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she’s got the look {#OneBeautifulThing}

May 17, 2012 By Brooke McGlothlin

I don’t know ya’ll, but I’m pretty sure that dude (dude-ette?) is lookin right at me.

My husband and I went to the beach alone for a few days several years ago (I know, right??). Aside from getting so burnt the first day we were there that we couldn’t even touch each other (true story), one of the highlights of our trip was watching a sweet blond-headed boy chase seagulls on the beach.

He was about the same age as our oldest son and had a slight lisp like our youngest. And apparently, somewhere in his educational pursuits someone had forgotten to explain to him that the birds he was chasing were called seagulls. He called them chickens…or, to be more correct…

Schickens.

For about an hour each afternoon, little blond-headed boy chased “schickens” screaming, “Get that schicken! Get that schicken!” It was a sight. The whole beach was delighted by his delight.

So you’re wondering what seagulls and “schickens” have to do with this little lady? (I think it’s a girl…but really, who’s checking? I didn’t grow up on a farm…I don’t know these things).

Our neighbors have an ever-expanding farm-like backyard. And these birds (plus some very cocky turkeys) mozy their way over onto our property at least once a day (leaving nice little “gifts” if you know what I mean). On this particular day, I decided to try to chase this bird to get evidence, er…I mean, get a close-up.

The bird didn’t like our little dance.

And the whole time I was chasing it, all I could thing of was that adorable little blonde-haired boy at the beach screaming, “Get that schicken! Get that schicken!”

I got the “schicken.” It’s my one beautiful thing this week friends. What’s yours?

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Join the One Beautiful Thing community and take the challenge to see your life as the beautiful work of art God made it to be. Make one photo of something beautiful (as your eyes see it) each week and link-it up here. In your post, share the story of the photo…tell us why it brings beauty to your life and use the button below to link back to us so others can look for the beauty in their lives.

Don’t blog? Share your one beautiful thing on the Surprised By Life Facebook page.

#OneBeautifulThing

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A Review of Logos Bible Software {& a discount!}

May 16, 2012 By Brooke McGlothlin

I’ve been writing my whole life.

In grad school, I used to lay on the floor of my apartment with a textbook on one side, and dictionary on the other. There was a huge difference between the reading level of my undergrad courses, and what I was sloshing through the first few weeks of my master’s program. In the beginning, I had to stop reading my text nearly every paragraph just to look up words and try to make what I was reading make sense!

When I wrote papers (lo, there were many), I could often be found buried under reference books, research papers, magazines, and various translations of the Bible.

No more!

#SurprisedByLife

You may have heard me raving about Logos Bible Software on Twitter and Facebook for the last few months. I simply can’t say enough about how much I love it. LOVE. IT. My only regret is that I didn’t get it sooner. Seriously, do grad students even go to the library anymore when they need to research a paper?

Here’s why I love it…

As a writer, it gives me all of the Bible study tools and resources I need to ensure biblically accurate writing for you here at Surprised By Life, and in all of my future books.

As a Christian woman who is deeply intrigued by theology, it provides me with depth, and the ability to get my questions answered quickly and reliably.

As a boy mom, it gives me fast access to material for my daily Warrior Prayers.

As a blogger, it gives me confidence when I hit “publish.”

It’s very user friendly and easy to navigate (important when you’re a busy mom with only so much time to spend on the computer)
The graphics are beautiful (great for visual learners…I can see myself incorporating Logos Bible Software into our homeschooling in later years too. What an amazing tool!)
I have it on my Mac, my iPhone, and my iPad. So even when I’m on the go, I can be in the know. Of course it’s available for PCs too.
There are tons of incredibly helpful tutorials on the Logos website. So anytime I have a question about how something works, I can go there to find answers.
Really, I could go on and on…

So in celebration of my new love for all things Logos, I’m thrilled to tell you that you can get your own Bible software for a 15% discount! When you check out, just use the code “BASE15″ to get 15% off of any base package they offer! There’s a software package to meet any need, so go check them out!

And one more thing?

Logos is behind the brand new Faithlife Women conference, coming to Dallas, Texas September 6-8, 2012.

