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Be sure to SUBSCRIBE today so you don't miss out!!

Top 10 Tuesday: Quotes from Sacred Influence

Last summer, I picked up Sacred Influence by Gary Thomas at a Christian book outlet, and my highlighter got a workout as I read.

{Photo Credit: Justin Lucarelli/Flickr}

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the first five chapters of Sacred Influence:

{1} "Respect is a spiritual obligation and discipline. Give your husband his due!"

Michael Hyatt had a great post on this very topic recently: Why Speaking Well of Your Spouse is So Important. It is so critical that we not only avoid "husband bashing" but intentionally (and genuinely) praise him!

{2} "God, not your marital status, defines your life." (quoting Eugene Peterson)

 It's so easy to find our worth in our relationships, especially in our relationship with our husbands. We need to find our worth in who we are in Christ!

{3} "The first step toward influencing your man is becoming [a woman worthy of respect] - the unique person God created you to be, in all your glory."

What are you doing to grow into the image of Christ? Are you being intentional about feeding your own spiritual needs?

{Photo Credit: Ruud van Koten/Flickr}

{4} "If you're trying to find your primary refuge in your husband, if you've centered your hope on him, if your security depends on his approval, and if you will do almost anything to gain his acceptance - then you've just given to a man what rightfully belongs to God alone."

It's easy to turn our marriage into an idol, seeking to fill the holes in our life with our spouse rather than God.

{5} "If you truly want to love, motivate, and influence your husband, your first step must be to connect - and to stay connect - with God. Find your refuge, security, comfort, strength, and hope in him."

If we are not living our lives in line with God's plan for us, we will not be able to influence our husbands to live out God's plan for their lives.

{6} "A good marriage doesn't happen by accident, and a good marriage isn't maintained by accident."

Marriage is hard work! We have an enemy, Satan, who hates marriage and is out to destroy it at every chance he gets. I would highly recommend Love & War for more reading on this topic.

{Photo Credit: Jeanette Ruyon/Flickr}

{7} "When you grow in character, when you sink your spiritual roots deep, when you learn to hear God's voice and build your mind with his wisdom, when you allow his Holy Spirit to transform your character and reshape your heart - then you can make your husband fall in love with you over and over again, and he'll be all the more motivated to maintain your respect and affection."

Romans 12.1-2: Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. {emphasis mine}

{8} "It is entirely natural and healthy to dream big things for your husband, but that's very different from selfishly demanding those things."

Do you have dreams for your husband? Do you pray for his future?

{Photo Credit: Sheila in Millduck/Flickr}

{9} "When did you last thank your husband for helping to make your style of life possible?"

What are some ways that you can show your husband that you appreciate him? Have you considered lately how much he truly does for your family? I tend to focus on what my husband doesn't do instead of what he does do, and I find myself in a grumbling mode. When I focus on all that he does, I find myself praising him and being appreciative of him.

{10} "Regularly thinking negatively about your husband increases your dissatisfaction with him and your marriage."

 See #1 above for great advice about this topic!

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Inspiring our husbands starts with changing ourselves. Not until we are secure in who we are in Christ and growing in Him can we lead our husbands to change.

Living intentionally by faith everyday, we grow more and more into the image of Christ and as our husbands see that, they will desire to grow more Christlike, too!

This post is linked to Top Ten Tuesday hosted by Oh Amanda.

{My Birthday Wish List}

I have found some AMAZING pieces around the blogosphere that I absolutely LOVE, and I would LOVE to get them for my birthday this month. {Click on any picture to see more details.}

{#1} Studio JRU	{#2} Dallas Designs
{#3} Dallas Designs	{#4} GussySews
{#5} Lisa Leonard	{#6} Red Letter Words
{#7} Jean Winters	{#8} Studio SDG
{#9} PaintMeAPicture	{#10} PaintMeAPicture

What's on your wish list?

Saturday Stumbles {03.12.11}

As I sit and begin to put together this post, it's early Wednesday morning, but I've already stumbled upon so many great posts this week, I need the extra time to put it all together!

My focus this week seems to have been on blogging... maybe it has something to do with my move to the WordPress.org platform this month?

