This is absolutely what I need for right now. We are in search mode, and I'm having trouble of letting go of what the "dream" was and accepting that even if we could do that thing, it's not for us. Sometimes it hurts to say "no" or walk away. It's actually really scary to turn down opportunities! But I don't want to spend my life settling for something. Thank you for this series of stories about dreaming. :)

Tweeted! :)

Pinned a picture of one of the mugs to Pinterest.

Shared on Facebook.

Wow. I'll admit that I'm not generally a fan of Wal-mart, but I'm so glad to see something like this in their stores! Truth cards ... brilliant. I would have loved for someone to tell me: "It's okay to be who you are." That's something I'm embracing lately. I don't have to like all the same things as my friends or have all the same beliefs. I don't have to change anything to be loved and accepted. (Not that I'm perfect ... I have lots that I do need to change!) Thanks for sharing this!

Pinned to Pinterest.

Shared on Facebook.

Goosebumps, cheering, squeals of delight ... I do all of that for you!! Such amazing news! I'm so glad it came on the heels of a rough year. I love when God surprises us with something beyond our dreams when we're just about to give up dreaming altogether. I think my big dream is to see a book I wrote in print, however that happens. I have so many ideas and the time is not yet right but is close to right to be able to pursue those ideas. I feel like I'm in prep mode for leaping. (So, so scary.) Thanks for sharing your news and your dreams and for reminding us to dream big!

Also pinned the giveaway to Pinterest.

Shared the giveaway/camp on Facebook.

I love most Disney movies, but there really was something special about Frozen. So, I guess that's my current favorite! I already "like" The Studio on Facebook. :)

Tweeted.

Pinned to Pinterest.

I also shared the page on Facebook.

Ridiculously excited for you both! The video gave me goosebumps. I'm so inspired when people live their dreams. Yay for you! I wish I could get my kids involved in this. In the meantime, I'll shout right along with you and tell everyone I know! Thank you for using your gifts for God's glory and for investing in kids' confidence. You are doing good work, friends. Oh, and I liked your Facebook page. :)

First, I love the image of pitching your tent in the land of hope. This is something I've battled this last year. I'm terrified, sometimes, to hope because I might end up disappointed. As if God is some kind of cruel trickster who will pull the rug out from under my dreams at the last moment because I was a fool to hope. So glad he's not. And about blogging, well, I must be the last person on the planet without a smart phone or access to Instagram so I know not of what you speak. :) I love words too much to give up blogging. But then again I'm not writing a book on deadline, so the blog is my writing outlet.

Thanks for writing this, Courtney. I want to have an "ugly" parade outside of an A&F store but I'm not sure what that would accomplish. :)

Oh, I'm definitely waiting for something else bad to happen. Or at least, I get like that, especially when something unexpectedly "bad" happens. Like our car needed a $700 repair this week and even after it's fixed, I'm driving it thinking, what if this car breaks and can't be fixed? This is our ONLY transportation and we can't afford another car! It's like I'm telling God what He can already see because I think He can't see what I see. And really, He sees more than what I see. So I ask over and over and over again to see with His eyes. How is this good? What can I be thankful for about this? And sometimes I have to tell myself how good God is and that He isn't cruel or petty or punishing. He is good and He wants good for me. Our definitions of "good" just aren't always the same. :)

Oh, talk about getting this, Courtney. I get this. Ours happened a year and a half ago in the middle of the night. Our sump pump had been keeping up and then the EMA cut the power to most of the town to keep the substation from flooding and we ended up with 30 inches in our basement. It is heartbreaking, especially since most of the stuff we lost was books and pictures and memories. The kind of stuff that really hurts to lose. It does get better and you do move on, but in the moment, you feel all those things you described. I'm glad you were able to fight it and make progress and I'm praying you'll get some rest and not be overly discouraged. *hugs*

Oh, Courtney, this is lovely. I love the journey and how God takes you out of one place of familiarity and opens you up to new ways of seeing and then brings you to another place. It is so, so easy to think of God as the giant gumball machine (great illustration!) when in fact He's so much better than that because He gives and gives and gives so much that it's almost embarrassing because we don't deserve it and we don't do what we ought. I think those are the times I'm most inspired to worship. Thank you for these powerful, truth-filled words. You are a blessing!

I pretty much HATE February. How can the shortest month of the year feel like the stinkin' longest? Highlight is always Valentine's Day because my husband does the cooking.(Yay!) And I sold a couple of articles and through a friend booked a speaking engagement at a writer's conference in April. But otherwise, February has Phil and I rethinking just about everything about life, future and ministry. God is turning our world upside-down, in a good way, but it's frustrating when He doesn't show you the whole picture right away.

Thanks for the extra snippet. I LOVED A Wreath of Snow!

Okay, this was perfect timing. I was having some conference envy this weekend as every writer, seemingly, that I know was at some kind of conference. It sounds SO refreshing and exciting. I know my time will come, and I needed this reminder of things I can do. I always feel so guilty saying I need to be by myself for a little while, but I always feel better afterward. I loved your comment about saying "My sweet little man" to your son. I think I'm sweeter to my kids when I've been away from them for a little while. (Saying that sounds terrible!!!) Anyway, thanks!

I think I just found three more books to add to my out-of-control to-read pile. :) Great interviews!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this. I am SO there right. My husband graduates from seminary in about six weeks, we're NOT going to be in a church when he graduates (for too many reasons to go into here) and we have NO idea what will happen this summer. Full time work for him? For me? For both of us? I am drowning in worry. We're already living beyond tight when it comes to money, and I know that security=money for me, too. Have you read Beth Moore's "So Long Insecurity"? In it, she asks the reader to identify that one thing that we think will make everything better. That thing is where our security is. For me, it's totally material. A house. A car that doesn't break down ever. Freedom for worry when it comes to money. Being able to splurge here and there on fun things. What timely encouragement. I, too, doubt whether God is going to come through this time. I think that maybe the last time was the LAST time. Maybe he'll get tired of bailing us out of what seems like an impossible situation. He will do what he has promised. Amen. And Amen.