Sarah Geringer's Blog, page 86
February 6, 2017
Be His Helper
Welcome! I’m glad you’ve joined me for day 1 of this 10-day series, “How to Be the Wife He Really Wants.”
Do you know God masterfully designed you to be a helper?
In our fast-paced world, wives still typically bear the brunt of homemaking, even if both husband and wife work outside the home. This is true in my marriage, and sometimes I feel weary as a helper, especially when I forget the importance of my role.
Think of all the ways we wives help build our homes and marriages. We cook and clean. We run errands, pay bills, shop for groceries and clothing, and take care of sick children. We decorate our spaces to create beauty and warmth. We provide the nurturing environment for relationships to thrive. We are the heart of our homes.
Do you know how much God appreciates your help? Do you value your role as your husband’s helper as much as God does?
Look at this scripture:
The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18 NIV
By creating Eve, God provided a helper for Adam. She was perfectly designed to be fruitful and multiply when joined to Adam (Gen. 1:28). She was also designed to help Adam fulfill his calling to rule over the earth and subdue it (Gen. 1:28) and to work in and take care of the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:15).
This verse calls to mind my great-grandparents’ marriage of over 60 years. My great-grandpa was a farmer and my great-grandma was his right-hand gal. He tended the fields and animals; she raised their children and cooked, cleaned, and mended, caring for the chickens and the garden too. Their roles on the farm were inextricably linked, and my great-grandpa deeply appreciated all the ways my great-grandma helped him succeed.
In today’s fast-paced world of 2017, my husband and I work in separate worlds most of the day. He builds houses; I work as a school secretary. And yet our roles are very similar to God’s original design. My husband’s primary calling is work; my primary calling as a wife is at home. I’m the primary cook, cleaner, and mender of relationships.
A part of me wishes for a slower, simpler time when our roles as husband and wife would overlap more often, as they did for my great-grandparents. I can’t go backward in time, but I can look for ways to help my husband now in ways he appreciates, like with these five practical tasks:
Find paperwork he requests right away (don’t put it off!)
Make his favorite meals and desserts at least once a week
Help him with his laundry (in my house, each person does their own)
Keep spaces free of clutter, which annoys him more than it does me
Pick up his prescriptions
What practical step can you take today to be a helper to YOUR husband? I would love to hear your suggestions in the comments below!
Join me tomorrow for Day 2, “Be His Visual Delight.”
Photos provided generously by Lillian at Embracing the Lovely. Visit her site for more beauty and inspiration!
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Looking for Newness of Life in your current life season?
My book Newness of Life will help you apply Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 so you can understand God’s plan in your current season.
“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV
No matter what season you are in, God is teaching you valuable lessons to grow your faith and trust in Him. We will discover what God is saying through the different times and activities we traverse.
Buy Newness of Life today!
Please vote 17 on this link: Click HERE! so I can make my publishing dream come true. God set me free from my fear of abandonment, and I want the world to know!
This post will be linked up at #momentsofhope, #mondaymusings, #mommymoments, #modestmommondays, #theartofhomemakingmondays, #livingproverbs31, #goodmorningmondays, #dreamtogether, #soulsurvival, and #glimpsesofhisbeauty. Visit my linkups page to find links to these wonderful blogs.
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February 3, 2017
Festive Friday #4
Festive Fridays are for counting blessings, recapping posts, announcing giveaways, and sharing special treats with you.
Special Treat
This week I’m linking up on Five Minute Friday. I set a timer for five minutes, and here’s what I’ve written on the prompt “Breathe.”
Breath of Life
This wait is crushing
with the blow of indignation.
When pressure rises
too quick
I walk down a long corridor
a quiet corridor
a solitary corridor
and breathe deep all the way.
I look to the February sky
painted powder blue and lavender.
I hear birds twittering in the brush.
I set my eyes on the horizon
where the grass is bravely greening
this winter
and remember
You are the Author of New Life.
You are the Master of All Living Things.
You are the King of the World.
If you are calling me
to wait well
to do myself proud
and to bring you glory
I will hold in
all that is unnecessary to vent
and save it for our afternoon walks.
I will take my eyes off my frustration
and choose other-focus:
my overwhelmed friend
my discouraged coworker
my burdened comrade.
In these last waiting days
it’s more about Your work
and less about mine.
Breathing deep in your presence
seals in the reminder
and a bloom of new life
bursts with fresh oxygen.
Recap of This Week’s Posts
On Monday I shared a fresh batch of book reviews.
On Tuesday I wrote about my attempts to love a bully.
