God's Heart for You.

[Judy Harder]

In The Clouds
Dec 28, 2011  Angie


I'm not sure how many cities I've been in over the last several months, but including all the layovers, I'm sure it was a bunch more than I wanted to be in.

It's not that I don't like the actual cities; it's just that most of the time it is a plane that takes me to those cities. And I'm not a fan of the plane.

A few years ago I was on a flight and the plane was making a weird noise. I asked the flight attendant what it was and she had insufficient information for me. So I did what any rational person would do and asked the plane to turn around from the runway and take me back to the gate. Everyone pretty much loved me as I did the walk of shame, apologizing to anyone who dared to make eye contact with the freak of nature who had single-handedly ensured at least 15 missed connections at the next airport.

As most of you know, I tend to struggle with fear.




I've done a lot of soul searching over the past year, because when I get off the plane in a new city, it means I'm going to have to get on a big stage in that new city. I'm also not a fan of the big stage.

God certainly has a sense of humor, no?

Generally speaking, I do okay on planes as long as a) I can see the ground b)it's a super smooth flight c) it's daytime d) there are no storms anywhere remotely close, and e) I'm by a window.

I have learned that the checklist doesn't do much good, because they shuffle you on too fast to have a sit-down with the pilots and look at maps and such. My friend (and equally phobic) Natalie Grant and I are fans of websites that document weather patterns and predict turbulence. It's kind of pitiful, actually.

A few weeks ago I was on a flight that (barely) met 2 of my 5 requirements, and as we took off we hit a patch of less than desirable weather. I grabbed the sides of my seats and started praying.

"Get above it, get above it, get above it..." I whispered. I always do, but I hadn't really realized it until this particular flight. Usually once you're out of the clouds it settles down a little, and I was banking on that to survive the feeling of diving headfirst into a tornado. I'm pretty sure everyone else was as scared as I was, and they just talked and laughed and read their books to make it look like they were calm. Whatever.

I started practicing the verses I'm memorizing, and begged God for mercy. I was keenly aware of the fact that my breathing was more gasping, and I asked the Lord to help me breathe, help me remember who He is, and to know His power in the moment where I had nothing of my own to offer.

After about 3 hours (or 10 minutes. The details are fuzzy), we got above the clouds. The  ding announced we were able to move about the cabin and I wiped my sweaty hands on my jeans. I grabbed a magazine and asked for a diet coke.

It was pretty good until the way down. I tend to do better descending because it isn't, you know, defying gravity. So I kind of feel like I'm cooperating with nature instead of trying to rage against it. It's logical to me.

The pilot announced that it was going to be a little bumpy on the way down (cue hysteria). He asked the flight attendants to take their seats early because of the concern for injury. I don't remember exactly what he said but what I heard was, "Sayonara suckers. Your feet won't touch ground again."

With my forehead stuck to the window, I stared at the light on the end of the wing and prayed. It was really cloudy, and every few seconds we would hit an air pocket and feel like we were dropping fast.

"Get below it, get below it, get below it..." Again I mouthed the words, hardly looking up when the flight attendant motioned for my nearly full drink. I looked at her for a split second and then went back to my post. I compare this feeling to what Todd must feel when he's yelling full throttle at a Michigan football game. His voice doesn't change the outcome, but it sure feels like it might in the moment.

We did land without any major incident, and as I rode over to the hotel I could feel my body start to calm down. I thought about how hard this season in my life is because I'm smack dab against the window of my fears and it does take a toll on me. While I don't feel like I have ever heard the Lord audibly, I certainly feel when He has spoken. While I was lamenting my struggle, I realized something He had planted in me, and I've been processing it ever since.

"When do you pray, Angie?"


I thought back to the flight. I prayed when I was in the clouds, when the plane was bumping around and unpredictable.

Yes.

I pray in the clouds.

When my own little list of requirements is met, I don't cry out to Him the same way. Yes, I pray...but not like I do in the clouds.

And whether or not we are in planes, we are all most certainly in clouds.


There are those rough pockets of life where it feels like our thoughts are only to get out of the rough pockets. And we might miss the communion that happens at 30,000 feet if we allow ourselves to.

And all the while, our human nature shouts, "Get above it! get below it! get me out of here!" There's nothing wrong with feeling like you wish a hard season would pass, but I do believe there are treasures we might otherwise miss if we don't know Him there, in the bumps and the chaos.

