Give-away in celebration of my latest arrival!

UPDATE: We have winners! Congratulations to:

Julie McKeever
First Baptist Church
Kenner, LA
http://bountifulthanks.blogspot.com/

Christina
Lighthouse Christian Center
Tacoma (Puyallup), WA
christina-everythingelse.blogspot.com


Guess what I got in the mail yesterday? My author copies of my latest release: 5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter (Bible study) and the accompanying DVD kit for church use! And oh my, are they perty, perty, perty. Usually I receive copies of my books BEFORE they hit the store shelves, but the Bible study actually released to the stores about a week and a half ago. In fact, I was at the You & Your Girl event in Kentucky and was pleasantly surprised to hear that it was for sale in the on-site bookstore! Now, for an author, that's kind of like someone seeing one of your babies after he/she is born and getting to hold him/her before you do. Kinda weird.

I was actually signing some of the Bible study books during my book-signing at the event and asked the first woman who handed me a copy of the Bible study (in pic below) if she minded if I thumbed through it for a minute! She looked at me a bit strangely, but like a new mother who has just been handed her little one for the first time, I had a sudden urge to do the ten fingers/ten toes check. Never mind that a line of people patiently waited while I examined my new baby. The only thing missing was the attractive hospital gown and a cup of ice chips on a tray beside me. On a positive note, I looked a bit more presentable for this mother/child photo opp.












Now, this story has a happy ending and since my publisher also manages my events, one of the staff was able to sweet-talk the bookstore manager into sparing me a copy, so I could peruse the book and watch the DVD sessions on my way home. Thank you, Kris Seidenkranz! All that to say, you can only imagine my excitement to receive my author copies yesterday. But, the first thing I noticed after Mr. UPS Man brought the boxes into my foyer was this:









Take a close look at the name on the mailing label. "Victoria?" My birth name is not "Victoria," but I've always wished it was! Anyway, it was kind of fun to see it on the boxes and have the UPS guy ask me if I'm "Victoria Courtney" before I signed off on the delivery. I was tempted to say, "I'm sorry. What was that you just said?" in an effort to hear it one more time, but he seemed in a bit of a rush, so I refrained. I have an editor who calls me "Victoria" on occasion, so I have a sneaking suspicion that he had something to do with the temporary name change on the label.

In celebration of my new release, I am going to give away two copies of the DVD kit which includes: a member book, leader's guide, and six DVD teaching sessions ($149.95 value!). All you have to do to enter the drawing is comment below and tell me that you'll use it for group study or pass it along to your church for future use. I would love to also know the name of your church and city/state, just for fun. And don't forget to include an email address in your comment if you don't have a blog profile where we can track you down if you win. We'll draw two winners on Wednesday, May 6th and announce them one week from today. Good luck and thanks for celebrating this release with me!









Oh, and here's a short promo clip about the study that my publisher put together for churches who need a tool to announce the upcoming study. It will give you an overview of the basics:

Attention Shred-heads!

It's been exactly 12 days since I issued the 30 Day Shred challenge and nearly 150 of you signed up to join me! (Click here for the original post.) Honestly, I thought I'd get maybe a handful of you to sign up for the 30 day reign of torture, so I was a bit caught off guard by the enthusiasm. That said, know that I don't have any formal agenda for us to follow other than to offer support and accountability to each other...which for most of us, it's exactly what we need to stick with this workout.

I thought I would start by giving you an update on where I am in the challenge and the impact it's had on some other areas of my life. When I finish with this update, I'll be shredding in front of my TV in the living room...(drumroll, please) on Day 21! Some of you have already weighed in on the original post and are reporting your progress and of course, your soreness! Stick with it -- two-thirds of the way through, you will be glad you did. Like me, you may even wonder how you lived without it as part of your daily routine. Twenty minutes, people. That's all!