On Wednesday I shared different ways to handle conflict.
On Thursday I shared about new life from old stumps.
Questions for reflection: (please comment below)
Which post from this week resonated most deeply with you?
Have you joined the online Bible study? If not, please visit the link now!
Counting Blessings
This weekend I’m writing my new blog series, “How to Be the Wife He Really Wants.” Join me here on the blog Feb. 6-17 for this Bible-based series, right in time for Valentine’s Day.
I signed up to attend She Speaks 2017, a dream of mine for the past four years. If you are attending, please comment! I want to make a list of friends to meet in person.
I am competing in the Fear Fighting Bloggers Contest. If you will take 30 seconds and vote for me, I will be so grateful! Vote 17 in the comments section on this link (click here)! One vote per email/IP address. Please comment if you voted for me. I will have a special prize drawing for all my voters at the end of February.
Giveaways
Congratulations to Jennifer J., the grand prize winner for our four weeks of Newness of Life! Thanks for your comments in the online Bible study group!
Jennifer will receive a copy of Talk Yourself Happy and two more surprise books! Congrats!
Thank you to everyone who joined me for this study on Newness of Life . I look forward to interacting with you next week, when I begin my new blog series for Valentine’s Day!
This post will be linked up at #dancewithjesus, #faithnfriends, #freshmarketfriday, #graceandtruth, and #fmf. Visit my linkups page to find links to these wonderful blogs.
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February 2, 2017
New Life from Old Stumps
Today’s post is based on chapter 16 of my latest book, Newness of Life, recently released on Amazon. Get your copy this week for $2.99!
How is new life rising from old stumps in your current season?
What I’ve learned about stumps in the past 12 years of living in the woods is this:
New life will always sprout up if roots are intact.
The roots of our trees run deep, fifty feet or more. Those roots enable the trees to leaf out season after season, bringing newness of life year after year. Unless the roots are permanently severed, the power of life will keep pushing forward.
In my current season, writing is pushing forward. It’s a dream I held since my early teen years, and after college, I put it on the back burner. For decades, writing was an old, dormant stump that discouraged.
Last February I began blogging five days a week. I’ve kept up that schedule for a full year now, and it’s proof newness of life is flourishing from the old stump of my dream to write.
But it’s not only due to willpower, or hard work, or determination.
My dream is coming to life because God’s timing has arrived.
He appoints all the hours, days, years, and seasons of my life. I see now I could not have arrived at this season before going through all the others. Even though I was discouraged in the past by the old stump, I now see the purpose of that season of dormancy. That season was winter for my dream, and spring is now arriving. I had to trust in God’s timing and watch for signs of new life. I give Him all the praise for past seasons, my current season, and seasons to come.
Throughout the past three weeks, we’ve talked about lots of different seasons. In the comments, I’d love to hear which season you identify with most. Read through these past posts and let me know which one resonates most with you.
Trusting God in My Current Season
A Time for Crying and Laughing
A Time to Grieve, A Time to Dance
A Time to Keep, A Time to Throw Away
A Time to Tear, A Time to Mend
A Time for War, A Time for Peace
Questions for reflection: (please comment below)
Which time has God appointed for you now?
Which of the posts listed above helps you most today?
Here are links to free resources that will help you in the online Bible study or personal study of Newness of Life:
Online Bible Study Reading Plan
Giveaways
If you comment in my online Bible study, you’ll be entered to win the grand prize on Feb. 3.
This week’s winner will receive a surprise three-book collection and a magnet set of these beauties:
My new book Newness of Life will help you apply Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 so you can understand God’s plan in your current season.
“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV
No matter what season you are in, God is teaching you valuable lessons to grow your faith and trust in Him. We will discover what God is saying through the different times and activities we traverse.
I look forward to hearing how God is working in your current life season. I hope you will join in the fun and discussion on the online Bible study.
Please vote 17 on this link: Click HERE! so I can make my publishing dream come true. God set me free from my fear of abandonment, and I want the world to know!
Please spread the word about Newness of Life on social media, using the buttons below to share this post!
This post will be linked up at #gracemoments, #heartencouragement, #thoughtprovokingthursday, #chasingcommunity, #dancewithjesus, #faithnfriends, #freshmarketfriday, and #graceandtruth. Visit my linkups page to find links to these wonderful blogs.
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February 1, 2017
A Time for War, A Time for Peace
Today’s post is based on chapter 15 of my latest book, Newness of Life, recently released on Amazon. Get your copy today for $2.99!