Let Him reveal His power when you have none. For control freaks like myself, it's an exercise in humility. Where is an area of your life where you could shift your focus a little and instead of shouting about where you wish you were, you could surrender and see Him exactly where you are? I'm praying His peace washes over you in the coming days, and that you see His face anew as you trust Him to get you through the storm as only He can.

By: Angie Smith, Bring the Rain



His Story
Dec 28, 2011 Kimm Crandall




Last night ended in tears.

Yes, many an evening has had me in tears...tears of frustration, tears of pain, or tears of sheer exhaustion. These weren't the hot tears of anger nor the free flowing tears of sadness. These tears were ones that have dripped into my heart carving out a special spot to always be remembered.

As I lay on the couch in exhaustion, watching TV and reading my emails I became overwhelmed. I was overwhelmed by how completely and utterly I am loved by my Savior. A Savior that has given me His story to tell, something to live for, something to hold on to.

I had the opportunity to share with the women from my church this past weekend something that I never thought I had until recently, a testimony. As I stood in front of eighty women and my pastor my hands shook so badly that scrolling down the screen of my iPad as I read my notes was nearly impossible.

I stood there in all of my weakness giving them the only thing that I had to give...His strength.

Why me? What does this broken mom of four have to give? Don't they know that I sometimes yell at my kids? Don't they know that I doubt? Don't they know how prideful I can be?

During some very dark years of trials and depression my sweet, sweet friend would counsel me with these words, "Kimm, some day you are going to have a testimony that you will be able to share with other women that points them to Christ." There were days, when I didn't understand what God was doing, that I clung to these words. Days that I thought would consume me but they never did.

So as you can imagine, standing in front of these women and giving them Christ was an amazing experience for me. In the midst of my shaking hands and my choked up voice He spoke His love to me in a powerful and consuming way. It was a confirmation of a promise.

A promise that "He would never leave me or forsake me."

A promise that "All things work together for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose."

A promise that "I would not be consumed."

And a promise that remains in the scars that I will marvel at when I am in heaven.

My friends, there is tough stuff in this life, challenges that seem too difficult to bear. If I can say one thing to encourage you it is to remind yourself daily of the promises that are wrapped up in those nailed scarred hands. The promises that comfort from the ever sustaining word. He is writing His story for you in the midst of your trials.

Stories of His faithfulness to you.

Stories of His relentless pursuit of His beloved bride.

Stories that will become your testimony to His goodness.

The story He has woven for me is a gift that only He can give. A story that I can reflect on and praise Him for His kindness to me. A story that overwhelms me with His love for me. And as life moves forward He will continue to shape it into what He wants it to be for me.

It's His story.

By Kimm Crandall @ Christ in the Chaos

[Judy Harder]

It Is Time We Talked About It
Dec 29, 2011

Annie Downs




I've drummed my fingers on the laptop keyboard like two racing horses.

I've stood up and made a lap around the kitchen table a few times, thinking about and rewriting sentences in my mind.

I've leaned over the computer and said, "Well. Why don't you tell me what to write?"

I ate a brownie.

All personal coping techniques I use when trying to write something deeply important.

Today, there's a desire to tred lightly, but speak bravely.

There's a call for honesty packaged in tenderness.

There's fear inside worry inside self-protection. [Like a turducken, just less delicious.]

But there's a need. And there is hope. And there is joy.

So even though I'm a little scared wrapped in worried covered in a desire to protect my emotions, here we go.

. . . . .

Hi. I'm Annie. I'm 31 and I'm still unmarried.

Single.

Uno.

I know some of you out there are the same. I know it because we at (in)courage read your emails, your posts on facebook, your blog-froggy-ness. [That is not a word.]

Being single, whether never married or single again, can be a challenge, a blessing, a curse, a joy, a disappointment. How many emotions can us single gals cover in one day? A gazillion. [That's an appropriate use of the word there, isn't it? ]

As we hope you know, (in)courage exists to be a beach home for the heart of every woman, married or single. So we need to take just a little time and gather all the single girls on the screened-in porch, sit cross-legged, and watch the sunset together. Once it is dark and we're all still sitting there, we'll get honest and talk towards the ocean, but let each other hear the words being spoken.

It doesn't matter your age. It doesn't matter where you live or what you do. You are welcome here.

As we twirl towards 2012, you single girls are on the heart of the (in)courage women. To say "we know how it feels" is mostly true. I mean, every (in)courage writer was single for some portion of their life. But for me personally, I definitely know how it feels. Because hello, I am still single.

