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Sensational – The Stretched Blog Visits Faith, Fiction, and Unvarnished Truth

Today, I’m guest posting as part of The Network for Deborah Anderson at her blog, Faith, Fiction, and Unvarnished Truth. In my post (Sensational), I share some thoughts about what it means to merit great public interest and excitement. Here’s an excerpt to get you started.

The events of the last week had many of us glued to our televisions, radios, newspapers, and news websites. Every twist and turn in the Boston Marathon Bombing was broadcast through the news and amplified through social media until Friday night when the second bombing suspect was captured. I’ll admit it. I was sucked into the story.

The story was sensational. The Boston Marathon Bombing caused great public interest and excitement.

What other events come to mind when you think of the word sensational?

I think of the Space Shuttle accidents, September 11^th, the assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan, the death of Princess Diana, the wedding of Prince William and Catherine, the Super Bowl, natural disasters, and presidential elections.

In our media saturated world, it’s easy to quickly sensationalize an event. Within moments, people around the world know about events happening on the other side of the planet. It’s a natural human response to place our attention on these types of events. (Click here to read the rest of this post.)

If you’re visiting from Deborah’s blog, I’m glad you stopped by. I hope you’ll check things out and become a regular part of The Stretched Community. You can sign up to receive daily blog updates by adding your e-mail on the main page (I promise not to send you spam). To help you get a taste of my other writing, here are a few of my favorite posts:

When you think of the word sensational, what comes to mind?

Courage – The Stretched Blog Visits From Carol’s Quill

Today, I’m guest posting as part of The Network for Carol Peterson at her blog, From Carol’s Quill. In my post (Courage Through God’s Word), I share some thoughts about courage. Here’s an excerpt to get you started.

When you think of courage, who or what comes to mind?

Maybe it’s the lion from The Wizard of Oz who fought through fear and insecurity until he discovered courage in the quest to conquer the Wicked Witch of the West.

Maybe it’s Maximus Decimus Meridius, the Roman general portrayed by Russel Crowe in Gladiator, who stood up to the Roman authorities and the competitors in the gladiator arena.

Maybe it’s Amelia Earhart who challenged the limitations and obstacles of flight and inequality to courageously go where no woman had dared to go.

When we think of courage it’s easy to think of the strong, the bold, and the heroic. We often assign courage to those in the limelight – sports stars, politicians, movie stars, rock stars, and other celebrities. It’s true that many of famous people have demonstrated courage in overcoming tremendous odds. I don’t mean to diminish their accomplishments, but I think we can find deeper meaning for courage if we look to those around us and to those outside the spotlight. (Click here to read the rest of this post.)

If you’re visiting from Carol’s blog, I’m glad you stopped by. I hope you’ll check things out and become a regular part of The Stretched Community. You can sign up to receive daily blog updates by adding your e-mail on the main page (I promise not to send you spam). To help you get a taste of my other writing, here are a few of my favorite posts:

When you think of courage, who comes to mind?

Ice Breaker – Share Your Blog Link

Each week on The Stretched Blog, we ask an ice breaker question. The questions are designed to help us get to know each other here in The Stretched Community. I’ll provide my answer to the question here in the post, and then you can leave your response in the comments. While you’re in the comments section, see how others answered the ice breaker question.

This week has me thinking a lot about blogging. On Monday, I reached a milestone with my 1,000th blog post. And yesterday, Google announced the upcoming retirement of Google Reader (an RSS blog reader that I use to keep up on the many blogs I read on a regular basis).

Question: If you are a blogger, share the link to you blog along with a brief description of your blog. Then share the link to one of your favorite blogs and explain why it’s one of your favorites.

My Answer: Well…you already have the link to my blog. And trying to pick one blog out of all the ones I follow is pretty tough. This one though has definitely earned my attention more recently:

http://www.mattmcwilliams.com/ This has become one of my favorites over the past several months. Matt consistently features practical tips and advice for leaders. Check it out!

