Priscilla Shirer's Blog, page 72

Pop Culture Visits Freedom Friday!

Hey there!  So, do you watch "The Batchelorette"?  Naw, "me neither."  But if you "don't" watch it like me, you'll recognize this guy:

(Sean.  From Dallas.  Where the GB offices are located.)  

A few weeks ago we became acquainted with Sean.  He was in the top 3 guys vying for Emily's heart in this year's season of the show and he has agreed to do an interview with Priscilla for the "Freedom Friday" blog this week!  We are so excited!

As we get ready for the interview, we couldn't help but wonder if you've got some questions you'd like to ask him (other than "will you marry me?").  

You can post questions you might have about the show, his personal life or about his beliefs about dating and finding a mate.  We'll get in as many as we can during our interview with Sean.

So, sister, post your questions below and then tune in on Friday to meet Sean and hear his responses to tough questions!  Meanwhile, tweet this so all your single friends will know about the interview.  We're always wondering what those bachelors are REALLY thinking...here's our chance to find out!  

So set a reminder and we'll see you here on Friday!

Can. Not. Wait.

 

Annetta  

5 Ways to Enjoy God (And “Boy Mom” Give-a-way!!!)

Hey there sis! So glad you’re here because in today’s post my friend and mother of four, Wynter Pitts, shares some thoughts on how to fit time with God into your busy life….and we are giving away a special gift for mother's of boys!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi! I’m Wynter! Wife of Jonathan and mother of Alena, Kaitlyn, Cameryn and Olivia.

I have a strong admiration for women who faithfully meet with God over their morning coffee before their homes awaken and their brains become captivated by the long list of “to-do’s” hovering in the air.

Is that the kind of women you are?

If so, thanks for not judging me. :)  

If I am honest with myself, I not only admire them but I long for that level of discipline in my own life. However, in this season as a wife and mother of four small children (who seem to wake before I’ve even had my first dream), it seems that quiet time in my home only happens between the hours of 12 am and 5 am.

I hope . . . and imagine I’m not alone in this.

So, what can we do when our heart’s desire is to spend hours pouring over God’s word, inhaling His presence, and soaking in His wisdom, but between the baby crying, the toddler whining and the preteen pouting, we just can’t seem to narrow down the perfect opportunity for quality time?

What if you decided to delight yourself in the Lord and meet Him right in the midst of your everyday activities? What if you chased God down in the car pool line, at a swim lesson, or sitting on your floor folding laundry? What if you decided to share sweet moments with God throughout your day, and as a result take your family along for the ride!

Decide, right now, to SEE and BE with God!

"Blessed are they who keep His statutes and seek him with all their heart." Psalm 119:2  

I am convinced that God is much more concerned with the quality of your time with Him than the routine of it. Instead of wearing a cloak of guilt over your failed attempts at quiet time with the Lord, shift your focus. Use regular dish-washing, laundry-folding, errand-running moments as a chance to see God, hear His voice and share His love. What would your home look like and sound like? How could your family, spouse and children benefit? And how much growth would you experience by watering your relationship with God just by intentionally making Him the focus of the life He has set before you, instead of compartmentalizing him to a mere 30 minute block in the morning or evening?

I am in no way denying the importance of digging deep and setting up concrete, uninterrupted quality time in God’s presence. You are in constant need of refreshment, renewal and revival and setting aside time to be with Him is a necessity. But God is after your heart first, not your head. He is ultimately after your affection and your delight in Him.

So whether you are in between routine Bible study groups or struggling to even begin a routine, I challenge you to be creative with where, when and how you choose to delight yourself in the Lord on a daily basis!

Here are a few ideas to help you change your perspective:  

Find worship music that you enjoy just as much as your kids and then play it through out the day! Dance to it while you fold clothes. Sing along with it while you wash dishes. Later, memorize any scripture that you noticed is mentioned in the music.  
Share highlights about your day with your spouse and children. Tell them about the best part of your day and why you are grateful to God for the opportunity to experience it. Have them share theirs with you as well!  
Post scripture in convenient places around your home; in your closet, in the laundry room, and on your mirrors. Throughout the day find a few moments to read them. Ask God to speak to you in these verses. 
Read your Bible with your spouse and kids or retell your favorite Bible stories to your children as a part of your normal conversation at meals, car rides, or even at potty training sessions :) 
Have fun. Delight is not drudgery. Delight is not boring. Delight is fun and exciting! 

