Taking a Break

If you're new here, I'm blogging 31 days of things I learned at the Influence Conference just a few weeks ago. I hope you'll stick around for the rest*

I was really excited about blogging on all the things I learned at the conference, but then it became law to me. "Well I have to blog everyday, I said I would. I just have to".  But no, that's what being wild and free is about.  Christ died for me to fulfill the law, not so I could add new ones.  So I'll be back to finish my series, sometime. Probably this week, because I do want to really think on all the things, and I will be on vacation soon and will not be blogging then.  Just thought I'd drop in and let you know!

We're all Different

*If you're new here, I'm blogging 31 days of things I learned at the Influence Conference just a few weeks ago. I hope you'll stick around for the rest*

One thing I really enjoyed about going to the Influence Conference, is that I was surrounded by women who were different from me.  They were different in so many ways and it was amazing to see.  They were married, single, working out of the home, working in the home, business owners, from the south, from the west coast, creative, etc.  This was really good for me to see for a few reasons.

I don't fit in at my church.  I didn't really realize it until I've process all the stuff, but I just don't fit in at my church. This is ok and not a problem within my church.  I'm just different. I don't have a garden, not homeschooling (at least, not yet), I work outside of the home, I feed my family (and often like) a lot of processed foods, and I'm pretty sure I have different opinions on most social issues.  It really doesn't cause problems because the leadership has done a wonderful job at "keeping the main thing, the main thing".  They don't preach on the above topics, they preach Jesus. And it's awesome!

It should be noted that no one has ever made me feel like I don't belong. I do that. I think "Oh, all these women love Jesus, and they garden...so I guess I should do that too." This is not wild and free like I talked about before.  This is slavery and bondage. Constant comparing.  I really want to reiterate, not one person has said or done anything to make me feel this way.  When I talk about working outside of the home, I don't get judging looks or advice from them. I get grace. They come along side me (in my differences) and love me. That's beautiful.

So anyway, it was really great for me to see all these women who love the Lord and they all look different.  It really helped me to see that while I am different, that difference does not mean worse or less than. It just means different. I can work outside the home, eat Mcdonald's, watch Modern Family, and still love Jesus. Those things don't define me, and they don't make my love for the Lord and less.

So I'm going to be me. I'm going to fix my eyes on Jesus, not on everyone else.

Being a Follower

Through hearing some of my new friends talk and some of the speakers, I kind of realized I am a bad blog follower.  I rarely comment on blogs.  I think I rarely do because I think "Eh, they have so many followers, they probably don't care what 1 more person thinks".  But that's totally not true.  People who blog, put their hearts out for the whole world to see, and it can be hard when all they hear is silence.  I take and consume from the blogs I follow.  (I love Amanda and Kat for the record). I take away encouragement, biblical truth, hard teaching, and fun...but rarely do I give anything back.  I rarely thank them for the truth that gave me courage to parent one more day.  I never give them encouragement back.  Bloggers are people too. And I felt convicted for just being a consumer of their product without giving anything back.  So I've been a better "follower" since I came back. Commenting on IG, their blog, and *gasp* even sending THEM encouragement.  Bloggers are people too. People who need Jesus. People who wonder if they are liked. People who need encouragement too.

It's actually be really great.  I mentioned before about how I didn't feel connected to the blogs I follow and how I was ok with that because I have friendships IRL that feed and nourish me, and that I get to serve.  However, it's been great to make some new friends in the Lord, and to not just take, take, take from these women I look up to.

So here's my challenge to you.  Do you follow any bloggers that you consume their product but don't participate?  Why don't you comment on something this week.  What if you prayed for them?  Let me know how it goes!

Being Wild and Free

Jessi from Naptime Diaries touched a little bit about being "wild and free" at the conference.  She's blogging 31 days on her blog and its pretty good guys.  At first when she brought it up I thought that seemed bizarre to be "wild" but I got the "free" part.  But once I really started thinking about it (at home) and reading some of her posts, it really resonated with me. 

I've been having a hard time putting into words how this changed how I think about things.  I went shopping with a friend for a new wardrobe.  Baby #2 has left my body very different than it was before. So  I needed some new clothes to fit my new body.  I was having a hard time and I'm sure if my friend weren't there I wouldn't have bought anything.  I kept thinking "I like it, but it's not me".