There you have it – my answer. Now, it’s your turn. Answer this week’s ice breaker question by leaving a comment. I look forward to reading your response! (Feel free to share links.)

Stretching Beyond My Comfort Zone

I am so excited to share guest blogger Eileen Knowles. Eileen guest posted here back in July 2012 while I was in Guatemala (Living the Lessons). Today, she shares about a recent STRETCHING experience in which she references a recent blog post – Stepping Out Of My Comfort Zone…My First Vlog. Please read her post, answer the questions, and stop by Eileen’s blog for more great writing.

(I’d love to share your STRETCHED story with The Stretched Community. Let me know if you’re interested in becoming a guest blogger here by leaving a comment.)

Last week, I tried something new and scary on my blog. I stretched out of my comfort zone. I came out from behind my computer screen and recorded a video post. And, not only that, the Lord was prompting me to share a portion of my journey in recovery and freedom from addiction.

I’ve shared my story before on my blog, but never in front of a camera. I sometimes find it amusing how God decides to work when He prompts us to move beyond the familiar. He didn’t call me to simply show my face and talk about something lighthearted and safe.

If God had left it completely up to me, I would have LOVED to talk about coffee. I love coffee. Other people I know love coffee. Wouldn’t being in front of a camera talking about something like this be a nice place to start when we choose to follow God out into unknown territory?

But, God had a different plan for me last week. And, His plan didn’t involve a small timid step. His plan involved a bigger leap of faith.

Eileen…share what I’ve done in your life. Encourage people to not give up. Remind them that they are not alone in their struggles. Tell them about freedom!

I was reminded last week that God never calls us out in order for us to play it safe. There will always be risk involved when He invites us to take a leap of faith. Yet, if we choose not to trust Him or to follow His lead, we risk something far greater.

As I stretched beyond my comfort zone last week, it was this beautiful what-if question that carried me forward.

What if by taking this risk God uses me to help just one person move from captivity to freedom?

God desires to use each of us in a unique way…and, most likely, the journey will involve some scary stretching! [Click to Tweet]

Take a moment a think back on your most recent trip out of your comfort zone.
What was the result?
What did you learn?

Eileen Knowles is a small town Arizona girl who studied English at The University of Arizona a long, long time ago. She now lives in small town North Carolina with her husband, Roger, their nine-year old son, and one quirky dog named Bisbee. When she is not working part-time as a Virtual Assistant for eaHelp, she thoroughly enjoys drinking coffee, running, playing Scrabble, and writing about how cool it is to journey through life with Jesus holding her hand.

Eileen is passionate about leaving a legacy for her son and encouraging others along the way who might need a dose of hope poured into their weary lives.

You can find her taking at The Scenic Route

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cupojoegirl
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/eileen.knowles.9

1000 Miles – 1000 Blog Posts – Celebrating A Milestone

You’re reading the 1,000th Stretched Blog Post.

When I started blogging several years ago, I never envisioned that I’d write this many posts. I simply set out to record my STRETCH marks. My main goal of The Stretched Blog remains the same today as it was when I first started – To process life’s experiences and to bring glory to God. While that goal has been constant, other amazing outcomes have emerged. Primarily, I have been so blessed to meet so many people from across the country and around the world. The Stretched Community has been a huge blessing in my life. Along the way, I hope I’ve encouraged and STRETCHED you. Thank you for reading, for commenting, and for sticking with me along this journey.

Here are a few highlights from the first 1000 Stretch Posts:

July 6, 2007 – The first post was actually untitled. This post provided an introduction to The Stretched Blog.
July 7, 2007 – D.C. Talk introduced our family vacation to Washington D.C. It’s funny to see the picture of Isaac who would have been 7 years old on this trip.
July 30, 2008 – It took a little over a year, but I made it to 100 posts with this one titled, In Search of Treadmill.
October 21, 2011 – We celebrated the 500th Stretched Post with a guest post by Arny Sanchez – Field of Changed Dreams?
February 27, 2012 – I wrote a post about my experience at a recent FamilyLife Weekend to Remember Marriage Conference. This post has been the most visited post of all time – Ten Reasons To Attend FamilyLife Weekend To Remember.
March 21, 2012 – It’s hard to pick out one favorite from among the first 1,000 posts, but this one stands out as one my favorites – Leap of Faith.
November 7, 2012 – This was a day I won’t soon forget. I posted How To Respond To The Election Results which drove the biggest single day of traffic on the blog.
328,000 words written to date! Crazy!