 

Enjoy,

Wynter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With three busy boys to manage, I can certainly benefit from Wynter’s tips for spending time with God. I’d like to encourage you to use them as well. A few weeks ago we gave away a gift for mothers of girls so today we are giving away a gift specifically for busy boy moms like me! 

Entering to win this fun set is easy! Just leave a post adding to Wynter’s list above. What are some other creative ways that busy moms can spend time fostering their relationship with the Lord? Mother’s of boys or girls will benefit from all the suggestions left today.

We’ll choose from the comments made and post a winner on Tuesday morning!

Have a great day!

Priscilla

PS...Have you heard about our “Sassy, Sizzling, Summer, Give-a-way”? CLICK HERE for more info!

PS...Wynter has a great magazine just for girls.  Click here for more info and follow her @forgirlslikeyou

7 Ways to Enjoy God (And “Boy Mom” Give-a-way!!!)

Hey there sis! So glad you’re here because in today’s post my friend and mother of four, Wynter Pitts, shares some thoughts on how to fit time with God into your busy life….and we’re giving away a special gift just for mother’s of boys!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi! I’m Wynter! Wife of Jonathan and mother of Alena, Kaitlyn, Cameryn and Olivia.

I have a strong admiration for women who faithfully meet with God over their morning coffee before their homes awaken and their brains become captivated by the long list of “to-do’s” hovering in the air.

Is that the kind of women you are?

If so, thanks for not judging me. :)  

If I am honest with myself, I not only admire them but I long for that level of discipline in my own life. However, in this season as a wife and mother of four small children (who seem to wake before I’ve even had my first dream), it seems that quiet time in my home only happens between the hours of 12 am and 5 am.

I hope . . . and imagine I’m not alone in this.

So, what can we do when our heart’s desire is to spend hours pouring over God’s word, inhaling His presence, and soaking in His wisdom, but between the baby crying, the toddler whining and the preteen pouting, we just can’t seem to narrow down the perfect opportunity for quality time?

What if you decided to delight yourself in the Lord and meet Him right in the midst of your everyday activities? What if you chased God down in the car pool line, at a swim lesson, or sitting on your floor folding laundry? What if you decided to share sweet moments with God throughout your day, and as a result take your family along for the ride!

Decide, right now, to SEE and BE with God!

"Blessed are they who keep His statutes and seek him with all their heart." Psalm 119:2  

I am convinced that God is much more concerned with the quality of your time with Him than the routine of it. Instead of wearing a cloak of guilt over your failed attempts at quiet time with the Lord, shift your focus. Use regular dish-washing, laundry-folding, errand-running moments as a chance to see God, hear His voice and share His love. What would your home look like and sound like? How could your family, spouse and children benefit? And how much growth would you experience by watering your relationship with God just by intentionally making Him the focus of the life He has set before you, instead of compartmentalizing him to a mere 30 minute block in the morning or evening?

I am in no way denying the importance of digging deep and setting up concrete, uninterrupted quality time in God’s presence. You are in constant need of refreshment, renewal and revival and setting aside time to be with Him is a necessity. But God is after your heart first, not your head. He is ultimately after your affection and your delight in Him.

So whether you are in between routine Bible study groups or struggling to even begin a routine, I challenge you to be creative with where, when and how you choose to delight yourself in the Lord on a daily basis!

Here are a few ideas to help you change your perspective:  

Find worship music that you enjoy just as much as your kids and then play it through out the day! Dance to it while you fold clothes. Sing along with it while you wash dishes. Later, memorize any scripture that you noticed is mentioned in the music.  
Share highlights about your day with your spouse and children. Tell them about the best part of your day and why you are grateful to God for the opportunity to experience it. Have them share theirs with you as well!  
Post scripture in convenient places around your home; in your closet, in the laundry room, and on your mirrors. Throughout the day find a few moments to read them. Ask God to speak to you in these verses. 
Read your Bible with your spouse and kids or retell your favorite Bible stories to your children as a part of your normal conversation at meals, car rides, or even at potty training sessions :) 
Have fun. Delight is not drudgery. Delight is not boring. Delight is fun and exciting! 

