I love the story, and the details about how they went about the process of investing in a core group of people. They realized that there were plenty of good, well-intentioned people, but not very many of them were deep people. They wanted to be examples of how to live a life centered around Jesus and share life together. They wanted to develop exceptional leaders who had spiritual maturity and who would know how to inspire others to grow deeper in their faith.

The book follows the process through which Gordon and his wife develop the idea of growing deep people, how they bring in others to join them, and how they present it to their church board. The decision to cultivate this group of people would require that he step back from some of his traditional duties. It is a great example of how an idea starts with a prompt, and then grows as you are more willing to talk about it and get the opinions of others.

This part from the preface encompasses the main idea of the book. “When you think about it, we do seem to know how to get unchurched people to visit our buildings and enjoy our programs. We even appear to know how to persuade many to acknowledge personal faith in Jesus. But some are saying that what we do not know is how to produce the deep people who are supposed to emerge after that. We do not produce them, at least, in the quantities that are necessary to the challenges of our times. The result is a growing scarcity in spiritual leadership. And the implication is that without an abundance of deep people- spiritual leaders – tomorrow’s organized church could be headed for irrelevance…..What might happen if a church made the development of deep people its highest priority?”

You learn about a core group of couples and singles who go on a journey with Gordon and his wife to spend one night per week for an entire year together. They focus on studying the bible, discussing leadership, and learning to care deeply for one another. They also go through some challenging and turbulent times, and learn the need to show grace and love to one of their members.

If you are looking for a great book that will challenge you to think differently, then this is it. It was an easy read, but the concepts presented are also very encouraging. I would highly recommend it.

I had only heard of them from a post Jon had written after seeing them perform in someone’s living room.

A handful of us went to the show. It was fun to connect with other Quitter friends and have a night out inNashville. We had no idea what an amazing show we were in for. They were awesome!

They had just about every instrument imaginable with them. And they could all play the majority of them!

I love seeing bands that are so passionate about what they do. I have been listening to them nonstop and just love their unique sound and lyrics.

Check out their album release video on YouTube!

The ideas that Jon presents about following your dream, changing your life and fully living, can be overwhelming. Especially when you have NO idea what your dream is. That was me last year. I had completely stopped dreaming.

When Jon announced the second Quitter conference, I asked him if he recommended that people come for a second time. His response was yes! And, he said there would be more interaction with the attendees. This was something that excited me. There had not been much time to network last year. Finding others who are chasing dreams is not always easy. And being in a room full of 200+ others who are, is pretty rare.

For me, that was the best part of this year’s conference. Don’t get me wrong. Jon is still incredibly funny and motivating. And having more clarity on my own dream definitely helped. Am I excited about the changes I have made to date? Absolutely. But what I’ve also learned is that hearing other people talk about their dream and share it really excites me. Why? Because I’m an encourager. In some small way, I can hopefully support them or encourage them.

I met some incredible people at the conference. I look forward to following them, supporting them, and learning from them.

I love hearing people passionately talk about their dreams and providing hope to others. Jon does an amazing job at that. It never gets old. But what resonated with me this time were more practical things that I can apply.

So, what were my key learnings?

1. When you talk about your dream, it often makes people go deaf. Wow. That is so profound. When you say “I want to write a book”, they may hear, “What you’re doing is not good enough. Why aren’t you doing something more with your life? or I’m cooler than you.” Jon just wrote a great post about this.

This nugget has helped me realize so many things about people. It keeps going back to “It’s not about me.” People are often listening to the voices in their heads rather than to what you are saying. So don’t take it personally that they don’t understand your dream. Many times, their response has absolutely nothing to do with you. This advice can apply to SO many areas of our lives.

2. Approval is a terrible fuel for a dream. I struggle with this one for sure. I want people to like me and respond to what I am doing.  I like confirmation and acknowledgement for what I’ve done. I’ve gotten so much better at this over the years, but it is great to think of it in the context of dreaming.

Approval will fade. Many people won’t like what you’re doing. You have to be your own fuel.

3. I’m going to measure my obedience, not results. This one hit home for me. It’s exactly what I’ve been learning over the last few years. Learning to live in true faith and trust. To not have the plan all figured out. To simply obey when God leads. What does that mean for the future? I have no idea. What I do know is that I am being obedient. I am reaching out to people when I feel led. I am writing when I feel led. So for me, this is going to be my mantra moving forward.

