Category Archives for "blogging"

Encouraged By You

This week has been a STRETCHING week to say the least as our family and our church has served in the community though Servefest.  My post on Thursday was about finite disappointment and infinite hope.  I just had to share the encouraging comments that came through from The Stretched Community.  Thank you so much!  This is one of the things I love about the blog world.

  • TJ “It’s hearing other people’s stories–both when they’re waiting to see their hope fulfilled or are already enjoying a victory–that inspire me, as well as hearing God’s promises. He’s able to do more than we could ask or think, and I’m praying that He does that for you guys.”
  • Ngina Otiende  “Your post brings Ephesians 6 to mind “..having done all, to stand.” I am praying for you and the team and elderly lady. As you stand, God will work the situation to His glory.”
  • Jessica Bufkin  “And I need to lean on this hope despite the huge disappointment. I pray that the actions taken so far would not be a waste of time, energy, and money.” I don’t think serving others for Kingdom purposes is ever wasted. Grateful for the hope we have that He is near and He hears and sees us, and praying for clarity for all of you.”
  • Michael Shaw  “What keeps me going? Debby, Family, friends, faith, a miracle of God, taking each day one day at a time.

    I hope the elderly woman you wrote about gets the help she needs and deserves.

    I have a thought for you my friend from my perspective, which I know is somewhat different.

    It is true that in this world there is poverty that is almost completely beyond help, despair that is beyond help, illness that is beyond help, loneliness and isolation that are beyond help, and evil that cannot be rectified, or at least easily.

    There is no bottom to human need. It is infinite. But think about this: If it were not like this, there would be no faith in God, because the world would be finite. We humans could solve all our own problems and have no reason for faith in God.

    Even as reality is, there are a lot of nonbelievers.

    So there is a blessing in this endless, infinite need. It establishes our need for God and enables us to reach out to Him.”

  • Kathy Krueger  “If your goal has been to serve ‘the least of these’ with the sacrificial love of Christ, being His hands and His feet, then nothing has been wasted. What is a sacrifice after all? What is worship? They took the best lambs and instead of feeding the hungry with them they ‘wasted’ them by burning them on the altar, just as the woman ‘wasted’ the expensive perfume by pouring it on Jesus’ feet. Nothing poured at Jesus’ feet is ever wasted.”
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    ddkays  “God and prayer…couldn’t do a thing without it!”
  • David Ramos “Beautiful explanation of MLK’s quote. For me – vitamins and prayer, that’s what keep me moving.

    Hope your prayers are answered!”

  • Tammy Helfrich  “It will not be a wasted effort. You never know how God will use what you’ve all done.”

The Stretched Blog Visits Wisdom of a Fool

Today, I have the honor of guest posting over at Wisdom of a Fool.  My post, How To Be A Politically Active Christian, is my statement on the current political scene and our response to the election process.  I try not to speak politics here, so this may be the closest you get to my political statement.  Please stop by TC Avey’s blog, read my post, leave a comment, and check out TC’s other stuff.

If you’re visiting here from Wisdom of a Fool (or elsewhere), welcome to The Stretched Community!  I’m so glad you stopped by, and I hope you’ll make the Stretched blog part of your regular reading.  I blog about life’s STRETCH marks – things that are STRETCHING me and things that might STRETCH you.  For a taste of more STRETCHY-ness, check out some of these posts from the past:

Appearing Elsewhere

Last week, I featured a list of guest bloggers who have contributed here on The Stretched Blog.  Today, I want to spotlight the places where I’ve guest posted over the past couple of years.

I really appreciate the opportunity to guest post around the blog world.  These are opportunities that STRETCH me.  If you’d be interested in having me visit your blog, drop me a comment.  We’ll see what we can do.

Stop by and check out my guest posts, and check out what else is happening on these great blogs.

Where have you guest posted?  Leave a link, so I can check it out!

Be My Guest

I am always looking for opportunities to feature guest bloggers here on The Stretched Blog.  I’d love to feature your Stretch story or your thoughts on how to Stretch the Stretched Community.

To submit a guest post, contact me via the comments and I’ll send you my e-mail address.  A guest post should be 400-800 words long.  I’d appreciate it if you could include a question at the end of your post that engages the Stretched Community.  The post should also include a title and a photo or graphic that can be used to highlight your post.  Be creative!  Stretch yourself, and don’t be afraid to stretch my readers.

(One other thing, I’d love to return the favor.  Let me know if I can help you out with a guest post for your blog.  This will Stretch me!)

