Paige's Picks and Weekend Links

THOUGHTS FROM THIS WEEK
I have been meditating on Psalm 45 this week after a friend showed me her new tattoo that references this chapter.  And as I read this, I'm drawn to verse 11 - do I really believe that HE, the king is enthralled with me?  If I'm honest, most days this scripture feels miles away from my reality... and yet, when I get quiet in the morning and listen for His whispers, I'm reminded of the TRUTH that I was created by Him.  Yes, He knows my shortcomings- when I yelled at my girls or got snarky with Josh...but He also knows the hidden dreams, the desires to be more like Him...and He knows things about me that I'm only now discovering for myself.  He knows me fully, completely, and He knows the me that is still to come...and He loves me.  He is enthralled with me - the me that He is working on to bring to a beautiful reality (Philippians 1:4)




Here is a round up of what's caught my eyes and moved my heart this week.

Do You Lose Yourself When You Have Kids? by Heather Avis on the Story Line Blog
And while everyday my selfish desires try to shout at and consume me, I find God’s grace, given me through my children, is so much louder and all consuming.

Decorating with Your Other Half by A Beautiful Mess
It's important to represent each member of your family/household in the decor. The best way to do this is to imagine how the house would look if each person had it 100% in their style, then mix those different elements together. 

Making Room by Leslie Rich
Making room is not just about setting a place at the table for a friend, but it’s also about clearing space in our lives and our minds for whatever God wants to do.  When He speaks, is there room in my head to hear it?

Every Book Starts with a Sentence by Lysa TeuKeurst
 It’s a process, this book writing thing. It’s hard and messy and crazy time-consuming. But what a wondrous thing to have words that live on beyond us. Sentences that linger and continue to inspire. 

A Voice for the Voiceless by Sarah Bessey
I want women to be safe and I want babies to be born. I want all of the reasons why women abort to cease, to be healed, to be legislated right out.

And if you didn't see this on my facebook page...here is a video that made me laugh so hard I was crying.  I'm dedicating it to short-term missionaries that I've worked with for over 15 years who are a bit dramatic when asked to try something new.  Enjoy!

Small Spaces That Speak To Me

Hi Friends,

It's been such a long time since I blogged, but my sister Leslie started back up with a lovely site: Inventive Hospitality (you should go check it out), and it reminded me of just how much I do enjoy writing down my thoughts & sharing them from time to time...so here we go again!

This last year we moved into a new home that has brought us so much joy as well as a few challenges (hello giant crack in the wall)!  But over the course of the year I have relished the opportunity to make this new place our own.  I've always been a fan of interior decorating, and with the inspiration of my mother and her elbow-grease to boot...I've loved tackling house projects since I was young.

What I'm discovering with this new project, is that I want this home to be right for us.  I want it to be beautiful, fun, practical, and interesting.  I want it to reflect the people who live here!  I think this is in line with where I am in my life as well...because I've come to the place where I'm no longer trying to be like someone else or dress like someone else or now decorate like someone else. 

I LOVE Joanna Gaines of Fixer Upper (even visited her Magnolia Market recently), but I need some color in my life.  I swoon when I see sweet pictures in home decor magazines, but I know the practicality is not for my family.  I still pin lots of ideas on Pinterest, but I've given up any illusion that I can copy them.  So I'm having fun mixing and matching random things and creating an environment where my family can thrive!

One thing I've discovered that I love: random groupings of items that speak a story to me.  For example: this is the corner of my bathroom sink. 

