Spyhouse in Minneapolis, MN //

Luke and I had planned to head straight to the shuttle and get back to Eau Claire this morning. We ended up sleeping in so late though, at our friend Blake's house, that he just brought us along to a meeting he had at Spyhouse coffee in Minneapolis. It turned into a Holy Spirit collaboration party with Luke, Blake, our friend Nate, and I. Wonderful and completely normal Christian life -- flowing with Holy Spirit, catching what Daddy is saying and receiving it. Luke bought a guy's drink and he ended up coming over to say thanks again. We all got to talking with him and he was majorly encouraged in the Lord. So good! To be sure there will be some powerful endeavors unfolding in the future with these guys. #thebestisyettocome #glorytoglory #JesusisKing

Meet Them // Meg

One of my dearest friends, Meg, is living & loving in Romania. Hear a bit of her heart below and read more on her blog, here: http://www.lamisiune.com/ or follow her updates on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meginoradea/


Meg Murkli 2015 October Update from Sue Volpe on Vimeo.

An open love letter to Milwaukee //

An open love letter to Milwaukee —

They told me: “be careful, you’ll fall in love”. I said, “I wouldn’t mind.” Here we are.

I never would have pictured myself with you, but I choose you irrevocably. I’m bringing myself under your name, your reputation, and pouring all of myself into you. Hard, good, painful, worth it. 

People have some very black and white comments about you, no pun intended. I take them all with a grain of salt because theres grace — for us, for them, for me, for you. They say you’re beautiful, they say you’re dangerous, they say you’ll steal my heart. 

Honey, I see who and what you are, and you’re right: I don’t know what I’m getting myself into, but I’m choosing you for all you are and all that may come. I will love you at your darkest. I look at you and I see you as you’re meant to be and I can look your ugly square in the face and say, “you are SO loved”. The best is yet to come and I’m excited to journey through the days ahead with you.

Chelsea

Note: I’m moving to Milwaukee to partner with a handful of other people lovers, game changers, who bear Holy Spirit’s passion about their city. While I will, by my Father’s sweet favor, be working and living in a very low-crime area of the city, my heart is for the at-risk and needy. I will be safe but my calling is not to stay safe, it is to love — and to love is to be vulnerable, to risk it all because you see worth. My Father’s evidenced Love is an atmosphere-changer, a heart-toucher, a mountain-melter. He has a Body filled with His heart so that He can touch people with it. I’m just willing to be made willing to move in sync with it. This is not meant to be incredible. It’s, quite simply, reasonable. His love is what’s radical, not our moving in it. 

MKE is one of the most segregated cities in all America and that eats at me. Unity is my dream. There are a lot of stories to be told — hearts to be heard — in the barrier-breaking process. I want to listen. I want to see. I want to share. Regardless of what side of the river I’m found on I want to be found serving someone other than me and loving with that unearthly, lavish Love. As far as I’m concerned, Milwaukee is chuck full of family I’ve yet to meet — and this family is multi-ethnic but we all share the same Father. Family dinners are gonna be epic.

You can find this letter and others on: http://nomadandnesterchronicles.blogspot.com/

The real deal //

"Theres something powerful about seeking Gods kingdom first with your spouse that makes your love go deeper than if you were seeking first your marriage."

"Serving God takes a lot of repetitious, unglamorous work. You have to be willing to make yourself nothing."

“I don’t know how you’re going to face God at the end and say, ‘You put us together... and what we decided to do with our marriage was get comfortable.’ ”

You and Me Forever from You and Me Forever on Vimeo.

"Had we been living our own life, trying to build a good life for ourselves... we'd be missing it."

"When you're on a mission, when God puts this thing in your heart and you find it, its not work, its a privilege."

"Marriage could have a much stronger, more powerful, more significant meaning than just someone that I could grow old with."

Love in Action

Love in Action // Eau Claire, WI
During our break times at the Power and Love conference in Madison, WI last month we took the opportunity to walk out what we were learning.

Does someone tell me where to go during the “Love in Action” times?

