I say YES!

You aren’t sure where to start? Then Sticky Jesus is the book for you. Authors, Tami Heim and Toni Birdsong met online and have burst onto the scene with helps, tricks and continued support for those looking to expand their ministry.  There are helps via uploads and downloads at the end of each chapter and then the true stories of how social media has made a huge impact in the lives of so many will be refreshing to your soul.

Sticky Jesus will: 

• Explore how Christ honored and built relationships and how you can do the same online.
• Give you a practical understanding of the marketing-driven culture online.
• Point to the Holy Spirit as your Power Source.
• Provide personal stories that show God moving and transforming lives through social networking channels.
• Summarize each file with a download and a prayer that are 100 percent retweetable.
• Alert you to the danger zones.
• Demystify the world of social networking with easy instruction on getting started on Facebook, Twitter, blogging, and content gathering (RSS).
• Provide ongoing resources to help you grow beyond this book at http://www.stickyjesus.com/
• Include a glossary in the back of the book to help you along the way

I love living my Faith out loud and am thankful for the heart of these ladies.  I encourage you to get a copy and see how your reach can be increased, how you can be a beacon for the Lord online and get to know some wonderful people along the way.

Here is a link to purchasing the book. Let me know if you get it and what your thoughts are.

A few of my favorite blog posts from their site: http://www.stickyjesus.com 

50 Promises God Gives you as you step into the digital world

100 Three Word Power Posts

Make sure you follow Tami & Toni and @stickyJesus on twitter for more insite, encouragement and ways to live your faith OUTLOUD.

Tami and Toni inspire me with each new post, they help so many and I’m honored to call them my friends.   Social media has made the world a little smaller and I’m thankful for the friends that I have made from all over the world that I would have never met without social media.

Tell me how you’d like to reach more people and the issues you may be facing.

What are your doubts, fears and concerns about Social Media and the online world.  

Do you find it all a bit overwhelming? 

I was given a free copy of Sticky Jesus by these generous hearts, but will be purchasing a copy to give away! I’m not required to give a positive review

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Playing Around! Priceless Memories

Warmth in the Winter
Gentle Breeze in the the heat
Smiles through the pain
Encouragement after defeat

Relaxing, comfy and being myself
Fun, silly and serious when necessary
With no worries of judgement
And reinforcement during the scary

Late Night or early Morning
Enjoying coffee, diet coke or unsweetened tea
Messy hair, no makeup
I am free to be completely me!

I love the quietness of the early mornings.  I love how still everything is.

I love the noise of the late nights when both children are home, Todd has the TV entirely too loud and Steve is asleep, snoring so loud the kids shut the door to tone it down a little.

I love that we are all so different, yet we all feel free to just simply be ourselves.

Talk about freedom!  Priceless.

Are you making your home a place that is full of individual expressions? Is everyone completely free to be themselves?

What are some of your weekend routines? Are you up early on Saturday mornings? Do you hang out in your jammies, relaxing with coffee and slowly starting the day? Do you get right up and at ‘em?

{{HUGS}} yall

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Not a Fan

by Pastor Kyle Idleman

The question is asked – “Are you a follower of Jesus?”  Many Christians automatically say yes and then dismiss much of what is to come from that point because they think that they truly are followers when in reality, we simply want to commune with Jesus on “our terms.”

This book isn’t asking if we follow the rules, it is asking if we “follow” Christ.

Right away I loved the style this book is written in.  It flows easily and with Idleman’s touch of humor sprinkled through it via some of the personal foot notes, I found myself reading this book in just a few sittings.  Idleman warns us that this book isn’t a book about following Jesus on a “comfortable and reassuring path” and he delivers just that.

Pointing out that we have made a decision to believe in Jesus but not committing to follow Jesus, he reminds us that we are nothing more than fans of Jesus.   Fans want to be close enough to see the object of their admiration, touch and talk to the one they admire and get the benefits that may come from being in their company but not so close that it requires anything from them.

“Being a secret admirer of Jesus cost him [Nicodemus] nothing, but becoming a follower came with a high price tag.  It always does. “

To completely follow Christ can be demanding, difficult and anything but comfortable, but true followers of Christ are willing to risk it.  Fans are not.  Each chapter has stories of people that are no longer fans, but completely committed followers.

Look at the details of your relationship with Jesus.  Are you pursuing Him passionately or are you just there to be noticed in the crowd?  Are you willing to take up your cross daily and die to self?  Or are you waving from the bleachers trying to be noticed?  Are you close enough that you can hear the whisper of your dear Savior?

