Journeying with the Resurrected Jesus in Confusion

Happy FriYAY!

If you were part of our retreat last October, you know that Dayna Curtis Moseley led a session about FUN. She pulled from Annie F. Downs' book, "That Sounds Fun." At the end of her podcast (every, single one) Annie asks her guests, "What sounds fun to you?" As a teacher during the month of May, what sounds fun to me is talking about SUMMER! So, that's what we're going to do today.

I have chosen the book we will read together for our "summer book club," and our topic this week provides a great space to introduce it. The name of it is "Looking for Lovely," and the author is Annie F. Downs. As often as I quote her, share a podcast episode from her, or just point you to something she's doing, we've never read one of her books as our summer choice. I think it's time, because this particular book is a good place to pause after our Eastertide study.

In the introduction, Annie ended with this paragraph, "I want us to learn to look for the lovely all around us and collect it, hold it close, and see how God drops beautiful things into our lives at just the right time to help us step forward on our own paths."

Doesn't that sound perfect? We have been on two journeys, one to the cross and one on a road just beyond the cross. In Annie's book, she describes a number of life events and places that include extremely difficult circumstances. She doesn't sugar coat the reality that life is simply hard.... for everyone! All summer long, she will encourage us to look for the lovely in each and every circumstance.

That's our next journey, ladies. We can be disciples on our very own Emmaus road, but we will not miss Jesus. We will learn to actively look for Him in each moment.

Are you in? Will you join me? I'm very excited, and today I want us to dream a little bit. Who do you want to read with this summer? I know summer is different and busy in a million different ways. But, could you add a coffee date, living room date, or dinner date once or twice a month with a small group of women you'll look for lovely with?

I'm sharing the book with you now, because I want you to go and buy it. I'm asking you to dream now, because we won't make a plan that could offer gifts beyond description if we don't start the work now. Let's do it!

If I've not convinced you yet, I want you to head on over to a very old podcast that Annie did the day "Looking for Lovely" launched years ago. You'll enjoy her and the content. Please pray about joining us this summer and inviting some friends to participate. I believe this is an important next step for us to take together.

Hey.... just for fun, drop a comment below answering the question "What sounds fun to you?" I'm looking forward to reading these Fun Friday replies.

Jesus, thank you for journeying with us. Sometimes we don't recognize You, but we believe You are here. There are times when we are sad, disappointed, and even a little lost in this world, because the expectations of our humanity get in the way. When You make yourself very evident, though, our hearts burn within us. Will you help us to recognize that and trust it. Your presence can make us brave. Today, we commit ourselves to You. We want to be transformed by Your presence in our lives and Your power in our bodies. We belong to You, and that Truth makes us glad. Amen.