[cp_dropcaps]M[/cp_dropcaps]y mind floods with memories today — memories of days, years, decades gone by. So many days, so many memories — so much grace the Lord has lavished on me through the gift of our firstborn daughter. Two precious sons were born to us before the Lord gifted us all with this great treasure — this inestimable gift. I’m ever mindful that without her, I’d never have made it through. I’m blessed by this–I’m humbled by this. So very humbled by the grace of God in my life and the gift of her life. In the early days, I’d never…
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[cp_dropcaps]H[/cp_dropcaps]ardly a week goes by that I don’t think (or mutter aloud) that this or that blog or twitter account will have a crash. In just a matter of time there will be an incident or an avalanche of incidents that will take a blogger to an intersection in her life where she’ll be broadsided some Thursday afternoon and she’ll sit on the floor, head in her hands, crying out to God for His mercy. But for now, she doesn’t ask for help because she doesn’t know she needs it. Yet. Such was the case for me… going to bed…
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[cp_dropcaps]M[/cp_dropcaps]ay the LORD be with you and bless you this day! He is so gracious to us all and His mercies are new every morning. I share this before I share my letter with you because I know that each time I share a letter on marriage, there are sisters whose hearts are breaking and the pain of marital difficulties weighs heavily on them. So it is with this in mind that I write and pray to offer a bit of hope today. What I’m sharing with you today is a message I wrote many years ago and have continued…
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[cp_dropcaps]Y[/cp_dropcaps]ou know, some ways of the LORD are very easy to accept and then there’re times when His way is a bit more challenging and the price seems a bit higher, perhaps a price too steep for us to consent to give. But, you know, in those times His mercy and grace seem greater. These are the proving grounds, these are the testings of our faith. I used to think that the testing of our faith was part trickery and part unrealistic expectation, something akin to being doomed to failure. O, but that’s not God, that’s not the God of…
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[cp_dropcaps]S[/cp_dropcaps]o much on my mind lately that I’m overwhelmed if I indulge in thinking too long without something to specifically direct my thoughts. Were it not for prayer, singing and morning Bible study, I don’t know where I’d be. I know that’s an over used phrase — I don’t know where I’d be — but it’s over used bcz it’s true. More true than we might realize, I’m sure. If you’re a believer — redeemed by grace through faith in Jesus — think where you’d be without Christ. Think of where you’d be without that precious hope. Think of where…
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So the idea I wrote about yesterday… I implemented it and added one more thing to the idea: Journal it! Make an account of that next thing — every day — that one thing I added. Accountability is a powerful tool. So is follow-through and accomplishment! So I have this notebook and will just keep writing the day/date and the item and I’ll keep a running number — honestly, I truly hope to see 266 things added. Using this method *and* my This Beautiful Life planner journal, I will have a very tangible accountability tool/marker for this year. I marvel…
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[cp_dropcaps]T[/cp_dropcaps]his morning as I sat at my dining room table, I thought, what if I did one new thing each day for the rest of this year, how many things would I be able to do? How many additional things would be accomplished? Two Hundred Sixty Six. Imagine: 266 additional things. Instantly, I’m reminded of the significance of the number 266 — an average pregnancy is 266 days. Not anymore for this Sarah, but that’s a number I’ll never forget. I considered: Purposefully learning and purposefully accomplishing one additional thing every day. Adding one more step, situp, pushup, crunch, squat—-one…
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IF YOU FALL OFF THE Trim Healthy Mama plan WAGON —– after having smashing success —– DON’T SMASH THE WAGON! GET UP… TO YOUR KNEES… GIVE YOUR PLANS TO THE LORD, CRY FOR HELP, CRY FOR HOPE —- DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF THE SILLY nonsensical repetitive INDULGENCE THAT GOT YOU TO AN UNHEALTHY PLACE/WEIGHT IN THE FIRST PLACE. So you fell off the wagon. DO NOT GIVE IN TO THE LIE THAT YOU ARE BETTER OFF WITHOUT THE PLAN–THAT YOU HATED IT ANYWAY — THAT YOU JUST WANT TO BE FREE TO EAT WHAT YOU WANT and just be normal…
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The sweetest peace comes at the most unexpected times… do you know what I mean? Have you experienced the sweetest peace in the midst of tenderest joy? Have you experienced the sweetest peace in the midst of anguishing sorrow? Have you experienced the sweetest peace in the midst of heart wrenching loss? The sweetest peace that washes over you now when you reflect on some past experience… the sweetest peace that carries you through the hardest places you’ve ever traveled… this is the peace that passes understanding. I think this is the peace that Kara wrote about in her book:…
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I have a few Starbucks aprons I’ve picked up, second hand, along the way. One of them has a printed tape inside the top of the apron. I’m assuming it was positioned there so that it would be seen (and intentionally read) each time the barista positioned the neck strap and donned the apron. As with many other aprons I have, I’ve worn this one many times. Until recently, I never even noticed the black tape sewn inside the top band of that apron. Thus, I’d never read the message intended for the baristas: We create inspired moments in each…