Are you a fan? Admiring Jesus but not wanting Him to disrupt your daily life?  Do you simply want Him to be there when you call, but are never willing to answer when He calls on you? Are you one of the many in the large crowd that wants to be where HE is, to see what He will do next, give next and say next?

Or

Are you a completely committed follower?  Willing to go where He leads, do what He says – even if there is nothing “free” in it for you?

Do you want to deepen your commitment to the Lord?

Do you want to be more than a fan?

This book is designed to help you become more than just a fan. It is filled with practical questions to get your heart moving closer to being committed to a daily walk with our Lord.

My name is Marie Wikle, and I am not a fan.

Favorite quotes:

• The biggest threat to the church today is fans who call themselves Christians but aren’t actually interested in following Christ.  They want to be close enough to Jesus to get all the benefits, but not so close that it requires anything from them.

• Being filled with the power of the Spirit begins with an honest acknowledgment of our own weakness.  The truth is that most of us go to great lengths to disguise our weakness.

• The cross gets covered up.  The sermons are often about salvation, about never about surrender. Often about forgiveness, but never about repentance.  Often about living but never about dying.

• The song I was singing with my life wasn’t “I surrender all” it was “I surrender some.”  I didn’t surrender my pride and I was often motivated more out of a desire to impress people than to glorify god.  I didn’t surrender my plans; God was welcome to come along, but I did what I wanted to do.

Thank you to Zondervan for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest opinion.  I’m not required to give a positive review.

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Think you’re too small to make a difference? Think again!

• Put a tiny rock in your shoe and walk a mile
• Give a simple sucker to a toddler & watch their world light up
• Try ignoring that fly buzzing about your meal
• Leave that piece of dust under your contact
• Smile widely with a tiny piece of black pepper stuck to your tooth
• Watch what the ants will do with your slice of pie
• Remember the grain of sand that became a gorgeous pearl
• Think about the one smooth stone that took out a giant
• Notice how one spark can consume an entire forest
• One flicker of light pierces the darkest night
• 1 person “going” for it, gives courage to the fearful
• A reassuring smile brings hope
• Gaze at the GIANT oak that was once a tiny seed
• One single tear can soften the hardest heart
• The difference of one second…. That allowed you to miss that accident or plane crash
• Ignore that nail in your tire
• Leave that splinter in your finger

These are just a few that I quickly jotted down!

I’d love to hear YOURS! Please leave them below!

If you are on twitter, please leave your @ name as well.

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The question is, do we stay “here” or do we make the choice to move on – out from under these feelings?

I hope when you are “here” in this state that we all “sometimes” are in, that you’ll choose to move beyond this….regardless of how slow it may be.

Sometimes……

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I was chatting with Father Miles of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church over coffee a few weeks ago, discussing ways that Spreading Joy could encourage his church.  We were discussing the difficulties that we all face, the clouds that tend to hang over us, causing us to just see only the negative things that are surrounding us.  He then had the idea that for Ash Wednesday, he would challenge his people to do something a little different this year.  Instead of giving up coffee, Reese Cups, fast food or other things of that nature, that he would get them to focus on giving up negativity and replace it with JOY!

I love the idea, but as one that is always looking past the negativity and searching for joy on purpose, I know how difficult this can be.  (Wait…am I being negative right there? uggghhh!!)

Replacing the negative, discouraging and depressing thoughts and actions with positive will certainly help anyone who decides to do so.  When you are on purpose looking for the millions of little blessings that are swirling about you at any given time, you will be a much happier, positive person.  Everyone will see a noticeable difference and want to know the source of your JOY!

Not wanting anyone to fail, I suggest that you replace, replace  - replace.  If you are trying to get rid of one thing, it is always easier to do so when you replace it with something better.  Tell me, what is better than true joy from deep within?  We can’t always change the circumstances that brings the black cloud of despair over us and try to keep us down, but we can make a choice about staying “in” the negativity or moving past it.

I was speaking with a co-worker about Lent and giving up things for these 40 days today.  She said that she will fast from something that will move her closer to God, such as gossip.  She doesn’t think that giving up coffee or Reese Cups would be wrong, but for her, personally – she wanted something that would help her to build her relationship with the Lord.

What are you giving up?  Will you join others in giving up negativity and replace it with JOY, happiness, contentment and pure delight?  Do you think this will be easy to do? Why or why not?  If you fall short one day, will you keep going or will you simply give up?