At the dinner table this week, I considered how to tell a story about personal conflict in a way my children would understand.
I posed this scenario:
Suppose you are sitting in math class. Your teacher singles you out in front of everyone and says, “You stink at math!” You know it’s not true, and your teacher is being mean for no good reason. What would you do?
The Leader’s Response
My firstborn son, who isn’t afraid of conflict and can have a temper, said, “I would say, ‘Maybe I’m not good at math because you’re not a good math teacher.'” His younger brother and sister got a kick out of that snarky response.
I said, “Well, what if your teacher then says, ‘Go straight to the principal’s office!’ What would you tell the principal when he says, ‘I heard you were speaking disrespectfully to your teacher’?”
He said, “I wouldn’t be afraid to get in trouble. I won’t let anyone push me over, not even a teacher.”
Oh, this boy! I tell you, his confidence inspires me, but I know his dad and I will have many opportunities to shape his leadership gifts in the future. We want him to be a caring leader, not a tyrant, and I think we both will learn how to speak the truth in love as we parent our firstborn.
The Peacemaker’s Response
Then it was my middle child’s turn to answer, and he has a classic peacemaker personality. He didn’t answer with words: he silently turned his head to the side. I said, “What are you doing?”
He said with a smile, “I’m turning the other cheek. If I had to say anything, I’d say, ‘You hit me on one cheek; here’s the other one.'”
I loved his creative solution. I wish I was that witty in the heat of conflict. If someone did this to me, it would shut me up immediately because I’d feel convicted. If I take this approach with my current offender, I wonder if it may get them thinking about how their words hurt others.
The Matthew 18 Response
My daughter, the baby of the family, said this. “I wouldn’t say anything in front of the class. But afterward I would go up to the teacher and tell him he was wrong. If he didn’t apologize, I’d go to the principal for help.”
Her oldest brother said, “You can’t do that! That’s letting someone run all over you! You have to speak up.”
I explained to my son that not everyone has the confidence to confront in the heat of the moment. I said it’s not always wise to speak out against someone’s bad behavior, especially in front of others. And, I told him most females are conditioned not to lash out. (At least that’s the way I was raised.)
I told my daughter her response would model Jesus’ example in Matthew 18. I explained to them how I had recently tried to follow Jesus’ example in a personal conflict. The offender insulted me in front of others, and later I went to them privately and confronted them. Confrontation didn’t improve our relationship, but it kept my conscience clean, because I did what I could to create peace.
A time for war does not always create peace. Yet peace cannot be won without battles, and we must learn to confront wisely in the hopes of winning peace.
Questions for reflection: (please comment below)
What is your response to this scenario of “war?”
How have you confronted poorly in the past? How have you confronted wisely?
What step can you take today to create peace in your world?
Here are links to free resources that will help you in the online Bible study or personal study of Newness of Life:
Online Bible Study Reading Plan
Giveaways
The grand prize giveaway will be announced this Friday. If you comment in my online Bible study throughout this study, you’ll be entered to win on Feb. 3.
This week’s winner will receive a surprise three-book collection and a magnet set of these beauties:
My new book Newness of Life will help you apply Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 so you can understand God’s plan in your current season.
“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV
No matter what season you are in, God is teaching you valuable lessons to grow your faith and trust in Him. We will discover what God is saying through the different times and activities we traverse.
I look forward to hearing how God is working in your current life season. I hope you will join in the fun and discussion on the online Bible study.
Please vote 17 on this link: Click HERE! so I can make my publishing dream come true. God set me free from my fear of abandonment, and I want the world to know!
Please spread the word about Newness of Life on social media, using the buttons below to share this post!
This post will be linked up at #coffeeforyourheart, #wisewomanlinkup, #gracemoments, #dancewithjesus, #faithnfriends, #freshmarketfriday, and #graceandtruth. Visit my linkups page to find links to these wonderful blogs.
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January 31, 2017
How to Love A Bully
Today’s post is based on chapter 14 of my latest book, Newness of Life, recently released on Amazon. Get your copy for $2.99 this week!
In my current season, I face a bully almost every day. A person who makes every interaction unpleasant. A person who doesn’t own their bully status, but fights with snarky words and subtle put-downs. A person who does all they can to convey the message that I’m unwanted, unappreciated, and better off somewhere else.
This bully gives me the perfect opportunity for a time to love even when it’s hard. Over time I’ve adopted five practices for showing love to this bully.
Prayer. Jesus told us to pray for our enemies, and I decided to put this into action. As I’ve prayed for this person, my eyes have been opened to the challenges they face: loneliness, broken relationships, constant frustration. Praying blessings on this person has rooted the hate out of my heart and replaced it with compassion.
