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Girl to Girl: A Life-Changing Mother-Daughter Devotional Book
We have huge news to share with you today! This might be the biggest news I’ve shared throughout my past six years of blogging! Drumroll, please! Eleven-year-old Bekah and I wrote a mother-daughter devotional book together! Last winter, Bekah saw a mother-daughter devotional written by an older mother-daughter pair sitting on our kitchen table. “We should write a mother-daughter devotional!” she declared. “That sounds great, babe. Brainstorm some ideas, and we’ll get started,” I suggested. I hate to admit that I never thought I’d hear another word about the big idea. Our New Mother-Daughter Devotional Book Well, 259 pages later, we are thrilled to tell you that our new book…
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Casting Our Nets
Today isn’t my usual day to post, but I’m excited to share the words of one of my dearest lifelong friends today. I met Courtney McNamara when we were in fourth grade at East Lawrence Elementary School, and we’ve been friends ever since! Courtney is a gifted artist, a talented published author, and a tender soul with a huge heart. Her friendship is a treasured gift. She’s one of a small handful of friends who receives my 6:00 a.m., “I need prayer” texts. As we all know, these friends are rare gifts! Courtney’s wisdom on the topic of casting our nets challenged me and blessed me, and I trust it…
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5 Morning Routines to Help You Start Your Day With God
Autumn rain hangs from the spruce boughs like glass beads. Cleansing the sleepy earth, it feels like God’s invitation to begin again. I’ve been thinking about my rhythms lately—analyzing the morning routines that are working for me in this season as well as the ones that aren’t. The Importance of Morning Routines Last week, I felt tempted to return to self-effort in an attempt to restore some off-kilter areas of my life. However, this morning, the ivory mist reminds me that a Spirit-filled life is not built around willpower but around rhythms. The rhythms we establish ultimately make up our lives. 5 Morning Routines to Help You Begin Well If…
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7 Calming Verses for When Life Feels Overwhelming
We all face overwhelming moments in life. Today, we’ll explore 7 calming verses for when life feels overwhelming. I invite you to soak in these truths today as God’s peace washes over your soul. 7 Calming Verses for When Life Feels Overwhelming 1. A Verse for Overwhelming Moments You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3 This powerful verse reminds us that perfect peace is possible. Perfect peace is available when we return our wandering thoughts to the Lord and trust him. Are your thoughts racing all over the place? Take those thoughts captive. Return them to the centering focal…
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Angry Cleaning: 3 Ways to Move Toward Peace and Joy
I recently went for a walk with a friend who confessed to Angry Cleaning. I didn’t have to ask her for an explanation because I’ve Angry Cleaned more times than I can count. Unlike “Rage Cleaning,” in which we intentionally pour our frustration into the cleaning process, using our anger for good, Angry Cleaning is act of cleaning angrily, often because others are not helping us. I invite you to join me as I walk through the woods with my friend, and we’ll learn how to move away from Angry Cleaning, Angry Cooking, Angry Working, and Angry Parenting. Angry Cleaning A thread of silver water twists its way through an…
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What If This Interruption Is a Divine Assignment?
First light pours through the curtain slow and thick, like buttermilk. Lost in the glory of dawn’s hazy glow, I read a few Psalms as I soak in God’s love. “God, help me embrace every divine assignment you send me today,” I pray. I then recall a moment from several days ago. Could This Interruption Be a Divine Assignment? A few days ago, I’d been sitting by the window for less than ten minutes when our little boy shuffled up beside me dragging a chair. After pushing his chair next to mine, he sat down and snuggled against me. The scene would have been cute if the little guy had…
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A Prayer for Strength and Healing When Life Hurts
The Queen Anne’s Lace stands in full bloom—sprinkling the fields with flourishes of ivory. Admiring it from the window, I utter a silent prayer for strength and healing. Not long ago, I slipped into the woods on a balmy evening. As I gazed into the murky creek water, I assessed the state of my soul and realized I was wrestling with uncertainty. The creek bottom exhaled the pungent scent of decaying earth, and I immediately sensed an invitation: Anyone can declare trust in God when life’s going well, but it takes faith to declare our trust when life feels uncertain. A Powerful Prayer for Strength and Healing: “Lord, I trust…
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8 Hope-Filled Bible Verses About the Storms of Life
We all face storms in life. If you feel like your ship is about to sink, let’s dig into God’s Word together as we uncover eight hope-filled Bible verses about the storms of life. Bible Verses About the Storms of Life Twenty years ago, I boarded a plane in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvnaia and flew to Anchorage, Alaska. I spent the next three months working in a deli outside Denali National Park and traveling across the state on the weekends. One weekend, I took a ferry through the fjords near Seward. I vividly remember the way a cloud of mist shrouded the bay like a crumpled quilt as our small vessel inched…
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Feeling Lost in Life? This Is for You . . .
Twelve years ago, I stepped into a season of major transition. I remember looking out the window one balmy summer morning and feeling lost in life. I felt like my identity was being slowly dismantled, and I didn’t know who I was anymore. We’ll revisit my identity crisis in a moment. First, take a moment to consider your most common responses when another person asks you to describe yourself. You might talk about your job, your family, or your hobbies. Maybe you share your interests and talk about the place where you live. Now, imagine how you would feel if these aspects of your life were suddenly stripped away. Consider…
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7 Empowering Scriptures on Insecurity
Most of us deal with insecurity. This week, let’s take a few minutes to explore the ways comparison keeps us from fulfilling our God-given assignments and explore ten powerful Scriptures on insecurity. 7 Empowering Scriptures on Insecurity Are you feeling insecure today? Let’s look at what God’s Word has to say about overcoming insecurity. 1. Psalm 139:13 “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” God created you just the way you are to fulfill his unique purpose for you in this world. You might feel like you don’t have what it takes to step into the calling he has placed in front of…
