Monthly Archives: September 2018

Fall Mornings Make the Best Mornings

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book, Bible, and journal on a tableFall Mornings and Candles

Fall is here, and that means two of my favorite things- fall mornings and fall candles. I love getting up early on a cool fall morning, and I love fall candles! My favorite scents in my home right now are pumpkin cupcake, pumpkin apple, vanilla pumpkin marshmallow, pumpkin patch, spiced pecan, and caramel corn.

Morning Time Routine

Fall is the best time to incorporate a morning time routine. The kids are back in school,  schedules are more structured, and the mornings are beautiful. There is nothing more perfect than a fall morning with a cup of coffee in hand, a candle burning, and a quiet time to pray, read the Bible, and journal.

If you have been wanting to start a morning time routine, this is a great time to get started. Each year, I use September and October to reboot my morning time routine. Usually, during the summer, I get a little sloppy with my routine. By the time fall comes, I am ready to get back at it. If you want to get back in the swing of things, follow these quick steps and you can be ready to get back to that morning time routine.

Quick Reboot

1. Buy a candle. Bath and Body Works and Kirklands are my favorite places to buy candles. Pick one that you love and brings a smile to your face.

2. Find a journal. I use my journal to write down my prayer list for the day and what I read and learned during my Bible reading time. I find I learn so much more when I use a journal than when I just read my Bible.

3. Pick a Bible study or reading plan. There are so many Bible reading plans to choose from. A quick way to get started is to read a Psalm or a Proverb a day, read one chapter of John each day, or choose a Bible study from the YouVersion app.

4. Pick a book to read. I try to read a chapter from a book each day when I am done with my Bible reading and journaling. Here are a few good reads if you are looking for one.

Everybody Always by Bob Goff.

Falling Free: Rescued From the Life I Always Wanted by Shannan Martin.

Nothing to Prove: Why We Can Stop Trying So Hard by Jennie Allen.

You Are Free: Be Who You Already Are by Rebekah Lyons

Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis

5. Just start. The best way to get into a morning time routine is to just start doing it and continue each day. You will find an excuse every day, but choose to overcome those excuses and stick to your morning time routine each day.

If you are looking for more details on developing a morning time routine, read my post My Best Tips for an Effective Morning Time. With just a little bit of work, mornings can be the best part of our day!

Stepping into the Water and Waiting for a Miracle

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waves of water

photo credit: Anastasia Taioglou

The Crossing of the Jordan River

Joshua chapter 3 tells the story of the crossing of the Jordan River. God came to Joshua and told him to prepare the people to cross the Jordan River. At this time of year, the Jordan River was at it its highest, overflowing its banks. God gave instructions to Joshua to tell the priests to step into the river. Once their feet stepped into the Jordan, the waters would part, and the Israelites could walk across on dry land. The priests had to stand in the water until everyone had passed over.

And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)

And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan. (Joshua 3:15,17)

Standing Firm and Holding Our Ground

Rebekah Lyons author of You Are Free writes these words about the account from Joshua 3.

They stepped out in faith. (the priests)

They waited.

God moved.

They stood their ground until everyone was safe.

On that day there was partnership between God and man. God asked Joshua and the priests to step in, to stand firm, to hold their ground. God held back the waters as they remained steadfast.

I stopped and thought about those statements. This miracle only happened because the priests did their part. What would have happened if the priests decided it wasn’t worth the risk? Or what if they had grown tired of standing in the Jordan and decided to step out of the water before all the children of Israel got across? Scholars don’t know for certain how long it would have taken for everyone to get across, but some estimate it could have taken as long as 29 days!

Did the priests take turns standing in the water? I’m not sure how it all worked out, but I do know it was a supernatural act of God that could only be accomplished by the complete obedience of His people.

Standing Firm and Holding Our Ground

Rebekah poses this question next.

Are there places where God asks us to stand firm and hold our ground?

I read that question and stopped. I read it once more and had to stop and think about it. Then I began to unpack it.

Sometimes God asks us to step into the overflowing waters. It doesn’t make sense. We step in and it’s wet and dirty and mucky. Not only are we supposed to step in, but we are supposed to stay there and hold our ground.

