Making it happen.

 I finally carved out some time over the weekend to pick up my copy of Make it Happen. If you love Jesus, are a female, and have access to the internet- you've likely heard of Lara Casey and her new book. 
  I don't usually gravitate towards the super trendy non-fiction Christian books {I really, really disliked One Thousand Gifts...I know.} and when I do pick one up, it almost always takes me months to finish. But I've been really curious about what Lara has to say about living life on purpose and making things happen in your life ever since I left my job and became a stay at home mom. 
  I love my role as a SAHM and am so very grateful for this sweet season. Hear that. I'm also really passionate about people and helping others and fostering growth and change {so, social work}. I know I'm totally doing that in small ways with Caleb every day, but it's been a big adjustment to step back from counseling and doing community development work. So. I was curious about Lara's thoughts on balancing different gifts and passions in different seasons of life. 
 I was worried it was just for the throes of stereotypical late-twenty/early-thirty something Christian women balancing motherhood and deciding whether to start an etsy shop or other small biz. {There's nothing wrong with that! But can we all admit its very, very trendy right now?} I don't fall into that category, so I was unsure what I would get out of it. And? I liked it! It's a really, really easy read and Lara doesn't so much teach at, but instead makes it a very conversational book. 
  Lara's thoughts about living life on purpose can be related to anyone. It's not groundbreaking or totally life changing for me, but it made me really appreciate Lara. She talks a lot about stopping the glorification of busy and I really think she means it. I say that because we hear it a lot on social media- but the people shouting it are the very same ones who are writing a book, leading a ministry they started from the ground up, managing 3-4 kids, and have another kick ass small biz on the side. Again, awesome things! But sometimes it seems like we're glorifying it all. Not showing the real parts of hiring a nanny and housekeeper to help manage that lifestyle and not having a church home because of being so busy with social media and small business world. Yet those are the most popular people these days. But when Lara says to stop the glorification of busy, I buy it. She puts the first things first and lays out tangible ways we can do the same {read: stop trying to be trendy/popular}. 
  My most favorite part of the book is the guide at the end. Lara gives us tangible tools to work through to sift through all of our gifts/talents/desires/ and distractions. She talks about annual and perennial goals- I like that a lot. Making something happen doesn't have to happen right this second. But we can start today with small action steps. 
  I actually love the guide so much, I really want to sit down with some girlfriends and talk it out together. It's one of those things that would probably be much more rich done in conversation with others. {so I definitely recommend reading this book!} I'm looking at you, cooking club girls! So that's next on my to-do. To sit down and really think about what I want to make happen. Hint? It has something to do with being a good friend and encourager of other women. No etsy shop or small biz popping up over here! But I think good and meaningful things can happen out of seemingly ordinary and simple goals, too.