From the website:

“It’s a conference for women like you looking for ways to apply the Bible to every aspect of life. Logos Bible Software has brought Christian women from across the nation to speak on issues such as love, communication, and health—and what God says about them.”

Sounds great, right? If you’re in the Dallas area, get yourself there. Registration is only $79, and fantastic speakers await you! Some I would love to see include Leslie Vernick, Elyse Fitzpatrick, and Angela Thomas, but there are so many more.

There’s really so much good happening through the Logos Bible Software ministries right now friends. I’m so glad to call them friends, so go ahead check them out for yourself today!

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what He gave up to come to you

May 15, 2012 By Brooke McGlothlin

This is the final post in a series sharing my story and the reason for this blog. Read when the power of prayer seems lost, when radical faith goes in mourning, and daring to hope again first and then head back to this post. And welcome!

After suffering so much loss, I was left disallusioned, and afraid that what was to come would be worse than what had already been. Saying “I trust You Lord,” felt like pronouncing open season on my heart, as if trusting invited God to take as much away from me as He wanted to…all for His glory.

#SurprisedByLife

In some ways, holding on to the hurt was easier, more comfortable, than taking a step into the unknown. Bondage or drowning…it reminds me of the Israelites.

Ahead—the Red Sea, water as far as the eye could see. Behind—the Egyptians, slavery, death. The Israelites had nowhere to go. No safe place, no rescue in sight, only death behind them and death before them.

Maybe they were wondering how their promised deliverance would come? Maybe they felt deceived, duped by the hand of a God they once thought of as kind. Where was their Rescuer? When would He come?

Maybe they felt abandoned by God, lost, and afraid. What good could possibly outweigh all they had lost, and what they stood to lose as they waited between their future and their past. Could they trust God to be good again?

Could I?

Moving forward

“And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.” ~Exodus 14:13

One-by-one the Israelites chose to leave their past behind, and move toward the deliverance God had planned for them since the beginning of time. They watched with eyes wide open as the waters lifted and dry land formed…and they walked. This moment, not a surprise to God any more than your circumstance or mine, proved once and for all that their God could finish the job.

He still can.

Your loss, your fears, pain, and hurt, whatever surprises life has brought your way, they aren’t a surprise to God. There’s never been even one moment that God wondered what to do now, or how He would pull off your rescue or mine.

He had our rescue planned from the beginning of time. And the hope of our rescue, our deliverance, isn’t something we have to wait for. Our ”hope is not a wish or a sprinkle of magical fairy dust. Hope is a person.” (Stacey Thacker, Hope for the Weary Mom)

His Name is Jesus. He IS our rescue.

The same Jesus who paid the penalty for your sins and mine, provided the single greatest rescue the world has ever known.

I’ve often wondered if Mary knew what Jesus gave up to come to her?

“Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judea again.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?”

~John 11:5-8

Jesus’ turn to Judea to minister to Mary and her family ensures His walk to the cross, His resurrection of Lazarus setting in motion the plot for His own death. And as He comes to Mary in her time of need, offering her family life after death and healing from their pain, so He begins the walk toward you and toward me, offering us life through His own death and resurrection.

Do you know what He gave up to come to you?

Look at all you’ve lost, then look at all He lost so that you could be found. You ARE rescued already if you call Him Lord. Maybe not from the hurts of this life—Jesus told us we would have trouble—but your ultimate salvation has already been won. And just as the Israelites found sure footing as the waters lifted, you can too in remembering that the stone was rolled away. Jesus paid the ultimate price to win the battle for your heart and mine, and He arose the victor.

So take the step into your future. Leave the past in the past and allow the deliverance God has already given to propel you into the future with purpose and passion for what might come next.

Trust Him, and say yes.

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Thanks for joining me these last few weeks as I’ve shared my story, and a little of the reason for this blog. My desire is that you would find the courage here to say “yes” to God too. Here’s a list of all of the posts in this series.

When the power of prayer seems lost

When radical faith goes in mourning

Daring to hope again

What He gave up to come to you

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