Good morning from Prague. I get to admire someone today that you also have “met”. Bethany Stedman. I am inspired by her and what she is exploring on this blog. Her passion for nutrition and creating good real food continues to fascinate me. I also really enjoy reading Bethany’s blog because I get to see a side of her that I usually don’t get to see. I usually see her early in the morning or late at night when I knock on her door to say hi. So I thought it would be good to introduce you to a side of Bethany that maybe you don’t know.

Just a bit of background….I met Bethany 3.5 years ago in Prague. And for Prague life that is a long time. The first time it hit me that we were going to be friends was maybe the 3^rd or 4^th time I saw her. It was at a friend’s baby shower. She arrived dressed like a pixie, with braided hair wrapped around her head and her camera. She hid behind her camera in those days, capturing the world around her to the delight of the rest of us. Since those times she has been a shoulder to cry on, a daily part of my life, and a real honest follower of God.

When someone meets Bethany they realize that they keep meeting her. Her treasures are deep and plentiful but not showy. I love this about Bethany. I love the way she offers herself to you simply and if you see it – you realize you are being handed gold. Her depth and ability unfold for you and await your discovery.

I am learning so much from Bethany about loving husbands, entering motherhood, living purposefully, struggling with God. The quality of Bethany that perhaps stands out most to me is that when I am with her I sense I am in the presence of something real and tangible. It is a real moment. And I always feel seen and heard. It is hard to describe. There is something solid about Bethany. She doesn’t have an agenda for you and she doesn’t try and impress you. Bethany and her husband offer themselves to those they meet.

Bethany also is a woman of strength with a hidden ability to lead people into an encounter with God. When she is leading you in yoga there is a deep strength that you implicitly trust and want more of. Her beauty and depth brings favor to her husband, son, friends and community.

I admire her tremendous courage to engage head on, the ways she wants to raise her son even though some people might not understand. Even her decision to be in Prague at this point is made thoughtfully, weighing the costs.

I am also thankful for her acceptance of me in my most broken moments. Bethany is a strong broad tree that is only rising in glory and that will shade and nourish many people in the future.

The King’s favor rests on her.

Bethany is a rich gift to me and those she meets. I admire her so much.

A Prayer of Blessing for Bethany Stedman.

Circle Bethany, Jesus,
Keep peace within
and discouragement out.
Circle Bethany, Spirit,
May these days of travel be filled with rest and refreshment for her.
May all her days be filled with love and deep joy.
Circle Bethany, Father/Mother of us all,
Let her branches and root grow deep.

May her leaves and shade overflow into abundant fruit.
Circle Bethany, Jesus,
protect her deep heart,
guide her dreams,
quiet her insecurities.
Circle Bethany, Spirit,
Keep joy near,
and turmoil afar.
Circle Bethany, Father/Mother,
Nourish her being,
fill her heart and home with Life.
In the name of the eternal three in one,
Bless Bethany, that she might continue to bless others.
Amen.

Carrie Ruth Schwender is called right now to a hold a place for God. This place is a hostel in Prague. She knows that she has only a few rohliky (Czech hotdog buns) to offer and that the great baker will have to fill the quota for the rest of the big order. She aspiries to live loved. That’s enough.

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Do you ever meet someone and just feel right away that they are a long lost “bosom friend” as Anne would say, an “anamchara” (soul friend) as the Celtic saints of old would call it. I’ve never really met Vina, but that’s how I feel when I read her blog. We could be friends; I wish we were friends, and not just blogger friends. She’s one of a very small handful of bloggers who I would love to actually meet – sit across the table from and learn from in person. Although, honestly, I probably would feel way to intimidated to really meet her in person.

Vina inspires me. She is thoughtful, intentional, and intuitive. Her posts are beautiful, insightful, and intelligent. She writes with clarity and purpose. She is relatable and doesn’t hide her own insecurities, or struggles. She describes herself as a “domestically-challenged-freak-of-nature” who sometimes forgets to brush her teeth and “doesn’t really notice the dust that accumulates on top of [the] furniture.” Oh, how I can relate!

