Take a break from the busy world and rest in these simple devotionals. Reside in his steadfast love while reading about his love.
Christmas time is a season of beauty and hope for many people. We celebrate this season with beauty; decorations, food, family, friends, and traditions. We also celebrate this season with hope. Little children hope for their favorite present. Adults hope for some magical rest. For some, the season is anything but beautiful and filled with …
Let me set the stage. My home is cold right now. The furnace once again isn’t working. I’m longing for the days when we had a wood-burning stove and lived in a tiny house nestled in the woods. Our home now sits on a hill and is struck by harsh winds from all sides, much …
Christmas is the celebration of our Savior, Jesus Christ’s birth. Yet it is only a foretaste of what is to come. This Christmas Eve Box tradition emphasizes this reality for children.
As moms, we strive to set the tone for a memorable, even magical Christmas for our children. We understand the importance of the memories we are making with them. For many of us, the holidays usher in joy, excitement, and anticipation. For others, the holidays induce panic, stress, and maybe even the pressure for perfection. …
Good Tidings of Great Joy – The Hope we Find in Christmas Read More »
Christmas. It’s the most wonderful time of the year. A time filled with events, food, gifts, laughter, and many traditions. Traditions are a funny thing-it’s something you don’t really consider (at least I didn’t) until you embark on the journey of parenthood. How does a tradition become just that? Does this mean that every year …
Article was written by Jodi Welch Christmas has ALWAYS been my favorite time of year. It still is but there were a few years I struggled as it brought memories of great loss also. You see I love Christmas because it tells the greatest story ever told. Jesus came to earth as a baby to …
He sees many things, but does not observe them; his ears are open, but he does not hear. Isaiah 42:20 ESV Christmas: a joyous time of year with all the fun, food, and traditions. It is said to be the most wonderful time of the year! However, let’s be real for a moment and talk …
How do we find Christmas peace amidst the chaos of an ever present to-do list and expectations of the season? How do we find Jesus and press into Him more?
Christmas time is full of excitement, traditions, and gifts. Amidst all the hustle and bustle of the holidays I try to slow my kids down to intentionally think of others. We do this by dropping off cookies at the neighbors’ houses and hosting friends and family for game nights. But one of my favorite traditions …
I feel like turning thirty has allowed a side of me that’s always been there (nerdy, kind of quirky) to be set free. I don’t think this is just the magic number of thirty. For years in my twenties, and teen years, I wrestled with a deep desire to be known, but a fear that …
Why do we practice gratitude? Why do we show kindness? Do these go hand in hand in some way? This has been a question nagging the back of my mind as we launch into November and the Thanksgiving season.
The concept of self-care has been growing in popularity over the last few years. If you are worn out and overworked, you are told you need to #treatyourself because #youdeserveit. Our energy doesn’t last forever; after all, we are only human and sometimes need a break. Even Jesus, who was fully God as well as …
Kindness is one of my favorite fruits of the Holy Spirit! Kindness, for some I believe, is one of the hardest to apply. Especially in this generation where everybody wants to take revenge on those who mistreated them, caused them harm, betrayed them, cheated, and did any other evil things people could have done. …
Adventure. Just the word makes my heart beat a bit faster. I can’t help it. It’s the way I’m wired. As a young girl, my dreams were either to be an archeologist or an astronaut. My hero? Indiana Jones. In fifth grade, I turned what was supposed to be a five-page research paper into an …
One of the stories that I’ve read in the Bible that has stuck with me is the story of “The Good Samaritan” in Luke 10:25-37. I have often felt fascinated by the turnout of events. As a child I had learned that priests were ‘good’ people and this particular Bible story stumped me. “How come …
One thing I have always known since I was a little girl, is that I wanted to be a mother. There was a desire in me I couldn’t explain. As a baby, I loved babies. I enjoyed nurturing, providing, and being there for others. When my husband and I got married and we completed our …
We were so excited to be pregnant! We had prayed God would give us a child and he did…quickly too!!! We were married on January 27th and pregnant by early April. I thought I was doing well until in the middle of a work trip with my husband to Detroit nausea hit…and the bleeding. I …
How God Helped and Taught me Through Pregnancy and Childbirth Read More »
The sky was full of fluffy white clouds that floated dreamily overhead. The sun was bathing the land in a warm, soothing light. The trees proudly displayed their leaves of dazzling green, stretching to meet the sky. It was springtime, and all of nature was celebrating. My kindergarten students, however, were less than cheerful, pressing …
God’s goodness is not just confined to our definition. Sometimes we can look back and realize that God’s goodness was our grace. We can be thankful.