 

Enjoy,

Wynter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With three busy boys to manage, I can certainly benefit from Wynter’s tips for spending time with God. I’d like to encourage you to use them as well. A few weeks ago we gave away a gift for mother’s of girls so today we are giving away a gift specifically for busy boy moms like me! 

Entering to win this fun set is easy! Just leave a post adding to Wynter’s list above. What are some other creative ways that busy moms can spend time fostering their relationship with the Lord? Mother’s of boys or girls will benefit from all the suggestions left today.

We’ll choose on the selections made and post a winner on Tuesday morning!

 

Have a great day!

Priscilla

PS. . . Have you heard about our “Sassy, Sizzling, Summer, Give-a-way”? CLICK HERE for more info!

I Kissed Dating Goodbye

I can’t help but wonder how you felt when you saw the title of today’s “Freedom Friday” post. Did you roll your eyes and think to yourself, "Here we go again with another radical idea about dating”.

I can understand that. I’m guilty of that reaction.

I Kissed Dating Goodbye is the title of a very popular book for singles. It was written by a guy named Joshua Harris and, I’ve recently discovered, is one of Priscilla’s favorite books. I read it years ago with extreme reservation, but to my surprise, the title is actually a lot scarier than the book itself. Now, don’t get me wrong there are some super radical ideas presented, but I really enjoyed the book and over the years, it has challenged me to closely examine the different aspects of my life that dating touches - my level of contentment, my focus and dedication to the Lord, my personal purity, the way I treat others, and the way that I prepare for my future husband. I’m not sure if you have experienced this, but in every singles group that I’ve been apart of, this topic comes up.

How are Christians supposed to date? 
 Is dating Biblical? 
 How long should we date? 

So, since this is such a HOT topic among Christian singles, I wanted to do a poll among married couples. They are separated into two groups: Couples who married to date & Married Couples who dated to marry.

Married Couples who married to date:

"I saw my honey for the first time leading praise and worship at church. I never had seen him before and honestly, I wasn’t really that attracted to him, but when I got home I couldn’t stop thinking about him. At that moment I began praying and asking God to reveal why this random guy was continuously on my mind. We would see each other around church every so often and when we finally were introduced to each other, I just knew that he was my husband....and he knew that I was his wife. He immediately asked me out on a date and 2 weeks later we were engaged and one month later we were married. That was 15 years ago and we are still going strong. Prayer is the reason that I feel we were able to get married so quickly. We sought God. He spoke and said it was so, and then we got married."
"The first date my wife and I went on, I knew she was the one. I had been praying for years for God to send me my mate and when my path crossed with hers, I knew she was the one that I had been praying for. We were married 6 months after our very first date and that was 4 years ago. Getting married as quick as we did made the first 3 years of marriage so much fun because we were still getting to know each other!"
"Ummmm, my husband and I met, got engaged and married in 3 months. That was 7 years ago and we still act like newlyweds. I definitely don’t regret getting married as quick as we did. It helped us remain pure and when you know, you know and there’s no need to wait!" 

Married Couples who dated to marry:

"My wife and I met our junior year in college. We both had been seeking the Lord for a mate, so we were excited when we met and discovered that we both had a lot of the same interests. We started dating....most of our dates were in groups with other couples. We dated for a year and then we got engaged and were married a year later. That was 5 years ago I really feel that the time we took getting to know each other really helped us when we became married. If I had to do it again, I wouldn’t change a thing." 
"My husband and I met at church. We had both been hurt in previous relationships, so we decided to take it slow.....I mean, reeaalllly slow. We dated for 2 years and then we got engaged and were married a year later. Contrary to what most people believe, we remained pure during the entire time. It was hard, but with God’s help we did it. I think waiting as long as we did allowed the Lord to heal us from past hurts and pains and it allowed us to be completely whole when we made it to the alter. We have now been married for 23 years and I love him just as much as I did when I first met him." 