I can also deeply relate to how she describes her beliefs. I’ll let her say it because she says it so well:

I am a follower of Jesus, but I don’t readily identify with mainstream American Christianity, nor am I a huge fan of institutions and organized religions. I believe that there is more to be learned from each other, more Wisdom we can ever possibly possess if we venture out of the confines of Tradition. I am more an advocate of mothering from the heart and of listening to our children. I like the idea of growing through motherhood and marriage more than perfecting my roles in either. I advocate questions and doubts alongside faith and trust. I have a need to look to the Creator and his entire creation as my Guide. I am hopeful that I can live out the messiness of my life in a beautiful way. I trust in Redemption. I want to learn from Life with grace and humility.

Isn’t that beautiful?

Vina is also someone I feel I could learn a lot from. I feel like I can learn a lot from her parenting style, her writing style, her marriage, and all of the little stories she shares. I can relate to Vina in “my own little quiet introverted intuitive feeling perceptive way” but I also feel like she is a bit farther along in the journey than I am, so there’s so much that I can learn from her.

She has four words that guide what she writes about and that influence the journey of becoming that she is on. They are Simplicity, Authenticity, Creativity, and Generosity. Here’s what she has to say about each of them:

Simplicity

I’ve grown quite a lot in simplicity the past few years especially after having lived overseas during my post-college years. It’s also my natural bent because I am an idealist at heart and I seek after the essence of things. I want to cut through the fluff, get down to the core of Life and live from the Center. Back to the Simple and the Basics, that is all.

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Leonardo da Vinci

Authenticity

Authenticity is something I am just beginning to grasp on a heart level. I’ve always known the kind of person I am, but only recently am I becoming truly comfortable in my own skin. To truly embrace who I am, the good and bad, the beautiful and the ugly. Because I’m all those things.

“This above all: To thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day. Thou canst not then be false to any man.~ Hamlet, Shakespeare

Creativity

Along with that is a rediscovery of my creativity, embracing the artist and the child in me who I have lost somewhere in life. When I participate in the act of creating, I come alive. Part of our calling as human beings is to add to the Beauty in this world.

“Creativity is knowing how to hide your sources” – Albert Einstein
Generosity

And lastly, but not least is a journey towards generosity, an other-centered life. Simplicity, authenticity and creativity leads to abundance and when it overflows, it demands to be shared. I want our family to be a Life-giving force in this world. I am interested in looking at home management from a social justice and world perspective. How do our choices in our spending, eating and parenting affect the members of the bigger human family that we are all part of? How can we nourish our families in ways that are nourishing to the rest of the world as well?

“Give what you have. To someone, it may be better than you dare to think.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

(As a side note, just the fact that she included these quotes made me like her even more – I have a secret love for good quotes and have sort of collected them throughout the years).

Each of those words already had a special place in my heart before I ever discovered Vina’s blog and I really admire how she writes about them and the insight that she lends to them.

Last week Vina wrote this post about how she will be unplugging a bit for the summer. She has decided that she will be going “off the grid for the entire months of July and August except on Mondays.” On Mondays she’ll blog, comment, tweet, etc. But the rest of the summer she wants to spent time with her family and enjoy a little bit of an Internet Detox. I really admire this, and admire how she approaches unplugging for the summer. I so admire what she is doing for her heart and her family.

I unplugged from almost all social media and barely blogged at all through most of my pregnancy and firsts few months of motherhood. In many ways it was so good for me and exactly what I needed at that stage in my journey. But, lately, I’ve also been so glad to come back to it with full force.

I know from personal experience that when you don’t write often you start to lose traffic and subscribers. I don’t want that to happen to Vina and her beautiful blog. Vina is a writer who deserves to be read. So, even though she won’t be writing or commenting all that much this summer I really want to encourage all of my readers to go check out her blog. Look around, dig through her archives, read her about page, leave a comment, and SUBSCRIBE.