Compliments. When this person wears something nice or does something well, I offer a genuine compliment. I want this person to see me as someone other than an adversary. When I offer a compliment, I heap burning coals of kindness on this person’s head.
Learning. I take mental notes of how NOT to treat others from this person. I try to do this with a humble attitude. I think, “If I was as blind to my faults as this person was, I’d probably act the same way.” In interacting with this person, I have learned to pray often that God would search my heart and reveal my blind offenses.
Keeping Silent. Not every battle is worth fighting. I don’t regret the battles I’ve fought with this person, but as time goes on, I’m becoming wiser over what is worth the next battle. As I heard many times growing up, when I can’t say something nice, I don’t say anything at all. Also I am learning to trust in God as my Defender; I don’t have to stand up every time, because He is fighting on my behalf.
Seeking Counsel. Sometimes the pressure of dealing with a bully builds up, and I have to talk about it to release it. A few trusted friends have given me affirmation and new perspective, which helps me face this situation with renewed strength.
I don’t know how long this season will last. Yet I am choosing to believe God has a purpose for me in this trial, as long as He asks me to stay in it.
I don’t know when the next attack will occur. But I am choosing to live in faith instead of fear.
I don’t know whether others will back me up in the next battle, or if I will face it alone. Today, I am claiming the promises of Psalm 18:1-2, and I am choosing to trust in my Strength, my Rock, my Fortress, my Deliverer, my Shield, my Salvation, and my Stronghold.
God will protect me from harm and lift me up in due time, out of this bully situation, and set me free.
Questions for reflection: (please comment below)
In which life situation are you tempted to lash out in hate, rather than respond with love?
Which linked Bible verse in the five suggestions inspires you today?
What practical step can you take today to love when it’s hard?
Study Guides
Here are links to free resources that will help you in the online Bible study or your personal study of Newness of Life:
Online Bible Study Reading Plan
Giveaways
Giveaways will be announced on Fridays. If you comment in my Facebook group, you’ll be entered to win the grand prize on Feb. 3.
This week’s winner will receive a surprise collection of three books and a magnet set of these beauties:
My new book will help you apply Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 so you can understand God’s plan in your current season.
“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV
No matter what season you are in, God is teaching you valuable lessons to grow your faith and trust in Him. We will discover what God is saying through the different times and activities we traverse.
I look forward to hearing how God is working in your current life season. I hope you will join in the fun and discussion on the online Bible study.
Please vote 17 on this link: Click HERE! so I can make my publishing dream come true. God set me free from my fear of abandonment, and I want the world to know!
Please spread the word about Newness of Life on social media, using the buttons below to share this post!
This post will be linked up at #tellhisstory, #testimonytuesday, #raralinkup, and #tuestalk. Visit my linkups page to find links to these wonderful blogs.
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January 30, 2017
A Fresh Batch of Book Reviews #4
Enjoy these book reviews and check out my latest book, Newness of Life, priced at $2.99 this week only!
Heroine by Laura Domino
My friend Laura wrote this fantastic book for any Christian woman who wants to be brave. This book is a short and powerful read, perfect for a busy woman’s schedule. Each day will take only five to ten minutes to get through. That’s one reason this book is such a great pick.
Laura chooses 25 attributes for aspiring heroines to work on, then offers practical how-to tips. For example, in Day Eight, she encourages you to “Be Interesting” by striking up waiting-room conversation. This is something I typically don’t do, and as an introvert, it truly requires some courage. Yet, who knows if my conversation might be the bright spot in someone else’s lonely day?
One aspect I truly love about Laura’s book is in her daily Power Tips. She shares a scripture or two to illustrate each day’s theme, and then introduces a “Bonus Effect:” you can pair the current day’s theme with another day’s theme. I found these pairings creative and inspirational. Another bonus: Laura offers a free Heroine mini-guide to her readers when they sign up to receive updates.
Laura’s book is my favorite pick from all the self-published books I’ve read in the past six months! And this week, you can buy it at a very good bargain price. Download it today!
Talk Yourself Happy by Kristi Watts
Though Kristi Watts is well-known as a former co-host of the 700 Club show, I never watch that show, so she’s a new author to me. I am impressed with her honesty, vulnerability, warmth, and Bible knowledge. It’s an ideal book for someone like me who has struggled with negative self-talk and outlooks for most of my life.
