LITTLE BY LITTLE / Do Not Worry

The best things in life are cultivated little by little. Hello, friends! Welcome back to my new weekly series. Each week, I’ll give you a quick update on life around these parts, and Ten Things to Help You Make Progress on What Matters, little by little (with some fun ones thrown in too!).

In my live faith class this week, I talked about Matthew 6:19-34. When I look back at last year, the number one thing I wasted time on was worry. Anyone else? This week, I was challenged by worry this week in three areas, and here’s how God helped me:

– Leading the Cultivating Faith live class on Wednesday. I battled worry about not saying the right things or people not being encouraged. / God brought to mind Moses. Y’all know I love some Moses. Moses wasn’t perfect—and he felt inadequate—and yet God used him. Thinking about God helping Moses gave me courage. I’m grateful many of you were encouraged by my imperfect story.

– We sent our 2017 products to print, and for reasons outside of our control, found out we’ll have to pay a silly amount on money to get them shipped to us on time for holiday orders. / God helped me see the big picture gain, not the short-term loss: ‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.’ – Matthew 6:19-20  Getting the new PowerSheets into people’s hands and hearts will, Lord willing, help them cultivate what matters. While it’s painful to lose such a great sum, I hope it will help many gain what matters.

– I have many things to write and complete for work, and worried about not having time to do them. / God gave me peace about making little by little progress: ‘Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?’ – Matthew 6:27  What needs to get done will get done. I had a great call with my book editor yesterday, and she encouraged me that we’re on the right path with Cultivate. Much writing ahead, but this whole journey of starting over, and making imperfect progress, has been worth it.

And now, for this week’s 10 Things to Help You Make Progress on What Matters This Week (In no particular order!)

1. I was so grateful to teach a live Cultivate Your Faith class on Wednesday. Get a FREE replay of the live class, and my new 10 Simple Keys to Cultivating Faith e-book here!

2. I’m giving away some of my favorite faith tools, books, and resources.

3. This post about the difference between knowing about God and really knowing him is great, and rings true for my life. The difference: real risk.

4. I can’t recommend Nancy Ray’s Contentment Challenge enough. I did it in 2013, scared out of my mind to stop shopping for three months, and was so blessed by it that I kept going for a whole year. It was life-changing.

5. My short Facebook live with Grace this week was all sorts of real life.

6. My co-worker and friend, Amber Housley, is hosting a live webinar next week about getting the most out of creative conferences like Making Things Happen (a few seats left till we sell out!), and the Inspired Retreat. Register for free here.

7. My friend Em (who makes the Simplified Planner that we love and use daily!), texted me this yesterday. I cannot get enough of this boy.

8. Thank you, Jess Connolly, for speaking truth once again.

9. Love this podcast interview on the Influence Network from Present Over Perfect author, Shauna Niequist. I’m listening to the audio version of her book while I work today, and loving it. Am I the only one who loves hearing authors read their own books?

10. And lastly, a giggle for you. My husband snuck into the office.

Here’s to making progress on what matters, little by little!