I want you to know that I'm the first one sitting on that porch. I'm ready to listen, to cry with you, to laugh after the bad dates and to rejoice in answered prayers. I'm not here to teach – I certainly don't have all the answers. Truth be told, I'm know at some point I'll be the one spilling my guts through the tears and you'll be the ones listening in the cool dark of a beachy summer night. And you'll have all the answers. [I hope.]

But for now, let's just get together and chat. You're turn to talk... er... comment.

First of all, are you single gals out there?

How can we support you?

What do you want to talk about?

What questions would you like answered?

What do you need from the (in)courage sisters?

What do we need to talk about to make this a life-giving community for you?

Are you going to be cold out here on the porch? [Nah... we'll have blankets and coffee and all be squeezed close on those wicker sofas. You'll be fine. ]

I'm looking forward to what becomes of the conversation we're starting today. Thanks for being a part of it.

(Also, by the way-  in January, we're going to be listing some new things we're going to do as single girls in 2012. So get your list ready and we'll all link up next month. More details coming soon....)

By Annie Downs // AnnieBlogs

[Judy Harder]

20 questions for reflecting on your 2011
Dec 31, 2011 Tsh Oxenreider

Happy New Year's Eve Eve! Whether you're headed to a party or headed to the living room with a bowl of popcorn, New Year's Eve is a great day for reflection. A whole year has passed since the last one. You're a year older. Are you a year wiser?

Below are 20 questions I use each year as a springboard to reflect on the past 365 days. Use these Reflection Questions however you see fit over the next few days. Feel free to think over these throughout your day. But if you'd like to be a bit more intentional with them, every year I provide a free PDF download over on Simple Mom—head over there to download the document, fresh off the press.

Want to answer these questions solo? Grab a cup of coffee and a pen, and use the space provided on the first three pages of the free download.

Want to chat over the answers with your spouse or with friends? Use the last page of the PDF to cut each question into squares, and then toss them in a hat to draw, one at a time.

In early January, I'll share another round of questions (and another PDF) on Simple Mom. This time, they'll be to help plan your goals for 2012. What are your plans? Your hopes? What would you like to happen for you personally, for your children, for your family? I like what Dave Ramsey says—"A goal without a plan is just a dream."

But for now, use the next 48 hours to reflect on the past 365 days...

20 Questions for a New Year's Eve Reflection
1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year?

2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?

3. What was an unexpected joy this past year?

4. What was an unexpected obstacle?

5. Pick three words to describe 2011.

6. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe your 2011 (don't ask them; guess based on how you think your spouse sees you).

7. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe their 2011 (again, without asking).

8. What were the best books you read this year?

9. With whom were your most valuable relationships?

10. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?

11. In what way(s) did you grow emotionally?

12. In what way(s) did you grow spiritually?

13. In what way(s) did you grow physically?

14. In what way(s) did you grow in your relationships with others?

15. What was the most enjoyable part of your work (both professionally and at home)?

16. What was the most challenging part of your work (both professionally and at home)?

17. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?

18. What was the best way you used your time this past year?

19. What was biggest thing you learned this past year?

20. Create a phrase or statement that describes 2011 for you.

Happy reflecting! And pass over that bowl of popcorn.



Biblical Prayer

jhomestory



I've been thinking a lot lately about Biblical prayer. In the past, I have acted out of fear rather than faith. I've been afraid of being expectant in case God's answer is "no", or in case I ask for the wrong thing. To put it simply, I've been afraid of being disappointed by the results of my prayers. I may also tend to pray more when I am really in need. God has been showing me that He has given me guidelines regarding prayer. I only need to do what He says! He tells me to ask, to believe He hears and will answer, to pray according to His will, to pray continually, and to be thankful and not worry. See for yourself!

Matt 21:22- And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive. NKJV

John 16:24- Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. NKJV

James 4:3- You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. NKJV

Luke 11:2- When you pray, say: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. NKJV

1 Thes 5:7- pray without ceasing NKJV

Phil 4:6- Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. NKJV

Proverbs 15:29- He hears the prayer of the righteous. NKJV

I want to begin to pray according to the guidelines God has given me. Far be it from me to make up my own rules about prayer! My first step in putting this into practice is to pray expectantly. When I'm living my life according to His will, I don't have to fear asking anything in His name. The next thing to do is teach my children to pray without ceasing. I don't want it to be unusual in our home to say "let's pray about that right now!".

The only condition in order for our prayers to be heard is righteousness (Proverbs 15:29), which we have when we have been covered by the blood of Christ. The conditions to receiving from the Lord are a) that we don't "ask amiss", which we can avoid by continually abiding in Jesus so that our will is aligned with His; and b) that we believe. What are we waiting for? We only stand to gain a deeper, faith-building prayer life by applying His word to our prayers!

