Encouragment for Every Reason & Season Picture Credit: Southern Living Magazine AS AMERICA celebrates its 250th Birthday, we're reminded of God's blessings on our nation, at its birth, and now. Gratitude for our freedoms turns our hearts to God, trusting Him to continue to light our path and guide us. As we do, I invite you to join me this summer in stepping back, slowing down and taking the time for reflection, prayer, worship, creativity and rest. Reduce your

Savor the Slow Photo Credit: Pinterest "Before rushing into the next thing, linger in the loveliness - the quiet beauty of your Savior is often found there." The summer season invites you to slow down - explore, wander, savor and linger instead of going down the digital rabbit hole. Digital input is rewiring our brains and drastically shortening our attention spans. Emily Thomas shares on her podcast, "Let's put down our phones and pick up real life." What concerns me is

KEEPING with simplifying things this summer, I thought you'd like to make your own Analog Tote. Made from a placemat with the edges already finished, this is quick and easy! This would be a fun project to do with your grand darlings or with a group of neighbors or friends. Karen Ehman encourages us, "Get creative and put things in your finished tote tailored to your current interests. Keep the bag easily accessible as your heading out the door" Here are some suggestions to

"This summer, trade a little screen time for story time and see where a good book will take you" Whether you're stretched out on a beach towel, relaxing on a porch swing, or enjoying a quiet morning coffee, every page is an invitation. Enjoy these book reviews and dive in! Here's three books you'll want to find a favorite spot in the sun, and let the season unfold one chapter at a time. The Atlas of Untold Stories is a classic women's fiction. A literary journey beckons the

Encouragement for Every Reason & Season THE BIBLE is God's blueprint for us, it gives us clarity and encouragement. We find Him on every page. He rescues, He delivers, He brings peace and He comforts. In Deuteronomy 33:27 we read, "Underneath are the everlasting arms." C.H. Spurgeon reminds us that, "The text speaks of the Lord's everlasting arms, a strength that never fails, and never turns aside from the purpose to which it has bound itself. The arms of God are busy on y

I believe the only fitting response to His pursuit of our hearts is to wholeheartedly seek Him in return." Jennifer McCaman C.H. Spurgeon shares, "He is ever near when we are sick, feeble and beaten down. Underneath dying saints there is a living God!" Dying... dying to self, dying to dreams, maybe it's a new season where your passion or calling is being redirected, we die to the familiar and comfortable. Maybe it's a relationship that meant everything to you, now you w

Looking for a way to use up your paper and fabric scraps? A thoughtful gesture for any occasion or a fun invitation torn edged paper scraps is easier than you think. A handmade card can carry a lot of meaning for those supportive moments when you want to wish someone well. Supply Suggestions: Scrapbook paper, parchment paper, vellum, brown paper bag, tissue paper. Pages with wording on it from hymnals, magazines, old books. A child's drawings (photocopied of course). Maps

You're Invited "When we preach Jesus Christ, oh! Then we are not putting out the plates, the knives and the forks for the feast, but we are handing out the Bread Himself." C.H. Spurgeon Brunch has become the popular weekend go to and it's easier than you think. The best part about a brunch is there is something for everyone from savory to sweet. The options are endless, from wonderful make ahead breakfast casseroles, quiches, french toast bakes and brunch boards to breakfas

Encouragement for Every Season & Reason Kit's Typewriter WELL, THAT WAS UNEXPECTED... As I unboxed our daughter Katy's American Girl Dolls that she had loved and played with when she was a young girl, tender memories flooded back now that she is a grown woman, living too far away. But present day had tasked me with finding Kit and Felicity in the attic for our granddaughter Lydia to continue that love and fun. I first pulled out Kit, she wore her red Christmas dress with wh

“But these moments are invitations...” "But this season is not about holding on to what was - it's about opening your hands to what God is doing now." she goes on, "He works in missed calls, the strained conversations, the hope we're trying to hold onto. His presence is steady and sure." Ann Voskamp explains, "You don't need to create the perfect holiday to experience the miracle of it. God comes into the imperfect places - into the unspoken griefs, the gaps in our famil