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How to Be a Woman of Influence and Inspiration
I remember the way the sun beams slanted through the maples the afternoon I told my mom I was running away from home. I’m sure I was no older than eight or nine, and Mom calmly looked at me and asked just where I planned to go. “To Grandma’s house!” I told her. I imagined myself traipsing down the road toward that little green house that always offered solace, joy, and a safe place to sit in the presence of a godly woman of influence. Thirty years later, our family mourns as we celebrate Grandma’s life and legacy. Grandma went to be with the Lord last week, and it’s hard…
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10 Calming Prayers for Anger: Pray the Word
We were several weeks into a winter that felt like it might never end when I realized I needed help. I was angry and irritable almost all the time. On a cold January morning, I pulled out my Bible and began reading God’s Word as I let it guide me in praying calming prayers for anger. Today, I’m sharing the biblical prayers for anger that helped me shift back to peace. Biblical Prayers for Anger I pray these words bless you as well. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you draw near to God and walk in his peace.…
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How to Make a Prayer List (& a Free Prayer List Template)
Years ago, I walked into a friend’s home and noticed a single sheet of paper that forever changed my prayer life. Hanging in her bedroom was a prayer list containing the names of dozens of people for whom she prayed weekly. If you’re wondering how to make a prayer list, today I’m sharing the simple list-making strategy my friend shared with me. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free prayer list template to personalize and use for yourself. How to Make a Prayer List After seeing my friend’s list, I was convicted that I was not very deliberate in the way I prayed for…
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How to be Hospitable Without Being Stressed
Grandma Miles’s house always seemed to smell of molasses, and I still remember the tall jar of hard candy she kept on the shelf by the door. There were always shoes scattered clumsily in the doorway. There were always dishes in the sink, and coffee cups lined the countertop. When I think of how to be hospitable, I think of Grandma Miles. It wasn’t the presentation of perfect baked goods or gourmet coffee that made Grandma’s house the picture of hospitality. It wasn’t the neatness of her shelves or the trendiness of her home décor. What made Grandma’s home the picture of hospitality was the warmth that exuded from the woman…
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10 Refreshing Bible Verses for the Weary and Burdened
The translucent breath of heaven lingers on the morning window panes, and the burdock lifts barbed hands toward a grey sky. Sometimes this season of darkness leaves us all feeling just a little too threadbare. We crave light and warmth. If this is you today, I invite you to soak in these refreshing Bible verses for the weary and worn. I also encourage you to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to give you strength in your weariness. 10 Bible Verses for the Weary and Burdened As I prepare my heart to walk through this season, I’m reminded of the burdens our little family faced…
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This Word for the Year Could Change Your Life Forever
Prickly pine needles rise from the carpeting like tiny daggers aimed at stocking feet. I should hoist the vacuum cleaner from the basement and take care of it, but this mounting pressure to pick a word for the year has me glued to the recliner like a woman with a deadline. Last year’s word came effortlessly. Had it not, I might have forsaken the idea altogether. It was a mind-boggling year. I read an article on picking a word of the year last winter, and while I’d picked a Bible verse and name of God for the New Year many times, I’d never picked just one word. Last year on…
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10 Bible Verses About Disappointment: How to Handle Spiritual Frustration
Regardless of the depth and strength of our faith, most of us will be disappointed in God at some point. During these times, turning to God’s Word can give us hope. Today, we’ll explore 10 Bible verses about disappointment. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to encourage you. Bible Verses About Disappointment It is Christmas morning here in Pennsylvania. This is the morning God bends down to meet us. This is the day we celebrate a groaning mother’s messy morning in a manger, the birth of a Messiah who comes quietly and unexpectedly. The world didn’t expect the Messiah to arrive…
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How to Find Strength in God When Life Is Tough
Winter was bearing down on us with a stranglehold that left me breathless at times. Every morning, I sat beside the window and wondered whether our family was about to walk down the most broken road we’d ever known. Day after day, I opened God’s Word in hopes that I might to discover how to find strength in God as we faced our storm. There was a medical prognosis on the horizon, and I was terrified. I’d been standing on Truth that held the power to slay the giant of fear. I’d been rebuking, taking back ground, worshiping, and fixing my eyes on the pure and good. Nevertheless, as I…
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Keeping Christ in Christmas: 8 Practical Ways
We recently pulled out the Christmas boxes. Surrounded by a hodgepodge of fake pine, glitter, and the faint aroma of cinnamon spice, I reminded myself of the importance of keeping Christ in Christmas. It’s easy to get so caught up in holiday festivities that we overlook the reason for celebrating. Keeping Christ in Christmas If the idea of focusing on Jesus at Christmas resonates with you—and if you want less stress and deeper peace this Christmas—here are eight suggestions to help you. 8 Tips for Keeping Christ in Christmas 1. Keep Christ in Christmas by slowing down. Whether you’re shopping for gifts or decorating your home, aim to complete these…
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4 Ways to Have a Christ-Centered Christmas
December has arrived, and I’m not sure I’m ready. I’ve been staring down my to-do list and feeling anxious. I want our family to have a Christ-centered Christmas, but my to-do list is stealing my focus. Sadly, the demands of this season feel more like an invitation to stress than an invitation to worship. Advent is the season for fixing our eyes on the coming Christ, the One who came in the flesh two thousand years ago and will come again to reign forever in glory. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised there is an enemy out to distract me throughout this season of anticipation. After we cut down the…