No, “Love in Action” is simply you living out your life in Christ around other people and applying what you are learning. If you are hungry, find a good restaurant! If you need to buy a pair of shoes, go to a shoe store! We do not tell you where to go. We DO encourage you to step out to love someone with the Love of God!

// Power and Love FAQ page

We pray "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" but during these times I saw that. It was such a beautiful thing to walk around a shopping mall and ask people on crutches or at kiosks if we could pray for healing for them and have them say, "How many of you are there? This is the fifth* time I've been prayed for today!" (*the amount of times was different based on the individual touched) It was like a revelation to hear that from people over and over, to realize that it should be normal to hear from people everywhere we go because the Body of Christ is in the world and people encounter us all the time. How often when they do do they also encounter Him? It should be every time. It can be. He died to heal relationship with Him, to bring us near again, so He could be in us -- here and now -- as well as with us one day in heaven.

There was nothing to it, it wasn't organized outreach with training and a script to use, it was just knowing the Love of God and showing it to people. I met a young man at Power and Love named Dionta who came from Michigan. He leads a group of people from his church back home in practicing walking this out each week. We didn't get the opportunity to go out in the same group during any of our breaks but we talked on the final night, I told him I wanted to "bring this back to Eau Claire" and he was excited to help me do that. He prayed for me, and he hasn't stopped since. He's become a dear friend to me. He helped me brainstorm when and where to start to lead a group of Believers and kept me accountable through encouragement to go out and to invite others along consistently. He and one of the girls from his group back home are quick to pray for and encourage me, to cheer me on and then rejoice with me after I step out.

For four weeks now I've been going in to downtown Eau Claire to one of my favorite summer events, Music in the Park, and have walked around with no agenda just a willingness to be used to show Love. The first week I invited nearly a hundred people... and no one came along. I felt very small but I knew the power of obedience in faith and I wanted to be a vessel for love to touch lives that I would usually just pass by. So I went, by myself. There was no way of knowing who I would encounter, who the Lord would highlight to me, or what He would specifically want to do in or say to their life. There was no planning or preparing to be done, I just stayed present and aware and kept abiding in Him. The next week I had talked with a few people about the concept throughout the week and felt pretty sure that one or two of them would be going out with me for "round two". Music in the Park night rolled around again and I was going by myself, again. I went to stay consistent but it was discouraging to go alone again when I had thought I was going to be encouraging my brothers and sisters each week in walking this thing out, not just doing it myself. Week three came and again Believers had been interested in joining me but ended up not coming and I went alone. I was not feeling awesome on my way to the park. The Lord showed me what was going on in my heart and He ministered to it and I was prepared again to go and simply be love. Fourth week, same thing, just me, in spite of invitation to others, and my heart was burning in prayer.

See, He is doing something here. I'm being moved to intercession as a result. He is doing many things. Every week He has touched lives down at the park with His love through me. My satisfaction comes before anything ever happens (because its in Him), my faith is stretched as I wait and then I am encouraged by the fruit of it afterward. It is a blessing to be a vessel. Jesus is shaping and sharpening me through the process. He is planting seeds through me. He is stirring His people. I've had more encounters with Believers through Love in Action than non-believers. See, He loves to show His love to people who don't know it through me (and you!), but presently through my example He is stirring in people who do know His love to realize that we are to show love, not just know it for ourselves. I may not to be in Eau Claire for much longer but when I leave there will be a plethora of seeds already planted for the brothers and sisters, who rise up to take over leading this example and teaching others and encouraging them in walking it out as well, to water and see the Lord grow to fruition.

|| If you're in EC and you want to go out with me, you're very welcome! Just let me know. If you're not in EC but your heart was moved by this, remember me in prayer. I'm not truly alone when I go out alone, Jesus and I are walking the streets together. There is a lot going on in the spiritual though and things come against me every week. I'm always victor through the Lord's strength but your prayers are invaluably empowering and encouraging. I'm so grateful for you all. You're just fantastic and Jesus is crazy about you!