Here is why this speaks to me:

1. The Bust: I've wanted a bust since I started reading The Nesting Place, my favorite decorating blog a couple of years ago.  From time to time I would see busts in her pictures from around her home and I decided that I needed my very own serious looking bust.  Also, I LOVE Pride and Prejudice and one of my favorite moments from the latest movie is when Elizabeth is walking through the sculptures at Pemberly.  There is something so regal about a bust...but then to layer it with my necklaces reminds me that you can be elegant...but you've also got to shine your personality.
2. Several pieces of jewelry that I keep out are from Noonday Collection.  Can I just tell y'all how much I LOVE Noonday?!  I enjoy jewelry, but I really love jewelry that is helping women around the globe.  And FYI - Noonday is having a huge sale right now, in fact the gold and black cuff is on sale...go check it out & read about their vision.
3. The picture in the pink frame is of myself as a 1 year-old with my Mema.  My Mema went to heaven last year, and I still miss her.  She was one of the toughest ladies I've ever known...and recently someone told me, "Paige, you are tough."  They went on to explain that those words were a compliment, but I took them that way...because I want to be tough like my Mema.  Her picture reminds me each morning that great women do hard things.
4. The quote is pretty self explanatory, because like you, I often spend more time than necessary in front of that mirror wishing a blemish away...or trying on a 3rd outfit for the day...and sometimes you need to be reminded to just slap on a smile & not worry about it.
5. Lastly, these books are all favorites.  Let me tell you why: 

1. Beyond Our Selves by Catherine Marshall - Growing up I read Christy & Julie several times by Marshall and I LOVED those books.  I would envision myself as a school teacher in the old west (too much Little House on the Prairie and Anne of Green Gables too), and I would have some sort of love triangle.  I loved the purity in these books and yet also the stories of strong men and women trusting God in the midst of truly hard circumstances.
2. Fresh Brewed Life by Nichole Johnson - this book changed me when I was in college.  I think this was the first book where I felt like the author was brutally honest about her struggles and wrestling with God.  I read it in a season where I was learning it was okay to wrestle.  Everything didn't have a 3-step solution, and this book taught me to breathe in the midst of the uncertainty.
3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - I read this every year.
4. Scouting the Divine by Margaret Feinberg - this book caused me to see God in nature in a new way.  I loved Feinberg's discoveries and the fact that she didn't just settle for nice truths...but that she continued to dig - both in Scripture and in nature.
5. Here's to Hindsight by Tara Leigh Cobble - this book wasn't my favorite, but I love the title.  I like being remembered each morning that at the end of the day I'll have a bit more hindsight into all that has transpired in my life, and to remember that things that don't make sense now...may make sense later.

 Who knew that a small space could speak so much?  Do you have happy/meaningful places in your home? 

8 Books that I Enjoyed in 2014

There is something about Christmas break and the start of a New Year that makes me want to snuggle up and dive into a good book.  Apparently I’m not alone, because this week alone I’ve had four different friends ask for book suggestions, and I’ve seen several others on social media fishing for what might be good to read.

If you know me, you know that I love to read, and I love to hear from friends about the books capturing their hearts.  So, here are 12 books that I enjoyed in 2014 with a quick comment about each!

Fiction Finds

Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay - I actually finished this last night, and although I saw the end coming, I still enjoyed this easy read.  This will especially be enjoyed by my fellow Austen aficionados - lots of quotes to original Jane Austen novels.

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd - I saw April Roark  & Jennifer Watson (two friends with good taste in books make this recommendation to someone else on social media and so I quickly purchased it for myself).  This story inspired me, made me cry, and made me want to be more brave.

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty - I've read a couple of other Liane Moriarty books but this is my favorite so far.  Alice is in her 30's when she bumps her head and loses her memory...and it makes her see her busy, chaotic life in a new light.  Great read for a busy momma.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion - So, I actually got this book simply because it was free or $1.99 on Kindle and it had some great reviews.  And as I began the book I thought it was strange - wasn't sure why I was reading it...and yet I couldn't put it down.  By the end, I was a huge fan and I felt like I had learned so much about autism (the main character is autistic).

