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How Can We Wait Well On Our Dreams?

October 12, 2016 By Alecia Simersky 4 Comments

How Can We Wait Well on our Dreams

How Can We Wait Well on our Dreams

“It’s better to have a chicken tomorrow than an egg today.”

Waiting, showing patience has never been a strength of mine. I used to pray for God to help me show patience with my children, especially when they were in the middle of a tantrum. And in the good ‘ole fashion of the ways of God, He allowed me to have patience by providing me opportunities to practice it.

Not exactly what I had in mind. I really thought he would magically make me more patient, loving, and kind.

That didn’t happen…I had to work at it.

Now, my children are older and out of the tantrum phase, I can look back at how much I have grown as a person and a mom. Thank God He didn’t zap me with patience like I prayed for.

He knew a better way, He made me work for it.

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Today, as I work on my dreams of becoming a writer, I have my days of wishing God would make the path easier.

I wish all the hard work and learning I have been doing magically translated into success. But it doesn’t. I have to wait.

“Patience isn’t the ability to wait, but how you act while you wait.” Joyce Meyer

As I was pondering what to write and thinking about all the ways I could do a better job of waiting, my pastor preached a sermon on…you guessed it, waiting!

And then I came across a devotional from Proverbs 31 and I shared it on the God-sized Dreams Facebook page, it was an article written by Lysa Terkeurst titled, “Is this a Delay or a Dead End?”

So often when we are waiting for our dreams to happen, to finally make it and do what we feel we have been called to do, we reach a dead end…or, is it really a delay?

In Romans 8:24-25 we read: “That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don’t see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.” (MSG)

I get it, waiting is HARD. But waiting is good.

The goal is to get to a point in our lives where we can wait with joyful expectation.

May we one day look back on the days of wait and smile at the people we became in the process.

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…

Dear Lord,

Forgive all the times I haven’t trusted you. All the times I mistook a delay for a dead end and didn’t take my disappointment to you. Help me to trust you. Help me to wait well. Bring people in my life that will encourage me not to give up, and help me to encourage and be genuinely happy for others when they are seeing their dreams come true. You God, know my heart, my hurts, my struggles, my hopes, and my dreams. Open my eyes to what you are doing in me while I am in this season of waiting. Thank you Lord that you never give up on me.

In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

 

Shared by: Alecia Simersky

Filed Under: The Dream Journey, The Ups and Downs of Dreaming

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Dear Younger Me,

August 17, 2016 By Alecia Simersky 6 Comments

Dear Younger Me

If I could write my younger self a letter I imagine it would go something like this:

Dear Younger Me,

I wish I could tell you everything that I have learned so far. It would save you so much worry and heartache. Things would be much different.

I can’t decide if I should tell you to not fear and chase your dreams or tell you heart to heart, you do make some bad decisions, but then, those bad decisions made me who I am today.

Don’t worry, I know you are nervous about your grades and what you should major in at school and aren’t sure where your life is going. Guess what? You still don’t! (Ha!)

You think you have to have everything all figured out in order to move ahead and be successful. You fear failing. You fear looking like a fool.

And I guess in writing that last part I realized exactly what I need to tell you. Let it go. Let go of the fears: the opinions of others, the fears of failing, looking foolish, making the wrong choice. Let it all go.

 

I know you well enough to know I can’t tell you to stop being so afraid, because fear has a stronghold on you. But I will tell you, take a big deep breath, say a prayer and do what you are afraid of. Do it because you are afraid and you will refuse to it let boss you around anymore!

Take back the days fear has stolen.

The older you knows the fear NEVER goes away. Unfortunately it’s like a shadow that follows you around everywhere.

Also, I would add: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and stop trying to figure out all the details on your own. You will mess up. You will fail. But you will also get back up and keep going more determined than ever to succeed.

You will go through dark periods in your life…and it’s ok.

The dark periods are the times the light came through the brightest.

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God spoke loudest when you were at your weakest.

And lastly, be patient. You don’t have to get everything done at one time. Give yourself and those around you grace. Waiting is a lesson God will teach you over and over…ask me how I know.

Oh younger me, you’re quite amazing you know. And much smarter than you give yourself credit for. You won’t realize it for many years, but the very things you hate about yourself– being shy and quiet, introspective, sensitive, caring– are your strongest qualities. I know, I know. You’re probably rolling your eyes at me, but trust me.

Stop trying to change who you are for who you think you should be.

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You will thank me one day.

