Thinkers, Makers & Doers unto the Glory of God.
Thinkers, Makers & Doers unto the Glory of God.
Now you’re in it.
You've set a plan into play and you’re watching it grow.
Maybe it’s just a trickle for now, but it’s been enough to peak your interest.
It’s enough to determine that what you’ve began you should at least continue.
This is just a plug, a nod, a nudge to tell you to keep going.
Read MoreMany of our friends and family already know this, but we wanted to share it here too.
We’re moving.
You know it’s God when your husband comes home and says, “I think we should move in with your mom”.
That’s exactly what happened a few months ago.
Immediately we both knew it was what we were supposed to do.
Read MoreMost of us live too safe.
Most of us live too tired.
Most of us live too bored and too busy.
We are so preoccupied by what we have to do or what we didn’t get done that we neglect to see the joy in the faces of our children, the beauty in the world around us and to just be thankful. (John 10:10)
I’ll just say it this way. We all have the tendency to be a little zombie-like at times.
Read MoreA couple years ago my husband and I made a transition out of our jobs at a church and ministry.
Out of this transition we entered one of the most challenging seasons of our lives.
This often left us asking ourselves if we did the right thing. I think that’s a question anyone would ask. When you move on, especially in ministry, there is this belief that things are supposed to be newer, brighter, shinier, that opportunities are supposed to pour from the sky and everything is going to be A-Okay.
There are many reasons we encountered some of the hardships we did and then there are some things I really can’t explain, and that’s okay. But we aren’t going to talk about that right now.
What I do want to talk about is what we learned over the past two years and what we were maybe tempted to question but we are now convinced of beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Read MoreHave you ever shared something you’ve labored over for a long time?
I mean, have you ever really extended yourself to show the fruits of your labor in a way that’s almost uncomfortable?
For several months now, I’ve been working on a side project, and now, it’s finally ready.
Let’s talk for a second.
So, you exposed your ideas to the entire world, but have you ever had a conversation with yourself that went something like:
“Okay, time to write this paper!”
You sit down to write the paper…nothing. Crickets. The thought train has derailed and the memory bank is closed.
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I love cooking.
It’s a fairly recent development. I think it got really serious when I started watching cooking shows and reading cooking blogs.
It hasn’t always been that way. When I first got married I made breakfast burritos with maple sausage. Just one bite inspired my gag reflex. It tasted like Mexican food drenched in syrup.
Matt actually ate one and went back for seconds (because he’s a man and I feel like they will eat anything) but half way through he conceded. It was wretched. But now I think I’m a fairly decent cook. I love to add layers of flavor to my food and I love to make things from scratch.
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Do you remember school dances? I do.
The dress, the hair, the date. All awkward, all the time.
One night after one of these historic dances I decided to corner my date in the car.
He couldn’t escape. He had to hear me out. He didn’t have a choice unless he wanted to tuck and roll out of a moving vehicle. He listened to me rant and cry for a good fifteen minutes because I couldn’t take it anymore.
I had to get out.
Read MoreStudent: “You don’t want me to draw that.”
Professor: “Oh, really? Why’s that?”
Student: “Because I don’t know how.”
Professor: “Art isn’t about learning to draw, it’s about learning to see.”
I had a college professor share these words with me once, and now, I’m sharing with you.
Because art, or more appropriately creativity, is not about learning to draw, it’s about learning to see.
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Failure is the greatest educator I know.
Nothing sticks or stands out as much as missing the mark. Wins in life are good. But, for me, as an achiever, it’s not long after a high mark that I start looking for another moment to conquer.
Failure, however, reveals ways that I’ve missed the mark. It gives me a chance to get better.
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So, now it's done.
You've tied the knot and said "I do." And whether that was six months ago or decades ago, you've made the commitment to stand together, " For better or for worse, 'til death do you part."
The vows of marriage are not to be taken lightly. Chances are, if you've been in this for longer than a year, then you know marriage is something you have to fight for. If I could be really honest, I would say there are even times where you're not feeling it and you just have to make it work.
Read MoreMatthew 6:33 says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.”
The kingdom of God and His righteousness, simply put, is His rule, His reign, and His way of doing things.
Over and over again scripture bids us do the things we aren’t naturally inclined to do and lots of times we just boil Christianity down to good behavior. But, there are a few things in scripture that challenge me beyond “just shut up and be nice to people”. And I’m willing to bet there are times where you feel the same
Read MoreMy Dear Church,
I have a great desire that you would look upon my life and see it, not as hidden, but as transparent.
Through this letter it is my hope that you may understand both the great joy and the great challenges I find in leading you on a regular basis.
Read MoreDear Pastor,
In the wake of recent events, I’ve penned this letter out of grave concern for your well-being.
It seems lately that some of your kind have fallen away.
