Saturday, December 22, 2012

So....What's on Your Mind?

While I don't plan on posting regularly until after the beginning of the New Year, I do want to work on getting the ball rolling in that direction while I have a few stolen moments at this busy time of year.  I have not yet begun to publicize this blog in any way other than mentioning it to a few sister friends here and there, but a funny thing is happening - people are finding it and I am daily being surprised at the hits I am receiving.  This is exciting to me.  So.... if you are reading this, if you are here and if you plan on coming back again, I would be blessed by your input.  I would love to know...... what's on your mind? 
                                                                                                           photo credit
What topics interest you? What are you reading?  What are you researching?  Where are your challenges?  What is God speaking to you about?  What is on your 'to do list' for 2013?  What do you ponder in the quiet moments?  What do you think about before you fall asleep or open your eyes each morning? What makes you smile?  What is the fly in your ointment?  What are you believing for?  What is the mountain you are trying to move?  What is the mountain you feel stuck going around?  Where do you most want victory in your life? These things will help me tremendously in planning my posts and giving you what you.  I envision a venue to meet, share and learn with other sweet sister friends who have been through things, will go through things and are going through things and in the midst of it all sharing experiences, lending a helping hand or shoulder to cry on and most of all building sweet friendships that put a smile on the Face of our Heavenly Father.
To give you an idea of some of the things in my heart and on my mind to share, here is a list in no particular order....
  • Growing Our Relationship with God
  • Who God Says We Are
  • Strengthening Marriages
  • Resources
  • Dealing with Divorce
  • Stripping Away The Lies in Our Lives
  • Family Dynamics
  • Book Reviews
  • Cultivating a Thankful Heart
  • Securing The God Filter in Our Lives
  • Bible Study
  • Walking in Truth
  • Celebrating Victories of All Sizes
  • Giveaways
  • Imperfect Progress
  • Book Study
  • Godly Parenting
  • Building Real Friendships
  • Accountability
I  think you get the idea.  If  however, that wasn't enough to get your thinker thinking, let me place some words out there (oh! how I adore words!) and see what they do to inspire you....

*shame*joy*guilt*mercy*encourage*rest*secrets*sin*pain*weakness*healing*relationship*fear*hope*emotions*victory*endurance*grace*love*peace*stillness*.

The comments are open and waiting!  If you would rather not share publicly, please email me privately  at leishainprogress@gmail.com and let me know what you need and want to equip and inspire you in 2013!  I am giddy with anticipation Dear Ones, and anxious to see what God will do here!  Don't be shy, the water is fine (and living no less) go ahead.....jump on in!

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Birth Announcement


A new blog......like a baby waiting to be born, grows and develops slowly over time until it is ready to spring forth and become life on it's own.
What will it look like?
What will it become?
What kind of personality will it have? 
It will certainly be directed by it's author as a child is by his parents, but ultimately as with every precious gift of God it becomes it's own and takes on it's own quirks, strengths and weakness all of which are influenced by the lives that it connects with along the way. You are those lives.
This blog has been growing inside of me for some time now - well beyond a 9 month gestation to be sure.  I have at last reached a place where I feel released to deliver with a due date rapidly approaching.  While I am excited and anticipating it's arrival, like every expectant mother, there are still many questions.
Am I ready?  
Will I know what to do? 
What should I do?
What if I am not good at this? 
What if I can't communicate my heart the way I think God wants me to? 
What if do I do when I make mistakes?  
And on. 
Like pregnancy there comes a time when denial is no longer an option.  I am there.   So it is with great trepidation and butterfly belly excitement that I invite you to return and meet the new baby in my life. 
I was extremely blessed in my only real life pregnancy to deliver a healthy 10 lb 1 oz beautiful baby boy and walk away without a single stretch mark!   This will not be the case with this delivery I am certain!  In fact, I feel like this one is all about the stretch marks and scars that are already there from years of living, growing and learning that need some attention.  This is all about looking through and into those things and being transparent to where they came from and how they formed.  This is about exposure, not covering up or masking, about shining light into darkness.  This is about freedom and healing and about God's unmerited favor and grace to fade our wounds and heal us so that no evidence of  exists other than that which our hearts hold and our victories compel us to share.