Lisa Jacobson's Blog, page 14

The Big Long List of Good Books for Children {Grades 4 – 6}

She said that’s how she’ll always remember me.

That the picture of me as a young girl will be forever imprinted on her mind.

She was an old family friend and has known me since I was in second grade. In other words, for a very long time.

“What,” I asked her. “What memory would that be?”

Rather curious to hear her answer.

I remember you with a duster in one hand and a book in your other, while you slowly  – every-so-slowly – worked through your chores. Dusting and reading. But mostly reading. 

I could picture it too. Almost as if it was another young child and not really me at all.

I don’t have any memory of that. I mean, how you can remember something if you were too busy living it?

Because that’s how it was with me and books.

They were like old friends and new worlds and distant times.

And I loved it.

Now I watch our own kids getting lost in a book.

Continue reading The Big Long List of Good Books for Children {Grades 4 – 6} at Club31Women.com

3 Reasons Women Need to Embrace Community

For a long time, I avoided women’s ministry events. I just couldn’t bring myself to put on a good face and be around a bunch of people that I couldn’t stand or didn’t trust.

Yes, I had a serious attitude problem. But I felt justified.

How to Heal When Women Hurt You

You see, women in the church had seriously hurt me. They had talked about me behind my back and judged me without caring to find out the truth. The list could go on. Since I’d been hurt so much, I just decided to write the whole thing off.

I didn’t need them.

Fast forward a few more years and the loneliness in my heart was just more than I could bear. I remember attending the Women of Faith conference on my own. I cried the entire drive over to the location and as I sang worship songs with women that I didn’t know. I continued to cry as woman after woman took that stage and shared their stories.

I cried even harder when I realized that they were also sharing my story.

Continue reading 3 Reasons Women Need to Embrace Community at Club31Women.com

The 5 Things You’ll Find in Every Good Marriage – Part 2 {Real Life with Lisa}

Like most good friendships, ours has grown over time.

We’ve had to invest in our friendship and look after it.

So many times people think it’s because we somehow just “click.”

But while there might be some “clicking” between us, it’s more than that.

Far more than that.

It wasn’t as though we instantly became best friends. It’s been a long, purposeful process.

Here are some of those “secret” ingredients that have gone into our becoming the best of friends….

Join me in our home to talk about what goes into a growing, close friendship!

*And if you missed last week, here’s Part 1 of Those 5 Things That You’ll Find in Every Good Marriage

Download Printable HERE: A Good Marriage & Close Friendship (Part 2)

*All Scripture verses are from the ESV Bible

If you have troubles downloading, please wait and try again in a few minutes. It’s likely due to too many people on at the same time, and so this can momentarily “jam up” the system.

Continue reading The 5 Things You’ll Find in Every Good Marriage – Part 2 {Real Life with Lisa} at Club31Women.com

How To Instill Vision In Your Son

He had that look in his eye.

You know the look.

That way of silently expressing that this young man has got things to do and places to go.

You could tell he felt a calling on his life – a sense of purpose and a hope for the future.

Yes, that young man had a vision.

There was a time when I thought a boy either had it . . . or simply didn’t. But I don’t believe that anymore.

I believe parents can encourage vision in their sons.

That it’s not merely a matter of chance, but an internal calling that can be brought out and molded into something solid and real.

And I believe it’s never too late to appeal to that small flicker of fire deep inside his soul.

How Do You Instill Vision in Your Son?

Encourage his unique strengths and gifting.

Sometimes a son’s strengths can seem almost odd, even out-of-place when he is young. You worry about him and wonder. But don’t. Maybe he’s bright, overly-social, not-social-enough, a tinkerer, funny, or serious.

Continue reading How To Instill Vision In Your Son at Club31Women.com

When You Feel Like You Are Not Enough

I have many days where I feel like I am not enough. That I am not doing enough, not talented enough, not present enough, not loving enough, not disciplined enough, and certainly not spiritual enough. And there are days when these doubts leave me very frustrated, down, or unmotivated.

Then I read Colossians 2:10 (NASB).

“You are complete in Him!”

Such simple words, but their meaning is deep and life-giving.

Sisters, in Christ we are complete. It is a part of the gift of our Salvation. Our sins are removed and we are made whole. We lack nothing.

Every promise He makes he will fulfill for us. Every spiritual blessing is ours in Jesus. Everything Christ has done, He has done for us.

“We are completely righteous in Him!

 We are completely holy in Him!

 We are completely forgiven in Him!

 We are completely accepted in Him!

 We are completely, everlastingly, perfectly sinless in Him!”

-Robert Murray M’Cheyne

The knowledge that we are complete in Christ should have a beautiful effect on our everyday lives, shouldn’t it?

Continue reading When You Feel Like You Are Not Enough at Club31Women.com

5 Inspiring Books About Animals Your Tween Will Love

I’ll never forget the first time I saw her.

