Fields rolled by and I wondered which farm was her’s. I took photos just in case that was the one. It wasn’t. But we were getting close. Leah and I had been ministering at a women’s event in Ontario all weekend, and now we were on our way to visit my sweet friend, Ann Voskamp.
Leah, Ann, Me
I couldn’t wait to see Ann and meet her family – who were all as unique and wonderful as she describes on her blog. Two boys hid (and giggled) under the porch while we visited. The 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. The kids told me all about it. How their dad created it and how much time it took. Voices echoed excitement. I asked if I could try it. Big smiles stretched across their faces. I don’t think they were expecting a city girl to go on the zip line. But this city girl is a farm girl at heart, and I love adventure!
I even talked their momma into trying it for the first time!!
Later we sat on the porch and talked, and we captured our conversation on video so we could share it with you. I shared earlier this week how we talked about naming things like our doubts and fears, 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. Here is the rest of our conversation:
I have a few gifts to share… I brought home 3 signed copies of Ann’s New York Times Best-Seller, One Thousand Gifts. To enter to win, we’d love for you to be part of our conversation. Simply slip a note in the comments below this post by clicking “Share your thoughts.”
And, since we talked about overcoming self-doubts, I’ll tuck a copy of my book in with each of Ann’s for the three of you who win. Winners will be announced on Monday. To be notified, you can sign up for email updates in that little box at the top.
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I love the idea of framing the gifts, and re-framing where necessary. I want to live a beautiful life, but too often feel like I need “more” to get there, to buy more things, to be a better/smarter person, to be more organized. But I am learning more and more that the key is to walk with God and give thanks where I am and be thankful for all the blessings that are already in my life. Always desiring more will leave me unsatisfied all the time, but gratitude makes me feel full and blessed all the time
God Bless you both! I am singing praises to the Lord for all that He is accomplishing through your books, blogs, and ministries. Thank you so much for your encouraging words! They are gifts to me.
In His Love,
MIchelle
Framing each moment, moment by moment for he is all and in all! To see within each moment the blessing we know not for we ask not, to have our eyes open from what we think as evil but only to see the good from the Father above.Thanks for being a blessing to many.
I am so thrilled to have come upon both of you women in my life. God just keeps putting what I need before me. I plan on preading the word about both of you women, there is such a need for what you both have to share.
God bless,
Hugs,
debi
I found your site by reading “A Holy Experience”, Ann Voskamp’s blog. I follow Ann’s blog everyday. It is such a blessing to me. I recently bought her book “A Thousand Gifts” for my mom who lives in New Mexico. I would love to read it as well. Now I will add your blog to the others I follow. It is so good to be able to connect to other women that are all following after God’s heart and supporting each other while we are here in our temporary home. Thank you.
I do not “do” blogs, well, I should say I have never done blogs, until I started reading Ann’s book and found her on the internet. I start my day with her blog and the music and thoughts help me to, hopefully, set a Godly tone to my day. I am grateful that God has shown me your blog as well. Thank you for sharing the video with us.
I knew it was time to “visit” Ann today and I’m so glad I did! Naming things… such a powerful weapon to fight the enemy! And, it is so good to be introduced to you, Renee! I am looking forward to reading through your blog and meditating on the confidence we have in Him. Your book is needed…
what a blessing the books would be. I’ve been dealing with loss which has led to doubt. I would love some encouragment.
Thank you!
Sisters, I have been blessed by both of your ministries! Thank you for co-laboring in this beautiful way. I have read and given away multiple copies of two very special books this year that seem to go hand in hand, although they were written centuries apart: Ann’s One Thousand Gifts and Andrew Murray’s Abiding in Christ. The intertwined message for me has been that my surrender to His goodness and my desire to truly live IN Him must be accompanied by a grateful heart. Next on my reading list is Renee’s A Confident Heart, which sounds like it will be a perfect fit!
That video was really encouraging! When I am at home I find it easier to see God’s blessings; it is easier for me to frame parts of my life and take a picture. Kids baking, smelling a flower, experiences like those are easy for me to point out. At college I have found that harder to do. Living in a dorm there are often less of those cute experiences you want to take a picture of. However, you have reminded me the importance of shifting my focus! There are pictures of God’s gifts everywhere – in the lives of my friends, in the ways God is working across the entire campus. Thank you for the reminder to shift my focus to see God’s blessings wherever I am.
i would love to be considered for these gifts. Saving the videos to watch and savor at nap time.
