In This Week's Newsletter...

• A Note from Joey • HIgh School Graduations Are Coming! • Idaho Blossoms - New Photos! • Spring Savings - 15% Off Your Entire Cart

Granddaughter Date Night with Monroe

Dear Friend,

Spring is here and so are birthdays!

My wife, Krista, and I were barely home from visiting our daughter and son-in-law in Spain, when we made a long overdue trip up to Idaho to visit our four grandchildren.

Tomorrow my oldest granddaughter, Sophia, turns eleven! It seems like we were just celebrating her tenth birthday.

Janae (my daughter and Sophia's mom) says, "The older you get, it's like a spinning toilet paper roll. The less paper and it just keeps spinning faster and faster!"

So true!

Winter's shackles have finally broken. Spring has arrived in Idaho and so have the gorgeous blooms! I love the white cherry blossoms, the violet-blue periwinkle flowers, and the canary yellow clusters of Oregon Grape. (Keep scrolling to see my latest photos!)

Many of you saw my photos of last year's huckleberry bumper crop and I'm hoping for a great new season this year.

As much as I love today's flower blossoms and summer's huckleberries, my nemesis are Idaho's weeds. Tomorrow, I will participate in hand-to-hand combat as I join Janae to destroy thousands of dandelions.

Idaho has far more weeds than potatoes and dandelion salads have yet to catch on.

Sounds like the spiritual life, doesn't it? There are so many weeds for us to contend with. I wrote about this battle between life-giving seeds and choking weeds in Living Fully Loved: Cultivating Curiosity, Creativity, and Wonder as the Beloved of God.

God’s grace in us is not in vain. His grace is working in and through us every day. Because of Christ’s perfect work on the cross, God sees us whole and holy. On this earth, we will always have seeds and weeds. Make peace with that tension.

Focus on the blossoms and seeds; not the weeds.

You and I, one day at a time, have the opportunity to cooperate with God's Spirit and cultivate a fruitful life worth living.

Last, if you've been encouraged by my weekly newsletter, I'd be honored if you forwarded this on to encourage a friend.

Hoping you encounter some beautiful blossoms today,

Joey PS: I wrote two high school graduation gift books to encourage and inspire young people in this important life transition. ORDER TODAY to make sure your books arrive on time. Both my books come in gift hardcover, paperback, and ebook. (More details below!)