{Photo Credit: Jeffrey Beall}

But first, for the non-bloggers:

• Small Children's Catechism
  "Fifty questions and answers, simplified for memorization and use by parents with small children."

• Burned out on religion?
  "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion?"

{Photo Credit: Laurence Veale}

And now, for the bloggers:

• 12 Things to Do After You've Written a New Blog Post
  "Rather than rely solely on search engines and a handful of subscribers to pump up your organic volume, content publishers need to establish syndication connections and plan for some targeted promotion to ensure that each piece of content gets noticed by key influencers and your ideal customers."

• The 11 Definitive Rules of Blogging
  "Successful bloggers tend to forge their own path. Many of them are aware of what works for others and learn by observing, but they also take what they learn, experiment with it for themselves, and let it evolve in a way that fits with them and their audience."

• My Advice to Beginning Bloggers
  "Setting up a blog is the easy part; actual blogging is the hard part. Once the initial enthusiasm wanes, it is difficult to keep posting. Most would-be bloggers post less and less until they simply quit and abandon their blog."

• What is Your Blog Promise?
  "One of the strongest branding strategies that you can begin to craft from day 1 for your blog is to clearly define the promise(s) that your blog will not only keep but also perform against day in and day out."

• That's Not Writing!
  "...real writing is real work and that’s why it’s so easy to revert to piddly things, some of which may be very important, but not important enough to crowd out writing time."

• Don’t Publish Your Post Prematurely, Ask Yourself These 9 Questions First
  "...you’re going to have to put more thought, more soul and more effort into each of your blog posts. That means not publishing posts prematurely, before you’re sure that each post is insanely useful to your audience." {Warning note: Some "foul" language is included in this post.}

• Optimize Your WordPress Blog Post’s Slugs for SEO and More
  "Is it wrong to have long titles? Obviously not! But it’s wrong to have a long title and a long post slug and permalink."

What great posts have you stumbled upon this week? 

I'm linked up to Saturday Stumbles at SimplyStaci.net.

Caffeinated Conversations {03.11.11}

Happy Friday!!

{There is a video embedded in this post. If you cannot see it, please click here to watch this week's Caffeinated Conversations vlog.}

Links mentioned in the vlog:

• #3in30 Challenge: Join us!!
• My new blog graphics
• Visit TommyNelson.com for free activities and printables to go along with the stories in the Max Lucado Children's Treasury Box set!

Enter to win the Max Lucado Children's Treasury Box Set including You are Special and 3 other stories!

• Leave a comment letting me know to whom you'd like to give this special box. {Mandatory}
• Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter and/or share it on Facebook {Optional - leave an additional comment below letting me know you did so.}

Giveaway is open to those in the contiguous US only. Review copy and giveaway were provided by Tommy Nelson. Winner will be chosen at random from the comments below on or after 3/14/11.

3in30 Linkup {Week Two}

 

Have you seen our goals RESOURCE PAGE?!? 

We'll continue to add great resources as we find them, 

helping you to make your goals reality!

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How did this week go? 

What did you get accomplished? What did you not get accomplished? 

How do you plan to succeed next week? 

We want to encourage you to encourage others this week through our link up - make sure to stop by at least one other blog that is listed below in the link up and give a little love!

{For those new to the challenge, we have a weekly linkup that goes live on Thursday nights at 10pm EST and continues through Sunday at 1am EST. If you don't have a blog, or don't want to post on your blog, feel free to just comment with your progress for the week!}

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Link Up Schedule:

• 1st Friday of each month: "Roll Call"
  Who's in for this month? Let us know!
• 2nd Friday of each month: "Check-Up"
  How did this week go for you? Check in!
• 3rd Friday of each month: "Encouraging words"
  Let us know what quote, Scripture, or encouraging words got you through this week?
• 4th Friday of each month: "Closing Comments"
  Overall reaction to this month's goals. Also, include what your goals are for the following month.
• 5th Friday (occasional): "What blogs did you visit this month?"

How Do You Link Up?

