Day 1 – My Life is Not a Hallmark Movie

The WRITE 31 DAYS Challenge:  31 Days, Every Day, One Topic

 Day 1

I’ve heard of the 31 Days Writing Challenge for years and I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of taking one topic and focusing in on it for a whole month.  This year I decided to jump in and use the 31 days of October to share my Old Things New story.  My story of becoming the person who God created me to be.

WARNING:  This story doesn’t resemble a Hallmark movie. Not even a little bit!  The characters are more 3-dimensional, less predictable, and some even fall under the label of “notorious sinners.” (Luke 15:1 NLT)

What’s so special about me and my story? Not all that much really. I’m not a big time writer or speaker.  I don’t have a huge number of people eagerly awaiting my emails in their inboxes.  I’m just a regular ol’ person with a story that’s unique, just like your story is unique to you.  

But what I’ve learned along the way is that when God lays something on your heart and urges you to do it, it’s always better to be obedient to listen to His voice.  Besides, my (God) story isn’t mine to keep.  The Bible tells me in II Cor. 1:3-4 that even as embarrassing as some parts of my story might be, it’s meant to be shared with others who might need to hear what I have to say.

I am not the Patti I once was and believe you me, some of those who “knew me when” wouldn’t recognize the person that I’ve become!

Thank God. He took me from broken to beautiful, and blessed me to bless others. Click To Tweet

My journey has taken me along many roads, smooth-paved freeways to pot-holed paths. There were times when I wandered off and lost myself but God never lost me, and He always gently guided me back to where I was meant to be.

By the way, I’m not saying that I’ve fully arrived, because it seems to me that when we get to a resting place in our journey, and start to settle in and get a little too comfortable, God is soon nudging us on to the next thing!  We are all works in progress, being transformed (hopefully) from glory-to-glory. (II Cor. 3:18)

Now just so this 31 days doesn’t become all about me, I intend to throw in an Old Things New DIY or two, or three, along the way.

Today I’ll begin by introducing myself to those who don’t know me, or those who think they do and might find themselves surprised over the next 31 days:

I’m sometimes scattered, often last minute, and almost always hard on myself when I mess up; I am an introverted-extrovert who needs people until I get tired, and then I can hardly wait to be ALL BY MYSELF; I enjoy entertaining in my home better than going to other people’s homes, but still, I want you to invite me over so I feel included as your friend; I have a super clean car (it just came from the detailer) that will soon be a mess of red dirt paw prints on creamy leather seats and doggie boogers on the windows; I love food but not exercise, and I exercise out of necessity, not choice; I despise (yes, despise is a strong word and I’m still trying to work on the root of that) paperwork and paying bills but again, a necessity; one of my love languages is coffee with friends, especially friends who make me laugh because I LOVE to laugh; I adore my husband of twenty-five years, my two adult daughters, my son-in-law, my two dog buddies, my four grand kitties, and my grand puppy; the lake is my happy place.

MOST important of all, I am a child of God, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, healed, set free and delivered from sin and shame, blessed with a God-given purpose, anointed for that purpose, and sometimes bravely, sometimes not, dedicated to walking it out in my daily life.

If you’ve read this far I’m hoping that means you’ll come back tomorrow for DAY 2.

Blessings,

P.S. If you know someone who might need to hear a story of redemption please share the word!

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!

Sunday:

SundaysAtHome, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays

Monday:

IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, TheDedicatedHouse, Dwellings, ProjectInspired,  InspireMeMonday, CelebrateYourStory, What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings, Darling Downs Diaries, The Art of Homemaking, MomentsOfHope, Glimpses, SittingAmongFriends, InspireMeMonday, GodSizedDreams

 

Tuesday:

TalkOfTheTown, HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, CoastalCharm, CedarHillFarmhouse, TuesdaysAtOurHome, TheWinthropChronicles,  Rich Faith Rising Unite Linky, Testimony Tuesday,Cheerleaders of Faith,Tell His Story

Wednesday:

SavvySouthernStyle, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesdays, Coffee for Your Heart, MessyMarriage, ThreeWordWednesday,  WriterWednesday

Thursday:

ShareYourStyle, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, MyRepurposedLife, ADelightsomeLife, KatherinesCorner,  Thought Provoking Thursday, SincerelyPaulas, ThoughtfulThursday, Tune-inThursday

Friday:

FrenchCountryCottage, TheCharmOfHome, TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday, ShabbyliciousFriday, Faith’nFriends,  Dance With Jesus FreshMarketFriday

Saturday:

FunkyJunkInteriors, SaturdaySparks, TheInspirationGallery, Make My Saturday Sweet