Kristi writes through many memories and struggles with her divorce, single-parenting, and job loss. She talks openly about her doubts and fears and how God carried her through her trials. This book has a sound biblical foundation, which I deeply appreciate. Kristi shows how the Bible has transformed her thinking and her character.
In her chapter “Compassion,” I was moved by her story of helping her abusive ex-husband when he had serious health problems. God taught her that talking herself happy is not only for her own benefit, but for the benefit of others. This story illustrates that truth so powerfully.
I recommend this book for its friendly tone, humor, openness, encouragement, and practical tips.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Katharine and Martin Luther by Michelle DeRusha
Last week I wrote a bit on this book, and now that I’m finished reading, I want to give it more coverage because it launches this week. This is a highly recommended read on this year which marks the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.
As a longtime Lutheran, I became familiar with many elements of Martin Luther’s story when I was a schoolgirl. Yet this book paints a fuller picture based on the marriage between Martin and Katharina, and as a woman I particularly appreciate this vantage point. I learned so many new things and found even greater respect for these two courageous saints.
Several points fascinated me:
Katharina had to risk everything to escape from a convent. She had no family waiting for her, and had to rely on the kindness of strangers to take her in. This choice was truly brave in that time period, when women’s roles were far diminished compared to now.
The author describes childbirth, housekeeping, and cooking in ways which made me stop and literally pray out loud, “Thank you, Lord, that I was born in the 20th century with all its conveniences.” I have heard many stories of the not-so-good-old-days from my great-grandmother, but those were nothing compared to what Katharina had to endure in the sixteenth century.
Their marriage was not based on romance or attraction, but on necessity. Luther agreed to marry Katharina to provide for her, since she found no one else agreeable and he was running out of prospects. I cannot imagine the mixture of wild emotions she must have felt as a newlywed: relief, humiliation (in those days, a man was appointed to witness the consummation!), enormous transition from her cloistered life, and probably hope and renewed faith.
Luther’s letters show that in time he developed a deep appreciation and affection for Katharina, which I found to be happy news in all the trials they faced. Two of their children died before adulthood, and also they faced severe criticism and financial challenges. They relied on each other for love, strength, prayers, and comfort, which I believe is God’s ideal design for marriages.
We can thank Martin Luther for many Western practices, especially marriage ceremonies. I was fascinated by the tales of how people in the sixteenth century were equally, if not more so, confused about how marriage works than we are in our culture, in my opinion!
I loved how this historical account brought the sixteenth century to life in front of my eyes. The author writes with warmth, compassion, and real descriptions. Neither Katharina nor Martin are drawn as perfect people. I enjoyed the well-rounded view of them in their imperfections, because it makes their courageous faith all the more inspiring for an imperfect 21st century woman like me.
Looking for Newness of Life in your current life season?
My new book Newness of Life will help you apply Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 so you can understand God’s plan in your current season.
“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV
No matter what season you are in, God is teaching you valuable lessons to grow your faith and trust in Him. We will discover what God is saying through the different times and activities we traverse.
If you comment in my online Bible study throughout this study, you’ll be entered to win the grand prize of a surprise three-book collection, plus a magnet set of these beauties from my flower garden.
Please vote 17 on this link: Click HERE! so I can make my publishing dream come true. God set me free from my fear of abandonment, and I want the world to know!
Please spread the word about Newness of Life on social media, using the buttons below to share this post!
This post will be linked up at #momentsofhope, #mondaymusings, #mommymoments, #modestmommondays, #theartofhomemakingmondays, #livingproverbs31, #goodmorningmondays, #dreamtogether, #soulsurvival, and #glimpsesofhisbeauty. Visit my linkups page to find links to these wonderful blogs.
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January 27, 2017
Festive Friday #3
Festive Fridays are for counting blessings, recapping posts, announcing giveaways, and sharing special treats with you.
Special Treat
This week I’m linking up for the very first time on Five Minute Friday. I set a timer for five minutes, and here’s what I’ve written on the prompt “Control.”
Still
When I have zero control
in an impending ice storm
with my loved one’s addiction
in my children’s future choices
over my body’s aging process
over the secret countdown clock toward death
my worry rises
like an invisible flood
seeping into every aspect
of my daily living.
Only with you
will I rise above the waters
and sit quietly in your embrace
still like a small child
in the presence
of Transcendence Himself.
Recap of This Week’s Posts
On Monday I shared a fresh batch of book reviews.
On Tuesday I wrote about a time to search.[image error]
On Wednesday I recalled how my children and I made $1,000 by applying this verse.
On Thursday I shared a post about tearing and mending.
