(in)courage guest post Halfway to Bethlehem by Pearl Allard (Look Up Sometimes)

Halfway to Bethlehem – Guest Post on (in)courage

I’ve waited for THREE MONTHS to share this post with you today!!! I am SO EXCITED to share my guest post on (in)courage’s website with you!!! It’s a game-changing message of hope that pulled me through the second-lowest point of my life but continues to encourage me when times are good. It started as a Christmas gift idea gone disastrously…

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Familiar vs Wonder? What'll It Be? Order UP! by Pearl Allard (Look Up Sometimes)

Wonder vs Familiar – What’ll It Be? Order UP!

Stuff I thought I knew frontwards and backwards and eyes shut and upside down. But who cares what anyone knows? We want to EXPERIENCE it. I’m grateful that God is devoted to me even when I’m not fulfilling my duty to Him.

Struggling Through a Lack of Silence by Pearl Allard (Look Up Sometimes)

Struggling Through a Lack of Silence

Today I’m the black sheep in Five Minute Friday, a writing community that freewrites for five minutes on a prompt. No editing. (It’s a terrific launching point, but I’m a total rule-breaker! I freewrote for about twenty minutes and then edited.) Today’s prompt: Silence. In silence – that’s typically how I write. Not today. I’m sitting in a back booth…

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7 Reasons Not to Not Ask for Help by Pearl Allard (Look Up Sometimes)

7 Reasons Not to NOT Ask for Help

When you’re not good at asking for help (ok, because I am not good at asking for help), sometimes my “question” comes out more like, “My basement sure is a disaster” when what I meant was “Could you find it somewhere in the deepest depths of your huge, benevolent heart to help a sister out and get me over this huge overwhelm of discouragement whenever I’m bombarded by the visual chaos in my basement?”

Discover How to Make Distraction Work for You by Pearl Allard (Look Up Sometimes)

Discover How to Make Distraction Work for You

This post was inspired by Five Minute Friday’s prompt: Discover. Two rules: 1) Freewrite for five minutes 2) Don’t edit. (I broke all the rules.) Maybe this isn’t you – you don’t suffer from distractions. You’re ultra-focused and a productivity maniac. If you are, I’m totally jealous, but I’m also totally willing to learn from you. Would you be willing…

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Do You Have Focus? Go Fish by Pearl Allard (Look Up Sometimes)

Do You Have Focus? Go Fish.

Sometimes I feel prayer is like playing Go Fish. I ask for what I want. If I get it, I ask for something else – encouraged God heard and answered. But if I don’t get it, it can feel like what I’m told in the game: Go Fish. Select the next card from the draw pile – do the next…

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I Want It All or Not At All by Pearl Allard (Look Up Sometimes)

I Want It All or Not At All

I Want It All – My Writing Goal to Be a Decent Person by Pearl Allard This post was first featured on the Breathe Christian Writers Conference blog. You already know all that — that reflecting over last year and making goals is a good way to dive into the New Year — but maybe this year isn’t starting the…

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Hidden Treasure in the Crazy-Busy & Silencing Our Inner Critic

Hidden Treasure in the Crazy-Busy & Silencing My Inner Critic

I have a confession: I am female, and I don’t multitask well. I admire those who do. I admire my friends that aren’t frazzled by the simultaneous chaos of kids’ activities, laundry piles, meal prep, meaningful discussions with company, and who may also work outside the home. I have high respect for teachers, amid constant noise and motion, who juggle…

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