So many things to celebrate! So little time!
First, the ADA25 celebration I talked about last month was AMAZING! Around the country, thousands of people and organizations came together to honor the anniversary of this landmark civil rights legislation. Meanwhile, Max and Matthew and I traveled to Washington, DC where we stayed busy every day with a number of events: Kennedy Center Honors and spotlight concerts and exhibits; an exhibit and festival at the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of American History; an interfaith worship service; awards and panel discussions at the White House; a huge gala; and a march to the US Capitol with hundreds of our fellow advocates. Mixed in with this was a lot of hard work as well as time to be tourists. By the end we were happy, exhausted, and ready to head home.
Now that the summer of major events is over (moving, a new church, ADA25, SOULfeast 2015, book release, a kid out of school, multiple family visits, etc. . . . gasp!), I am trying to get caught up with everything else. First on the list: celebrations and giveaways!
JULY GIVEAWAY WINNER ANNOUNCED
Many of you accepted the invitation to research ADA25 events in your neck of the woods and found some great ones! I hope you took the time to participate and/or celebrate in some way! Meanwhile, I entered the names of everyone who posted a comment into a random drawing. And the lucky winner of a copy of my book (cowritten with Mark Johnson), I Love Today: A Story of Transformation, is Marliss Aldridge! Congrats! We will contact you to get your copy to you!
AUGUST GIVEAWAY: IN HONOR OF THE SIXTH ANNIVERSARY OF MY CALLING
I just celebrated the sixth anniversary of my call to this ministry. As I’ve shared in the past, the call came in a very quirky way: a voice from God in a biker bar. It’s a fun story, but it’s so quirky that for the first several years I would write about it but otherwise not talk about it very much. However, I’ve started talking about it a bit more. What’s helped is this blog post that my husband, Max, wrote. He addresses some of the odd elements of the call in a way that is a) hilarious and b) right on target. I especially LOVE that he takes the setting for my call – a cheesy diner/biker bar – and makes the point that throughout the Bible, God approaches people – and intervenes in their lives – in the most ordinary (and/or cheesy) of settings. So true. At the Writers in the Round event at SOULfeast 2015 last month he read his post out loud to the delight of the entire crowd, so I’m sharing it with you. Enjoy.
In my studio
To mark my sixth anniversary, I want to give away a set of prayer beads. I recently worked with my friend, Gerald, a brilliant photographer, to capture some shots for this website. He took some great pics of me in my studio (at the former house).
What We’re Giving Away
I’m giving away the set of prayer beads I was making during the photo shoot. It is one of my new favorite designs, featuring multi-colored Chinese Crystal beads and a pewter cross.
How to Enter the Giveaway
1. What are the quirky ways God has intervened in your life? In the comments below, or on our Facebook page, share your story.
2. Do this by Friday, August 21, 2015. We will collect the names of everyone who posts a comment, enter them into a drawing, and randomly choose a winner. We will announce the winner here and on our Facebook page on Monday, August 24th.
FACEBOOK FAN APPRECIATION SALE THROUGH AUGUST!
The last thing to celebrate is that in the past two weeks we have reached more than 1,000 likes on our Facebook page. That’s a lot! Y’all are part of the prayer bead revolution! How fun is that?!?
To thank you and celebrate, we are offering 25% off everything in our Etsy shop from now until August 31, 2015! Just use the code Facebook25 at checkout to receive your discount. Enjoy!
We were losing our Sunday school due to lack of kids so we started a Wednesday Sunday school. We went from 4 kids to about 30 and it has been amazing how God’s work has brought our small community together for our kids.
What a great story, Stacie! I love how God encouraged you to do a Wednesday School!
As amazed as I at God’s miracles and even more amazed at my amazement, for who is better at miracles than God, I am even more amazed at the times he has guided me in new ways of old directions. Cleaning a closet doesn’t seem to be the ideal time to hear him speak because I’m so busy fussing about how messy it is, but that is one of the clearest times he spoke to me after I “retired” and discovered it really wasn’t time. God told me to call the school board and let them know I was available if needed as a counselor and within 15 minutes, I was on the road to a whole new “family” and a whole new understanding of what he had in store for me. When I found out later that the previous counselor had called that very morning and resigned, I knew without any doubt that it was God directing me out of the messy closet to work in messy lives of a whole new group of “family.” No, it wasn’t a biker bar, but it was a closet that needed cleaning and I discovered it was more my life that needed the cleaning and organizing. Prayer comes in a variety of ways!
Vicki – That’s an amazing story about hearing God’s voice in the closet! And that it happened just after the other counselor had resigned! I love that you followed God’s lead to help with a different kind of “mess!” Thanks for sharing!
I was in a very stressful and difficult work situation and had tried to get a job through another friend of mine at a medical office but thought it was a lost cause. So the day came that I had to finally resign from work because of the abusive manager I worked under. I was in tears in the car on the way home wondering how I would make it. At a stop sign my phone went off and I looked down and my friend had texted “You Got The Job!!”. The panicked tears turned to happy and thankful tears. I called her and we both rejoiced at God’s timing. I started the next week and am still in the position. I’ll never forget it….Thanks for the discount code by the way! Just ordered two kits from you. 🙂
Laura – I am in awe of this story of God’s timing! And how brave you were to step in faith as you quit your job and left an abusive situation. What a testament to God’s grace! Thanks for sharing!
I pray weekly with my church for missions. For months I prayed for refugees fleeing fighting in what used to be Burma. At a knitting group one Sunday afternoon, I was dozing as the speaker requested hats for refugee children in Thailand, who were fleeing from Burma. “Burma?!” I echoed. So I started making hats.
Later the receptionist at work asked me if I would like her late mother-in-law’s yarn stash. I agreed. The stash filled my trunk and back seat of my car twice. God provided the materials to meet the need.
Since then I shared yarn, taught others to knit, and have made hundreds of hats for children in the US and around the world.
Carol – What a great story of working with God to meet a need! I love that even as you were “dozing” you heard God’s voice and responded! Thanks for sharing your story. Peace, Kristen
Quirky, what about turning my life upside down? My husband became a United Methodist minister in 2003 after 33 years of marriage, and our life has been blessed greatly. I first resisted his ministry, but have always supported him even when my inside voice said, “I can’t do this”. I’m learning to find my own voice in our ministry with a card ministry and now prayer beads! Thank you Kristin.
Catherine – Sounds like God’s intervention was truly life-changing! Welcome to the clergy spouse’s club! We’re so glad to have you! And I love that you are developing your own ministry through cards and prayer beads! Blessings, Kristen