I wish I could have taped each couple sharing their story because they provided me with so much insight! After speaking with the above married couples, I guess the huge difference that I see is, the couples who married to date, didn’t enter into a serious relationship until they knew for sure that the other person was their wife/husband. And that’s actually the premise of Joshua Harris’ book. He challenged Christian singles to do their homework (get to know a person) before stepping into a dating relationship.

The couples who dated to marry, entered into a relationship with the other person with the idea that they were a great person and could be a potential mate, but they just weren’t sure. So, they used the dating period to help them decide.

What do you think about these two dating paradigms? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? What have your experiences or standards been for the dating process? Are you a single gal who dates and enjoys it to the fullest? Or have you given up dating in favor of waiting for a certain amount of assurance before entering into a relationship with someone?

 

Can’t wait to hear from you,

Antrenette (A 30-year-old single gal!)

 

The Power of Obedience

I remember as a little girl being stunned and shocked by several things about Jonah’s story. Of course there was the whole “big fish” incident that left me wide eyed and filled with inquisitive wonder but I was also stunned by the immediate, overwhelming conviction that spread like wildfire through an entire city of people when Jonah spoke God’s Word to them.

“Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4).

That was it.

In the Hebrew language, this sentence is a grand total of five words—no illustrations, no funny stories, no icebreakers to butter up the audience. Just a little bitty message. Heavy on judgment and light on personality.

Yet it was a message that would stir unprecedented, house-by-house repentance in a pagan city.

"The people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes” (Jonah 3:5–6).

Even as an adult, I’ve wondered, How’d that happen? How could one simple five-word message create that kind of impact?

  Three distinct events in Ninevah’s history might give us interesting insight into this phenomenon. First, in 765 BC, and again a few years later in 759, two different plagues ravaged Ninevah. Disease and sickness swept through the region, killing many. Second, Nineveh’s walls and ramparts, which had always been considered an unassailable protection from enemy attack, didn’t prove strong enough to stop an epic invasion. “These plagues, coupled with a total eclipse of the sun in 763 BC [a phenomenon that would have stirred unprecedented fear and terror in their hearts], were enough to soften the Ninevites to Jonah’s preaching.” [i]

So get this, Jonah’s five simple words were sufficient because God had already been at work to prepare the ears of the people in Nineveh to be receptive. Each of these disastrous events, which Jonah may have known nothing about, would have left an odious environment in the city that left the Ninevites eager to seek a solution.

Jonah’s little part to obey. To say his five little words and move on. To do what God had told him to do. God would take care of the big ol’ rest.

So today, I want to encourage you to obey, my friend.

In whatever thing the Lord is asking you to do – no matter how simple or insignificant it seems to you - obey Him. He has already gone before you in ways that you may never know to prepare for your arrival on the scene of that situation. Your obedience is a puzzle piece being added to a big picture God is already putting together. So, do what He’s asking.

The result will be supernatural.

Speak Life

Welcome to the 4th of July. . . and to Wife Wednesday! I hope that you're day is filled with all the wonderful things that make holidays memorable - family, food and fun.

I'm wondering how your week of prayer went. Did you follow through on your commitment to pray for your man each day? Did you notice any shifts in him? In yourself? Please take time to let me know (if you can make time in between the barbecue and fireworks :)

I know you have a busy day ahead of you so I just wanted to leave you with a little note that I think you will find interesting and challenging all at the same time. My friend, Annetta, a brilliant creative student of the Bible sent this email to me yesterday and I couldn't wait to pass it along to you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Matthew, Jesus has this funny little interaction with Peter. Jesus says, “You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.” 

esus is saying that He’s going to build His legacy on ...Peter? This is very interesting in light of the fact that right after this encounter Peter has some of his dumbest/weakest/take-it-back-if-he-could moments of his life. In spite of this, Jesus chose to speak words of faith into Peter. Knowing that Peter would often put his foot in his mouth and knowing that Peter would deny Him 3 times, Jesus still chose to love Peter. Jesus still chose Peter to be on His team. He still chose Peter to represent Him after He was gone.

...and He still chose to speak words of encouragement and confidence over him despite His missteps and mistakes.

“Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit—you choose.” - Proverbs 18:21

Jesus chose to speak LIFE into Peter even though it's clear that his disciple is far from perfect.  It’s as if He see’s the potential that He placed in Peter before He created him...and He’s calling it forth. He’s calling Peter to a higher place by telling Peter who he is...not by reminding him of his actions.