Oh, and P.S. grow your bangs out, they DO make you look like you’re twelve. 😉

Sincerely older and wiser but still looks 20,

Me

Shared by: Alecia Simersky

Filed Under: The Dream Journey

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Dream Chasing And Motherhood

May 25, 2016 By Alecia Simersky 19 Comments

Dream Chasing and Motherhood

Dream Chasing and Motherhood

Are you a mom who has dreams but very little time to work on them? Me too.

I carve out space here and there, wondering if the day will ever come when I will have more time.

I know someday I will miss the dirty socks thrown across the living room floor and the dishes piled high threatening to crash to the ground below because of the massive pile up…HaHa. Yeah, right!

I know my days are numbered when I will no longer sit through little league baseball games, the junior high dramas, and the nights of ensuring all the homework gets done.

My littles are not so little anymore. The eldest is fifteen and the youngest is eleven.

Time is slipping away; and it feels as if my dreams are too.

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I’d love to write to you now that I have it all figured out.

I’d love to tell you that I keep all the balls in the air and don’t even coming close to dropping one.

I’d love to write that my dreams are progressing and my family life is amazing.

But I can’t.

But do you know what I can write?

That along the way I have realized that my family is more important than any dream I could chase.

Remembering the time I have with them makes me shut my laptop, put down my phone, and focus on who is right in front of me.

I used to drive myself crazy thinking I had to be everywhere at one time. I needed to network and post “X” times a week on my blog. I needed to have something scheduled every day of the week on social media.

And then I realized I had it all wrong.

I didn’t need to do any of those things to be seen or known. God knows my dreams and my name. And when the time is right HE will open the doors…or not. Either way, I will choose to see the blessings and not ignore the little ones He has entrusted to my care.

For me, balance is knowing when to say “yes” and when to say “no” and trusting God when I feel like I’m moving two steps back, not forward.

Balance is trusting that the dreams, even though they may take longer than I hoped, will come true.

I could easily spend all my time online. I love meeting new people. I love reading other people’s words and sharing them with others, and I love writing. I could become obsessed with the validation I get from being online…because we all know as a mom you get very little!

I want my kids to see me working hard toward my goals, but even more than that, I want them to see me being present in their everyday lives.

And if that means I work a little here and a little there, and my pace takes on that of the tortoise and not the hare, then I’m okay with that.

Balance is trusting God’s timeline and not mine.

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So, yeah, I can’t write that I have motherhood and dream chasing all figured out and down to a T, but I can say that I don’t worry about it any more.

“Balance is not better time management, but better boundary management. Balance means making choices and enjoying those choices.” (Source Unknown)

Shared by: Alecia Simersky

 

Filed Under: Living Your Dream, Making time to work on your dream

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Why You Should Be A Dream Encourager

April 11, 2016 By Alecia Simersky 2 Comments

There is meaning...Alecia Simersky #hope #journey

I used to think it was vital to have everything figured out. The idea had to make sense and all the pieces needed to fit before I could move forward.

And then I watched the last video in the Bible study, Esther.  Beth Moore said this, “Keep doing the next thing, even if you feel like you are stabbing the dark…that’s the Providence of God. Everyone starts out unsure…but they keep going and trusting.”

Beth Moore began her ministry thirty years ago unsure if teaching Bible studies was God’s direction for her life. Can I just say what a relief it was to hear Beth Moore’s beginning years were marked with uncertainty and questions?!

It makes me feel relieved. I’m where Beth Moore was thirty years ago; she felt the same way I do!

I may feel like I’m stabbing at the dark and wonder what I’m doing and if I’m going in the right direction. But with every faithful step I take, God leads.

And He leads you too. You may not have the who, what, how, or why all figured out, but if you have the desire, He will lead you into your purpose, if you seek Him. Doors will open, opportunities will arise, struggles will drive you crazy and setbacks will make you think you should quit.

 Don’t give up!

You never know what may be waiting around the corner if you keep pushing through.

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Before this God-sized Dream team, you would have found me sitting with friends saying something like, “Um, yeah, dreams are for people who don’t have a life. Who has time to go after dreams?”

But, not now. Oh no.

When I see friends struggling to decide what they want to do or how to get there, I feel confident in encouraging them to go for it, and to find a way and do it!

Now I know we have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

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Do you want to know the secret sauce to not giving up? Encouraging others.

Encouraging others in their own dreams gives you power to fight for yours. You see precisely how important it is for them to realize their dreams, and it makes you want to fight for yours all the harder.