Vina is one of my all time favorite bloggers and I admire her so much.
A Prayer of Blessing for Vina of A Nourishing Home

Circle Vina, Jesus,
Keep peace within
and discouragement out.
Circle Vina, Spirit,
May these long days of summer be filled with laughter for her.
May all her days be filled with love and deep joy.
Circle Vina, Father/Mother of us all,
Sustain her growth in simplicity.
In authenticity, reveal to her new depths of herself, her daughter, her husband and You .
Inspire and breathe life into her creativity.
May her abundance overflow into abundant generosity.
Circle Vina, Jesus,
protect her deep heart,
guide her dreams,
quite her insecurities.
Circle Vina, Spirit,
Keep joy near,
and turmoil afar.
Circle Vina, Father/Mother,
Nourish her being,
fill her heart and home with Life.
In the name of the eternal three in one,
Bless Vina, that she might continue to bless others.
Amen.

Rejoicing in the journey -
Bethany Stedman

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Elizabeth and her husband Andrew recently spent a month in Prague visiting some friends of theirs who happen to be good friends of ours. My husband hung out with them off and on throughout their trip and I had the pleasure of having dinner with them and also a little impromptu cheesecake picnic while they were here.

They are both wonderfully talented designers in Greenville, SC. Andrew focuses on designing logos and web sites and Lib focuses on print design. SIDE NOTE: I love Lib as a nickname for Elizabeth – I’ve heard Liz and Beth before, and I have a friend named Elizabeth that I call Ella, but I’d never heard Lib before and I think it’s really cute. Anyway, they both also run this beautiful company, Two over Zero.

I liked Lib from the start. She was very sweet and she asked great questions (a characteristic I personally love). I felt like we would have plenty in common if given the opportunity to get to know each other better. We bonded with Andrew and Lib while talking about creativity and starting your own business (my husband does web design, web implementation and SEO work). We connected over a shared interest in food. And we commiserated over our brown thumbs and ability to kill living plants, despite our desire to have a garden.

Lib has a beautiful blog show casing her latest projects and creative endeavors, and sharing her thoughts. Here’s just a little tidbit of how she describes herself on her blog:

“I love simple beauty: a handmade bag, the warm smell of home-baked cookies, and the thrill of a thrift-store find.”

Yes, Lib and I could be friends.

Sometimes meeting new people is a strange thing. It’s great to meet someone you think you could connect with, but sad when you know you won’t have opportunity to get to know that person and there’s a chance you’ll never see them again. This big wide world is an interesting place, isn’t it? With so many interesting people, spread all across the globe. It’s a weird thought to think that I may have kindred spirits whom I will never meet, or who upon meeting I will never meet again.

Well, to all of my fellow lovers of good design, simplicity, and beauty, I encourage you to head over to Lib’s blog, look around, and then head over to her etsy store and see the beautiful things she creates.

Oh, and if you are an artist living near Greenville, SC, check out this amazing project Lib is starting. It’s called The Indie Craft Parade.  It’s “a juried art market, catering to independent artisans and their handcrafted goods.” You can apply to participate any time before June 18^th at midnight (EST). It looks like it’s going to be an amazing event.

A Blessing for Lib:

Circle Lib, Father.
Keep joy near
and discouragement afar.
Circle Lib, Lord.
May she continue to see beauty in the simple.
May she find you in all beauty.
Circle Lib, Spirit.
Bless her envisioning and her creating.
Bless her work and her play.
Circle Lib, Father.
When self doubts creep in, push them out.
When vision fades into hard work, give her strength.
When imagination fails, bring to her inspiration.
Circle Lib, Lord.
Keep peace within
and discouragement out.
Circle and sustain Lib, Spirit,
In the name of the eternal three.
Amen.

Rejoicing in the journey -
Bethany Stedman

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When Brie and I were younger we didn’t always get along. We were only 13 months apart in age and we often competed with each other and got jealous of one another other. Our relationship didn’t fit the big-sister/little-sister picture and we didn’t always have common interests. As we have grown though our relationship has also grown and changed. I can now say that my sister is not only my sister, she is a dear friend who I have missed every day since coming back to Prague.

I think there has been a part of me that has always admired my sister. I’ve admired her guts and gusto, her beauty and energy, her ability to talk with anyone and her ease in meeting new people. These are things I have both admired and been jealous of at times.

My sister is one of the most beautiful women I know. She always has been. She’s attractive, and she constantly had a slew of guys pursuing her. She’s fun and energetic, vivacious and creative. She was always up on the latest trend and the newest fashion and now that she’s a mom she’s the perfect person to go to when you want to know what brand of stroller is the best and what diaper bag is going to be the most stylish.

