Lettering the Psalms Day 2

posted in: Bible | 1

Prayer is not the easiest thing I do in my life.  Is it for you?

I once heard a pastor say that no one in the church would raise their hands if he asked if anyone had the prayer life they always wanted.

My prayer life currently is very much in the moment.  If someone asks me to pray, I do it right then.  I pray when I need help with parenting.  I pray as I read things.  I pray in the car when a song comes on that reminds me to pray about something.

And really, Psalm 6, is not about prayer.  Not really.  Its about confession.  Its about seeking the God who is able and willing to show mercy on us and forgive all our sins.

David, in his agony and turmoil, maybe in a depression, maybe feeling totally away from God, appeals to His character.  God’s faithfulness, His acts of redemption, His leading and mercy and grace.  These are the things that David knows God to be.  And even when David can’t feel God or even when David thinks he has nothing to bring and God shouldn’t answer Him, he calls out for mercy.

And God answers.

More Scripture to read: Psalm 51, 1 John 4, Romans 5

Tools: Artistic Isle Watercolor and Pentel Sign Brush in gray

Indescribable (Giveaway)

posted in: Books, Kids r Readers 2 | 2

 

I’ve been influenced by Louie Giglio’s ministry since college.  That’s the time that Passion started, went to One Day 2000, all the Passion music throughout seminary, then just a few years ago we moved to Atlanta and I got to attend some events at Passion City Church.

If you’ve heard much of Louie’s preaching – you know he loves God and Jesus and the Cross.  You also will quickly learn that he loves space, science, stars, galaxies, etc.

And I want my boys to be influenced by writers and teachers who love creation and the God who created it.  That’s why Indescribable is such a good book.  Of course its a bit over their heads (I think this book would be good for grade school kids), but it is still a wonderful resource to have.

If you want to use it for family worship time, it would be a good “topical study” book.  There are 100 devotions for kids (of all ages!).  He includes good illustrations that kids will be able to understand.  There is a Scripture and prayer.  This would even be a good tool for homeschooling parents.

Thanks to Tommy Nelson Mommies for the book.  All opinions are my own.  And if you’d like a chance to win, just a leave a comment about your favorite part of science.  I love weather!

Ways to Fight for Your Marriage (Giveaway)

posted in: Uncategorized | 6

 

Some things in life are not worth fighting over: team sports, lesser theological topics, some political issues, etc.  But, there are definitely some things worth fighting for: marriage is one of them.  And the only one you are totally responsible for is your own.  Yes, you can pour into other couples and their marriage and you can disciple others, but ultimately you are only responsible for your own.

Being married for 5 years, and having gone through some really difficult circumstances in those 5 years: out-of-state moves, job changes, traumatic birth, another birth soon after, commission jobs, change in life direction, loss of friendships, damaging personal relationships…we’ve had to fight for our marriage.

Here are some things we do to fight for our marriage:

  1.  Sometimes, you go to bed angry.  Ok – we’ve all heard the saying don’t go to bed angry, and the principle is biblical (don’t let the sun go down upon your anger).  We’ve learned that one thing we can do when we are angry with each other is sometimes just go to bed.  When we are tired and crabby and angry – we usually don’t have healthy conversations.  So, we will call it a night, go to bed, and typically by morning, we are better.  We will still have some things to talk about, but we have rested, prayed, and calmed down.
  2. Taco Night.  Often times during the week my husband and I don’t eat meals together.  He’s at work, I eat with the kids, he gets home late, etc.  But, on Sunday nights, as far as it is up to us, about 830pm, after the kids are in bed, I get Chipotle tacos and guac – 12$ if we buy two guacs.  We sit on the couch, talk, eat, laugh.  Sometimes we will talk for about 3 hours – something we did when we were dating, married but didn’t have children, you know the scene.  Sometimes we will watch a show on Netflix (right now: Leverage, West Wing, Blacklist).  Just sitting shoulder to shoulder, eating yummy food (that I didn’t have to cook), and talking or just being with each other – ends our weekend, long Sunday, and spurs us on to be married another week.  I love it!
  3. Being in the Word.  We do not do our devotions together.  We actually find it hard to pray together and it is something we are working at.  But, we do each have time in the Word each day, and that helps us love God and love each other better.  I often tell him what I need: more of Jesus, more of him.  Two things I can never have too much of.  Cary and Dena Dyer have written a book for couples, a compilation of their story as a couple, humor, biblical wisdom for married couples, and discussion questions.  A couple things I really liked about the book was they shared their own stories.  Some marriage books give tips and pointers but don’t delve into their personal marriage any.  I love people’s stories and I want to know how they live their marriage each day.  Another thing I liked was the talking points at the end of each chapter.  Some couples find it hard to talk – or find things to talk about – and need help.  One thing I didn’t like was that I couldn’t see my husband reading this book.  It didn’t seem to fit a guy writing/reading style.  I know most books are bought and read by women.  So, maybe how a wife could do incorporate Love at First Fight into her marriage is by bringing up some of the questions to her husband.
  4. Get the long vision.  I heard one time that marriage is a long walk in the same direction.  Get a long vision of marriage.  We seemingly have been in one hard season after another in our 5 years of marriage.  And maybe one day the hard season will end, but we know that we wouldn’t want to walk these hard seasons alone, or with anyone else.

If you would like to win a copy of Love at First Fight, just leave a comment on your best marriage tip.  Sponsored by Shiloh Publishers and Sidedoor Communications.  All thoughts are my own.