4. If you want support, give support. I have always tried to do this, and have been more intentional about it lately. Having a support system has been immeasurable for me. But, I have learned that as I’ve supported others. This is something I think so many people miss.

So, if this was your first Quitter conference, should you go to the next one? My answer is definitely YES!  If you put into practice what you have learned at this one, you will be amazed at how much more clarity will come at the next one. And if you’ve never been, then you should definitely go!!

A big thank you to Jon Acuff, and the entire event team, for another great event. Also, remember to give your feedback. One of the things many of us responded with were that there was not enough time for networking. They took that feedback and improved it.

So, what were your learnings? I’d love to hear from you.

sunrise (Photo credit: Sean MacEntee)

I have been traveling more lately. Being on airplanes is often somewhat therapeutic for me. I probably won’t be saying that after the next month of crazy travel that I have! But, I wrote more about that here.

But, something has been causing me to think lately. No matter what the weather or the situation is when you take off (rain, snow, sleet) – the sun is always shining when you get up over the clouds. We don’t always think about that, do we?

We are always focused on what is right in front of us. Stress, anxiety, problems, and rainy days.

It gives me hope.

It reminds me that we can always count on that. As long as we are alive, the sun will always shine. It will always come up tomorrow, even if we can’t see it.

One that sticks out was a simple one. In his quiet manner, when my mom would be upset and couldn’t get us under control, he would walk in and calmy say “You guys, settle down.”

Did it work every time? Almost! He had such a gentle way about him that it calmed us instantly it seemed.

The other was during our morning routine. If he was having a hard time waking us up, he would burst into our room and jump on our bed and tickle us, yelling “here comes the tiger!” I would always groan about it, but looking back, it makes me smile. I never knew why he used that phrase or where it came from. But, I’ll always remember it.

So what kind of phrases do you remember your Dad saying?

Happy Valentine's Day... (Photo credit: Јerry)

It also falls two days after the day that my Dad passed away. He passed away on my parents’ wedding anniversary. I know that had to be so hard for my Mom. They would have been married 47 years this year. But, I guess I can’t really say that anymore, since she was remarried to my StepDad for the last 10 years. But, I like to think my parents would still be married at this time if my Dad was still alive. Things to ponder, I guess!

I say all of this to say that I’ve never put a big emphasis on Valentine’s Day. Rick and I decided a long time ago to only celebrate our first date anniversary instead of Valentine’s Day. This year, we both forgot. Oops!

But, we’re learning to celebrate each other on a continual basis, rather than just on specific holidays.

What do you think about Valentine’s Day?

He’s help me realize that it’s never too late to chase your dreams. And that you can be an influence right where you are. No matter what you are doing. It definitely doesn’t always involve actually quitting your job.

Tonight was the first night of this year’s Quitter conference. It was excellent! Particularly because he is so incredibly funny, and also because he is the real deal. He is honest, open, and willing to share his mistakes. He is also incredibly down to earth and nice.

He did a great job after the first conference of following people and supporting them. One of those people was me. He linked to my blog and has been incredibly supportive. He knew who I was when we met, and thanked me for an email I had sent him.

For anyone who might be skeptical that Jon is just doing this to sell more books or get famous, I can tell you that is truly not the case. His passion is to share his ideas with others and help them.

Thank you, Jon, for showing us how to follow our dreams, and for being willing to help others follow theirs. You are truly an inspiration.

When I heard she was writing her first book, I was so excited for her. I love seeing people go after their dreams!

Thank you, Courtney, for spending time with us, and for inspiring me.

Q: When did you first start writing?

A: I think I’ve always been a writer at heart, but I didn’t really realize it until college. One of my professors (I don’t even remember her name!) pulled me aside and told me I was a really good writer and should think about pursuing it. It was funny, at that time, I was so caught up in wanting to be an actor that I all but dismissed her (which is probably why she remains nameless in my memory.) I remember being at school in my dorm room over a holiday when no one else was around. I got bored, so I wrote a play. A cast of five women. I have no idea what happened to it, but it sparked something in me…I’ve been writing in one form or another ever since!

Q: How long were you blogging before you decided to write a book?