Couldn’t Put Down Non-Fiction

The Nesting Place by Myquillyn Smith - As some of you know, we bought a new house this year and embarked on a bit of remodeling (fun and overwhelming)!  I love the Nester's blog (the author of this book) and with my house adventure, I decided that I should learn all I could from her.  I expected decorating tips, but this book had warmth and wisdom, and it focused on the heart of the home which is what the Lord knew I needed!  Her book put me at ease to make this home "ours" and to be as quirky as I want in my decorating style (I love to be quirky in decor)...in fact, I just put together this little portion of my bathroom after finishing her book.  I think she would be proud!

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls - I'm late to the party on this book.  My friend Wendy told me to read this at least 5 years ago and I've heard it mentioned by numerous friends over the years, so I decided to pick it up before our family vacation and I. WAS. RIVETED.  I still cannot fully wrap my mind around the life of Walls - it is both beautiful and hear-breaking.  I started looking at everyone I encountered differently wondering what their life was really like.

Anything by Jennie Allen  - Sometimes God brings you a book at an intersection in your life that you desperately need, and this was the case for this book.  Allen talks about praying a simple prayer, "God I'll do anything" and it messed with me in the best way.

Notes from a Blue Bike by Tsh Oxenreider - Tsh intrigues me.  I read her blog and I love her spirit of adventure yet ability to still be disciplined and focused.  She, her husband, and 3 children are actually traveling the world for an entire year right now believing that her kids will get more education actually seeing the Great Wall rather than just reading about it.  But this book's message is basically that there is not necessarily a perfect road map to parent or live...but that you do need to find God's rhythm for your family.  It's okay to be different - to do what you love and raise your children with wonder.

On My Night Stand

So far in 2015, I'm reading (or plan to read)

Restless by Jennie Allen

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer

Lean on Me by Anne Marie Miller

The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown

Anything else that I should add to the stack?  What did you enjoy reading in 2014?

I'm Bringing 60+ Seconds with Paige to the Blog!

Hi Friends!  I've been away from the blog for quite some time...but thought I'd pop in to introduce you to something I started for the Bloom Women's Ministry at COTR.  I'm making a weekly video with quick thoughts that will hopefully make you think, make you smile, or make you question.  It's not always brilliant, but it IS brief and hopefully encouraging!  I've been posting them on our facebook page, but I've had some who are not on facebook ask to watch them so from here on out I'll try to post them weekly on the blog!

I'll introduce you by posting 2 of the most recent videos!  Enjoy!



Making Waves - 60 Seconds with Paige (10/27) from Paige Allen on Vimeo.
Comfort Vs. Forgiveness - 60+ Seconds with Paige (11/14) from Paige Allen on Vimeo.

On Finishing Heart Projects, Telling Stories, and Needing Your Help

Hey Y'all!

I am so excited about this post that I can hardly contain myself!  My heart project is finally complete.

A few years ago, I fell in love with studying the Bible - especially the stories in the Bible.  There was something comforting in reading about these ordinary & extraordinary people who wrestled with their faith and sometimes did great exploits for God.  As I dove more deeply into studying stories, I found a similar theme that was also prevalent in my own life.

Usually, God was asking people to do one thing - TRUST Him.  This simple request manifested itself in a myriad of tales - "Will you trust me to provide you a child?"  "Will you speak words of truth even if people reject you?"  "Will you go to war when the odds seem stacked against you and trust that I will fight for you?"

The stories were so different, and yet God was relentless in His questions about trust.  In my own life, I feel like I'm constantly in a battle to choose whether or not I really trust God too.  And if I'm honest, my ability to say yes to His beckoning hinges on whether or not I believe that I am genuinely, 100% loved by God.  Some days I feel His love...but other days...if I'm honest, I question it.

It's hard to believe you are loved by a God you can't see when you are facing fear, feelings of inadequacy, and frustration because your life is in a season of waiting.  And yet, God keeps asking for us just to trust Him!

About a year ago, I decided to dive more deeply into these Bible stories and my own journey and as a result, I created a Bible study called Road Signs.  The workbooks have been out for a few months, but the teaching DVDs are now available!  It is my heart's desire that this study would be used by God to work in the hearts of people so that we can more readily say "Yes!" when He asks us to trust Him!