One of the things I love about my sister is she is just fun to be with. We can still giggle like school-girls together over desert, she always has a good story to tell and she’s up for almost anything. But, I’ve also realized as we’ve gotten older that she can be trusted with deep secrets and that she is a great person to go to when you just need to vent. She’ll listen and understand and she won’t judge you.

Most of all, though, I admire the mom my sister has become. Like all mothers she’s not perfect, but she’s one of the best mom’s I know. She loves her children so much and does so much for them each and every day. My sister’s kids are all incredibly close in age, with the first two only 16 months apart, and that can be so difficult and taxing, but she has handled it with incredible grace and beauty.

I loved that when I became a mom my sister went above and beyond to support and help me. She told me her little breastfeeding tricks, gave me advice about birth and pregnancy, gave me maternity cloths, cloths for the baby, toys for the baby, really she gave me gift after gift after gift. Her generosity and grace towards me was boundless and I’m not sure I would have been able to make it through the difficult first days of motherhood without her.

What really amazed me was that she did it all, was constantly providing for my needs as a new mother, while also caring for her three children and husband, moving out of their house and helping my mom host a rather large family Christmas. She never ran out of energy, she never dropped a ball. My sister is organized, and knows how to get things done. She’s loyal and faithful to do what she says she will do. She amazes me all the time.

I think every new mom needs someone in their lives like my sister. They need a mommy friend who’s just a little bit ahead of them, who can show them the ropes, help them out at the beginning and give them the encouragement they need. For me that person has been my sister and I’m so glad that it has. I feel like I have gotten to see my sister and all that she is and does with new eyes since becoming a mom and it makes me admire her so much.

I miss you, Brie, and can’t wait to see you next month!

A Prayer for Brie Endicott:
Circle Brie, Father,
when children scream, and baby’s poo and things break,
give her peace to rise above it all and respond with grace.
Circle Brie, Father,
when the mundane tasks of the day pile up,
give her truth to know that the work she is doing in her children’s lives is infinitely valuable.
Circle Brie, Father,
when she feels alone and overwhelmed,
surround her with people who love her and will encourage her.
Circle Brie, Father,
bless her as she has blessed me and so many others.
Father, Circle Brie,
Keep peace within
and turmoil out.
The eternal Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
shield Brie on every side. Amen.

Rejoicing in the journey -
Bethany Stedman

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There’s a quote from a 16^th century midwifery text that says this:

“A Midwife Should Possess A Lady’s Hand, A Hawk’s Eye and A Lion’s Heart”

That is a great way to describe Shell. She has a lady’s hand. She is gentle and kind, compassionate and open.

She has a hawk’s eye. She is ready for whatever happens. She is experienced, intelligent and sharp.

And she has a lion’s heart. She is passionate and energetic. She is strong and powerful. She leads well when needed, but never steps on anyone’s toes and absolutely never forces anything on anyone.

Shell Walker is truly captivating. Shell is one of those people who the more you get to know her, the more interesting she is. Each time we talked with Shell we found out new things about her and I was always so inspired and amazed. She has done so many things and learned from so many disciplines. She is incredibly knowledgeable and experienced. She is professional and her care is comprehensive. I felt like I could trust her completely.

Even with all of her expertise I never felt like she pushed her own ideas or knowledge on my husband and me. She ALWAYS gave us space to make decisions for ourselves. She really let us have the birth that we wanted and allowed us to guide our own birth experience. But, when we weren’t sure about a decision we could ask Shell about it and know that she would give us an informed and balanced opinion – I loved that I could make my own decisions and lead my birth process, and that I also felt completely comfortable deferring to her when I needed to. I felt like Shell gave us the perfect balance of freedom and direction. She was available and knowledgeable and ready to step in if needed or wanted, but when not needed she was able to step aside and let us lead the way.

Shell spent hours and hours with us before the birth and after the birth, not to mention the all-nighter she pulled with us during the actual labor. I felt like she was completely available to us. If we had a question or concern we could, call, text, or email and she would always respond promptly. Even when I was in Prague, and seeing another midwife for my prenatal care, Shell was still hands-on and available to me. I never felt rushed with her. Instead I felt like each time I was with her she wanted to be with me too. It was such a different experience from a normal doctor!

