Fields rolled by and I wondered which farm was her’s. I took photos just in case this was the one.
It wasn’t. But we were getting close to the gravel road that would lead us to our resting place. After speaking at a women’s event in Ontario all weekend, I was traveling with my friend Leah to the Farm to visit with my sweet friend, Ann Voskamp.
I couldn’t wait to see Ann and meet her family. Each one as unique and wonderful as I had imagined. Two boys hid (and giggled) under the porch while we visited. Her girls sat on the swing and listened. Flowers bent in the breeze behind the white picket fence.
And a zip line waited for us in the backyard. I didn’t know about it until dinner time. Listening to each child describe their father’s creation and how much time it took to build, voices echoed excitement. So I decided to ask if I could try it.
Smiles stretched big across their faces. No one there knew that this city girl is a farm girl at heart who loves a little adventure.
I even talked their mama into trying it for her first time!!
The next day we sat on the porch, eating apple slices and talking. We talked about the power of naming things like self-doubt, anxiety and fear, as well as the beauty He brings that we easily miss. How naming them can bring clarity to our thinking and invite God into our everyday moments.
Then we talked about framing the moments and messes so we can see God in them and worship Him there. Will you join us on the porch?
_______________________
Lord, we want to see You. We.Need.To.See.You. Open the eyes of our hearts and our souls, slow us and show us how to frame the gifts You give us each day – the moments, the messes, the simple, the sacred. In Your Name Amen!
Join Us On The Porch
Slip a note in the comments below this post by clicking “Share your thoughts.” As a special gift, when you join Ann and my conversation you will be entered for a chance to win one of three copies of A Confident Heart or a copy of Ann Voskamp’s New York Times Best-Seller, One Thousand Gifts.
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I actually now carry my camera with me every day, exactly for the purpose of taking a pic of something that I see unexpectedly and love….it also helps me to be conscious about looking for God’s slipped in surprises of beauty thruout the day. And then by browsing later thru the pics, I can remember and re-live these moments again and again.
I love that you do that!
Love the visual picture. Love beig part of Gods masterpiece. Picture Perfect!
Thanks for allowing me on the porch with you!
So glad you joined us. 🙂
Lovely conversation! Focusing on God regardless of whatever is going on in our lives is the key to having peace and joy.
So true. He.Is.The.Key.
Love it. Sometimes we are too busy with things that keep up busy that we don’t see the way God does.
Thanks for sharing.
I know. Im trying so hard to slow down this summer. It’s so opposite of how Im naturally wired.
Hey, Renee,
I am trying to find out why I am suddenly no longer getting the daily devotions. I love getting them and look forward each day to getting them.
Are you all no longer doing this? If you are still doing the devotionals, please sign me back up.
Blessings~!
marti
Hi Marti,
Which daily devotions?? From P31 or from my 7-day Doubt Diet?
Learning to give God all the Glory for his masterpieces everyday! Wonderful conversations…Thanks for sharing.
Blessings, Steph
I love the idea of “framing our moments”, as Renee said, our messy, wonderful, beautiful…. to worship our wonderful King in all of them! Thanks Renee.
Blessed! Thanks so much! 🙂
Loved seeing the two of you on my screen this morning. What a great surprise and a great reminder for me Renee to put a frame around it! Hugs!
Good Morning thank you for always being at the beginning of my day …to guide me to my focus …
I am blessed to have been directed to all of you wonderful ladies …
thanks so much and have a Blessed Day, I will now
I have been so blessed by a friend sharing this with me. God is just beginning to take me on this journey of confidence in Him and joy in him, rather than fear, doubt, and anxiety. I can’t wait to see where He leads!
I am currently on my own journey of trying to rediscover God’s plan for me. I am 56 but am continually learning from Him, often through other women like these wonderful “porch ladies” how to “do life.” I am so thankful for the many quiet times I have found this summer (I’m an elementary teacher) and how He continues to teach me to listen rather than just speak to Him. I just finished reading “A Confident Heart” and now plan to begin Ann’s “One Thousand Gifts” and a gratitude journal. Thank you for all the support through this website! Looking forward to the journey God is leading me on…
Very encouraging. Reminded me that I have a choice as to what I focus upon.Seems like it gives me the opportunity to see God’s perspective. Also, this has helped me realize that fear and doubt are rampant today. how encouraging to see how God can help me battle effectively, therefore, help others do the same.
thanks!