Over the past couple of years, I’ve had the privilege of featuring a number of great guest bloggers.  To give you an idea of what others have submitted, check out these links:

Have you seen any great guest posts lately?  Where have you guest posted?  Share your links here!

Guest Post: Wondering by Leanne Stolpe

While I’m away in Guatemala, several people have stepped up to share their stretching stories with The Stretched Community.  Today, I have the honor and privilege of presenting my wife, Leanne Stolpe.  Leanne is a mother, wife, teacher, friend, encourager, and she is my biggest support and inspiration here on the Stretched blog.

Wondering

This year I began a new adventure into the world of special needs as a behavior therapist. There’s days where I love my job-many of them. There are definite benefits. The flexibility is wonderful. I love working with preschoolers. I especially love when I get to work both with the preschoolers and their families. I can see progress made. I work with amazing people-both teachers, co-workers, and my supervisor. Yet there are times when I feel bored at my job.. I feel like I’m not using all my potential.  I feel like I could do so much more. 

I wonder what my next step is. Would I feel more validated if I worked in a school  building? I work in a catholic school  building and still feel the same way. If I got paid more, would it validate this career in the eyes of the world and therefore mine? One thing I know. I was where I was supposed to be this year. I had the flexibility to raise a tiny seeing eye puppy. I provide therapy to a family that first suggested me pursuing my company in the beginning. God has provided opportunities with them. When I get home, I’m mentally home without take home work. I can shut my brain off. I’m down one case and have 3 open afternoons. My students are much more independent than they were at the start of the year. Does that have something to do with my drive for more…to learn more, give more….

Wondering…
What has you wondering these days?

Guest Post: When God Provides, You May Be Stretched By Tom Tarver

While I’m away in Guatemala, several people have stepped up to share their stretching stories with The Stretched Community.  Today, I have the honor and privilege of presenting Tom Tarver.  Tom blogs regularly at A Curious Band of Brothers, and he is a regular commenter here on the Stretched blog.  Please check out Tom’s post and leave an answer to his question.  Afterwards, go check out his blog.  His contact information along with a short bio can be found at the end of the post.  Thanks!

When God Provides, You May Be Stretched

I planned to be somewhere else other than Alaska this summer.

But God had other plans.

And His plans would stretch me for two weeks … to a point … of breaking.

My original plan. This summer I wanted to pedal from sea to shining sea. I had declined to join our church’s short-term mission team in July because of my cycling plans. Reggie, the organizer and team leader, knew this.

My plan failed to come to fruition. But Reggie didn’t know that.

God intervenes. On a Sunday morning two weeks before the team would leave for Two Rivers, Alaska, Reggie and I spoke for the first time in months about the trip, and for the first time he learned about my summer plan’s failure to launch.

Too bad we hadn’t spoken earlier. The team now overflowed with talented folks. They had no room for one more.

But God had plans for me, and through an unexpected illness, a spot opened up hours after our conversation. I hadn’t been on Reggie’s radar but I quickly moved to the top of his to-call list.

When Reggie phoned, he said, “Everything’s already paid for except you’ll need a ticket.”

How much?

Too much!

“Sorry, Reggie. On such short notice, I can’t come up with that kind of money.”

“But God has resources.”

I humored him and allowed that, yes, God did have resources. I said, “I’ll pray about it, make some calls, and let you know tomorrow.”

Two calls the next morning netted the entire amount. In less than 24 hours I knew God wanted me on that team. I knew it!

What I didn’t know was why.

When I arrived in Alaska and settled into the rustic camp setting our team would call home, I knew I belonged there.

When I shivered through the first night, I knew I belonged there.

When I slapped the thousandth mosquito, I knew I belonged there.

When I pounded the concrete wall to break it apart, I knew I belonged there.

When I trotted to the outhouse for the third time during the night, I knew I belonged there.

But I still didn’t know why.

While others quickly found their parts in the project, I wandered around asking, “Do you need help?”

“Not now. Maybe later.”

For ten of the dozen days we were in Alaska, I said to a friend, “I don’t know why I’m here.”

Our last two days on the project, God began to grant me understanding, insight that surprised and troubled me.

Here’s what I learned, lessons that continue to stretch me.

I’m afraid of failure. With other people, I’ve shared over and over again the importance of embracing failure. Failure in attempting something great teaches some awesome lessons. To launch out, attempt a great thing, and fall short is better than remaining safe at home.

