Happy belated birthday! You began to inspire my faith from the first time I remember realising I wanted to garden and to raise sheep in my early teenage years. You continue to encourage all of us with your life testimony. I remember you sharing once some wisdom another mentor had passed onto you: “Live every moment like you could die the next.” It forever changed me. Though not as intimately as many others, I have felt the incredible grace you have imparted to hearts of other women struggling to move from that place of looking for our purpose to letting that God-given purpose meet other’s needs. No other statement has resonated so deeply with me, since this is how my focus is shifting as I near my forties. There is a trembling and a cry to God that no moment would become anemic; no opportunity would be missed, and that my thought and intentions would be shaped by this same outpouring of love. Thank you for sharing!
Amanda, I am fifty-two (not fifty, too ;), and my journey of age and discovery is so similar. I became a nurse at an early age (twenty) and married at twenty-two. Those next twenty years were focused on raising my family, getting more education and growing my career, and being more self-focused than I care to admit. In the past ten years, though, God has used certain events to draw me closer to him, deepen my faith, and cause me to reexamine my priorities. I am so thankful for the journey that led me to this point, where I am more focused on who I can love on and help, than on my own goals.
You have such a gift for writing…thank you for sharing your heart. And happy birthday and welcome to a great decade!
Happy Belated Birthday. I have only spoken to you briefly in the restroom while we were both washing our hands. It’s hard for me to feel like I don’t know you, because I’ve heard you speak many times, I read these letters every week, and I’m in the middle of reading your book, which I read aloud to my husband in the evenings.
Things you have said many times have been an encouragement to me, as I have an autistic grandson. And I want to thank you for the open life that you live, and for using something that most would feel as horrible, to do good in this world. God is doing a good work through you, and I appreciate you allowing Him to do so.
Rather than having a gift for you, you have blessed me with the gift of sharing this encouragement ❤️. Happy Birthday!
I just went thru Luke 10, and my take away is the beginning of the chapter, the importance of building relationships and community. Your words encourage me further in the Word of God. Like Mary, hear the voice of God and act on it. Have a blessed day! I pray that some day we will be able to meet in person.
Happy belated birthday! You began to inspire my faith from the first time I remember realising I wanted to garden and to raise sheep in my early teenage years. You continue to encourage all of us with your life testimony. I remember you sharing once some wisdom another mentor had passed onto you: “Live every moment like you could die the next.” It forever changed me. Though not as intimately as many others, I have felt the incredible grace you have imparted to hearts of other women struggling to move from that place of looking for our purpose to letting that God-given purpose meet other’s needs. No other statement has resonated so deeply with me, since this is how my focus is shifting as I near my forties. There is a trembling and a cry to God that no moment would become anemic; no opportunity would be missed, and that my thought and intentions would be shaped by this same outpouring of love. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you, and thank you for sharing! I am blessed that I have been an encouragement to you.
Amanda, I am fifty-two (not fifty, too ;), and my journey of age and discovery is so similar. I became a nurse at an early age (twenty) and married at twenty-two. Those next twenty years were focused on raising my family, getting more education and growing my career, and being more self-focused than I care to admit. In the past ten years, though, God has used certain events to draw me closer to him, deepen my faith, and cause me to reexamine my priorities. I am so thankful for the journey that led me to this point, where I am more focused on who I can love on and help, than on my own goals.
You have such a gift for writing…thank you for sharing your heart. And happy birthday and welcome to a great decade!
Thank you for sharing! Looking forward to the adventure of this next decade!
Happy Belated Birthday. I have only spoken to you briefly in the restroom while we were both washing our hands. It’s hard for me to feel like I don’t know you, because I’ve heard you speak many times, I read these letters every week, and I’m in the middle of reading your book, which I read aloud to my husband in the evenings.
Things you have said many times have been an encouragement to me, as I have an autistic grandson. And I want to thank you for the open life that you live, and for using something that most would feel as horrible, to do good in this world. God is doing a good work through you, and I appreciate you allowing Him to do so.
Thanks for sharing! And may we get to know each other better!
Thank you for sharing this sure made me start thinking of what I might do in my own life at 67.
Rather than having a gift for you, you have blessed me with the gift of sharing this encouragement ❤️. Happy Birthday!
I just went thru Luke 10, and my take away is the beginning of the chapter, the importance of building relationships and community. Your words encourage me further in the Word of God. Like Mary, hear the voice of God and act on it. Have a blessed day! I pray that some day we will be able to meet in person.
Thank you for reading and sharing! It is a gift to me to know that you’ve been encouraged by my writing!