I'm not a great scholar - just an ordinary girl who said yes when God asked, "Will you trust Me and write this study?"

SO...

The Road Signs DVDs and the Road Signs Bible study workbooks are available for purchase!

The four DVD's include 8 teachings where I share as transparently as I know how about trusting God on the road of life.  This is a great resource for churches, small groups, college ministries, and even to go through alone in the comfort of your home!

My heart is to get these teachings into as many hands as possible, so we are pricing the entire DVD set at $29.95!  You can CLICK RIGHT HERE to buy one today!

Also, for the remainder of July, we are having a special promotion where you can order a DVD set & get 3 workbooks for $50!  The retail for these would be $90, so it's a great deal and would be an ideal way to kick-off a Bible study with a few friends in the fall.

Would you also consider helping me to get the word out about this great resource?  Here are a few ways you can do this:

1.  Share some Road Signs love on social media!  Everyone who shares sometime this week (ending July 25th) this blog or a link to the Road Signs page on facebook, twitter, or Instagram will be entered into a drawing to win a free DVD set & 1 workbook!

2.  Talk to those in your life who you know like to do Bible studies & tell them about Road Signs.  Maybe it is someone who oversees women's ministry at your church or a friend who hosts Bible studies in her home.  Give them my contact info or send them to the blog!  I have a media kit that I can send out to any church interested with a sample teaching & workbook to look through.

3.  Consider hosting your own Road Signs Bible study this fall.  I've discovered that there is something really powerful about inviting 3-5 friends into your home and studying the Word together.  I know for many of us this is outside our comfort zone, or it feels like we would never have the time, but I want to challenge you to pray about this.  Ask God if you should do it & then trust His leading.

Almost finished...I promise!

But I need to give a shout-out to the COTR media team who helped me so much with these DVDs.  Michael Koontz is the technical director who oversaw all of the DVD shoots & he did a FANTASTIC job.  He is a hard worker & I love that he is as much of a perfectionist as I am!

Others who helped include:
Jason Brandiger - graphic designer genius - I love the cover that he designed SO much!
Leslie Rich - not only is this gal my sister, but she ran cameras & gave me some much needed advice during the video shooting process
Trevor Baldwin, Patti Moulton, Andrea Hamilton, Dusty Joplin, Annie Casas, Kacey Enriquez & everyone else that I'm forgetting - THANK YOU for running cameras, computers, sound, etc.  You are all genius as what you do!

And I'll wrap up this post by sharing the sweet words of two ladies who have gone through the Road Signs Bible study.  What God has done in their lives blows me away, humbles me to no end, and makes me passionate to get Road Signs out of my hands and into yours.

Road Signs is filled with timeless stories from scripture that NEVER grow old!  Paige Allen has such a unique way of bringing the scripture alive and putting them on the 'Big Screen' of your heart in such a way that you are able to see, not only, how God's hand was so involved personally in every aspect of lives portrayed in Biblical days but also His personal involvement and His extravagant love in your life today, as well!  God's love never changes or ever grows old!  Through Paige's teaching you will be able to see scripture come alive and you'll begin to see YOUR life through God's eyes and understand more clearly the Road Signs along the way through the lives of those who have gone before you!      - Terese Holloway

I'd have to say that my overall response to this bible study is that it was very eye opening. Throughout the entire book I was, what felt like, given a chance to see my life in the eyes of another.  Pastor Paige lived through things that at a certain point in my life I was dead set on the fact that I was the only one that ever really struggled with the same issues mentioned in the book. I'm a victim of being caught up in just giving the right answers, even when my heart wasn't feeling it. I guess you could say that this book gave me a new perspective on my problems spiritually, and gave me greater access to ways in dealing with them. Showing me how to live like were supposed to, and obey without second thought. It showed me Gods love for us in an even greater way, and even by just having all of these different women from different age groups and backgrounds come together; it truly showed me that were not alone in our struggles! It really put into perspective that God knows what he has planned for us, and its just a matter of stepping back and waiting for Him to show us the rest. Its a patience kind of thing!      - Justice Ramirez 

On praying simple prayers, falling in love with a new nation, and trusting God with my dad's heart

As you may have noticed, I have yet to blog this summer because I’ve been doing more important things like playing in the pool with my girls, sipping coffee in the backyard in the mornings, and generally being lazy.  I just love summer.

