Spiritual

Sketching in Pencil

We all start with a blank canvas. A canvas to dream, to create, to design, to draft, to envision, and to develop. A clean slate. A fresh start. A beginning. But it doesn’t take us long to mark that canvas up. To put lines, arrows, patterns, and circles.  To leave dots, smears, specks, and marks. To make choices, decisions, impressions, and traces. To impact, influence, determine, and affect. One by one, the marks play into who you are, they determine who you are becoming, and they leave lasting transformations.

We all make marks with each thing we say, action we take, or thing we do. How we make our marks is the important part. Are we so set and confident in our own ways that we sketch in pen and take the control in our own hands? Do we sketch in pen or in pencil? Do we sketch, create and make marks with pencil so that we can develop our canvas with open hands? By doing this, we let the Lord come into our pencil sketches. We let Him come in with permanence and pen. We let him come in with beauty and color. He is creating a masterpiece. You see, the canvas of our life is His creation. It is His artwork. And as we make choices and steps forward and make our pencil sketches, the Lord is over us and in control making a beautiful piece of art.

We do have the choice to draw in pen ourselves. But all we end up doing with that is making permanent marks that may not be the best patterns for our life. When we do this, we hold God at a distance, and we take away from the best work that God intends for us. When we think we know …

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Israel Adventures continue

Our Fall bucket list for October has come to an end, but the adventures continue at home and for Kerry and Rick in Israel. Here is the latest scoop from their travels:

We made it through the border crossing between Israel and Jordan. We enjoyed seeing Mt. Nebo and a city called Madaba.

Mt. Nebo is referenced in the Bible as the place where Moses was granted a view of the Promised Land in Deuteronomy 34. Madaba was once a Moabite border city, mentioned in the Bible in both Numbers and Joshua.

That night, we watched the sunrise over the Petra mountains and woke up early the next day to hike through the ancient city of Petra.

The Nabatean kingdom was established here approximately 9,000 BC. Petra is located near Mt. Hor, where Moses’s brother Aaron passed away.

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Israel Adventures: Ein Gedi

The bucket list adventures keep on coming from Isreal!

Today we hiked to the top waterfall in Ein Gedi, the oasis where David hid in caves from King Saul who was chasing him to kill him because David had become more popular with the people. This is referenced in the Bible in 1 Samuel 24:1-22.

Ein Gedi is located at the edge of the Dead Sea. It is the only natural fresh water oasis near this desolate below-sea-level area surrounding the Dead Sea, also inspiring the poetry of Song of Solomon, Song 1:14.

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Hiking Masada

Today’s bucket list adventure was hiking Masada, Hebrew for “fortress,” and one of Israel’s most popular tourist attractions.

It is possible that Masada is the place David took refuge from Saul and where he wrote some of his Psalms.

Herod the Great built himself two large palaces here between 37 and 31 BCE. According to Josephus, Herod had two great fears: one, to be deposed by the Jewish people, and two, the fear of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt. This fortress, Masala, was one of his escape places.

You can walk the 911 foot trail to the top, and we are so glad we did. It took 52 minute to climb and the top has incredible views of the Dead Sea. We drank 8 bottles of water!

Signing off for now from Israel,

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Truth Unchanging Devotional Review

I was gifted the devotional book, Truth Unchanging: Hearing God Daily in the Midst of Motherhood by Becky Thompson by my sister, Bethany, for my birthday.

Although I’m only a few days into reading it, I wanted to give a recommendation for what I think about it already! First of all, I love the tone of Becky’s writing. I have also read her book, Hope Unfolding: Grace-Filled Truth for the Momma’s Heart and, in each book, it is as if you are sitting across from a friend in a coffee shop. Although bold in Truth, she is gentle and understanding of what motherhood entails. She says…

“As moms know, even when there isn’t noise around us, there is usually noise within us. The constant to-do lists that spin in our minds, the worry and wonder if we are doing a good job, and the need to stay two steps ahead of our families when we feel two steps behind keep our minds routinely restless. So when quiet time with God isn’t so quiet, and alone time is nearly nonexistent, how does a modern-day momma tune in the voice of the Lord?

With Truth Unchanging, you don’t have to wait until you’re alone to talk with Jesus. Designed to be read in five minutes or less, each powerful, hope-filled devotion will…

-REFOCUS your heart on the Word of God

-REFRESH your mind with God’s Truth for your life

-REVIVE your spirit as you realize God is speaking to you personally

Truth Unchanging is not just a devotional. It’s an opportunity to begin daily conversations with Jesus, the One who has everything we need for the days ahead, the One who wants to speak to you right now. Tune in to His voice today.”

In each devotional, Becky asks great questions …

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Connecting Through Motherhood – MOPS

This year, I decided to join a MOPS group. MOPS stands for “Mothers of Preschoolers” but it is really for moms of preschool age children and under. MOPS has been such a blessing for me not only to give me a two hour window every other week to remember what it is like to have a conversation without being interrupted by my little ones but also to be encouraged in motherhood with a group of amazing women! By stepping out of my comfort zone and trying something new, I was able to meet new friends, talk through motherhood struggles and get ideas for how to get through different stages of child rearing, and hear some amazing teachings from many Christian women.

Here is some of the encouragement I was given from these great teachers…

Maria Goff gave us a CHARGE for our lives in motherhood from Ephesians 4:1

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

reminding us that we must live each day with NO COMPARISON.

She taught us that HOSPITALITY is not about how you set your table but how people feel about sitting around your table. It is more about the condition of our HEARTS, not the condition of our HOME.

