More on The Book

Yep, it's back ON!

And I think I even have a framework for it.

Be afrad. Be very afraid.

Or not.

I was hoping God would make it easy and link it to Hosea somehow, but Noooooo. Which is probably okay, because these Hosea commentaries are tough to wade through. My brain starts hurting after a paragraph.

I really feel like things are starting to come together for me. It's like God is finally saying, GO!!!!!! in a huge way.

My friend and I are planning a retreat in August similar to the one she did in December, only it'll be in another part of the country, and I think I'll be teaching. It's weird, because this was a dream I've had for years, but no one ever shared my vision like she does. Which is awesome, because I'm finding more things she and I have in common, and it's just awesome.

Speaking of teaching, I've applied to teach a tax class at the ACFW conference, which has the people who know about it really excited. It doesn't seem directly linked, and yet, it seems like an important thing for me to do.

Then, my other friend, who I've been wanting to get to know better and spend more time with, invited me to join her on a short mission trip this spring. The timing is really perfect, and I'm really excited to go out and experience a mission on a smaller level with someone whose heart is just so on fire for Jesus. She totally inspires me, and I'm really excited to be able to share this with her.

Plus, I've got some really good feelings about my writing, and some clearer direction, which is always good. I'm still intimidated by The Book, because I can make stuff up until the cows come home, but how do I spend 200 pages talking about stuff I don't make up? How do I convey truth in a meaningful way? The super cool thing is, that after conversing with some folks online, I've realized how not alone I am in the emotion and feeling behind The Book. So even though it is discouraging in some ways, in terms of the enormity of the problem, it is very encouraging to know how needed it is.

Finally, one of the things one of my other friends has had me thinking about, is that I would like to explore the Jewish roots of my faith. I'm so fascinated by it all, and she'd been sharing some of the things she'd been learning. One of the things I'd decided for this year is that I'd like to celebrate some of the Jewish holidays and festivals. Not in a legalistic way, or because I think it will make me a better Christian, but because I want to encounter God in celebrating things like Passover. Anyway, as I was browsing the bookstore tonight, they had calendars on sale. Don't know why I looked, since I really don't need a new calendar, but I did. And I found a Jewish calendar. Which is funny, because my friend showed me hers and I thought it was cool, but remarked that I'd never seen one. I bought a beautiful wall calendar that I think I'm going to frame the pics from, as well as a pocket calendar.

I realize these all sound like semi random unrelated things, but I just keep feeling like they are all really connected to this plan that God has for me. And somehow, it's all going to be woven together and come out in a really cool way. I'm so excited!! I just can't wait to see what God is going to do with all of this. Sort of like a crazy life of Danica casserole.