I wonder what would happen if we decided to ONLY speak life over our husbands this week? What if we decided to not say one negative thing choosing instead to point out his potential and his positive qualities.

I wonder how it would change him?

I wonder how it would change you?

 

Happy 4th. Enjoy your day sister!

 

Priscilla

Grub and Garb for the 4th!

Ok.  So in honor of our glorious country (we apologize in advance to our non-American friends in advance!) turning 236 years young tomorrow, all of our GB clan is scattering to different parades, parties and cookouts.  And like the good girls that we are, we're all bringing something to our parties!  

Originally, I thought I'd make red velvet cupcakes, with cream cheese frosting and blue sprinkles...like these:

(www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Patriotic-Ice-Cream-Cupcakes)

 

But then I opened a package of deliciously in-season strawberries this past weekend.  Now I'm leaning towards making something a little fresher, like this:

(http://thecraftyhostess.com/?p=1128)

 

Gosh!  I just can't decide!  Any other ideas for me?  I'm a decent cook, but am running outta time.  What do YOU make that's super "4th of July-ish'?!?  Can you share your recipes below for me and the other readers who are running last minute?  

 4th of July is striking again...Happy freedom day y'all!

Try It On (...and the "YOLO GIVE-A-WAY" Winner Announced!)

 

 

This is Bridget.

 

This is Bridget’s 8th child.

 

These are the shoes that Bridget likes.

 

I’m intrigued by Bridget. She’s a wife, mother, pastor’s
wife, sister and friend. Her days are filled to the brim with demands and
details as she seeks to manage her home, teach her children and assist her
husband in ministry. But all of those things are not what amaze me most.

I. Am. In. Awe. Of. The. Shoes.

I mean, aren’t you?

Sure, they are a cute pair of sassy pumps that deserve their
own personal cheering section but it’s what they represent that is so much more
fascinating to me.

I’ve not only long admired Bridget’s commitment to family
but also the commitment she has to herself. Now, in her mid forties, she is
diligent in her workouts, consistent in her healthy eating habits, attentive to
current events and interested in her attire and appearance (Did you notice her
gorgeous skin?). In the midst of her busy life, she hasn’t lost the importance
of caring for herself, doing the things that she loves and taking time to flame
the passion in her marriage. She has hobbies and interests and friendships . .
. in addition to having a family.

She’ll be the first to tell you that things don’t happen
perfectly and that she can’t give everything equal amounts of her attention.
Don’t be fooled for one second into thinking that her plan for a 6am workout
always happens without a hitch, unhindered by the sleepless nights before. Her
clothes are sometimes stained by baby blow-outs gone haywire and the latest
fashions are almost always too expensive for consideration. And as awesome as
those heels are, she’d choose a cute but far more reasonable pair of flats any
day in her laundry filled life. But she still tries them on.

Hear that again: She still
tries on the shoes she likes.

Do you?

Have you stopped trying to enjoy or to do the things that are important to you and your own well-being. Has your health taken a back seat or your desires and interests gone unattended? Have your passions been MIA for quite some time and your interests
abandoned? Have you lost yourself in the midst of the joyful chaos of motherhood?

Go stand in front of the mirror and take a good look.

Do you recognize the woman staring back at you?

If not, I want you to know that it’s understandable

...even logical.

But, Bridget is showing us that discovering ourselves again is not impossible.

I know it seems to be. There just aren’t enough minutes in the day to care for everyone else much less yourself. I totally get it. (With my children out of school for the summer I feel like I’ll never have a quiet time ever again. Half the time, I don’t even know where my Bible is!) But today, I’m just asking you – and even challenging myself - to consider trying. Choose something you can do for yourself for at least 15-30 minutes each day for the next 7 days. Doing so will recharge your battery and make you the best mom that you can be.

Here are some ideas:

Take a warm bath 
Read that novel on your nightstand 
Go to a coffee shop alone or meet a friend for a movie after the kids go to sleep 
Wake up early and go out for a walk 
Ride your bike 
Put the kids in their room and sit quietly in front of an old episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show
Have your quiet time outdoors with your favorite morning beverage 
Get a skin care product, manicure or pedicure
set and use it 
Style your hair differently 
Put on the lingerie that’s at the bottom of your pajama drawer 
While you’re out running errands, pick up your favorite dessert from a restaurant and save it for the evening when the house is quiet. 

