Generated by All in One SEO v4.9.10, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Megan Byrd Writer ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://meganbyrd.net/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [A Fond Farewell](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/a-fond-farewell/) - Dear Reader, You've probably noticed my posts becoming more sporadic. I transitioned from blogging to working on novels and books and this has fallen by the wayside. I enjoyed the five years of Share Four Somethings, which ended in December. That left me with The Glorious Table for every other month devotions (click here to - [Called to Contentment](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/called-to-contentment/) - “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.” (1 Tim. 6:6-7 ESV) Is contentment an area in which you struggle? Does it seem like everyone else is thriving or has a put-together life while you are floundering? One major contributor to such - [Share Four Somethings: December 2022](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-december-2022/) - We've reached the end of the year and what a year it's been. I traveled to Mexico with my extended family (and came back with Covid). My first novel released this fall. We spent a week at the beach and saw a sea turtle nest hatch. Many other enjoyable things happened including hikes, time with - [Share Four Somethings: November 2022](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-november-2022/) - We only have one more month left in the year and then it'll be 2023! A lot happened (and also didn't happen) since the last S4S post. Things that did or will happen: I attended a book club meeting, my first since February, where I got to hold a baby and announce that my book's - [Share Four Somethings: October 2022](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-october-2022/) - I can't believe we've already reached the fourth Saturday of the month, which means it's time to link up at HeatherGerwing.com to share some of my favorite things! This one snuck up on me because of everything that's been going on. My daughter finished her cross country season and my husband wrapped up tennis. I've - [Share Four Somethings: September 2022](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-september-2022/) - The kids have completed four weeks of school since last month. My daughter made the cross-country team, church youth group and cub scouts have started back up, as well as my church small group and my husband's tennis team, so we jumped back into a hectic schedule after summer break. I'm not complaining, though, it's - [TAKE A CHANCE ON ME is here!](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/take-a-chance-on-me-is-here/) - My debut novel releases today! I'm very excited and hope you will read it. You can get a copy here. In celebration, I will share the path this book has traveled to get where it is. My family moved to Asheville, North Carolina, in the summer of 2019. I joined a creative writing group at - [Let God’s Peace Rule in Your Heart](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/let-gods-peace-rule-in-your-heart/) - “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6-7 NIV I love these verses. I love the promise of God’s peace for my heart and - [Share Four Somethings: August 2022](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-august-2022/) - We've reached the end of our kids' summer vacation. My two officially start school on Monday. I'm not excited about the early wake up time and all the alarms I have to set, but I'm looking forward to getting back into a routine. And we're only a week away from college football! I know that - [God's Love for Us](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/gods-love-for-us/) - “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lam. 3:22-23 ESV) Do you ruminate over missteps? Does it lead to thinking back over your life and replaying all the big mistakes you’ve made over the years? Do you continue - [Share Four Somethings: July 2022](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-july-2022/) - It's that time again! Another month has mostly passed. This one has been nearly as busy as June. We spent the fourth of July with my in-laws where we kayaked, caught lightning bugs, and shot off fireworks. We had a few playdates with friends and went to the pool to keep the kids entertained. We - [Share Four Somethings: June 2022](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-june-2022/) - It's officially summer! The kids have been out of school for three weeks and we have been busy. Our family went to Mexico with my parents, brother, sister-in-law, and nieces. It was so wonderful to get away from real life for over a week. The kids started at a camp the day after we got - [Share Four Somethings: May 2022](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-may-2022/) - May has been a busy month full of ups and downs. My car battery died in carline one day and I had to get a jump from another parent. It died again when I was supposed to hang out with a friend, so I got it replaced and it has worked perfectly since. I got - [Loving Well When It’s Difficult to Love](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/loving-well-when-its-difficult-to-love/) - You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the - [Share Four Somethings: April 2022](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-april-2022/) - I can't believe we're nearly a third of the way through the year! Summer is coming up fast. Not too fast, I hope. I'd like some time to enjoy moderately warm temperatures before it gets so hot you are inside unless you're in a body of water. Not that we have too much of that - [Trusting God to Provide Community](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/trusting-god-to-provide-community/) - My relationship with God has suffered during the last two years. My family moved, leaving behind a church we loved. We lost thirteen years of friendships, shared experiences, and our sense of belonging. Finding a church was a top priority, and we visited a new church every week in search of one that might feel welcoming to our - [Share Four Somethings: March 2022](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-march-2022/) - We've completed most of another month. This one featured warm, sunny days that beckoned us out and led to the year's first sunburn as well as cold, windy, rainy days that kept us inside. My daughter turned twelve, I worked on a prequel novella for my series, and worked to up my exercise intensity. I - [Choosing God’s Rhythm for Our Days](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/choosing-gods-rhythm-for-our-days/) - “May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.” (Ps. 90:17 NIV) There are seasons when we feel like we’re soaring gracefully through our days. We’re able to accomplish everything that’s needed. We have strong connections with family and friends. We - [Share Four Somethings: February 2022](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-february-2022/) - We're almost at the end of February. We watched the Olympics and the "Big Game," soldiered through more cold weather, celebrated love, and made steady progress toward our goals (I hope). Now it's time to focus in on four topics and share some specifics from the month. Share your own responses by linking up at - [Share Four Somethings: January 2022](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-january-2022/) - It's a new year and there are some new Share Four Somethings topics. I'm excited about the change up and look forward to sharing some new things with you this year. If you'd like to join this monthly blog link up, find out the details over at HeatherGerwing.com. Something Loved This topic is the same, - [Calming Your Anxious Heart](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/calming-your-anxious-heart/) - “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:6-7 NIV) It’s the beginning of a new day, and my to-do list already has - [Come to the End of Yourself](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/come-to-the-end-of-yourself/) - There’s a prevailing belief among Christians that once a person accepts Jesus into their heart, their life will immediately become easier and they will experience fewer struggles. I have been a victim of this thinking before. When a new hardship invariably comes along (because this world has many troubles), we feel devastated. We erroneously believe we must have - [Share Four Somethings: December 2021](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-december-2021/) - It's the last S4S of 2021! I know the format is going to change a little for 2022 which means new topics and I'll have to create a new graphic. Will I put myself in that one? We'll see. If you've enjoyed reading my monthly highlights, I hope you'll consider joining with your own Share - [Share Four Somethings: November 2021](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-november-2021/) - It's almost December and one of my favorite times of year. I love it so much more now that I have kids. I love their excitement. I love all of the fun activities we do together. I love anticipating their joy when they open their gifts (especially this year!). I don't love the colder weather, - [Three Ways to Connect with God](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/three-ways-to-connect-with-god/) - Recently, my relationship with God has felt more like a checklist item than something living and vibrant. The fault is mine. I haven’t been to church in over a month, partly due to traveling but also due to our family’s struggle to find a church where we feel a sense of belonging. We want to visit new - [Share Four Somethings: October 2021](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-october-2021/) - I can't believe we're at the end of another month! This month felt like one of the most normal ones of 2021 yet, besides the month we were able to spend in Boise with my family. We saw live theater, attended some outdoor social events including a haunted trail, a 5k at the airport, and - [Share Four Somethings: September 2021](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-september-2021/) - We've now been in school for a whole month! Very exciting stuff in these never ending unprecedented times. We've gotten car rider lines figured out, extracurricular activities are underway, and football is back! I managed to spend a good chunk of my family-free time working on writing projects. I feel like I'm making progress which - [Love Within Reach](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/love-within-reach/) - Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” (John 13: 26-27 - [Share Four Somethings: August 2021](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-august-2021/) - We wrapped up summer vacation with a trip to Ashe County, NC (my in-laws' river house) to float the New River and watch hummingbirds fight over feeders, some pool time, hiking, and enjoying downtime at home. When this publishes, the kids will have completed their first week back at school. Hopefully they've been able to - [Choose Grace](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/choose-grace/) - In The Book of Forgiving, Archbishop Desmond Tutu uses the example of being cut off in traffic to demonstrate our ability to choose our response in any given situation. One choice is to take it personally and become angry, which will not lead to anything positive. It will increase his blood pressure and negatively affect his - [Do You Trust God's Goodness?](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/do-you-trust-gods-goodness/) - Have you ever tried to make a deal with God? Have you tried to bargain with him to get out of something you sense he’s calling you to do, something you don’t want to do because it’s uncomfortable, challenging, or inconvenient? Did you try to give a half-hearted effort to show God that it wasn’t something you - [Share Four Somethings: July 2021](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-july-2021/) - July has been an unusual month because thus far I've spent all of it in Idaho with my family. It has been a joy to hang out with people I haven't seen since 2019. While I haven't enjoyed the very high daily temperatures, it's been well worth time with people I love. I hope that - [How to Grow in Compassion](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/how-to-grow-in-compassion/) - “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Cor. 1:3-4 NIV) It happened again. I’d raised - [Share Four Somethings: June 2021](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-june-2021/) - It's the end of the first month of summer. It's been a busy but enjoyable month which included Father's Day, pool days, a visit to Lake Lure, play dates, athletic conditioning classes, a birthday, and a wedding. We still have another month and a half without school and I'm looking forward to discovering what else - [Two Ways to Stay Connected to God](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/two-ways-to-stay-connected-to-god/) - “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” (Ps. 139: 7-8 NIV) I’ve been feeling separated from God lately. Prayers are slamming into a closed door. Scripture seems - [Share Four Somethings: May 2021](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-may-2021/) - We're nearing the end of my favorite month. Yes, I get to celebrate Mother's Day and my birthday, but it's also filled with beautiful blooms, warmer weather, and the end of the school year. My kids' last day is June 1st, but school is essentially over by Memorial Day. Before I switch gears and go - [Share Four Somethings: April 2021](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-april-2021/) - April has been full of color with all of the flowers and trees blooming. My family toured the gardens at Biltmore Estate to enjoy all of the tulips. The Arboretum has an azalea garden that I visited to see what was blooming there (inspired by all of the gorgeous flowers I saw on the tv - [Take Time to Be Filled](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/take-time-to-be-filled/) - Too often, I find myself acting out of fear. I make decisions based on what I think will please others, afraid of criticism. I say yes to requests that make me uncomfortable or don’t seem