Karen Jordan
BLESSED Legacy Stories
Karen Jordan BLESSED
Need to Build Your Platform? Get Michael Hyatt's New Book: Platform
If you are an aspiring (or already successful) author, artist, musician, public speaker, salesperson, candidate for public office—anyone who has something to or sell—I want to help you take the stage and get noticed beyond your wildest imagination. (Michael Hyatt)
Did you get your copy of Michael Hyatts' new book, Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World?
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Have you read Michael Hyatt's new book, Platform? What did you think?
Related articles
- 7 Reasons To Buy My New Book Now (michaelhyatt.com)
- Need Help Building a Platform? Michael Hyatt Has Some Good Advice (donmilleris.com)
Life Lessons: REST
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.
(Ps. 62:5 NIV)
(Ps. 62:5 NIV)
Sometimes life just gets too overwhelming for me. I want to give up, crawl into my cave and hide from the world for awhile. But when I feel overwhelmed, I speak REST to my soul.
I've wanted to write down all I've learned about REST, but it makes me tired just thinking about trying to capture all of those thoughts and truths. But I continue to wrestled with the idea of writing down what I've learned and taught about that subject.
I've wanted to write down all I've learned about REST, but it makes me tired just thinking about trying to capture all of those thoughts and truths. But I continue to wrestled with the idea of writing down what I've learned and taught about that subject.
Many times, I've asked myself (or the Lord), How can I write a book on REST, when I'm still one of the most anxious people I know?
The answer to my question usually sounds something like this (depending upon the mood I'm in), Exactly! or Who would be a better expert on the subject?
No matter if I'm still a student or an expert, I think I need to share what I've learned and what I'm still learning about the subject of REST. I don't know why, other than I feel compelled to encourage others, who might also struggle with their thought life.
The answer to my question usually sounds something like this (depending upon the mood I'm in), Exactly! or Who would be a better expert on the subject?
No matter if I'm still a student or an expert, I think I need to share what I've learned and what I'm still learning about the subject of REST. I don't know why, other than I feel compelled to encourage others, who might also struggle with their thought life.
If I could help just one person with the life lessons I've learned, I'd be blessed.
Photo/KarenJordan
Would you be interested in reading a book on what I've learned about REST? Just curious?
Would you be interested in reading a book on what I've learned about REST? Just curious?
Feeling Homesick?
YouTube/magnuswu "Where I Belong" Building 429
Do you ever feel homesick for heaven? What do you imagine heaven will be like?
Related post:
Writing about Heaven (Storywriting Studio)
Remembering a Special Moment: Happy Birthday, Jill!
Happy Birthday, Jill! As I thought of my granddaughter's fifth birthday today, I remembered the first time I ever saw her face, and I wanted to share that moment.
“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” The lyrics to this song, made popular in the early seventies by Roberta Flack, came to mind as an ultrasound zoomed in on the image of my granddaughter’s angelic face just five days prior to her birth.
The promise. As I observed Jill Elizabeth in her mother’s womb, I recalled the scripture where the psalmist expressed his belief that his Heavenly Father knew him even before he was born. “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place…your eyes saw my unformed body” (Psalm 139:13-16 NIV).
The journey. Even though my son, Adam, and his wife, Jenni, struggled with many fears during their journey to parenthood, God had a plan for their family. Psalm 139:16 says God ordered all our days and wrote them down in His “book before one of them came to be.”
Could it be that God appointed the very moment that my children would hold their precious daughter, Jill, and her older brother, Zach, in their arms for the first time?
The birth. The day we welcomed my granddaughter, Jill, into our world, I remembered that first image of her face as it appeared on the ultrasound screen. I tip-toed up to the table that held my new granddaughter, and I observed the nurse examine every inch of her body—from her curly, brown hair to the tip of her tiny, delicate toes. A bright heat lamp beamed down on her body, and Jill shivered and squealed, as she adjusted to her new environment.
All eyes focused on Jill’s every move. But my camera zoomed in on her face to capture the moment. The grey image on a computer screen had burst into life in full color, desperately crying out for breath, needing the waiting mother and father who had anticipated her arrival. Our promised one had arrived, and we welcomed her with open arms.
Photos/KarenJordan
Does my story remind you of a special moment in your life?
Embracing the Silence
Have you ever felt like you just needed to be silent? Maybe you're overwhelmed by your circumstances or emotions. Or perhaps you're exhausted, and you need some rest.I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's okay
The last thing I need is to be heard
But to hear what You would say
(Pete Kipley and Bart Millard, "Word of God Speak" MercyMe)
Sometimes I'm drawn by the peace and quiet of the silence. Then, God speaks His promises to my restless heart.
- “Be still, and know that I am God!" (Ps. 46:10 NLT)
- “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30)
- "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you" (1Peter 5:7)
What is God saying to you in the silence today?
Giving Friendship a Second Chance
Have you ever wished you'd had a second chance at a friendship? Linda Miller addresses second chances for our guest post today.
What is the sign of a friend? That he tells you secret sorrows?
No, that he tells you secret joys. Many will confide to you their secret sorrows,
but the last mark of intimacy is to confide secret joys. (Oswald Chambers)
Second Chances
by Linda Miller
by Linda Miller
What did I miss when I passed you by?I wasn’t stuck-up, just painfully shy.
I wonder now, would we have been friends
If only I’d tried harder to put self aside?
And so I tell you now, it is my regret
That time was wasted, not well spent.
While I was busy trying to be me
I overlooked many opportunities.
The loss was mine, as I’m well aware
For I have found goodness everywhere,
Since I have learned to put others first
And not take rejection as a personal hurt.
Maturity has given me the time to see
That you are special, and if you agree
Will you help me change our circumstance?
May we give friendship a second chance?