But over the last couple of weeks, my life picked up it’s pace quite a bit, and I wanted to share a few exciting moments, as well as little lessons that the Lord has taught me.

First, can I just tell you that I love traveling to new places in the world!  I’ve had the opportunity to enter many cultures and lands, and just when I think I’ve found my favorite place or met the most delightful people, I travel somewhere new and immediately have a new favorite.  

I encountered the beautiful people of Nicaragua at the end of June, and their smiles and gentle demeanor are still imprinted in my heart.  I think what I loved the most about the precious men and women that I met, was that although they exuded a gentle grace and joy they were equally passionate and fiery!  

Just look at these ladies!  Can you say GORGEOUS?!  But can you also see the passion in their eyes - LOVE IT!!!

These ladies dressed in gold were dancers who truly worshipped with their whole being.  I was mesmerized by these lovely girls!

And you should meet their fearless leaders, Rony & Mayra Coffer.  Rony is a quiet giant of the faith.  His impact is far reaching in this country (literally reaching into church plants, clinics, and feeding programs throughout villages all over this nation), and his wife Mayra is a ball of energy and zeal!  She loves her people and is leading these women into truth!

The lovely Mayra...this girl can PREACH!

And she was a fabulous translator...she seriously worked non-stop this week!

Rony & Mayra were serving as my illustration...and as you can see...I was a little excited about what I was saying - ha!

And  now for the lesson that I learned from the Lord while I was in Nicaragua: 

I’ve heard it said before that the safest place to be is in the center of God’s will.  And although I agree with the general feelings of this idea, I’ve witnessed over the last couple of years that safety is never really a guarantee when you are where God wants you.  Just ask my friend Matt who was imprisoned while serving in an African nation as a missionary, or ask me to recount my stories from Israel when I entered the country in the middle of a conflict and one day had to take shelter as the incoming missile sirens began to sound.

Safety...not so much.

Comfort...not a chance.

But peace...yes, I do think there is a promise from God that He will grant us His unexplainable peace when we are in the middle of His will.

I got to put this truth to the test as I sat on the plane in Houston awaiting my take-off for Nicaragua.  My dad was scheduled for a heart cath that morning and when he had called to tell me about it he had calmly explained that the doctors were just doing this exploratory procedure to make sure all was well with his heart.  At the most he might need a stint that they would do during the procedure, but he assured me that it was no big deal and to go with confidence...after all, speaking in other nations is my dad's heartbeat and he was excited for me to go to Nicaragua - a nation already deep within his heart.  So imagine my surprise as I texted my sister to find out the verdict of the procedure and received this text in response:

And with these words, I was told to put away all electronic devices and sit back and enjoy my trip to Nicaragua.  I battled in my mind for that entire 3 hour flight.

     How was my dad, really?

     What were the doctors telling my family?

     Why did God orchestrate this trip NOW?

     Would I be back in time for the surgery?

     And how would I focus on ministering to people in Nicaragua when I wanted to be home?

If I'm honest, this battle went on for the rest of the day and late into the night.  I knew all of the right answers to tell myself: 

     He would be fine

     People have this kind of surgery all the time

     What a blessing that they caught it before he had a heart attack

     Focus Paige - you are where you need to be

But I could not get my feelings to line up with these thoughts that I tried to convince myself were the truth.  I tossed and turned that night, and finally awoke at 6am wide awake!  The team was going to meet at 8:30 to prepare for the first day of the conference, so I slipped out of bed and went outside where the Lord and I had it out for the next hour and a half.