OR...

Go try on a pair of sassy high heels. 

I challenge you to join me in this 7-day venture. If your plans are dashed and/or interrupted one day don’t let this derail you off of
your week-long mission. Make a commitment to do it. . .or at least try it. My hope is that this week will
build a healthy habit in your life and mine of doing some of the things we enjoy or that are beneficial for our wellbeing. Even if it’s just in small increments at a time, these moment of self-care will benefit us and ultimately those we love.

Post your initials below if you are up for the challenge and then leave a few thoughts about some of the things you might do for your 7-day-challenge.

 

You are Loved,

Priscilla

PS. . . Have you joined in our “Sizzling, Sassy, Summer, GRAND
PRIZE Give-A-Way”? There’s still time. CLICK HERE.

 

PSS...Single gals-Thank ALL OF YOU for your response to Friday's "YOLO" Give-A-Way!  We are excited to present the award to a great woman who shared a little bit of her "single-mom" life with us.  We hope you you will enjoy your cute earrings and fabulous polishes, sister!

Congratulations to NICOLE! Pamper yourself a bit my friend! 

Email us at info@goingbeyond.com so that we can get your gifts to you!

Enjoy!

Try It On

This is Bridget.

This is Bridget’s 8th child.

These are the shoes that Bridget likes.

I’m intrigued by Bridget. She’s a wife, mother, pastor’s
wife, sister and friend. Her days are filled to the brim with demands and
details as she seeks to manage her home, teach her children and assist her
husband in ministry. But all of those things are not what amaze me most.

I. Am. In. Awe. Of. The. Shoes.

I mean, aren’t you?

Sure, they are a cute pair of sassy pumps that deserve their
own personal cheering section but it’s what they represent that is so much more
fascinating to me.

I’ve not only long admired Bridget’s commitment to family
but also the commitment she has to herself. Now, in her mid forties, she is
diligent in her workouts, consistent in her healthy eating habits, attentive to
current events and interested in her attire and appearance (Did you notice her
gorgeous skin?). In the midst of her busy life, she hasn’t lost the importance
of caring for herself, doing the things that she loves and taking time to flame
the passion in her marriage. She has hobbies and interests and friendships . .
. in addition to having a family.

She’ll be the first to tell you that things don’t happen
perfectly and that she can’t give everything equal amounts of her attention.
Don’t be fooled for one second into thinking that her plan for a 6am workout
always happens without a hitch, unhindered by the sleepless nights before. Her
clothes are sometimes stained by baby blow-outs gone haywire and the latest
fashions are almost always too expensive for consideration. And as awesome as
those heels are, she’d choose a cute but far more reasonable pair of flats any
day in her laundry filled life. But she still tries them on.

Hear that again: She still
tries on the shoes she likes.

Do you?

Have you stopped trying to enjoy or to do the things that are important to you and your own well-being. Has your health taken a back seat or your desires and interests gone unattended? Have your passions been MIA for quite some time and your interests
abandoned? Have you lost yourself in the midst of the joyful chaos of motherhood?

Go stand in front of the mirror and take a good look.

Do you recognize the woman staring back at you?

If not, I want you to know that it’s understandable

...even logical.

But, Bridget is showing us that discovering ourselves again is not impossible.

I know it seems to be. There just aren’t enough minutes in the day to care for everyone else much less yourself. I totally get it. (With my children out of school for the summer I feel like I’ll never have a quiet time ever again. Half the time, I don’t even know where my Bible is!) But today, I’m just asking you – and even challenging myself - to consider trying. Choose something you can do for yourself for at least 15-30 minutes each day for the next 7 days. Doing so will recharge your battery and make you the best mom that you can be.

