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8 Free Family-Friendly Outdoor Activities
Are you looking for family-friendly outdoor activities? Our family has made getting our kids outdoors a high priority, and the results are powerful. I’m revisiting this post today now that our oldest is a teenager, and I’m grateful that she still loves spending time outdoors. 8 Free Family-Friendly Outdoor Activities If you’re looking for free outdoor activities for your family during this time, you’re in the right place. Here’s our family’s list of fun ways to enjoy the outdoors together. Family-Friendly Outdoor Activities: 1. Wildlife Scavenger Hunts For this activity, I create a list of items we are likely to see in the forest near our home: pinecones, different colored…
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A Free Small Group Bible Study Book for Women
Are you searching for a free small group Bible study book for your women’s group? I have wonderful news. You can download my new book, Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free, for free on Kindle Unlimited. I’ll explain how the program works shortly. First, let me tell you about this book. Most of us have been taught that willpower is the key to transformation; however, we’re frustrated because self-effort has failed us in many realms of our lives. We wonder why we can’t find victory over fear, worry, insecurity, and shame. We feel stuck in destructive habits like overeating and losing…
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How to Know When God Is Leading You: 4 Ways
Have you ever wondered how to know when God is leading you in a new direction? Discerning the difference between our desires and God’s voice can be challenging. Today, we’ll talk about finding direction from God and following his lead. How to Know God is Leading You “If God really speaks to us, then I’d sure like someone to explain the ways God speaks to us,” a younger friend declared as we walked beneath a canopy of blossoming apple trees. There was a hint of frustration in her voice. My friend had been pursuing God and sincerely believed she was following him into a new career endeavor. Her dream seemed…
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Live Yielded to God for Sweetness of Spirit
Hello, friends! I’m honored to share a guest post from my dear friend Kelly Baker with you today! Kelly’s words point to truth, all while offering practical insight for following Christ in the midst of full lives. She is a prayer partner, encourager, and like-minded sister on mission. Enjoy this challenge to cultivate a sweetness of spirit in your life. I was challenged by Kelly’s words, and I trust you will be as well! ~~~ I recently swapped stories of current family trials with Stacey. She declared, “Oh motherhood is such a death to self at times!” What a true statement! I wanted to crawl under my covers and hide…
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15 Bible Verses About Faith Over Fear
Not long ago, our family faced a battle with fear that surpassed any fear we’d ever known. As we wrestled with fear regarding the life of our child, I anchored myself in God’s Word as I clung to Bible verses about faith over fear. Bible Verses About Faith Over Fear Nevertheless, the fear was relentless. On a cognitive level, I knew the answer: Faith pushes out fear and reminds us of where we find our hope. On a heart level, I had much to learn about walking by faith. Today, I’m sharing the Bible verses about faith over fear that carried me through that time. We’ll also discuss practical ways…
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The Truth About God and Your Emptiness in Life
The first red-winged blackbird appeared from out of the pasty white sky on a Sunday, and we marveled at the feeder like we’d never seen such a miracle. We were at the end of a season when all the emptiness in life had us feeling poured out. Everyday moments suddenly feel like miracles when everything else has been stripped away. In the aftermath of the longest kind of winter season, that first red-winged blackbird looked something like a scarlet-caped wonder. At the end of a never-ending night, just a little flicker of light can change everything. Emptiness in Life We knew a thing or two about emptiness in life that…
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When You Feel Broken: 4 Ways to Find Hope
When you feel broken inside, it’s not easy to find hope to hold onto. I’ve lived through some broken seasons, broken in a thousand different ways. I invite you to join me on a difficult day, and we’ll talk about where to turn in these moments. When You Feel Broken It’s a grey March afternoon, and I drive down the Interstate feeling numb. I’m on my way to a doctor’s appointment that will offer glimpses into our family’s future. Our unborn child has a heart defect. Today, a pediatric cardiologist will determine how serious the defect is and offer a prognosis. I’m terrified. A Psalm comes to mind, and I…
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15 Bible Verses About Making a Difference
Most of us face moments when we wonder if we’re making a difference in the world. We can turn to God’s Word for hope and encouragement in these times. Today, we’ll look at 15 Bible verses about making a difference. Often, our idea of what it means to make a difference is vastly different from God’s idea. I invite you into my struggle with the idea of making an impact, and we’ll take a closer look at God’s calling for all of us. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to encourage you in your calling. 15 Bible Verses About Making a…
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10 Bible Verses for Weariness (Plus 5 Tips for Weary Days)
The snow blows past like a horizontal wall of white. I stare at the thousands of tiny flakes like maybe this is heaven’s way of touching this muddy earth. I’m running on fumes all over again this morning, and I open my Bible in search of a few Bible verses for weariness. Maybe you can relate. You might be weary from the demands of a career that is wearing you down, children who rely on you day and night, or something else. Today, we’ll look at ten Bible verses for weariness and explore five tips for tired days. 10 Bible Verses for Weariness I encourage you to soak in these…
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Balanced Spiritually: The Lie You Might Believe About Balance
This morning, snowflakes waltzed on the trodden lawn like tufts of cotton grass bobbing on a summer morning. I’d been thinking about the importance of being balanced spiritually, and that balance felt lacking. Life has felt ridiculously out of balance this winter. A weekly routine once filled with dozens of gratifying and varied tasks has been replaced by what feels like one all-consuming task that drains me of every ounce of energy. It feels as if the twenty equally filled buckets of my life are suddenly empty, and I’m called to pour my life into one prevailing, overflowing bucket that dominates the realm of my daily existence. Today, we’ll have…
