by Kimberly | Dec 22, 2016 | Uncategorized
New Years is almost upon us. We start thinking about our plans for reading and for goals, for lists, and new adventures. How we want to grow? What we want to stop or pursue.
This year my plan was to read through the Word and write down what it tells me about God. Its been rather insightful, even though I’ve not gotten as far as I would like. I think I will keep at it though not as systematically as I’ve done this year. I love flipping through already read passages and quickly seeing how God shows up in the Word. How brilliantly he displays himself.
This next year, I want to read the Gospels and tell what they tell me about how Jesus, the Son of God, makes God known to the world because He reflects His Father, perfectly.
Two new devotionals I’m going to start out with: Earth Psalms (which I just got for Christmas) from Francine Rivers (a review later) and Waiting for Wonder. Litfuse sent me this book (all these opinions are my own) and I’m super excited to really dig into this book and study the life of Sarah. In the Old Testament, we read and study so much about Abraham, but we don’t know much about Sarah – or maybe not as much as we would like. In this book, Marlo Schelesky, writes for women who are anticipating what God is going to do in their life – much like what Sarah had to do. Wait and Wonder. She picks up the Biblical narrative of Sarah and adds to it (like making some of it fictional). I think any woman who has ever waited for anything should be able to understand and internalize many thoughts she puts out there. I love how it is chock full of Scripture and will use it in the new year to not only study the Word more, but hopefully bring my heart around to God’s in this prolonged season of unknown we are in as a family.
You can this waiting for wonder gift pack! Head over and find out how!
by Kimberly | Dec 21, 2016 | Uncategorized
I love being creative. That is no secret, especially on this blog and my instagram account.
And when books, encouragement in the Word, and creativity combine – that’s definitely a winner. That’s why I love lettering the Word and using colors to help the Word come alive and be a pictured part of my day.
April Knight, in her two coloring books, combines her love of the Scripture and encouraging others with her love of art, drawing and coloring. This one, more than others I’ve seen, offer a devotional and just allows for a small getaway in your day to be creative and focus and meditate on the Word.
One thing all of us need to more is repeat and rehearse the Gospel to us. We live in a world full of expectations and self-imposed expectations that we will never be able to meet. The Gospel frees us from those. And coloring the Gospel might allow us a break from the expectations and time just to square our hearts and minds on truth.
Thanks Litfuse for these coloring books! All opinions are my own.
by Kimberly | Dec 19, 2016 | Uncategorized
Back in high school, I worked at a Christian bookstore. Some of the best memories were concerts and friendships and knowing when all the new DC Talk, Steven Curtis Chapman, and 4Him music came out. I loved seeing all the new Max Lucado books and cute Pass it One cards. One of the downsides were all the cheesy Christian t-shirts (ripped from secular companies) and the cheesy books (some of which are still out there).
As a teenager, even though I had been saved for over a decade at that point, I was just learning how to pray, interact with Scripture, have a quiet time, share my faith – all the things that a growing Christian does. Some of the books that were helpful were those little “Scripture” books that were a list of scriptures you could pray if you : were afraid, needed advice, scared of people, didn’t know anyone, had spaghetti on your tie (well, not really but you get my drift). Some were helpful, some verses were pulled out of the context they were in in the Bible. But, really, they helped you learn to pray God’s Word for any situation you were in.
What I know now that I didn’t know then, is how cruel this world could be. How much sin totally affects and effects our lives – every bit of it. And if sin affects my heart, it must affect those around me. Now, that we are more than two decades out from my Christian bookstore days, I know even more of the people around me and the pain and reality that intersect their 24/7.
Amelia Rhodes, in her helpful prayer book, Pray A to Z, doesn’t teach us how to pray, but she gives examples of prayers that could be prayed for your community : your family, your neighbors, your co-workers, your church members, your friends – and gives a verse and sample prayer that could help you – jump start or continue – in how to pray for these.
Here is just a sample:
Adoption (I know so many in this process right now)
Abuse (unfortunately, I know some who have been or who are in a type of abuse)
Law Makers (are there any lawmakers that you know?)
Law Enforcement (the Word speaks to their lives as they protect the community, especially with all the violence escalating in our communities)
Pain (physical, mental, chronic)
Prince of Peace (especially around Christmas time, people are in search of peace more than usual).
What a great way to engage your people this holiday season – ask them how you can pray for them. And, if time permits, stop and pray right then. If you are just passing them and have a brief second, please pray later (don’t forget) and shoot them a text or a snail mail letter recording that prayer, or just telling them you prayed. Maybe it won’t seem like a big deal to them in the moment, but I’m sure they will remember your kindness and gospel opportunity later.
This is also a great way to teach little ones some practical ways to pray – it is systematic and has verses and prayers right there, on one page. It will teach kids to invest in the lives of others so they know what to pray and it will teach them how to include God’s Word in their prayers back to Him.
Thanks to Litfuse for this book and all opinions are my own.
by Kimberly | Dec 16, 2016 | Books
It is just 9 days before Christmas, everyone is hurrying around, crossing items off their lists, getting dressed up to attend Christmas parties, and drinking eggnog. Maybe blaring Christmas music from the ipods and car radios. Making peppermint bark and addressing those family Christmas cards.
