How Do You Deepen Your Heart, Mind, And Soul?

The grand historical stories pictured by the gorgeous architecture of Oxford was never lost on me. I would imagine CS Lewis strolling with Tolkien, talking about the books they were writing, or Henry VIII pondering re-establishing Christ Church. Every time I stepped outside my door, I would pass by idealistic students from all over the world who wanted to make their mark and had come to study at Oxford.

One of the realizations that struck me was that I had a much larger capacity to learn, to ponder great ideas, to be touched by the heroes who had lived their lives well.

How do you challenge yourself to grow intellectually? To deepen your heart, mind, and soul?

Read more about this in my new book, Well Lived — out now.

The Gifts Of A Well Lived Life

It is then that our lives begin to make sense. Our satisfaction and fulfillment flow from love given and obedience demonstrated in big and small areas. Our unfettered commitment will shine through the blessings of our life and leave a lasting legacy, a story worth telling.

The gifts of a well-lived life take the stage when we are finally willing and wanting to please Him with our whole heart.

Well Lived is finally out! Make sure to grab your copy today.

Victoria & Teatime Magazine Giveaway

Giveaway!

Hooray! I have reached launch week for Well Lived and you, my friends, have supported me all the way through. I am so grateful for you.

And of course you know that I will be celebrating the birth of Well Lived into the world with a cuppa and a happy heart.

In Well Lived, I talk about planning and gathering rhythms and resources that give yourself a breather, provide filling up, give pleasure so that you can make it in the long run.

When Sarah was a teen, we would steal away to my bedroom every Sunday afternoon with tea in hand, and a Victoria magazine to read aloud together. We oohed and ahhed at the gorgeous photographs, read the articles about authors, women entrepreneurs, and recipes. Of course these stolen moments built an even closer friendship and we had our pause in the week and enjoyed it so very much. But to this day, I have enjoyed reading it so much. A little later, I discovered the lovely magazine Tea Time Magazine.

To help celebrate launch week, my friends, both editors of these magazines, agreed to give away a subscription for each of their magazines. We want a couple of you to have the pleasure of refreshment through these beautiful resources.

I will be on my way to Philadelphia today and look forward to seeing many of you at the Wellness Collective. But I would love to give away a subscription to each of these magazines.

To enter (via Instagram only), leave a comment with the hashtag #WellLivedBook and tag a friend, as many as you want, and you will be entered.

Meanwhile, I would be so delighted if you purchase Well Lived as I am hoping it is of great encouragement and delight to all of you. I have even been told several times that it is like a Sally Victoria Magazine to read. How flattered was I to hear that.

I also hope you will join me for an Instagram live tomorrow, October 8th at 2pm Mountain / 4pm Eastern with my dear friend Sarah Mackenzie. And then later that day for my launch party — sign up at WellLivedBook.com if you haven't already!

Happy Week, friends.

Today Is The Day You are Living Your Legacy

Click here to play today’s new podcast episode.

What a dramatic and challenging week we have witnessed on our world stage. I pondered if it would be trivial to share about my book launch of Well Lived on such a day. Yet, as I prayed, the Lord seemed to encourage me, “Today is the day when a good legacy is made.”

It is when we are tempted with doubts that choosing to live by faith is most precious. When we choose to practice hope through the trying, dark times of life it what our children, husband, friends most need to see. When we are tempted to hold a grudge, show anger, criticize one who has hurt us but instead we choose to give love that our legacy of faithfulness is being born through the real days of our lives.

The Holy Spirit nudges us with wisdom, grace, strength to leave His light through this day, this time to leave a legacy of a life Well Lived. Today in the midst of the chaos and storms, our legacy is being written on the hearts of those around us.

It has taken me a lifetime to learn the truth about what it means to suffer in this world and yet live to see the grace of God. I want to come alongside others so they will not feel as lost or alone as I often have. I want you to know, my friends, that you are seen and loved in the place you find yourself right now.

Sometimes living courageously is our only option to show forth God’s reality as life often leaves us depleted, exhausted, and weary. But my friend, It is my hope that you will find the strength today to rise above your circumstances and choose to live a legacy of faith, hope and love. I hope that I an companion you in your journey in my latest book Well Lived, I will come alongside you as you continue to be life-givers and light bearers to a broken, hurting world. Because ultimately, that is the most profound and enduring legacy we can leave.

Praying for you, asking God to show you His companionship, His love, His grace in your day today. God bless you today, friend.

I Wish Someone Had Told Me...

Before I became a wife or parent, I assumed I would be able to be mature, healthy, loving, and successful in these relationships all the time. Conflict in my own heart and life, and the stress of living with so many needs and so many constant demands, showed me my selfishness — or at least my exhaustion and emptiness.

I longed for mercy, but especially gentleness. I meant to be patient, giving, loving, but I had my limits. It was through my different children, and the demands of everyday life, that I learned the need for gentleness — again.

At what point does a woman find the ability to be gentle, to show mercy, understanding, compassion? When she understands that her heart is immature, prone to making bad choices, limited in patience, and just beginning to comprehend what love requires. She acknowledges that she herself is fragile; she learns how to extend the grace she wishes to receive to others she loves, because they, too, are fragile and want gentleness and mercy.

