Wow, I read an incredible writing this morning. It inspired me and directed my busyness. Read and enjoy . . .

Straining and striving does not accomplish the work God gives us to do. Only God Himself, who always works without stress and strain and who never overworks, can do the work He assigns to His children. When we restfully trust Him to do it, the work will be completed and will be done well. And the way to let Him do His work through us is to so fully abide in Christ by faith that He fills us to overflowing. . . .  

There is no straining effort in an overflowing life, and it is quietly irresistible. It is the normal life of omnipotent and ceaseless accomplishment into which Christ invites each of us to enter—today and always. From Sunday School Times as written in Stream of the Desert, September 3.

Maybe the title should be Overworked vs. Overflowing. May we all obtain balance, purpose, and passion in fully abiding in Jesus!

Live well and hear “Well done.”

Robin

What does Michael Hyatt know? That’s what I wanted to know. I have been frustrated with PC elitist mystical knowledge. I’ll never know enough to keep the thing running right, or to recover the files it loses upon crashing. I’m always taking it in for some expert geek to make it behave. I hate the thing. It’s driven me beyond bananas.

I’ve drooled over the ease from which all things Apple seem to work. The iPod is so user friendly with only one button that a grandmother or kid, either one, can use it with ease. Actually, I think a happening dog could howl along with his choice of tunes from using the friendly device.

My husband’s iPhone is absolutely amazing. (I must be careful not to drool profusely on it. He found out they don’t swim well.) As a Blackberry user, the iPhone is whoa so cool. The display, the internet visual, and usage exceeds all I’ve been using with my PDA.

I wondered if a writer’s business could be done in its entirety with the same ease and pie-in-the-sky dream of Apple tools that actually work without the major headaches of the PC.

I took my wonder to Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Apple fanatic. Counting on his knowledge about business, writing, and Mac’s, I asked him why I should or should not do the switch from PC to Apple, what might be the weaknesses of doing my business all in Apple. (It seemed the advantages were obvious.) Basically, I was a beggar looking for a crumb to keep my life and ministry running.

Mr. Hyatt said, “I think the biggest issue will be accounting software. You may have to run what you are using in Parallels. I do this on some other software, and it works flawlessly.”

There you have it. Flawlessly. That’s what I want. So I drove to the Apple Store and purchased all things Apple. Now, I have to learn a few new tricks, transfer info from the PC, and set all the Apple stuff to work for me. The learning curve and set up are slowing me down some, but I still have dreams of working flawlessly. I purchased OnetoOne for training and questions as I learn. These geniuses know Mac AND are always ready to share all they know every time I enter the store. One day cyberspace, business space, and personal space will all be unified in one place with one button. I’m so excited. Could it really be true that tools do what they are supposed to do? Pinch me. I pray I’m not dreaming.

When: November 7 & 8, 2008
Where: North Point FWB Church
17018 FM 1314
Conroe, TX 77032
936-697-0786

Accommodations: Drury Inn & Suites
28099 I45 North
The Woodlands, TX 77380
281-362-7222

Cost: $40.00 for Retreat and Meals
See Registration for Special Room Rates!

www.IGETITLife.com

Contact info: Robin@RobinBryce.com
936-449-5571

When: September 20, 2008, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon

Where: Dacus Baptist Church

5403 FM N 1486

Montgomery, TX 77356

My kids are singing At the BWA Youth Conference on stage. Here’s the link to the live feed.

http://www.bgct.org/texasbaptists/Page.aspx?pid=5078&srcid=1832

Read about it on the blog

Cool!!! Wish I could be there!!

Wishing,

Robin Bryce

"Success is an illusion."

I heard it said and thought of the profoundness. All we have is given us. God provides even our ability to breathe. Without his love we are nothing. Success is given us as a blessing of his love only, not our merit.

Vonda Skelton my friend, author and speaker, placed in her blog an article I wrote about attaining a successful life and leadership. Though I worked on the article, the ability to do the work was given me and I must pass the credit along to God who gave it.

If success is an illusion and love is the substance, then I am successfully loving in my longing. My two oldest children, Jonathan and Christa, have landed in Germany today to sing in four concerts in Berlin and Leipzig. They went with Texas Baptist All-State Choir on invitation to lead worship at the Baptist World Youth Conference. They will be back August 5th. As teens, they’re a long way from Mom. I’m excited for their opportunity, but I’ve got the Mom thing going on emotionally. Dad’s told them as a souvenir he wanted the Whittenburg Door where Martin Luther nailed his 95 thesis.

Sure wish we were with them!

Robin Bryce, Speaker
October 24-25, 2008

God has been so amazing in the work First Baptist Church Navasota lately. What a joy to join them!

For tips to successful leadership and life, check out the article in Women of Grace e-zine.

Now that you’ve seen who wrote it, you may be surprised and wonder how I know anything at all about life or leadership especially when linked with the word successful. Take a look and tell me what you think.

Cruise Deadline Quickly Approaching!

Calling all cruisers! Please join me and lots of other Christian entertainers, authors, and speakers for a cruise to the Bahamas! But you must act now! The deadline to take part in the special Spring in the Son Cruise activities is August 27th and we want you with us! Family-friendly Christian comedians, music groups, authors, and speakers are looking forward to spending some time with you as we sail from Jacksonville, FL to the Bahamas aboard the Carnival Fascination. Please note: only those booking through Hightower Cruises will be able to take part in these special activities.

If you register by July 27th, prices start at less than $599 (includes all taxes, port fees, fuel charges, and program fees). After July 27th, there will be a Carnival Cruise fuel charge of $42. Grab some friends and bring a group and you can save even more money!

So what are you waiting for? Register today!

I miss them. The weird spiky ridges on their backs and pointy things on their heads were so cool, prehistoric looking. I remember as a kid finding horny toads in my uncle’s potato patch and watching them instead of digging potatoes. (I was being a kid. I didn’t know anything about digging potatoes anyway.)

They must have gone the way of the dinosaur. I haven’t seen any in years, no decades. Maybe because it’s been that long since I’ve been in a potato patch. Sure would like to show my kids what fascinated me as a kid.

Betcha can’t quit looking at the picture. They’re cool looking, aren’t they?

I was reminded of horny toads last evening when I found another weird looking creature in my yard. Rudyard Kipling wrote a satire of how this weird creature came to be so weird. It was titled “The Beginning of the Armadillos” They are funny looking and even funnier behaving.

Many wild creatures make messes of yards and domestic feed stores. We usually off them, especially the nasty rat-looking possums. (And I live on Possum Walk Possum Ranch.) But this guy was cute, so we helped him out of the back yard. The crazy thing must be blind. He ran full speed into poles and fences knocking himself nearly loopy. Once he got out of the yard he hightailed it to the woods like a little armored truck speeding down a freeway. (We kept the dogs penned.)

I found another pole climbing creature in my camera phone. This one is wild too—a daring (and dashing if a mother might add)He man working at a Christian camp and a worship leader-servant of the Most High God. He’s a wild man and the greatest son!

Another wild thing: Why is it if you plan a sabbatical, a rest from some ministry demands, other ministry demands fill the spot? Nevertheless, it has been good to have the change of pace so far during this month’s sabbatical from pastoring the church. Soon I’ll get back to Acts with the ladies and other stuff. July is nearly over and so will be the sabbatical.

Quick, do you know where I can find a horny toad?

Searching for wild things,

Robin

Quote from Master Dogway of Kung Fu Panda movie: “Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why they call it the present.”