By: Jessi Burke

[Judy Harder]

The Dream for the New Year
Dec 31, 2011  Amber Haines


We've moved back to the Rock House, and our den here is blinding in the mornings, sun pouring in. This used to be Grandma and Grandpa's home, and now it's ours, outlined in hot pink azaleas and wild poppies in the Spring. Now books line the shelf where Grandma's dolls used to be. Now four boys rattle the walls, the sixth generation of Haines to live here.

I'm unpacking boxes here again, holding what dishes I didn't sell up to the light. We had simplified down to an apartment and aimed to be givers after cancelling an adoption (my dream of baby girl). We wanted to open ourselves to God and turn away from the comfort levels we had come to know.

We were opening ourselves to Africa, specifically Ethiopia, wanted to know how to serve her. We were opening ourselves to close-knit community, neighbors' children knocking on our door just as the baby drifts to sleep. We were opening ourselves to the world, ready to sacrifice, condense, and move.

And then I got pregnant with my fourth son, and another son needed therapy, and our dear friends (our close community) moved to another location.



Things have a way of changing, scales a way of falling from eyes. God's grace can wreck what it is we think we're doing here. Over and over again in 2011, I had a plan. And my plan always, mercifully, seemed a knee-slapper to God.

Tomorrow is the first day of 2012, and I'll wake up at home, to relief, and four boys will roll around like puppies. Something will break. I'll make an extra pot of coffee in the afternoon, and I'll call my sister, again, and say, "we've had three bloody noses today, and I had to climb a tree to get Jude down!"

I've yet to unpack the box with my husband's photos from Mozambique, how I framed for him the trip and the people that changed (saved?) our lives. I forget sometimes about the tattoo on my back, the one with part of the Ethiopian flag. After a shower, I'll catch a glimpse of it in the mirror. Broken dreams are always building blocks for new dreams, so Seth leaves for Ethiopia in three weeks.

And this time, I'm trying not to have a plan. I only know that God is with us, and it's never what we think, and that things will fall apart, and that even then, especially then, it's ok.

What are your dreams for this next year? As you see them shift, change, and redirect, stake this claim today:

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory [...]" (Ephesians 3:21-21).

written by Amber Haines

[Judy Harder]

At a time when we seek to renew our faith and purpose, this request to God for increased understanding, obedience, and righteousness as well as decreased covetousness, vanity, and reproach is a beautiful prayer for a new year:

Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.
Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.
Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.
Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.
Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.
Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.
Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.

~Psalm 119:33-40

[Judy Harder]

The ONE difference between long-lasting resolutions & spectacular failures

Jan 03, 2012

Tsh Oxenreider




I still remember one particular January 1st in the 90s. I was in college, and I was determined to make that year one of my best. My head was a bit foggy from a late-night gathering at a friend’s house the night before, but that didn’t damper my mood—I was armed with a journal and a pen, and by golly, I was going to make some resolutions.

Equipped with a cup of joe at the local coffee shop and headphones plugged into my old-school CD player (which I’m sure was playing something like The Cranberries or Spin Doctors), I scratched out my resolutions:

Give up Dr. Pepper
Wake up at 6 a.m. and have hour-long daily devotionals
Read through the Bible in a year
Clean out my car every day
Write all my papers a week in advance
Read one book per month, for fun
Go to the gym four times a week
Learn how to play the guitar
I don’t have to tell you how smashingly these resolutions failed. I don’t even remember their outcomes, which tells me I was probably gung-ho until about January 12, when I started to waver. By the end of the month, I’m sure I was back to bicycling past the gym after class in order to crack open a Dr. Pepper and watch the latest Friends episode.

What went wrong?
Now that I’m a bit older and have a smidge more experience under my belt, I can look at this list and immediately see that I set myself up for failure. For one, I had eight New Year’s resolutions. Eight. No human could successfully adopt that many good habits at once, no matter how resolute.

Secondly—I was erecting huge mountains in my path. Forget waking a few minutes earlier to pray, or to cut back to only a few weekly sodas—I was an all or nothing gal. Each of these lofty goals required undivided attention, but the mere fact that there was more than one meant divided attention was unavoidable.

I’m a perfectionist by nature, so I know these resolutions were meant well. I wanted better for myself, and they addressed the imperfections I saw. But I left no room for grace.

Heaps and heaps of grace
I’m all about the grace now. 15 years and three kids later, I know too well that I only have 24 hours in a day, and my brain cells can multiply only so many times. I still fight that beast called perfectionism, but I know I’m human.

