Category Archives: life stories

#lovelytracesofhope, Bible stories, Excuses, God showed up, life stories, Lovely Traces, Open hands, Pay Attention, Psalm 77, Questions?, Red Sea

What Happens When You See God?

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HOPE & HEALING IN THE HOLIDAYS

If you are just now joining us, I encourage you to start at the earlier posts (links are included in the box below) to build the foundation for the thoughts I share here.

1. Looking at the BIG moments that Change Your Life
2. What Happens When a Moment Changes Your Life?
3. Hope & Healing in the Holidays
4. Have you noticed what you need this holiday?
5. Say It Like It Really Is
6. Little Words that Will Make a Big Change

I started this series with a post about looking at the BIG moments that Change your Life.  What is marvelous, as you finish reading Psalm 77,  once again we are reminded of tha RED SEA moment.  (Check out the #1 post listed above if you need a reminder about the Red Sea. Or read the book of Exodus.  Fascinating telling of history. )

After Asaph, the writer of Psalm 77, chooses his response by

  • noticing his need (post 4)
  • expressing his emotions (post 5)
  • and pivoting his perspective  (post 6)
  • He sees God!  O God! (also post 6)

Then he gives an example of an O GOD moment, one that would be familiar to his audience.

When the Red Sea saw you!

The Psalmist once again is reminding the reader of that big God moment when the children of Israel stood between death – and death; between the RED SEA and the Egyptian army. A moment when they couldn’t imagine a way out.  They couldn’t begin to fathom how God could intervene.

And then He does. Continue reading What Happens When You See God? →

Bible stories, fear, life stories, Lovely Traces, Moses, Psalm 77, stuck

Looking at the BIG Moments that Change Your Life

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The discussion Rennie & I shared  with a small group of friends turned to moments in our life we remember really well.

We each shared stories of special events- concerts, sporting events, etc. that we recalled in vivid detail.  We remembered who was with us, what happened, how it felt.  Often, someone would share how that moment had changed their life. 

Like the young man who as a boy was with his father at a baseball game when a world breaking home run was made.  He remembered the permission he and the entire grandstand had to celebrate the moment in a loud and crazy fashion.

Or the young woman who just experienced a training event over the weekend that seems to have had a life-changing impact on her future. She spoke with excitement, passion and tears about the moment she knew this was was she needed to do next.

Then our leader asked, ” What is the arena where God shows up in our life?”

Life events – Tragedies – Celebrations

We all had moments to share.  And most of them were the Big Moments.  Moments we could recall in vivid detail.  We remembered who was with us, what happened, how it felt.  Often, someone would share how that moment had changed their life.

I immediately thought of my MOMENT. Actually a series of moments that I consider to be my RED SEA moment. Continue reading Looking at the BIG Moments that Change Your Life →

Brielle, Bucket list, Exquisite Attention, Finish Strong, life lessons, Pay Attention, Power Hour

Finish Exquisitely

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For the past couple of weeks I’ve written about my ponderings on the word EXQUISITE.  You can find those earlier posts here.

Exquisite, by definition

A Close Up Look at EXQUISITE

But today’s post is the visual example of how paying exquisite attention affects our ability to finish what we have started. 
This fall, our daughter, Brielle, ran a marathon.  Continue reading Finish Exquisitely →

GHC opportunities, life lessons, life stories, Living Intentionally, Lovely Traces, make a difference, Pay Attention, s.n.a.p.

Boy, Do I Have a Story to Share!

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I have been told more than once how amazing it is that I could write my book about my experiences- or create videos that share something I learned on a given day.  “I just don’t have those kind of things happen to me. But it’s nice that you do!”

Hmmm? Could it be that I have more things happen to me than you do? I doubt it.  Would God show up in my story more than He would in yours?  I don’t think so.

I don’t have a secret password to get to God.  I have bad things happen just as much as I have good.  Some of you wouldn’t want my story- and I wouldn’t want yours.

But my story Continue reading Boy, Do I Have a Story to Share! →

#lovelytracesofhope, Hope, influence, Leisha's Hope, Lovely Traces

The Beauty of Signing a Book!

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OK! It’s official! I’m an author!  I held my first book signing thanks to the gracious and persistent Tanya Augsburger of the Bluffton Public Library, Bluffton, OH.

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Months ago- before there was an actual book, Tanya engaged me to consider hosting an author event at the library.  I thought she was jumping the gun, but I appreciated her thinking ahead for me. It was a delight for me to work with Tanya to put together this book signing event. I am so grateful for her and the Library for hosting this opportunity.

I knew that book signings were often part of an author’s next steps.  I knew that it was valuable to connect with interested and potential new readers.

But I witnessed so much BEAUTY in this moment and in the people who attended. Continue reading The Beauty of Signing a Book! →

#lovelytracesofhope, dandelion, Hope, influence, Leisha's Hope, Lovely Traces, make a difference, Questions?

Influence Like a Dandelion

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Ten years ago next weekend, we gathered to remember a spunky little gal named Leisha.

We celebrated her life And mourned our loss of her.

We remembered the things she didTo make us laugh

To make us cry,

To make us crazy!

She touched our lives and she taught us,

She changed us in the living and the dying.

Would she have made such a difference in our lives if she had just lived?  I know I’m her momma, but I think so.

The day she died, I met her on our country road. I was teasing her because she was so eager to get her driver’s permit. I said,” you just want power. ”

I could see the wheels spinning in her head and her eyes were sparkling.

She spoke,  “I don’t need power. I want to influence. I want to say, I’m going come with me.”

“Honey you were made to influence,” I replied as I stroked her nose like I had so many days since she was born.

10 minutes later,  she was gone.

I want to influence. I want to say, I'm going come with me. Click To Tweet

my first bookSeveral have asked why, out of all the pictures I have of Leisha,  I chose a black and white one of her blowing a dandelion for the cover.

Well, dandelions have long been important at the Burrus house.

For one thing, Continue reading Influence Like a Dandelion →