I asked quite a few questions with few answers; I vented my frustrations and fears; and then I simply asked that He help.  I needed Him to help my dad.  I needed Him to help my mom.  I needed Him to help me.  I needed Him to help these ladies here in Nicaragua.

Sometimes, the best prayers we can pray are a simple help!

And as my mind began to calm, I opened my Bible and I started to write out Scriptures and prayer.  I wrote Scriptures of faith over my dad's heart and I wrote Scriptures of truth over the women I would soon meet.  I wrote at first unsure if my emotions could believe, but as the time progressed, I discovered that I was writing and praying with a genuine faith.  My emotions were lining up with these Scriptures and the frantic thoughts that had consumed my mind just hours before were now serene and certain.  

My dad would live.  He would live a long and fruitful life.  His heart would beat with a new rhythm that would take him beyond what he has known thus far.

And I was EXACTLY where I should be.  I would speak truth and love and grace and hopefully some revelation to the men and women of Nicaragua.  And I would be more aware than ever before that those words were not from my intellect or greatness because I was truly undone & just clinging to Him.

And as I sat outside in tropical Nicaragua, a peace that truly surpasses all understanding washed over me & reminded me that I was not alone.  I was able to walk confidently in that peace over the next few days. 

I landed back on the tarmac at home, just as my dad was wheeled out of surgery.  I went straight to the hospital & into his room.  He was just beginning to awake from anesthesia, and when I said, "Dad, it's Paige.  I made it home," his eyes fluttered with recognition and KNEW that peace was not just an emotion...it was a reality.  My dad was going to be stronger than ever, and I was going to know that although it's a battle sometimes - you CAN fight for peace.  And you can ask a simple help from the One who is ready to give it.

I'm happy to report that my dad is recovering really well.  He ended up having a quadruple bypass which is pretty major so his recovery will take some time, but he is up and walking (he walked his block a couple days ago)!  Thank you to everyone who has prayed and is praying for our family.  Your prayers have been felt...even across the ocean.

"Mommy! - Did you get her out!"

A couple of weeks ago I took Selah, my 4-year-old daughter, to work with me. She was so excited as it felt very special & we were having a fun time putting some newsletters together & getting ready for our annual Miles for Missions race. She got bored after a couple of hours so I let her play games on my computer while I kept working around the office.

On one of my bookshelves, I have the picture that SOS gave me a couple years ago of a young girl behind bars with a verse about rescuing those who are helpless. I was busy in work mode when all of a sudden Selah says, “Mommy, why is that little girl behind those bars?”

I was shocked that she had noticed this…and I quickly asked the Holy Spirit for guidance on what to say. I said something like, “Well, it’s just a picture that reminds me to pray for kids around the world. There are so many kids who have hard things in their life. That is why we pray for India and other countries at night. Do you remember how you have been praying with me for kids around the world?”

She said yes & I thought our conversation was over.

A couple minutes passed and she said.  “Mom, is that little girl in India?”

“Yes,” I said. That’s why I went to India in November – remember, Mommy’s big trip? I got to meet precious kids that we help!”

She nodded & again I thought we were finished.

About five minutes passed when she said with tears in her eyes, “Mommy, is that girl still trapped behind those bars? Did you get her out?!”

I must have hesitated for a minute because she almost got frantic. “Mommy! Did you get her out?!”
I was in tears at this point, so I just said, “Yes, baby. She is okay. She got out. She is okay.”

As you can imagine, I couldn’t focus much on work for the rest of the day. Today as I’ve been praying the Lord brought that conversation back to my mind. Praying for that same level of urgency to remain in us everyday. May our hearts be plagued with the question “Did we get them out?”
I am thankful to Sower of Seeds for infecting my heart with the desire to do small things to see more girls set free.

“Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 82:4