InstaEncouragements Blog

2 Basic Principles to Help Us Use Our Time Wisely

10/29/2021

Saying Yes or Saying No:
Using Our Time To the Glory of God

I was recently having a conversation with a dear friend about the goings-on of our lives. As we shared with each other all of the various responsibilities, commitments and opportunities on our plates, we soon shifted to the struggle to prioritize and carry out all the to-do’s in a way that doesn’t leave us feeling frazzled or stretched beyond our limits. We both agreed that a key component in this endeavor is learning when and how to say no. However, that isn’t always easy. “The more I think about it,” my friend said, “the more I realize just how engrained it is in me to feel pressured to say yes to most things. I see it with my parents, too. I think there’s this mentality that has been unknowingly taught and passed down that in order to be a good, selfless, and obedient Christian I should rarely if ever, say no.”

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Sweeter Than Honey: Pride and Punishment

10/26/2021

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Sweeter Than Honey: Pride and Punishment

What if we spent a few quiet moments with God each morning? What if we were intentional about making time for it? What if we committed to doing that all year long and by the year’s end we found that we had read the entire Bible!?

How many times, on January 1, have you committed to reading the Bible from cover to cover in a year? I have made that commitment too many times to count, and I have failed too many times to admit.

A few years ago though, I used a one-year, chronological order of book authorship, Bible Reading Itinerary.

Did you know that Genesis was not the first book of the Bible written? While plans like this vary somewhat, because it is simply impossible to put an exact date on some books of the Bible, the plan I used begins with the book of Job.

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How Do I Know Jesus Cares for Me?

10/22/2021

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In a world that is driven by social media and the number of likes on those posts that supposedly quantify how popular a person is, the thought strikes me…is any of it real?

What does a “like” on my post really mean? Does it really indicate someone actually cares about me or just that they have “seen my story” or given me a nod with “a thumbs up” or “heart” reaction?

Don’t get me wrong…I use social media to stay connected with people around the globe, but I believe it takes much more for us to show we care than just to “like” a post.

When I struggle with questions like these, I believe the best way to find an answer is to go to God’s Word looking for a model or a pattern of how Jesus would have handled these situations.

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Sweeter Than Honey: If My People

10/19/2021

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3 Ways to be a Good Friend

10/15/2021

6 Comments

When I moved from Pennsylvania to Georgia, seven years ago, one of the most daunting things I faced was the need to make new friends in a new place. I struggled. For me, the small talk and slow give and take of information, actions, and opinions that eventually build trust, love, and friendship is a hard process.

Don’t get me wrong, I love friendship, and I have several close friends with whom I love to talk and spend quality time. I love friendships that are already established—already tested.

I love friendships where:

trust is given and received freely.
disagreements are interesting instead of uncomfortable.
distance makes us more creative with ways to stay close instead of pulling us apart.

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Sweeter Than Honey: Never Too Old to do God's Work

10/12/2021

14 Comments

Sweeter Than Honey: Never Too Old to do God's Work

14 Comments

Biblical Version of Captain Small Pig

10/8/2021

6 Comments

I have long loved the book Oh, the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss. But today, I am more in love with it than ever because of what Kristen, over at Joyfully Thriving, has done with it.

This past summer, my friend Joy introduced me to Kristen's site. I love what she's done with Oh, the Places You’ll Go, Guess How Much I Love You, and I Wish You More. She writes meaningful, thought-provoking Scripture in the pages of these books! Kristen has a free printable you can download here for Oh, the Places You’ll Go. You can buy the printable in her Etsy shop for Guess How Much I Love You. She also sells all three books—with Scripture writing in them—in her Etsy shop.

I downloaded Kristen's free printable for Oh, the Places You’ll Go. Then, I purchased the printable from her Etsy shop for Guess How Much I Love You. These guides helped me create Scripture books for our grandsons.

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2 Basic Principles to Help Us Use Our Time Wisely

Saying Yes or Saying No:
Using Our Time To the Glory of God

Sweeter Than Honey: Pride and Punishment

How Do I Know Jesus Cares for Me?

Sweeter Than Honey: If My People

3 Ways to be a Good Friend

Sweeter Than Honey: Never Too Old to do God's Work

Biblical Version of Captain Small Pig

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2 Basic Principles to Help Us Use Our Time Wisely

Saying Yes or Saying No: ​Using Our Time To the Glory of God

Sweeter Than Honey: Pride and Punishment

How Do I Know Jesus Cares for Me?

Sweeter Than Honey: If My People

​3 Ways to be a Good Friend

Sweeter Than Honey: Never Too Old to do God's Work

Biblical Version of Captain Small Pig

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Top Posts

Featured

Categories

Archives

Saying Yes or Saying No:
Using Our Time To the Glory of God

3 Ways to be a Good Friend