I have always been a planner. A definitive type-A lover of color-coded spreadsheet, a well executed plan, and smoothly handled logistics. The moments in my life that have caused me the most anxiety have been the times when I had no idea what was coming next. I couldn’t visualize the layout in my mind. There was no detailed agenda to follow. No guarantee that everything would work out as planned.

In elementary school it was the fear of finding my desk on the first day of school.

In high school it was the anxiety of wondering which table I would sit at for lunch.

In college I would have sleepless nights at the beginning of each semester, trying to mentally walk to each class, mind racing as I tried to figure out the best path to take to get from point A to point B in enough time to be several minutes early to choose a seat.

When I took my first brave step to attend a women’s Bible study at church, I nearly stayed home at the thought that these women wouldn’t have room for me, that all the seats would be saved.

There’s a common thread there, isn’t there? Some part of me fears walking into a room where there won’t be room for me – whether in a classroom, a lunchroom, or a Bible study. As much as my mind wants to participate, my heart is unsure. It’s one reason the tagline of my personal blog is “we saved you a seat.” It’s why this community, and building community, are so important to me. I know what it’s like to feel like you don’t belong, and you aren’t really sure you’ve been invited. But here?

There is a place saved for you at this table.

And more than that, we know what it’s like to live hard stories, to have hearts that have been broken and mended back together by the gentle hands of God. We know how much courage it takes to click “yes” to that invitation, and we know that you are braver than you would ever believe yourself to be when you follow through and show up.

Because we need your story. The beautifully ordinary parts of your life that cross paths with the day-to-day moments of someone else’s are where we come together as sisters in Christ. And in order for us to hear your story, you have to be there to share it. That’s what (in)RL is all about this year.

Can I cross one piece of the (in)RL planning off your list, to help take the anxiety out of showing up? Consider this your very personal, very specific invitation to join us in April. To join more than thirty women sharing their personal testimonies and stories of community on the webcast and thousands meeting in real life around the world. We’ve got a place saved for you, a seat around the table to share life and food, to pray and praise God for the daily graces that have brought us together in this community.

Will you join us?

We’re so excited to giveaway 30 of these beautiful Daily Grace pitchers to anyone registered for (in)RL by midnight tomorrow! Head over to this page to register, and then be sure to find (or start!) a Meetup to get together April 26th with friends in real life. If you want to learn more about the vision for this year’s (in)RL, you can watch the trailer here!

And if you use this fancy-schmancy giveaway widget, you can earn a few additional entries! (As a quick note, the widget may not work well on phones, tablets or other mobile devices, so be sure to enter when you’re on a computer).

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