Inspire Me Monday - Week Nineteen {& An Awesome Guest Hostess}
Happy Monday!
We had some great posts and some awesome inspiration last week for Inspire Me Monday! I am loving this community! And now a fresh and beautiful post from our guest hostess, Sweet Sarah:If you've every read my blog, you know I tend to feel a tension in my life.A tension between the expectations of my heart of how my life should look, the demand of my to-do list and the call of my spirit to tend to things unseen.
Life is so busy. And I don't know that you and I will ever get away from the to-do lists, mountains of laundry, or the physical needs from living.I am realizing more and more the important things in life, the lasting things in life are intangible.They sow into my heart and my life and the life of my children and my marriage.They are unseen. Sometimes unperceived by the eyes of others.
The things of heaven: looking to God for leadership and guidance, adoration, and worship takes time but leaves no physical evidence of being accomplished. Or the unseen things in our everyday life: the tending of our children's hearts, teaching them to love God, making time for our spouse, engaging love and intimacy, being a good friend, neighbor, or family member. Tending to the unseen things won't make your house magically neater, your clothes mountain conquered, or toilets scrubbed. Yet, eternal things call to me because my soul needs tending.This place with God where I sit and rest and receive. Where I pour out my thanks and lift my hands and heart to Him. The place where my perspective changes and I offer myself and my plans to Him.It is the place where I worship. And the place where He tells me who I am and I find my source of true, sustaining life.My eyes meet His and I am changed.
And it leaves a question hanging in the air.Will I be brave enough to tend to the unseen things? Too often I run after the validation and gold-starts in life and the praise and validation of others.These things aren't bad but they can distract me up from running after the eternal. Because things in secret bear fruit in eternal ways.Things of today bear fruit in tangible, checked off to-do lists. But, the gold stars and praise we receive from others doesn't last.And tomorrow we have to chase them again. The gold stars from heaven, the validation from God, and making Him our source of life brings nourishment. And lasting peace.
These are the things I want.The intangible.And so, this is what I am going to chase.I am making myself brave. And pursuing the unseen today.
Hi! My name is Sarah Patrick. My husband, Eric, and I have been married for almost 15 years and we have 5 beautiful children. I am currently a homeschooler, a writer, and a student myself. I love photography and communicating through writing. I am passionate about the arts and the power they have to change hearts and minds and impact societies. My husband and I also love mentoring others and have done so for about 10 years now. We love watching people learn truth and make decisions that transform their lives with peace and hope.
*** Last weeks's winner : Cathy from Thoughts on Books . . . I did the voting in a very professional way. I told my daughter to tell me a number from one to twenty and she said, "Fourteen." I didn't think that would look right if the hostess won, so I asked for another number. Then she said, "Eighteen!" Very professional! *** If you have a minute, please go say HI to our sweet hostesses. These friends make the most of their moments with sweet words, photos, and inspirations.Angie {Facebook, Twitter}, Cindy {Facebook, Twitter}, Denise {Facebook,Twitter}, Natalie {Facebook, Twitter}, and Robin {Blog, Twitter}and for the next three weeks:Sarah {Facebook, Twitter}And here is where we make it easy to share a little love - just copy this code to put in your blog post.
So now it is your turn...We all need a little inspiration.Rules are easy peasy:1. Write, show, or share something that will inspire others. It can be one thing or several. It can be a quick thing like a quote or a longer thing like sharing some verses in the Bible and what it says to you or a tutorial on making your own wrapping paper. Anything goes.2. No blog? No worries… share in your comments something that could inspire others.3. Link back over here using that sweet little button made just for this or a blog link and invite your friends.3. Link up your blog and join the community of inspiring people by using the cute little linky tool.4. Use the URL of your specific post, not just your home page. We want to get right to the inspiration that you are sharing with us!5. Make sure you go get some inspiration from other bloggers, but especially the one right before you and give a little commentencouragement! This is the fun part ~ already encouraging and inspiring others right from the get go! XO