It’s been said that where there is smoke, you can expect fire. For those of us watching, it was obvious in those circumstances what was going to happen.
Some of us have scattered, while others have stayed. Some of us are exiles, hoping that one day amends can be made for the injustice we found within the walls of the churches we once knew as home.
Read MoreSeeds of discipline sown in times of adversity will be reaped as discipline’s reward in times of harvest.
You may have read my husband’s post about how we didn’t kiss until we were married. If you missed it, you can check it out here.
Shortly before I met Matt, I decided the next person I kissed would be my husband. And to me there was only one way to ensure that was the case. Our first kiss had to be on our wedding day.
I had kissed other guys before and after thinking about it I realized I was sowing seeds of commitment that could never be reaped. It was time to sow seeds of discipline.
Read MoreIn unfamiliar social situations I am going to do one of two things:
I’m either going to jump in the deep end with all my clothes on and embrace the situation or I am going to avoid the pool altogether.
My preference is the former. I love people. I love making people laugh and love making people feel like they can be completely themselves around me and not have to apologize for it.
Read MoreWhen I had my first child I had no idea how to prepare myself emotionally.
For the first few months of her life I didn’t even feel like the same person.
I recently told my husband that during that time I felt more alone than I have in my entire life. Even when he was there I felt alone. He was always there for me, by the way. He was incredibly helpful and loved our little family well. But there was a sadness that crept over me like a blanket sometimes.
Read MoreLock in and learn to enjoy where you are.
What you plan to do or where you plan to be is predicated upon loving and living where you are right now. It may very well be that the person you need to be to excel later in life, is hinged upon growing through the rise & grind that you're living in now.
Dreams are wonderful and your passion matters.
But a dream without any deadlines is a pipe dream. Wanna flesh out your passion? Set calendar dates and make intentional progress towards your vision.
The sooner, the better.
Read MoreWhen I was 14, I remember riding in the passenger seat of our family mini-van, looking out the window on a bright summer day. I turned to my mom and said, “One day, I’m going to do something big for God. I don’t know what it is, and I don’t know how, but it’s going to be big.”
The conviction in my heart was so strong. If I could have grabbed my mom’s head between both of my hands and downloaded the knowing that I had straight into her being I would have. Because I didn’t want to just talk. I hesitated to tell her because what if that’s what it was? Just fourteen-year-old talk?
Understand that I had not just returned from summer camp or had some experience where I saw Jesus flashing like a neon sign. I just knew. But what I didn’t know was what “big” looked like because what people consider “big” is not usually what God considers big. But I was willing to do whatever it took to get there and I was okay with whatever it ended up looking like. Even then I had a sense that God could do miraculous things with a life that is radically surrendered to Him.
Read MoreI had a close friend once tell me that there are two times in your life where those you know will really show up to support you, at your wedding and at your funeral.
When my wife and I were married, it was a party, but it didn’t come easy. We paid for most of it out of our own pockets. We had the right music, the right cake, and had waited for the right moment to kiss each other for the very first time.
Yes, before our wedding day, my wife and I had never kissed.
It wasn’t because we didn’t want to. Trust me, we REALLY wanted to. I certainly wanted to. I would consider myself as much of a man as any guy, so when I say I wanted to kiss the woman I loved, I really wanted to kiss her. In fact, there was plenty more I wanted to do too. (Cue Marvin Gaye music).
But before I say too much, you need to know something about our story.
Read More**Disclaimer: I know that many of the people who normally read this blog do not fall under the category of “woman in her child-bearing years,” so you may be questioning how this would be relevant to you but I would encourage you to keep reading anyway. I will only be moderately oversharing, so you should only be moderately uncomfortable. Embrace it. It’s good for you.
I just had my second child. I did not expect to be pregnant for as long as I was. Even at my last appointment the doctor seemed to be baffled that I was still pregnant. My first daughter came at 38 weeks so this little one shouldn’t have been far behind. Well…she was. My due date passed and then days and then I started getting texts and calls and advice…lots of advice on how to make things move along quicker.
I tried basically everything except castor oil, the consumption of which expels everything from your body just short of vital organs. Then the induction was scheduled. The day before I decided to try to help Mother Nature along one more time. So, I went for a 2 hour walk. Oh, the waddling. I’m sure I was a sight to behold. Shortly after, I started having contractions. Not big ones, just steady. There was nothing telling me I was about to have a baby and needed to head to the hospital.
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Thinkers, Makers, and Doers unto the Glory of God.
We're writers and creators intent on sharing our passion with the world. In addition to each article we share, you can also get a free copy of our book, Everyday.
Infused with blues and folksy roots, Casey Shirley strives to create music that is both eclectic and deeply personal. Listen to the single, Abraham's Song, now.
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