Things I’ve Learned from Being an Introvert Have you ever wondered how you fit in? Have you ever felt different from those around you? Have you ever questioned why God made you a certain way? Have you ever worried something was wrong with you? I felt this way for years and came to a critical …
Scripture tells us in Deuteronomy 6:5-9 (NIV): “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you …
Thing’s I’ve Learned from being a…Momma to 6 kids Read More »
“Let God to the hard work.” Standing there ironing, the words barreled out my husband’s mouth to pierce the wall of my doubt. Oh, how easy those words sounded but the reality was entirely different. I wanted to trust. I wanted to lay it right in God’s hands. But the “what ifs” and “when” kept …
Things I’ve Learned from being in the in-between Seasons Read More »
I’ve always been a perfectionist and an overachiever. In fact, I came out of my mama’s womb 6 weeks early; everything was fine, I was just ready to go. Through all my formative years, getting things done efficiently and exactly the way I wanted to was always the priority. Of course, it was no surprise …
E.A.S.Y. I dream of things being EASY. I can’t be alone in this… If there’s a woman out there reading this, I know that when you’re tired, and the laundry is piled up, the baby’s screaming and the kids are fighting… you dream of things being easy. Sometimes I think I’m getting close to things …
I always wanted to be a mother. My nurturing instinct pranced at the thought of having a baby of my own; a baby to love, care for, and raise to be a beautiful being. I thought about how I would teach my child about what there is to know about life; how I would instruct …
If you had asked me what it meant to live in the simplicity of God a year and a half ago, I wouldn’t know how to answer you. A year and a half ago, I quit my full-time job so I could focus on school and pursue other dreams I had. With this job, I …
Living out Simplicity while Passionately Pursing Christ Read More »
I am overcommitted, it is one of my worst characteristics. To know me [Jamie], is to know that if a new opportunity arises, I will jump on it like white on rice. I LOVE saying yes. Being a yes girl leads to living a busy life. “A busy bee” that is what my mom calls …
As a blonde headed girl in pigtails gazing wistfully out the window, my daydream was nowhere near the expected prince charming whisking me away to a glorious life of castles and fairy tales. While most girls dreamed of marrying Mr. Right and having darling babies, my longings took another road entirely. My first recollection of …
In 3 John verse 4, the apostle John said to the congregation, “no greater joy do I have than this: that I should hear that my children go on walking in the truth.” The children that the Apostle John referred to here was the Christian disciples. Yet, parents can absolutely echo these sentiments as they …
Worth It – The Formula to Raising God Fearing Adults Read More »
What are my earthly treasures? I’m referring to those tangible things that cause me to think I need more storage to house it all. Thinking of every room in my house, I have too much in my kitchen, too much in my closets, too much in my craft studio, too much in my attic! Have …
While we can’t change our conditions or how individuals treat us, we can pick the frame of mind we grasp. When we take a gander at Jesus’ life, we see a portion of life’s hardest circumstances and conditions. He led a wide range of individuals, came eye to eye with Satan, and most importantly, died …
We then can “love our neighbor” when we could just as easily turn our back on them. Christ surprised us often with his kindness. He had the ability to see beyond the exterior and move past the ugliness and selfishness and touch a life that needed touching.
As long as I can remember, I’ve loved to speak life into other people. I’m a born encourager, motivator, and cheerleader. I adore the little jolt of joy I get when complimenting a friend and I can see their eyes light up and watch their demeanor change. We live in a world that’s hard and …
Balancing the spinning plates of ministry, marriage, motherhood, and money-making is an act that leaves, even the highly seasoned mompruhnur, dizzy and staggering to the refuge of a hot bath.
Jesus looks at the heart. Extending the kindness of Jesus is right, even when it gets tough.
Today is a day of Opportunity or Adventure if you will! God’s favor is always allowing us favorable junctures of circumstances. With Him, there are always good chances for advancement or progress!
Most people live with the scars and bruises from unfortunate decisions. Regret haunts our weary hearts and happiness always seems just out of reach. But, that’s not really living. As Christians, we know that our hope and healing is found in Christ. Yet there is always something holding us back from truly enjoying what we have in Him. Often, it’s the shame of our failures. I’ll venture to say that it’s our lack of belief.
There are things in life that are similar. Those things that are ‘heavy’ yet packed with goodness. If consumed on a regular basis, they will weigh us down just like regular consumption of white potatoes have a tendency to pack on pounds.
I don’t know about you, but every once in a while I get to a place where I feel like I’m drowning under the pressures of life. This is where the gift of grace steps into our life and we can rest in Jesus’ promises instead of our weakness.
It’s easy to get into meaningless controversy. Are they worth the protest or is it better to law it down at the foot of the cross?