Encouraging others creates community in a way that God intended. Because when we are truly happy for others, then we are steadfast about who we are as well and sure of the plans He has for us. There is no room for jealousy.

Beth Moore encourages others because she knows how discouraging the journey can be. The enemy does NOT want us to succeed. If she would have thrown in the towel after her first study we wouldn’t have the wisdom we glean from her seven books and sixteen Bible studies. And who knows how many countless lives she has touched.

It’s important to be each other’s cheerleader, especially when we aren’t sure of our own paths. One day you will be the one speaking to the generation behind you, urging them to keep pressing forward.

Today, find someone you can encourage and see what happens inside of you!

God-sized Dream = A desire in your heart for more of what God has for you~ Holley Gerth

 Shared By: Alecia Simersky

Filed Under: Dreaming Big, Living Your Dream

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What Is The One Tool I Use Daily?

March 28, 2016 By Alecia Simersky 10 Comments

What is the ONE tool I use daily?

What is the ONE tool I use daily?

What is one tool I can’t go a day without using?

Evernote!

It’s a one-stop app that everyone, even those that are not bloggers, will be glad they have in their virtual toolbox.

For me it’s like a virtual sticky note.

It’s like having a little notepad in your purse without ever having to worry about a missing pen.

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Long before I was using it to help me organize my blog posts and ideas, I used it for random note taking and grocery list making.

Have you heard of this app? Seriously, I’m not a very organized person. If I want to remember something, I know me well enough to know that if it’s important, I’d better write it down!

Evernote is an app for IOS or Android where you can add, sync, and organize notes, files, voice memos and more.

Here are a few examples of how I use it. I…

  • jot down quotes I come across online that I want to remember
  • take notes from church sermons
  • take notes from online web seminars
  • draft blog posts
  • record recipes
  • take snapshots of book pages to remember
  • jot down blog posts ideas to remember later
  • keep my different email logins organized

I could keep going, but I think you get the picture. 😉

Did I mention it’s FREE? (There is a paid version if you want more storage, but I’ve never had a need for more.) Free makes it even better!

With Evernote you have the ability to sync your documents across other devices, collaborate with other writers, and easily email documents.

You can keep yourself organized with tags. Tag each document with a custom name: blog post ideas, recipes, quotes, song lyrics, images, post title ideas, etc. Tags make it easy to search for your document.

Need an easy way to create blog posts or create an email template but do not have access to your computer? Use Templates.

Easily set up your blogging or email template. For example, create a new template and format it in the typical way of your blog posts or email are in draft mode on your site. This is how mine are usually set up:

Image (Picture Image goes here)

Subject (What I’m writing about)

Main ideas (My main subject points)

Links (Links to bible verses or to a website)

Conclusion(My closing thoughts)

Action statement (Action statement or question to ask the reader)

Below is a screenshot of the template I use in Evernote.

Blog Template Evernote

Then when you have an idea for a post, go to your blog template, right click to copy, and then paste into a new note and you are ready to draft a new blog post. Fill in all the details and email yourself the copy or copy and paste into your draft post on your site.

When I’m in a hurry, which is all the time, I will create a new note and write out my idea for a post, where the idea came from (Bible story, speaker) so I won’t forget, and then do a rough draft. Later, when I have a free moment, I open up my post idea note, sit at my computer, and type what I wrote in the app and finish the post.

Evernote has kept me from losing a great post idea more times than I can count.

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If you’re like me and need a tool to help you not only be more productive, but also organized, you are going to want to check out Evernote.

Have you used Evernote before? Which tool would you recommend to stay organized?

Shared by: Alecia Simersky

p.s. We launched our God-sized Dreams shop! It contains five downloadable prints created just for you. We hope they inspire you to chase after your dreams! We’d love for you to check them out! And as a thank-you to our email subscribers, once a month we will randomly choose one subscriber to receive a FREE print!

Dream. Shop. Inspire. God-sized Dreams new print shop!

Filed Under: Living Your Dream, Organizing Your Dream

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The Coat Of Many Fears

January 18, 2016 By Alecia Simersky 4 Comments

beautiful in every way, Song of Solomon 4:7

Coat of Fears

In Genesis 37 we find the story of Joseph  and his coat of many colors. His father had it made especially for him. It was beautiful, clean, and without saying a word, it told the other brothers how much more he was loved and adored than them.

I had a coat too. Except it wasn’t colorful and beautiful. No, it was striped with gray and a dingy white.

Oh, and it smelled a little funny.

It was my coat of many fears. I’d had it for so long I can’t remember not owning it.