Here are some ideas:

Take a warm bath 
Read that novel on your nightstand 
Go to a coffee shop alone or meet a friend for a movie after the kids go to sleep 
Wake up early and go out for a walk 
Ride your bike 
Put the kids in their room and sit quietly in front of an old episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show
Have your quiet time outdoors with your favorite morning beverage 
Get a skin care product, manicure or pedicure
set and use it 
Style your hair differently 
Put on the lingerie that’s at the bottom of your pajama drawer 
While you’re out running errands, pick up your favorite dessert from a restaurant and save it for the evening when the house is quiet. 

OR...

Go try on a pair of sassy high heels. 

I challenge you to join me in this 7-day venture. If your plans are dashed and/or interrupted one day don’t let this derail you off of
your week-long mission. Make a commitment to do it. . .or at least try it. My hope is that this week will
build a healthy habit in your life and mine of doing some of the things we enjoy or that are beneficial for our wellbeing. Even if it’s just in small increments at a time, these moment of self-care will benefit us and ultimately those we love.

Post your initials below if you are up for the challenge and then leave a few thoughts about some of the things you might do for your 7-day-challenge.

 

You are Loved,

Priscilla

PS. . . Have you joined in our “Sizzling, Sassy, Summer, GRAND
PRIZE Give-A-Way”? There’s still time. CLICK HERE.

 

PSS...Single gals-Thank ALL OF YOU for your response to Friday's "YOLO" Give-A-Way!  We are excited to present the award to a great woman who shared a little bit of her "single-mom" life with us.  We hope you you will enjoy your cute earrings and fabulous polishes, sister!

Congratulations to NICOLE! Pamper yourself a bit my friend! 

Email us at info@goingbeyond.com so that we can get your gifts to you!

Enjoy!

The YOLO Give-A-Way

I'm Katie.

I'm 27 . . . and single.

I admit that my biggest dream in life is to be married and to take care of my own family. I have had that dream since I was a little girl and I have to admit that there are moments I catch myself thinking, "I'll wait to do that when I'm married or have a man." In other words, there are moments and opportunities that I have almost let slip by because of the season I am at in life.

I've discovered that I'm not alone. Single women often spend so much time talking about what we don’t have and what we wish we had, that we let life pass us by..

That's why my new favorite saying is: "YOLO".

Have you heard of this saying?

It means: You Only Live Once!

There comes a point in life when you have to just sit back, relax into your reality and know that our great God has the best plan and timing for your life. You have to choose to enjoy it and make it as fabulous as possible!

This is my life. Right now, right here! I don't get to do these years over again. This is my one shot to ring out all of the goodness and beauty that it has to offer.

The same is true for you sister!

This is the life we are living. Today is your only promise. Forget yesterday, and don’t worry about tomorrow.

John 10:10 (NIV) says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Don’t let life pass you by because you are single. On the contrary, fully engage in it because you are single! Be the best woman of God that you can be. When insecurities or jealousy want to creep in your heart, shut it down immediately by deliberately reminding yourself of how full and rich your life is and how beautiful you really are.

You are a beautiful daughter of THE Most High.

You are so loved by your God.

Make today the best day of your life.

You only get today once.

 

OK. . I'm going to let you in on a little secret …sometimes I make a list of the characteristics that make me unique just to remind myself who I am . . .and how lucky my man will be one day when he gets here!

Here are some of the things on my list:

I am fun

I have great hair

I am a daughter of Christ

I have pretty green eyes

I am confident

I will accomplish my goal of competing in an Iron Man

I love to travel

I give good massages

I love to dance

I am a great gift buyer

I am not letting life pass me by

Today, we want you to start your list too and we are going to give away a little gift just to encourage you to do it. Leave a comment listing one or two of the attributes that make you unique and special. You'll automatically be entered to win a few little fun gifts!

These are a couple of fun nail polishes by Essie that are perfect for summer and one of Priscilla's favorite pair of earrings. She wears them often and personally bought another pair just to give away to you! They look huge and heavy but are made of leather so they are light, flexible and...oh, so cute!

We're going to send this little gift set to one of you! You won't be able to lolli-gag through life wearing polish this bright and earrings this fabulous!

You have until Sunday at noon to leave your comment and we'll announce the winner on Monday morning!

Can't wait to hear from you single sisters!

 

XO,

Katie

PS... Have you heard about our Sizzling, Sassy, Summer GIve-a-Way. You don't want to miss it. CLICK HERE for more info.