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Holiness in the Daily Grind

8/30/2019

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Holiness in the Daily Grind
Holiness is not a popular subject today, but it is an essential biblical quality each of us should pursue.

Nancy DeMoss in her book Holiness writes, 
“Holiness isn’t exactly an easy subject to ‘sell.’ It‘s not one of the top ten topics people look for in a Christian bookstore, there aren’t a lot of hit songs about holiness; and I can count on two hands the number of messages I recall hearing on the theme.”
In the book The Hole in Our Holiness author Kevin DeYoung it states,
“The hole in our holiness is that we don’t really care much about it. …Believers want ‘community acceptance’ not to be called legalistic, prudish, narrow-minded, old fashioned, holier-than-thou, or worst of all, a fundamentalist.”

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5 Signs of a Functional Family: An Attitude of Service

8/27/2019

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5 Signs of a Functional Family
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This post is the first in a 5-part series of studies on the family. Much is said in today's society about functional and dysfunctional families. It goes without saying that God’s plan for the Christian family is one of functionality, harmony and love. In the midst of all the pop culture and psychobabble of the day it is necessary to go back to the Word of God for a complete understanding of exactly what is a functional family.

In his book, Five Signs of a Functional Family, Gary Chapman discusses five key elements that are present in every family that is honoring God. All five of these signs are addressed in the post Come and Gather: Family Time With God.

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To be Seen Known and Loved

8/23/2019

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To be Seen Known and Loved
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The other day I was having a conversation with a friend as she stood by her two babies who were resting in a stroller. Her little boy was facing her and wanted to get his mama’s attention. As we talked, he made the cutest grunting noises until she turned and looked at him. The minute her eyes met his, his face lit up with the biggest smile, one of the most precious things I’ve ever seen. All it took from this little guy’s mom was a glance his way to completely satisfy his longing to be seen. That moment with my friend and her baby made me think about how we all have a similar desire to be seen, to be known, and loved. ​

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12 Letters I Wrote to a Friend With Cancer

8/20/2019

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12 Letters I Wrote to My Friend With Cancer
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Being diagnosed with cancer can be a terrifying experience! It can bring about so many negative thoughts, like fear of the unknown and physical pain, as well as mental stress. If you have a friend with cancer, as I do, you may not know how to help them. I didn’t. But I decided to share some words of encouragement with her and hope they help her remember she is never alone.
 
I wrote 12 letters to my friend who is battling cancer today—one to open on the day of each of her 12 chemotherapy treatments. Before her first treatment, I bundled the handwritten letters, wrapped them with a pretty ribbon, and took them to her.

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Establishing TV Viewing Standards For Your Family

8/16/2019

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Establishing TV Viewing Standards For Your Family
How much TV viewing time do you allow in your family each week? We talk in our Come and Gather: Family Time With God post that "...the average family watches over 20 hours of television a week." That's almost a whole day!

So, how much is too much, and how do you decide what is good to watch, questionable to watch, or "we are absolutely not watching that?"

I have friends on both sides of the fence. Some allow their kiddos to watch almost anything on television, while others don't allow theirs to watch television at all. I have found myself comfortably nestled somewhere in between.

There are three tests I like to use when establishing TV viewing standards in our home. There's the Reality Test, the Value Test, and finally, the Morality Test.

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How to Write a Book in 4 Simple Steps

8/13/2019

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The Heart That Heals
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How to write a book in 4 simple steps:

  1. Experience a life-changing tragedy
  2. Get outside of your comfort zone
  3. Find an editor that believes in the message
  4. Become discouraged and put the project away for 17 years
​​
​Seriously, this is how it happens sometimes. At least this is how it happened for me. And if I’m completely honest, none of that was simple. The Heart That Heals is coming to Amazon September 1, 2019. Today I want to share with you how it almost didn’t happen.

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Different as the Shells on the Shore

8/9/2019

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Different as the Shells on the Shore
“Mom, I am tired of being made fun of for taking a stand.”

​If I had a dollar for every time I have had this conversation with my kids, I would have a small fortune. The pressure to be like the crowd, or to not make waves can be a heavy burden for tweens and teens. Helping them navigate the feeling of loneliness and fear of man has always been a challenge for this momma’s heart.

It is hard to watch your children struggle, or even be left out. In the long run, choosing to be different for God’s glory, will bring peace and joy. It is just hard to see through the immediate circumstance. 

Just a few weeks ago, I found myself in this conversation with my fourteen year old daughter. She had made a media choice that was not one we approved of. 

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  • Start Here
    • About
    • Contact
  • The Blog
    • Guest Bloggers
    • IE Link-up
  • The Heart That Heals
    • Read Chapter 1 of The Heart That Heals
  • Explore Christianity
  • Library
    • Merry Christmas Happy Everything Songbook
    • The Red Sea Rules eBook
    • Bible Reading Itinerary in Chronological Order of Book Authorship
    • The Ultimate Guide to Praying Proverbs Over Your Child
    • Disciple Me 10-Week Discipleship Bible Study eBook
    • 16 Names of God and What They Mean
  • Etsy