It is definitely meant to be a joyful season – the reason being is that Jesus came to earth as a baby and we celebrate that at Christmas time.
But, what do you if your holidays are mixed with sadness? This world is full of sadness, and maybe, as you look back over 2016, you realize that your life is more sad than happy, not going quite like you wanted or hoped it would.
Sadness is not a sin. We see throughout the Psalms (especially) that the writers were sad: they were saddened by the events going on around them. They were sad because of things happening to them. They were just sad. And that was ok. We need to dwell on what is going to happen with our sadness? Do we have to immediately dismiss it and never deal with it – no. We need to think about it, think about why we are sad, maybe get someone to help think through our sadness, and let God have it. Let Him take away your sadness.
You may be sad because of relationships that are broken. You may be sad because you’ve lost loved ones over the past year. Maybe you are sad because you were hoping to share Christmas with a new baby but that baby was lost to a miscarriage. There is so much sadness. We need to be mindful of other’s sadness and have compassion on them.
Tanika Fitzgerald, in her book Miscarried Joy, helps point women to the gospel who have suffered a miscarriage, but the truths that she encourages women with would be applicable to anyone who who has been dealing with hurt and needs some help helping your heart. You need to hear these gospel truths that God is for you, delights in you, and is working in you even through pain. This season of Advent and Christmas can help you realize that there will come a time when Jesus makes everything sad become untrue (thanks Sally Lloyd-Jones for that one).
You can win a copy of Miscarried Joy and other goodies before Christmas!
by Kimberly | Dec 6, 2016 | Books, mothering, parenting
Not a day goes by hardly where I don’t see a mom on facebook who is crying out for time away, a little time to herself, or is enjoying a much needed break.
This is how I understand the Word “Sabbath”: resting from work. God instituted the first Sabbath by resting from the creative process of the world. He rested, examining all He had made. Resting in its goodness. Resting from work. People in the work force usually get a day off during the week (at least one) and that helps invigorate them, giving them rest from their working.
Mommas don’t get a Sabbath. 24-7 we are thinking about our kids, washing clothes, changing diapers, driving, being a doctor-on-call, disciplining, loving, reading books, cooking, making juice cups. No matter how old your child is, mommas never rest from being a mom. So, the question needs to be asked, when does a Mom get a Sabbath?
Our older son is now coming in to Sunday night church with us. My husband and I have worked out a schedule for who gets to hang out with him during the service: reading books, playing, drawing, sticking dinosaur stickers everywhere, etc. When my mister is off on a Sunday, I hang out with Elijah in the pew. If he works that afternoon, then he gets to focus on our son during the service. I know one day will come when he can sit and completely focus on the service for 75 minutes, but he’s not there yet. So, we want each other to get some time to focus on the service. Its a good system.
One way my mister blesses me is giving me a regular Sabbath (a few hours) each week. On his day off, he will usually say something like “Go, have some quiet time.” He plays with the boys or takes them to a park. I can go just sit in the Word, do errands, be creative, meet with a friend, etc. That is my Sabbath. I try not to use that whole time to run errands, but if I’m not doing it with two preschoolers, those errands don’t feel like work. And usually once or twice a year, he will give me the whole day to go away, either with friends or by myself, to recharge, rest from being with the boys, feed my soul on the Word, read books, be in nature, etc. I can tell you that every time this happens, I come back more readily able to care for my boys well.
Some people would say that mommas don’t need time away. I would heavily disagree. If men worked 24/7 without any break people would think he is crazy because he would have burnout, or wouldn’t be obedient in taking care of his body, etc. But, if mommas ask for a break, most people say they are being selfish or aren’t being a good momma. Need is maybe too strong of a Word, but God showed us how to take a Sabbath, it is one of the things He commands, and that is a weekly rest. So, yes, I think it is a need. You just have to figure out how to do it.
Letitia Suk encourages women to take a break too – to be with God, to be silent, to walk, etc. She talks about how to retreat in Getaway with God. This book was different then I thought. She showed a lot of grace and variety. It wasn’t a “this is how you do it” book. It was here are some ideas, you are going to come against obstacles, here are ways to see if these retreats can work for you, etc. If you are planning a spiritual retreat, especially, I would encourage you to pick this book up to read during your planning stages.
I know some of you might be wondering: I can never get my husband to play with the kids and give me time alone. Or I am a single parent and can’t get time away. Or, my husband’s schedule won’t allow it and we don’t have money for childcare. Here are some thoughts:
Talk to your husband. Talk to him about your need for a Sabbath. Start small. Maybe request 2 hours, or 3. Work your way up to a whole day.
If your kids are small, see if you can swap with a friend so both of you can have a few hours of Sabbath to yourself.
If your kids are in school, use that school time to retreat and rest.
If you don’t have money for childcare – I think this is where your community (or church) comes in. We should be able to ask for help – and people should ask us how they can help, be willing to serve and be served. I know its hard.
Whatever you do, don’t go without rest from being a Momma. Its seriously rewarding and seriously hard! God gives us the much grace that we deserve!
Thanks to Litfuse for the book. All opinions are my own.
