I have got to focus the little part of my brain that is the creative writing part on a very cool article for the Catalyst Groupzine. For some reason, it’s been tougher to write than my book!
In the mean time, I thought I’d copy the ideas of many others and have a “You Ask…I’ll Answer” post. You ask questions and I’ll respond to them (in the comments as well).
Nothing is off topic…have fun!
Comments
70 responses to “You Ask…I’ll Answer”
which do you find harder…forgiving others or forgiving yourself?
What is the hardest spiritual warfare you are going through right now?
How’s your nose doing? (yeah, i’m real spiritual)
Okay, here’s a deeper one, why do you think you have trouble sleeping at night?
how did you & your husband meet?
Jon…Myself
MJ…I always have a hard time adjusting from trips overseas…I fight wanting to escape the burdens on my heart.
PT…better! It has only bled once since. :) And…my mind doesn’t like to shut off.
Amanda…I was working in the music biz doing promotion and he was in a band. We were friends first then started dating about six months later.
Do you believe that the Giant Idiot exists or do you think that 5th Street is playing an elaborate joke on you?
I’ve got a big decision ahead of me, possibly. Do you have a process you go through to make sure you’re following God’s will and making the right decision?
what’s a nubby?
What’s the best piece of advice you can give to someone who would like to write a book?
And…
Who has the funniest sense of humor…Craig G. or Pete W.?
what’s your story of calling into ministry? how’d it happen?
Do you have any desire to return to school? Maybe…someday…attend seminary?
Outside of knowing that you’re doing the right thing how hard has it been for you and Chris (from a human, knowing/trust God, but still human stand point) to pick-up and move as much as you have?
And (since Kyle asked two, I will too :-))
You seem to be a very positive individual despite on numerous occasions (that I’ve witnessed…well not really witnessed but you get what I’m saying) you have every reason not be. The funny thing is, it appears to be who you genuinely are. I’m often told that I should try to be “nicer” or more positive, despite not having any real reason (outside of all the churchy reasons) to be. I admire your genuineness and transparency, but I have to ask, why are you so stinking nice?
Why is the sky blue?
@GI – it’s been a month. i have seen no proof.
@RS – i try and dumb it down and make it as simple as possible. prayer, talking with people, yes…but sometimes you need to walk before the road appears.
@CR – similar to a meat lap.
@KS – write, and don’t care what happens to it! do it because it has to be written. and they have different senses of humor. :)
@RM – i was 16 and my dad had just “resigned” from a church. i wrote a letter to god i still have in my journal today…i gave up on him though for about five years, then when i went to see my (now husband) play guitar at a church, god pretty much lit a bush on fire in front of me.
@JI – maybe…i would love to learn more history and context but…i’m good now.
@WY – wow, thanks. i struggle through this every day. it may not come across through my blogs as much but i battle negativity and pity parties pretty much every day internally. if i think about it too hard, it makes me dwell on the scary and bad things. so i just try to focus on the now.
If money, experience, and giftedness were not an issue what would you be doing with your life right now?
Anne,So Anne you don’t believe in the Giant Idiot because you can’t see him? You have seen his writings,and have heard accounts of him. Why can’t you believe?
@kenyon – it is?
@PW – working for you :) muahahahaha. i would probably travel and visit slums, document them and love on people.
@5thstreet – because the heat in my house is so vast, it causes me to go into a lack-of-faith based delirium
If you could spend the day with and learn from any person, who would it be?
@Kelli – Joel Osteen or Anne Lamott! :)
I’m gunna go all unspiritual for a second…
what are your tattoos and what’s the story behind the meanings?
And, what surprised you most about marriage?
Anne,
Do you think we need a revolt against the business side of church? If not, why? If so, how?
What question should I ask you? and what answer do you want to give?
If you were given $500 to go on a shopping spree to buy anything you want, where would you go shopping?
Does the whole ‘the one’ thing even exist, or should we ‘settle’ for someone amazing, but not ‘the one’ level of amazing?
Also, what ever happened to Ralph Macchio?
*(from Jon Foreman- “I met a man who’s looking for perfection. Said he never met a girl who’s good enough. His eyes are getting old, like they’d love to love again. Such a lonely man.”)
How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
…and where does the name ‘flowerdust’ come from?
How do you spend time with God? I need specifics… Daily routine with a specific time, or just when you want to? Do you feel guilty when you don’t? Do you use a devotional/book/journal or whatever?
Thanks, I need inspiration.
And another one…is it hard for you to truly feel/believe/know/accept that God loves you?
What’s your favorite Nashville thing from your first month as a resident of this awesome city?
oh yeah – you probably shouldn’t answer “brandi” some people might get their feelings hurt! :)
Anne
When you pray do you just pray or pray for something specific
When you thought you saw me at a conference (and turned out that person wasn’t me), what did the person look like? (except he might be an unbelieveably handsome man) lol.
I am totally entertained just reading the questions. Thanks for lunchtime reading folks. :)
@brandiandboys it hurts my feelings
When you just want to give it all up and quit, what keeps you going?