Unlike Joseph’s coat which reminded him of how loved, accepted, and adored he was, each ugly gray streak of mine reminded me: I’d never be good enough. No.Matter.What.

And, it reminded me of the fears that have kept me firmly rooted in one spot. Afraid to step out, afraid of what others would think, afraid that if I did move, I would fail.

My coat whispered: “Stop trying to make your dreams a reality, you’re not smart enough, talented enough, or good enough for YOUR dreams to come true. Look at me, this isn’t the coat of a winner.”

No wonder I’ve spent most of my life going through the motions, and just getting through the day.

I’ve been sleepwalking through my own life.

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Finally, thank goodness, I had enough and threw the filthy rag into the garbage (I should have set fire to it for good measure).

I had grown tired of the weight of that coat, and gray really isn’t my color;). The dingy color, the foul smell, the unraveling seams were too much; I knew I was made for more.

I was ready for something different. God used His word, and His people, to show me I do have a purpose, and with this new knowledge; I put on a new coat.

I wish it wouldn’t have taken me so long to accept the new coat of God-confidence. But, once I did, and realized how much better I felt, and looked, clothed in His promises…not to mention it doesn’t smell…I never wanted to take it off.

My load now is light (Matthew 11:30). I no longer have my “coat of fears” to weigh me down.

God’s promises anchor me. They tell me I AM good enough, approved, loved, forgiven, talented, smart…

See for yourself:

Jeremiah 29:11,”For I know the plans I have for you, plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Jeremiah 31:3, “The Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued to extend faithful love to you.”

Psalm 139:14, “I will praise you because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and I know this very well.”

Ephesians 2:10, “For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.”

So, you see, if God tells me He has plans for my life, that I am loved with an everlasting love, I’m wonderful, and He has work planned for my hands prepared before I was even born; then who am I to question Him?

I shudder to think how long I wore my coat of fears (or I shall I say lies?), when I could have been wearing something beautiful that fit me much better.

It’s time to take off the filthy coat of many fears.

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It’s time put on the new and clean coat of God-confidence.

What filthy lies/fears do you need to throw out and replace with the beautiful coat of God-confidence?

Shared by: Alecia Simersky

Filed Under: Fears Tossing Your Dream, Starting Your Dream, The Dream Journey, Uncategorized

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Believe In Yourself, God Does

December 9, 2015 By Alecia Simersky 10 Comments

God Qualifies The Called...GodsizedDreams.com

God Qualifies The Called...GodsizedDreams.com

As you read last week, Kristin announced she needed to step away from leadership at God-sized Dreams. When she first felt like God was speaking to her about this, she reached out and asked if I would be interested. I said, “NO WAY! Nope, please ask someone else. The role of leader is too much.” She did. She asked, she prayed, and no one stepped forward.

I felt pretty confident in my no, I wasn’t having second thoughts…until I asked God what He thought :). I was committed to praying with Kristin about the new website leader and the future of GSD. I didn’t feel like I would be a good enough leader, it is a lot of responsibility. I’m more comfortable in supporting roles, and idea generation. I will support, pray, and encourage the heck out of others, but as for me? I tend to short-change myself.

In my prayer time, God began to show me that I had the qualities of a leader, I always have, but I didn’t believe in myself enough to ever make the leap from supporting cast member to lead role.

He showed me my ideas and hopes for this site were possible (and I have many ideas for which I’m excited about!).

Plus, I wouldn’t be doing it alone, I have an amazing team of writers who support and pray for me.

The idea of me being in the role of leadership started to form. Could I do this? I wondered. Like really do it? And do it well? I spent the next several weeks praying. I finally gave up resisting and told God, “If this is something you want me to do, then you will have to get Kristin to ask me again. I’ve told her no once, and that answer will stand unless she asks once more. Then I will know for sure that this idea isn’t all in my head and it’s truly from You.”

In case this was a wild hair that my imagination made up, I wanted to be sure…for me and the site. I didn’t want to say yes, if God had someone else in mind instead.

I can’t remember how much time went by, I just remember waiting…either for a message from Kristin saying so-and-so had said yes, or asking me if I was sure I didn’t want to take it.

But one day the email came. She said she was going to post to our private FB page about needing someone to step up and take over and felt led to message me one.more.time.

I was SHOCKED. God was really calling me to lead the site! I didn’t know if I was more scared or excited.

I replied back to her, “You are not going to believe this. But I told God if you asked me one more time about leadership then I would know it was a sign from Him to take the role and tell you yes.”

