My weekends tend to be pretty full with traveling, music, airports and hotels (I know, I know, life is hard.) It's not strenuous, but I do pour out everything I have and being away from home and on the road consistently can be mentally exhausting. So, when I am home during the week, I tend to hunker down, throw on my yoga pants, hibernate and refuel.

Today, I slept in late...really late... had my coffee, did my Bible study, answered emails and now all I have to do is learn 3 new songs for this weekends services that I am worship leading at.....again, I know, I know my life is so hard (in case you missed it, that was sarcasm.) My husband finds  it quite amusing as he typically works 6 days, sometimes 7 days a week...He feels no pity either as I'm sure you don't and shouldn't. 

However, today I do have errands to run, things I have been putting off for WEEKS, mostly because I simply do not feel like moving myself out of my house where it feels so safe. SAFE....this is the word I use as an introvert who has trouble being out in public around people in mass and would love to be a hermit who simply came out of her cave to eat, hike mountains and sing songs! I think this is another reason why I have an unhealthy relationship with Amazon Prime...but that's another story.

Still, the fact remains, I have to get things done...TODAY. In order for that to happen, I had to verbally psych myself up, talk myself out of my pajama's and say outloud  "COME ON MIA, GET YOUR BRA ON, STRAP UP AND LET"S DO THIS!"

And that's what I did! As ridiculous as the method sounds, it works for me! I'm strapped up and now I'm heading out the door!

In life there are times where it's easier to simply stay home and stay out of the game that God is calling us to. God will give us the strength to do things, that on our own seem difficult and impossible. For some, it's a simple errand, for others it's packing up and moving across the country, and for many it's learning to go, serve and love wherever God tells us.... near or far. 

Whatever it is, strap up and get going. Peace out friends! I got my bra on and I'm getting things done!

"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13

I love you in the Lord, Mia

I am a Wife….I am a Mother…. I am a singer/songwriter.
It has always been very easy for me to say the first two, but for some reason when I first started writing music, I found it hard to say that I was an actual songwriter.
 
Being a wife was clear, I had legal documentation, and the mother part- well, I have several stretch marks and stress wrinkles I can show you to prove that one. But, the songwriter title was a little harder to chew because I had no credentials, no college degree, no training and I wasn’t even sure if my songs were any good. All I knew is that I liked to make stuff up and sing it. The songwriter and singer in me was chomping at the bit and burning me up inside. I couldn’t stop it.
 
Over the next few years, God surrounded me with people that would encourage me and spur me on to write more, master my craft and find the freedom to name the pulsating passion in my heart….music!
 
I dont hesitate anymore to say that I am a singer/songwriter. I love what I do, I'm driven to sing, write (still have to work hard at it) and share music. It’s not just a title, it's my calling and the powerful vehicle God uses for me to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
 
You might wonder why I’m telling you this. Well, here’s the why. Maybe you have a passion that drives you, a desire that burns in your heart, but you're hesitant to name it out loud. Maybe the calling you're feeling is a bit scary and you feel completely unqualified. Maybe you think this “thing” you want to do, this title that you only dream of bearing, is way out of your league.
 
Today, I want to encourage you to dream big, to answer the call and the God-given desire that is running through your veins. I'm asking you to dare to respond to what and to where God is calling you with open arms, open hands and an open heart. You are a child of God and because of that, He has plans for you. 
 
I would love to hear the new thing God is doing in our life. Would you dare to share?

" 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 
'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' ' Jeremiah 29:11

​Love you in the Lord, Mia

I have been working on a little writing project over the past several months. I wrote, re-wrote, had it proofed and re-proofed and then I let it sit for a while before I took it to the shop to be printed. 

The day that I finally went to the print shop…. three days before I needed, I arrived with my project completely unformatted, so Tracy, the print specialist, worked patiently with me to make sure my project came out looking it's best. She gave me her opinions and even helped make decisions on color choices, all the time showing me great patience. 

The store was quite busy, so it would take about three days before I would have my project finalized, but I was thankful and grateful that she would be able to get my project done in time in spite of my procrastination.

After she finished taking my order and all the printing notes, she looked at me and said "Can I just thank you for being so nice, patient and understanding" It took me back at first. I explained to her that I was thankful that she was so patient with ME. I can be handful and a bit high maintenance as I am not the most savvy person when it comes to formatting projects. 

You see, the day earlier, Tracy dealt with a customer that wanted his project right away and when he did not get his way, he was apparently quite mean and brought this sweet worker to tears.

As I thought about our encounter, here is what I pondered... Tracy thanked me for being patient even though I did absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. I simply treated her with respect and gratitude for the work she was doing. I didn't scream and I didn't yell because she couldn't have my project ready in one day.

It saddens me that we live in a society where, all to often, people are so self-focused, that when a person is simply civil to another human being, they are seen as extraordinary.

Friends let's bring the extraordinary back to a place of being simply and beautifully ordinary. Let's bring back words like "Please & Thank-you" when we are out in the world. Let's treat others the way we want to be treated ourselves.

And on those days when we slip, let's have the humility to go back and simply say "I'm sorry." And I, my friends, have had to do that on a several occasions.

Love you in the Lord,
​Mia

Because the daily temps are well into the 100's here in Phoenix, AZ where I live, my hiking schedule in the summer has my alarm going off at 4:30 am so that I can be on the trail by 5am. Three days during the week, I meet a friend at the trail head so I have to be on time, but then there are days like today....

Today, the alarm went off, no one was waiting for me and I hit the snooze button about four times before I mustered enough energy to get out of bed. Finally, around 5:30am, I got up, got moving and was on the trail at 6am.