Melanie Dale taught us about what

Mo Isom taught us how to SUFFER WELL, that our worth as a Mom is not in our ability to make life look picture perfect.

She encouraged us to HAVE COURAGE because God has already overcome the world.

“Adversity (in motherhood) is inevitable but is is also used in …

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Deep Connection

 

At the end of the day I am usually exhausted.  My bandwidth for emotional connection or anything extra is usually run dry. Life with two toddlers is quite busy, especially those days where one is napping all day and I don’t get much of a break.  Today is not one of those days, that is why I actually get a chance to write.  So the ability to connect on a deep level with the Lord, with my husband, with friends,is not always the most appealing thing when all I want to do is binge on some netflix in my pajamas and eat some popcorn… But I have found that deep connection and meaningful conversation and investing in relationships is still so important. Even when you feel like you have nothing to give.  Usually those meaningful conversations and times of emotional connection end up filling you up.  So what can seem so daunting and like the last thing on the list can actually have the ability to give you energy and the capability to accomplish more, be more, and feel like a completely different person.  Connection speaks to our hearts, it speaks to our minds.  It draws us out of those places of complacency, of tiredness, of for lack of better words laziness.  It calls us to discover more of who we are, what makes us tick, what gives us energy, what fills us.  It makes you a better you. So why is it so hard to get there… You just got to do it.  Call a friend, even when you feel inundated with mom life and all you have to talk about is your kids.  Go out with some mom friends, even when you feel like your social skills are lacking due to toddler land and chaos.  Spend some …

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365 Things Every New Mom Should Know-Passion Perspective Introducing Linda Danis

A few years ago, Growing Weisser started a new “tradition” called “Passion Perspective”. “Passion Perspective” is a unique way to share a glimpse into the lives of some intriguing people who are pursuing their passions. In the past, we featured guests that have a true enthusiasm for the work they are doing. Our “Passion Perspective” posts included exclusive interviews to introduce you to many of our favorite friends who are on a journey of taking their passions and turning them into small businesses. We will share insights including the steps they took, the challenges they faced, and the blessings that have come into their lives and the lives of others.

This week we are featuring Linda Danis, an expert on “All things MOM”! She is one of the most devoted moms I know. Not only is she dedicated to her own children and now grandchildren, but she loves mentoring young moms and has a passion for encouraging women in their lives and in their faith. This interview is wonderful and her book, 365 Things Every New Mom Should Know would be a perfect gift for Mother’s Day!

I know you well, Linda, but can you tell our readers a little bit about
yourself?
I love being a mom! I have been married for 33 years and have four
children who are all in their 20’s, my youngest is in college. I have also
entered the wonderful world of being a grandparent with twin 2-year-old
granddaughters and another on the way. Raising my kids has been my main job
and ministry for the past three decades which means I have worn many
different hats over the years… PTA president, Moms in Touch leader, Team
mom, Sunday school teacher, Bible study leader, and Carpool driver
extraordinaire. I wrote this book in my …

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Refresh your Soul

As Easter is right around the corner, I just want you to take a few moments to think about what is on your heart. What is your focus? What do you think about when you go to sleep at night and when you wake up in the morning? Is your soul filled? Is your spirit refreshed? Are you peaceful, or are you bombarded with the tasks of your day?

Regardless of your circumstances or the busyness of your day, take a few moments to be still. Be present. Reflect. Sit in that moment. Who are you today? Where have you come from? How have you grown? How has God walked with you through your mountains and valleys? How has he carried you?

Take some time to be filled with Jesus. The Holy Spirit is your guide and your teacher, your friend and your guide. Are you bogged down with self doubt and insecurity? Take those nasty thoughts captive and give yourself over to truth. There is truth. There is goodness. There is grace. It is all in Jesus. He has created you just as you are, with strength, with joy, with confidence. How can you really live in that experience? Are you able to see Him? If you have surrendered your life to Him, He is in you, walking with you, carrying you. You just have to pay attention, recognize, reflect.

If you are looking for a little extra reading this Easter, take some time to dive into this DESIRING GOD devotional. You won’t regret it.

 …

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Stepping Out to Step Into…….

Stepping out to step in…..I am a person of wholehearted devotion, committed and firmly rooted in the faith. I desire to be gentle and pure in my thoughts and my actions. I want to be securely grounded in grace. Some call this yearning the practice of contemplative prayer, some call it hearing from God but both require slowing down and listening to God.

I read a quote recently that challenged my thinking…”no amount of natural or acquired knowledge will bring one to taste the spiritual experience of God, for this is a pure gift of grace. So I urge you: go after experience rather than knowledge. On the account of pride, knowledge may often deceive you, but this gentle, loving affection will not deceive you. Knowledge tends to breed conceit, but love builds. Knowledge is full of labor, but love, full of rest.”

To have my spirit rest in freedom from anxiety and self-doubt would be a JOY. To have God confidence in my relationships is something I have experienced and it makes me feel alive, so I desire to live in that certainty. To be able to discern where God is calling me to serve and then rest in serving an audience of one instead of worrying about living up to the expectations of man, would bring freedom to my soul.

I naturally have a lot of courage, tenacity and determination. For most of my life, I have used these God given character qualities to develop my relationship with God seeking to know Him through studying His word and gaining knowledge and wisdom.  This style of growing in my faith has served me well. I am passionate about learning and driven by research, Hebrew and Greek word study, listening to commentaries and podcasts to increase my knowledge about Him.…

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