Opening Up //

We all have weakness, vulnerabilities, tender places and we like to keep them close and secret and protected. Walls up. Armor on. Smiles wide. We know the risk that is run if we confide, share, ask for help. Ouch. Every one of us has had brokenness. We aren't meant to stay broken + we aren't meant to travel through it alone. Christ's Body -- little healers, comforters, burden-carriers, lovers -- held fast in Love Himself, freed from ourselves to see others, are compelled to reach out, kneel down, put a hand around a shoulder and weep beside, journey with tirelessly and rejoice together in the time of freedom + wholeness + joy. We can't fix a single soul but we know Someone who can and while He's doing His work inside we get to do this work outside.

Going about my days, moving forward, healing, I've been so moved by the Body's care in my life. They don't always know what to say, sometimes they talk when silence is needed, sometimes the truth rings true but stings like peroxide in the wound, they've affirmed and confirmed and not always with word, sometimes a hand on my back or an arm wrapped around is more than enough. They haven't smothered me, shoved healing down my throat or dragged me forward, they've trusted me to the Shepherd to lead in due course and they've always been there when I reached out, when I asked for help, when I needed a shoulder to lean on. Opening up is a risk, but opening up to people lovers, in my own experience, has proved to be a little bit of mess, a lot of grace, and way more blessing than I ever imagined. In short, its worth it. And I am awfully glad I don't have to be alone in this life where trouble is promised.

Can we make sure that the people who are currently alone in their hurt come to know that they don't have to be much longer with us around? There are a lot of people with unshared stories, hidden hurts and thick walls around us. They're holding signs on the street corner, they're singing next to us in church, they live next door in suburbia, they sleep in the room down the hall, they bag your groceries, honk at you in traffic, answer your customer service calls, and go to your school. Some of them do not have anyone to trust with their fragility. If they did, they would be fully aware of the risk involved though... We will look like a risk to people, and we should know that, but lets make sure that they see that we are consistently worth it. Here's to being known by love!

Friday Favorites!

JOIN the community // 
I hope one day you get to meet Jami Nato. I'm so glad she exists. Seriously love Jesus in this sweet, spunky, short woman. Her words slay me and fill me up. That's what truth does. But truth mingled with the glorious mess of the Lord's redemption in the human experience does it in a community kind of way, a heart-to-heart-living-room-talk-with-the-kids-running-through-the-house-shrieking kind of way. You'll be brought face to face with your crap through her fearless writing, but you'll be faced squarely with the power at work to save too. Here, have a little taste of her and Nato's story. You're welcome!



Meanwhile, on the other side of reconciliation, the journey of life continues. Right now they're at a new "mountain"...

"i find 2 things compelling:

1) in God's kindness he let us know it was about to get nuts. why does he even care about us in this way?

2) in that same kindness, he has let the storm completely overwhelm us.

there is no way to get to where we need to be but to climb a giant mountain, in a storm, and only see the few inches in front of us. his mercy is full here, on this arduous climb.

each step, has been planned. and He has always made a way for weary travelers, hasn't he? i know i won't even climb this whole mountain or even a small part of it, there will be a lot of him carrying me. and not in the cheesy footprints in the sand kind of way, but in the blood falling from his brow for me kind of way.

in light of his goodness on the cross for me thousands of years ago, i know i can trust in his goodness now. he laid down his life for me in the greatest act of generosity, trustworthy-ness, and kindness in all of history, so he'll do this too. he carried the cross up the hill and now he'll carry me up this mountain. and when i look into his face, i remember who i am. because without the storms, i had forgotten.

if ever it was said that there are situations which make us feel small, it is now. there's no question of who is doing the work on this mountain." read more here.

///

Y'all, Shannan Martin's heart beats in sync with mine for adoption + impoverished neighbors. She is straight up real about brokenness, the beauty and the pain of it, and her mess is full of hope. She is my soul sister. You will love her! Here are her and Cory's kids.

"But my child gave me the gift of ripping the mask off my ugly, making me face it every single day, no where to turn, no where to hide. Loving him has set me free from the stunning arrogance that I could fix him, or anyone. It's not within my skill set. It was never meant to be.