Photo2/KarenJordan
Photo2/LindaMiller
Linda Miller lives in Little Rock, Arkansas, where she works for the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. Linda is a widow, a mother of four children, and she has eight grandchildren. Besides family, she loves God, music, and words. Her purpose for being is to share glimpses of glory, to brighten the lives of those around her, and to affirm that God knows best even when we don’t understand.
Has anyone ever given you a second chance at friendship?
Little Rock American Christian Writers 2012 Writers' Conference
It's not too late to register for the 2nd annual LRACW Writers’ Conference on Saturday, May 19, at The Summit Church, 6600 Crystal Hill Road, North Little Rock, Arkansas!
Author Annalisa Daughety will speak on “Launching Your Writing Career: Pitfalls to Avoid and Tips to Help You Succeed.”
Breakout workshop speakers include:
- Tim Grissom—Senior Writer at FamilyLife will speak on “The Point of Storytelling.
- Karen Jordan—CLASS Speaker, writing instructor, and published author will speak on “Facing Your Fears as a Writer.”
- Tracey Eyster—Creator of the MomLifeToday blog (385,000 unique visits in March 2012) will talk about building blog readership and other blogging matters.
Give-aways include TWO brand-new Kindle eReaders and many other door prizes!
Registration begins at 8:30 am. Conference hours: 9 am - 4 pm. Walk-in registrations will be taken onsite.
Hope to see you on Saturday, May 19!
A Promise for Provision
O Lord, what a variety of things you have made!In wisdom you have made them all.
The earth is full of your creatures ....
They all depend on you
to give them food as they need it.
When you supply it, they gather it.
You open your hand to feed them,
and they are richly satisfied.
(Psalm 104:24, 27-28 NLT)
Photo/KarenJordan
Who are you depending on to meet your needs?
If I Could Go Back In Time
Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? (Matt.6:27 NIV)"If you could go back in time … what would you do differently?"
My friend, Mary Larmoyeux, asked this question on her grandparenting blog, Grand Connection. She explained, "Sometimes I wonder what I would do differently if I could somehow turn back the hands of time and be a young mother again ... knowing what has taken me decades to learn." Mary also asked her readers, "What would you do differently as a young mom ... knowing what you now know."
As a young mom, I often found myself worrying about many things. But when I faced the terminal illness of my dad in my early twenties, I came to experience the power of prayer to bring peace in the middle of a crisis.
At that time, I had a three-year-old son, and I was expecting my daughter. And as I cried out to God in my sorrow and grief, God calmed my heart and mind with a peace that I'd never experienced.
Phillippians 4: 6-7 says, "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus" (NLT).
Although I’ve experienced the power of prayer to bring peace many times since my dad's death, often I still get caught up in the emotional cycle of worry. In fact, many times I've "begged the Lord to take (my worries) away. (Yet each) time (He) said, 'My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.' So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me … For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NLT).
If I could go back in time, I wish I could say that I would not worry so much. Yet I am well aware that this tendency toward worry keeps me "on my knees" and totally dependent upon God.
My friend, Mary Larmoyeux, asked this question on her grandparenting blog, Grand Connection. She explained, "Sometimes I wonder what I would do differently if I could somehow turn back the hands of time and be a young mother again ... knowing what has taken me decades to learn." Mary also asked her readers, "What would you do differently as a young mom ... knowing what you now know."
As a young mom, I often found myself worrying about many things. But when I faced the terminal illness of my dad in my early twenties, I came to experience the power of prayer to bring peace in the middle of a crisis.
At that time, I had a three-year-old son, and I was expecting my daughter. And as I cried out to God in my sorrow and grief, God calmed my heart and mind with a peace that I'd never experienced.
Phillippians 4: 6-7 says, "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus" (NLT).
Although I’ve experienced the power of prayer to bring peace many times since my dad's death, often I still get caught up in the emotional cycle of worry. In fact, many times I've "begged the Lord to take (my worries) away. (Yet each) time (He) said, 'My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.' So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me … For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NLT).
If I could go back in time, I wish I could say that I would not worry so much. Yet I am well aware that this tendency toward worry keeps me "on my knees" and totally dependent upon God. Photos/DanJordan
If you could go back in time, what would you change?
If you could go back in time, what would you change?
Surviving Mothers' Day
How did Mothers' Day go for you this year? A time of joyful celebration? Or a mixture of melancholy memories?
Mothers' Day often brings a mixed bag of emotions for me. Even thought it's been several years since my Mothers's death, Mothers' Day still brings some emotional moments for me. And I've discovered that I can either try to ignore my emotions and remain in denial about my feelings, or I can allow God to guide me to the truth, so I can find peace.
Sometimes keeping busy with my own kids and grandkids helps me handle my emotions on Mothers' Day. But this year I had to deal with my melancholy mood and memories without them, and I let some negative feelings get the best of me again. I also received several text messages from others who were struggling with Mothers' Day blues—missing their loved ones or dealing with some regrets.
How did I survive Mothers' Day this year? As I prayed for God to help me deal with my melancholy mood, His truth provided a balm for my troubled spirit.
Remember. "The Lord is near" (Phil. 4:5 NIV). God promises to always be near, and He wants us to call on His Name for help.
Exalt. "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (4:4) Even when I don't feel joyful, I can begin to confess God's promises and voice my gratitude and praise to Him.
Surrender. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (4:6) What do you need? Healing? Peace? What does the Bible say about your need?
Trust. "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (4:7). God promises to protect our hearts and our minds from negative thoughts and emotions, as we confess our needs to Him.
YouTube/Jesusownsmyheart1 ("All This Time" Britt Nicole)
How did you celebrate (or survive) Mothers' Day this year?
Karen Jordan
Telling the Stories that Matter Most