And I thought I did plenty of launching out.

But, as I spent time working with others, I discovered I shied away from making decisions. I let others handle the power drill or cut the boards. I didn’t want to make mistakes.

And I didn’t want others to discover how poor I was at building things. I could tear down stuff. I could clear up the debris. But after the destruction, I didn’t know how to construct.

Even on our fun day, I discovered my heart quaked at doing something new in front of an audience.

At the end of an Alaskan gold mine tour, we all ended up panning for gold. I needed help but wouldn’t ask for it. In the end, I was one of two people still panning because I worked so slow for fear of making a mistake. And this was supposed to be fun.

I crave action and grow impatient with planning. At the church where the team did a lot of renovating, I wandered around looking for the action. Because of impatience, I missed the opportunity to listen and plan with those who did know what they were doing. I moved on to the next place before I could understand the present project and before I could be available to help when needed.

So why was I in Alaska?

So God could stretch me, break me, and help me make needed changes in my life.

Question: What lessons has God taught you through His leading and provision?

About the Author

Tom’s a blogger and so much more.  For an example of something other than his blog, follow this link. He’s written one novel with more in the works. He’s also been a two-time winner of MBT’s “Make Every Word Count Flash Fiction” contest as well as a 2011 semi-finalist (speculative fiction) in the American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis contest.  His novel, Dark Eyes, Deep Eyes, is available through WestBow Press, Amazon, BARNES & NOBLE, and other retail outlets.

Guest Post: Living the Lessons by Eileen Knowles

While I’m away in Guatemala, several people have stepped up to share their stretching stories with The Stretched Community.  Today, I have the honor and privilege of presenting Eileen Knowles.  Eileen blogs regularly at The Scenic Route, and she is a regular commenter here on the Stretched blog.  Please check out Eileen’s post and leave an answer to her question.  Afterwards, go check out her blog.  Her contact information along with a short bio can be found at the end of the post.  Thanks!
Living the Lessons

One of the most beautiful and scary things about writing is the power it has to transform us.

I’m learning over and over that when we choose to share our stories, the main goal isn’t to see how many pairs eyes view what we’ve written, the main goal is for us (the writer) to learn and grow in the process.

Our stats mean nothing to God…our souls mean everything.

It never fails, I’ll write about something that is on my heart and it becomes the learning portal for the day. The books and blogs I read, the conversations I hear, the sights I see, and the people I encounter seem to offer one more important piece in the learning puzzle. Every experience sheds more light on the lessons I am intended to learn.

Writing, if I allow it to, will:

convict me
challenge me
correct me

As I was writing this post, I realized that this not only goes for writing down our stories but for living out our stories as well.  When we choose to share our stories and our lives with others, when we choose to live fully engaged, when we choose to live with our eyes wide open…we are shaped and changed in the process. Our lives become the books we write and the legacy we leave.

Life, like writing, is one big lesson for us to learn. Each day is a new day to understand that lesson just little bit more.

Here are some areas where the Lord is currently stretching me:

It’s fine and dandy to write and read about grace…
but are you living it out in your life? Is grace the air you breathe? Do you inhale grace in order to exhale it on the lives around you?

It’s fine and dandy to write and read about loving and serving others…
but are you putting others first in your life? Do you treat loving others as the most important thing in your life or is it sometimes an interruption or an inconvenience?

It’s fine and dandy to write and read about the power of prayer…
but are you praying without ceasing? Is prayer your first resort or your last resort? Does your prayer life really reflect that you believe in the power of prayer?

What about you?  How is God currently stretching you as you try to live out your stories?

About the Author

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 eight-year old son, and one quirky dog named Bisbee. When she is not working part-time loving on animals at the local animal hospital, she thoroughly enjoys drinking coffee, running, playing Scrabble, leading Women’s Bible Study at her church, 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 The Scenic Route at www.eileenknowles.com

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

I’m On Vacation

I’m On Vacation

I am on vacation beginning on Saturday, July 7, 2012. I will be offline while I am away. No e-mail, Twitter, or Facebook.

Instead, I will be reading, relaxing, and enjoying time with my family.

I have scheduled blog posts to run while I am away. The posts are from my archives.  After blogging for several years, there’s got to be some good stuff in here (I hope).

This is a huge step for me as I’ve been blogging nearly every day now for a year.  I hope you don’t mind that I’m taking this break.  Please come back for more great stuff on The Stretched Blog.

Thanks for being a part of The Stretched Community!  See you next week!