I loved this message this morning. After reading Ann’s book, my son bought me a digital camera and I have been taking photos of life around me. It has really helped me to see and appreciate God’s goodness even when life throws us some difficult turns and twists. Thanks for the conversations on the porch. They have really ministered to me.
I have been so blessed and encouraged by you both by your openness and shining your light into the dark places. Some of the things I have learned and am learning is that as we build on the knowledge of who we are in Christ and we walk out into that true light of who we are in Christ and encourage one another to press on towards the goal for which He has called each one of His precious ones. Not one has He forgotten in all of His creation.. We are a new creation the old is gone and new has come. He created ALL things and none of us are a mistake. Which gives each one of us HOPE and GOD-CONFIDENCE. I am learning to thank Him in ALL circumstance and sometimes it is a hard lesson to learn. Psalm 136:6-9 [Give thanks to the Lord of lords]…to Him who made the heavens with understanding,…who spread out the earth above the waters,…who made the great lights…the sun to rule by day…the moon and stars to rule by night…for his loving kindness is everlasting.
When you talked about not being in the photos it reminded me so much of my life. Life passing by quickly moment by moment and not seeing or capturing the beauty of His creation.
Recently becoming a first time grandma I can’t pick up my camera enough and capture the beauty of those moments with my grandson. Sometimes I think trying to recapture those times I feel I lost with my own daughters. Where as a young mom wanting to be perfect and yet wearing masks and never wanting anyone to know what was going on inside. Worried about what others would think about me. Always fearful of the camera and never wanting to be captured in a photo because it was a reminder to me of my past. Now realizing that was the enemy trying to keep me trapped or hidden in that dark place. Thank you for the reminder that we need to step out of that dark place.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything appropriate [or “beautiful”] in its time. He has also set eternity in their [men’s] heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end. Isaiah 42:5 Thus says God the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and its offspring, who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk in it…
I am so thankful that God has placed you both here for such a time as this to remind each and everyone of His daughters that they are loved and heard. We are the Body and He says we are love one another
Thank you for taking the time in your busy lives to pour springs of Living water of His truth. Thank you for being REAL and capturing in a picture for all of us that we are all included in the blessings that He has for each and every one of His precious daughters.
I praise God and I thank Him for friends like you!
Thank you for sharing. I can relate to so much you speak about. Listening to your video is a reminder of the friends we can talk, share and show God’s love. Naming your weaknesses and praying that God will walk with me as I frame my life with God. Thank you!
Framing my moments and shifting my focus. Thanks ladies for such a great illustration. Changing lenses today and determined to see God’s masterpiece.
I love this….thank you for sharing this with us…Ann’s book was so transformative…I would love to read your book as well…tha is for the opportunity.
Oh how our perspective changes when we change our focus! My husband takes beautiful photos but he’s shown me how many are “less than” that he deletes and may crop the best to make them better. God is so patient with us, giving us so many opportunities to be thankful if we enjoy the good & realize the “hard” is only for a season & that this is not our life – true life will be when we enter into His presence after we leave this earth!
I want to thank you and pray this encourages you two if you ever wonder so your words have your Godly impact. They do and they have some so again today. I’m too long winded to give details of the circumstance but it was a surprise situation and immediately the enemy tried to get a foothold. However we, my daughter who is a melted and days from delivering her first and myself knew that we weren’t setting it through His eyes. We knew we had to “Be still and know HE’S God” and to listen for His still small voice. So we went to our quite places and when emerged hearing the blessing He was about bring. And oddly enough it was a huge blessing. However if we had not stopped and took the time to search for Christ I’m the midst we would’ve missed the blessing AND had a terrible negative day. Thank you and all praise and glory to God who through Christ and the Holy Spirit bless us and give us have for every moment of our lives here.