{we can do hard things}

Things have been a bit quiet here on the blog front. At least from me, that is.

I was honored last week to feature the lovely homes of five of my dear blogging friends for a great series, Blogging Moms @ Home. It was my first time hosting a blog series and I will definitely be doing it again soon! {if you have ideas...leave them for me in the comments!}

But back to that quietness.

I've been taking a two-week intensive writing course, "Finding Your Voice," which started last week and it will finish up this Friday. It has reopened my eyes to my love for writing. And given me a safe space to share. To say I am loving it is an understatement. I'm trying so hard to not think about Friday, and the fact that it will be over. I'll have to go it alone after that...good-bye to the safe group of friends to share my intimate heart spilling with...no more four hours a day full of inspiration and encouragement. Did I mention I'm going to miss it? 

My Discovering Your Truth workshop partner-in-crime, Amy, is the writing course instructor, and in many ways this past semester, has been my savior. She's helped awaken me to possibilities for my life that I think I always knew were there but didn't have the courage to let in.

Let me tell you a bit about Amy.

She is southern. She is fun. She is honest and encouraging and real. I didn't realize how much I was craving that real-ness until she popped into my little life. It was like God knew just what I needed. Funny how He works that way. If I had one wish for everyone, it would be to find a friend like Amy. Or be open to letting them in...it seems like they come to you if you let them. 

And sound the alarm friends...I'm reading again. Not just blog posts and Facebook status updates...but BOOKS people, BOOKS! I just finished The Happiness Project and I think next on my list will be Daring Greatly. I also just started this book, which was co-authored by a friend and alum of the seminary I work for. So far I'm loving the idea of using all of our senses in our spiritual journey. I might have to workshop that. {wink}

And thanks to my classmates and Amy, my book wish list on Amazon is growing exponentially. 

I am jotting down ideas here and there for my next workshop. The first one got my feet wet and now I am working on letting the water come up to my knees, or maybe even my hips. We'll see...I am afraid of deep water...this presents a metaphorical challenge.

Right now I'm leaning on this quite heavily...

Oh, and speaking of hard things! If you don't follow me on Facebook or Instagram, I wanted to share that my husband and I met with the boys' kindergarten principal last week and this fall they will be in the same class! Such a weight lifted. My freak out is over. I know many of you were keeping us in your thoughts so thank you so much for that!

So after all of that rambling, I just want to let you know that I'm still here but very immersed in this writing thing...and getting ready for a 5th birthday party for two certain boys I know. {hold me}

But fear not...more fun posts are on the way! :)

{we are vessels}

The truth sometimes looks like this...

Its scary. And we hide from it. 

But we all desperately need it.

Last weekend I taught my first Discovering Your Truth workshop, and I was surprised to find myself feeling both humbled and fulfilled at the same time...with a bit more weight on the humbled side. 

I shared on my vlog the other day about the idea that we often want to teach others the same lessons we ourselves need to learn...a concept I picked up from this lovely blog. And maybe it was because my workshop fell during a time period when I was already feeling particularly raw because of how hectic life had been, but I found myself falling into the role of student right along with everyone else. 

It was surprising to me that after the workshop, and even still lingering today, I feel more vulnerable and self-conscious than I feel empowered. I feel a sense of joy that the women who came left our shared space with encouraged hearts and something that they made with their own two hands to remind them of that. But at the same time I felt like, "How am I qualified to be teaching this?" and "What the heck am I doing here?"

Maybe this is the way it is supposed to be. When we feel so led to teach others something that is burning in our hearts, that desire isn't solely our own. This creativity that flows inside of me isn't something of my own making. I have to remind myself of that. And that realization comes with a healthy does of humility.

I'm simply a vessel for the work that God wants me to do in the world. 

I honestly believe it is our deep responsibility to cultivate our gifts...to honor God by sharing them with others. 

That doesn't mean it will come easy to us...I think if it does then maybe we aren't digging deep enough. This also brings me back to my vlog and the idea of stretching ourselves. I truly feel that the only way we are going to grow is if we take a few steps, or even a giant leap, outside of our comfort zone to cultivate the talents we've been entrusted with. 

Am I good at that? Not even close. In fact, I'll be the first to admit that my default tends to be the path most traveled, instead of the least. 

But I know I owe it to Him to give it a shot.

We are the vessels but we also have to do the work to bring our talents out of hiding. 

My friend Hannah talked here about how we all go through seasons of our talents being hidden...for one reason or another they need to lie dormant...but to have hope and believe that when the time is right we will be given the opportunity to let them come up through the surface like a plant breaking through the soil. {Go read her post...it is wonderful.}

I feel like it is my time to break through that ground, and that is both exciting and scary at the same time. I wonder if I will be able to do my talents justice, or if I'll fall flat on my face. But all any of us can do is have hope in His plan for us, listen to that small voice leading us in the right direction, and surround ourselves with people that encourage and want the best for us. 

Whew! So if you've made it through all that, here is a little photo recap of my workshop. It was such a fun time with some great ladies {including my Mom!}

That lady up there....that's Amy, and she is AMAZING, for lack of a better word. She helped me lead the workshop and has been my biggest encourager throughout this process. 

I am already planning my next class and find myself actually looking forward to feeling vulnerable, to being a student, to even being scared...because those are the times we grow the most.

Linking up with...

{in the mean time...}

I planned on today's post being a recap of my Discovering Your Truth workshop, which I hosted this past Saturday.

But I find myself struggling in both positive and difficult ways to put the experience into words. I was the leader, but it changed me. I didn't plan on being transformed by something I initiated, but I was.

One thing that has been resurrected for me over the weekend was my love for writing...journaling more specifically. And also combining art collage and journaling. Turns out that something I wanted to teach others has become really good therapy for me as well.

I found a black SMASH book at Hobby Lobby on clearance late last week and it has become my personal journal. I've already filled several pages with a mix of writing, magazine clipping, quotes and photos.

It is helping me dissect a bit about how I am feeling after an extremely intense few weeks of work, the busyness that is always our home life, and the preparation and coming to fruition of my first workshop.

I hope to have a post up soon telling you all about the day, but for now, here are some images from my new journal...

I haven't been this excited about journaling EVER. :)

What is getting you excited today?