What do you do with your blog when you go away?  Do you ever take a break?  How does that look?

June 2012 Top Posts and Commenters

June was another good month.  Overall traffic was about the same as last month.  This month featured a giveaway, a guest post, and a Guatemala update.  I also gave away three advertising spots on The Stretched Blog (I Love Skippack, Joseph Lalonde, and Bill Grandi).  In addition, I had the opportunity to guest post on Jeremy Statton’s blog (Rediscovering My Dream) and K.C. Procter’s blog (Don’t Blink!).

As always, I like to share this month’s top posts.  Interestingly, this month’s top 10 included four ice breakers.  I’ve been contemplating the possibility of putting together an eBook based on the blogs ice breaker questions, and this month’s top 10 may confirm my thoughts.  (What do you think?)  To note, the top post was a guest post written by Kevin Haggerty.  Thanks, Kevin!

Top 10 Posts for June 2012:

  1. Learning To Count To Five – Guest Post by Kevin Haggerty (June 12, 2012)
  2. Giveaway: Platform & Love Does (June 4, 2012)
  3. Ice Breaker – Ice Breaker Questions (February 17, 2012)
  4. 3 Thumbs Up! June 24th, 2012 (June 24, 2012)
  5. School’s Out For The Summer – Another Milestone (June 14, 2012)
  6. Ice Breaker – Picnic (June 8, 2012)
  7. Guatemala In One Month! (June 25, 2012)
  8. Ice Breaker – Songs On Your Playlist (March 23, 2012)
  9. Fences (June 26, 2012)
  10. Ice Breaker – Questions For A Stretched Blogger (May 17, 2012)

Top Commenters for June 2012:

Thanks again to everyone who stopped by and to everyone who left a comment.  Your readership, comments, and friendship mean the world to me. In the coming month, I will be looking for more ways to extend the Stretched Community and to broaden my platform.  I will be using my upcoming vacation and trip to Guatemala to feature top posts from the archives and guest posts.  I am also looking for new opportunities to guest post around the blog world.  If you’re interested in guest posting here or participating in a Stretched interview, drop me a note in the comments so we can connect.

Thanks again for a great month.  Don’t forget to share The Stretched Blog with your family and friends.

If you’re a blogger, what was the top post on your blog this month? If you’re not a blogger, what was your favorite post here this month?

3 Thumbs Up! June 30, 2012

Each week, I feature 3 things that deserve a thumbs up.  Here are my 3 Thumbs Up! for this week.

Thumbs Up Number 1:  Woodside Lodge at Spring Mountain.  A couple of weeks ago, Leanne and I went out with some good friends to this “new” restaurant in our area.  This renovated restaurant and lodge used to be known as Woodside Inn.  Several years ago, Leanne and I went to the Inn for dinner, but we weren’t all that impressed.  The newly opened Lodge was a completely different experience.  The wait staff was helpful.  The restaurant was laid out well and nicely decorated.  And the food was delicious.  If you enjoy trying local craft beers, there are several beers from around the region on tap.  We left the restaurant satisfied and excited about the prospect of coming back for more.  If you live in the Perkiomen Valley area, you should consider checking out the Woodside Lodge at Spring Mountain.

Thumbs Up Number 2:  Reading Phillies.  This week, our 4-H Seeing Eye Puppy Club ventured to the First Energy Stadium to take in a Reading Phillies game.  The Reading Phils are the Double-A Minor League affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies.  We had a wonderful experience all around.  Our seats were right along the 3rd base line (there’s not a bad seat in the whole stadium).  The food is reasonably priced.  The parking was free.  Between each half inning, there is entertainment that included vegetable racing, hot dogs being thrown into the stands, dancing tooth fairies, and many other acts.  We were also personally welcomed by a representative from the club who checked back with us a few times to make sure we were having a good experience.  On top of that, the Phillies won the game!  What more could you ask for.  If you live in the area, you should check out a game.  If you don’t live in the area, consider checking out your local minor league team.

Thumbs Up Number 3:  Life As Experienced.  This blog by Seth Caddell has become one of my new favorites.  Life As Experienced provides spiritual insights on everyday life from this self-proclaimed pastor, husband, X-Box player, and Christ follower.  Seth blog posts that appear 3 times each week or short and sweet and right to the point.  Check out Life As Experienced to see what I’m talking about.  Leave a comment, and tell Seth that I sent you.

What else deserves a thumbs up this week?

 

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