I'm With You.  This is a beautiful song sung by Nichole Nordeman & Amy Grant.  It was playing in the background during the (in)RL session entitled "Choose Joy: Sara's story".

Sara was a blogger who died.  During her illness, she chose joy and reached out to community.  I'm sure it would be easy to isolate yourself given a life of suffering but Sara made the choice to reach out to others, even from the confines of her bedroom.  This is where she spent most of her time until her death.  And Sara is still impacting people with her love for others and her love for Jesus.

If you not signed up yet for the (in)RL online conference, it's not too late.  You can sign up here and it's only $10.



I'm linking up with Amy of Signs, Miracles and Wonders for Then Sings My Soul Saturday.





Blessings and love,

This is a week of encouragement on Heart Choices.

Even the children in our Pre-K 3 class had the opportunity to help one another this week.  They were counting their fingers and tracing their hands.  They were able to trace one hand.  But they needed a friend to trace their other hand.  It was such fun to watch them work together and help and encourage one another.

We need each other.  There are times when we need a good dose of encouragement.

Can you think of someone you can encourage today?  

Don't just think it.  GO AND DO IT!

I'm linking up with Internet Cafe Devotions for Word-filled Wednesday.



Blessings and love,

Do you open your heart to others?  Or have you been hurt by others that you thought you could trust?

How easy it can be to hide our hearts.  It seems safer and yet ...so lonely.

We were not meant to live the Christian life alone.

So often we look at other's lives and think that they have it all together.

• The perfect life
• The perfect family
• The perfect body
• The perfect home

Blessings and love,

Encourage one another.  I'm all for that.  I've been on the receiving end at times.  And I've given encouragement to others at times.

The fact is ...we all need each other.

I received a surprise package in the mail last week from (in)courage.  Check out the goodies; a t-shirt and many lovely cards I can send to friends and family to ...encourage them.


If you've not heard, (in) real life is hosting an online conference April 27-28.  You get to attend and even stay in your pj's if you choose.  It's not too late to sign up here.  The cost is only $10.  You can check out the video trailer for yourself.



I am so looking forward to this event.

This past week has been a very tiring one for me.  Greg and I are still moving into our very small condo.  It's been challenging to choose what to take and what to get rid of.  After 27 years of marriage, there's lots of stuff.  As I unpack many of the boxes, I realize I didn't even miss the stuff.  So our dumpster is getting full for the second time.  We're going to need another one before we're done.

I am so glad I get to work with Heidi.  We are such a good team in our Pre-K 3 class.  We encourage one another.  There are days when she needs it and there are days when I need it.  How thankful I am to have come to know her these past two school years.

#431 An upcoming online conference on encouragement
#432 Friends who encourage me
#433 A special friend who needs lots of encouragement as she goes through a challenging time
#434 A husband who has been working on all the details of our new nest to make it special for me
#435 A new baby to be born SOON to my niece Kristin and her hubby Kevin
#436 Getting rid of excessive clutter and simplifying
#437 Birds singing every morning
#438 Good health
#439 Getting lots of exercise with this move
#440 A wonderful sermon this morning on James 4
#441 China Mist iced tea
#442 The children in our school; I love them
#443 Getting to drive through the mountains of Paradise Valley, Arizona each morning
#444 Hearing the sound of my dad's voice each weekend on the phone

I'm linking up with Ann of A Holy Experience for Multitudes on Mondays.



Blessings and love,