On Thursday I wrote a bonus post about having faith when finances falter.
Questions for reflection: (please comment below)
Which post from this week resonated most deeply with you?
Have you joined the online Bible study? If not, please visit the link now!
Counting Blessings
I wrote a guest post for Sylvia Ronnau on my recovery from perfection. Read it here, and please comment on Sylvia’s blog! So blessed by this opportunity!
A writing weekend awaits…hooray! I’m working on my next book and my subscriber newsletter (sign up below!). My readers voted on the title of this study on the fruits of the Spirit. “A Fruitful Life: Addressing Common Sins and Growing in Faith” will debut March 5. If you want to be part of the launch team for “A Fruitful Life,” please let me know!
I am currently in second place in the Fear Fighting Bloggers Contest. If you will take 30 seconds and vote for me, I will be so grateful! Vote 17 in the comments section on this link (click here)! One vote per email/IP address. Please comment if you voted for me. I will have a special prize drawing for all my voters at the end of February.
My new book Newness of Life is priced at $1.99 through Sun. 1/22. If you have downloaded the book, please post a review to Amazon and consider reviewing it on your blog, thanks!
Giveaways
Congratulations to Jennifer J.,
this week’s giveaway winner! Thanks for your comment in the online Bible study group!
Jennifer will receive a copy of Jesus Today and a magnet set of these beauties:
The grand prize will be given away Feb. 3, so please join the online Bible study today!
My new book Newness of Life will help you apply Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 so you can understand God’s plan in your current season.
“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV
No matter what season you are in, God is teaching you valuable lessons to grow your faith and trust in Him. We will discover what God is saying through the different times and activities we traverse.
I look forward to hearing how God is working in your current life season. I hope you will join in the fun and discussion on the online Bible study.
Please spread the word about Newness of Life on social media, using the buttons below to share this post!
This post will be linked up at #dancewithjesus, #faithnfriends, #freshmarketfriday, #graceandtruth, and #fmf. Visit my linkups page to find links to these wonderful blogs.
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Subscribe to my mailing list and receive two free gifts: 7 Ways to Find and Share Encouragement and a 2017 Peaceful Garden printable calendar!
* indicates required
First Name *
Email Address *
January 26, 2017
Faith When Finances Falter
April 15 is already staring me in the face, and its stare is menacing.
My husband’s construction company had a banner year in 2016, but that translates into a much higher tax bill this April. As in, four times what we normally pay. Four times the amount I’ve saved up. A crazy-big check equal to my entire income last year.
I don’t know how we will pay this bill. But I am trusting God to provide, as He has so many times before when our finances faltered.
In 2011 my job contract expired. I had worked as an event planner for nine years, and over those years, my working relationship had deteriorated. Worn out from legal issues, hard feelings, and mistrust, I faced the transition with a measure of relief.
Yet my relief was quickly overshadowed by our loss of income. My earnings covered our periodic expenses and extras like auto insurance, taxes, Christmas presents, and travel. How we’d make up for it, I didn’t know.
No matter how much I trimmed from the budget, no matter how many coupons I cut and 50% off sales I shopped, I always seemed to come up about $1,000 per month short. Each month I transferred more and more out of our savings account. Rainy day expenses didn’t stop–the van broke down, the washing machine was ruined in a power surge, and medical bills hit hard.
“God, where are you in this?” I cried out. “Do you want me to be a stay-at-home mom, or should I look for a job?” I looked in my three-year-old daughter’s eyes and couldn’t imagine leaving her in someone else’s care. My previous job had allowed me to work from home, and I hadn’t missed a single moment of my children’s precious early years.
I interviewed for several jobs but none of them panned out. I pushed down the panic when I looked at the dwindling balances in our bank accounts. Desperate for answers, I prayed God would provide.
God reminded me then of Jeremiah 29:11. God wants me to prosper, not simply for my own peace of mind, but so others will be blessed. He wants to give me a future and a hope. He isn’t working against me…he is not out to harm me. He is on my side.
I recounted God’s faithfulness to us as two broke college students, living in a buddy’s basement, unable to pay the $150 rent for a few months until graduation.
I remembered God’s provision as my husband changed jobs and took lower pay to pursue his dream of self-employment.
I reviewed the past, counting the numerous times God orchestrated sales of spec houses at the perfect moment, right before our savings ran dry.
I put my faith in God to provide for us, to help us prosper, and He always delivered.
God helped my husband build a thriving construction business in the middle of the Great Recession. That really doesn’t make sense in such a hard-hit industry, but in God’s economy, nothing is impossible.