I originally started on Level 1, which is highly recommended for people like me whose only form of exercise is an occasional 200 yard walk to the mailbox. I recall Day 5 and 6 being the point for me where I was tempted to quit. Then like magic, it began to feel somewhat easier and my soreness began to wear off. I had planned to stick with Level 1 through Day 10, but it became clear that I would need to stick with Lever 1 a bit longer. I moved onto Level 2 on Day 20 and am proud to say that I survived the workout. Barely. And OMGosh, am I sore! I took yesterday off and will pick it back up today.

Level 1 was great, but I didn't feel like my legs were really getting a good workout. Right around Day 17, I noticed that Level 1 was starting to become less challenging. And would it be shallow for me to say that I was tired of seeing my bff, Jillian, in the same workout gear? It's was time for a change. I would love to tone my thighs and Level 2 may just do the trick as it contains some strength and cardio movements that work the legs more. I am planning to stick with Level 2 through the remaining 10 days of my 30 day challenge. After that, I may alternate back and forth between Levels 1 and 2. I won't move to Level 3 until or unless I've mastered the movements of Level 2 comfortably.

Now, for an update on visible changes: I had to go shopping for new shorts last week because I am a size smaller! But, here's the weird part: I have not lost a single pound since Day 8. I mentioned in the original post that my goal was not to lose weight as I am currently within my target weight range. However, I did find it odd that I haven't dropped more than a pound in the last 13 days and yet, my clothes are looser. I should note that I had lost about 5ish pounds over a 3 month period prior to starting the workout, but have noticed the biggest change in my shape from the workout rather than the previous weight loss. As a disclaimer, I am NOT trying to lose weight, but rather, wanted to encourage you just in case you are not noticing a big change in the number on the scale.

Here are some other changes I have experienced in 20 days of shredding:

* I am eating more healthily. I am pretty good about sticking to a 1300-1500 calorie diet each day. I don't formally count calories, but I have been paying more attention to what I eat and trying not to snack much throughout the day. I lost the original 5ish pounds slow and steady by eating a protein bar in the mornings, a Lean Cuisine for lunch, and then whatever the family ate for dinner. I only do this on weekdays and then I'm off on the weekend. I am a big fan of the 100 calorie snack packs and stock up on a variety when I go to the store. I also snack on almonds and fruit. My diet may not work for you, but for someone with a crazed schedule like mine, it has to be sweet and simple.

* I no longer experience a mid-afternoon sinking spell. I have more energy throughout the day and have been able to get more done. Not only am I no longer tired halfway through the day, get ready for this next one:

* Halfway through the workout, I began to incorporate more exercise into my day. I didn't plan to do that, but I began to feel more healthy and as a result, would take a mid-afternoon power walk or jump on my bike and tackle a few hills in my neighborhood. I actually like to sweat now!

* My legs look better in shorts and my arms are beginning to look toned! Last summer, I avoided sleeveless shirts because I was getting "old-lady" arms, but oh my, I have guns now! Not big ones, but hey, anything is better than that what I had before!

* Last of all, I just plain feel better about myself. I actually ordered a new swimsuit yesterday (online) and did not experience the same dread as I have in years past when swimsuit shipping. Glory hallelujah. And amen.

I will plan to do another update in about 10 more days as I wrap up my 30 days of shredding. However, I plan to continue the workout indefinitely, so I'll continue to cheer you on and invite you to weigh in every 10 or so days as long as there is interest.

So, now it's your turn. If you are taking part in the 30 Day Shred challenge, weigh in (not literally!) on your progress. Let us know what day you are on, any differences you have noticed, challenges you've faced, etc... Let's make this the largest online Shred-head support group on the web! Oh, and I LOVE how some of you are doing the workout with your daughters. My college daughter is home next week and planning to start the workout with me.

Next Shred-head update: Monday, May 11th! Don't give up ... imagine the changes you'll see by then! Maybe I'll post a pic of me showing off my new guns in my new tankini top! Ha! That should get you back here. Now, I'm off to shred...