But who says it's not me?  What is "me"?  Me = a sinner, saved by grace through faith, given by God, in his son.  Me = free from sin, free from eternal death, free from condemnation.  I think especially since becoming a mom I find it hard to be "me".  I think a good little mom does certain things, or behaves a certain way.  While this is true to an extent, I've let other define what I should look like and how I should act instead of Christ.  He says he's come to set the captives free. I've been set free from comparison. I don't have to compare what my house looks like with other Godly women.  I have been set free to enjoy the home that God has given me.  I have been set free to wear what I want.  I always felt this excuse to give a reason for wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and no make-up.  But that is me. Christ made me to be casual, and I am free to be me without the worry of what others think.  But should I decide to wear something fun on occasion, I am free to do that too. Because God created me to be fun, too.  And who cares that my 4 year old daughter made fun of my boots (true story, guys), or I'm not sure if they are really even "me".  I like them and will wear them freely.  Because God defines beauty and it is not in boots, or red lipstick, or a clean house.  But God looks at the heart.  So I'm thankful to be wild and free.  And thankful for Jessi and her being wild enough to talk about and blog about what it looks like to be truly wild and free.

Being wild and free and wearing boots, cause I want to :)

Where is God calling you to let go, trust him, and be wild and free?

I love marriage and husbands

*If you're new here, I'm blogging 31 days of things I learned at the Influence Conference just a few weeks ago. I hope you'll stick around for the rest*

So, you might think "Oh, you mean that you love your marriage and your husband".  No, that's not what I mean.  Well, I mean, yes. I do love Justin and our marriage, but being at the conference I realized how much I just love God's design for marriage.  And how husbands are good.  Most of the core team had their husbands there.  They loved their wives.  They were doing A/V stuff, rocking babies, wearing babies, and even did a man panel for one of the sessions.  Seeing their love for their wives was super awesome.

Marriage is good.  Society doesn't tell us that it is good.  Sometimes its hard and doesn't feel good.  But God says its good.  It is to represent him and his love for his people.  Our earthly marriages screw that up sometimes, but that doesn't mean it wasn't created to be good.  Good for us and good for others.

I love husbands.  I love how God created men to love their wives sacrificially and passionately.  I love how they are created to be the head of the family.  It is good for wives to submit to their husbands. (More on this later).

I left excited to come back and do life along side my husband. To be in a marriage.  Yeah, it is messy and we both have junk to deal with.  But it is good.  It's not good because we are good. It's good because God is good. And he gave marriage to us as a gift.  And husbands as a gift.

And even as I write this I think "Oh, I don't know. What about people who want to be married and aren't?  Or my friends with an unsaved spouse? Is this post insensitive to them?".  I'm trying not to be.  Because I am not saying MY marriage is good and perfect, but rather God's design for marriage is good...and I like God's design.  And I think that is ok for me to say, "I like God's design for marriage".

If you are single, you have a bridegroom who treasures you.  He'll NEVER hurt you, NEVER leave you, NEVER forsake you.  But I know being single is hard.  I'm praying (for real) for you sweet friends, that God would bless you with a Godly spouse. And in the meantime give you more and more grace and mercy and a deeper passion for Him.

If you have an unbelieving spouse, I'm praying for you too.  Praying you will be a light in a dark place.  Praying for God to show you his goodness, and for you to fall deeper and deeper in love with your spouse. Praying for God to bring your spouse to repentance.

Marriage.Is.Good.

I have a great BFF

So if you guys have been around here for a little while, you know that I am a grown adult and I have a BFF.  For real, she's amazing and my life would definitely suffer without our friendship.  While I was at the conference, I heard over and over from lots of women about the amazing community they experienced through their blog.  At first, I just kept thinking, "I guess I'm missing something". I mean I have a few bloggers who I really love.  I am thankful for their wisdom and comment from time to time (more on blog comments on a later post), but I don't feel connected to them.

But the more I started really digging in to my heart and listening to people, I realized something.  "I have a sister I am already connected to In Real Life (IRL)".  I am so very happy for the women that I met that have found those connections on line with other women.  I am beyond thankful they have their people to bounce things off of, rejoice with, and sorrow with.  My people just happen to be located in my physical location.