God allowed me to stay home with my daughter until I found a job in 2013, and then He provided the most loving babysitter I could have found until she started kindergarten. Nothing was impossible for God then, and nothing is impossible now.
In our financial trials, God calls us to trust him for daily manna, even when we wish whole loaves of bread would fall from the sky.
My husband and I are both planners. We like predictability, certainty, and clarity. We are both fiercely independent. Neither of us are “good” at blind faith.
Yet I believe in this early part of 2017, God is calling us to trust Him. To place our faith in His plans for us. To believe He is for us, not against us. To take hope that He has a better future for us.
Today’s reflection questions:
How has God been faithful to you in past financial trials?
How does this verse apply to your personal struggle today?
In what area is God calling you to greater faith?
Get your copy of my new book, Newness of Life , this week for only $1.99!
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My new book will help you apply Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 so you can understand God’s plan in your current season.
“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV
No matter what season you are in, God is teaching you valuable lessons to grow your faith and trust in Him. We will discover what God is saying through the different times and activities we traverse.
I look forward to hearing how God is working in your current life season. I hope you will join in the fun and discussion on the online Bible study.
Please vote 17 on this link: Click HERE! so I can make my publishing dream come true. God set me free from my fear of abandonment, and I want the world to know!
Please spread the word about Newness of Life on social media, using the buttons below to share this post!
This post will be linked up at #gracemoments, #livefreethursday, #thoughtprovokingthursday, #chasingcommunity, #dancewithjesus, #faithnfriends, #freshmarketfriday, and #graceandtruth. Visit my linkups page to find links to these wonderful blogs.
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A Time to Tear, A Time to Mend
Today’s post is an excerpt of chapter 12 of my latest book, Newness of Life, recently released on Amazon. Get your copy this week for only $1.99!
To me the most powerful Bible story of a time to tear happened on the day of Jesus’ crucifixion. Three of the gospel accounts feature this detail:
It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. Luke 23:44-46
The curtain of the temple separated the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place. The high priest entered the Most Holy Place once per year, on the Day of Atonement, to make a sacrifice for the sins of all the people. No one could enter this area except the high priest. He had to follow many regulations before entering upon risk of death. The Most Holy Place was essentially cut off from God’s people, a no-access area.
When Jesus died, the thick, heavy curtain was torn from top to bottom, as Matthew records. Why top to bottom? Because it was God’s time to tear. He came down to us through Jesus, and made Himself fully accessible through Jesus’ once-and-for-all sacrifice.
Have you ever felt like God was far away? That you couldn’t approach Him without jumping through hoops or walking on eggshells? That God may strike you down for not being good enough, smart enough, or holy enough?
Because the curtain was torn, we don’t have to perform any rituals to earn God’s favor anymore. We don’t have to keep track of how many servant events we attend. We don’t need to mentally check off the times we attend church or the donations we send to charities. We don’t have to rack up shelves of Bible studies and wear crosses around our necks to prove our commitment to God.
We have full access to unveiled grace through Jesus, and we simply must accept Jesus as Lord and Savior to receive it.
The book of Hebrews paints a beautiful picture of how Jesus is now a high priest on our behalf. I love how these verses speak of the curtain:
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever. Hebrews 6:19-20
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings. Hebrews 10:19-22
Because God chose a time to tear His own Son, we have hope, confidence, assurance, and faith. Our hearts are mended and reconciled to Him. If you live out your seasons with this knowledge, you will gain the peace, joy, and love your heart seeks, and your trust in God’s timing will be strong. And no one will pay attention to your mended seams; they will see the rivers of life running through you instead.
Questions for reflection: (please comment below)
What does the tearing of the temple curtain mean to you?
How can you accept God’s unveiled grace in your life this week?
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Study Guides
Here are links to free resources that will help you in the online Bible study or your personal study of Newness of Life:
Online Bible Study Reading Plan
Giveaways
Giveaways will be announced on Fridays. If you comment in my Facebook group this week, you’ll be entered to win a prize on Jan. 27. All comments will be entered to win the grand prize on Feb. 3.
This week’s winner will receive a copy of Jesus Today and a magnet set of these beauties:
My new book will help you apply Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 so you can understand God’s plan in your current season.
“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV
No matter what season you are in, God is teaching you valuable lessons to grow your faith and trust in Him. We will discover what God is saying through the different times and activities we traverse.
I look forward to hearing how God is working in your current life season. I hope you will join in the fun and discussion on the online Bible study.