After having gone through a birth with Shell I feel like she is more than just my “care provider”. I feel like she knows me, I feel like she really cares for me. She is my midwife, in all of the most intimate and beautiful meanings of the word. I feel so grateful that I was able to have her beside me holding my hand and supporting me through the most amazing, awe-inspiring, difficult, and beautiful experience of my life.

A Little Blessing for Shell:

Spirit, circle Shell.
Keep comfort near
and discouragement afar.
Spirit, circle Shell.
Bless the hands that deliver life into the world.
Bless the hands that encircle and hold so many women through the biggest change of their lives.
Bless the hands that give strength when strength is needed, direction when confusion floods the heart, and support when weakness presses in.
Spirit, circle Shell.
Bless the work she is doing to create a safe, peaceful space for women to bring forth life.
Spirit, circle Shell.
May she be as blessed and encouraged by the mothers she walks beside as I know they are by her.
Spirit, circle Shell.
Mother her as she has mothered so many.
Spirit, circle Shell.
Keep peace within
and turmoil out.
Spirit, circle Shell.
Keep hope within
and disappointment without.
Keep light near
and darkness afar.
I bless you, Shell, midwife and sister,
in the name of the Holy Three,
the Father, the Son and the Sacred Spirit.

Rejoicing in the journey -
Bethany Stedman

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Her name is Jenny and she’s the genius behind Nourished Kitchen.

I don’t know Jenny. In fact I don’t even know her last name, but right now she is someone I deeply admire for a number of reasons.

First, I deeply admire her food philosophy. Jenny is writes about and advocates Real Food – sustainable, unprocessed, traditionally prepared, whole foods. When I first heard about the Real/Traditional Food Movement it just made sense to me and in many ways Bryan and I already ate a primarily real food diet without even realizing it. But, it was Jenny and her beautiful site that helped me to see that there was a whole world of health and real food preparation that I had only dipped my toes in. Hers was the first real food blog that I discovered. She gave me the information and the courage I needed to start soaking, souring and sprouting our grains. She gave me the motivation to try and find natural, real food sweeteners here in the Czech Republic. She gave me the inspiration I was looking for when it came time to start feeding my son solid foods. There are a lot of truly wonderful real food bloggers out there (Kelly the Kitchen Kop, Food Renegade, Nourishing Days, The Nourishing Cook and Kitchen Stewardship are just a few examples that come to mind and I’ve learned so much from each one), but, for me, Jenny will always seem like the Queen of Real Food.

Second, I really admire her blog itself and how she seems to approach blogging. She writes quality posts with beautiful pictures. Her site is clean, easy to navigate, and beautifully designed. She has great branding – I really love the Nourished Kitchen logo. Her site isn’t cluttered with ads, but I know that she does make some profit from her blog, which I think is great and she really deserve its. I also love that she gives away some of what she makes from the blog to a food related charity or organization advocating real food.  I really admire her blog. It’s an inspiration to me and I’m sure to many other bloggers out there as well. I’m quite certain that my blog will never be on par with Jenny’s, but it’s still my “shoot-for-the-moon” bench mark for the place I would dream about my blog becoming.

There are a lot of admirable people in the blogosphere and a lot of admirable bloggers out there, but Jenny at Nourished Kitchen holds a special place in my heart, so I just had to share her with you today.

Rejoicing in the journey -
Bethany Stedman

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I’ve known Laura Johnson since 6^th grade when she was Laura Chambers. But, it wasn’t until high school that we got to be really close friends and since then our friendship has just continued to grow. Laura is one of those rare friends that I just always feel comfortable around, no matter how much time has passed since we’ve talked, no matter what has changed in our lives or what big things are going on in our lives I feel like I can always be myself around her. And that is largely due to who Laura is as a person. She is free. She is open. She is authentic. She is herself and that makes me by myself around her.