Where do we go from here?

I plan to continue to write. I don’t have a number of posts in mind, but I hope we can celebrate these kind of milestones every so often. And I hope that I ultimately point people to Christ as I continue to share more STRETCHED stories and thoughts.

When did you start reading The Stretched Blog? Which post stands out to you as one of your favorites so far? How have you been stretched by being part of The Stretched Community?

As I was preparing for this milestone post, I came across this song by Mark Schultz – 1,000 miles. I think the words speak well to where I’ve been and where I hope to go – not just here on The Stretched Blog, but for life in general. Enjoy!

Short Film – 1000 Miles by Mark Schultz from Ben Salzmann on Vimeo.

Closed Mouth, Open Heart – Guest Post by Amy Mable

Today, I’m honored to present guest blogger, Amy Mable. After you read Amy’s STRETCH story below, please join the conversation in the comments then head over to her blog – Pentriloquist. For more information about Amy, see her bio at the end of this post.

(If you’re interested in sharing your STRETCH story here as a guest blogger, let me know in the comments, so we can connect.)

Closed Mouth, Open Heart – Stretching Towards A Deeper Understanding

For much of my childhood, I had God and the taxpayers of the U.S. to thank for providing a roof over my head and food on the table. A “treat” for us was an Archway oatmeal cookie on the way home from the grocery store and I remember take out pizza just once. We were well below the poverty level. I remember one winter we ran out of kerosene for the furnace and my mother had to call all our relatives to ask for help. To say I dreamed of a different life as a grown up would be an understatement.

Today, my life is very different. Having only bare necessities and nothing extra, every little bit of work improved my life. Having a warm home year round and cable television provided tons of motivation, and the work built endurance within me to face harder challenges. It set an example for my children and it made me stronger.

So, when I say I believe government assistance programs should be carefully administered – it isn’t because I begrudge anyone a warm home or food on their dinner table. I just know that having “almost” enough motivated me to do whatever it took to get “enough.” I don’t want anyone stuck in poverty without the hope of being able to make things better. I thought that without that hope, people would just give up. I believed in the mantra, “Leave no man behind!”

As a result, I aligned myself with fiscally conservative policies. I had no bitterness or resentment toward poor people, I wanted hope for everyone. And I wanted real help for those that couldn’t make it out – a safe and warm place to sleep, food on their table, the ability to see a doctor when they were sick.

I wanted people to understand, but they didn’t. The popular opinion was that people “like me” begrudged single moms and poor children the help they needed. No matter how loud I said, “That isn’t what I mean or feel,” it was the message that was coming across.

“So, stop saying it. You’re not delivering the hope I have for people, you’re hurting them.. just stop!” God convicted me of the message I was sending. It was the world’s message, not his, and it was hurting the very people I wanted to help.

“How important is it that you hold onto this?” I could feel God speaking to my heart. “Is it more important to be vindicated? Because, this isn’t my work for you. It’s distancing those in need from my love, provision, and peace. I want you to let it go. Stop being known by your politics, but as my daughter. Hold your tongue. Reach beyond the shame of your financial poverty and grab onto the real riches I provide.”

Initially, it seemed too “holy” for me. I’m a practical person, but it rang true. I knew He was the source of my peace. I had that peace even as a child in a poor family, but somewhere along the way… the farther I was removed from those days of poverty, the less I remembered the peace in the midst of it all.

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:26-27

God has been stretching my muscles – literally. The ones under my chin. The ones pulled taut when my mouth is shut. It’s uncomfortable at times, but I can’t tell you how much better I feel after a good “stretch.” I’m never sorry. It’s improved the circulation of God’s inspiration, enhanced my flexibility (I was quite rigid in the past), and I can reach things that I could never grasp before.