I prefer striving for excellence, not perfection.

This is the main difference between resolutions that work and those that don’t. The ones that stick around for the long haul are enveloped in grace and focus on excellence. The ones doomed to fail are armed with whips and require perfection.

New Year’s resolutions get a bad rep, for good reason—they’re impossible to keep. But I love making goals. There’s something about turning a calendar page to a new year that motivates our conscience. It’s a clean slate. We’re hopeful for the next 12 months.

I say use that to your advantage instead of pooh-poohing New Year’s resolutions’ stereotype. Make those goals. But do so realistically.

I wrote my second book this past fall—it’s called One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler. It’s a great compendium to your goal-making this month, and as the title suggests, it feeds you morsels of motivation so that you can simplify your life a bit at a time. Instead of drinking from the fire hose, the book invites you to cup your hands into the stream of grace.

The book is uber-practical: categories include money management, time stewardship, organizing your space, and living green. Topics covered include decluttering your kids’ art collection, establishing a morning routine, and switching to non-toxic cleaners. 52 all together.

This week, to kick off Bloom’s Recommended Reads series this winter, and to encourage you to start 2012 on the right path, I want to give TEN of you a free copy of my e-book, One Bite at a Time!

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post, answering this question: What’s the most daunting New Year’s resolution you’ve ever made?

In the meantime, you can use the code HAPPYNEWYEAR to get $1off the book until this Tuesday, January 10. We’ll announce the ten winners this Friday.

I’ll be back on Wednesday, sharing my own personal 2012 goals. Be thinking of yours!



I Will Not Go Down
Jan 02, 2012 12:10 am | Amanda White





Do you remember Nehemiah? He's the wine-taster turned wall-builder in the Old Testament. He heard that the walls of Jerusalem were torn down and decided to not sit idly by but to get off his cushy palace job and do something about it.

Building a wall turned out to be a lot more than he bargained for. He and his fellow wall-builders were abused and even attacked. They had to work with one hand grasping their swords!

Soon, a group of people were scheming to harm Nehemiah and they told him to come down off the wall. He responded, "I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?". (Nehemiah 6:3) They persisted and sent him 4 more requests to leave the wall. Nehemiah refused.

His enemies got even more crafty and were fake prophesying against him–and Nehemiah's friends told him to run away and hide in the temple. Finally, Nehemiah says, "Should a man like me run away?...I will not go!" (Nehemiah 6:11)


My mom has been a pastor and teacher to children in our local church for over 25 years. She has sat in mini-chairs, done puppet shows, poured over curriculum and taught the 10 Commandments more than anyone can imagine. But she's also planted seeds that have developed deep roots and flowering bushes. Ministry to children is the same as being a mom–you put in lots of time, lots of love but you don't see results right away. Sometimes it takes generations for the seed to bloom.

Now my mom has taken Nehemiah's cry as her own, "I am carrying on this great project and cannot go down...I will not go!" She's 55 years old but still works as hard as she did when I was a student in her first Bible Club.

My sister-in-law is a missionary to Mexico. She has four children under 7 years old. Two of them were born in Mexico. She comes to the States about once a year. She misses birthday parties, Christmas get-togethers and Target. Her kids sleep under mosquito tents. Their church does battle with an actual witch doctor in their town.

But she does not come down. She knows the good work she is doing. And she will not go!

Ahhh, but they are missionaries! Pastors! I'm just a mom. A teacher. A desk jockey. A student. I don't have a Great Project.

Don't you? God said he has a plan for your life. He said He prepared good works for you to do–planned them even before the world was formed.

It might seem little to stay at home and wipe noses all day. It might seem insignificant to go to the same job week after week. It might feel trivial to do the same paperwork day in and day out.

God sees your whole life as His Great Project! He wants you to stay up on that wall and not go down! He wants you to see your job, your life, your family as a place to do His good works, to lead others to Him and to shine the light He's placed inside of you.

After all, isn't that what Jesus did for us?

He was on the cross for hours.

He was beaten, bloodied and bruised.

But He did not go down.

He was mocked and betrayed.

He had a legion of angels at his beck and call.

But his Great Project was YOU.

And He did not go down.