Please vote 17 on this link: Click HERE! so I can make my publishing dream come true. God set me free from my fear of abandonment, and I want the world to know!
Please spread the word about Newness of Life on social media, using the buttons below to share this post!
This post will be linked up at #gracemoments, #livefreethursday, #thoughtprovokingthursday, #chasingcommunity, #dancewithjesus, #faithnfriends, #freshmarketfriday, and #graceandtruth. Visit my linkups page to find links to these wonderful blogs.
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January 25, 2017
A Time to Keep, A Time to Throw Away
Today’s post is based on chapter 11 of my latest book, Newness of Life, recently released on Amazon. Get your copy this week for only $1.99!
I am a keeper. Not one to throw away. I’m so sentimental, it’s hard to let things go.
Yet “there is a time to throw away,” and last year I learned how to make it fun and family-oriented.
Each spring and autumn for the past 10 years, I have sold my children’s clothing at a large consignment sale. I can’t host a yard sale at my home’s remote location, so I haul everything to town and make several hundred dollars from one weekend of effort.
My in-laws live along a route known as the “100-Mile Yard Sale.” Last year, my mother-in-law urged me to sell my stuff at her house to increase my profits (the consignment sale retains 30% or more).
We conducted a plan to rid our home of all baby items and old toys, once and for all.
For two weeks in May, my three children and I culled, organized, cleaned, and priced everything to sell.
I promised we would split the profits four ways if they cooperated with the best possible attitude.
We would hold a sale on Memorial Day weekend and on Labor Day weekend, then send all the remainders to the autumn consignment sale. Nothing would return home, because the consignment sale leftovers are donated.
They agreed to help load items in the car, set up items at the sale, man the sales tables, and pack everything away.
I promised to take them shopping for whatever they wanted right after the sales closed. I encouraged them to dream about what they’d purchase with their hard-earned cash.
The plan in motion
On Memorial Day, torrential rain made a yard sale impossible, so we changed it to a “porch sale.” Amazingly, we made $250 despite the weather. After the sale we went straight to Game Stop and Target, where my boys purchased Xbox games, and my daughter chose new shoes and accessories. I bought pretty wall hangings from an antique store.
On Labor Day, my daughter baked brownies to increase our profits. She felt so grown-up selling people her baked goods. We made $400 profit. I bought another vacuum cleaner for the upstairs level of our home. My daughter bought the Lego Friends Mall, and my boys saved their money for the purchase of their first IPhones.
At the consignment sale in October, we made $350, which went toward family Christmas presents. About $150 in unsold items were donated to the mentor partnership program, and it felt good to give some of our stuff away to help those in need.
The takeaways
Teamwork is important. Everyone felt valued in this process. All of us knew we needed each other to make the sales successful. We made $1,000 by working as a team!
Family time is fun. Working for a common goal, visiting with the in-laws, and shopping together built lasting memories.
Hard work pays off. We have a less-cluttered home, new things to enjoy, and the satisfaction of doing a good job. We all received tangible rewards for our efforts.
A time to throw away is good. It taught us valuable lessons and helped others in need. It taught my children how to run a yard sale from start-to-finish, a life skill they will need in the future.
I love this practical verse, because it gives me newness of life in my home and in my less-cluttered heart. It shows me that keeping is good, and sometimes, throwing away can be even better.
Questions for reflection: (please comment below)
How does our story inspire you to seize a time to throw away?
How might your throwing-away bless someone else?
Study Guides
Here are links to free resources that will help you in the online Bible study or your personal study of Newness of Life:
Online Bible Study Reading Plan
Giveaways
Giveaways will be announced on Fridays. If you comment in my Facebook group this week, you’ll be entered to win a prize on Jan. 27. All comments will be entered to win the grand prize on Feb. 3.
This week’s winner will receive a copy of Jesus Today and a magnet set of these beauties:
My new book will help you apply Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 so you can understand God’s plan in your current season.
“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV
No matter what season you are in, God is teaching you valuable lessons to grow your faith and trust in Him. We will discover what God is saying through the different times and activities we traverse.
I look forward to hearing how God is working in your current life season. I hope you will join in the fun and discussion on the online Bible study.
Please vote 17 on this link: Click HERE! so I can make my publishing dream come true. God set me free from my fear of abandonment, and I want the world to know!
Please spread the word about Newness of Life on social media, using the buttons below to share this post!
This post will be linked up at #coffeeforyourheart, #testimonytuesday, #wisewomanlinkup, #gracemoments, and #fridayfive. Visit my linkups page to find links to these wonderful blogs.
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