like my best yes because I’m afraid of rejection if I say no. I refrain from sharing my dreams and desires - [Share Four Somethings: March 2021](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-march-2021/) - March is one of my favorite months. It's the time when the weather begins to warm up, flowers pop up from the ground, and buds appear on trees. It's the month before the pollen gets super crazy. It's also my oldest's birthday, which is a yearly reminder of my motherhood journey. It's hard to believe - [God Is Our Remedy](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/god-is-our-remedy/) - A devotional about exchanging fear for peace with God's presence. - [Share Four Somethings: February 2021](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/s4s-feb-2021/) - A monthly review of a few highlights - something loved, something read, something treasured, and something ahead. - [Share Four Somethings: January 2021](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-january-2021/) - It's a new year! While that obviously didn't fix everything, I'm happy to be in a year with some hope on the horizon. There are vaccines being distributed and eventually everyone who wants one will have it and many of us can feel safer. Perhaps then we can again spend time with family and friends - [Best Reads of 2020](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/best-reads-of-2020/) - I read more than one hundred books in 2018 and 2019. It's become my new yearly goal, but in 2020 I blew by that number and hit two hundred (check out my IG account @megan.e.byrd to see all of the books). All of the extra at-home time was conducive to keeping my nose in a - [Run Your Race Well](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/run-your-race-well/) - “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set - [Can You See His Provisions?](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/can-you-see-his-provisions/) - We tend to refer to different parts of our lives as seasons, linking them to our natural weather seasons. We experience different seasons in our faith, relationships, and as we age. Winter is used to describe experiences that are barren, challenging, or related to dying. Spring represents youth, new life, and growth. Summer is the warm, - [Share Four Somethings: December 2020](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-december-2020/) - We're almost through 2020. I'm not magically expecting January 1st to be COVID-free, but with the vaccine, there's hope that the second half or final quarter of the year could be more like we're used to. I'm at the minimum optimistic that I'll get to see my parents and brother (and SIL and nieces) in - [Share Four Somethings: November 2020](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-november-2020/) - We're almost through 2020! I know circumstances probably won't change too much until the middle of 2021, but I'll be happy to enter a new year nonetheless. This month is supposed to be about family, friends, and gratitude. That didn't end up really working out for us, but I still found things to celebrate. Check - [In All Circumstances](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/in-all-circumstances/) - “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:16-18 NIV) These verses have taken on a whole new meaning in light of our country’s experiences over the past year. We’ve experienced a global pandemic, which has been especially bad in the United States. - [Share Four Somethings: October 2020](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-october-2020/) - It seems hard to believe that we're more than halfway through October. This has been one strange year. I've enjoyed the changing leaves and the cooler weather which have been great for hiking. It's hard to believe we're close to getting swept up in the rush that is the holiday season. This has been an - [Share Four Somethings: September 2020](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-september-2020/) - We're nearly to the end of September. It has been an interesting month with a full month of school. The kids have done pretty well with their virtual classrooms. This coming Monday, things will switch again as they begin to go to their school building two days a week. I know they miss seeing kids - [God is Trustworthy](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/god-is-trustworthy/) - “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Prov. 3:5-6 NIV) I experience recurring panic-inducing dreams where I’m in a car I can’t control. It could be that the brakes don’t work, or I’m steering - [Share Four Somethings: August 2020](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-august-2020/) - The fourth Saturday in August really snuck up on me. In fairness, school started this past week so we were trying to squeeze in final bits of summer while also figure out what the school year was going to look like. Next week we'll have our first full week of virtual school and should receive - [Managing Friendships in Restricted Times (Part 12)](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/managing-friendships-in-restricted-times-part-12/) - It's been a full year in Asheville! I was hoping to have made a few more connections by now but was obviously hindered by COVID-19. I have been thankful for the few connections made in our first six months that have helped keep me sane in the last six. I have also appreciated the contact - [Online Church (Part 12)](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/online-church-part-12/) - We've been in Asheville for a year now. Our initial church search felt a little frustrating as we were trying to find something with the same feel as our last church and struggled living in a smaller area with fewer options. We eventually found a young church that reminded us of our church in the - [These Are My Neighbors (Part 12)](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/these-are-my-neighbors-part-12/) - We've now officially been in our house for a year. Interactions with our neighbors have ebbed and flowed for a variety of reasons - school, weather, a pandemic - but I haven't given up. While I may have moped a bit here and there while spending so much time at home, I've continued to be - [Are You Hiding?](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/are-you-hiding/) - God knows us intimately, is with us all of the time, and is quick to forgive. He loves us and desires to help us. We know these things, yet still have the urge to hide from him and others when we make mistakes. From our earliest days, we choose hiding over honesty. Toddlers hide under tables with - [Share Four Somethings: July 2020](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-july-2020/) - July normally involves a lot of hanging out with friends and family. It has been particularly lacking in socialization for me this year, for obvious reasons, and I have felt the dearth of time with people. I hope that there will be a remedy soon, but am not particularly optimistic. In the meantime, I can - [What Has God Asked You to Do?](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/what-has-god-asked-you-to-do/) - “’We have only five loaves of bread and two fish,’ they answered. ‘Bring them to me,’ he said.”(Matt. 14:17-18 NIV) I’m often tempted to think I have to do something big for God to prove my worth. I look around and see many other people living fully in their callings of sharing their walk with God - [I Miss Seeing People (Friends Part 11)](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/i-miss-seeing-people-friends-part-11/) - Not getting together with other people has been the hardest part of the pandemic. We hadn't acquired deep friendships yet, but we were beginning to have more regular interactions with others before we were ordered to stay home and away from others. We don't know when we'll be able to reintroduce regular hangouts again, but - [Socially-Distanced Church (Part 11)](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/socially-distanced-church-part-11/) - The church we were attending before the pandemic has been broadcasting online since March. In June they began a small group-like format where people gather together on Sunday mornings in people's homes to watch church together. We haven't felt comfortable taking that step yet so we're still struggling with growing our church community. 05-29-20 I - [Being Neighborly in a Pandemic (Part 11)](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/being-neighborly-in-a-pandemic-part-11/) - We've completed another month of living in the time of coronavirus. We ventured out a little more than in previous months, but we're still spending the majority of our time at home, which means the people we see the most live in the houses around us. Read on to learn about our interactions with neighbors - [Share Four Somethings: June 2020](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-june-2020/) - School is finally out which means our home days are less structured. We've all enjoyed not having an agenda each weekday. We've spent a lot of time outdoors - riding bikes, visiting various gardens, taking walks, and going to the pool. It still doesn't feel quite like a normal summer because we won't be flying - [Recognizing White Privilege](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/recognizing-white-privilege/) - It started during a college class on sociology. I was handed a paper with a list of things often taken for granted. One of those was that flesh-colored band-aids would match my skin. Until that moment, it had never occurred to me that band-aids had not been made with everyone in mind, but a portion - [Socially-Distanced Friendships (Part 10)](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/socially-distanced-friendships-part-10/) - Now that we've been in stay-at-home mode for awhile and have gotten used to the parameters, it has helped us to feel a little more comfortable about connecting with people in safe ways. I definitely miss being able to host people at our house, but am believing that time will come around again. In the - [More Virtual Church (Part 10)](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/more-virtual-church-part-10/) - We've had another month of online church. We stayed consistent in watching it live except for when we were with Adam's parents and I watched service with his mom. The kids have weekly videos that they seem to enjoy. The church has been mailing activity packets to the kids to help them engage with their - [Being Neighbors (Part 10)](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/being-neighbors-part-10/) - With another month of staying home as much as possible, I've seen my neighbors most in-person. We took treats to some neighbors to try to let them know they are being thought of. We have focused mainly on the people we already had some connection with or who we know live alone but probably should - [Share Four Somethings: May 2020](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-may-2020/) - It's been the month of Megan, what with containing both Mother's Day and my birthday. My family always does a wonderful job of making me feel special. This month we couldn't really go out and celebrate, but we still were able to enjoy the days. Below are some highlights that I'd like to share with - [Know Your Worth](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/know-your-worth/) - “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.” (Titus 3:4-5 NIV) I exhale audibly as this verse sinks into my mind, and I’m released momentarily from my perfectionist tendencies. I’m reminded that it’s not my striving, success, or - [Social Distancing and Friendship (Part 9)](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/social-distancing-and-friendship-part-9/) - The lack of in-person social interactions has been challenging and somewhat frustrating. I definitely hit a wall at one point this past month. We're all navigating new territory, so a lot of grace and patience are needed. I know, for us, a new level of creativity has been reached to find ways to interact with - [Virtual Church (Part 9)](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/virtual-church-part-9/) - COVID-19 has seriously affected our desire to make connections in a local faith community. While it's nice that technology allows us to experience church online, it's not even close to the same as meeting in person each week. I am grateful that we had four weeks of life groups to make some initial connections, but - [Won't You Be My Neighbor? (Part 9)](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/wont-you-be-my-neighbor-part-8-2/) - This has been our first whole month of staying at home full-time. Thankfully, the weather has been nice more days than not and we've been able to be outside a lot. It has given us lots of face time with our neighbors, which is nice. It also helped me to meet someone new who lives - [Share Four Somethings: April 2020](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-april-2020/) - We've now spent over a month in quarantine here in our home. I am quite grateful for the basement and that my kids have done so well with the transition to virtual learning. We have managed to find a decent weekday routine to keep us sane and on-track. I am glad to have the opportunity - [Someone Else’s Words](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/someone-elses-words/) - We’ve all heard the saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” We’re probably all well aware that this is a false statement. We’ve been hurt by the power of someone else’s words, carelessly spewed from unkind lips. A more complete and accurate statement about the power of words comes from - [Friendships: Part 8](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/friendships-part-8/) - This part of our search for community has gone the best thus far. With our shelter-at-home order from the governor mid-month, we will have to be creative in further developing our current relationships. 