Please don't think I think my friendship is better than anyone else's, its just different.  That's ok. That's good!  God provided these women to have those real, deep, wonderful friendships, just in a different way.  How cool is it to see God use the internet for good.  I think its pretty cool.  Being there just made me thankful how God used someone here in Kentucky to make such a big impact.  I was so thankful for our friendship. How it started (15 years ago), how it evolved, and how he made it even better.  So thankful for my sister, Katie. *More awesomeness on her here*

So the question is, do you have deep real friendships? If not, they are worth seeking out and finding.

Where is my influence?

So the conference is hosted by The Influence Network and their tag line is "Make your online life mean something.". So I was really excited to be encouraged in that way. What I wasn't expecting was to walk away feeling rejuvenated as a wife and Mom. There wasn't a specific talk or phrase that made me feel this way,  but I do think I left changed. 

I don't blog because the influence I have in my home isn't enough, I blog for us.  But I do have to admit, sometimes its nice to have the instant gratification of a "like" on facebook, or a comment on my page.  And well the rest of life isn't like that.  When I clean up the living room for the fourth time (seriously that happened this week), Inara is thanking me for making a meaningful impact on her life.  But while I was there, over and over, I just kept thinking "You know, the place I have the biggest influence in my life is at home".  I think sometimes its hard for moms/wives/women, to realize that.  My attitude sets the tone in the home.  When  I know where my hope is, I can clean up for the 4th time with joy.  Ask my daughter to get self-control and stop crying, in love.  Try one more time, to make an edible dinner because that's what my husband wants.  When I change my mindset, these things become blessings not hindrances to my agenda.

My biggest influence is in my home whether I want it to be or not.  The next question is, am I squandering it?  I do, sometimes. I can't say I left the weekend excited to return to stinky diapers, sticky floors, and crumby carpets.  But I was excited to return to the family who helps me make the messes.  I love that family.  I want to make my time with them matter.  I think I'll start partaking in analog weekend to help me get there.

Where do you think your biggest influence is?

I am a blogger

Like I had mentioned before I was a tiny fish in a big pond at the conference.  On the way to the conference I rode with some friends.  I had mentioned I don't really blog about anything and that I wasn't really a blogger.  I was told that I wasn't allowed to say that, because I am a blogger and people are encouraged by what I write.  Throughout the weekend, I talked to a lot of other bloggers and listened to many speakers.  The resounding answer was "Yes!", I am a blogger.  Just because my blog doesn't have 3,000 followers and ton of unique visitors daily, doesn't mean I am not a blogger.  I am a blogger because I write the things, and people read the things.  I would find my self introducing my self to people like this "Hi, I'm Lauren.  I blog, but it's not really a big blog or anything".  It was like I had to qualify my blog.  But no one else expected that of me and a few people said "Oh, that doesn't matter you're a blogger!".  So this is how I ended up introducing myself over the weekend: "Hi, I'm Lauren. I have a lifestyle blog. I write about God's faithfulness in the hard times of life." So here is my coming out party, blog world :)

I have a great church

I met a couple people who have a hard time with church, don't feel connected at their church, or just don't go to church.  The church I go to isn't perfect.  I could list a handful of things we could do better or different.  But it is really great.  The teaching is phenomenal and I am constantly challenged to find it in my own bible. I think that is what made the conference so exhausting yet so rich.  Guys there were a LOT of words spoken. And in my mind over and over was "Where is this in the bible", "Is this consistent with scripture", "Is this verse in context".  It wasn't because I didn't agree with all the speakers but because they don't have the ultimate authority on life, God's word does.

I came away from the weekend with a thankfulness for our church. Thankful for the teaching that is hard. Thankful to hear week after week "open your bibles to____". Thankful that I left exhausted because of the work, my brain was in the habit of doing.

All of the things

Ah, I can't believe I am actually going to do The Nester's 31 days of blogging on 1 topic. I love the tag line of the blog too "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful". Yes! Because guys, it probably won't be. I hope to have a picture each post (I hate when there are not pics) but likely won't be!  I never thought I could do it, but this past week changed this a bit.  Last weekend I went to the Influence Conference with a few friends. It was amazing, and exhausting, and fun, and exhausting.  There were so many words spoken...so many! It was really wonderful but also really a lot of work too.  Just sorting through and filtering all the words.  In fact, I am still processing all of the things. There are so many things in my head and I think this prompt will be a great way for me to get it out and process all the things. Do you think I can do it?

*Thanks Messy Mom for the inspiration*