I was right, she couldn’t believe it! She just knew she had to ask me again. I’m not sure if I’ve ever had such a clear answer to a prayer before, and I’ve got to say, it was an amazing experience.

So here we are, friends. Kristin is a humble and dedicated leader. She ran this site with her heart. I’m sad she is not at the helm, but so very thankful she is staying on to write and encourage. She has helped me tremendously through this transition, her knowledge and insight is invaluable. Thank you, Kristin!

The quote, “God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called” (Henry T. Blackaby) comes to mind during this season I am in.  Unqualified but, yet, called is exactly how I feel.

In my own strength and wisdom I can not move this site forward, but with God I can do ALL things. (Philippians 4:13)

This verse from Proverbs 3:5-6 “Lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight,” has been my daily prayer. I may not understand everything, but as long as I trust in the One who does, He will go before me and make the path straight.

I can trust in the One who goes before me and makes my path straight.

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I covet your prayers and encouragement. If you have any ideas on what you would like to see from us in the future, send me an email. We love guest writers, so if you haven’t written for us…or you have and want to send in another post, go ahead!

And remember, there is no such thing as a small God-sized Dream!

Shared by: Alecia Simersky

Filed Under: Living Your Dream, The Dream Journey, When Dreams Change

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I Will Lift My Hands In Praise

November 9, 2015 By Alecia Simersky 13 Comments

I've Come to Worship

I've Come to Worship

I’m gonna lift my hands
Till I can reach Heaven
I’m gonna shout Your name till the walls come falling down
I’ve come to worship, I’ve come to worship
(Place of Freedom, Highlands Worship)

Do you have a song that makes you want to touch heaven with your worship? This song by Highlands Church, Place of Freedom, does that for me. I close my eyes, lift my hands, and sing unashamed.

I worship.

I give thanks.

This time of year brings out the best of both of these two things. I remember all that I have to be thankful for and I am humbly grateful.

There is no one else in this world who deserves our praise more than God.(<====Click to Tweet)

From Him all blessings and good gifts flow.(James 1:17)

I want to encourage you, today, shout for joy, lift your hands, and worship Him. Your life doesn’t have to look the way you thought it would in order to give thanks.

When life is hard, when it seems your dreams are dying, give thanks in all things. It will change your perspective and your circumstances will not seem as overwhelming.

 

Fall is a season of change. The leaves turn beautiful colors of brown, amber, and gold. The air turns crisp.

The sweet aroma of apples, cinnamon, and pumpkin waft through the air.

Fall reminds us to watch God make dead things beautiful. This goes for your dreams as well. What you thought to be a long forgotten, fleeting idea can still turn into something beautiful.

My dream of a lucrative sewing business fell flat many years ago. I had visions of boutiques buying up my dresses and selling them in their fancy stores across the US. I only wanted to do what God created me to do. I knew I was born to create and I thought dresses were it.

Instead He had a different way of creating in mind, writing. 

But before I could move onto to this new dream of writing I had to let go of the old one. I had to let it die.

I miss it sometimes and I still “pin” sewing projects on my Pinterest board in hopes of one day finding time to at least sit in front the sewing machine and create something beautiful if only for myself.

But this dream of writing is strong and one I never would have come to if not for failing in sewing. It’s become a dream I never knew I had.

I write to know what I think, how I feel, to give my thoughts a voice. (<====Click to Tweet)

I give all thanks to God for knowing what I need better than I do.

Today, I confidently lift up holy hands and give thanks. I may not always understand the path He has me on, but I can be assured His plans are for my good, to give me a hope and a future beyond what my eyes can see. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Do you believe He is for you? Try today, despite the circumstances going on in your life to  praise. Don’t stop until you feel His peace and joy flood your spirit.


Email subscribers, click here to watch video.

Shared by: Alecia Simersky

Filed Under: Thanksgiving, The Dream Journey

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Wild In The Hollow: Chapter 16 & Conclusion Video

October 22, 2015 By Alecia Simersky 3 Comments

wild in the hollow

Can you believe our time in this book is over?! Makes me sad…

As promised I wrapped up chapter 16 and the conclusion with a video. I hope you enjoy!

Wild In The Hollow: Conclusion from Alecia on Vimeo.

What are your thoughts from the book? Please share below in the comments/or join us on Facebook if you have trouble commenting here.