02-26-20 I saw R1 at the gym this morning and talked to her a bit since we haven’t seen each other since - [Church: Part 8](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/church-part-8/) - Last month we joined a Life Group (or two) to get to know people in our church better. We had four meetings before groups were canceled due to COVID-19. It was enough time to meet a few people and exchange some numbers. However, it's still challenging to deepen relationships when you can't be face-to-face. 02-26-20 - [Won't You Be My Neighbor?: Part 8](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/wont-you-be-my-neighbor-part-8/) - This past month has been very unusual. While we're spending nearly all of our time at home, we have opportunities to see our neighbors as they walk around our neighborhood loop to enjoy the spring weather. It may just be waves and a quick "hi" or it may turn into longer conversations from opposite sides - [Share Four Somethings: March 2020](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-march-2020/) - Well, this has been quite a month. The first week or so started out fairly normal but quickly changed to what is, for the foreseeable future, a new normal. The kids started Virtual Learning School, with me as the work monitor. Thankfully, Kaitlyn's fairly self-sufficient now that she's had a few days to learn the - [God Doesn't Expect Perfection](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/god-doesnt-expect-perfection/) - “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Cor. 12:9 NIV) I’ve struggled for a long time with perfectionism. I’ve tried to avoid failure at - [Friendship: Part 7](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/friendship-part-7/) - Making connections in our everyday lives has been fairly successful for us thus far. If you're just tuning into this series for the first time, you may want to start with the first post about making friends in our new city. 01-27-20 The kids and I went to the library this afternoon and I talked - [Plugging In (Church Part 7)](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/plugging-in-church-part-7/) - This month we signed up for a Life Group (or two) and began getting together with people from our church. We're hoping it will help us feel more connected to the church and our community. If you're new to this series, you can read the first post to get caught up on how the process - [Won't You Be My Neighbor?: Part 7](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/wont-you-be-my-neighbor-part-7/) - I've been chronicling my family's experience of settling into a new neighborhood and trying to get to know our neighbors. We haven't had as many intentional interactions as we would like. Perhaps when the weather warms up, we'll have more quality interactions. In the meantime, see what's happened most recently. If you're new, check out - [Share Four Somethings: February 2020](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-february-2020/) - We have already arrived at the fourth Saturday of the month. It really sneaks up on you when the first falls on a Saturday. Even though we've only had three weeks of the month, I still have plenty to share about my February thus far. So without further ado, here are my four somethings! Something - [Pressing In (Friends Part 6)](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/pressing-in-friends-part-6/) - I feel that this area of community has had the most progress. It probably helps that friendship can be found in multiple locations and parts of life. This month we did more inviting than previously which is sometimes awkward but generally good. To read how it all started, click here. 12-27-19 This morning the kids - [Settling In (Church Part 6)](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/settling-in-church-part-6/) - We've now been in Asheville for six months. We visited six churches in the area and found one where we believe we can belong and find community. If you are just joining this journey, please check out this post. 01-05-20 Today we went to the school church. The message was quite relevant, encouraging us to - [Won't You Be My Neighbor?: Part 6](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/wont-you-be-my-neighbor-part-6/) - We've lived in our neighborhood for six months now. We have met nearly everyone on the street which I think is quite an accomplishment. If you're new, consider following this journey from the beginning by reading about months one, two, three, four, and five. 12-28-19 We cleared out the basement this morning to prepare for - [Share Four Somethings: January 2020](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-january-2020/) - It's a new year and some changes have been made to the Four Somethings for 2020. Heather, the hostess, said that she struggled with a couple of the somethings and, knowing this is supposed to be a fun post, decided to change them to something she thought would be more enjoyable. So this year's four - [Top Books of 2019](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/top-books-of-2019/) - If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you're probably aware that I love reading. I've been an avid reader for as long as I can remember. The past few years I've started tracking the books I read on Goodreads. I like that I can give each book a rating and write - [Embracing God's Plans](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/embracing-gods-plans/) - “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” (Prov. 16:9, NIV) Making plans for the future is good. Deciding on a specific direction for our career and personal lives is healthy. We should keep in mind, however, that God is ultimately in control, which means that our plans may not come to - [Pushing Forward (Friends Part 5)](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/2066/) - We are searching for community in all areas of our lives. While it has been slow going in our neighborhood and through our church hunt, we've been making more progress in our everyday connections. This is an account of our fifth month in Asheville. 12-02-19 We had friends up from Atlanta for the weekend and - [On the Hunt: Part 5](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/on-the-hunt-part-5/) - We've been searching for a church home in our new town. This is our first foray into church shopping. When we moved to Atlanta, our friend directed us to the church his sister and brother-in-law started and we fit right in from the beginning. This has been challenging and frustrating, especially since we have kids - [Won't You Be My Neighbor?: Part 5](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/wont-you-be-my-neighbor-part-5/) - I am chronicling our first year in our new city of Asheville, NC. We live on a street of seventeen houses and have been trying to gain some community through our neighborhood. This is our fifth month living in our new house. 12-06-19 I met S1 and K1 in S1’s driveway mid-morning. S1 drove us - [Share Four Somethings: December 2019](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-december-2019/) - It’s the fourth Saturday of the month which means it’s time to share a few of my favorite things from the past month. Last month flew by, mainly due to participating in NaNoWriMo. This one did as well as I tried to cram in as much Christmas joy as possible into twenty-five days. We saw the - [Four Ways to Spread Love This Christmas](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/four-ways-to-spread-love-this-christmas/) - The whole point of the Christmas story is love. The Bible makes it clear that the birth of Jesus was the result of God’s love for his people. “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John - [On the Hunt: Part 4](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/on-the-hunt-part-4/) - This has been our first real experience searching for a church as a family. It has been more difficult than I anticipated. We really liked a lot of things about our old church and have been both consciously and unconsciously comparing the ones we visit with it. Check out our experiences in months one, two, - [Friendship Stall (Friends Part 4)](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/friendship-stall-friends-part-4/) - I felt like we started out pretty strong reaching out to people. This last month has had a few natural challenges. My parents visited for two weeks which we enjoyed but kept our schedule too busy for anything else. I also ended up taking an unplanned trip to Atlanta which was great for spending some - [Won't You Be My Neighbor: Part 4](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/wont-you-be-my-neighbor-part-4/) - We've now lived in Asheville for four months. As the weather has cooled, we haven't been outside as much which has hindered our interactions with our neighbors. We did have Halloween which was an excuse to knock on many doors. To catch up on this series, check out months one, two and three. 10-31-19 We - [A Bump in the Road](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/a-bump-in-the-road/) - This is a personal update about our family's search for community in our new town. You can read previous updates about getting to know our neighbors, looking for a church, and trying to make friends. We’ve now been in the area for four months. I started out very strong as far as reaching out and - [Share Four Somethings: November 2019](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-november-2019/) - It’s the fourth Saturday of the month which means it’s time to share a few of my favorite things from the past month. It really snuck up on me this month. I've spent at least some part of every day working on my very first novel! You'll hear more about that later. My parents were in - [Getting in the Groove (Friends Part 3)](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/getting-in-the-groove-friends-part-3/) - Establishing relationships with others helps you to feel settled wherever you live. Our family recently moved and are working diligently to form new friendships. This is the account of our third month in Asheville. You can also read about our first and second months. 09-25-19 I took my usual Wednesday gym class this morning. I - [Worship and Gratitude](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/worship-and-gratitude/) - I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. (Psalm 69:30 NIV) Throughout Scripture we see David praising and worshipping God in a variety of ways—playing the harp, dancing to music, and writing psalms. The psalms are authentic and unfiltered expressions of emotion directed at God. David expressed joy, sorrow, frustration, delight, and comfort through them. He - [Won't You Be My Neighbor?: Part 3](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/wont-you-be-my-neighbor-part-3/) - I’m chronicling my family’s journey to find community in our new city. This is our second month’s experience of our attempts to get to know our neighbors. Click the following links to read about the first or second month in our neighborhood. Or check out posts about looking for a church or finding friends. 09-26-19 - [On the Hunt: Part 3](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/on-the-hunt-part-3/) - My family recently moved to Asheville and are actively trying to build community in our new town. One way we are searching for relationships is by finding a church home. This is our third month's experience. You can read previous posts about months one and two. 10-01-19 Adam spoke with his co-worker who attends the - [Share Four Somethings: October 2019](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-october-2019/) - We've come to the last Saturday of the month which means it's time to review the month of October and recap a few of my favorite moments! We have had a busy month. We hosted multiple people at our home including family. We explored our area some more and finally experienced the beginning of fall - [Gaining Traction (Friends Part 2)](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/gaining-traction-friends-part-2/) - This is part of a series titled Searching for Community which is my family's attempts at finding friends in our new home of Asheville, NC. Each month I tackle three areas where we are hopeful about forming friendships: our neighborhood, a church home, and miscellaneous connections. This week is the second installment of trying to - [Share Four Somethings: September 2019](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-september-2019/) - It's the fourth Saturday of the month which means it's time to share a few of my favorite things from the past month. We are now fully into a routine of school, work, and weekends. We did a little more exploring of our area - hiking, visiting the apple festival and the mountain fair, and - [On the Hunt: Part 2](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/on-the-hunt-part-2/) - I'm sharing our family’s search for community and connection in our new city of Asheville, NC. Each week I plan to talk about one of the areas where we’re working to cultivate relationships. This week I’m talking about our second month of searching for a new church home. You can read last week's post about getting - [Won't You Be My Neighbor?: Part 2](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/wont-you-be-my-neighbor-part-2/) - I'm chronicling my family's journey to find community in our new city. This is our second month's experience of our attempts to get to know our neighbors. Click the links for previous posts about neighbors, church, and friends. ***** 08-26-19 Today I was trying to figure out what to do for exercise. I’m taking a - [Dear Future Friend](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/dear-future-friend/) - Dear Future Friend, Hi! I thought it might be helpful to share a little bit about myself, seeing as how we don’t yet know each other. I realize that my intro letter cannot possibly be comprehensive, but I thought I’d give a little heads up of what a friendship with me may entail. It’s important - [Red Rover, Red Rover, Send Friends Right Over](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/red-rover-red-rover-send-friends-right-over/) - One of the hardest things about leaving Atlanta was moving away from the friendships we had cultivated over the past thirteen years. I know that establishing new relationships will be instrumental in truly feeling settled in our new town. I’ve decided to journal about our transition and interactions with others to see where our connections - [On the Hunt](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/on-the-hunt/) - I am sharing our family's search for community and connection in our new city of Asheville, NC. Each week I plan to talk about one of the areas where we're working