Laura is one of the best conversationalists I’ve ever met. She can talk with anyone on practically any subject and end up laughing with them within minutes and making them feel comfortable. I love that about Laura and it’s also been a trait of hers that I’ve always been a bit jealous of as well. Laura is just genuinely interested in people, and genuinely interested in any subject or topic that another person is genuinely interested in. I think Laura just finds life fascinating and that makes her able to talk with anyone on any subject with interest. I love that about Laura.

My friend Laura is also incredibly courageous. It might not be evident right at first, but I’ve seen it first hand for over a decade. Laura has more courage than most people I know. She has this courage that makes her willing to try things and do things and meet people and step out on a limb and I really admire that about her.

Laura is also brilliant. Seriously, she has the best vocabulary of anyone I know. She loves to read and learn and is constantly doing both. But, I think her brilliance shines most in interpersonal relationships. She has a way of seeing through the bull**** and courageously saying what’s really going on. She just sees things more clearly than most people and she has a way of communicating what she sees clearly and compassionately as well. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been talking with Laura and had her say something that just cut through it all and got right to the true heart of the matter. Everyone needs a friend like Laura, who can see the truth in their lives and isn’t afraid to tell it to them, and I’m so grateful that she’s my friend.

Laura Johnson is also exceptionally loyal and trustworthy. She is a friend you can count on to be there for you no matter what. I’ve gotten to be on the receiving end of that loyalty many times. Laura has stood by me at times when I felt like my world was coming undone. When God felt distant and unloving and at times unreal at all. Laura would talk with me, let me share my doubts without judging me, loyally stand by me, and gently remind me of truth. There are things that Laura knows about me that no one else knew for years (and there are still things that only she and my husband know). I always knew that I could trust Laura and I could rely on her to be there for me in the hard times and in the really good times. Laura was also one of the first people I told when I first got a crush on my husband, she was one of the few people who I gave permission to veto any guy I was ever interested in, and she was the first person I told when Bryan and I had our first kiss (my first kiss ever). Laura has seen me through a lot and I feel so blessed to have her as my friend.

Laura is also one of the few people I’ve ever met who just gets me. She understands me. I don’t often have to explain myself with Laura, she just gets it. She often will say something which is almost exactly what I’m thinking and we have definitely had times in our friendship where we finish each other’s sentences regularly. Our conversations often develop to a point where we are both talking at once and talking over each other, and finishing each other’s sentences but we both just understand and get it. I’ve always felt a little like an un-understandable outcast and like no one fully got me, but Laura is one of those few people that I don’t really feel that way around.

And on top of all that she’s just plain fun to be around. Laura likes to laugh and have fun and we definitely have done both of those things a lot over the years. Whenever I get together with Laura I know that I will laugh and enjoy life, I know that I will feel understood, I know that I will be able to share exactly who I am and receive grace and love, I know she will see me and my current life with clarity and wisdom, and I know we will have long, deep, meaningful talks about anything and everything we can think of.

Laura, may God meet you today exactly where you are.
May you feel and receive and know His peace and rest even amidst the craziness, busyness and un-expectedness of life.
May He take your hand and guide you to green pastures, to growth and freedom and newness of life.
May he surround you on all sides and protect you from all harm.
May he bless the work of your hands and the relationships in your heart.
May he bless your marriage and deepen the love that you and Aaron have for one another.
May he bless your classes and use them to shape you into a new creation.
May he bless your future and all the uncertainties that the future often holds.
May he hold you and Aaron closely in the palm of His hand and gently take you where He wants you to go.
And may it not be long before we again share a lingering talk over a good drink J

I love you, my friend. And I miss you deeply.

Rejoicing in the journey –
Bethany Stedman

Photographs by Beth Stedman

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I haven’t done an Admiration Monday post in a while and I thought it was high time to bring it back. So, today I want to tell you about my friend, Tara Malouf.

I’ve known Tara since I was in High School. Her husband was my youth pastor and she was my discipleship leader my senior year. She has been an incredible source of comfort, encouragement and truth for me over the years. Tara has always been someone in my life who I could turn to when I needed advice and help. I always know that she will really listen without putting her own paradigm on what I share, and without judging me for the doubts and questions and struggles I raise. She will honestly listen and let me express and feel what I need to express and feel, but she also won’t let me get away with lies and half-truths. She is compassionate and empathetic, a wonderfully non-judging listener, but she is also not afraid to call things what they are and speak truth where needed and I love that about Tara.

