always listen when you speak?  (Thought so.)  We want to learn to listen to the Father's voice over our own voice and the voice of others.  Over the noise and the static.  


The New Oxford American Dictionary says to listen is "to take notice of and act on what someone says."  So listening to God is to realize that He is there speaking and then do what He says!  Many of us listen and we hear Him.  And then we sit...in fear, complacency, disobedience, laziness.  We don't act on what we hear.  


I am listening, God.  I hear You.  Please give me the strength and the courage to obey.  I want to see You do something in my life that is way bigger than me.  


Do you struggle with listening or obedience?  Share your thoughts. I would love to pray for you!  




Unwrap the gift of listening to a God who speaks to us,




Kelli