Loving imperfectly, and unconditionally, has struck my soul like a bell - This doesn't even come close to the way God loves us. I sort the laundry and stir the soup and hold my tired, scrappy little boy to the echo of its reverb.

Loving Silas, and watching him start to love us back, prepared us to welcome another hurting boy into our life, arms-out, heart-bare, pride and expectations and all the world-wise conventions smashed to bits back at the curb." read more here.

///

I feel like Jessi Connolly of Naptime Diaries, co-founder of the Influence Network, has a bit of a superstar status in the blogging world. She inspires me, no doubt, but maybe for different reasons than the general audience. What I love hearing her talk about most is her real example as a church-planting Pastor's wife. Her support and love for her hubby in this huge, hard calling bears the overpowering aroma of surrender and it is a sweet, sweet smell to the Lord. The strength she has gained from laying down her life is a raw and beautiful picture of the Gospel rooted in a soul. It humbles and sharpens me. Following along with their church-plant, Gospel Community, on Instagram is one of the most invigorating things to me.

I keep going back to this vulnerable post of hers lately:

"It wasn't just that were were poor, we were absolutely poor in spirit. Nick would come home from those days of looking for jobs and sit beside me on the couch. When he looked to his left, I know he didn't see the bride of his youth or anything near to the woman he married a few years back. I was fifty (sixty?) pounds heavier, I'd lost any resemblance to the confidence young gal that I used to be. Groups and crowds made me nervous, I cried all the time. Our babies overwhelmed me and I just had literally no vision or hope out of the season we were in. I was broken and poor, poor in spirit.

But we found the gospel on that couch. Because we sure didn't have cable or money to distract us. We didn't have the expectations of what we could be for one another to rely on. We only had the truth that on our own we were broken and together, we had the tiniest shred of belief that Jesus would be more. We'd spend hours upon hours on that couch, curled up together or fingers barely brushing one another, discussing the Good News and what it really meant for us. That though we were broken, God cared for the broken. That though we were poor, we were rich in Him. All on that modern sofa that represented all we had hoped in ourselves, our Father gave us hope in Him. 

We eventually sold the sofa, for money we desperately needed, but we kept the gospel. And now, on great nights or awful nights or the ones in between - it means the world to me that I can look to the left and know - we've got Good News." read more here.

LISTEN //
gimmie that girl - joe nichols
glorious unfolding - steven curtis chapman
ulysses - josh garrels

GOOD READS //
I'm a story teller and my story is one I want to tell in full someday. Some seasons are for soaking up and some are for sharing though. I'm an avid journaler and process a lot on paper but in the soaking-up seasons its more like cataloging pieces that resonate with where I'm at, that'll stir up rich, raw memories in the sharing seasons. Lately I've been stumbling upon quotes and, wanting to save them but not wanting to blow up Facebook feeds with them, I've been setting them as captions to pins. Enjoy a smattering of them!

Affirming + Reflecting // week 11

MONDAY + TUESDAY
I had the opportunity to join Zachary and a bus full of other BBC students for a conference on church growth at Northridge Church in Rochester, NY last week. A good conference is one of my favorite things. I loved school and I still love to learn. Conferences allow me the opportunity to pack in a lot of education on very specific topics along side other people of a similar focus in a short amount of time. I have never gone to one with someone I knew, in fact rarely have I even known people who will be at them, so it was a new and delightful to share the conference experience with Zachary. We found ourselves resonating with the familiar ideas presented to us at 16:5, found ourselves saying, "They think how I think!", and rather than coming away with new information we were simply affirmed in our current vision and direction. Encouraging and invigorating, it certainly fueled the flame for future ministry that the Lord has put within us.

WEDNESDAY + THURSDAY
My car full of belongings was parked at BBC while we were over in Rochester. When we got back I drove it to my new home in Wallaceton, PA. Zachary's mom has the gift of hospitality and when she heard my host home had fallen through she opened her own home up to me and invited me to consider it my home indefinitely. Wednesday was too cold to unpack my car, affording me a day to rest and reflect on the conference. With the wind dying down and the sun coming out the following day it only took three loads to get everything unpacked and moved into the side of the house I'll be living in.

