This past fall we celebrated five years together at (in)courage.
And you all left nearly one thousand comments testifying to the good, amazing stories of what God can do between online sisters in a place like this.
And the prayer that blog post ended with has become especially meaningful as we enter the new year:
May we dream new dreams.
May we ask and not be surprised when we receive.
May we dance with abandon before You and be willing to become much more foolish than we’re comfortable with.
You may already know this, but we’ve always described (in)courage as a place with open doors — doors for coming into your calling and doors for walking out and following your gifts.
And for three of our (in)courage contributors who have been with us since the very first day we opened the (in)courage doors, they are taking us up on that invitation.
They are dreaming new dreams.
They are following God out of the (in)courage door and into a new season with Him.
But as we have told each of them, this changes NOTHING about the state of our friendship or how much we will continue to support all that they do.
We are happy to report that the feeling is mutual.
So with that said — won’t you join us in celebrating three of our dear friends who are “graduating” from (in)courage. (We say “graduating” because while they’re moving on into what comes next, they’re by no means leaving the (in)courage community — they’re friends for good.)
I cannot tell you what this group of ladies mean to me. When they approached me initially about being one of their contributors I was totally overwhelmed and told Jess I didn’t think I could manage it, but she said, “Ang, I think you should make time. These girls are really special, and I think you’ll kick yourself if you don’t.”
She was (as usual) 100% right, and if you could see the way my inbox fills on a weekly basis with the prayers, love, and support of this community of women, you would believe me. Not only do we respect every single lady involved in (in)courage, we believe in the mission and the hearts of everyone involved in creating this place of refuge.
But in this season I have clearly heard the call to try and create space in my life and my schedule. So I’m deliberately cutting back on my responsibilities. With that said, I can’t write much more because I’ll start sobbing. Nothing in the world changes with the way I love and support y’all!!!
Since we moved to the Bay Area last summer, the season of life that followed is one that is so fantastic and so unknown (a.k.a. tweens and teens), and at the risk of sounding unoriginal — so busy. I have grown and evolved and healed. And I have begun a quiet indefinite holiday from blogging. So much has happened since I joined the team 5 years ago, I can hardly process it all, but what I can say is that God continues to wow us with wonder and mystery and so. much. love.
Beauty upon beauty, heaps of it. Love you deep deep and am now getting teary thinking of all the memories. I can’t tell you enough how dear the place you hold in my heart feels, and how that space is always held open for you.
Myquillyn Smith (“the Nester”)
Can I just say that this past year has been so full of wonderful things? Wonderful, tiring things? I love you all but I’m trying to be sensitive to how I’m uniquely created and pay attention to what I’m called to do right now — for me that means less commitments, no speaking. Being home, being available, and encouraging women to create the home they’ve always wanted. Being part of (in)courage was like having 33 sisters and graduating from (in)courage has been my most difficult “no.”
I love you all.
Thank you for your ever-present friendship!
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.” {Ecclesiastes 3:1}
We are profoundly grateful to each of these women. For how they have faithfully opened their messy stories and their Jesus truth to share with us month after month for five years.
That kind of grit, that kind of willingness to be open and invite other people into your life — especially the version of your life that isn’t always “guest-ready” — we treasure it around here.
We’re so grateful for the “gift of going first” that they have given us.
We’ve learned about rest, forgiveness, and new beginnings — about friendship, laughter, and home from each of them.
And we’ll be cheering them on the rest of their journeys.
Won’t you join us? Just click here to leave a “graduation blessing” for them in the comments today.
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Angie, Arianne, and Myquillyn,
I would like to say “thank you” from the bottom of my heart for your contribution to (in)courage. I’m sure I speak for many in saying that you make this place a safe place…a place where you can lay down your heart and know that it will be held in gentle hands. Thank you for sharing from your messy, God-loving lives so that others might be encouraged along this journey. May God bless you in the new plans that He has for you!! Know that you made a difference here…
Blessings,
Bev
Ladies, may God’s strong arms wrap around you and guide you as you walk through this season of your lives. Thank you for all the years of inspiration that you have given here, and continued prayers as you move forward. <3
The willingness to share, the abandonment to follow are all in His plan. May your today better than yesterday, may your tomorrows be better than today and may your dreams be stepping stones to greater heights.
Thank you for what you’ve brought to this beautiful space- what a fragrant offering of beauty and grace.:) Cheering you on!
Thank you so much for the beautiful stories you have shared with us. May God continue to bless you in all that you do! God bless <3 🙂 !
“May the Lord bless you and keep you; may the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.” (Num 6:24-26)
Thank you for your sacrifices of time and treasure, ladies. Blessings to you all as you seek His best for your lives moving forward. 🙂
Blessings to each one of you ladies as you continue in what the Lord has for you! I’ve not been on this Incourage line for long but I enjoy it and it broadens my understanding of what God expects and how He functions through us.
We will miss you strong, beautiful women! Thank you so much for everything you have done for the community. May God bless you richly!
Thank you ladies for your commitment, your honesty, and also showing us it’s good to move on when God calls you to something else. May you be richly blessed in this new season.
Blessing, Joanne
To the graduates,
Thank you for sharing your gifts with so many through this community. You’ve given me encouragement, guidance, and a sense of peace through your work here. May your lives continue to be blessed as you move into your respective new seasons, and may your gifts continue to find a home wherever they are needed.
Thanks so much Ladies for giving us 5 years of your lives! May God’s blessings follow you to wherever He takes you now!
