Only the Good Stuff: Multivitamins for Your Weekend [04.07.18]

Happy, happy, happy weekend!

Some real, down in the bones JOY to celebrate today! Links & stories this week 100% guaranteed to make you smile a mile wide & believe like crazy in a Good God redeeming everything — and that there’s love everywhere & for ((you))! 

Serving up only the Good Stuff for you right here: 

Ginny Sheller 
Ginny Sheller
Ginny Sheller

she captures her world with beauty and grace…   

yeah, heart kinda melting here…maybe hug your loved ones today?

Panorama Glass Lodge 

so? anyone else wanna visit? 

patient surprises her doctor with a special recognition…who can we go thank today?

ayumiichi 
ayumiichi 
ayumiichi 

creative mom gives a new twist on nap time for her twins

it’s been a big tool to help them change: Freedom to Play — music as prison rehabilitation

can you even? …this 7-year-old with cancer? She’s making care packages for the other  hospitalized kids... #BeTheGift #TheBrokenWay

just love this: a retirement home — for the young and old

it would be my joy to meet you here at this important conference on April 14

learn more about how we can respond to the current refugee crisis

one woman and her truck? she’s changing lives big time #BeTheGift #TheBrokenWay

In Search of Home

“If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” C.S. Lewis

coast to coast: the whole earth is full of His glory!

Guido Gutiérrez Ruiz 
Guido Gutiérrez Ruiz 
Guido Gutiérrez Ruiz 

he captures stunning reflections in puddles: all around our world

Just a magnificent display of His wonder!

World Vision
World Vision
World Vision

This Easter, World Vision photographers bring you beautiful photos of Christians around the world worshipping and celebrating the good news of Christ Jesus: He is risen!

the majesty of Africa’s largest owl

they are running to fight their drug addition – amazing story of recovery here

as a result of being bullied – she started in international organization to help people find their worth

fascinating research: How to make stress your friend #BeTheGift #TheBrokenWay

“just because a person is poor – doesn’t mean they aren’t rich in character”

Post of the week from these parts here

When Relationships Feel Hard & Broken: How to Practice Resurrection — and Forgiveness

come see this: they’re bringing medicine to the world’s forgotten corners

 

What do you do when you wake up and feel like you’re not enough for your life? Or when you look out the kitchen window as dusk falls and wonder how do you live when life keeps breaking your heart?

In sixty vulnerably soulful stories, the highly anticipated The Way of Abundance moves from self-weary brokenness to Christ-focused givenness.

Christ Himself broke like bread, giving Himself to us so we might have a lifelong communion with Him. Could it be that our brokenness is also a gift to the world?  These tender devotionals dare us to embrace any and all brokenness as a gift that moves us closer to the heart of God. 

This gentle book does nothing less than take you on an intimate journey of the soul. 

Order Your Way to Abundance Here

Upbring is a leading Texas-based, faith-inspired nonprofit organization working to break the cycle of child abuse by empowering children, families and communities.

While Upbring has evolved over more than 135 years of service, our organization remains firmly focused on delivering innovative programs and services that address the root causes of child abuse and neglect.

 

  Want the gift of light breaking into all the broken places, into all the places that feel kinda abandoned? 

These pages are for you. It’s possible — abundant joy is always possible, especially for you.

Break free with the tender beauty of The Broken Way & Be The Gift …

And if you grab a copy of Be The Gift?  We will immediately email you a link to a FREE gift of THE WHOLE 12 MONTH *Intentional* Acts of Givenness #BeTheGIFT Calendar to download and print from home or at your local print shop!  Just let us know that you ordered Be The Gift  over here.

You only get one life to love well.

Pick up Be The Gift & live the life you’ve longed to

on repeat this week: Reckless Love

[ Print’s FREE here: ]

… and so it turns out: When you hold your forgiveness ransom until someone pays you back & earns your love — you’re the one whose quality of life gets poorer & poorer.

I get it – there may be ashes… but there are risings everywhere & resurrections are our moment-by-moment reality & doesn’t this change everything:

Only the forgiving heart — gets to be a forgiven heart.

Only if the heart forgives the one who betrayed the trust you gave,

only when you turn & face & forgive the one who lied about you behind your back,

only when you forgive the one who let you down and stood you up,

forgive the one who shattered your reputation,

shredded your trust,

busted your dreams,

broke your plans,

and bruised your one boldly beating heart —

only when your heart forgives — can your heart be forgiven – forgiven of what you thought you would never do, forgiven of what you don’t want anyone to know that you have done.

And I’m learning it again & again: How can I refuse you the mercy that I have needed to stay alive?

How can I weigh what you’ve done against me as heavier and what Jesus has done for me as far lighter?

Because this is the thing: Remember what Jesus has done for you and you will always remember how to forgive.

[excerpted from our little Facebook family … come join us each day?]

‪ Dare to fully live!

That’s all for this weekend, friends.

Go slow. Be God-struck. Grant grace. Live Truth.

Give Thanks. Love well. Re – joy, re- joy, ‘re- joys’ again

Share Whatever Is Good.