What is your Great Project? How can you stand on the wall this New Year?
By Amanda White, ohAmanda & Impress Your Kids

[Judy Harder]

January 03, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers     

Clouds and Darkness
Clouds and darkness surround Him . . . -Psalm 97:2


A person who has not been born again by the Spirit of God will tell you that the teachings of Jesus are simple. But when he is baptized by the Holy Spirit, he finds that "clouds and darkness surround Him . . . ." When we come into close contact with the teachings of Jesus Christ we have our first realization of this. The only possible way to have full understanding of the teachings of Jesus is through the light of the Spirit of God shining inside us. If we have never had the experience of taking our casual, religious shoes off our casual, religious feet- getting rid of all the excessive informality with which we approach God- it is questionable whether we have ever stood in His presence. The people who are flippant and disrespectful in their approach to God are those who have never been introduced to Jesus Christ. Only after the amazing delight and liberty of realizing what Jesus Christ does, comes the impenetrable "darkness" of realizing who He is.

Jesus said, "The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63). Once, the Bible was just so many words to us - "clouds and darkness"- then, suddenly, the words become spirit and life because Jesus re-speaks them to us when our circumstances make the words new. That is the way God speaks to us; not by visions and dreams, but by words. When a man gets to God, it is by the most simple way- words.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Secret to God's Provision

In Luke 12:31-32 Jesus tells us,

"But seek the kingdom of God...." (In Matthew 6:33, He said, "Seek first the kingdom of God...and all these things shall be added to you.") "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

The secret to receiving God's provision is to put God's Kingdom first, then everything else will be added to you. That includes all the things you worry about and strive after. God promises He will add them to you.

I know for some people it is just too simplistic. It is just a childish notion to be brushed aside. But, to do so is a grave mistake. Never underestimate the power of obedience. When we obey God and get our priorities in line, it unlocks and releases incredible blessings in our life.

When we put the spiritual above the material, when we put the cause and the mission of God's Kingdom before our own personal desires, it will cause things to be added to our lives.

I remember reading about J.L. Kraft. He began his business by selling cheese on the streets in Chicago, but failed miserably. One day a Christian friend told him, "J.L., you don't have God first in your life, or in your business. Put Him first in all things you do, and you will see a different outcome."

From that day on, he put God's Kingdom first in every way and he built the largest cheese empire in the world.

First things first. Jesus said, "Do not worry. Just get your priorities in line, and God will take care of you."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Tragedy
In HIS Presence: God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female (Genesis 1:27).

There are no counterfeits in the kingdom of God. However, in Satan's evil realm, there are only faulty imitations of what the Lord created to be good. The Enemy is determined to destroy God's work, and he always begins by seeking to tear the family apart. He tempts us into compromising and doing exactly what we know is wrong. In times of sin, we may think no one will get hurt but ourselves. However, we are wrong. The ripple effect of sin goes on and on.

God promises to deal with every deed done in secret and darkness. We will have to bear the consequences of our actions. Usually, once sin begins, it does not stop until something tragic takes place. Sadly, our children often are the ones who suffer the most as they wonder why Daddy is not home or why Mommy left so quickly.

God's plan for marriage has an instruction guide that is easy to follow. It begins like this, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:;37).

When you obey His principles, life becomes bright and full of joy. There may be some tough issues that you will have to tackle along the way. However, because you have obeyed Him, He will give you the strength and wisdom you need to get through every difficulty.

One Moment Please:

God wants men and women to partner together to fulfill his plan for the family.


God bless
 

[Judy Harder]

Write a Card of Thanks and Encouragement
Jan 04, 2012 Jessica Turner




When I was little, my mom instilled in my sister and me the importance of writing thank you cards.

We often couldn't play with our new toys after Christmas until our thank you cards were written.

It was an excellent way to teach us the importance of saying thank you.

Now that I am older, I still write thank you cards.

My favorite thank you cards are thank-you-for-being-you cards. These kinds of cards are unexpected gifts to recipients and a blessing to write.

I have written about card writing here on (in)courage before, but with the new year just beginning, I felt prompted to write about it again.

Who can you send a thank-you-for-being-you card to? Who can you say you matter through a card?

I believe card writing changes lives.

Now that might sound dramatic, but think about it.

When you write a card, the process forces you to be quiet for a few minutes and think about the recipient. It is an act that allows you to love another person. That intentionality can be life changing.

Life change can also occur in the life of the recipient. A card is a reminder of love. It can brighten a gloomy day. It can bring hope and joy.

Someone in your life needs to know that they matter and that you are thankful for them.

It might be a friend that lives across the country or down the street.

It might be your mom.

It might be your child's teacher.

It might be your husband.

Will you pray for that person and send them a card today? Then share in the comments who you are going to send a card to.


