HUGE Blessings Unlimited SALE!!!




Ok, yesterday I gave a quick shout out to DaySpring...


And today it's time to promote Blessings Unlimited.


I'm humbled by its mission: "To pursue the heart of God and bring blessings to others."
That's is EXACTLY what I wanna do, and especially during this season, where we CELEBRATE the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ!  
So, whether you're beginning to shop for Christmas gifts, or you're just needing to encourage a loved one during this Christmas season, here is your chance to get Blessings Unlimited products at RIDICULOUS prices!!!  
50-83% off!  
WHAT???


There are 3 ways to take advantage of this Sale:
1.  You can place your orders directly through my website.
2.  Contact me with your order and payment information.
3.  Host a Gathering (in house, open house, or 'catalog' party), and get hostess credit.

But HURRY!  Sale runs December 1-31, but items may sell out FAST!  
So, share away!  
Peace!

The miracle of incarnation




That the God of the Universe would send his ONLY Son to Earth... 
to save the world from their sins...
Wow...

I'm looking forward to Christmas this year.  

There's nothing more special than celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, who came to earth, incarnated, to be the Savior of the world.  Wow!  And what a humble entrance...


Really looking forward to taking each day, starting on December 1, to REMEMBER and CELEBRATE the true reason for Christmas.  Jesus.  
Once again, I was fortunate to receive a few beautiful items from DaySpring to help me "beautify" my humble home.  And I mean... humble...  especially when it comes to holiday decorations.  
This beautiful Daily Devotional Advent journal is sitting on my piano (on this beautiful 2-sided table runner).  


And guess WHAT!  
It's on SALE for only $5.99!


There's a TON of products on sale and clearance right now!    today!
What a great place to begin and end your Christmas shopping.  


Until next time!
May you also look forward to His birthday :)

My Ongoing Journey




You all know I've been on a journey.
I'm a little over half way through my 40-Day Prayer Challenge, and I gotta say...  God is Faithful!
I didn't quite want to post a "Thanksgiving-type" post for the sake of posting one.  
I know a lot of people did, and I enjoyed reading every one of them.
But I wanted to SIT and REST in Him.
I wanted to soak in every ounce of memory I was creating with my family and friends.
And most of all, I wanted to pay attention to the everyday-type details, not just the ones that are usually worth mentioning on a Thanksgiving post.  Y'know what I mean?  

So here I am today... completely in AWE of God's goodness and faithfulness in my life.
Despite my lacks and failures, He is COMPLETE and PERFECT.
I've often heard that the remedy for anxiety, sadness, anger, discontentment or dissatisfaction is PRAISE.
And I have to agree with that.  
The Psalms is all about that!
And that is exactly where I've been meditating and resting every night.  
The Psalms.
"To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;" Psalm 25:1
"Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Psalm 23:6
"For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night but rejoicing comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5
"Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD." Psalm 31:24

And also, as mentioned in my last post, I've been absolutely LOVING this book:
 by Jen Hatmaker


OH...MY...WORD!
Are you kidding me?  How can a book (or, actually, Jen Hatmaker) know EXACTLY what I'm thinking and feeling???  Are you serious???  Where have you been???
Here's a quick exerpt, but... be cautioned!  She is extremely transparent (funny) about certain issues that us, moms, may be facing...  ok, here it goes:

"There were so many elements of parenting I was unaware of when I signed up for it.  in the earliest stage, my romantic notion of motherhood was hijacked by such delights as breast pumps, sitz baths, and hemorrhoids.  Everyone forgot to tell me I'd still look six months pregnant after I delivered, and I'd need to wear adult diapers for three weeks.  I found it troublesome that my hair fell out in clumps and my nipples looked like ground beef... There is simply no end to the giving that motherhood requires... But that teensy-tiny part of me that is selfish (roll eyes here) asks, "How much can I possibly give before I burn out?" Jesus promised when we choos sacrifice and love - the fullest measure of giving - it will be returned, not like a half-filled bag of Doritos, but "pressed down, shaken together, and running over (Luke 6:38)"  

And here's some more:  "Your kids might act like shining angels dropped them straight into your arms from the bosom of heaven, and if so, the rest of us don't really like you.  But if you have a challenging child, or a stubborn child, or one who refuses to learn his lesson - okay, basically all kids - forgiveness is a peculiar discipline to practice as mothers... Do you have a child who tests the limits of your forgiveness?  Step OUT of the spin cycle: Talk to your child today and confess your mistakes (such as anger, yelling, or punishing silence).  Set a new tone and give your child a clean slate."

If you're a young (or not so young like me) mother, you need to check this book out!  I am borrowing it from the library at the moment, but I think I need my own copy (hint, hint...).  

Have you been RESTING in the Lord, even in the midst of a very busy season?  I'm trying... and by God's grace and mercy, my eyes are open to the here and now.  And my prayer for you is that He will show up in your small moments, too.  Enjoy today!

Prayer Challenge - Day 4




Just a quick update...

God knows what I need.
And today, I needed to be silent.  I'm sick.  Without a voice.
Literally... Losing my voice prevented me from yelling or complaining.
I'm pushing myself to NOT use my vocal cords, which is a challenge.
I stayed at home from church this morning, but God is FAITHFUL in meeting me where I am.

Here are some words I read from Out of the Spin Cycle: Devotions to Lighten Your Mother Load by Jen Hatmaker.  


OH so true, and something that was said to us at MOTTTS this past week:

"Perhaps no service rendered to our children is more important than our intercession.  A mother's job is to pray for her children while they don't have the words, understanding, or insight to pray for themselves.  We stand in the gap, praying for their salvation, gifts, and lives, much like the Spirit prays for us.  What matters when we pray is not the lovely (or weird) words we use.  It doesn't matter if the prayer sounds pretty, if it flows right, if it's in the some perfect order, or if it was long enough.  You don't need to be an accomplished public pray-er or fluent in Christian lingo." (p.25) 

So today I'm resting my voice.  I'm letting the Lord speak.  And what a beautiful reminder that when my children have no words or understanding to pray for themselves, I CAN STAND IN THE GAP FOR THEM!  What a beautiful thing! 

40-Day Prayer Challenge




I'm in!

This morning at MOTTTS (and here), the moms group I attend weekly, a sweet fellow mom along with the entire leadership team challenged us, ME, to take a 40-Day prayer challenge.  I'm in!
During the next 40 days, starting today, I'm committed to setting aside an intentional time to "stop and pray". Not sure HOW that will happen, or WHAT it'll look like, 
but the CHALLENGE IS ON!
I truly believe that PRAYER is at the heart of a deep and living relationship with God, and I'm willing and EXCITED to hear from Him these next 40 days.  
What will He say?
What will I say?
How will this happen?
When will this happen?
I'm not sure...
... but I can't wait.


A few suggestions given to me:
Journal
Pray Scripture
Memorize Ephesians 6:10-18 (as a prayer for my family, my children, and myself)
Stop...
... and PRAY!

I felt truly compelled to begin a relentless pursuit.  
A pursuit towards desiring God's BEST for my children.
I felt compelled to stand in the gap for my children, especially while they're young...
I want to pray FOR them, WITH them, and despite my shortcomings.
I want to pray out loud!

If you remember, please pray for me...
OR
If you feel compelled, 
JOIN ME!