A: I started blogging forever ago as a way to get myself writing everyday. I think I blogged for four years before I started pursuing fiction! I’ve been blogging forever, but finally feel like in the last year, I’m starting to understand the blog-reader better. For instance, I no longer write 1000 word posts.

Q: How long did it take you to write the book?

A: I got the contract in 2010, but it went through many changes. The release date was changed so we kept working on and editing it…I’d say a good year and a half. With the third one, I’ve had to become more efficient (and make an outline) because I’ve got far less time AND I’ve been working on edits for Book Two at the same time!

Q: How many publishing companies did you pitch the book to before they decided to do it?

A: Actually, this was the first one. We sort of tailored our pitch for Guideposts and pulled in my scrapbooking experience. The proposal went through MANY changes until finally we settled on Sweethaven! I’m so glad we did.

Q: What is the hardest thing for you about writing?

A: The hardest thing for me is editing. I look at it as a big puzzle that you have to take apart and put back together. You decide which pieces stay and which need to go. That’s really hard for me. It doesn’t come naturally. Thankfully, I have been lucky to work with a few incredible editors. Editors are geniuses.

Q: Are any of the characters based on actual friends?

A: Not really. I think I sort of meld people together, but the characters become very real to me…they definitely take on a life of their own!

Q: What advice would you give someone who is just starting to write?

A: Read. Everything you can. Books, websites, Writer’s Digest Magazine. Then, I would say, what helped me immensely was attending a writer’s conference. I went to ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and still go every year. You learn so much there. But also, I would say, be prepared to work. It seems there are lots of people who want to write a book, but you just can’t do it unless you’re willing to work–hard. It’s not for the faint of heart, I can promise you that!

Q: What inspires you?

A: People. Real life stories. I’m always fascinated by how people respond to their circumstances. I think character development and dialogue are my favorite parts of writing.

Courtney’s official book launch is today! You can order her book here or here.

Also, she will be having a book launch in Dixon this weekend at The Last Picture Show. It is on Saturday from 2 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Stop by and support this local author!

I loved this book, and would love one of you to get a free copy. Post your comments below, and I will pick a winner this week.

Congratulations, Courtney!! I look forward to the rest of this series, which will come out later this year.

That was me – for a long time. And as I’ve now experienced the amazing experience of having pushed past the fear, it has made me think about so many other areas of our lives where we do this same thing.

You have a dream to do something, but you don’t start, because of fear.

You want to try something new, but you don’t, because you are afraid.

You know you need to make changes in your life, but you don’t, because you are scared.

The list could go on and on. I know I have been this way in many areas of my life. It had become a habit. But, I am learning that pushing past the fear can lead to amazing changes. Changes we will never experience if we don’t have the courage to take a step. That’s typically all it takes.

One step.

One decision.

One act.

So, what was my fear? My fear was giving up these things -

and having the courage to go through with lasik eye surgery.

I am happy to say that I did it! And it wasn’t bad at all. In fact, it has been a wonderful experience. The joy of waking up and being able to see, without having to put on glasses or contacts, has been life changing.

Whatever your fear is – face it. Take one small step toward it.

You can do it!

I had nothing to wear. I was out of shape, overweight, and felt so frumpy.

I was looking forward to going to the dance with my son and seeing him with all of his friends. But, I still was focused on me, because I just did not feel comfortable with how I looked.

Fast forward – one year later.

Instead of a dance, they decided to do a roller skating party!

Had I been at the weight and in the physical shape I was the year before, I never would have agreed to go. But now, I was excited about it.

My sons had never been roller skating! So, this was a new experience for them. They were so excited!

And, instead of sitting on the sidelines and not exposing them to this fun activity, I was able to embrace it. I had a great time! (It also brought back crazy memories of skating almost every weekend in the ’80s!)

Why?

Because I am in better shape now.

I am stronger.

I am healthier.

Photo by Otree Photography

While I still struggle with finding something to wear, it’s for different reasons now, and not because I am trying to hide every feature.

This is not a before and after picture. Especially since you can’t really see me!  It’s just a glimpse into how you can feel completely different when you start making better choices and taking care of yourself. The simplest things that would have brought stress to you no longer do. I am excited about being able to be a Mom who is active and doing fun things with my kids. My Dad was always that way, and I have wonderful memories of all of the adventures we used to go on.

One year from now, you can either be happy that you’ve made progress, or frustrated with the fact that you haven’t even tried.

What’s your choice?