to cultivate relationships. This week I'm talking about our search for a new church home. You can read last week's post about meeting our - [Imitating God's Love](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/imitating-gods-love/) - Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself up for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. (Ephesians 5:1-2 CSB) My dad has always had a workshop wherever we’ve lived. He spends a lot of time there building cabinets and other wood - [Share Four Somethings: August 2019](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-august-2019/) - August has still been a bit unusual for me. If we were still in Georgia, the kids would have been in school all month. Since we're now in North Carolina, they've only been in school for a week. I'm glad to finally be getting into a routine. Hopefully, by the end of next month, I'll - [Won't You Be My Neighbor?](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/wont-you-be-my-neighbor/) - Welcome to the first official post of our family’s Asheville adventure! I was trying to figure out how best to format my posts about our search for community. I have been keeping a journal which I will use for content. I will divide it up into three different aspects: neighborhood, church, and friends. These seem - [Remembering God's Faithfulness](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/remembering-gods-faithfulness/) - When we’re going through a challenging time, it can be helpful to remind ourselves of times when God has been faithful in the past. Recalling his provision can infuse us with hope, belief, and trust that he can and will get us through. After college, I faced the challenge of finding a job. I was interested in pursuing a position - [Share Four Somethings: July 2019](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-july-2019/) - July has been a really weird month for me. We returned from a month in Boise and then spent the first two weeks packing things we'd need while we were homeless, trying to squeeze in as much Atlanta fun as we could, saying goodbye to friends, and then heading up to North Carolina. the next - [Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/dont-be-afraid-to-ask-for-help/) - “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5, NIV) This seems like a simple enough verse. If there’s something you want to know, ask God for insight, clarity, or an answer. But how many of us forget to - [Share Four Somethings: June 2019](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-june-2019/) - It's summer vacation for my kids. We flew out to Idaho the first of June and will be here for nearly the entire month so this month's edition of S4S involves our experience out west with family. Something Loved There are so many things that could go in this category. It's always wonderful to see - [Share Four Somethings: May 2019](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-may-2019/) - Anyone who has children knows how crazy the month of May can be (perhaps it's June if your kids are in school that long). I usually get my favorites sorted out by the middle of the month but this time I have just barely remembered that the fourth Saturday is upon me. Regardless of the - [Where Is God Asking You to Trust in Him?](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/where-is-god-asking-you-to-trust-in-him/) - Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5–6 NIV) How do you trust in God with all your heart? I think it’s choosing to believe that he has his best in mind for you at all - [Share Four Somethings: April 2019](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-april-2019/) - April was a pretty full month. The kids had spring break which found us at Six Flags twice, enjoying local parks, attending a Braves game, and seeing Wonder Park with some friends. We also experienced the end of the Lenten season and the celebration of Easter. My nephew joined his church, Jackson played some baseball, - [Are You Motivated by Love?](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/are-you-motivated-by-love/) - All my life I’ve had an internal drive to be the best and do it all in order to be considered valuable. This drive has often manifested as perfectionism. In school I strove to receive the top grades and most accolades, earning the title of valedictorian in both high school and college. I participated in - [Share Four Somethings: March 2019](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-march-2019/) - We have reached the end of March which means it's time once again to share my experiences of the month through four categories: something loved, something said, something learned, and something read. This prompt is part of a blog link up with other writers. You can check out the original post at HeatherGerwing.com and add - [The Winter Season](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/the-winter-season/) - There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV) We all experience seasons in our lives, seasons of joy and resurrection but also of struggle and death. Those latter “winter” seasons are challenging. We draw ourselves inward for protection and warmth. We believe that we possess nothing of value - [Share Four Somethings: February 2019](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-february-2019/) - We've come to the last Saturday of the month which means it's time to share four somethings! This is where I review my month and highlight something from my life in four specific categories: something loved, something said, something learned, and something read. This is a blog link up with other writers. If you'd like - [Share Four Somethings from January](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-from-january/) - Last year I enjoyed reviewing each month and sharing my favorites in four different categories: something loved, something said, something learned, and something read. It was so much fun that I have chosen to continue the fun in 2019, though this year all posts will be the last Saturday of the month instead of Fridays. - [Trusting God’s Pruning](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/trusting-gods-pruning/) - I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. (Luke 15:1-2, CSB) My family and I grow some of our own produce in the backyard. My husband has the greener thumb - [2018 Reading Challenge - December Update](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/2018-reading-challenge-december-update/) - I reached my goal of 100 books in 2018 in September but didn't stop there. I created an Instagram account to track my reading in real time. Feel free to follow along @meganbyrdreads! A second reading goal for 2018 was to read at least one book each month by a non-white author to expand my knowledge and perspective. - [Year End Goal Review for 2018](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/year-end-goal-review-for-2018/) - I set a few goals at the beginning of the year and know that accountability helps keep me on track so I tracked my stats all year. Below is my fourth quarter of the year review. You can also read about the first quarter, second quarter, and third quarter successes and failures. 2018 Goals 1. Blog once per week. I - [We Are God's Handiwork](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/we-are-gods-handiwork/) - “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10, NIV) We were created by God. He uniquely crafted us to do good works. God prepared our assignments before we were born, making us specifically with the attributes needed to complete them. He determined - [Share Four Somethings: December Edition](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-december-edition/) - The last Friday of each month I link up with other bloggers to share four things from the month that fit into each of the following categories: Something Loved Something Said Something Learned Something Read Something Said "I don’t think Jesus wants me to become more frazzled, more worn-out, and less joyful as I get - [The Spiral of Change](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/the-spiral-of-change/) - Two years ago I struggled with feeling disconnected from community. I felt burned out from an extended period of reaching out to others and attempting to establish deeper connections and relationships, specifically within my church. I pulled back from many of my existing relationships in an attempt at self-preservation. I believed I was cutting current ties in order to - [2018 Reading Challenge - November Update](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/2018-reading-challenge-november-update/) - I reached my goal of 100 books in 2018 in September. I will continue to track my reads but only provide monthly updates. I created an Instagram account to track my reading in real time. Feel free to follow along @meganbyrdreads! A second reading goal for 2018 is to read at least one book each month by a - [How Are You Manifesting the Season?](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/how-are-you-manifesting-the-season/) - As Christmas approaches, I’m excited about the joy and festivity involved in the season. I love the holiday cheer and time with family, but I also feel the pull toward busyness. Christmas is coming; I must do all the things! Where does this urge to make Christmas big, lavish, and packed-to-the-gills with merriment come from? Yes, I want - [My Goal for 2019](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/my-goal-for-2019/) - I enjoy setting goals. It helps me determine what my priorities are and keeps me focused. Having something to work toward adds structure to my days and prevents me from aimlessness. I know that I need accountability in my goals because, while I am not great about keeping promises to myself, I am a people - [Share Four Somethings: November Edition](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-november-edition/) - The last Friday of each month I link up with other bloggers to share four things from the month that fit into each of the following categories: Something Loved Something Said Something Learned Something Read Join me and link up over at HeatherGerwing.com. You can also check out my Somethings from January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, and - [2018 Reading Challenge - October Update](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/2018-reading-challenge-october-update/) - I reached my goal of 100 books in 2018 in September. I have decided to continue to track my reads but only provide monthly updates. I created an Instagram account to track my reading in real time. Feel free to follow along @meganbyrdreads! A second reading goal for 2018 is to read at least one book each month - [Share Four Somethings: October Edition](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/share-four-somethings-october-edition/) - The last Friday of each month I link up with other bloggers to share four things from the month that fit into each of the following categories: Something Loved Something Said Something Learned Something Read Join me and link up over at HeatherGerwing.com. You can also check out my Somethings from January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, and September. - [Growing in Creativity and Self-Awareness](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/growing-in-creativity/) - I have been working through The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron. It is a twelve-week workbook designed to reignite creativity. Each week there is a reading portion, sometimes with a few one time or week-long exercises embedded into. There are also ten activities to do. Knowing that it will not - [Stepping Into My Calling](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/stepping-into-my-calling/) - I am often nervous about how what I write will be received. I am even more anxious when I submit something I write to an outside website or publication because I want it to be received well. I tend to doubt my ability to create something that others will deem valuable or worthy of publication. - [Lessons From the First Christmas](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/lessons-from-the-first-christmas/) - The Christmas story is well-known by most people. Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem for a census. While they were there, Mary went into labor and gave birth to a son in a stable (because there was no room in the inn). His bed became the animals’ feeding trough. God sent angels to tell the - [The "Big Christmas" Experience](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/the-big-christmas-experience/) - The first Christmas in our new house took place a few days early because we were flying to Idaho to enjoy the holiday with our new niece. My husband and I decided that this was the year of the “Big Christmas”. We outdid ourselves, thinking about all of the things our kids might love to - [Trusting God Over My Fear](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/trusting-god-over-my-fear/) - I love to learn. I almost always have at least one non-fiction book I’m working my way through. Recently there have been some topics that I have wanted to explore more so I found some books for new perspectives. NetGalley has been very helpful in providing free books on relevant topics. I am growing in - [An Attitude of Gratitude](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/an-attitude-of-gratitude/) - A friend of mine mentioned a sermon she listened to by Rick Warren where he challenged everyone to make a list of 100 things they’re grateful for. That sounded like a beneficial exercise to do. Since Thanksgiving is this week, I thought I’d complete the exercise and share it with you. If you attempt it, - [Traveling With Kids](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/traveling-with-kids/) - My family and I spent almost two weeks in Italy this past summer. It was our kids’ first time out of the country. They have ridden on planes their entire lives (at least once a year) so I wasn’t worried about that, especially now that we’re done with diapers, bottles, strollers, and naptimes (hallelujah). Our - [Why I Participate in the Fight Against Human Trafficking](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/why-i-participate-in-the-fight-against-human-trafficking/) - I have become more aware of the industry of sex trafficking as a result of living in metro Atlanta. What sex trafficking really involves sank in deeply when I saw the movie Taken in 2008. It is horrifying to know that this is going on all over the world. It is especially atrocious knowing it’s in - [Third Quarter Goal Review](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/third-quarter-goal-review/) - I set a few goals at the beginning of the year and know that accountability helps keep me on track so below are my stats for the third quarter of the year. You can also read about the first quarter and second quarter successes and failures. 