I pray your cup overflows with unspeakable joy for these next 40 days and beyond!

{{{HUGS}}}} yall

PS

I’ll have the honor of speaking and encouraging the members at St. Luke’s on Sunday 3/14.  I hope you’ll click the link and check out this gorgeous Church.

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July 11, 2003 One of the Last Pictures of Me with my Dad

I didn’t know it at the time but on February 20th, 2003 (or so) – I would hear news that would forever change my life. It was an honor actually, but when I was hearing it, I felt it was anything but an honor.

I was with my Dad at the hospital when the cardiologist came in to see him that morning. I knew my time with my Dad was limited, but what I was about to hear pierced through my heart like a dagger.

“John, if there is anything you want to do, do it now.” I looked at the doctor and simply uttered “excuse me?”

The doctor went on to explain that my Dad’s heart was only functioning at 13% or so and that it would not last more than 6 months at the very most. He told my Dad to do what he wanted to do, have what he wanted to have and take this time to get things in order. My body was numb, my heart was in shock.  I remember wanting to cry out that 35 years is not enough time to spend with him. I had leaned up against the wall, to steady myself and the doctor asked me to step outside. He informed me that with my Dad’s diabetes, that the sore on his foot would not heal and would contribute to his death as well – painfully so. He assured me that when the time come, he would call hospice in and make “it” as painless as possible. My heart agonized over the fact that I would not be able to stop this, that I would not be able to stop the pain and I would have to spend each and every moment with him that I could.

The doctor asked me if I was OK, and I simply nodded. We went back inside the room and he informed us that he’d be in there another day. The doctor left, I sat on the edge of the bed, wondering what was running through my Dad’s heart. As I sat there, numb, my Dad spoke…asking me “Well, Daughter…..what do you think?”  I immediately looked at him, eyeball to eyeball.  Here I was wondering about him…and HE was wondering about me.  Unbelievable.  I kept looking at him and said “I think I’m going to miss you soooooo much.” I sat quietly on the bed with him for a little bit.  Gently crying because I didn’t want to upset him to much, but there was no way I could hold in the tears.

Again, at the time, I didn’t consider being with him to receive that kind of news an honor, but now I know beyond doubt that it was a priceless gift that I would not trade for the world.

Not everyone gets a six month warning to get their affairs straight, do what they want to do, see whom they want to see and so on. But he almost did. I had the difficult task to start making the calls. To tell my sister and brothers and step mom what I had just found out. I wanted anyone that wanted to see him, hug him and tell him just how special he was to have the chance to do so and time was of the essence.

As Dad got weaker, I moved in to help take care of him. I organized my work schedule to where I would work in the late afternoons or at night and help Angie take care of him during the day. I slept when he did and enjoyed many midnight egg sandwiches with him. It never bothered me that he could only eat a bite of the sandwich.

You may wonder why I’m sharing this with you. My Dad didn’t get the full six months. He died on July 20th, 2003. We made sure that he laughed every chance he could and sometimes he simply laughed because he caught me and Angie “discussing things” between “ourselves” and we had NO clue he was awake.  We made sure that anyone that wanted to see him had the chance and we all had time with him to tell him just how much he meant to us. I asked several times if there was anything he wanted and no matter what it was, I’d make sure he had it. Even though he was at the point nothing much would stay down when it came to food.

If you found out that you only had six months, what would you do? Who would you see? What calls would you make?

My next question is WHY would you wait until you only have six months? Start doing what you want to do. You have life dreams! Start on them. No matter how slowly you think you may be accomplishing them, start on them NOW. One of my dreams is to visit all 50 states. When we look at vacations, we look at a state we have not been to. Make the list and start chipping away at it. One of my dreams is to publish a book.  In all of the spare time that I do not have, I’m slooooooowly chipping away at it.  Work on those dreams NOW.

Schedule a visit with those that you have not seen and make those calls. We live in a period where it’s easier now than ever to keep up with people we adore. Send the email, send the ecard or send the paper card. Tell those that are special to you just how special they are. Don’t wait until you find out that you don’t have much time left.

Do it now.

Six months is not long. Before we know it Christmas will be here again and it’s only February.

Work towards your dreams
Plan the visit
Make the call
Give the hugs freely

Say I love you.  Say it again.  Say it once more.

Do it now, don’t wait.

Tell me, what are some of your dreams you are working on.

Did you make the phone call, plan the visit or give the extra hugs?  I hope so, I truly do!

{{{{HUGS}}}} yall

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