FRIDAY - SUNDAY
Flying to Dallas early in the morning on Friday to attend Hope Spoken. A two hour wait for a shuttle ride provided time to relax in the humidity and shade of a lovely Texas day. As I had done for the Influence conference, I connected with some gals I had never met before over Twitter and we booked a hotel room together for the conference. The three of us were able to chill in our room and share stories for two hours before registration began. I had anticipated recognizing a lot more attendees than I did and the sense of community established through shared experiences like these looked different for me than it did for my roommates. We were assigned to a small group and, excepting one other girl, were the only individuals in the group that hadn't come with a friend. Dynamics for connecting change so much when you come in pairs rather than independently. I've found that connecting with people is pretty simple if you're brave enough to get a little vulnerable, all it takes is sharing your story and being curious to hear about theirs.

The Lord had spoken something to my soul Thursday night that He built on, rooted deeply and sealed during Hope Spoken. Similar to Zachary's and my experience at 16:5, much of what was shared at Hope Spoken was familiar to me. It wasn't because I had heard the speaker's stories before, because I hadn't, and it wasn't because the truths spoken were elementary, they were actually deeply profound in the most simplistic ways, it was the heart behind them, the hope within them, the common thread of Jesus throughout them that is so familiar to my soul. The Lord spoke a lot to me during the weekend. I found myself withdrawing to journal frequently. The women I felt most akin to and connected the most naturally and deeply with over the weekend were the speakers. I watched Jesus breathe life into hundreds of women's hurts and brokenness and it was beautiful. I took 30sec of embarrassing bravery and obeyed when He gave me specific words of affirmation to deliver to the musicians who shared their gifts and led us in worship. I sat in the sunshine and I went in the pool. In my soul was the calm of deep waters and whether at the conference, in the airport or settling in back in Wallaceton, I knew He'd be continuing the work He'd begun. I was happy to be there. I was happy to come home.

As an added treat I was able to connect for lunch with an old classmate of mine who lives in Dallas. Sharing the visions that the Lord is casting for each of us and the ways He's led us along since we parted ways four years ago was refreshing and invigorating. A culmination of 16:5, Hope Spoken and my life in the land of adventure, I flew home mentally sharpened and emotionally refreshed but physically very tired. My voice is almost gone so today I'm not processing, just reflecting + resting.

Friday Favorites >>

GOOD READS // Do you ever read something and go, "Hey! It's like this guy has been in my head! I could have written this book."? I do. Something about being a little part of a huge community of creatives in the online world has changed me though. I still read books and find familiar thoughts but rather than begrudging the author for the royalties I somehow feel I should be partaking in, I sense I've been affirmed in my brilliance by a kindred spirit and I want to pat them on the back and applaud them for actually writing the book I never would have taken the time to. Three such authors of three such books include: "You're Made for a God-sized Dream" by Holley Gerth, "A Million Little Ways" by Emily Freeman, and "Start." by Jon Acuff.

"We need each other to raise us up and round us out." Writing, photographing, drawing, singing, branding, designing, doing social media like a boss and championing non-profits or fair-trade organizations with our platforms better than everyone else in the world isn't what we really want, is it? Nah. That's lonely. Experimenting with an adventurous + encouraging audience, dabbling in big dreams as freely as your kiddos who are painting masterpieces today and saving the world from bad guys tomorrow, and being brave enough to keep growing in your area of passion and expertise everyday beside a bunch of others doing the same. That sounds so much better!

JOIN the community // pass along a compliment, no strings attached! For months and months I have been curating a board on Pinterest, collecting hundreds of images and graphics and thoughts over time. I thought it was brilliantly original work. Then one day I came across Megan Gilger's blog "The Fresh Exchange" and realized that almost every one of those carefully selected pins from all over the web that I'd collected, originated with her brilliantly original blog. You'll love her stuff.