1. OPTIONAL: Add the 3in30 button to your site or Facebook page. {You can find the code on either hostess' blog.}
2. OPTIONAL: "Like" our Facebook Page
3. OPTIONAL: Follow us on Twitter
4. MANDATORY: Comment on at least the person above you in the link up and let them know you're coming by from 3 In 30. Comment on & follow as many participants as you'd like!

Got questions? We'd love to hear them! Email us: threeinthirty (at) gmail (dot) com

Excuses, Excuses. {Part Two}

{Photo Credit: More Good Foundation}

Last week, we started a new series for the month of March, looking at the excuses that we often give for not using our resources to help those less fortunate than ourselves. The main excuse that we are focusing on in this series is:

Any money I give will be wasted, stolen, or spent on other things. The poor will never see it.

Today, I want to dive in to the first of three realizations that God has impressed upon my heart in regard to this excuse:

It’s not my money – it’s God’s. 

{Photo Credit: taxlawadvisors}

In Luke 20.22-26, the Pharisees attempted to trick Jesus in asking Him if it was lawful for them to pay taxes to Caesar. Jesus responded that they ought to “render to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Luke 20.25).

In reality, all that we have belongs to God, and He has designated various uses for the funds He blesses us with. Some of those uses include:

• paying taxes
• feeding ourselves
• providing for our families
• blessing those who have less than we do

{Photo Credit: Marek Kosmal}

I've come to this conclusion:

If it is God’s money, should I not give it willingly as He leads?

What about you? 

• Are you holding on to your checkbook, credit card, wallet, purse, etc., with a closed fist? 
• Or have you come to the realization that all you have is really God's? 

We are simply stewards of His immeasurable resources.

Random Ramblings, Vol. 307

How in the world are we already through the first week of March? Seriously!

{Photo Credit: RedStamp.com}

I honestly have felt so discombobulated lately - no idea what day it is, what time it is, what I'm supposed to be doing right now, etc. My life has literally been a blur of events and attempts to keep the spinning plates in the air.

Something needs to change this week... though, I'm not sure that waking up at 4:30am (like I did today) is going to be the answer. I definitely need to "screw my head on straight" and attack each day with a checklist of things that need to get done.

I think that might be my biggest issue - I haven't been sitting down to plan out my day/week, and I've been floating from one thing to the next, sometimes without fully finishing the first. I need order back in my life!

Things I've been meaning/wanting to do that have fallen between the cracks:

• Post my #3in30 goals for March:
1. Sort, clean, and purge the upstairs linen closet.
2. Sort, file, and purge my "inbox."
3. Move from Blogger to WP.

• Caffeinated Conversations
  Can I just tell you how BUMMED I was that I wasn't able to find time to have a caffeinated conversation with you the past two weeks?!? I'm really hoping to find/make the time this week... I miss it!

• #3in30
  Meghan and I have both been so busy the past few weeks that staying on top of all the administrative duties (responding to emails, visiting blogs, finding sponsors, etc) of the #3in30 Challenge have started to fall through the cracks. Some days/weeks it's all we can do to post updates on Facebook and Twitter and get the weekly linkup posted on time!

• Daily Devotions on AP Freewriting
  I know a number of you really enjoyed the devotional posts I wrote each day in January. I would LOVE to bring those back to the blog, but I haven't had the time to sit and write them over the past few weeks. I'm hoping that I can start writing them again now that my school workload is significantly diminished.

Why haven't I had time to do these things? What's my life so full of that is causing all of this to fall through the cracks?

• School
  I just finished my last master's level classes this past week. I just have one more class (at the undergrad level) to complete before I receive my BA and MA in May! As much as I've enjoyed being in school again (I honestly have), I'm ready for a break from the stress of grades and deadlines. I'm sure it won't take long before I'm ready for a new challenge (don't worry - it's already in the works), but it will be nice to have a bit more free time again.

• Puppies
  Last week, we adopted two 4-month old puppies. It was a crazy week trying to crate train them and adjust to the change to our lives. The end of the week was sad, as we had to take the female puppy back to the shelter. {Her temperament changed as the week progressed, and it became clear that she needed to be an outdoor dog.} Now we're adjusting to life with ONE puppy - one very "big baby" who seems to be a "Momma's boy."