Her red mane shone in the sun as I stood in the middle of a corral. To this young teenager, I knew one thing as absolute fact. This horse and I were created for each other. My friends running a ranch helped me overcome my biggest obstacle of convincing my dad to let me buy her. I spent over thirteen years with my horse, my best friend.

In Genesis 1:26, God gave us dominion over the animals. Ever notice how God leads by example? Jesus didn’t just tell us to love each other. He put it into action on the cross when He defeated our sin. When it comes to ruling the animals, we should use love and grace, just as He does.

Perhaps the love we feel for animals is a small reflection of how He loves us. The bond with animals exists to remind us of how much He loves us. And the happiness I felt when my horse trotted to greet me with a welcoming snort, is just a small example of the joy God has when we run to Him.

Continue reading 5 Inspiring Books About Animals Your Tween Will Love at Club31Women.com

Slow-Cooker Sloppy Joe Sliders

Isn’t it funny how once you become a parent you have a whole new appreciation for the many things your parents made possible for you? As the sunny, summer days come to a close and back to school season begins, I often find myself chuckling as I remember what my parents let me participate in when school started back up.

When Evenings Become Busy

I feel like my parents got off easier with my brother. For lack of a better term, but I mean it with all the affection in the world, my brother was kind of a nerd (pretty sure that’s a compliment these days anyway!). He was really into computers, really into good grades (unlike me), and really not into anything extracurricular. I, on the other hand, participated in ballet, cheerleading, and then drama in High School. Not to mention the movie outings with friends, sleepovers, and school dances I had to attend.

All of these things meant that until I had my license and a job, my parents (mainly my mom) graciously bussed me around to my various activities. We lived out in the country a bit, and so for my parents to take me to all of the places I wanted to go, I sometimes needed to find a friend to carpool with or plan a sleepover to avoid driving both ways – also just one of the many reasons why a curfew was in place!

Continue reading Slow-Cooker Sloppy Joe Sliders at Club31Women.com

Those 5 Things You’ll Find In Every Good Marriage and Close Friendship {Real Life with Lisa}

Our young teenage son came up to me with this troubled look on his face.

Clearly, he was facing some terrible dilemma and so I asked if I could help out.

“I don’t know,” he shrugged. “It’s just this dumb school assignment we were given.”

That was a bit discouraging to hear, considering this was only the first day of the school year.

His class was studying Shakespeare and they were starting with, “The Taming of the Shrew.”

While not exactly a Shakespeare expert, I hoped to offer something that would relieve the poor boy’s mind.

“So what’s this impossibly tough assignment?” I asked.

List 5 things that go into a good marriage.

Then being the sensitive mother that I am . . . I burst out laughing. (Not a recommended parenting technique, by the way. Especially with teenagers.)

“Are you serious, Son? That’s the question that’s stumped you so badly? A good marriage??”

He got a little defensive. “Well, what do I know about marriage? I’m just a teenage boy. I’ve never been married before!”

Good point.

Continue reading Those 5 Things You’ll Find In Every Good Marriage and Close Friendship {Real Life with Lisa} at Club31Women.com

Wise Moms Tune Their Harping

Our pastor and his sons stopped by, on a hot, summer afternoon, to return the kayaks they had borrowed. As they were getting ready to leave, I said, “Hey, could you give me a lift down to the mechanic?” Our car had been in the shop and was ready for pick-up.

“No problem,” he said.

We chatted about life, as he drove down the road, and the chatting caused him to miss the turn into the mechanic’s shop.

“You can just let me out here,” I said.

“No way,” he said, as he started to turn around.

“Joey. It’s only a few yards to the mechanic. I can walk.”

But he ignored me. “My mom would not have it,” he said. “I can hear her voice right now, telling me that I had better drive you right to the door.”

Well, you can’t argue with a guy’s mom, even if she’s in heaven.

That was a sobering moment for me. The lesson Joey’s mom had taught him when he was growing up, about how to treat girls, was still alive in his mind.

Continue reading Wise Moms Tune Their Harping at Club31Women.com

7 Motivating Books to Jump-Start Your September

A 50-count pack of colored pencils, with their uniform points and array of pretty hues lined up neatly in the box makes my heart go pitter patter.

Picking out a three-ring binder with coordinating page dividers is a thrill.

It’s been years since I received a school supply list in the mail, but I still love roaming the back-to-school aisles when they pop up (earlier and earlier it seems) in the summer.

Those glue sticks, rainbows of markers, and lined paper are a harbinger of fall and a busier time of year. The chaos of summer freedom is replaced by the chaos of autumn routines. Even though my children are quite young, I can feel the pace of life quicken as we move into the next season.

Extra-curricular activities are multiplying, ministries are launching, school is starting. Life is ramping back up for the majority of us come September, and sometimes the transition is just plain hard.

I don’t always do change very well, but I’m wanting to approach this new season with intention and joy.

I usually turn to books when I need some inspiration.

Continue reading 7 Motivating Books to Jump-Start Your September at Club31Women.com