How has God revealed a higher level of understanding that stretched you beyond your experiences?

A Jeep driving, sled riding, wife, mother of three daughters, and Granny to 6 of God’s best productions, Amy Mable is set on fully living this life God has given her. She blogs at Pentriloquist.com encouraging herself and others to enthusiastically pursue a relationship with God that will knock your socks off and impact the world around you. Why settle for less? You can also follow Amy at Facebook, Twitter, and finally Google+.

Stretching More Than My Legs – Guest Post by Denise Long

Today, I am honored to share a guest post by Denise Long. Denise and I met very recently through the Blogging Your Passion Google+ Community. You can read more about Denise in the post and bio below. I’m always looking for other guest bloggers to share their STRETCH stories here on The Stretched Blog. If you’re interested in guest posting leave a comment.

Stretching More Than My Legs

Jon, thanks so much for allowing me to stop by! I love this concept of stretching. All my life I’ve sought to stretch my life. Ever since I was a teenager (many, many moons ago), I have set some uncomfortable goals and ran after them hard. I learned many lessons from these efforts. Like, some goals simply fall under the “tilting at windmills” category. Others add immeasurable richness to life, even if you never fully attain the hoped-for results. But the most important observation has been that the goals that have fallen within God’s perfect plan for how I am to live my life are the most satisfying and fulfilling. God-sanctioned goals clearly give the biggest bang for your buck.

Over at my blog, A Disneyfied Life, I speak about using my love of Disney to help me reach my fitness and healthy lifestyle goals. In short, I’m a 53-year old, Pooh-sized Mom with enough physical limitations to think that running a 5K is tilting at one Goliath-sized windmill. So when you combine my love of Walt Disney World with the runDisney Expedition Everest 5K Challenge, that gigantic windmill shrinks a bit. But as much as I love the motivation Disney offers, I know where my true strength lies.

O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.

Psalm 68:35

I believe that God wants us to live our best life here on this earth so we can more effectively implement the plans He has for us. And I know for a fact that I am not living my best life if my energy reserves are depleted before noon and lifestyle-based diseases like high blood pressure and high cholesterol bench me from any sort of active ministry He would like to move me into. God wants more for me, so I should want more for myself. And if our bodies are His temple, I feel certain He is not pleased when I abuse it through overeating and an overly sedentary life style.

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

I Corinthians 3:16-17

For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

Proverbs 23:21

Since my laziness and lack of control directly hurts no one but myself, it’s easier to sweep this sin under the kitchen rug. So for this and many other reasons, I have committed to run Disney’s Expedition Everest 5K Challenge on May 4, 2013. And just so you understand how much of a stretch this is for me, I’m 53 years old, have about 100 lbs to lose, and I have had three knee surgeries back in the day. Oh– and I’m flat-footed. And I hate to sweat.

Things have not been easy, but since I began this journey on January 2, 2013, I have lost seven pounds and have consistently put my treadmill to use three times a week in accordance with my sensible training plan. And while I wrestle daily with the most inane choices (do I really need cheese on that sandwich?), I have a spring in my step and a song of praise on my lips. And on the darker days when I’m haunted by past failures and battle a sense of helplessness, I remember that God isn’t finished with me yet and he never leaves me or forsakes me. I’m not running along this path all by my lonesome.

How about you? Have you stretched yourself by “healthifying” your lifestyle? Any verses you’ve used to encourage yourself along the way?

Denise is a wife, mom, legal assistant—but most of all a follower of the Christ who should have nothing to do with her, but who chooses to walk with her daily. An incurable Disney World fanatic, Denise’s blog, A Disneyfied Life, recounts her training escapades as she works toward Disney’s Expedition Everest 5K Challenge and celebrates a disneyfied life.