Name some people who have influenced you in ministry and how?
When am I going to have grand babies?
ouch! That is the killer question right there! :)
What is the best way to recover from burnout?
by golly, i think Mom stumped her!
LOL do you wish you just wrote a post today?
Greg Lauries son just got killed in a car accident leaving a 7mos pregnat wife and todler daughter, how would you express God’s grace and love to an unbeliever who is questioning Gods protection for His people in light of that tragedy.
Do you feel like you’ve changed your blog to become an advertisement for Compassion now? I suppose a blog can be anything. But I wonder if people have commented on that.
stil………..no resoonse to Mom.
anne – we’re all waiting !!!!
so. i have a follow up ? for you – and what will you name those grand babies?
i heart anne lamott. could i please come if that ever happens?
OK….here goes:
@paloma — i have one on my back i won’t talk about…one on my wrist that says grace because i always forget about it and one on my leg that is hebrew for perfect love, because perfect love casts out fear
and….i never thought we would move so dadgum much
@tim w – there’s a business side?
@nick – uhhhh
@brooke – i would by jeans. lots of jeans.
@d – i don’ t think “the one” exists….and who?
@jonathan – it was always my username…forever…so….yep
@julia – i am terrible at this…there is no specificity, i just walk along and talk to him a lot…
@B&B – trees!
@andy – i usually just pray
@yonas – i wish i could remember!
@harold – grace
@jonathan – a little boy in uganda, a homeless man in austin, my grandfather for more reasons than i could possibly list.
@mom – hahahahaha
@jodi – rest and say no
@yeidy – i honestly have no idea. i question the same things.
@becca – they don’t pay me. what i write is from my heart. if that’s an “ad” than yes. but i have never wavered from writing what is on my heart.
@tony – never :)
tony is hands down one of my favorite posters. Tony you should have your own blog.
“It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence.” – W. K. Clifford, The Ethics of Belief, 1877.
Especially anything about God.
Do you concur?
P.S. I enjoy your blog.
@ec – i think that would be a terrible way to live, even if one were to take god out of that equation.
ps thank you :)
Do you keep changing your picture, or is it just my imagination? Wasn’t that a song?
Hey Anne, You’ve said in a few posts way back that you have a brother, but you never talk about him. Are you ashamed or anything? Is he gay? weird? demented? fat?
froggy, UK
@TS – yes…I have been lately. :)
@FF – I do have a brother. Kind of two, actually. I don’t talk about him much because I really don’t have much to say :) He’s wonderful though. He lives in Dallas.
i have an anti-blog cause unlike gen x and y, i think blogging is so 2007’ish !
you see, when you’re old like me you realize that nothing is new under the sun – blogs are the 70’s journals, the 70’s jurnals were the 60’s songs, the 60’songs were the 50’s protest marches, ……….nothing new under the sun
***do you think that people who live in the comment sections on blogs are normal?
***Obama or McCain?
***Boxers or briefs? never mind….
***young earth or old earth?
***do you ever drop the F bomb?
man am i bored today or what…
@brewha!
– define normal….
– neither…i am writing someone in. :)
– i like to sleep in my husband’s boxers. it makes him mad because he runs out faster.
– am i some kind of hippy to you?
– yes, i have and occasionally do, especially when short unexpected and sever bouts of pain hit.
Bravo Anne! That was quite a heap of weird questions. And now I know not to ask about that ink on your back…
Thanks for putting up with all of us and our odd inquiries!
please explain the ink on your back, how did it get there, what is it, and what does it mean?
and….how bad is the tex mex in smashville
@tony – nope :)
i have had SATCO which is okay…but good mexican at cinco de mayo. easily in my top 10 all over.
“i like to sleep in my husband?s boxers” <—Sexy.
you lied to us – nothin’ is off topic ‘member?
they have a rest. named 5th of may? you’re kidding, right?
he must have mighty big boxers
i didn’t say i’d answer everything, but i didn’t prohibit any topics from being inquired about. :)
being from texas i assume you are being sarcastic on your cinco de mayo comment….
and are you saying i’m fat?
What’s an unusual talent that you have? (be honest)
nope – just that his boxers are big enough for two humans, you said you slept in his boxers and i was picturing…..well, i’m dropping it for everyone’s sake
got a question w/ a challenge for you anne…come check it out when you got a chance!
Why would you want to spend a day with Joel Osteen?
@crystal – i would just like to get to know him!
A few of these made me smile when I read them, but Tony’s comment about the size of those boxers really made me laugh hard. That was good.
Q: Canon or Nikon and why?
Q: You live in the SEC now. Will you be a Dore or a Vol?
Q: What are the top two books you’re recommending right now (outside of Bible and MCD)?
@blake
-canon; because that’s what i have. :)
-what???
-crazy love by francis chan and jesus brand spirituality by ken wilson.
The SEC. The Southeastern Conference. The best football in the country. You live in Nashville where Vanderbilt is (The Commodores), but you have The Tennessee Volunteers just down the road. Trust me, in a matter of weeks you’ll see how crazy things are around there.