• Family and Friends
  We have been so blessed with my husband's work schedule to be able to have three days each week to spend together as a family. We love to "go to town" together to run errands and have lunch out on his days off. I try my best to unplug from my computer {leave my desk} as much as possible when he's home. We've also been blessed with some great "new" friends over the past few months, and we've enjoyed "doing life together" with them. We love having them over for dinner and having them stay for 4-5 hours!

• Church Ministry
  I'm the Christian Education committee chairperson for the second year at our church, and this year (unlike last), my responsibilities have started to take shape. Our church is in a "rebuilding" process, and as CE Chair, I have the opportunity to help shape the direction of our church's Biblical educational goals and focus. Committee meetings, picking out and putting together curriculum, organizing small groups, coordinating with ministry heads, etc., have all been a part of this process/role. I love it!

It's been awhile since I rambled randomly and collected my thoughts ON the blog, but I thought I would just share an honest picture into my life this week. Sometimes you need to see the discombobulation behind-the-scenes to better appreciate the words on the blog.

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What have you wanted to do, but been too busy/distracted to do?

What has been distracting you?

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Saturday Stumbles {February in Review}

Is it seriously March already?!? Wow... I'm still getting used to the idea that it's 2011, and we're already a 6th of the way through it!

{click photo for source}

February was an incredible month at AP Freewriting! You all continue to bless me beyond words as you read what I write and interact with me and each other in the comment sections.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!! 

Without each one of you, this blog wouldn't be the same.

The top 10 blogs that sent traffic to AP Freewriting in February are:
The Pleated Poppy
The Tuckers Take Tennessee
Oh Amanda
A Stranger in this Land
Beth Jones
Faith Barista
The Youngman Family
I'm not sure
It's our good life
Discipline Project

The top 5 posts (by number of views) were:
My Valentine's in Photos - So fun to share my life with you...
Is Social Media moving people away from God - GREAT discussion on this post!
My BIG Announcement - I adopted TWINS!
My Week in Photos - another top 10 photo collage of my life
10 Things I Wish I'd Known BEFORE Getting Married - a look back at what I thought I knew and what I know now

And these 5 posts got the most comments:
My BIG Announcement - Puppies!!
Be FAITHFUL in the Small Things - how doing laundry can further the kingdom of God
10 Things I Wish I'd Known BEFORE Getting Married - What would YOU add to the list?
Is Social Media moving people away from God - I'd love to hear YOUR thoughts on this discussion!
Top 10 Tuesday: Quotes from UnMarketing - a GREAT read and lots of great quotes!

Thanks to YOU for making it a GREAT month at AP Freewriting!!

This post is linked to Top Ten Tuesday hosted by Oh Amanda.

3in30 Linkup {Week One}

Is it even possible?!?
The first week of the March #3in30 Challenge has come to a end!

How did you do? Did you accomplish all you had hoped and planned to? If not, what held you up? Do you have any encouraging words for the others who are joining in?

{For those new to the challenge this month, we have a weekly linkup that goes live on Thursday nights at 10pm EST and continues through Sunday at 1am EST. If you don't have a blog, or don't want to post on your blog, feel free to just comment with your progress for the week!}

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Have you seen our RESOURCE PAGE?!? We'll continue to add great resources as we find them, helping you to make your goals reality!

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And now, it's time to link up!! Be sure to stop by some of the other participants' blogs and leave some encouragement!!

Link Up Schedule:

• 1st Friday of each month: "Roll Call"
  Who's in for this month? Let us know!
• 2nd Friday of each month: "Check-Up"
  How did this week go for you? Check in!
• 3rd Friday of each month: "Encouraging words"
  Let us know what quote, Scripture, or encouraging words got you through this week?
• 4th Friday of each month: "Closing Comments"
  Overall reaction to this month's goals. Also, include what your goals are for the following month.
• 5th Friday (occasional): "What blogs did you visit this month?"

How Do You Link Up?

1. OPTIONAL: Add the 3 In 30 button to your site or Facebook page. {You can find the code on either hostess' blog.}
2. OPTIONAL: "Like" our Facebook Page
3. OPTIONAL: Follow us on Twitter
4. MANDATORY: Comment on at least the person above you in the link-up and let them know you're coming by from 3 In 30. Comment on & follow as many participants as you'd like!

Got questions? We'd love to hear them! Email us: threeinthirty (at) gmail (dot) com

We worship...

{John 4.23-24} "...a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth."

{Photo source: DaySpring - click for details}

To worship is to ascribe worth to something. When we worship God, we ascribe worth to Him.

Worship is the adoration of God by those who know Him and respond to Him.

We are to worship God simply because He is worthy. We are to exalt God for who He is, not only for what He has done.

"God has a rightful claim to worship and is daily seeking those who acknowledge His claim, will bow the knee, and ascribe Him worth." {Source}

How have you worshipped God today?

Excuses, Excuses. {Part One}

When it comes to giving to the poor, have you ever used this excuse?

“Any money I give will be wasted, stolen, or spent on other things. The poor will never see it.”

{photo credit: stuartpilbrow}

God has taught me three things when it comes to this excuse.

1. The money doesn’t belong to me. 
2. God’s sovereignty is over all things, including the use of this money. 
3. My blessing comes from my obedience to God, and is not based on how the money is used. 

When keeping these three truths in mind, opening my checkbook to the promptings of the Spirit becomes less about me and more about fulfilling the mission of God.

Over the next several weeks, I want to take a closer look at this excuse and our responsibility to care for those less fortunate than ourselves. Follow along via RSS reader or have posts delivered directly to your inbox.

What questions would you like to see me address in regard to this issue? Feel free to leave them in the comments below or shoot me an email.

Top 10 Tuesday: Quotes from UnMarketing (#UnBook)

I just finished reading UnMarketing on Saturday night,
and it was such a good read!

Informative, challenging, and just fun to read. 

Here are a few of my favorite quotes:

{1} "You never know who somebody really is and who they might be down the road."

This is true in EVERY area of life, but especially when it comes to marketing your brand or product. Treat everyone like they are someone special, because they truly ARE!

{2} "It takes a lifetime to build a reputation and one tweet to screw it all up."

SO true!

{3} "If you do not have great content it does not matter at all how you deliver it."

What they say about content being king is true - great content will sell itself.

{4} "If you want to build a presence in the social media platform, then you need to be present."

While it's okay to use auto-tweets occasionally, you really need to be available to continue the conversation with anyone who responds to your tweets. Tweeting is not a one-way street, it's a conversation.

{5} "When you're good, you tell people. When you're great, others say it for you."

We've all seen this to be true, especially in the world of blogging. Who doesn't love to share a GREAT post they've found?

{6} "The best ideas in the world aren't the profitable ones. The best-implemented ideas are."

I know this to be true in my life - I have a ton of GREAT ideas, but if I don't implement them well, they are worthless.

{7} "Twitter is a community, a conversation, not a pitch platform."

I just cleaned my following list on Twitter out last week, eliminating those that I was following that were using Twitter only to promote themselves and their blogs. If that's all your using Twitter for, there are other, much more effective ways to promote your blog. Twitter is all about interaction (see #4 above).

{8} "Authenticity is everything. It's not about how many followers you have, but your engagement with them."

We don't have enough time in a day to follow every great writer/blogger/business out there. The ones that interact with us and make us feel like we're important to them are the ones that are going to gain our loyalty.

{9} "Nothing out there [in social media] will ever change the fact the relationships take time."

If you haven't already experienced this, you will. Becoming fast-friends with others in social media is more the exception than the norm. Take the time to build lasting relationships with others, just as you would in real life.

{10} "You've got to invest in something before withdrawing."

Just as you wouldn't go to a bank to take money out that you didn't first put in, neither should you expect to have an instant following on a social media platform. Blogging, Facebook, Twitter - they all take time to build relationships and influence (see #9 above). Don't expect to be great overnight!

UnMarketing is not just a book about marketing - it is so much more! I would highly recommend it to anyone attempting to spread their blog, brand, products, etc. You can follow the author, Scott Stratten, on Twitter: @UnMarketing.

Which quote stands out to you? Share it and tell us why in the comments below!!

This post is linked to Top Ten Tuesday hosted by Oh Amanda.