My close encounter of the reptilian kind

This past weekend, I spent my Saturday morning in one of my favorite spots: Sitting on my porch swing on the front porch of the lake house, drinking my morning cup of coffee. Keith was on a law firm retreat and I had decided to take Hayden and three of his friends to the lake for a day of tubing. Of course, they were still passed out from pulling a near all-nighter playing video games, so I had the morning all to myself. The dogs were tethered on their leashes close by my side and on alert should a duck be so bold as to wander from the cove onto the front lawn. This has become a fairly common occurrence as the ducks have somehow figured out that the dogs are on a leash and have made it somewhat of a sport to waddle up within about 15 feet and taunt them mercilessly.

Which is exactly why I was not the least bit concerned when both dogs started going crazy berserk barking off to my side. Finally, I glanced over and to my absolute horror, saw the critter above out of the corner of my eye. And he was slithering right toward me under the porch swing! In this heart-stopping moment, I did exactly what any faithful blogger would do...I jumped up, took the dogs inside, and grabbed the camera to document this near-death experience. Have I ever mentioned before how much I hate snakes? I figured that having a picture would document to my family members how very brave I am in the face of sheer danger. Or at the very least, provide a string of evidence as to my actual cause of death.

After a lengthy photo shoot with the snake, I grabbed a stick (how I wish I could have photographed this moment) and tossed the reptile into my neighbor's side yard. Here's to hoping that my neighbors don't read my blog. Feeling very proud of myself for handling this problem without the aid of my son and his friends, I patiently awaited (inside the safety of the house) the moment of their awakening where I could prove my bravery and show them my serpent slideshow. Surely, this would qualify me for a top spot on the list of all-time, coolest moms.

My moment finally came and within minutes of them entering the kitchen in search of food, I began to excitedly describe in vivid detail of my unwelcome visitor that morning. I showed them the pictures above and they winced, drew in their breath, and said things like, "No way!" "Are you kidding me? It was crawling right toward you?" And then, "It's probably poisonous. It could have killed you." Humbly, I mumbled, "Yes, boys ... I know, I know," as I beamed inwardly with pride. And then it happened. The praise-fest came to a sudden and abrupt halt when I showed them the next two pictures:











I don't even need to tell you what their reaction was upon seeing the pictures above, but suffice it to say, that I am no longer on the list of all-time, coolest moms. And to top it off, when I got home, my son forced me to recount the whole tale and show the pictures to my husband. It provided the two of them with an unforgettable bonding moment of hysterical laughter, of course, at my expense. I have the strangest feeling that I will never live this one down. My only consolation would be to confirm that this little critter was indeed venomous, so if you happen to be an expert on poisonous snakes feel free to weigh in...and even lie to me, if need be.

New technology allows parents to monitor their child's cell phone

I am often asked by parents of tweens or young teens if there is a way to monitor the activity on their children's cell phones. The following is an excerpt from a CNN.com article entitled, "Parents, police monitoring kids' cell phones" that might be helpful if you're in that situation and worried about their safety as new users.

(CNN.com; Published on April, 20, 2009) -- One evening last winter, Mike Harris was watching his local TV news when he saw a segment that caught his attention: Parents were using software to monitor their kids' cell phones.

Harris, an investigator for the Child Sex Internet Investigations Unit in Jefferson County, Colorado, thought the service could be a new tool for combating sexual predators.

Equipping his phone with the software, Harris posed as an underage child on social-networking sites and began luring pedophiles. He immediately got results. Since then, Harris has made 83 arrests of alleged sexual predators -- 44 of them with the help of the monitoring program.

"It makes life easy for me as an investigator. It saves me hours of time, which obviously means I have more time to go out and catch offenders," he said. The software also documents text messages and other data that can be used in court, he said. "Now all I have to do is go into the account and pull everything out that was done between that sex offender and me."

Programs such as My Mobile Watchdog and Mobile Spy are becoming increasingly popular with parents as more school-age children are carrying cell phones.

Parents say the services help them protect their kids against predators and also reduce "sexting," the growing practice of using mobile phones to share sexually explicit text messages and pictures. In 2008, Jessica Logan, a Cincinnati, Ohio, teen, hanged herself after her nude photo, meant for her boyfriend, was sent to teenagers at several high schools, exposing her to ridicule and taunts.

The monitoring programs work like this: Once a child's phone is equipped with the software, the parent or law enforcement officer creates a list of contacts -- close relatives, trusted friends -- who are authorized to communicate with the minor's phone.

An online file, accessed by the parent, stores all activity related to the child's phone, including text messages and shared photos. Any unauthorized number that contacts the child's phone gets flagged, and the parent or guardian receives a real-time text message alerting them to the infraction.

Parents pay a monthly fee -- about $10 -- for the service, which only works on so-called "smart phones" with Web access. My Mobile Watchdog also will alert parents if their child has removed the software from their phone.

eAgency Mobile Solutions of Newport Beach, California, is the creator of My Mobile Watchdog. Bob Lotter, the company's CEO, said he never imagined the software would become a tool for authorities cracking down on online sexual predators.

"The threat is huge," Lotter said. "There are so many different ways out there for child predators [to find victims] -- through Google, Yahoo, MySpace, Facebook and a host of other sites." (Click here to read the remainder of the article)

On a related note, if you live in or near Austin, Texas, I will be teaching a session based on my book, Logged On and Tuned Out at my home church on Tuesday evening, April 28th. I will be addressing ways parents can better equip their tweens and teens to use cell phones and the social networking sites in a safe and responsible manner. For more details or to register for the event, click here. Hope to see you there!

A recap of You & Your Girl/Kentucky

Words cannot begin to express what God did at the You & Your Girl event this past weekend in Kentucky. The slideshow and accompanying song will give you a glimpse into the day. Our theme verse for the event was Proverbs 4:23 which says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do." With so much facing our girls in today's culture, we can't protect them from the damaging influences even if we make it our full-time job. Therefore, it is essential to teach them how to guard and protect their own hearts...to put Christ first in their hearts...first in their minds...and in everything they long for in their lives.

Enjoy the slideshow of the event. The song playing is "First in My Heart" by Kelly Minter. She was our worship leader at the event and closed with this very song as a sea of mothers and girls wept and prayed together. As I watched the commitment time, I was overwhelmed by the thought that God allows me any part at all in His kingdom purposes. And as Kelly sang, I too, wept and prayed that He would be first in my heart, above all else...everything I long for in this life.

(Note: Photo credit to Marnie Clagett)

On your mark, get set ... Shred!

UPDATE: (April 21, 2009): Fellow Shred-heads, wow! Who would have thought that nearly 100 of you would join me in the 30 Day Shred challenge? I am planning to post next week and check in on YOUR progress. It's not too late if you want to join us!

Shredding is what you do to a head of lettuce on Taco night or with your important documents before you take them to the curb, right? Silly, naive me. I had no idea that the human body could be shredded. Allow me to introduce you to my new BFF (who for the record, has no idea that I even exist), Jillian Michaels. She is the fitness guru behind a workout DVD called "30 Day Shred." The title alone is enough to make you cringe in fear and consider clicking off this post faster than you can say "ab crunch."

If you watch "The Biggest Loser," Jillian's name may be familiar to you. She is one of the team trainers who whips her team into tip-top-drop-to-the-floor-for-500-push-ups-or-die kind of shape. I don't watch the show, so I had no idea who she was until I was researching workout DVD's a few weeks ago. Ignorance was such bliss back then. Jillian's, 30 Day Shred just so happened to be the #1 ranked workout DVD on Amazon.com, so I clicked through to read a handful of the 900+ glowing reviews. The main selling point for me was that the workout was only 20 minutes long. Twenty minutes for thirty days; I mean, who can't do that, right? (Pardon me for a minute while I take a couple of Advil tablets and grab a heating pad to place on my aching muscles. I'm on Day 11, so please be patient.)

