Learning how to pray like Elijah for God to provide is much like working out for 30 minutes a day. It is hard. Each day I go downstairs and turn the screen on that streams my digital workout. I exercise for 30 minutes although most days my body screams "NO!" Why is it that even 5 minutes of concentrated prayer can be almost impossible to do? To be honest, I struggle to pray. I pray a little here and there all day but I want to learn how to really really pray fervently like Elijah. God Provides Through Elijah's Prayer Life God Provides Through Elijah's Prayer Life! Elijah lived an … [Read more...]
6 Ways for a Summer Road Trip to Be Grace-Filled
When you pull out of your driveway on a summer road trip, tension and anticipation can be high as you face hours together in the car. If you are traveling with kids, life can get complicated fast since they haven't matured to the point where they can control themselves when hunger or exhaustion sets in. Whether you are going on a road trip with kids or just your hubby, there are some fantastic ways that being together in a tight space can become an adventure. Since we are looking forward to several summer road trips, ideas are fresh on my mind to share with you. There is … [Read more...]
Praying For Your Children For The Rest Of Your Life
You raise your children for the first 18 years of their life but the need to pray for them will last for the rest of your life! Voilà! Parenting season is finished! Now you can do the things you have always dreamed of doing but were too busy raising children to do. FORGET IT! None of that happens! (Omartian, Stormie (2009-07-01). The Power of Praying® for Your Adult Children) My kids have grown and my nest is empty, but as Stormie shares in her book, my job is not done and things will happen in their lives that will keep me on my knees for the rest of my life! Even when our adult … [Read more...]
Does God Want You to Be Coloring Mandalas?
You might be wondering what on earth is a mandala?! I have seen them through the years but really didn't know much about them. I have seen mandalas in several attractive adult coloring books too. They really don't look evil, so why should I take the time to write about them? If you Googled adult coloring, you would come up with many different articles, pictures, and products. Coloring has become a popular hobby in the last few years. As a Christ-follower, it is important to be aware of what a mandala is and how they can subtly influence you. Two Perspectives on Coloring It is … [Read more...]
Spring Cleaning when You Don’t have Time
It might seem that sharing about spring cleaning is a little off track from what I normally share with you. Maybe it is. The struggle to keep your home is real and even if you aren't the woman who is inclined to keep it sparkling clean all year round, dishes, dust bunnies, and clutter will call your name just like they do me. It seems like the world is spinning faster and faster leaving me less and less time to clean, let alone clean a little deeper once or twice a year. If you are going to serve your family to the glory of God . . . If you are going to serve the Lord through … [Read more...]
6 War Room Bible Verses for Fervent Prayer
Fervent prayer is something that we rarely see these days and maybe that is why we are losing ground in so many areas. We are living complacent lives and have forgotten that we should be in an all-out war against our enemy. Our enemy is unseen so we forget he is real. He is cunning and makes himself out to be fun and interesting so that we don't draw our battle weapons. It is high time that prayer became an integral part of our day. And because of that, I am intentionally going to be taking on this challenge myself. I am asking that you join me as we learn how to really get down on … [Read more...]
Memorial Day is More than Picnics
Memorial Day is a holiday weekend at the beginning of summer where people have picnics with family and friends, go to parades, eat lots of hamburgers and hot dogs with potato salad and chips. Do you know the difference between Memorial Day and Veteran's Day? It is easy to confuse them and walk up to someone who was in the US Military and thank them for serving! Evidently, people have been known to do this! What is Memorial Day? Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the people who died while serving in the country's armed forces. It is too late to … [Read more...]
Thoughts of Encouragement: How God is Your Dwelling Place
God wants to be your dwelling place, providing you with shelter and protection from what is happening in your life. Your world. Do You Read Psalms Often? I love coloring about it in my favorite journaling Bible or coloring book. I do and find them so encouraging! I often find God reassuring me to trust Him through the situations in my life. He has proved Himself my trustworthy dwelling place over and over again. Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Psalm 90:1 Do you live where you can see mountains? I have always lived where I can see mountains from my … [Read more...]
6 Bible Verses to Rebuild Your Marriage
Do you need to rebuild your marriage? If you are struggling, there are answers in the Bible that most marriage counselors and friends might not tell you about! Divorce touched the lives of countless friends as yet another marriage fell apart. This doesn't have to be you! It starts with renewing your own heart and spirit. Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10 I have written to encourage you in your marriage because I really feel that most Christian couples who are finding themselves 'incompatible' could have saved their failing … [Read more...]
5 Reasons Bible Journaling is a Legacy
Have you ever thought about how Bible journaling can be a legacy? When you pass away (as we all will someday) what footprints are you leaving for the next generation? Do you ever think about that? Even if you minimize your stuff as you get older, you likely will not get rid of your Bibles. Yes, Bibles. Plural. Most of us don't live in a country where the Bible prohibited and we are able to have more than one. For those of you who love to Bible journal, you likely have more than one. Maybe you even have four like me! I love my Bible and love God's Word so much that I have … [Read more...]
God Wants to Thoroughly Change You into His Likeness
Change isn't something that I necessarily love. Sometimes I totally stick my toes down into the sand and resist the waves trying to topple me over. When God wants to change me, it is for my good but how often resist instead of yielding to His loving hand on my life! Do you sit in church listening to the message week after week without responding or interacting with the Words that are falling on your ears? God's Wants to Change You How often are we like the listener who hears but doesn't DO? Our minds can wander. Our thoughts can think and plan what we are going to be doing that … [Read more...]
5 Prayers When Your Marriage is on the Rocks
Prayer isn't a magical thing that makes everything better when your marriage is 'On the Rocks' but prayer does work miracles. The Bible says that two are better than one and yet it often doesn't seem like that at all! It would seem that it is better to just be independent and get on with your life. It takes intentionality to make our marriage work because too often as women, we can be a hot mess of hormones flying in every direction. I believe we need to embrace our imperfection with grace and prayer. We need to humble ourselves before God and pray fervently (a word seldom used … [Read more...]
Using Bible Verses to Tie the Marriage Knot Tighter
If you are honest, there are times when your marriage knot is getting a little loose and you are struggling in your relationship. At least that is what I have heard from most married people I know. Do you find this to be true? Sometimes you might be tempted to be discontented in your marriage. We live in a culture where divorce is happening at an alarming rate. I don't want you to become part of that statistic but instead to work on your marriage for as long as it takes. In my case, we struggled from the beginning of our marriage. We were young and headstrong and a product of our … [Read more...]
How To Glorify God in Your Bible Journaling
If you have been reading my blog for even a short time, you will have noticed that I love Bible journaling. In fact, I try to post about it once each week. We were created to glorify God in everything we do and for me, that includes Bible journaling. I love doing a Pinterest search to bring up beautiful creative artwork in a journaling Bible or notebook. It inspires me. I also enjoy Facebook journaling art groups that are for Bible journalers. In fact, I am the owner of Jesus Journaling where people share their drawing or painting along with the Bible verse that spoke to their … [Read more...]
Do You Ever Struggle in Your Marriage?
When you get married, you never imagine you will struggle. Getting married is the dream of most little girls. To be the princess swept off her feet by a wonderful dashing prince and live forever-after is sort of the way we view marriage. Then we get married. And wake up from the dream and find real life happening as we struggle with problems just like when we were single. Sadly, too many marriages these days end up in divorce and some after 20 or 30 years. I find it really encouraging to hear that someone has been married a long long time. There is often something special the couple has … [Read more...]
