After 80 hours in the car with our 3 preschoolers, visiting 25 supporters, speaking at 4 churches, leading a summer project and new staff training, being without internet for 3 weeks and without power for 5 days, getting my first tick bite and eating way too much fast food, we are finally home!!!! On our way home, driving through Kansas today we drove along side dying corn. A result of the drought that hasn't been seen in over 100 years. How many times can we hear that in one summer? From the fires in my beautiful state to the land hurricane where I just drove from, record natural disasters are being broken. 40% of our country is being affected by drought, killing a lot of our vegetables. Austin got talking to one of the farmers when we stopped for lunch and the guy said he just had to kill a lot of his cows because of the drought. As we were driving the song Beautiful Things by Gungor started playing reminding me that though death comes, we serve a God who brings beauty from ashes. I am so excited to be home and finally get back to a normal schedule (especially my normal blogging schedule since I will have internet. Yay!) And I'm excited to see God bring beauty from tired-ness. I did something kinda fun that I think will help you guys out. I don't know about you, but I find it kinda hard remembering which link up/blog hop is on which day. So I made a giant blog hop list (which will keep growing everyday) as a resource for you. And I made a fun button to put on your blog so you can have easy access to the list. Check out the side bar and grab the code really quick and add to your blog (I know how easy it can be to get distracted) If your link up/blog hop is not on there, go ahead and add it under the corresponding day. The list is under the Devotional Tab as a drop down. Also spend some time exploring the other drop down tabs too. It'll be fun. :) Faith Filled Friday Blog HopWe exist to glorify God, to display His heart and character. And I just love how we are all uniquely built to do that. So every Friday I want to give you, uniquely designed by God, an opportunity to link up your thoughts on God, art, baking, photography, parenting, marriage, writing or blogging and more if they tie into or display the the Lord somehow. So go ahead and link up below by clicking the link below and following the prompts. Please just let your readers know by including a link at the bottom of your post (or somewhere on your side bar) or put my button code (found on my side bar or the Faith Filled Friday Tab) so they can find these other great people glorifying God and we can continue to grow as a community. Thanks! And in effort to encourage others in their writing by faith, please take a minute to comment on the two posts linked up before you. I'm linked up with the beautiful ladies at Nebraska Graceful, The Wellspring, The Better Mom, Pause on the Path, Create with Joy, Finding Heaven, The Beauty in His Grip, SeedlingsinStone, and MissElaineousMonday. Subscribe to receive a copy of the Life Purpose Plan; discovering how your uniqueness, current reality and the mission fit together for the glory of God.
29 Comments
Laura
7/23/2012 07:30:22 am
Thanks Wendy. I'm glad you participate. :)
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Laura
7/23/2012 07:31:03 am
They are great. They lead worship at a church a lot of our students go to. What a treat.
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7/19/2012 06:00:37 pm
Three things:
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Laura
7/23/2012 07:32:32 am
Wow, what a perfect fit that song is after a divorce. It was very impactful when my husband took a team of students to Cambodia. They listened to it while they were driving and were hopeful God could redeem such a horrendous place.
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Your post reminded me of Habakkuk 3, "Though the fig tree shall not blossom, and there be no fruit on the vine, thought the produce of the olive fail, and the fields shall yield no food, though the flock be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls, yet will I rejoice in the Lord. I will glory in the God of my salvation! God, the Lord is my strength!"
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Laura
7/23/2012 07:33:39 am
Awesome Joe!! What a great verse! Thanks for sharing! I'm gonna share that on facebook.
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7/19/2012 10:06:23 pm
I LOVE Michael Gungor and this song especially! I also love your link-up! I can find such good stuff here! :)
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Laura
7/23/2012 07:34:50 am
Me too. They are so talented. So glad God made their music available. :)
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I too wrote about the drought this week, So sad.
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Laura
7/23/2012 07:36:20 am
Yes!!! Oh I just love it so much...
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7/20/2012 12:41:15 am
Oh, I love the Blog Hop Button! I added Random Journal Day and love this idea! Yes, so often I am scratching my head and trying to remember all of the lovely Blog Hops and where my writing will best fit and minister! Thank you so much for this! Wonderful. In His Grace, Dawn
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Laura
7/23/2012 07:37:17 am
Oh Dawn, thanks so much for your encouragement and enthusiasm. You are such a blessinng!!
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7/20/2012 12:43:08 am
Glad you're home safe from your travels. Thanks for sharing that song! Beauty from Ashes...so grateful for a God who never breaks His promises!
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Laura
7/23/2012 07:39:04 am
Thats for sure. :)
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Laura
7/23/2012 07:39:37 am
Yay! Thanks Kristin.
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7/20/2012 09:30:15 am
Thanks for the great post & new link-up! Praise God that He alone can bring everlasting life from death. As we look at the record-breaking droughts, disasters, and weather, it seems we are that much closer to His return.
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Laura
7/23/2012 07:41:52 am
I agree. Such mixed emotions about it... a deep longing to see evil ended but yet knowing so many will never again have a chance to turn to Jesus and receive forgiveness...
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7/21/2012 12:30:17 am
Hi Laura! Blessings to you as it looks like you're weathering some natural wonders - a better word than disasters and we still see the glory of God in all things be it drought or derecho thunderstorms! We've been all about storms and cleaning up after them - and watching the skies for more in South Jersey. A perfect start to our VBS as you'll see in my series this summer.
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Laura
7/23/2012 07:43:52 am
Yes, well said... natural wonders.
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Laura
7/23/2012 07:44:18 am
Thanks Nikki. You too!
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7/23/2012 09:26:03 am
Glad you are home after your busy excursion!! Oh the natural disasters seem like a plague. Not from God and we know who is to blame.
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7/24/2012 07:38:40 am
What a great idea to put together a list of Linky blogging communities. This will be a great resource for many folks! And thanks for linking up to the True Vine Challenge. It's great to have you join in!
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