I'll start: Today  I am sending a card to my children's pediatrician.  She is amazing, and I want her to know she is appreciated. I hope that when she receives the card, it will brighten her busy day.

[Judy Harder]

Goals make us available, not perfect

Jan 05, 2012 

Tsh Oxenreider

Have you made any goals for 2012 yet? I'm still mulling over mine, but I think I've got a basic list:

Take a photo every day in 2012
Become more physically active—specifically, working out three times a week
Completely save for a big purchase in the works for our family
Finish writing my book
I've got something fun—taking a daily photo, which shouldn't be too difficult, thanks to my trusty iPhone. One involves me personally, which of course affects my family—but seeing as exercise has always been my frog (see project 1 of my book), it's easier said than done.

The third is a family project of sorts, and it looks pretty doable so far.... we're excited. And the last is my daunting mountain to climb, professionally—book writing is no small task, especially with three children at my skirt hem. I learned this back in 2009.

But these goals are possible. They're lofty and ambitious, yes, but they're not ridiculous. They walk that fine line between not being too gimme, but not impossible for a busy mama.

I believe God wants us to enjoy Him fully in the life He's given us, which means that by addressing the practical, we're freer to delight in His gifts. We can better hike wooded trails when we're in reasonably good health—our bodies allow us to experience His creation, in other words.

But practical goals should never be the measuring stick that determines our worth. Not exercising three times per week does not make me a horrible person—it makes me a human being. It's a good goal because it addresses the stewardship of my body, but God adores me regardless of my earthly accomplishments.

Keep this in mind as you make New Year's resolutions. Keep them focused on making yourself more available to God's presence, not on becoming perfect. It won't happen.

My latest book, One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler, equips you with tools and motivation to tackle 52 projects that'll make your life simpler. (This is why I thought it was such a brilliant title.)

I wonder if one of the 52 projects is one of your 2012 goals? If so, perhaps the book would help. I'm giving away ten copies this week—head to this post to enter.

I'm also offering a code for $1 off—HAPPYNEWYEAR—good through Saturday, January 6.

Friday I'll share some practical tips on actually accomplishing these goals (sticking to resolutions? Madness!), and a fun way you can use my book and the blogosphere to make it happen.

I'll also elaborate on a nifty little concept I use to approach goals realistically. Hint: It's project number 47 in the book.

What are some of your goals for 2012?


Lay Them Down—Again
Julie Sunne


I look around me. Everywhere I turn, I see beauty, from the tree-framed lake to the deep blue sky.

My eyes take in the bright red of the cranberries and the dazzling brilliance of the sun reflecting off the soft blanket of snow. Winter has gently made its appearance.


And I am overwhelmed ... overwhelmed with disappointment in myself.

I have so much, yet I appreciate so little.

My life is easy compared to many. I am blessed with a wonderful family, immediate and extended. I live in a beautiful setting and have found work I can do from home. My church is supportive and nurturing.

I have so much more than many.

But satisfaction is fleeting!

While others celebrate the days they can just get out of bed, I complain about being too busy. While others rejoice in the moments when they have the strength to type even a few words, I lament the lack of time to write. While others praise God for the instances they can breathe without pain, I bemoan that I have to take the dog for a walk yet again.

I long for what I don't have.

I sit in my swing, the snow-sprinkled branches swaying gently in the breeze, surrounded by the sound of geese "talking" and birds chirping, yet a joyful spirit eludes me. I worry, ask what if and how come, and pray.

I pray long and hard. Where is that elusive peace and contentment?

Oh, there are days I can claim it—when I have peace; when I can encourage others with the hope found in Christ; when my heart dances with the joy of knowing Jesus.

Then, a short while later, something doesn't go the way I want and everyone hears about it, or in an exhausted state I snap back to irritation.

Christ hasn't changed. Salvation is still mine. God still freely pours out His grace for me.

But I have changed.

Oh, how I long to be done with those feelings! To be joyful because of and in spite of—in all circumstances—as Paul learned to be (Philippians 4:11–12).

I am slowly realizing that all of those issues, whatever those are, must be laid at the foot of the cross. Not once, not twice, but many times—always with my eyes focused on the Savior.

How grateful I am that my God doesn't give up on me! In His mercy, He lets me turn over my insecurities and heartaches to Him repeatedly. He carries them for me, so I can experience the freedom of living in Christ.

Depressed about missing out on deep conversations with my daughter—give it to Him!

Worry about my children's futures—lay it down!

Concern over finances—let Him carry it!

But then my eyes shift down, and I once again clothe myself with the weight of this dark world.