Well, obviously I clicked "Buy Now" and even more shockingly, I fed it into the DVD player the day it arrived in the mail. It has been a goal of mine for quite sometime to expand my daily workout beyond my standard trek to the mailbox to get the mail each day. Well, unless temperature tops 90 degrees and then of course, I drive the 400 yards. I wouldn't want to break a sweat or anything. All that to say, if I can do this workout, so can you. I've skipped a few days here and there due to my travel schedule, but folks, I'm here to tell you that I LOVE this workout.

In a nutshell, it combines strength, cardio, and abs into three, six-minute circuits sandwiched in between a warm-up and a cool-down. There are three workout levels to choose from and I stuck with Level 1 for the first 10 days. The DVD claims you can "lose up to 20 pounds in 30 days," but losing weight is not my goal. My aim is rather, to improve my health by getting my endurance level and heart rate up, so I'm not out of breath when I bring the groceries in from the car or run to my gate at the airport.

As a bonus, I would love to tone up, since I spend a good part of the summer at our lake house and on a boat. (Translation: Swimsuit season is fast approaching, people.) And if those reasons weren't enough to spur me on, seeing this image of Valerie Bertonelli pushing 49 and wearing a bikini on the cover of People Magazine may have done the trick. (Note: This is not an endorsement for the string bikini, nor do I plan to unveil my results in a similar fashion on the cover of Today's Christian Woman, so please refrain from sending mean comments.)

Folks, I know I sound like an infomercial, but the results I have had with this workout are nothing short of amazing. My energy level is up, my arms and legs are looking toned, and overall, I just feel better about myself. As if that wasn't reward enough, my son (age 16) walked in while I was "shredding" a few nights ago and said, "Mom, you have abs!" Now, let me tell you something -- at my age, that comment ranks right up there on the list of the boy's most endearing comments, including "Mom, when I grow up, I'm going to marry you" (age three) and "Mom, you're my kinda woman" (age six). I plan to write this one in his baby book so it is forever immortalized. Anyway, my only regret is that I didn't discover this workout DVD sooner. Which is why I'm telling you about it because we're friends. And friends don't keep secrets like this to themselves.

I plan to continue the workout beyond the 30 days, but will spread it out to 3-4 days/week. Which is why I'm blogging about it, because I would love to invite you to join me in the 30 Day Shred challenge. Whether you just need to tone up, lose some weight, or both, this is your opportunity. If you're interested in joining me, just comment below and say so. We don't all have to start on the exact same day, but it would be fun to check in every 10 days or so and report on our results. Maybe I'll even come up with a cute little 30 Day Shred widget to put on our blogs. I don't have time to go to the gym with friends, so it would be nice to have my blogging friends as virtual workout buddies. RSVP if you're in.

Here is a link to the DVD on Amazon.com. It retails for $8.49. You will also need hand-weights (2-5 lbs). I opted for 5 lb. weights and saw pretty quick results on my arms as a result.

The Good-O-Meter

One of my Facebook friends (thanks, Roger!) sent me a link to the above clip this morning. It perfectly illustrates God's offer of grace in sending His Son to die on a cross for our sins. Stop for a minute and imagine how your "sin/good deeds" file might read on judgment day. The bottom line is that we all come up short. Romans 5:8 reminds us, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Immediately, I am drawn to two words in this verse: "while" and "still." When I looked up the word "still" in the Greek, I found this translation: "yet, still; of a thing which continues at present, even now."

Take a minute to say the verse and insert the translation above:

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were (yet, still; of a thing which continues at present, even now) sinners, Christ died for us."

Amazing. Somehow, reading it that way, leaves me breathless over the offer of God's grace. As one who resisted Christianity for many years due to a belief that I would never be "good enough," I can relate to the skepticism that many feel over an offer that seems at face value, too good to be true. There must be a catch, right? The only catch is believing God at His Word and accepting His offer of grace and forgiveness. This is what sets Christianity apart from all other world religions. God meets us where we are ("even now"), rather than require that we clean up our lives before we approach Him. Besides, we can't wipe the slates of our lives clean on our own. We need a sinless Savior to stand in for us on judgment day.