Another thing I love about Tara is her authenticity. She has never hesitated to share her thoughts and life and struggles with me. I remember even when she was my discipleship leader in high school she didn’t put on this “I have it all together” mask and just teach us, she often brought in experiences from her own life and shared with us from where she had been and where she was at that moment. And she has continued to do that more and more as I have gotten to know her more. Tara is never fake. She never puts up a façade and pretends to be something she isn’t; she is truly and unapologetically honest before God and others. I really admire that about her.

Tara also has a very real and authentic and genuine desire to follow God in everything she does. She strives to listen to God and then obey and follow where He leads her even if the way looks dark and uncertain. God has definitely taken her and her family through dark and uncertain times and I truly admire the way she whole heartedly followed Him through everything that He brought her way. Tara’s faith is real and messy, alive and whole. There is no area of her life that God isn’t involved in and that is truly admirable in an age where we so often compartmentalize our lives and relationship with God. While others talk about and strive to make their life and relationship with God holistic, Tara’s already is.

Tara is also one of the most creative individuals I know. Her creativity pours out in all areas of her live – in her photography, in her writing, in various activities she plans, in the way she treats and interacts with her kids, in the way she encourages and mentors others, and so much more. Tara oozes creativity and I love that about her. Every time I talk to her she has some new project she is working on or some new way in which she is using her creative talents for the kingdom of God.

I was blessed to be able to live with Tara and family for a while back in college and I saw so much beauty and splendor in her. But, one thing that really sticks out to me from that time is the way she interacts with her children. I’m sure she has her bad days with her kids, just like every other mom, but Tara is an amazing mom, one of the best mom’s I know. And I got to see firsthand her being a mom to her two beautiful kids day in and day out. I loved watching Tara play with her kids and I loved watching her teach them, and I loved that so often the lines between teaching and play became blurred. I have often prayed that God would make me as good a mom as Tara.

There is so much more I could say about my friend, Tara. She is truly an amazing and beautiful woman. I wish everyone could know Tara, but I know that’s not possible, so for now I count it my blessing to be able to say I know her, and I encourage you to at least check out her blog or family web site or this amazing project that she is working on so that you can know her a little too.  

Lord Jesus, Bless my friend, Tara!
Circle her, Lord,
Be beside her, on her right and her left,
Be before her, and behind her,
Be above and below her.
Surround her, Lord,
so that all who meet her would meet you.
Lord, give her the fruits of deep friendship.
Use her creativity and talents and authentic heart for the glory of your kingdom.
May she continue to dive deeply into you
and to lead others to dive deeply into you.
Lord, give her more and more the life that you promise, full life, abundant life.
Provide for all her needs, that she may in turn provide for the needs of others.
And as you call her to new land and new areas of influence give her peace and courage to follow you through each bend in the road.
Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon her,
And establish Thou the work of her hands.
Establish Thou the work of her hands.
Amen.

I love you, Tara!

Rejoicing in the journey -
Bethany Stedman

Photograph of Tara, me, and Kathi in Prague taken by unknown stranger

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Today I want to tell you about our friends, the Baker’s. We met David and Sarah Baker back in January and though we have only known them for a few months they have become fast friends. I think the best way to tell you about the Baker’s is to tell you a little story about the last time we hung out with them…

It was about 7:30pm Saturday night when Bryan called David to see if they wanted to hang out. The Baker’s had just gotten off work, they hadn’t eaten dinner yet and their house was still a little messy from the house guests who had just left. If it was me I would have said “sorry, but I think we will take a rain check and hang out another time, we’re tired and the house is a mess.” But, that’s not what the Baker’s said, “Sure come on over” was their immediate response. Of course they made apologies for the house being messy (which it really wasn’t much at all), but they welcomed us into their home with open arms any way.

We sat and talked about life and work and the past week while they ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Bryan and I snacked on some chocolate they pulled out. Then we all played Settlers of Catan but instead of playing the normal way we decided to get creative and played on teams with our spouses – Baker v. Stedman. It was a rowdy game filled with making up rules as we went and of course some competitive energy flying about. In the end Bryan and I won but one more turn and the Baker’s would have won so it was a really close game.