Most of us can handle stepping into the water, but staying there? No thank you. I think the craziest thought in all is that the priests had to step in and stay there for everybody else.

Even if we manage to step into overflowing waters and stay there, I think the last part does us in. We are supposed to do it for others, not for ourselves. God asked the priests to hold their ground for everybody else.

Standing in the Waters

Has God asked you to step into the water and hold your ground for somebody else?

Sometimes God chooses people to stand and hold their ground for those who aren’t strong enough to do it themselves. Maybe that’s you. Maybe it’s me. Will we choose to step out in faith and wait for God to move? We can’t give in and throw in the towel because we get weary or frustrated. We are holding our ground waiting for God to work a miracle in our lives and in the lives of those around us. If we give up now, we will miss when God comes through and does the impossible. If you want to quit and need some encouragement, read my post When You Feel Like Quitting.

So today, remember the miracle of the crossing of the Jordan River.

They stepped out in faith.

They waited.

God moved.

 

Now, fill in your name.

___________________ stepped out in faith.

She waited.

God moved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feeling Frustrated? 5 Steps to Combating Frustration

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cat looking frustrated

photo credit: FuYong Hua

Feeling Frustrated

Sometimes we don’t want to stick with what God has called us to do. We grow tired, discouraged, frustrated, and feel like it’s not worth the hard work. For all of us, it’s something different.

Sometimes the frustrations of motherhood take all our energy and leaves us empty. Sometimes it’s ministry that depletes us. We feel like we don’t have anything left to give. There’s little progress to see, and we don’t feel like we are making a difference. Maybe it’s our job. We feel like we are giving everything we have, but it’s just not enough.

Feeling Weary

I felt this way recently. I felt tired. Maybe that’s not the right word. Weary. Do you ever grow weary in life? Weary of trying to make the right decisions, of trying to make everybody happy, of needing to try harder and do more? And yet the harder you try, the worse it seems to get?

A few days ago in my morning time, God encouraged me with this verse.

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; II Corinthians 4:1

God used this verse to remind me that whatever God has given us to do, He will give us the grace to accomplish it. A few verses later, God tells us how we can do our ministry without fainting or quitting.

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. II Corinthians 4:16

Though we feel like we are falling apart on the outside, we can strengthen ourselves internally. Frustration doesn’t have to control us. How can we strengthen our “inward man,” our heart?

5 Steps to Combating Frustration

  1. Spend time each morning reading, journaling, and praying. This is the most important step. God can strengthen our hearts and encourage us when we spend time with Him. If you need inspiration to get started with a morning time, read my post on tips for an effective morning time.
  2. Listen to encouraging and uplifting Christian music. Just as music soothed the spirit of Saul in the Bible, music can soothe our spirit. When I am really irritated and can’t seem to settle, I turn on the Laura Story station on Pandora or the K-Love app on my phone. Rather than staying frustrated, Christian music helps calm us and turn our focus back to God.
  3. Take a nap or go to bed early. Sometimes we just need sleep. It’s amazing how good a nap or a few extra hours of sleep can help us regain perspective and composure.
  4. Spend time with friends or family. Find somebody that is uplifting and encouraging to spend time with. Go grab coffee with a friend, have a game night with a group of friends, have your extended family over for a meal, host a dessert night with friends from church. Do something that pulls you out of your thoughts and head and helps you focus on others.
  5. Get out of your environment. Take a vacation or a day off and drive someplace away from where you live. Often when Matt and I are frustrated, we will use our day off to drive out to Lancaster, PA. It’s about an hour and a half from where we live. Just getting away from the city and out into the country brings us peace. Sometimes we just need to get away from our problems physically to be able to handle them emotionally.

The faster we move our focus off of ourselves and back to God and others, the faster our frustration will fade.

 

 

 

 

 

Books I’m Reading Right Now

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stack of booksMy Favorite Pastime

I love reading! It’s my favorite pastime. I read pretty widely and read several different books at the same time. I am always scouring other sights looking for book recommendations, so I like to share good books I’m reading with others in return.

I’ve read a lot of books this year so far. Here is a peek into what I am reading this week.