2018 Goals 1. Blog once per week. I have continued to keep the weekly - [Four Somethings: September Edition](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/four-somethings-september-edition/) - I am participating in a blog link up on the last Friday of each month where bloggers share four things from the month that fit into each of the following categories: Something Loved Something Said Something Learned Something Read This has been a fun experience thus far! I am excited to continue to ponder these - [2018 Reading Challenge - Books 91 Through 100](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/2018-reading-challenge-books-91-through-100/) - I did it! I reached my goal of 100 books in 2018 and it's only September! What now? Keep reading, of course! I created an Instagram account to help me track my reading. Feel free to follow along @meganbyrdreads! A second reading goal is to read at least one book each month by a non-white author to expand - [The Lies Behind Your Fears](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/lies-behind-fears/) - I have loved music for as long as I can remember. When I was a kid, I used to tape record myself singing. I loved our school music performances in elementary school and would play and sing along for hours with the tape our teacher sent home. I often hoped to be given a solo - [Four Somethings: August Edition](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/four-somethings-august-edition/) - I am participating in a blog link up on the last Friday of each month where bloggers share four things from the month that fit into each of the following categories: Something Loved Something Said Something Learned Something Read This has been a fun experience! I am excited to continue to ponder these four things - [Confronting My Privilege](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/confronting-my-privilege/) - I have been smacked in the face recently with the privilege I experience. A big part is due to what I have been reading this year, most notably Margaret Hagerman's book based on her study of privileged middle schoolers called “White Kids: Growing Up With Privilege in a Racially Divided America” and Roxane Gay’s books - [Living Loved](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/living-loved/) - As I have been studying what love truly looks like lived out, I realized that it is also important to remember how loved I am. I want to love people well, but to love well you have to be loved well. Obviously, no one loves better than God, but as a fickle human, I often - [2018 Reading Challenge - Books 81 Through 90](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/2018-reading-challenge-books-eighty-one-through-ninety/) - I have several different reading goals this year. The overall goal is to read 100 books in 2018. I created an Instagram account to help me track my reading. Feel free to follow along @meganbyrdreads! The second goal is to read at least one book each month by a non-white author to expand my knowledge and perspective. A third, less - [Divine Interruptions](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/divine-interruptions/) - Do you ever have that experience where there seems to be a common theme occurring in your life? You have various experiences that all have the same message attached to it? This tends to happen when God is trying to get my attention in a particular area. I had two different sources speaking to me - [The Perfectionist and the Enneagram](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/the-perfectionist-and-the-enneagram/) - I have always been a sucker for personality tests. It could be my bent toward psychology and a better understanding of people. It could just be my perfectionist nature wanting to know all about myself so that I can become even better at perfectionism. I thought the Enneagram was just going to be another test - [Love, or Nothing](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/love-or-nothing/) - Jesus’ ultimate message to his followers was to love God and love other people. I have been trying to focus on those two things and let everything else be peripheral. Jesus himself said all of the laws and prophets were summed up in those two directives (see Matthew 22:37-40). If I can successfully do those - [Love as a Mirror](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/love-as-a-mirror/) - This is part two of my study of 1 Corinthians 13 in an effort to better understand love and improve at loving others. Part one tackled the first three verses of the chapter. This one gets into the nitty gritty of what love looks like in verses four through seven. Boy does it sting to - [Love is the Greatest](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/love-is-the-greatest/) - The past few weeks I've been walking through 1 Corinthians 13 and discussing my interpretation and personal application of the scriptures. This week is the third and final discussion and involves verses eight through thirteen. If you missed week one or two, you can check them out as well. 8 Love never fails. But where there - [Living Publicly Does Not Always Mean Living Significantly](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/living-publicly-does-not-always-mean-living-significantly/) - At church one Sunday I was listening to the musicians play their instruments and the singers cover ranges I dare not attempt. I was in awe of their abilities. Some of the songs sounded just like the radio versions. I have often been tempted to envy their skills and the public-ness of their gifts and - [Sharing Cake and Other Personal Struggles](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/sharing-cake-and-other-personal-struggles/) - I recently read an example of “Do to others what you would have them do to you” (see Matthew 7:12) that has really stuck with me. I wish I could remember where I read it (if you know where this is found, please let me know so I can attribute it properly). I will paraphrase - [The Byrds Take Italy](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/the-byrds-take-italy/) - ***I wanted to share my Italy trip with those who are interested. Feel free to skip this post if it does not interest you, especially because it's going to be long. Warning: pictures may provoke a desire to visit Italy.*** In July, ten of us headed off to Italy to celebrate my father-in-law's retirement. - [Four Somethings: July Edition](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/four-somethings-july-edition/) - I am participating in a blog link up on the last Friday of each month where bloggers share four things from the month that fit into each of the following categories: Something Loved Something Said Something Learned Something Read This has been a fun experience thus far! I am excited to continue to ponder these - [2018 Reading Challenge - Books 71 Through 80](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/2018-reading-challenge-books-71-through-80/) - I have several different reading goals this year. The overall goal is to read 100 books in 2018. I created an Instagram account to help me track my reading. Feel free to follow along @meganbyrdreads! The second goal is to read at least one book each month by a non-white author to expand my knowledge and perspective. A third, less - [While the Kids Are Away, Mom Will ...?](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/while-the-kids-are-away-mom-will/) - Here in my part of Georgia, the kids are starting back to school on Wednesday. Our summer has flown by, partially due to two big trips that ate up half of the time (no complaints, though). This is a milestone year for our family. Both of our kids will be in public schools together for - [What Keeps You from Trusting God?](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/what-keeps-you-from-trusting-god/) - What does it mean to trust God? This is a big question. I wrote down the thoughts that jumped out of my brain in order to evaluate and process what I think this means and determine where I struggle the most. Trusting God means: Surrendering. Giving up worry, anxiety, and trying to control everything. - [2018 Reading Challenge - Books 61 Through 70](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/2018-reading-challenge-books-61-through-70/) - I have several different reading goals this year. The overall goal is to read 100 books in 2018. I created an Instagram account to help me track my reading. Feel free to follow along @meganbyrdreads! The second goal is to read at least one book each month by a non-white author to expand my knowledge and perspective. A third, less - [Second Quarter Goal Review](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/second-quarter-goal-review/) - I set a few goals at the beginning of the year and know that accountability helps keep me on track so below are my stats for the second quarter of the year. You can also read about the first quarter's successes and failures. 2018 Goals 1. Blog once per week. I published nine(!) posts in - [Four Somethings: June Edition](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/four-somethings-june-edition/) - I am participating in a blog link up on the last Friday of each month where bloggers share something from the month that fits into each of the following categories: Something Loved Something Said Something Learned Something Read This is my favorite monthly exercise! I am excited to continue to ponder these four things and - [What Twelve Years of Marriage Looks Like](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/what-twelve-years-of-marriage-looks-like/) - This Sunday Adam and I will celebrate our 12th wedding anniversary! Twelve years of life in Atlanta. I thought it would be fun to share some of the highlights of our marriage experience. Our married life by the numbers: 1 cat 2 kids 3 addresses 4 trips out of the country 1 Thanksgiving in Las - [Let Freedom Ring](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/let-freedom-ring/) - I used to sing this song all the time as a kid, even standing up while singing "And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today!" It's a very patriotic song that encourages us to do our part to keep America a wonderful place to live. However, I am aware that - [2018 Reading Challenge - Books Fifty-One Through Sixty](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/2018-reading-challenge-books-fifty-one-through-sixty/) - I have several different reading goals this year. The overall goal is to read 100 books in 2018. I created an Instagram account to help me track my reading. Feel free to follow along @meganbyrdreads! The second goal is to read at least one book each month by a non-white author to expand my knowledge and perspective. A - [Four Somethings: May Edition](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/four-somethings-may-edition/) - I am participating in a blog link up on the last Friday of each month where bloggers share four things from the month that fit into each of the following categories: Something Loved Something Said Something Learned Something Read This has been a fun experience thus far! I am excited to continue to ponder these - [God's Plan, My Growth](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/gods-plan-my-growth/) - This past year I was involved in a small group with my church. I wanted to become more connected to people within my church and hoped seeing a group of people weekly might help forge some deeper relationships. About a quarter of the way into the year, one of our leaders moved and asked me - [Six Things I've Learned From My Dad](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/six-things-learned-from-dad/) - Father's Day is Sunday. In honor of this special day of remembering dads, I wanted to acknowledge my father and share some things I have learned from him over the years. 