Thank you Renee for sharing this. I stop by your blog on occassion and Ann’s every day. I have started adding more intentional beauty to our “living” room and I have found that it brings me more heavenly peace. Strange, but God is beauty. Now I understand more about Ann’s pictures on her blog and framing the moments. Thank you.
Thank you SO MUCH for this post and video! Ann’s book has been LIFECHANGING for me…and women like her and yourself are inspiring me to blog and more importantly, FRAME my Godscidence moments with glorious thanks! I so hope to win this prize so I can give Ann’s book to someone who hasn’t read it, and read your book – it looks amazing! I hope to glean wisdom and goodness from it’s pages!!! Thank you so much to the both of you!!
Love that idea – framing blessings! So want to read both books.
Thank you so much for inviting me to sit with you on the porch. It was wonderful and so good to be reminded that it is in the shifting of the gaze that makes all the difference, He makes all the difference. 🙂
I have read your blog Ann since last year and read it every morning, and so nice to meet you Renee!
karen
Wow! Thank you so much for sharing this interview. Ann’s thoughts on focusing our camera on the things that are important really hit home for me. I will definitely be working more on ‘shifting my focus’ when needed to capture the many wonderful moments that can all too easily be missed in the hustle & bustle of life. Blessings to each of you and your families!
You and Ann speak of focus and how by shifting just a little from the darkness you are in the light. I’m reminded of Peter stepping out of the boat and walking on the water. As long as his eyes were fixed on Jesus, he was doing the impossible. And the impossible seemed so ordinary- he was just walking towards his Lord, oblivious to waves lapping at ankles. But his focus shifted. He became distracted by the storm, the circumstances, his impossible situation. His focus shifted and he was overwhelmed and he was swallowed up. How often I lose my joy because my eyes wander! To see all things “from Him and through Him and to Him” is to see the gift. So today, right now, in this moment, I choose to fix my eyes, to focus on Him. I name the good and the bad, the gifts and the self-doubts. I meditate on Truth-real truth, not what I have believed before about myself but words from The One Who is God’s Word. I am filled with joy and hope and confidence. And I echo Ann’s today thought on her blog: I’m thinking it may be possible- we could live this way. Thank you for the challenge! (I read and reread and read my words again before I hit “post comment” – how self-doubt permeates my soul! Today I name it and refuse it and press the button!)
Naming the gifts is changing my life. For most of my life I’ve tried to figure out what was the barrier to the abundant life in my life. Now that I know I’m so grateful for the knowledge and how it is changing me. I’m finally beginning to experience life abundant!
Oh such a joy to have found your blog via Ann’s. I can’t wait to spend some time wandering around here. And good for you to encourage Ann to try the zip line!
Renee and Ann, this morning, watching both videos of you two, was the answer for what I’ve been praying for for over two weeks! I have read Ann’s book and I’m on gift #946 as we “speak”, but the past 2-3 weeks have been war of the soul for me! My husband returned from a mission trip, and as he was “processing” what God was trying to teach him from it all, he became quieter and a bit more distant…which gave The Enemy ammo to aim right at this girl’s hidden place of weakness. I woke every morning and went through the day and went to bed with a sickening feeling deep within. I began to seek God and where all this was coming from and what it was aimed at. I began to doubt in my husband; I put a shadow over him and his love and faithfulness toward me. I was quoting all the scripture I knew, keeping up with giving thanks, praying, finally seeking counsel from a trusted friend. I thought all was taken care of, but I still had a lingering feeling…I just had no idea what it was! This morning, Renee and Ann, I know. Doubt…Fear, yes…but from doubt…in me…that I am enough. That I am enough for my husband to never seek fulfillment from someone else (which he never has!). That I am enough (though not funny like____, not laid back like _____, not schooling and driven like_____, not always confident like_____not gifted like_______ etc.), but I am me…who He made me to be…enough. I am not a disappointment to Him. I do not have to say the right things, react and act the right way, be “super-Christian” for me to find favor with Him…and I am not required to find favor with all of mankind. Perfect love does cast out all fear, but I had no idea what the fear was. Now I know. I don’t know where I’ll go from here with that knowledge, but I know I will not go alone…because I was never alone…even in the darkness. I am still discovering His love for me…still learning to believe He loves me. I have been living free in Him for 15 years, but I don’t know that I have taken flight yet. But I will…I will…
“I am me…who He made me to be…enough. I am not a disappointment to Him. I do not have to say the right things, react and act the right way, be “super-Christian” for me to find favor with Him…and I am not required to find favor with all of mankind. Perfect love does cast out all fear,” Thank you for spelling this out. I think I have been letting the enemy offer me these seeds of doubt. Ahhh, the Rest we have in Him!