Read more about this in Well Lived.

Have I Told You I Have The Cutest Grandchildren In The World?

Have I told you that I have the cutest grandchildren in the world? When I raised my own children, at the top of my focus was reaching their hearts with the love of God, wisdom of scripture, and an encouragement for them finding their own part in His story.

Naturally, when it came to my grandchildren, I wanted to have the same imprint. When I lived in Oxford, I would regularly adventure with Sarah and the littles around town to castles, parks, or the canal. It was as though I experienced deja vu — I saw that the talking and giggling and playing we did together reached their hearts, just as it did my own children when they were growing up.

What are some of the ways you have tried to make your imprint on the little ones in your life?

Preorder your copy of Well Lived today!

The Secret To Influencing Your Children

Being loved specifically and intentionally adds to our physical well-being, our spiritual equilibrium, our emotional health, and our mental strength. It is not something we can healthily survive without.

Mothers have a unique opportunity to give this kind of life-giving love to their children, to be a safe person they will always come back to with confidence that they will be loved well and intentionally.

As we evaluate how to love our children well, we ask ourselves, "Do they believe and feel I have their best interest in mind, or do they think I have my own agenda for them? Do they understand that even though they struggle, I am here to help them succeed? Is their heart open to my instruction, or is there a wedge and resistance that I need to figure out and address?

Know that today, I am praying for all of you sweet mamas as you continue to grow and love intentionally. It is not always easy, but every little choice you make to love well matters.

Read more about this in Awaking Wonder.

BYOT: Bring Your Own Teacup

Click here to play today’s new podcast episode.

BYOT: BRING YOUR OWN TEACUP

Yesterday, on my way to friends from Wild + Free to have a fun breakfast together, I came into the lobby with my trusty tea cup in hand, as per usual, because I was in the middle of a hot morning cup, when my friends all giggled.

“You travel with your own china cup for drinking your tea?”

“Of course, doesn’t everyone?”

A habit begun many years ago with a heavy traveling life — just a few rhythms of grace in my life make it a little bit more pleasant, even when traveling. Predictable, comforting, and after all, who wants to have tea or coffee out of a styrofoam cup when you can have it out of a china cup? I buy them at second hand stores and then don’t mind if it gets chipped or broken — just a fun assortment. I place a cup, brown sugar packets, a spoon and tea bags in a tin of tea and it protects my cup from breaking.

Today, I am in Kentucky with one of my dearest in all the world friends, Gwennie, as many of you know her in my books. (And a story of delight about us many years ago in London in my new book, Well Lived!)

We are hanging around in our comfy clothes, chatting and chatting over many cups of caffeine, watching a great movie, eating grand meals and being friends. She is showing me new exercises with bands. We are eating fresh peach pie, and eating fresh raspberry pie! Laughing, crying, ordering a coat online just like hers! Twins again. I’m sipping from a beautiful mug of my friend that says, “Season of Mellow Fruitfulness,” which describes me.

What else do friends do?

So my Tea Time Tuesday podcast is a little short today to make as much time with my sweet friend as possible, but just wanted to be sure to say hi.

I had such fun and deep soul happiness to see so many kindred spirits at Wild + Free. Love you all so much. It filled my cup to the brim to be with you. And looking so forward to the other conferences coming up: Wellness Collective and Hutchmoot — and meeting more of you precious ones. Meanwhile, happy week!

This Is The Beginning Of A Life Well Lived

Not long ago, I came upon a grandchild of mine who was singing at the top of her lungs and dancing around the living room, and I joined in enthusiastically. It is an image of what I hope you will find in the pages of my new book, Well Lived: encouragement to experience life in its fullness, to enter into the joy that is offered, even amidst the mundane. I relearned ways to celebrate life, to soak in the beauty that every day holds.

Life for most of us is a long journey, lived over decades. We have time to grow, to become, to access what is deep within our hearts to “be,” and we will find the poise with which to live a meaningful and fruitful life. I pray you will give yourself time to grow and learn, and grace when you falter or make mistakes along the way. I hope that you, like me, will find the freedom to live vibrantly into your own unique story.

Read more about this in Well Lived.

Opening Others Hearts Through Hospitality

In the busy hustle of Oxford, rare was the occasion when anyone would host me for a cup of tea. We might meet in public places, however, I found that the way to my friends' hearts was often by making buttery toast with jam and tea, or preparing a warm bowl of soup on a cold winter night.

Food was the instrument through which many friendships were formed. Secrets were told on the background of soft Celtic music setting the stage, stories bubble up in the flickering candlelight, sighs of burdens released were almost palpable. We had gathered together in a community of mutual need and saw the miracle of companionship formed in front of us.

These were the ways I opened their hearts to me. From my American roots, I learned to open my door to literally hundreds of people throughout the years, and found that the same invitations worked for developing friendships in Oxford.

What was your secret for making your dearest friends? How did you open their hearts to you and cultivate deeper connections with them?

Preorder your copy of Well Lived today.

Be sure to go to Welllivedbook.com and sign up for my celebration evening on October 8, where we will all celebrate the release of this book into the world, and I will share stories lived and adventures taken in the land of Oxford.