6 Things I've Learned From My Dad 1. It's important to have the right tool for the job. I didn't realize that this wasn't a - [Managing Expectations in Relationships](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/managing-expectations-in-relationships/) - When I saw this quote after a Big Bang Theory episode, I realized how true it rings with me. I often have expectations attached to things, including relationships, even though I don’t consciously think about it until I feel disappointed about the way an interaction went or a situation turned out. I know that I - [My Not-So-Secret Addiction](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/my-not-so-secret-addiction/) - I have a vice, something I am addicted to and can’t quit no matter how much I try. I find myself sneaking away from the kids to do it. I do it first thing in the morning and last thing at night. I sometimes hide under my bed covers to do it. I do it - [Feeling Loved Despite Your Flaws](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/feeling-loved-despite-your-flaws/) - Something amazing happened recently! I decided to do a workout video at home so that I could get exercise in before preschool pickup (that’s not the amazing thing, please keep reading). I turned it on, thinking that it was about 40 minutes long. When it began to play I realized that it was an - [2018 Reading Challenge - Books Forty-One Through Fifty](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/2018-reading-challenge-books-forty-one-through-fifty/) - I have several different reading goals this year. The overall goal is to read 100 books in 2018. I created an Instagram account to help me track my reading. Feel free to follow along @meganbyrdreads! The second goal is to read at least one book each month by a non-white author to expand my knowledge and perspective. A - [God-Sized Dreams](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/god-sized-dreams/) - I am reading through Christine Caine’s Unshakeable devotional this year. One of the days was about walking by faith and believing that the gaps between our abilities and our dreams are the spaces for God to move. She posed the following question: If your goals are achievable without God, are they even from God? I - [Five Things I Love/Hate About Summer](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/five-things-i-love-hate-about-summer/) - It's Memorial Day which means summer is practically upon us! There are some amazing things about the warm weather and freedom from a daily school schedule. However, there are also a few things that are not so great about summer. I thought it would be fun to share the ups and downs of summertime in - [2018 Reading Challenge - Books Eleven Through Twenty](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/2018-reading-challenge-books-eleven-through-twenty/) - I have several different reading goals this year. The overall goal is to read 52 books in 2018. The second goal is to read at least one book each month by a non-white author to expand my knowledge and perspective. A third, less pressing goal is to check off the 12 different categories of books Anne Bogel (aka ModernMrsDarcy) suggests - [What I Really Want For Mother's Day](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/what-i-really-want-for-mothers-day/) - Mother's Day will be here Sunday! It evokes thoughts of flowers, breakfast in bed, and sweet cards from my kiddos. What I’d really love for Mother’s Day would be to not feel “mom guilt.” It’s a constant, pervading feeling that somehow I am failing my children. It doesn’t matter that they appear healthy and happy. - [18 Things I've Learned Since Leaving The Nest](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/18-things-ive-learned-since-leaving-the-nest/) - This Saturday I will celebrate my 36th birthday. It's been eighteen years since I graduated from high school, which means 18 years since I have lived in the same state (yes, state) as my family. Half of my life (and from here on out more than half) has now been lived away from my parents - [2018 Reading Challenge - Books Thirty-One Through Forty](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/2018-reading-challenge-books-thirty-one-through-forty/) - I have several different reading goals this year. The (new) overall goal is to read 100 books in 2018. I created an Instagram account to help me track my reading. Feel free to follow along @meganbyrdreads! The second goal is to read at least one book each month by a non-white author to expand my knowledge and perspective. - [Four Somethings: April Edition](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/four-somethings-april-edition/) - I am participating in a blog link up on the last Friday of each month where bloggers share four things from the month that fit into each of the following categories: Something Loved Something Said Something Learned Something Read This has been a fun experience thus far! I am excited to continue to ponder these - [Three Steps to Overcoming Perfectionism](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/three-steps-to-overcoming-perfectionism/) - As a follower of Jesus, I continuously desire to grow in love—love for God, for others, and for myself. I thrive on setting goals and methodically working through steps to completion, yet I possess a weakness that emerges whenever I’m working on a project. That weakness is perfectionism. While perfection is the impetus that pushes me - [Practicing Sabbath](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/practicing-sabbath/) - The concept of taking a Sabbath was recently introduced in a study I have been doing with my church small group. I have heard about Sabbath and know the Bible talks about it but hadn't really considered trying to implement a weekly day of rest into my life until recently. When I previously thought about - [2018 Reading Challenge - Books Twenty-One Through Thirty](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/2018-reading-challenge-books-twenty-one-through-thirty/) - I have several different reading goals this year. The overall goal was to read 52 books in 2018. Having finished thirty books in just over three months, I decided to up it and go for 100 books in 2018. I have made it into the 80s the past two years so we'll see how it goes. I created an - [First Quarter Goal Review](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/first-quarter-goal-review/) - We are already in the fourth month of the year. How did that happen?! I set a few goals at the beginning of the year and know that accountability helps keep me on track so below are my stats for the first quarter of the year. 2018 Goals 1. Blog once per week. I published - [The Conclusion of My Lenten Journey](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/the-conclusion-of-my-lenten-journey/) - Lent is official over and Easter has arrived! I enjoyed keeping a journal of my experience of fasting from social media. It was helpful in processing my experience and figuring out what I hoped to achieve. Below is the second half of my experience. You can read about the first half here. Day 28: Sixth - [Allowing Love to Be Stronger than Fear](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/allowing-love-to-be-stronger-than-fear/) - There are some actions that nearly everyone would define as brave – serving in the military or rescuing another person from a burning house. Other actions may be considered ordinary or easy to many people and would not be easily identified as bravery. For one person, singing on stage can be an exciting thrill. For another, singing - [Four Somethings: March Edition](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/four-somethings-march-edition/) - I am participating in a blog link up on the last Friday of each month where bloggers will share four things from the month that fit into each of the following categories: Something Loved Something Said Something Learned Something Read I am excited to ponder these four things each month and see what I find! - [How Do You Handle Changes in Relationships?](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/how-do-you-handle-changes-in-relationships/) - I am a loyal person. When I become good friends with someone, I am essentially forever in their corner. I think the world of them and will defend them. I want to consistently spend time with them and keep up with their life. I pray for them and try to help out when possible. When - [What is the Good News?](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/what-is-the-good-news/) - Easter has come and Jesus has been raised from the dead! Now what? What impact should Christ's death and resurrection have in our lives? To truly understand the purpose of Jesus' crucifixion perhaps it is best to start at the beginning of the story. God created the world. He created man in his image - [Preparing for Easter](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/preparing-for-easter/) - Yesterday was Palm Sunday which symbolized Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey colt during the last week of his life. That means this week is full of significance for Christians. We will experience Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and finally Easter Sunday. Quite an eventful and emotional week. I thought it would be nice to - [Chronicles of My Lenten Journey](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/chronicles-of-my-lenten-journey/) - We are 27 days into Lent, more than halfway through! I decided to keep a journal of my experience to see if there's a point when the habit of clicking on social media disappears. Thus far it has not, but I'm hoping by April 1st I will not have such a strong desire to mindlessly - [Fighting FOMO](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/fighting-fomo/) - I admit to falling victim to the Fear of Missing Out. It is part of the reason I have developed a compulsion for checking social media multiple times each day. I don’t know if FOMO has always been a thing, but it seems to be more pronounced now that the ability to see everything - [Four Somethings: February Edition](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/four-somethings-february-edition/) - I am participating in a blog link up on the last Friday of each month where bloggers will share four things from the month that fit into each of the following categories: Something Loved Something Said Something Learned Something Read I am excited to ponder these four things each month and see what I find! - [2018 Reading Challenge - The First Ten](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/2018-reading-challenge-the-first-ten/) - I have several different reading goals this year. The overall goal is to read 52 books in 2018. The second goal is to read at least one book each month by a non-white author to expand my knowledge and perspective. A third, less pressing goal is to check off the 12 different categories of - [Embracing Smallness](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/embracing-smallness/) - Right now God is working in me to accept my smallness. He is calling me to find contentment in my current season of life and acknowledge that there is no guarantee that my role or influence will ever get bigger. It’s not that I really want to have a huge platform, it’s more that there’s - [The Discipline of Stillness](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/the-discipline-of-stillness/) - I am reading through a devotional with my church small group. The most challenging parts are the two minutes at the beginning and end of each practice where we are requested to spend the time in “silence, stillness, and centering before God.” It is amazing how much my mind is able to wander in that - [Four Somethings: January Edition](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/four-somethings-january/) - I am participating in a blog link up where each month bloggers will share four things from the month that fit into each of the following categories: Something Loved Something Said Something Learned Something Read I am excited to ponder these four things each month and see what I find! I'd love it if you'd - [Taking a Social Media Fast](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/taking-a-social-media-fast/) - The season of Lent is almost upon us. It begins on Wednesday with Ash Wednesday and continues until Easter. The practice of fasting during Lent is not a part of every Christian church tradition. I attended Methodist churches until high school and that is where I learned about Lent. My most vivid recollection of participating - [Love Like Jesus](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/love-like-jesus/) - February is generally considered the month of love due to Valentine’s Day. While our culture can be fickle with what love is and looks like, there is one steadfast example of what real love looks like and does: God. God has been very clear in the Bible that his motivation behind his actions have been - [New Year, New Perspective](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/new-year-new-perspective/) - The new year is underway and I have already begun to see a theme pattern that has begun to take shape. The topics that have been coming up and seem to have a common thread are: second chances, grace, brokenness, compassion, releasing perfection, love, and vulnerability. My word for the year is "brave" so I - [New Year, New Verses](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/new-year-new-verses/) - For the past three years I have spent some time in December going through each book of the Bible and writing a verse from the chapter that corresponds with the coming year (this year verses from the 18th chapters). For books with fewer than eighteen chapters, I pick the 18th verse of a chapter. When - [New Year, New Books](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/new-year-new-books/) - I am an avid reader. My "to-read" list is more than 100 books deep. Every year I like to set a goal of a certain number of books to try to read. I have heard about a variety of reading challenges to encourage readers to venture out into a variety of genres or themes in - [New Year, New Goals](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/new-year-new-goals/) - Each January I, like millions of others, set goals to work toward throughout the year. According to research, 92% of New Year's resolutions fail. I would prefer to be part of the 8% that pushes through and succeeds. That's why I believe it's important to set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound). It - [2017 Goal Review](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/2017-goal-review/) - Each year I like to set some goals to help give me some focus. This year my goals ended up being relationship-based. I only set two official goals: to call a family member once per week and go on a date night once per month. A side goal was to go on a couple's vacation - [New Year, New Word](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/new-year-new-word/) - I'm a "words person". A few years ago I started hearing about people who would pick a word at the beginning of each year to help define the coming year. It sounded neat but I wasn't really sure how one goes about picking a word. Partway through 2016 I noticed a pattern in my life - [A Holiday Gift Guide for the Reader in Your Life](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/a-holiday-gift-guide-for-the-reader-in-your-life/) - If you've known me for any amount of time then you know I love books. I usually have a minimum of two books started at one time and have known to be working on up to six simultaneously. This year I haven't been posting a monthly review of what I've been reading and I miss - [Love Does: Supplicate for Others](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/love-does-supplicate-for-others/) - Supplicate is a fancy word meaning to pray to God. The Bible encourages us to pray for others. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. ~James 5:16 Love thinks of other people and their needs. - [Advent: Preparing Our Lives With Jesus](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/advent-preparing-our-lives-with-jesus/) - Merry Christmas! We spent the Advent season talking about the meanings behind the candles of an advent wreath: faithfulness, hope, joy, and love. Today we light the large center candle to symbolize Jesus' entrance into the world! May our remembrance of this beginning that led to our ultimate freedom in Christ fill us with - [Advent: Preparing our Hands With Love](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/advent-preparing-our-hands-with-love/) - Advent is observed the four Sundays before Christmas and ushers in our preparation for celebrating Jesus' birth. In some churches and homes there is an Advent wreath with candles that each have a unique meaning: faithfulness, hope, joy, love, and Jesus' birth. Today's focus is Love. The Bible talks about love throughout the Bible. It - [Advent: Preparing Our Hearts With Joy](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/advent-preparing-our-hearts-with-joy/) - Advent is a season celebrated among Christians which occurs during the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. It is a time where we prepare for Jesus' arrival into the world. One practice closely associated to Christmas for me is the lighting of candles on the advent wreath. Each Sunday one candle is lit to remind - [Advent: Preparing Our Minds With Hope](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/advent-preparing-our-minds-with-hope/) - Advent is observed the four Sundays before Christmas and ushers in our preparation for celebrating Jesus' birth. In some churches and homes there is an Advent wreath with candles that each have a unique meaning: faithfulness, hope, joy, love, and Jesus' birth. This week we will discuss the second meaning: Hope. As Christians, our hope - [Advent: Preparing Our Homes With Faithfulness](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/advent-preparing-our-homes-with-faithfulness/) - Advent is a season celebrated among Christians during the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. It is a time where we prepare for Jesus' arrival into the world. One tradition I love is the advent wreath. One candle is lit each Sunday to remind us of a particular aspect of the Advent season: faithfulness, hope, - [Love Does: Regard Others' Interests](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/love-does-regard-others-interests/) - In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in - [Love Does: Express Gratitude](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/love-does-express-gratitude/) - During this time of year we are reminded of our blessings and the importance of having a grateful heart. We show our appreciation through a variety of means including gifts and kind words. But we should express gratitude more than just two months out of the year. We should be thankful and show it every - [My Whole30 Adventure](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/my-whole30-adventure/) - Earlier this fall, my husband brought up the idea of doing the Whole30 together. Having been interested in trying it to see if food affects my eczema I jumped right on board. So his one offhand comment essentially became a commitment to go for it together. We wanted to have a Labor Day Weekend party complete - [Love Does: Advocate for Others](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/love-does-advocate-for-others/) - I am not someone who usually speaks up on issues. Often it is due to a lack of knowledge. Sometimes it is because I am not a fan of conflict or criticism and both of those usually come when a person states a position on something. However, I cannot ignore what the Bible says about - [Love Does: Cultivate a Kind Heart](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/love-does-cultivating-a-kind-heart/) - Christians are supposed to be known by their love. Jesus said, "Everyone will know you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35). I want that to be true of me. Often I find myself caught up in the details of my own personal life rather than looking for opportunities to show love - [Run Your Race](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/run-your-race/) - The message God is trying to get me to fully understand and integrate into my life right now is that I was created for a unique purpose and should focus solely on running my race in the lane I have been assigned. I, like many people, struggle with comparison and envy. I am a writer. - [The Discipline of Darkness](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/the-discipline-of-darkness/) - “At times God puts us through the discipline of darkness to teach us to heed Him. Song birds are taught to sing in the dark, and we are put into the shadow of God’s hand until we learn to hear Him…Watch where God puts you into darkness, and when you are there keep your mouth - [Of Mess & Moxie: A Review (and Giveaway!)](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/of-mess-moxie-a-review/) - Of Mess and Moxie: Wrangling Delight Out of This Wild and Glorious Life by Jen Hatmaker is a collection of essays about life, Jesus, parenting and relationships. Sprinkled among the stories of her past, the wisdom she’s learned from experience, the encouragement to live life fully engaged and pursuing our dreams are some very sarcastic and very - [The Fallacy of Our Own Strength](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/the-fallacy-of-our-own-strength/) - I have often heard the phrase, “God doesn’t give you anything you can’t handle.” I understand the sentiment, that God is loving and gracious toward His children, that He knows us intimately and cares deeply for us. But believing the phrase can lead me down negative and self-flagellating roads. Does it mean that I am - [Distorted: A Review](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/distorted-a-review/) - A few years ago I implemented a personal policy where I would give a book two chapters to engage me and get me interested enough to want to learn how the story ends. If I wasn't hooked by the end of chapter two, then I gave myself permission to stop reading and try another one. - [The Fear of Missing Out](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/fomo/) - I have struggled the past few years with feeling a lack of strong community. I have often wondered whether it's due to my current season of life as a parent with young children. It seems harder to make time to connect with others when my schedule revolves around caring for my children and it takes a lot of forethought - [Finding Our Approval](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/finding-our-approval/) - We all seem to be born with a constant desire for approval. We want someone to affirm that we are valuable, that we are seen, and that we matter. From our early days we look to our parents to see their reactions to our behavior. We want the attention and to be told we are - [Guilt-Free Friendship](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/guilt-free-friendship/) - Relationships take work, and they'll slowly die off...if we don't tend to them and water them with regular time, conversations, and interest. ~Lisa-Jo Baker, Never Unfriended Yes, it's obvious that relationships take work. My struggle is with not wanting to feel that the burden is solely on me to do the work if I want to keep them - [Celebrating, Mourning, and Other Aspects of Friendship](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/celebrating-mourning-and-other-aspects-of-friendship/) - Friendships are very important to me. As someone who does not have the blessing of family nearby I have to depend on the relationships I form where I live to give me the social and relational time I desire. I want to have the healthiest, most live-giving relationships possible so I have recently sought advice - [The Comparison Trap](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/the-comparison-trap/) - I sometimes struggle with feeling like I am behind on accomplishing my dreams because there are people younger than me who are already published authors. I love the reminder that God’s timing is perfect and if my desire/dream is his will, is something he planted in my heart, then it will happen when it’s supposed to - [Flocked!: A Game Review](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/flocked-a-game-review/) - I had the opportunity to test out a new game with my family called Flocked! by DEZ Games. There are two modes of playing the game: Big Shepherd and Little Shepherd. It was recommended that we start with Little Shepherd as it's shorter and helps new players to get a good feel for the game. The goal - [Working Through Negative Feelings](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/working-through-negative-feelings/) - I dislike feeling negative thoughts and emotions. I try to avoid them as much as possible. I usually distance myself from negative emotions instead of allowing myself to process and work through them to find healing and move forward. The enemy is very successful in convincing me that avoiding difficult or uncomfortable situations, conversations or feelings is better than facing - [What Feels Like Home](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/what-feels-like-home/) - A few days ago I was having a conversation with a friend. She asked me where I considered "home" to be. It was something I have really had to think about. I have a husband and kids and so our house is obviously considered my home. But when someone asks me where I’m from or - [My Birthday Wish](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/my-birthday-wish/) - I have some very amazing and talented friends and family! I am awed and inspired by the things they make and do. I know someone who makes amazing things out of polymer clay, from itty bitty doughnut earrings to handheld Pikachus. She also bakes sci-fi themed cookies and other fun goodies. Her most recent amazing - [My Favorite Things](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/my-favorite-things/) - It’s Friday Five time! Last September I participated in a weekly blog link up and enjoyed having a specific prompt to write on. I found that writing weekly was too large of a commitment for me at the time. When I saw the prompt for today I thought it’d be fun to try to jump - [Year-End Review](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/year-end-review/) - We have arrived at the end of 2016! I have worked on specific goals all year and am excited to have the ability to make new goals for the coming year. If you want to read about previous months' successes and failures, click the appropriate month: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, - [The Word of the Year](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/the-word-of-the-year/) - The beginning of a new year is often a flurry of activity for many people: resolutions and goals, reflecting on the past year, planning out the year ahead. In the past several years I have become aware of a large segment of people having a word of the year - a word that tells - [My Goals for 2017](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/my-goals-for-2017/) - Last year I was fairly ambitious with my goal setting. I was not successful in keeping them all perfectly, but the real aim is improvement and growth. Normally I would beat myself up for failure but I have been growing in my understanding and acceptance of grace. Last year I also learned more about - [Ash Wednesday, Lent & Preparing for Easter](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/ash-wednesday-lent-preparing-for-easter/) - It's Ash Wednesday, which signals thee beginning of Lent and the process of preparing ourselves for Easter where we will celebrate Christ's sacrifice for us by submitting to die on our behalf and his subsequent resurrection three days later! Growing up my family attended Methodist churches until I was in high school. We participated - [Finding Hope in the Struggle](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/finding-hope-in-the-struggle/) - God is continuing to help me work out this struggle with loneliness. I have felt that others do not fully understand what I have been trying to express about loneliness. I do not find it difficult gathering people together but am familiar with the truth that it is possible to be lonely in a crowd. - [Wrestling with Loneliness](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/wrestling-with-loneliness/) - I was thinking recently about the changes in my life over the past year. The first four months of the year were very busy and scheduled. I remember thinking that if I had a lot of activity it would get rid of my feelings of loneliness. It obviously didn’t because I wrote several posts about - [Determining My Worth](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/determining-my-worth/) - As a type A person, I am all about getting things done. I constantly have a to-do list I'm working toward crossing off. I feel like I'm being productive and wise with my time if I am doing something. However, I have been learning that the enemy likes to use busyness to keep us - [Forget the Clock: Learning to Rest in God](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/forget-the-clock-learning-to-rest-in-god/) - The theme of this year for me has been trust and rest. I am not good at either of those, it seems. And they are definitely intertwined in my life. I struggle a lot with feeling that I always must be productive, always working and doing something. I seem to equate resting with being - [The Perfect Image](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/the-perfect-image/) - I have been wondering lately whether I project the image of having it all together. I don't feel like many people think I have struggles. I don't know whether this is me trying to project a specific image or if it's because I prefer to share concerns and issues with people who have become - [Thoughts of My Grandparents](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/thoughts-of-my-grandparents/) - My maternal grandmother (and last grandparent) passed away a little over six years ago, two days before her 86th birthday. For some reason I have been thinking a lot about her this year. On her birthday I remembered when she used to talk about Grandpa Dave (her husband) being excited about turning 92 (he - [Things I've Learned From the Men in my Life](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/things-ive-learned-from-the-men-in-my-life/) - When I first started thinking about this writing prompt I was a little stumped. In recent years I have surrounded myself with some amazing women. I've