Shared by: Alecia Simersky

 

Filed Under: Book Club, Community

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Wild In The Hollow: Chapters 13-15

October 15, 2015 By Alecia Simersky 2 Comments

wild in the hollow

wild in the hollow

www.amberhaines.com

Hello! Welcome back. Today we are going to cover chapters 13-15. So grab a cup of coffee or tea and let’s dig in!

Chapter 13: See Through

Oh, I love this chapter! Amber asks God for the gift of prophecy, which is a spiritual gift we really don’t hear much about. She asked for eyes to see a deeper meaning in the world around her. I think her trip to Haiti did just that. Didn’t you just love how she described all she witnessed there?

It was all broken, but there was art at every turn. Even in the thickest poverty, there was a man humming. There was the smell of spice. The faces were so beautiful it made me schoolgirl nervous.” (pg.151)

While in Haiti we get to read about the vision of the church God gave Amber.

We were clothed with the same Spirit, all of us…The beautiful church. I saw with my eyes the benefits of churches coming alongside other churches, acknowledging the whole. I saw with my eyes unity, I held the fatherless, and they were there the future of us all. I saw them, and it made me long for my North American church. I longed for us to be one. I went to Haiti for a vision, to fall in love with my own people. There was no us and them. There is only us.” (pg. 153)

In the midst of such poverty she witnessed great hope. She saw people who should be angry and feel hopeless but instead were filled with spirit-joy and servant’s hearts.

We see the shift in Amber and she recognizes how close the kingdom of God is, how if we open our eyes we will truly see like the Haitians do, like she does– we all play a part in kingdom work.

My biggest take-away is that if we each play a part there is no reason to be jealous of each other. I need to always keep a spiritual perspective of my role here on earth. (<====Click to Tweet)

Chapter 14: Hope of the Exiled

This chapter builds on 13, and it gets even better. I loved her conversation with St. Cyr at the Haitian version of Hooters :). He perfectly explains that leaders are mere servants, to be rich means to be rich in faith-not money, and as long as people seek to make a name for himself they will be dissatisfied-in life and with the church.

I went back and read page 166 a couple of times. I wanted the words of St. Cyr to really sink into my mind and heart. “American culture never allows you to be satisfied,” he said. So true.

Sometimes I wonder what other cultures think of us. Especially those like Haiti. Do they think us like a child? Always wanting more, more, more.

The trip for Amber was like waking up from a drug-induced coma. She saw the world, her world, clearly for the first time.

We are over-spent, lonely, and dissatisfied with each other and the church and we don’t know why or how to fix it.(<====Click to Tweet)

Chapter 15: Whole in Sick Places

I’ve always wanted to go to Italy. It was nice to experience it through Amber’s words.

I like the idea of using our gifts to bring healing and wholeness to our community.

When we seek the kingdom of God and our desires point to him, we will live in joy. Isolation is the antithesis of wholeness. We were born for community.

The desires of this world will NEVER be enough. The latest fashions, newest cars, most decadent treats aren’t meant to fill the void of God.  We are weak, He makes us strong. We are sick, He makes us well. We will always be homesick this side of heaven.

How we live here and now, how we love and bring the kingdom of God to earth is important.

He {Jesus} bucked social trends to heal, to bring completeness. He healed a crippled woman on the Sabbath. He told her to get up and walk. That is the very Spirit who makes us. Do we believe him? Do we believe that the Spirit’s embodying brings completeness? Do we know that completeness isn’t an organization, conference, or program that serves up “church” to be consumed like a business serves up a product?” (pg. 188)

Now is our time friends, we are the church. It’s time for us to rise up. If we want the church to be more like Jesus, it starts with us. (<====Click To Tweet)

Questions:

We don’t need to travel to Haiti to see brokenness, it’s all around us. But are you able to be spirit and joy-filled in the midst of hardships?

How do you maintain your joy in the midst of trials?

We ALL have a part in kingdom work. Do you recognize your gifts?

What are some ways we can live lives of greater impact for the kingdom of God?

Jesus was a world-changer. He lived and loved so differently from the people of His time. I want that too. How about you?

****************

We have ONE more chapter! I can’t believe how fast the time has gone by. Thank you for meeting me here each week as we dived into our first book club!! Join me next week as we cover the last chapter and wrap it up with a video! 🙂 I figured we started with a video it was only right to end with one as well. Join me in the comments below and let me know your thoughts on these chapters. There was so much good stuff I wanted to cover I wished we were sitting across from each other. If you have trouble leaving a comment below, please join us over on Facebook!

Shared by: Alecia Simersky

Filed Under: Book Club, Community

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