Today we begin our FIRST EVER audio book series on the Joy Right Here Podcast! Light a fall candle, get cozy, (or just fold the laundry and do dishes), and listen to the first two chapters of my NEW novelette, Where Maryn Goes. Below is a synopsis of the novelette or simply press play and trust you're going somewhere good!

AND WE'RE OFF!

Where Maryn Goes: She wears a dress of dead things and has forgotten how to live, but a nightmarish encounter forces her to go into the season of Ocean. Just as she gets in position to receive the terror and become the pain. . . everything changes.

Here is the reawakening of Maryn.

Here is the episode in which I cannot say C R E A T I V I T Y! Well anyhow, I've got some big news for you! The next few weeks on the podcast are going to be wildly good and so different. I think fall is a perfect season for fresh stories and old books, for new things and mundane things. So in the spirit of all that, here's a different kind of adventure for our podcast.

Before you go, here's a challenge for your Monday; go do something you enjoy and savor the last day of September.

Do you ever feel insecure? Do you ever feel like you're not enough? Well, GREAT! That's the first step to freedom! Let me tell you something: YOU WERE NOT MEANT TO CARRY YOU'RE OWN CHAOS! So let me tell you what you ARE meant for.

This one is SO simple but SO important!! We've got to take a minute to pause and enjoy everything that's happened. . .all the good that God has done & all the life He is multiplying & remaking. Life is not perfect, and we get that, but life holds some lovely things. We simply must NOTICE!

Last week, I shared an emotional look into my heart, and THIS WEEK I'm sharing 3 practical things YOU can implement TODAY to help you effectively fight for your heart. I've learned these by experience and believe they will help you as much as they have helped me. I love the first one, but if you decide to do any of these. . .let it be the second one! This will absolutely change the game and help you refocus and, in turn, THRIVE. To get uplifting emails every Monday, click here. Access to a free 5-Day eDevotional gets sent your way when you do!

A few things to know about this episode: 

1. Nothing tragic has happened to bring on this episode. This is the ebb and flow of discouragement and trials faced here in this broken world! 

2. The graveyard in this story is metaphorical. And I LOVE the picture it represents. . . for all of us, really! 

3. Speaking of all of us, I am pretty certain that you have felt these emotions or you will feel them soon. It's part of living life with God, but living here on earth. 

4. I'm passionate about sharing life and all God is powerfully doing in life. It feels uncomfortable, but it's important. We're all here or have been here, so let this be an episode that encourages to face your pain & your grief (however it looks) WITH the God of your life who will raise all that is broken and make it beautiful, good, and filled with His glory.

 (If you'd like more reflections like the ones in this episode, you can sign up for the Monday emails here >> http://bit.ly/MondayStories)

WATCH OUT!! HERE IT COMES. . .the great battle between pumpkin spice lattes and swimsuits! Half your friends are enjoying their #PSL and the other half are hurling watermelon chunks at their faces telling them to PLEASE STOP!  Oh for goodness sake! What if both sides are just delighting fully in the life God has given?! What if both the #PSL lovers and swimsuit wearers are doing it right!? Let this lighthearted episode give you the permission to enjoy the life God has given you. Let this be the episode that pushes you to be a thankful person no matter how it looks in this odd in-between time.

Here's a story about our goat, Roxanne, who got distracted by the scraps on the ground and how you and I can be just like her. . .settling for what we see, what's easy, and what makes sense to us in the moment. But the truth is we don't have a settling kind of story! Let's talk about our Refuge, the Source of all goodness, comfort, and peace. Here we will find our story isn't scrappy. . . our story is good. 

Challenge of the day: Let's not be like a stubborn, easily distracted goat!

HOLD UP!! 

It's still summer! Pretty soon you'll be back at school, or starting college, or seeing your kids off and away, or getting stir crazy for fall, BUT TODAY IS SUMMER! Let's love life right here. Finish your summer strong, enjoy the busy, soak in the season, and embrace the transition. Let's talk 3 ways you can love your time right here!🌻🌞 

NOTE: Starting today, I'm off and away on a mini hiatus. I'm learning what it means to TRULY rest and I'm soaking all the bits of summertime I can before waltzing onward (click here for more details about why this hiatus is so important). The podcast will be back Monday, August 19. In the meantime, catch up on any episodes you've missed. Episode 4 is a long-standing favorite of mine! So much more is coming! And I've got plenty of good things in store for you. CANNOT WAIT!

At 17, I discovered Psalm 62:8 and it has CHANGED EVERYTHING for me these last 7 years! This one is packed with truth--simple, practical, and encouraging. We aren't meant to carry our chaos; we are meant to cast it all on God. HE gives rest. HE gives clarity. HE gives peace! Let's live out Psalm 62:8 together. ❤