Thursday Things #86

When potato chips, paintings, prayer, memoirs and an old hymn somehow go together.

Welcome! Every other Thursday, I share a handful of things I'm loving, reading, watching, listening to or just discovered. In other words . . . what I'd text you about if I had your number or mention if we met up for coffee! I'm so glad you're here. :)

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Hey friend, happy Thursday! I’m headed to one of my favorite cities for a quick trip and have packed exactly nothing, so we’ll keep this intro short and sweet. There’s quite the conglomeration of Things for you below, but that feels right—like all the rabbit trails we’d take and stuff we’d chat about or mention if we were in person, whether drinking coffee, on a walk, or roadtripping together.

At the very bottom there’s a space for you to leave a comment, and I’d love to hear from you—random Thing you’re loving or prayer request (more on that below).

Good grief, this book.

I could write 3,000 words about this book but I’m sum it up in one:

Phenomenal.

I’ve seen a dozen people rave about the audiobook, and honestly I may re-read it by listening to Beth narrate her story, but I don’t think you can go wrong with either format. (The hardback does include pictures, FWIW.)

All My Knotted-Up life is honest and honoring, humble and witty and wise. One of the best memoirs I’ve ever read.

Prepare to click ‘follow’.

Tell me your jaw dropped when you saw this, yes?

I mean. I MEAN.

Yes this account showed up on my Instagram Explore tab.

Yes I immediately followed @verakoberart.

Yes to beauty and creativity and art filling our feeds, slowing us down with amazement.

I’ve never seen anything like it. And I’m so here for it.

In which I’d like to tell you about a bag of chips.

A few months ago, I found a new-to-me brand of chips (Zapp’s) at the grocery store and shared it here, but other than those and Garden Salsa SunChips, I’m not much of a chip person—until now.

(How many times can one write chips in a single sentence?)

These randomly called my name last time I was at the grocery store, and I’m here to say I’d like the kitchen pantry to never be without them moving forward.

Are the other flavors good? No clue. (Do I commit to doing the research to find out? Yes.) Is the name so long that it sounds like an Amazon description? Yep. But I’m here for the Cape Cod Sea Salt Kettle Cooked Waves Potato Chips, please and thank you.

He’s a God of resurrection, not resignation.

There’s a P.S. in TT #85 about this article and the timing that is far from a coincidence. I wrote it about one thing and by the time it went live it meant another, but I’ll say here what I said to a friend: it’s the kindness of God that these words came back to gently remind me of what really is true and what really won’t change.

God is with us on the mountain top and in the valley and every step in between.

But when we’re low, or when our hearts are heavy, or when we’re navigating the unknown? We can know this: We’re passing through. The destruction of Right Now will one day, sooner than we even know, be a place of hope. It’s guaranteed.

From The Storm Is Never The End of the Story:

Isaiah 65:10 seems to underline the promise, circling hope with a bright highlighter, when it declares the Valley of Achor will become a resting place for sheep and for God’s people. The Shepherd will lead us through the valley of the shadow of death until it becomes a flourishing field, a place of restoration. We may not know the how or the when or why the valley seems to be stretching on so long, but we can trust the One who will carry us through, can settle into His arms instead of setting up camp.

We have a God who fills the valleys to overflowing, who takes places of deep heartache and makes them doorways of hope.

We have a God who can turn things around, who swallowed death and then spoke resurrection.

We have a God who stays with us in the storm and says “this won’t be the end of the story.”

Be Still My Soul.

A friend recommended the newest EP from Sarah Sparks—Sleep: Songs for the Anxious—and I thought I’d pass it along here. Each of the three tracks (she’s going to add more in over time—yay!) has its own unique sound, and so far the hymn is my favorite.

Interceding for one another.

My Bible Study is currently reading through Life Together (highly recommend, five stars). We had such a rich discussion this week on the beauty and power of prayer and intercession… and it prompted me to invite you to share a prayer request here in the comments. Hundreds (😳) of people so kindly and graciously prayed for my dad’s surgery last Friday.*

We are so grateful. Mom told the doctor many people were specifically praying for him that day and he echoed that gratitude, too. It made me think of the words of Jesus in Matthew 18:

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

We weren’t in the same place, but we were gathered in His name across states and time zones—and He heard every word. “Thank you” is small, but truly, thank you.

It would be my honor to pray for you this weekend. I have hours of driving ahead of me and will be praying through the comments by name. Share as you feel comfortable, and if you’re willing, pray for the comment above yours. We’ll gather here in this space, too. 💛

*Recovery is going well! The next step is lab work in a couple weeks, but mom and dad are good to head back to Florida. :)