guest writing

guest writing

Today, {well, actually last night 🙂 } I am a guest over on a friend’s blog.

picmonkeyrocks

Patty was one of my dormitory supervisors in college and was a great inspiration to me. I learned some valuable lessons watching her then, and I have greatly enjoyed learning of her life on the mission field of Ghana through her blog.

She is doing a series of posts of encouragement to moms about…

How to fill your cup when your hands are full

I have been blessed by her straightforward, honest manner. As momma’s we don’t really “get a break” yet we still need our cups filled–daily–by God.

But what does that look like?

It’s not a “one-size-fits-all” answer. I am honored to be guesting posting over there. I pray you’re blessed!

Leave a comment, and let us know you were there!

[There’s a free printable and a giveaway {closed}, too!]

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my “to do” list… and yours

my “to do” list… and yours

I do not normally post on Saturdays… and definitely not this late 🙂 but this post was so strong in my heart that I felt compelled to go ahead and post it. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It is overwhelming: this day-to-day of being a wife and mother, a sister and daughter, a friend, a mentor.

There is pressure from the world to do-all, be-all, have-all…. and if you don’t… well, I won’t go there.

There is pressure from within ourselves, and sometimes even from within our circle of friends, to do-it-right, to-make-it-look-good… and if there’s a crack in that mirage you’re selling to the public, the whole thing comes crashing down one day.

But do you know where none of that pressure originates?

None of that pressure originates from our Lord.

Yes, He does not want us living in filth… never cleaning our home or washing our clothing.

But neither does HE put this pressure into our lives to have this perfect pretense.

I am going to share a portion of a letter a dear friend of mine sent out a while back. She and her family are missionaries and wish to remain anonymous, but what she wrote really spoke to my spirit that day, and has helped me view certain situations very differently since.

I pray that it will be a blessing to you as well {italicized are my own comments}:

~~~~~

I have finally come to realize that in some areas of my life, I am a perfectionist.  Not in everything, but in things concerning my personal life, I try very hard to be perfect, redeeming the time, faithful, efficient, and frugal.  The only problem is that I can never quite reach my own expectations. {that is SO me!!}  I also have three children, which have an amazing way of bringing inefficiently to life. 🙂 {what truth! lol}  But during the past few weeks, as I have tried very hard to study [a new language], home-school my children, care for my home, and visit with new friends, my goal of being faithful, diligent, and efficient has brought me nothing but frustration and has robbed me of my joy. {I have experienced this so often. No one can BE everything all the time!}

And then I began to realize that my eyes were in the wrong place. {OH, my spirit smites me!} Hebrews tells us that we are to be “looking unto Jesus,” and, as I heard many times in college, my goal is to be like God, and nothing else.  Now my daily goal in life is to walk with Christ, moment by moment – following the gentle promptings of His Spirit.  That just might mean that instead of studying one evening, I may be praying for [my mission field], or reading a book to my children, or playing dolls with [my daughter].

Following Christ will not always follow my “to do list,” or line up with my priorities for the day {because sometimes I am so “goal oriented”}, or look the same as other believers {no 2 families are the same}, but it will bring me peace and rest, joy and comfort as I make God my goal, and let Him order my day.  As I come to rest in the fact that God desires for me to be faithful, to learn [a new language], to raise my children, to stand by my husband – I can trust Him to guide my steps each day to accomplish these things and much more, as I rely on His wisdom and not my own.

I recently came across the words to one of my favorite hymns, and this verse has become the song of my heart.

I could not do without Thee,
I cannot stand alone,
I have no strength or goodness,
No wisdom of my own;
But Thou, beloved Savior,
Art all in all to me,
And weakness will be power
If leaning hard on Thee.

– Frances R. Haverg

I do not normally post on Saturdays... and definitely not this late :) but this post was so strong in my heart that I felt compelled to go ahead and post it. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It is overwhelming: this day-to-day of being a wife and mother, a sister and daughter, a friend, a mentor.

There is pressure from the world to do-all, be-all, have-all…. and if you don’t… well, I won’t go there.

There is pressure from within ourselves, and sometimes even from within our circle of friends, to do-it-right, to-make-it-look-good… and if there’s a crack in that mirage you’re selling to the public, the whole thing comes crashing down one day.

But do you know where none of that pressure originates?

None of that pressure originates from our Lord.

Yes, He does not want us living in filth… never cleaning our home or washing our clothing.

But neither does HE put this pressure into our lives to have this perfect pretense.

I am going to share a portion of a letter a dear friend of mine sent out a while back. She and her family are missionaries and wish to remain anonymous, but what she wrote really spoke to my spirit that day, and has helped me view certain situations very differently since.

I pray that it will be a blessing to you as well {italicized are my own comments}:

~~~~~

I have finally come to realize that in some areas of my life, I am a perfectionist.  Not in everything, but in things concerning my personal life, I try very hard to be perfect, redeeming the time, faithful, efficient, and frugal.  The only problem is that I can never quite reach my own expectations. {that is SO me!!}  I also have three children, which have an amazing way of bringing inefficiently to life. 🙂 {what truth! lol}  But during the past few weeks, as I have tried very hard to study [a new language], home-school my children, care for my home, and visit with new friends, my goal of being faithful, diligent, and efficient has brought me nothing but frustration and has robbed me of my joy. {I have experienced this so often. No one can BE everything all the time!}

And then I began to realize that my eyes were in the wrong place. {OH, my spirit smites me!} Hebrews tells us that we are to be “looking unto Jesus,” and, as I heard many times in college, my goal is to be like God, and nothing else.  Now my daily goal in life is to walk with Christ, moment by moment – following the gentle promptings of His Spirit.  That just might mean that instead of studying one evening, I may be praying for [my mission field], or reading a book to my children, or playing dolls with [my daughter].

Following Christ will not always follow my “to do list,” or line up with my priorities for the day {because sometimes I am so “goal oriented”}, or look the same as other believers {no 2 families are the same}, but it will bring me peace and rest, joy and comfort as I make God my goal, and let Him order my day.  As I come to rest in the fact that God desires for me to be faithful, to learn [a new language], to raise my children, to stand by my husband – I can trust Him to guide my steps each day to accomplish these things and much more, as I rely on His wisdom and not my own.

I recently came across the words to one of my favorite hymns, and this verse has become the song of my heart.

I could not do without Thee,
I cannot stand alone,
I have no strength or goodness,
No wisdom of my own;
But Thou, beloved Savior,
Art all in all to me,
And weakness will be power
If leaning hard on Thee.

– Frances R. Haverg

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yellow lovelies…and where to find me today

Today I am talking about promises.

God has many promises for believers in His word:

** He will supply our need. **

** His grace IS sufficient. **

And as marvelous as these are,

they are only a few of the promises found in His Word!

 

But I think one of my favorite {outside of eternal life} is found in…

compassions-are-new1

you can read the rest over on Living on PBJ!

there is a man who loves me

there is a man who loves me

05_08_5---Cross-on-a-Hill_webI strayed… He called out.

I left… and He pursued.

I stole… and He forgave.

I lashed out… and He embraced.

I trembled, knowing my nakedness… and He draped a Royal Robe.

Now I love Him… because He first loved me.

{this is the Love Story of Calvary} and it can belong to ANYONE!

Have a Blessed Valentine’s day… {edited: or Resurrection Celebration!!}

and be sure to let those you love know it!

05_08_5---Cross-on-a-Hill_webI strayed… He called out.

I left… and He pursued.

I stole… and He forgave.

I lashed out… and He embraced.

I trembled, knowing my nakedness… and He draped a Royal Robe.

Now I love Him… because He first loved me.

{this is the Love Story of Calvary} and it can belong to ANYONE!

Have a Blessed Valentine’s day… {edited: or Resurrection Celebration!!}

and be sure to let those you love know it!

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