InstaEncouragements Blog

4 Things to Remember When Life Feels Ordinary

4/29/2022

"Comparison is the thief of joy.”

Theodore Roosevelt’s words are undoubtedly truer now than when he first wrote them over 100 years ago. For so long, man could only compare himself and his life with those he could observe in his relatively small sphere of life. But now we have access to view and compare ourselves with the lives, accomplishments, and experiences of millions across the globe with a touch or swipe of a finger. Our ability to create discontentment and restlessness within ourselves has grown exponentially with the advent of newer technologies. And even though we know that what we see presented to us on social media platforms is often crafted and curated in such a way that it lacks true reality, we can still find ourselves feeling disappointed and somewhat underwhelmed by our present circumstances, which invariably do not measure up to those we see around us.

0 Comments

4 Gospel-Centered Music Resources For Little Hearts & Minds

4/1/2022

3 Comments

Of the many #gifts #God has given us, music is one of my favorites. Music has great power. It #encourages and uplifts. It brings quiet and #calm. It can #celebrate our greatest #joys and console us in our deepest #grief. Studies have shown music improves our #health. But of all the things #music can do, I find myself in awe of one in particular. Music has great power to help us #learn and #remember. Here are our family’s favorite #resources for #Gospel-centered music for #children. #momhack

Of the many gifts that God has given to His creation, music is one of my favorites. Music has great power. It can encourage and uplift. It can bring quiet and calm. It can be used to celebrate our greatest joys as well as console us in our deepest griefs. There have even been studies that show that music can improve our health. But of all the things that music can do, I find myself in awe of one in particular. Music has great power to help us learn and remember.

When I worked in a Montessori classroom with three to six-year-olds, I was amazed not only at the amount of information these young minds could retain but also at how quickly they could commit it to memory, and all because it was set to music. These little ones could easily recall the seven continents, the days of the week, the months of the year, all fifty states (in alphabetical order), and more!

3 Comments

3 Prayers for the Anxious Heart

3/4/2022

4 Comments

We'll be less inclined to persist in #worry if we're #preaching to our hearts our need for dependence in #prayer. Rehearsing the greatness of #God in prayer not only gives honor to Him but does much to #encourage and reassure my heart. Whatever God does in my life, whether it appears as good or bad to my human eyes, it is best. Even in the pain of an unwanted or difficult answer, I can and should #thank God. 3 #Prayers for the #Anxious Heart-- A Prayer for #Humility, #Worship, and #Gratitude.

Like most children, I grew up with some naive ideas as to what it means to be a grownup. I thought adults had absolute freedom to do whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted, and had total autonomy in life. As I inched my way through the elementary, middle, and high school years, I began to understand how mistaken and silly such ideas were. However, there was one naive belief that stayed with me until my early twenties, with the bubble bursting shortly after I graduated college.

For most of my life, I had believed that grownups had all the answers. The adults in my life were all capable, responsible, and encouraging sources of wisdom. With them as my examples, I falsely concluded that such competency and insight must just come along with reaching adulthood. Unsurprisingly, I struggled when reality proved this is not the case.

4 Comments

Five Principles To Guide Our Resolutions

1/28/2022

2 Comments

Five Principles To Guide Our Resolutions

For me, January always feels like one of the longest months of the year. The anticipation and amusements of the holidays are over, and it’s back to the normal day-to-day routine. Additionally, we must now face the cold bite of winter without the warming glow of lights and decorations. Frigid days, fewer hours of sun, and a return to the everyday grind all add up to a January that seems to have no end in sight.

Is it any wonder that those who set out with purposeful resolutions on New Year's Day are now struggling to see them through the first month of the year, let alone an entire twelve?

Although the Bible doesn’t specifically address the act of making New Year’s resolutions, it does give us principles for making wise priorities and practices in our lives so that we can be faithful and fruitful stewards, glorifying God in all we say and do.

2 Comments

Christmas Comes in the Dark

12/31/2021

1 Comment

There’s a lot of pressure to be happy at Christmas. Swipe through your Instagram feed during the month of December and no doubt you will see countless posts of people reveling in the tree decorating, cookie making, concerts, shopping, bright lights, and a myriad of other seasonal activities. But for many people, Christmas is difficult — tinged with sorrows, trials, loneliness, and loss.

The first Christmas after my dad passed away was a hard one for me. I still enjoyed the season with all the events and experiences that took place, but at the same time, there was this dark cloud that hovered in my heart and mind — the cloud of grief. I would be perfectly happy one day watching a Christmas movie with my husband and daughter, and the next I would burst into tears while listening to my favorite carols. I had a difficult time, to say the least, making sense of the spectrum of emotions I felt.

1 Comment

3 Key Considerations to Help Us Use Our Time Wisely

11/26/2021

0 Comments

3 Key Considerations to Help Us Use Our Time Wisely

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

Last month, we looked at "2 Basic Principles to Help Us Use Our Time Wisely."

Elisabeth shared with us some wisdom from her sister-in-law: “We often feel like we have to keep all the plates spinning all the time, but we really don’t. Pick the plates that absolutely must keep going, and learn to be okay with letting the rest fall.” I love this! It's so true.

This month, we're following up that helpful blog post with "3 Key Considerations to Help Us Use Our Time Wisely."

While we see that it’s both okay and necessary at times for us to say no, the question remains — how can we know when to say yes and when to say no?

0 Comments

2 Basic Principles to Help Us Use Our Time Wisely

10/29/2021

3 Comments

2 Basic Principles to Help Us Use Our Time Wisely

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.”

3 Comments

<<Previous

4 Things to Remember When Life Feels Ordinary

4 Gospel-Centered Music Resources For Little Hearts & Minds

3 Prayers for the Anxious Heart

Five Principles To Guide Our Resolutions

Christmas Comes in the Dark

3 Key Considerations to Help Us Use Our Time Wisely

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

2 Basic Principles to Help Us Use Our Time Wisely

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

Top Posts

Featured

Categories

Archives

4 Things to Remember When Life Feels Ordinary

4 Gospel-Centered Music Resources For Little Hearts & Minds

3 Prayers for the Anxious Heart

Five Principles To Guide Our Resolutions

Christmas Comes in the Dark

3 Key Considerations to Help Us Use Our Time Wisely

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

2 Basic Principles to Help Us Use Our Time Wisely

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

Join the movement!

Top Posts

Featured

Categories

Archives

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

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