quick takes: Growth!

Friday again?! Okay!

{One}

To say that the blog has been growing a lot would be a GIANT understatement. I hope it doesn’t sound like I’m tooting my own horn here, because that is so not my intention. I’m just in awe of the fact that the Lord continues to use me and that He is growing the blog. Hearts are being touched!
Some random stats:
October to November: 239% increase in traffic
The week of November 26th – December 2nd: More hits than the ENTIRE month of October.
Average hits per day: up 300% over the last 4 weeks
The growth is awesome, and, above all, it is humbling. Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading, for sharing the pages, and for being an inspiration to me. God is at work here, of that I am convinced!
Y’all are such wonderful readers!

{Two}

In one week, I’ll be unplugging. I am SO excited about this. I’m taking a trip to an undisclosed location and I’ll be turning off my phone and computer for nearly three whole days. I need this. I love, love, love blogging and being connected. However, sometimes I need to disconnect and shut off everything (I’m looking at you, Twitter) to reconnect to the Lord. He is the source of all that is good, and He is all the energy and recharging I need. I’ll pre-write the Quick Takes, so you won’t miss a blog, but I’ll be off in la-la-undisclosed-location-land and enjoying a nice mini-vacation and finding God in the midst of the nothingness.

Also, I’m a firm believer that the Holy Spirit inspired the timing of this trip. It wasn’t until after I booked everything that I realized my great unplugging weekend would take place EXACTLY 60 days after I submitted the book proposal (which is the timeline the publisher gives for giving a response…). Divine timing? I think so. Pray for me. And the book proposal. Like crazy mad. Down to the wire here folks, I/the book proposal will take ALL of the prayers we can get! SO – share! Read all about the book by clicking “Worthy – The Book” at the top of the page and share it with your friends, like the Facebook page for the blog, follow me on Twitter, and above all…PRAY!

{Three}

Just in case you missed it, be sure check out my guest post on The Veil of Chastity. Also, look for some upcoming guest posts on other sites – I’ll be sure to plug them on the Facebook page, so like the page for all of the latest updates (you can also click the little “like” box to the right)! It is such a gift to be able to write posts for others, so humbling and so inspiring! Be sure to check out their sites, they are all great bloggers!

{Four}

Don’t forget that tomorrow is a Holy Day of Opportunity (or Obligation, if you’d like to call it that). Tomorrow we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Contrary to popular belief this is NOT when Jesus was conceived. Do the math. Mary is a rock star but I’m pretty sure that Jesus’ gestation wasn’t 3 weeks…nor was it a year and three weeks. We are honoring Mary’s immaculate conception – the fact that we, as Catholics, hold true that she was conceived without original sin. Did I mention she is a rock star? If you need some Marian inspiration, feel free to check out the posts I’ll link to below (that I’ve written, more shameless self-promotion)!
“daughter of Mary.”
“the greatness of the Lord.”
“woman Up.”
“the value of No.”
“the urge for a Husband.“

{Five}

(c) Marcus Panek
Inside my home cathedral (Denver, CO)

I’ve decided that my new life goal is to visit every Catholic cathedral in the country before I die. So far I have been to 17 (I’m pretty sure). I have no idea if I will actually accomplish this goal, but it gives me something to save up for! (And yes, I’ll be visiting another one next week whilst I unplug.)

{Six}

Song of the week, “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence”. I mean, it is Advent after all, you shouldn’t be *that* surprised by this song. It is my favorite Advent hymn, which is why I’ve written about its awesome meaning before.

{Seven}

It is time again for some awesomeness from the Catechism! This week’s gem is paragraph 369, “Man and woman have been created, which is to say, willed by God: on the one hand, in perfect equality as human persons; on the other, in their respective beings as man and woman. “Being man” or “being woman” is a reality which is good and willed by God: man and woman possess an inalienable dignity which comes to them immediately from God their Creator. Man and woman are both with one and the same dignity “in the image of God”. In their “being-man” and “being-woman”, they reflect the Creator’s wisdom and goodness.” (emphasis mine)

Isn’t it wonderful to read that when we are being a woman (or a man, though I clearly can’t speak to that end) we are reflecting the Creator’s goodness? Just. as. we. are.

p.s. Yes, it is snowing on the blog. Awesome isn’t it? I sure wish it would snow in Colorado, but I’ll take the blog snow while I can! =)

Be sure to visit Jen at Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes!