Pineapple Chicken, Big Orange Cats and Loving Life

Something really neat happened last night. I was walking outside, enjoying the gorgeous weather, in a neighborhood across from the nature preserve. Suddenly I just started prayer-walking for the people in the houses in what was kind of a cul-de-sac. [Praying with my eyes open of course, so I wouldn't run into anything. :-)] Well, I felt like God was leading me to walk further down a main road and pray for a particular house whose lights I could see in the distance. On my way back, I ran into this big, gorgeous orange cat and got to pet it! This may seem like a small thing ... but any of y'all who know me very well probably know that I totally love cats, even though I haven't gotten to own one for quite a while. So ... that was way fun and something I really believe the Lord orchestrated. It really boggles my mind how He cares for even the little details of our lives, and loves to bless us for His glory. :-) He's pretty amazing like that!

I had a really good night, and today has been nice, too ... around 11 this morning, some of us writers went to Panda Express for a super-quick lunch before our afternoon seminar and I ordered the pineapple chicken and fried rice ... yum! :o) I totally loved the seminar, taught by this guy who's basically a ministry marketing specialist and whose book we've been going through, a chapter or so a week. He had so many great insights on how to make our communications more personal to our donors ... definitely stuff I look forward to applying in my writing. The whole topic he shared on is so fascinating to me ... we were in there with him for four hours, but it totally didn't feel like it!

After the seminar I took a quick walk (to stretch my shoulders!) and was thinking about how refreshed I am feeling ... like the Lord is giving me a fresh new start in my day-to-day life ... I realized that elements of my life were feeling routine, but that seems to have totally changed. He has truly refreshed my heart and awakened me again to His heart of joy. Isn't it incredible how He uses trials in our lives to do that ... how we can come through them feeling so alive, renewed? And how He has ministered to me in the midst of this trial and taken away the pain so quickly! In spite of that, I don't want to forget the deeper spiritual truths I have learned through it ... my heart yearns to be just as much abiding in Jesus in the easier times as in the harder ones. :)

Well ... I must go so I can eat some supper before prayer meeting tonight ... but I would love to hear from you if you'd like to share how the Lord is working in your life ... I'm sure many of you have some great stories to share! :)