In Luke 9:23, Jesus says, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Notice Jesus says we must take up our cross daily. Suffering and hardship He guaranteed. In fact, He said in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble.” Each day will provide its own burdens, and each day we must choose how to handle them. Jesus tells us if we desire to follow Him, we must surrender to His plan, difficulties and all. Our burdens bear a purpose, and we must bear them with full …
Celebrating Besties & Day 8 Giveaways!
Today’s Great Giveaways! Unshakeable Faith By: Kathy Howard Jesus called this ordinary man for an extraordinary purpose. Simon the fisherman would become Peter the Rock. This outspoken Galilean would lead Christ’s church, stand strong in the face of persecution, and even refuse to waver when faced with death. Unshakable Faith is an eight-session Bible study that explores the life and teachings of the Apostle Peter. Participants will be eye witnesses to Peter’s spiritual growth as God strengthens and matures his fragile faith. They will discover eight key “faith traits” God developed in Peter as he followed Christ and learned from …
It’s Not Often We’re Missed
Awhile back Facebook, in its infinite wisdom, recommended I reconnect with a friend I hadn’t heard from in quite some time. It turned out my friend’s family had experienced some tough times. When she thanked me for my prayers, her comment caught me off guard. She said, “It’s not often we’re missed.” My heart broke for my friend, not just because of her difficult circumstances, but because she seemed alone in her struggles. I was reminded of Philippians 2:4, “Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others.” How important that …
To Homeschool or Not to Homeschool in the Summer
The theme song to a popular kids’ television show sings, “There’s a hundred and four days of summer vacation and school comes along just to end it.” That may or may not hold true for us homeschoolers. Since we have freedom to work with a much more flexible schedule than those in traditional school systems, we have a choice: to homeschool or not to homeschool during the summer months. I have been homeschooling since 2000. Over the years, we have worked our calendar a variety of ways. In the beginning, I worked an office job, so our dedicated school days …
The M.O.M. Initiative VISION
Bridging the gap between a mother’s need for a mentor and the church’s need for resources and support. There’s a lot of talk about manifestos these days and you find them popping up on a multitude of websites defining a ministry or organization. Simply defined a manifesto is a declaration of intentions, motives or opinions. But rather than sharing a manifesto, we’d like to share our vision for The M.O.M. Initiative so you can get a glimpse of the heart of the ministry and what we believe God is calling us to accomplish. With The M.O.M. Initiative in its fledgling stages, …
Stop. Breathe.
A misty drizzle spritzes the window while I relax in the recliner and listen to my children’s laughter. When what to my wandering eye should appear, but a miniature sleigh and…Oops! I guess I got too relaxed for a moment. It’s a rare occurrence these days to have time to daydream. I’m a freelance writer and editor, but I also homeschool my children. School’s in full session, as is all the busy-ness that accompanies this season of life. We have classes, gymnastics, Taekwondo, baseball games, church events and sleepovers. Not to mention deadlines, doctor appointments, Bible studies and holidays. Complicate …
Love on Display
Yesterday was what my husband and I refer to as a “Hallmark holiday.” Don’t get me wrong, I applaud the efforts of the greeting card industry to help people communicate their feelings, but I believe expression of our love and affection for our loved ones should not be limited to one day on the calendar. Love doesn’t just happen. It needs to be nurtured if it is to grow into something beautiful and lasting. Marriage relationships especially require daily attention to develop and mature. Often that means you make an intentional choice to show your husband you care, a deliberate …
Rest
And on the seventh day God rested. Hebrews 4:4 My mother passed away ten minutes before Easter, April 11, 2009. To say I was close to my mother is an understatement. We spoke on the phone daily. She taught my son Latin; I took her to Disney World. Even during my tumultuous teen years, Mom and I were tight. I was there at her side with my stepdad Easter eve. We had to tell the EMTs to stop the CPR and let her accept heaven’s beckon. Life hiccupped but kept moving. My daily tears ceased after about a week, and …