Per usual, Casey Wiegand is one of my favorite vulnerable creatives in the blogging world. She is consistently brave with her heart + inspiring with her eye for the whimsical in ordinary moments. I love how she loves her man and her littles. HopeSpoken is coming up in the end of March and the anticipation for that big, beautiful experiment of a conference is building -- especially on Instagram! Will I see you there?

Guys, wildly talented and stunningly lovely people sometimes come out of the woodwork, are quickly recognized and take off like wildfire. Even if they're only 17 years old. My darling friend Hannah (who designed this little corner of the worldwide web that I call "mine") is one such individual. Her voice is sweet + brave, it both woos and convicts. She's brave enough to ask the question "Is it that I, or we, don't remember how to even exist without constantly reviewing the never-ending stream of forever updating information? As I write this, I have about twenty tabs open." And that's why I love her. Get a little taste of her fierce sincerity here: blog.imhannahnicole.com

LISTEN // Over on my Spotify a handful of tunes getting played a lot are: "Friday Night" by Eric Paslay, "I Lived" by One Republic and "Tangerine" by Led Zeppelin. My musical tastes are expanding so the selection is pretty varied! What are you listening to lately?

Hope Spoken //

[Dear Readers, I bet you're thinking "Hey Stranger!" Right?! I know it's been quite awhile since I was found around here. 

It has been a tremendously full and blessed season -- one I haven't had time to put properly into words, but also one with limited wifi. Hoping to be found on here regularly once more in a month or so. For a brief update on life, keep reading below!]

Hello, new friends! I am Chelsea Mills -- chelsea_pea on Instagram and Twitter.

A brown-eyed, bare-foot creative. Delighted in book stores, at home in the country and generally located behind a camera or a book. // Currently residing in Wisconsin, turned 21 at the start of the month, finished remodeling my first house and have been settling in since September, really loving Spotify lately and Chocolate Peppermint tea from a local tea shoppe.

downloaded from a newsletter of Blaine Hogan's // http://blainehogan.com

  Ever since I took the Influence Network class "God + Making Better Art" this quote has been ringing through my mind. I'm a story collecter (listener), a story preserver (journaler), and a story teller (writer, speaker, photographer, singer, musician, poet, artist...). I have recognized a pattern in my life regarding stories. The Lord speaks in specific and heart-deep ways to individuals whose paths cross mine through personal stories from my life. With expectant heart and tuned ear I sit down with people and I listen and I tuck away and when the Lord whispers "Oh, tell them the story about the time when..." I obey. It is a beautiful thing to watch Him sculpt the pattern of tales, order the flow of them, lead me in the amount of detail needed, and show me what to emphasize for each unique soul to meet them where they are at. As an introverted, private and shy person it has been stretching to learn how to be vulnerable enough to welcome others in -- into my story, into my life, into my heart. But as a lover of people it has been worth every stretch mark.

  I have a whole new season of life unfolding before my eyes and it is brim-full of fresh + rich + very personal stories. I know that the Lord desires to share these stories through me in the proper time and place. They seem so delicate right now, as vulnerable as a silky cocoon hanging from a leaf, and I am a little nervous that they will still be too fresh to share when the conference rolls around. Although, knowing my Lord and His perfect timing I'm venturing a guess that they will just be emerging as glorious winged creatures by the end of March.

  I call myself a story teller, an artist, but I am still very timid in my creativity. I have a pool of undeveloped creative skills. With the gentle + dedicated + consistent hand of my Lord drawing out the fullness of what He created me to be paired with the collaboration + support + encouragement of the Hope Spoken community I hope that pool's depths will be plumbed in 2013 and the years to follow!

Random Fact: I bought these sunglasses when I was fourteen. Yes, I still have them. Yes, I still think they are more "me" than any other pair of sunglasses I have come across. 

Also, you may observe that I am inseparable from my phone these days. Guess that happens when your best friend is in school eighteen hours away from you. You can just ask me how Zachary is doing if you notice me checking my screen frequently. ;)