When I'm senile this is what I want to remember.

I am an AWANA child. I grew up learning and memorizing scripture as a rhythm of life. Our family time around the dinner table included fun ways to "hide 'em in your heart," and Steve Green was a staple in our home. But memorizing has never been easy for me. (It was such a big deal in college that I avoided a career on stage because I didn't trust my memory for words and lyrics.)

But this year I want to intentionally practice the art of memorization, specifically with the book of 1 John. By the time my birthday comes in February I aim to have the first chapter solid. On my mom's birthday I'll be halfway through chapter 3. And when Christmas comes around I hope to recite the entire book!

Would you consider joining me?

I'm rebooting my little podcast so that we can walk through this adventure together, and I have a schedule to keep us on track. (Click the file download button below for the schedules, and click the "Listen here" button to head over to the podcast.)

1 John Memorizing Schedule

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Download PDF • 49KB

1 John Weekly Check-off list

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Download PDF • 41KB

It should be simple! Reading through the whole book only takes 16 minutes, and we'll only work on one to three verses a week. Of course, you're welcome to hop in whenever it suites you, and ditch whenever needed. However, by announcing this plan to the world I've now created a handful of invisible accountability partners to keep me going!

By the end of the year we'll have read through 1 John 198 times... Can you imagine how TRANSFORMING that will be?!

Oh- just so you know, by the time you read this there will be 2 new episodes up on the podcast. The first one is an invitation to join me on this venture, and the second is the book read in full, so you (and I!) can use it in the future as we read and listen through each week. Here's the button to the podcast page:

Listen here

I have so many ideas about resources and ways to memorize, and I am super excited to share them with you! Because when we put scripture in our hearts, it is there to stay. And if I ever lose my ability to hold onto the present, these words will remain, and they will give me hope for the future.

Want to join me? We're reading through 1 John (yes, ALL the way through) every day this week. It only takes 16 minutes. You've got this. It'll be great!

A New Adventure!

Oh, friends, what exciting news I have to share with you all!

Jesus is sending our family to the mission field as church planters! If you would like to follow along our missionary journey we would love to have you join our mailing list HERE. If you'd like a sneak peek, I'll be sending out THIS EMAIL with all the details tomorrow.

As I continue writing on this blog there will no doubt be glimpses of our journey, though only as bits and pieces. It would be our honor to have you come alongside our family, lifting us up in prayer, and encouraging us along this church-planting adventure.

This path is hard, but oh, so good. And Jesus holds every sweetness along the way.

Who Should I Be?

My personality sat folded between my wallet and my keys

Accessible but hidden while I decided what to be.

Shall I be witty and engaging, or slightly more demure?

Should I be quiet and subdued? How would they like me more?

Perhaps I hide a shy, sweet smile when they ask about my dreams.

Or with animation broadly grin. Who, though, should I be?

Each temperament a part of who I really am inside,

But which to show off freely? And which to safely hide?

“Be your best self.” The common call. “Or who you want to be.”

But am I willing to be brave, and boldly just be me?

And so, with sigh of resignation, relief, and, yes, of dread,

I pull my apron from my purse and lift it over my head.

I wrap it round and tie the ties, and flatten out the seams,

Wearing wit and shyness and smiles and bits of dreams.

And come the time to introduce myself in all my parts,

I’ll reach my hand to grasp their own, and offer them my heart.

I have a few important interviews coming up that will influence many of the opportunities Jason and I have moving forward. I'm the kind of person who rehearses conversations in the mirror, and who often over-analyses things that haven't even happened yet, coming up with a game plan "just in case." But, as I am learning (for the zillionth time), I am called to be a woman of integrity and trust, and when I am faithful to simply obey Jesus, everything else will fall into place, in HIS timing and in HIS way. And so, as I prepare for these crucial interactions, I don't need to prepare my personality. I need to prepare my heart. Not to impress others, but to reflect Christ well.