Each one of your stories & devotions have been such a blessing to me. I have shared many of your stories with ladies that I know and they, too, have told me what a blessing you are.
God sometimes calls us to leave one ministry and get ready for another. Families are our top God-given priority and may each of you find even more enjoyment with them.
I will miss each one of you!
Dear Angie, Arianne, and Myquillyn,
Thank you for sharing your hearts, here, these last five years. Thank you for providing a space for us to question, doubt, wrestle, and grow – right along with you. You shared your homes and your lives and your gifts, and I’m joining all of these others in saying a huge Thank You! I’m praying that God blesses your socks off in each new adventure He calls you to, whether inside or outside of your home, or both!
Angie, Arianne, and Myquillyn…thank you for sharing your beautifully real stories because in doing so, you have encouraged others to do the same.
May you all be richly blessed, as you courageously open a new chapter in your grace-filled lives. Xox
I am so happy and sad to see you ladies move to new seasons in your lives. God has blessed all of us through your open doors and kinds words and of course your (in)courage-ment! I pray wholeheartedly that you are able to embrace and enjoy this new season of your lives. Keep up the amazing work wherever you are working be it in the home or in a different community. God is always there and you definitely have us cheering you on! Many blessings to you all!
So happy for you three! Congratulations on ‘listening’ to the Lord above all and doing what He’s called you to do. I am one of the hundreds if not thousands of women who have been blessed by your writings of encouragement, honesty and Spirit-filled words. You will probably never meet me or know me, this side of Heaven, but please know how much you have touched my heart and met my needs of encouragement and blessed me beyond words. I have shared your words with family, friends and the women in our small group bible study.
May you be blessed abundantly as you continue to follow Him.
Love and prayers!
Congratulations on your “graduation”! I’ve loved reading your stories here and I love the community you’ve helped create. And Angie, even though I haven’t been able to make myself vulnerable enough to blog about it yet, your book What Women Fear rocked my word and the truths contained there helped me change the way I think about and process things in my life that aren’t easy for me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Ladies, What a pleasure it has been reading your posts! Thank you for your transparent vulnerability as you’ve help each of us walk the paths God has placed us on. Now, I pray His richest blessings upon you as you walk the new path He has placed you on!
Each of you has impacted my life it greater ways than you would ever know. As an Empty Nester, I have often felt outside the circle and less important and impactful. But in this place, with you women, I’ve learned that I have a calling that is, like you, a graduation from what I’ve always known and I am now in a place where stepping out in faith is just simply a part of this journey God has for me. I. Say. Yes. Thank you for your encouraging words, your stories of fear and joy, messiness and healing. You have shown me that life goes on and that He loves me no matter where my story goes. It’s His hand, His grace, His mercy that sees me through.
Thank You. Congratuations to all of you for what you’ve done and where you are going! Good Job!
Angie, Arianne, and Myquillyn,
Thank you so much for being a part of starting this amazing community!! I found it not long after it started and if it weren’t for all of you sharing month in and month out, I don’t know where I’d be. I was on the mission field, in a city with very few other women from my home country- I was lonely and longing for some real and meaningful words of hope and encouragement. That’s what (in)courage is!! Every single post I would read hit close to home. There were times when it was the only place I could find hope and friendship.
It’s been awesome to see you 3 expand beyond this online space and at the same time, like you are doing now, follow God’s specific calling for you right now. Thank you for sharing here. It’s given me comfort to know I’m not alone, and you’ve all given me courage to keep going. Thanks for being you! It’s been so real!
Thank you for all the beautiful encouragement! I’m looking forward to hearing about your new beginnings! You are blessed and there are good things ahead for each one of you!
Yes, cheering you on as you take steps toward the “above and beyond all we can imagine” that God has for you. May you continue to know and experience His presence in the days and nights ahead. Thank you for serving in this place!
Beloved be blessed and may ALL your dreams and desires of your heart come to pass according to His will and riches in glory!!!!!
Thank you for your service, your ministry, your writing. May God bless and multiply your efforts as you walk through new doors. Thank you for being brave enough to let go of something as wonderful as incourage, so that you can grasp the next things God has for you!
Thank you so much for the words and lives you have shared with us who read this. I appreciate the honesty and spiritual lessons you have shared. Blessings to you as you continue in your walk with God.
Joining the chorus of voices here to say thank you! May your next season be as fruitful as the last. xo
I love the wisdom these ladies are exhibiting knowing and acknowledging this season of their life being over. It’s hard to do that when the season has been so good. It’s hard to give up something ‘good’ for something the Lord is telling you is ‘better’ right now. I’ve enjoyed reading every one of them during the two years I’ve been checking here and will miss their posts but I also say “WAY TO GO, LADIES, & enjoy the next thing Papa God has for you!” Trust & Obey – there really is no other way!!! xo
Angie, Arianne, and Myquillyn,
You women have no idea how you’ve encouraged me so much these past five years. This place has been a safe haven for me where I can lay my burdens down and know that they will be prayed over. It has also given me insight and wisdom into God’s word and allowed me to pray for many who are worse off than me.
Thanks for sharing your messy, everyday lives with us and loving us. I know God has new and better plans for your lives, but know that you will be missed and you have made a tremendous difference in our lives!
Blessings 🙂
Thanks to all of you ladies, who were willing to listen to the Lord, and lay everything out in the open with the purpose to begin obedient to His calling and for our growth and encouragement. May you be as wiling for this next season our Saviour has for you all.
Blessings!!!!