Why We Still Want?

posted in: Uncategorized | 0

Christmas Heart

This is really just a post on where my heart is this morning!

The past few weeks have been great!  We’ve been given so much, some unexpected, some found in our stockings.  We’ve enjoyed God’s goodness to our family another Christmas.  Our boys unwrapped toys and trucks and books – and only one pair of socks.  I got stuff I wanted.  The Mister got stuff he wanted.  The boys got stuff they didn’t even know they wanted.

We spent time with friends.

And then I get on Instagram this morning – and I look at what others got – or places they are going – or how gorgeous their photos turned out.  I look out at people filled with hope of a good future.  I look at those poised on a new take on life – and they don’t realize all that lies in store for them.

And then I remember that God came.  Immanuel. Light to shine in darkness.  In the darkness of my ever wanting heart.  Amazingly – this year – not for material things – but for time, peace, and healing.

I do pray that each of you can look at what you have, never take it for granted, and savor each moment.

Glory and Grace : Psalm 42

posted in: glory and grace | 0

Drink God up!

I want to drink God,
    deep draughts of God.
I’m thirsty for God-alive.

Psalm 42

On your good days – do you think you can get by without thinking about God at all?

On your not-so-good days – do you cling to your pity and failures?

What about drinking down God?

You will always be satisfied and yet thirsty for oh so much more!

Glory and Grace Psalm 42

Glory and Grace: 1 Peter 1:3

posted in: glory and grace | 0

Living Hope

1 Peter 1:3-5 – The Message

“What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole.”

People often say there is no hope.  Or they use hope in a way that is not biblical hope.  I can hope right now that my boys go take their nap.  But, that’s not biblical hope.

The living hope that we are called to because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is JESUS!  Everything that is ours through Jesus is because of Jesus so JESUS is our living hope.

Today – when you are weak because its hump day, or your littles won’t nap, or your days are long, or you burn dinner…JESUS is your LIVING HOPE!

Glory and Grace Philippians 1:6

31 Days of Hymns

posted in: 31days | 0

 

31 Days of Hymns

I grew up in a small town in between two of the largest cities in Florida.  I went to an even smaller town to go to a tiny church until high school.  We sang hymns.  You know the 4 verses with amen at the end.  I could play most of them on the piano by the time I got to high school.  And just if you ask…we either sang all four stanzas or 1, 2, and last.  That’s just how it went.

Some of those hymns were solid and deeply rooted in Scripture.  Others were rooted in feel good theology which is seldom really good theology anyway.

One of the perks of being married to someone who loves music is the depth of knowledge of hymns that he brings to my life.  He has made me think more about the music we sing than I might have ever done otherwise.

So, for the month of October, I’m joining with The Nester again and (hopefully) writing on some of my favorite and requested hymns – both old and new – to hopefully deepen our love for God, His Word, His Church, and deep solid rich lyrics of hymns.

What are some of your favorite hymns?

Tomorrow: Thou Who Wast Rich

Ephesians on Kindle (SO EXCITED)

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Ephesians

 

Big announcement: Prayers for the Journey: Ephesians edition is finally on Kindle!  That’s right – I have a self-published book on Amazon!!!

Here is a review of it on the CBMW site via my friend Courtney Reissig

If you haven’t heard of Prayers for the Journey – it is a kindle book devotional with journaling pages that literally walks through specific verses in Ephesians (or other books of the Bible) and helps wives know how to pray the word for their husbands.  I’ve been writing these since I got married, but have been learning about praying for my husband for two decades.

There are so many people to thank:

My parents and in-laws : thank you for always being an encouragement and my greatest fans

My Mister: thank you for being one who sanctifies me and prays for me – and also my first editor

Amy Torcasso: My designer – who also did the work on Treasuring Christ when I was writing it – but now we stay in touch through this!  Super talented and selfless

Sarah Popovczak: My editor for this edition of the Prayers for the Journey – she’s about to be a mom too!

Amelia McNeilly: A great publicist and encourager and the one who got this worked out for Kindle

Phyllis Robshaw: Amazing mentor and the one who lives out this act of praying for her husband and family and me – by praying the Word.

My Little Misters: Dudes that will make amazing husbands one day – and I’m already praying for them as they will be husbands to precious wives.

Margo Bowen: a mom of many and grandmom to many and a wife to one.  Thank you for loving my Mister as a son and for writing the introduction to this edition.

Future Editions: Nehemiah is available now on the blog for free.  Colossians is being typed up now and getting ready to be sent to my editor before she has her baby.  James is being written and prayed.  1 Peter is the the next one in the works.

Thanks all.  Please feel free to get the word out.  2.99 is a great deal and its for your kindle!

Knowing God in the OT: Week 1

posted in: Bible, Uncategorized | 1

God is...

This year I am working my way through the Old Testament.  How did this goal come about?

I was driving on I-40, listening to an Andrew Peterson song with a ton of names.  I thought to myself all of those people knew God somehow.  They all had an encounter with God.  I wanted to know more about that God.

So, I am reading through an OT reading plan.  With each day I’m jotting down my thoughts, and what I learn about God, who He is.  By the end of they year I plan to take photos, quotes from reading, journal thought and compose an ebook out of it.  I am looking forward to this journey.

Each week I will share a snippet with you.  I hope you enjoy.

1.  God is a seeking God.

2.  God is a faithful God.

3.  God is the sustainer and giver of all of life.

4. God is extravagant

5. God makes covenants with us.