been in Bible studies with them, mom groups, tennis teams, authors of books I've read. I could think of a vast number of women I admire. It took - [Five Influential Women I've Met](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/five-influential-women-ive-met/) - I was excited to tackle this topic because there are so many wonderful women in my life that have been positive influences. It was hard to narrow it down to five but somehow I managed. I am so thankful to have had such positive female influences in my life. There are a number of - [Trauma Often Leads to Tears](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/trauma-often-leads-to-tears/) - When I saw this theme for the Friday Five I didn't know what to think. Crying in general tends to make me feel uncomfortable, whether it's me doing the crying or watching someone else cry. I tend to be a fairly even-keeled person regarding emotions. At least, I'm good at keeping them from showing - [I Quit: Five Things I Want to Remove From My Life](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/i-quit-five-things-i-want-to-remove-from-my-life/) - No one likes to be called a quitter. It has a decidedly negative connotation. It’s a word used to try to cajole others into continuing to persevere through a course of action. People continue on in an endeavor or commitment even when they might not think it the best decision for them because they fear - [Why Do We Hesitate to Share and Celebrate Our Successes?](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/why-do-we-hesitate-to-share-and-celebrate-our-successes/) - This is my 100th post on the blog! I wanted to do something special to mark the occasion and celebrate. Initially I felt a little silly wanting to celebrate something as small as a blog post milestone, but then I thought, why shouldn't I celebrate? It's something I'm proud of accomplishing. It also got - [Sometimes Chasing Your Dreams Requires Learning New Skills](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/sometimes-chasing-your-dreams-requires-learning-new-skills/) - I am on the precipice of diving deeper into the world of writing and blogging. I have been reading Do Over: Rescue Monday, Reinvent Your Work, and Never Get Stuck by Jon Acuff because I feel like this adventure will be similar to a job transition. I've been a SAHM for the past six years - [Reflecting on Ten Years of Marriage](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/reflecting-on-ten-years-of-marriage/) - Today is my 10th wedding anniversary! It doesn't seem like long at all but quite a bit has happened in that time:Moved to GAStarted a new jobBought our first houseStarted playing tennisAdopted a kittenChanged jobsTook a babymoon to ArubaWon an ALTA city championshipHad a babyBecame a SAHMPublished a bookHad a second babySold our first houseBought - [Seven Things I've Learned From My 3-Year-Old About Building Community](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/seven-things-ive-learned-from-my-3-year-old-about-building-community/) - My son, the extrovert, does not seem to mind Island Living. (This is the term I've coined to describe my family's experience of living and parenting away from family.) He creates his own community wherever he goes. At the gym he befriended an older gentleman who exercises in the pool most mornings. They had - [Being Vulnerable With Your Spouse](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/being-vulnerable-with-your-spouse/) - I have been listening to a podcast called Marriage is Funny, which is produced by a married couple that has been married about as long as Adam and I have. I have only listened to a few episodes and have started from the beginning (there are currently 40+ episodes). I love that they speak - [Pretending I'm Famous: My Imaginary Interview on The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey Podcast](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/pretending-im-famous-my-imaginary-interview-on-the-happy-hour-with-jamie-ivey-podcast/) - I had received several recommendations about the podcast, The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey. I decided to download one and listen to it while I was on the elliptical machine at the gym. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's like listening to a couple of your girlfriends talk about life, things they are passionate about right - [Dreaming With an Open Heart](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/dreaming-with-an-open-heart/) - I have been thinking recently about dreams I have for my life, things I would love to do or to happen. I know we sometimes equate dreams with goals or bucket list items, but I believe those are all slightly different.Goals are things I want to achieve and will take deliberate steps to accomplish. Some ## Pages - [Welcome!](https://meganbyrd.net/) - Order While You Were Skiing Buy Tell Me It's Real Check out all the books in the City Love series! Buy Now Praise for Write for You, Book Five in the City Love Series This is a book you can really get immersed in. From the library to the waterfalls, each setting was described in - [While You Were Skiing](https://meganbyrd.net/wyws/) - Welcome to the page for all things While You Were Skiing! Learn more about the inspiration for the book and read a special bonus scene not included in the book. While You Were Skiing was inspired by my love for the Christmas romcom While You Were Sleeping with Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman. I watch - [Books](https://meganbyrd.net/my_books/) - TAKE A CHANCE ON ME City Love Book 1 Can an aspiring author and a world-traveling photographer conquer their past hurts for a new chance at love? Get your copy on Amazon. Get a signed copy here. Click here for special extras including recipes and a bonus scene. ONE SWEET LOVE City Love Book 2 - [Bonus Content](https://meganbyrd.net/bonus-content/) - All bonus content requires newsletter subscription which you can unsubscribe from at any time. Existing subscribers will not be subscribed twice. Just enter your email and you're good to go! Click on the book cover to be taken to the subscription page. Take a Chance on Me Bonus Scene One Sweet Love Bonus Scene Stuck - [Tell Me It's Real](https://meganbyrd.net/tmir/) - Welcome to the page for Tell Me It's Real. Read about locations mentioned in the story, learn the rules for some new card games, and read a special bonus epilogue! Charleston Inspiration Interested in learning the rules of some of Zach's card games? Download the instructions for Flipper, Blackout, and Tic Tac Toe! Download card - [About Megan](https://meganbyrd.net/about-me/) - Megan Byrd loves reading, hanging out with friends, and getting the endorphins pumping through various pursuits such as hiking, yoga, kickboxing, tennis, and HIIT workouts. She also enjoys amusement parks, baking, playing Super Mario and Just Dance video games, and thrift shopping. She has always enjoyed writing, starting with journaling in first grade, a number - [Write for You](https://meganbyrd.net/wfy/) - Welcome to the page for Write for You. Read about locations mentioned in the story and read a special bonus scene! Real-Life and Inspired Locations Read a bonus scene about Anna and Brody! - [Newsletter](https://meganbyrd.net/newsletter/) - Stay up-to-date on upcoming book releases, promotions, and receive a free ebook. - [Stuck With You](https://meganbyrd.net/stuckwithyou/) - Welcome to the page of info and extras for Stuck With You! Read all about the businesses and buildings that inspired places in the book, check out a map of the city that shows all the race locations, and read a special bonus scene! Book Inspiration Most of the clues in Stuck With You led - [Free Novella](https://meganbyrd.net/freenovella/) - Sign up for my newsletter and get a FREE novella. Expect to receive a newsletter every other week where I share the latest news on my projects and things I'm loving. Can love happen by accident? Jeff Gaines has the ideal life. He surfs for a living and helps others learn to surf when he’s - [Take a Chance on Me](https://meganbyrd.net/tacom/) - Welcome to the page of info and extras for Take a Chance on Me! If you're interested in purchasing the book, you can do so here. Otherwise, read about actual locations that inspired places in the book, take a quiz to find out which Supper Club Member you are, download recipes from the book and - [One Sweet Love](https://meganbyrd.net/osl/) - Welcome to the page of info and extras for One Sweet Love, the second book in the City Love series. Scroll down to see photos and read about places that served as inspiration for the book, find out which Book Babe member you are, and download a few recipes of food from the book. Book - [Merry & Brett](https://meganbyrd.net/merryandbrett/) - Welcome to the book page of Merry & Brett! If you haven't read the book, you can get your copy here. Scroll down to read about the inspiration behind the book and other fun extras. Book Inspiration We've lived in Asheville four years and gone to the NC Arboretrum's Winter Lights program every year - - [Take a Chance on Me Bonus Scene](https://meganbyrd.net/tacombonus/) - Thank you so much for reading Take a Chance on Me! Enjoy this special bonus scene. FEBRUARY 15 Tom THE FIRST FEW notes of Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” float on the air from the violinist’s strings, signaling that it’s time to get things underway. I clamp a hand on Jeff’s shoulder and give what I - [Shop](https://meganbyrd.net/shop/) - [Contact](https://meganbyrd.net/contact/) - Instagram: @megan.e.byrd Facebook: @authormeganbyrd Goodreads: @meganbyrd I would love to hear from you! 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For non-Gmail users: If you're using an email service other than Gmail, please visit whitelist.guide and choose your - [Cookie Policy (EU)](https://meganbyrd.net/cookie-policy-eu/) - [About Megan](https://meganbyrd.net/about/) - Megan Byrd is a woman of many titles: SAHM, wife, pet owner, travel enthusiast, baker of tasty treats, yoga practicer, book devourer, pursuer of athletic endeavors, writer of thoughts, casual gardener, and speaker of okay Spanish to name a few. Megan Byrd has been a writer for most of her life. She has kept a journal ## Books - [One Sweet Love](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/books/one-sweet-love/) - NEVER TRUST A HOT GUY. Julie Quinn learned her new motto the hard way. These days, she's happy putting all her energy into her chocolate shop and hanging out with her dog. After all, dogs and chocolate will never let you down. Jayson Thompson is an attorney who loves helping family overcome the hurdles of - [Take a Chance on Me](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/books/take-a-chance-on-me/) - Can love be picture-perfect? Rachel Price has a near-perfect life: she's an avid reader working in a bookstore which is located across from her favorite chocolate shop and runs a lively book club. The only things missing are a man to rival her many book boyfriends and the courage to pursue her dream of being ## Categories - [Uncategorized](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/category/uncategorized/) - [motherhood](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/category/motherhood/) - [prayer](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/category/prayer/) - [Jen Hatmaker](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/category/jen-hatmaker/) - [encouragement](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/category/encouragement/) - [children](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/category/children/) - [parenting](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/category/parenting/) - [struggle](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/category/struggle/) - [new book](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/category/new-book/) - [Of Mess and Moxie](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/category/of-mess-and-moxie/) - [support](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/category/support/) - [Lent](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/category/lent/) - [fasting](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/category/fasting/) - [Easter](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/category/easter/) - 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[scripture](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/tag/scripture/) - [hinder](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/tag/hinder/) - [unbelief](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/tag/unbelief/) - [back-to-school](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/tag/back-to-school/) - [school](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/tag/school/) - [SAHM](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/tag/sahm/) - [decisions](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/tag/decisions/) - [traveling with kids](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/tag/traveling-with-kids/) - [family vacation](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/tag/family-vacation/) - [Italy](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/tag/italy/) - [yearly review](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/tag/yearly-review/) - [four something](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/tag/four-something/) - [monthly review](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/tag/monthly-review/) - [loving others](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/tag/loving-others/) - [golden rule](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/tag/golden-rule/) - [sharing](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/tag/sharing/) - [serving](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/tag/serving/) - 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[devotion](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/tag/devotion/) - [Take a Chance on Me](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/tag/take-a-chance-on-me/) - [new book](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/tag/new-book/) - [debut novel](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/tag/debut-novel/) - [contentment](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/tag/contentment/) ## Book Categories - [Romance](https://meganbyrd.net/blog/book-category/romance/)