Purposeful Living
Creative ideas for enjoying your family in all seasons of the year, including spending time in nature, creative ways to celebrate holidays, and ways to teach your children the art of hospitality.
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How to Bear Fruit When You Feel Worn and Weary
We set a vase of wildflowers on the table last week, and they felt like tangible beacons of joy. I gazed at them while I made the morning coffee and prayed about how to bear fruit amid these energetic summer days—days with all three children home and many needs surrounding me. After the coffee was brewed, I read the following words: “And seeing in the distance a fig tree covered with leaves, He went to see if He could find any fruit on it. But when He came up to it, He found nothing but leaves, for the fig season had not yet come” (Mark 11:13, AMP). I’ve always been…
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12 Bible Verses About Living Life to the Fullest
I’ve been watching the poplar leaves grow on the tree beside our deck this spring. Their tiny faces glanced at me through the finger-smeared glass the day I turned the calendar to May. As I opened my Bible in search of Bible verses about living life to the fullest, the leaves offered a reminder as well. I reflected on the weeks spent watching them emerge and change: I remembered noticing the first tiny buds. Every day, they grew a bit more, and I didn’t miss it when the tiny leaves finally grew wide and offered shade on a sunny afternoon. Watching the summer canopy grow was a gentle reminder of…
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How to Declutter Your Mind With God’s Help
Last night I took a walk beneath a canopy of beech trees as patches of fog hovered over the creek beside me. I’d spent the week keeping up with the kids and trying to stay on top of a full schedule. Desperate to sort through my thoughts and declutter my mind, the forest called me. Sometimes, it’s hard to know where to begin when it comes to sorting through our mental chaos. I go outside when my mind feels cluttered. As I watch the sun sink beneath the hills or listen to the sound of red squirrels gnawing on walnuts, my mind clears. Nature offers space to sort through my…
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How to Begin Again: 3 Insights
A towering hemlock casts a sleepy shadow on bare earth, and a pine squirrel gnaws on a walnut from its unseen perch overhead. I am in the woods with a stack of books and a journal—intent on seeking God and as I ask him how to begin again after a setback in my life. As springtime sunlight floods the forest, it feels like a day to lean into new beginnings. I’ve been feeling restless lately. I’ve been trying to write and struggling to find words. I wonder, Is this God’s way of redirecting my path? I’m mulling this over as I open the thin pages of my Bible, and I…
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20 Mother Daughter Prayers for a Closer Relationship
I recently went for a long walk with our teenage daughter and was inspired to be more intentional about praying with her and for her. Today, I’m sharing the mother daughter prayers that are helping me lift her before God’s throne more consistently. If you’re looking for prayers to pray over your mother-daughter relationship, I invite you to slowly talk to God as you pray the following prayers. 20 Mother Daughter Prayers for a Closer Relationship Regardless of whether you plan to pray together or pray over each other from a distance, these unifying prayers can help strengthen your mother-daughter bond and lead you closer to God in the meantime.…
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7 Refreshing Bible Verses (and 11 Ways to Be Refreshed)
Yesterday morning, I awoke with a deep desire to go to the woods—to inhale the scent of the creek bottom, decomposing maple leaves, and pungent earth. As I sat with my Bible, I was reminded that God wanted to renew my mind with his written Word, and I let the following refreshing Bible verses wash over me. 7 Refreshing Bible Verses Do you long for the refreshment that comes from God alone? I invite you to soak in these words today as well. Refreshing Bible Verses for the Worn and Weary 1. Psalm 97:11-12 (NIV) “Light shines on the righteous, gladness on the upright in heart. Rejoice in the LORD,…
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8 Life-Changing Prayers for Your Daughter
Last night, I followed my daughter through a withered field of wildflowers as dusk chased us toward the forest. Often, I silently pray for her as we walk along this trail. I pray for her friendships, her faith, her worries, and her dreams. I pray for God to guide our conversations and unite our hearts. Like me, you might want to pray life-changing prayers for your daughter, but you don’t always know what to pray. Whether your daughter is two or sixty-two, here are eight biblical prayers for your daughter. 8 Powerful Prayers for Your Daughter 1. Pray that troubles and difficulties lead her to rely on Christ. Our daughter…
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Teach Us to Number Our Days: When Life Doesn’t Go As Planned
“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12, NIV). Snow falls heavily—a white veil making our world feel close and small for the morning. After the school calls off classes for the day, after the eight-year-old loses another baby tooth, and after an argument over the TV, I close the bedroom door to pray. “Father, how would you have us use these unexpected hours together?” I pray. I had plans to meet with friends, work on a writing project, and take the youngest to the dollar store. Never one to embrace interruptions, this snow day has thrown me for a loop. I…
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Combating Anxiety with the Power of Intentional Moments
I’m thrilled to share the wise words of my friend Nichole Suvar with you today! Nichole and I met in the world of online writers, and every time I read her words, they touch my heart deeply. Today, I’m honored to share a post from Nichole about combating anxiety with the power of small, intentional moments. Nichole recently released a new book called Numbering Our Days, and this book is helping me slow down, consider my thoughts, and make the most of my moments in light of eternity. It’s exactly what I needed in this season. This wonderful book contains 49 short devotions challenging us to overcome anxiety and embrace intention…
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Making Decisions With God: 4 Questions to Guide You
Have you been praying about a big decision? Maybe you feel confused because you want to follow God but don’t have a clear sense of his direction. You are in the right place. Today, we’ll talk about making decisions with God and explore four questions to help us. Making Decisions With God: 4 Questions to Guide You A few years ago, I sensed God calling me to step out in faith and take a risk that was beyond my comfort zone. I didn’t feel equipped for the assignment. I wanted signs of God’s provision before I took the first step of faith. After months of hesitation, I finally obeyed. The…
