One year ago I was just getting started.  The summer of 2013 was when I decided to get back into speaking full time.  Little did I imagine the changes I would find, and as I began exploring over the next few months I discovered a new world had evolved in my time “away.”  There were things called “blogs” and “podcasts” and “social media”!  Did I ever have a learning curve ahead of me.  By last October 27th, my birthday, I was celebrating in Maui, and contemplating all the exciting things ahead.

So as I celebrated my birthday just this past Monday, I thought it would be appropriate to do an analysis of what went as planned and what didn’t and what was per expectations and what was way over expectations.  Well, I guess you get the idea.

Following are the top 5 lessons I learned in this past year.  Maybe these will help you too as you navigate this life of constant change.

Lesson #1:  Everything will take much longer than you anticipate.

Lesson #2:  The learning curve will be steeper than you imagined.

Lesson #3:  You can’t do everything at once.

Lesson #4:  You will get discouraged.

Lesson #5:  You will succeed if you stay consistent with effort over time.

Favorite Books of the Year:

Fiction:
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie: A Flavia de Luce Mystery, by Alan C. Bradley

Letters from Skye: A Novel, by Jessica Brockmole

Still Life (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache Mysteries, No. 1), by Louise Penny

Nutrition/Health/Faith:
Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth about Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar–Your Brain’s Silent Killers, by Dr. David Perlmutter

The Tapping Solution for Weight Loss & Body Confidence: A Woman’s Guide to Stressing Less, Weighing Less, and Loving More, by Jessica Ortner

The Tapping Solution: A Revolutionary System for Stress-Free Living, by Nick Ortner

What Happens When Women Pray, by Evelyn Christenson

Business:
The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months, by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington

Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World, by Michael Hyatt

The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition, by Strunk and White

Encouraging Word of the Week:
Proverbs 16:9 “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps.”
Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

The post #028: Christy Largent – 5 Big Lessons from a Year of Change (Podcast) appeared first on Christy Largent.

What a great interview with Dr. Beth Ackerman. She is an associate dean in the School of Education at Liberty University.

It was while working at an alternative school, she completed her Master’s degree in special education at Lynchburg College and a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership at the University of Virginia.  She has built Liberty University’s education program to include over 1000 students in the special education program.  Additionally, she has developed a love of sharing what God has laid on her heart over the years as a follower of Christ, a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, and educator.  We are the benefactors of that love today.

Key Ideas:

Part 1:  Interview

• Moving through disappointing times
• The power of remembering
• Trust and Obey
• Flexibility and the importance of keeping a calendar
• How to handle negative feedback

Part 2: Dealing with Disappointments

• Remember the past – Wes King song, Remember
• Float instead of fight
• Have confidence in your creator
• Look to the future with Hope

Website links:

www.womenoffaith.com  This is a link to all of Beth’s blog posts for Women of Faith

www.liberty.edu  This is a link to the list of Beth’s blog posts for Liberty University

Beth’s Recommended Reading:

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change, by Stephen R. Covey

Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership: Seeking God in the Crucible of Ministry by Ruth Haley Barton

Bittersweet: Thoughts on Change, Grace, and Learning the Hard Way by Shauna Niequist

Contact Beth:

Facebook:  Beth Ackerman

Encouraging Words of the Week:  

Isaiah 12:2   “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.  The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.”

Jeremiah 29:11 “I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you.  Plans to give you a future and a hope.”

Question:  What was your favorite part of this interview?  What has been your biggest disappointment and what have you done to move through them?   I’d love to hear your stories, just leave a comment below.

The post #027: Beth Ackerman and Disappointments (Podcast) appeared first on Christy Largent.

Today I’m excited to interview a couple, Lori and Steven McClure.  They are the authors of a new book, 15 Ways to Make Love Impossible. I know you are going to enjoy both of them as they share honestly and transparently about their journey.

Key Ideas:

Part 1:  Interview

• The importance of being proactive with your activities (and what happens when you aren’t!)
• What happens when you switch careers mid-life
• Why difficulties are not the end of the story
• “We learn the most when we feel weakest and most afraid”

Part 2: What I learned when I felt my weakest and most afraid

1. Look at myself first
2. I can let go of the outcome and trust God
3. Just do the next right thing

Website links:  (This week we discussed)

 https://loriandsteven.wordpress.com/

www.sacredspace.ie

www.momastery.com

Lori and Steven’s Recommended Reading and Resources:

15 Ways to Make Love Impossible, by Lori and Steven McClure

Noisetrade – Free Download of their book here

The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out, by Brennan Manning.

A Grief Observed, by C.S. Lewis.

Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life, by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend.

Encouraging Word of the Week:  2 Corinthians 12:9 (New Living Translation)   “Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.  So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”

Question:  What was the most encouraging part of this interview?  Are you going through any rough times that would make these ideas helpful?  I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions.  And I’d love to pray for you too. Please leave your comments below.

The post #026: Lori and Steven McClure and Learning through Weakness (Podcast) appeared first on Christy Largent.

Today I’m so excited to interview Amy L. Sullivan.  She is such a fun and inspiring woman.  Her blog Amy L. Sullivan
is full of practical ideas for living life full of intention and purpose.  We also talk about her brand new book, When More is Not Enough – How to Stop Giving Your Kids What They Want and Give Them What They Need.  It’s full of awesome ideas for you and your family.  I know you’ll love getting to know Amy.

Key Ideas:

Part 1:  Interview

• There is power in community
• Enthusiasm is contagious
• The beauty of an early morning ritual
• Keeping sane with sleep, exercise, friendship and the Word

Part 2: How to be Extravagantly Generous

1. Start with what you have – talents, time, ideas, stuff
2. Look for ways to help – hint, you don’t have to start it.   Amy’s website has some great suggestions
3. Pick a week to eat from the pantry/freezer, and with your kids, pick out a way to be generous with the grocery money
4. Discuss what being it would look like for your family to be extravagantly generous – then pick something to DO to live it out
5. Don’t wait

Website links:

Amy L. Sullivan  Amy’s website with load of great information here.

Amy’s Recommended Reading and Resources:

When More is Not Enough – How to Stop Giving Your Kids What They Want and Give Them What They Need, by Amy L. Sullivan  How important is this?!  Very!

15 Ways to Make Love Impossible, by Lori and Steven McClure  – watch for their upcoming interview on our podcast in a few weeks.

Start A Snowball – Helping Kids do Good  What an excellent resource for your family!

Encouraging Word of the Week:  1 Timothy 6:17-19 (The Message)   “Tell those rich in this world’s wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow.  Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage, to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous.  If they do that, they’ll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.”

Question:  What was your favorite part of this interview?  What are you doing to teach and train your kids how to implement giving into their everyday lives?  I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions.

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