January 2013 Top Posts and Commenters

It’s been another unbelievable month here on The Stretched Blog. Traffic was at an all time high and increased 25.2% over last month’s previous record high month. More than the numbers, it has been exciting to see the engagement that has been taking place in the comments. There have been many new people who have contributed to the daily conversations. Thank you to each of you for diving into The Stretched Community.

Here are the top 10 posts for the month:

CRASH! Accidents Happen – And God Still Shows Up (157) January 2, 2013
Ten Reasons To Attend FamilyLife Weekend To Remember (156) February 27, 2012
Top 10 Best Things About Being A Seeing Eye Puppy (139) January 28, 2013
Another Leap of Faith (87) January 7, 2013
Michelangelo Quote (86) November 18, 2012
One Word 2013 – Epiphany (85) January 9, 2013
Les Miserables – Unmerited Divine Assistance (80) January 17, 2013
Ice Breaker – Reading (79) January 25, 2013
Ice Breaker – Favorite Childhood Toy (75) January 4, 2013
Building Something Bigger Again – The Big Ask (73) January 8, 2013

Here are the top commenters for this month:

Thank you to each of you who have made The Stretched Community what it is today. I look forward to what lies ahead in February.

If you are a blogger, how was your month of January? What was your top post? Share the link here. Why do you think it was your top post?

2012 Top Posts

It’s been a great year here on The Stretched Blog. At the beginning of the year, I switched over to my own self-hosted domain (jonstolpe.com). As the year has gone by, I’ve been privileged to meet many new people through The Stretched Community and through the blog world. As I’ve shared recently, I experienced transformation that I never imagined. And I’m excited for what awaits in 2013. Before we say good-bye to 2012, I thought it would be great to recap the top 10 posts from the year. Below, I’ve included the post along with the number of hits and the date initially published.

How To Respond To The Election Results (552) November 7, 2012
Ten Reasons To Attend FamilyLife Weekend To Remember (424) February 27, 2012
Guest Post: Wondering by Leanne Stolpe (333) August 2, 2012
Ice Breaker – Songs On Your Playlist (315) March 23, 2012
Leap of Faith (310) March 21, 2012
Ten Things Every Small Group Leader Should Know (258) March 7, 2012
Michelangelo Quote (251) November 18, 2012
Ice Breaker – Ice Breaker Questions (210) February 17, 2012
Book Review: The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson (201) January 16, 2012
The Power of the Next Question (165) May 20, 2011

2012 has also brought a number of new blogs and bloggers into my world. Here are a few of the blogs I’ve started following this year:

Thank you to each of you for making 2012 great!

How was 2012 for you? If you are a blogger, what was one of your top posts from the past year? What blogs did you start following this year?

The Stretched Blog Visits Failing Forward – The Power Of Gratitude

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
Aristotle

Over the past couple of months, I have formed a new habit. I started writing handwritten thank you notes on Thursdays to deserving recipients in my office. The impact of simple gratitude has been amazing.

Today, I have the honor of guest posting over at Matt McWilliams’ blog, Failing Forward. Matt is the person who got me started on this new habit. My post, The Power Of Gratitude, explains how I joined the Thank You Thursday Revolution, and it tells the stories of one of my thank you notes. I hope you’ll head over to read the post. While you’re there, check out Matt’s other writing. He is a tremendous blogger who writes about intentional leadership on a daily basis.

Here’s an excerpt from the post:

A couple of months ago, Matt posted about starting a Thank You Thursday Revolution. I don’t know if you remember that post, but I took him up on the challenge. Matt’s challenge involved writing a Thank You Note (or notes) every Thursday. He encouraged readers to put a recurring reminder on your calendar to make sure we remembered to write a note.

My world has been rocked by the Thank You Thursday Revolution.

Since I read Matt’s post, I have delivered a handwritten Thank You note to someone in my company every Thursday.

[Click here to read the rest.]

If you are visiting from Matt’s blog for the first time, welcome! I’m so glad you stopped by The Stretched Blog. I hope you’ll consider becoming part of The Stretched Community by following along and adding to the conversation through the comments. I blog daily about life’s STRETCH marks. Here are a few posts to get you started:

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