Book Recommendations

  1. I Second that Emotion by Patsy Clairmont. I love Patsy Clairmont. She is funny, witty, and always an encouragement. This book is no exception. It randomly covers several different topics and emotions. It’s a fast and fun read.
  2. You are Free by Rebekah Lyons. I am just a few chapters into this book but really enjoying it. I think it’s similar to Nothing to Prove by Jennie Allen. Rebekah writes about her struggles with depression, panic attacks, and anxiety. I love reading people’s stories, so I love that she is so open and honest about her life and struggles.
  3. The Traitor’s Game by Jennifer Nielsen. Jennifer Nielsen is one of my favorite authors. I have read almost all of her books. Her Ascendance Trilogy is one of my favorite series of books! Matt got me her newest book, The Traitor’s Game for my birthday. I am almost halfway through it and loving it. Kestra, the main character, is kidnapped by rebels and blackmailed into helping them. It’s fast-paced and exciting. I can’t wait to finish it.
  4. The Valiant by Lesley Livingston. I just finished this book and loved it. It’s historical fiction, set in the time of Julius Ceasar. The story is about a female gladiator who fights for Julius Ceasar, her enemy. Cleopatra also appears in the book a few times. Fallon, a gladiatrix (female gladiator) must fight for survival and for her freedom. She knows if she can capture the hearts of the people, she can buy her way to freedom. But lots of people don’t want that to happen. It’s a thrilling read and a great finish.

If you are looking for more book suggestions, check out the summer reading list I made. Happy reading!

Stopping the Pity Party

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A Pity Party

Recently, I had a party. It was a party that no one else was invited to. It wasn’t fun, and it wasn’t pretty. There were no decorations and no cake. It was a good old-fashioned pity party. Ever had one of those?

Often, it seems to surprise us. We seem to be doing okay handling life’s problems and frustrations, and then bam! We start thinking about the unfairness of a situation, how our feelings got hurt, or how things aren’t working out. Before we realize it, we’re in the midst of a full-blown pity party.

The Danger of Self-Pity

Self-pity is a dangerous tool that Satan uses over and over again to bring us to our knees and make us ineffective. Patsy Clairmont, in her book I Second that Emotion, says

Pity is not pretty. Pity is emotional quicksand. I can think of no other feeling that will take you down as quickly. (Patsy Clairmont)

Once we reach the stage of a full-blown pity party, we might as well throw in the towel. We’re done. Self-pity keeps us from stepping into what God has for us, and it keeps us from focusing on those around us. When our problems become too big to us, God becomes small to us. When that happens, Satan has us right where he wants us.

David’s Problems

If anyone deserved to have a pity party, it was David. He was anointed by Samuel to be the next king of Israel, putting him in the bullseye of the current king, Saul. Saul threatens David’s life, and now David is on the run.

If I were in this situation, I would be swallowed up in self-pity, I’m sure. I would complain to God. Why me? Where are you, God? What is going to happen to me? Why can’t you just wipe out Saul? 

David does have times where he questions God and pours out his frustration to Him.  In Psalm 56, we find evidence of this.

Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. 1

Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High. 2

Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil. 5

They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul. 6

Shall they escape by iniquity? in thine anger cast down the people, O God. 7

David’s Turns his Focus Back to God

Yet David turns quickly from his negative thoughts and focuses his attention back on God.

When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.    (vs. 9)

David understood the power of crying out to God for deliverance and trusted that God would deliver him. I love his boldness. He says, this I know. My favorite part of this verse is the next five words that come out of David’s mouth. …for God is for me. 

David had such absolute confidence that God was for him.  He doesn’t tiptoe around this truth, hoping and praying that God was for him. He boldly stakes his claim that he knew God Himself was in his corner.

Victory from Self-Pity

The best way to get out of a pit of self-pity is to remember, as David did, that God is for us. We are not a victim of our circumstances; we are children of God. He has perfectly created us and designed us to handle the lives He has given us. So it’s time to take a deep breath, surrender our feelings and frustrations to God, and step forward into what He has for us. God’s got this. He’s for us, and if He is for us, who can be against us?

girl walking down busy street

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