faith

I Prayed for You

faith

With all the busyness and to-do’s of launching my book, it occurred to me earlier this week I hadn’t actually prayed for the people who will hold my book in their hands in just a matter of days. I had prayed laboriously for guidance while writing and creating this project, I have thanked God at every opportunity for allowing me and my story to be used to help other people, I have prayed for God to bring the people and resources into my life to get it off the ground and into as many hands as possible (and He has SO faithfully delivered!), I have praised Him for how much life change I…

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The Other Brother

faith, freedom, grace, Life Lessons

I can pinpoint the exact season(s) in my life when I have been the prodigal. The rest of the time, I have been really, really good at being the other brother. Feeling like I deserve things because I’m “the good one”, the responsible one; I follow the rules, I make good grades, I make good decisions. I’m REALLY good at being good. But notice the character for whom the story is written. The reason it’s recorded in history. It’s called “the parable of the lost son”, not “the parable of the really good son”. God LOVES the prodigals. They bring Him so much joy! He loves to celebrate them!  It’s not that He…

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LANES, PAINS, AND PLAYDOUGH SALONS

faith, freedom, Guest Blogs, Life Lessons, Success & Motivation

Hi, my name is Meagan. I am a songwriter/nanny/blogger in Nashville, Tennessee. I love Jesus and I love Taco Bell gorditas. I believe the invention of Crocs initiated the American decline. I regularly tell waiters I am allergic to cilantro when really I just don’t like the taste. I have watched Gossip Girl to its seasonal entirety 4 times in the past 10 years (#TeamLonelyBoy). I absolutely adore my friendships, think my family might actually change the world, and applaud any sign of grace over judgement. So now that we’ve become a little more acquainted, allow me to share one of my most daunting personal issues. I mean, we’re there right? If I…

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A Billion Dollar Lesson In Disobedience

faith, Guest Blogs, Life Lessons, Spiritual Growth

“When I talk to you….listen.” – God So we all have lessons to learn in life, but we don’t always learn our lessons the first time, or the second time, or the easy way.   I was recently reminded of an important lesson – again – and I’m pretty sure I won’t be forgetting it this time. Most people have those, “if only I had thought of that…” moments in life, after the fact.  Let me tell you about mine. Rachel, (it’s her blog…she’s my wife….on with my story) started traveling for work quite a few years ago, and would end up in questionable parts of town in different cities around North America.  It…

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Woman Camp

faith, freedom, Life Lessons, Spiritual Growth

Recently, my church held a camping weekend woman’s retreat, they called it “Woman Camp”. Ten years ago, if you had told me I would be signing up for a camping trip for 500 women only – voluntarily – I would have thought you were crazy. Sure I had attended plenty of women-only events… out of sheer obligation, but not excitedly. And I didn’t really feel like I fit in when I was there, I just didn’t relate. In case you don’t know me, I am exactly equal parts fashionista and tomboy; which means you’re just as likely to catch me barefoot as you are in AWESOME stilettos. My best friends had almost exclusively…

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The Year God Stopped Talking to Me

faith, Life Lessons, Spiritual Growth

New year’s day 2016 I sat on my living room couch, face red-stained and eyes puffy from hours of crying, my voice half-strained from screaming – at God – in particularly colorful language at times. Why? Because it was New Year’s Day and as I sat down to reflect on the previous year and craft my plans and goals for the next, I realized 2015…..Well…..sucked. Sure there were good things in 2015.  In fact, on the outside it looked like a GREAT year: We bought our first house. Barry left his job where he was miserable and went into business with his Dad. We took my my mom on an incredible trip to…

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God is in the Restoration Business

faith, grace, Life Lessons, Spiritual Growth

He breathes life into lifeless places. It doesn’t matter if it’s a relationship, your health, your emotions, your dreams…. He brings dry bones out of the grave and wraps them in flesh once more. He Restores the years you lost, the love you lost, the friends you lost, the faith you lost, the dreams you lost, the opportunities you lost.   Over and above what we can even think of or imagine. He makes all things new, again. If you let Him. If something in your life needs total restoration, read these promises below and be encouraged. He CAN do it. He HAS done it for others (including me). He WANTS to do it…

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Deserts

faith, Life Lessons, Spiritual Growth

Lately I’ve been feeling….dry. And by “lately” I mean for like the last 6 months. And by “dry” I mean a little dead on the inside. Spiritually. I have heard about spiritual desert seasons people go through. When they feel distant from God. And I’ve seen the cheesy church signs that say things like: “Feeling distant from God? Who moved – you or Him?” Thanks for that extra guilt and shame, church sign.  In a time when I already feel lost and confused. The fact of the matter is, I have been marching steadily toward the purpose and the mission to which God has called me. Not away from it or Him. So…

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You Make Me Brave

faith, Life Lessons, Success & Motivation

Jonathan Robert Willis *Photographer snapped this shot at the ‪#‎Unpolished2015‬ conference the moment he was asking me about my book, and i was telling him and his team about how i’m in the editing process now and how editing is WAY harder and more work than writing the book ever was! and then we laughed about it. what i love is that this expression captures so much of what 2015 was for me – that’s an overwhelmed laugh. it’s laughter lined with a layer of uncertainty because i actually had no idea what i was doing. being an author, publishing, speaking publicly…. i know it’s what I’m being called to, but it’s all…

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Hosanna in the Highest

faith

I’ve been spending quite a bit of time over the last month thinking about the upcoming holiday. Easter Sunday. Resurrection Day. I wanted to spend time really meditating on it, about the significance of it, and not just let it pass me by like any other Sunday, any other weekend, any other holiday. Mostly, I’ve been thinking about the week leading up to that day – this week– what some people call Holy Week, and others have aptly named Passion Week. I’ve been trying to imagine what would have been going through Jesus’ mind each day leading up to his betrayal, trial, and execution. Today, the first day of Passion Week, is called…

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