After playing settlers we started talking about some business ideas and ventures and ended up spending a good couple of hours dreaming and envisioning one business idea in particular. We pulled out the computer and did some brief research. David pulled out a sketch book and we started brain storming names and what we would need to start and how much it would cost and all that good stuff. Ideas were bounced back and forth and before we all knew it was after midnight.

We left with our hands full of things that the Baker’s were generous enough to share with us – a Nooma video I hadn’t seen yet, the book The Kite Runner, a new translation of John, an electric razor so we can cut Bryan’s hair. We always seem to leave the Baker’s with our hands brimming over and our minds and hearts full.

David and Sarah Baker are a truly remarkable couple. They are open and generous. They are fun and creative. They are intelligent, but not pretentious.  They aren’t afraid to step out of the box and take risks sometimes. They really care about the people around them and you can tell that they really love each other deeply. David and Sarah Baker show love in very real and tangible ways to everyone they meet. And I feel blessed to call them my friends.

David and Sarah, may God’s blessing on you extend and exceed the great way in which you bless those around you.
May He bless the ideas of your minds, the dreams of your hearts and the work of your hands.
May He continue to draw you towards one another and fill you with love for each other all the days of your life.
May He strengthen the friendships you have and bring more and more friends into your lives who can love you as much as you love those around you.
May God truly do more than you could ever ask or imagine in you and through you in the years to come.

God bless!!

Rejoicing in the journey -
Bethany Stedman

Photographs by Beth Stedman

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Yesterday was our anniversary so I didn’t write an Admiration Monday blog and decided to write it today instead.

Today I want to tell you about my dad, Scott Nelson.

I’ve always been a daddy’s girl. My dad was always able to understand me even when I felt like no one else could. One of the best complements I have ever had given to me was being told that I was like my dad. I always strived to be like my dad, but he has some pretty big shoes to fill.

My dad is literally brilliant. He has an analytical and very mathematical mind. He never graduated from college, but he has always been learning. He’s taught himself most of what he knows and has been very successful. When I was just a baby my dad got sick and his friend let him borrow his computer so that he would have something to do while stuck in bed. During that time he fell in love with computers and taught himself computer languages. He went on to actually write his own computer language and start a software company that he has built up from nothing to an international presence (a small international presence, but still a presence). I’m really proud of my dad for all that.

But, my dad is not just brilliant when it comes to computers and math and running a business, he’s also incredibly wise. For as long as I can remember he was a guy that other people went to for advice. He just has a way of looking at a situation and seeing it for what it really is. This was a quality in my dad that I more than admired it was one I wanted to develop as well. I vividly remember as a little girl praying to be wise like my daddy.

Something else that I have always admired and loved about my dad is his natural gift for storytelling. He has a way of pulling people into a story. He’s dynamic and passionate when he tells stories and it makes people want to listen to him. I love listening to my dad. When I was little I remember that I would rather sit and listen to my dad talk to the adults then go play with the other kids. It’s a real skill and it’s one of the things I love about my dad.

I think more than anything else though I love that my dad has taught me what it looks like to walk authentically and holistically with God. My dad taught me from a very early age that all of life was ministry and that we were all missionaries. He taught me to be open with my faith but never pushy or overly preachy. My dad taught me to value the local church (he was always very involved in the churches that we went to), but he also taught me that people are what really matters.  My dad taught me that the only thing that was really important was to love God and love people and then he modeled that for me. My dad taught me that each person is different and that God’s calling on each person is different, but that we are all called to be ministers of God’s grace in the areas that God places us. My dad has taught me that life with God is never stagnant, it is always moving and growing and God is always showing us new things and taking us to new places. I’ve been blessed to watch my dad as he walks through life with his God and I have learned so much from it.

I love you daddy!

May God continue to bless you and the work of your hands.
May He bless you with ever increasing wisdom in the years to come.
May He bless you with rest after many years of hard work.
And may He continue to use you to bring his grace and redemption more fully into this world.
May God bless you and keep you, make His face shine upon you, and give you peace!

Rejoicing in the journey -
Bethany

Photograph by Beth Stedman

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