My favorite part of the clip is where Christ takes the place of the "sinner saved by grace" and steps on the scale on his behalf. The revelation of God's undeserved love "while we were still sinners" is what motivates us to change...or shall I say, "clean up our lives."

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21)

Have you been "made right with God through Christ?" If not, make your peace with Him today. Jesus is waiting to take that file folder out of your hands and step up on the scale on your behalf. What do you say?

44 Easters ago...

Easter, 1965 -- I've come a long way, baby. I can assure you that I won't be lounging in my "crib" today, eating my body weight in candy eggs. I plan to be celebrating a risen Savior and reflecting on how the power of the cross forever changed my life some 24 years ago. Oh, and for the record, I plan to do so with my midriff covered!

Happy Easter!

MIA on Easter Sunday

Two years ago on Easter Sunday, I sat by a dear friend's side in a hospital ER who I guess you could say, was at the bottom of the pit. This friend had been in a non-stop battle with alcoholism for more than two decades and the addiction was winning. My friend was at risk of losing it all: Family, job, dignity -- and quite possibly, his/her very life. My friend apologized over and over again on that day for being the cause of my missing the Easter Sunday services at my church. I assured my friend that I was exactly where I needed to be.

Since becoming a Christian back in 1985, that Sunday two years ago marks the only Easter Sunday where I have missed the services at my church. And it is the Easter Sunday I will forever remember as the most meaningful to date. I got to pray with my friend and talk about the significance of Jesus' death on the cross and His resurrection from the grave. This Easter, marks my friend's two year anniversary of sobriety. God has restored my friend's job, family, and dignity. I have no doubts that God literally rescued my friend from death's doorstep two years ago on Easter Sunday.

And that is what I will be thinking about this Sunday when I celebrate a risen Savior. His resurrection power that represents new life and new beginnings. The same resurrection power that melted this agnostic's heart of stone back in 1985 and gave me new life and a new beginning.

Lord, now indeed I find
Thy power and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone.

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

O Praise the one who paid my debt
And raised this life up from the dead!

I know there are many who read this blog who have perhaps, been disillusioned by Christianity or for that matter, wounded by those who call themselves "Christians." Can I encourage you to put all that aside and look instead, to Jesus and Jesus alone. If you don't have a church that you call home, can I be so bold as to encourage you to find a place to worship this Sunday? Just give Him a chance to show you His love and resurrection power. I gave Him a chance back in 1985...and my life has never been the same.

Beignets, leg wrestling, and Beth Moore...just what the good Doctor ordered

To say that last week was a stressful week, would be an understatement. I don't want to go into much detail other than to say that I was made aware of a situation that was outside of my control, but required my immediate attention. It will definitely go into the record books as one of the most difficult ministry challenges I have had to address to date. Which makes it all the sweeter that I had a weekend trip planned with my daughter and one of her friends to attend the Beth Moore/Living Proof event in New Orleans. Talk about perfect timing.

God knew I would need a vacation after last week and I am convinced that He divinely placed the weekend on my calendar. He knew it would lift my heart to see my daughter, who has been 800+ miles away from home attending college. He knew that after an exhausting week of putting out fires (make that bonfires), my tank was on empty and I needed to be the one sitting in the audience being fed rather than up on the platform. He knew that Beth's message would hit the target and leave me feeling good about some areas of my life and prayerful about a few others. He knew that I needed to laugh, so He sent me Travis Cottrell to even the score in an ongoing practical joke tournament we began over a decade ago. After this weekend, Travis is currently winning. He jumped out of no where and scared me half to death when I was backstage, causing me to literally fall to the floor in a crumpled heap. But, I already have a retaliation plan underway and he should be afraid. Very afraid.

We had an amazing time and it will easily go down in the record books as one of the most memorable memories we have shared. My daughter has grown up going to my events, so this was really the first time we have attended an event together as .... attendees. I emailed Beth last week to tell her that I was bringing Paige and one of her friends to the event and I mentioned that they had chosen the event over their sorority formal. The girls were wide-eyed over our front row seats (thank you, LifeWay!), but nothing could prepare them for Beth coming down off the platform and recognizing them in front of an arena full of women. It touched this mama's heart to see what it meant to the girls.

