I know it was a day well lived if at the end of it, all I want to do is write. 

do you ever have those days?  what’s your “thing” you do to celebrate a day well lived?

our morning started with my best girls + their babies around the christmas tree sipping coffee [and mimosas…don’t tell] and cuddling babies.  then listening to my kids [or one of my kids] sing jingle bells at their christmas program.  and finally ending the night at starbucks for a couple of hours with a good friend…sharing our deepest desires and dreams over hot tea.

these nights I feel encouraged, I feel alive, and AWAKE to the purposes and dreams God has FOR ME.

my sweet friend Jody and I have been meeting together on Tuesdays this fall + it’s time I deeply cherish.  We are going through Stasi Eldredge’s book “Becoming Myself” – usually reading and talking about 2 chapters at a time.  This week we talked about fear + dreams.  Y’all, my dreams list was over 3 pages typed…

but reading them to her, I felt alive.  I felt awake!  ready to go out and be the woman God has called me to be.  To do the things that give me life, as opposed to the things I “should” do, or things “everyone else is doing”.  way more to come about the fears and dreams I’m peeling the layers back on…

back to tonight…Jody thew down a challenge this week to reach out + encourage people!  be inclusive of people!  if there’s someones Facebook status you read daily and you never comment, leave them some love!  send an sweet “thinking of you” text, a spontaneous voxer message, whatever it may be…reach out.  love like you aren’t scared! 

so many times we can feel left out.  forgotten. looked over.  not enough.  like we are missing out [I know, FOMO].  if you feel that way, and I feel that way, then chances are there are lots of others who are in the same boat. 

so let’s throw a life preserver out to them – lets love them, encourage them, include them, be an unexpected source of love and encouragement to them.  

my friend Brandi is one of the best encouragers I know.  One time I asked her how she became a great encourager – and she said, when she needs encouragement – she just decides to give that out to someone else!  What a concept, yall.

I want to be that kind of friend!

so reach out – show some love.  online. in real life.  at the park.  to your neighbor.  whoever, and however. 

and just a side note – people that put their life online don’t think it’s weird when you tell them you “stalk their blog”, or like their instagram pictures, or have been encouraged by their story/writing.  when someone emails or leaves a comment that my words or story meant something to them – well that gives me the courage and joy to keep writing.  I’m taking my challenge to some of my favorite bloggers this week.  a little bit of encouragement goes a long way. 

who can you encourage this week?