The event ended at noon on Saturday, but we stayed another day to play and have fun. We shopped on Magazine Street, ate beignets for dinner, had room-service one morning, ate at Mother's Restaurant, and took a stroll down Bourban Street. And yeah, our Bourban Street experience is probably a whole post in and of itself! Beginning with some grad school guys who attemped to hit on them and somehow never made the connection that I was the on-call MOTHER. Whatever! And for the record, the limo wasn't ours...we were just pretending. :)

But no mother/daughter trip would be complete without a leg wrestling tournament. I think I learned the art of leg wrestling at a weekend sleepover in my middle school years and have since passed down the tradition to my daughter. Let the record state that I am currently undefeated, although she did come awfully close to flipping me this past weekend. I have also taught my daughter how to do "spider rolls" and should we ever find ourselves on a grassy hill with a camera-bearing witness to document the moment, I will be happy to post pictures for your entertainment pleasure.


















Thank you, Lord for a much-needed weekend.

Rut-roh. Adding more Kohls to the fire...

Hmmmm, I can't wait to see how this Kohl's marketing campaign featuring Britney Spears and the Candie's brand goes over with caring mommas who have previously opened their wallets to Kohl's in the past. You know, the same ones who are sick and tired of the rampant sexualization of our girls. Yeah, those mommas...which last I checked, is a good majority of us. Not to mention, street-walker chic is sooooo yesterday.

Moving forward with the campaign seems a bit risky to me, especially given the tough economy. Oh well, don't say we didn't warn you, Kohl's.

Here's the contact information, if you would like to politely let Jessica know how you feel about the ad campaign:

Jessica Swearingen
Kohl's Customer Correspondence Coordinator
cscc.escalated@kohls.com

It feels like chaos, but somehow there's peace

I remember the first time I heard this song. I was in my car headed for the lake house. It's about an hour's drive away and sometimes, I use the drive to pray and talk to God. You know, kind of take an inventory of the things going on in my life and make sure we are on the same page. On this particular day, I was pouring my heart out to God (again) over a difficult relationship that has caused me much pain over the past few years. I had just received a voice mail message that brought the pain to the forefront and made it fresh, once again. I was feeling hurt, anger, bitterness, resentment, frustration and a whole gamut of other emotions, all at the same time. A storm was swirling away in my heart. I couldn't see my way out or better yet, a solution for healing. I just wanted it to STOP.

There's a wave that's crashing over me
And all I can do is surrender.

I talked to God off and on during the whole drive. (Trust me, this situation needed the full hour!) As I pulled into the drive-way at the lake house, I questioned Him point blank about the purpose of this particular trial in my life. "Why God? I don't get it. Why do I have to go through this? It's such a distraction to serving You." It was then that I heard the chorus of this song playing clearly on the radio as I put my car in park:

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
but I'm giving in to something Heavenly

Peace? Surrender? Something Heavenly? Are you kidding me?! I had been licking my wounds for months over this ongoing hurt. It was a full-out pity party, popcorn and a big box of Junior Mints included. I'd even sold a few tickets to the show, so others could egg me on in the pity party. When I heard those words, it hit me: I had become more at home feeling bitterness than God's perfect peace.

Am I doing everything to follow Your will
Or just climbing aimlessly over these hills
So show me what it is You want from me
I give everything, I surrender...

Why is it so hard for me to see that the storms in life are not always about finding solutions? That in the midst of these storms, God offers His perfect peace and wants to teach me something? He wants me to draw closer to Him because I need Him? Most importantly, He wants to refine me, make me stronger, and prepare me for something bigger than me...something perhaps, Heavenly?

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but I believe
You're up to something bigger than me
Larger than life something Heavenly.

If there's a storm in your heart, let go. Behind the wind and the rain, the Son is waiting to shine. And that's a weather forecast you can always count on during the storms of life.