My prayer is that one day I will be close enough to Jesus to surrender a hurt once and for all. For now, though, I will embrace His unending grace with joy and thanksgiving.

"Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

With the dawn of a new year, this is the perfect time to examine our Christian walk and to begin our lives anew, putting our trust in the Redeemer. Are there burdens you carry that you need to lay at the foot of the cross? What is preventing you from doing so? How has the Lord proven faithful to take your load and give you rest?

By Julie Sunne

Compassion in a New Year

A new year arrives and an old pattern repeats as we walk a worn path, yearly trodden: emerging from the Christmas season with spirits lifted and hope renewed, expectant . . . ready.

Ready for change. Ready to make a difference.

For some that translates into a gym membership; a new hobby; or a resolution to eat less, give more, get together with friends, or keep a cleaner house. Resolutions reflect our inner need to grow, to change, to live well.

This January I'd like to encourage you to focus a little of your good intentions in a direction that will make a profound and lasting difference in the life of a child, a child you may never meet but can bless in a mighty way across the miles.

We sponsored our Compassion child, Guadalupe, almost four years ago. We spend $38 per month for her sponsorship, plus we also choose to send money for birthday and Christmas presents. I love to hear her name uttered in my children's prayers, this little girl in Honduras who looks like a Hispanic version of my 8-year-old daughter and sends us crayon drawings from 2000 miles away.

I've never forgotten the words that prompted me to visit the Compassion site:

The difference between the Compassion sponsored kids and the unsponsored kids is unbelievable. It is the difference that hope, dignity, clothing and love can make.

These are real children with real needs. Please take a moment to visit Compassion's list of children who need sponsors and see if one of those little faces doesn't capture your heart, the way Guadalupe did mine.

How often do we get the chance to shine our lights thousands of miles away and make a resolution that really makes a difference?

If you decide to sponsor a child, please come back and tell us your story in the comments! If you're already sponsor a child, share that with us, too.


By Dawn Camp, My Home Sweet Home

[Judy Harder]

Two ways to make New Year's Resolutions actually STICK

Jan 06, 2012  Tsh Oxenreider




So talking about 2012 goals is all well and good... but just naming them isn't enough. You've got to make a plan so that they're more than a memory by February.

I'm not speaking from accolades of success here. This is Tsh, Normal Person, writing here. Like you, I'm busy, too quickly overwhelmed, and so often distracted by the next shiny object. "Get in shape? Who wants to do that? There's cookies."

Remember, grace is important. So is striving for excellence, not perfection. Don't forget to siphon through the reasons behind your resolution—do you want to accomplish it so you can cross it off? Or will it genuinely make you more available to enjoy God?

Let's practice this.
From my e-book, One Bite at a Time, you've got at least 52 projects that could serve well as a 2012 goal. It might serve you well as a springboard to give you ideas, encouragement, and motivation. As an example, let's take projects 3 and 47 and mesh them together for one goal: to wake up earlier and enjoy a morning routine.

How could you approach this goal? Well, for one, you could wake up an hour earlier tomorrow morning and tackle a five-item checklist while rubbing sleep from your eyes. It's possible... for some. Not for me, admittedly. My covers are warm in the morning.

Let's say you manage to wake up early for a solid month—you're good into early February. Then one day, the kids stay home from school because of a snowstorm, or you've got a particularly stressful week at work, or your husband's out of town. You're thrown a curveball, in other words. Your new morning routine might not magically work.

Perfectly fine—remember, we're going for excellence, not perfection. But this resolution is sorta up to you, and you alone—no one else is required to wake up early and perform a five-item routine. You're in it alone. What if no one knows about this goal of yours? How easy will it be to get back into the groove after a less-than-normal week?

There are two keys that seem essential for resolutions to stick: going a little at a time, and finding accountability in other people.

1. Kaizen—baby steps, baby.
As I mention in project 47 of One Bite, kaizen is a Japanese word that means very small, continuous change. It's little drips of water that fill a bucket over a long period of time, not a firehose in a few minutes.

What does it have to do with reaching goals? It's easiest to see kaizen in action with the goal to wake up earlier:

First, set your alarm for one hour earlier tomorrow morning, and see how you feel. Not so great, perhaps.

Now, set your alarm for two minutes earlier, and see how you feel. Probably exactly the same as your normal morning. Now set it two minutes earlier the next day—you're now waking up four minutes earlier than usual. I'd wager you're doing fine.

Rinse and repeat for a solid month—in 30 days, you're waking up an hour earlier, and it probably wasn't terribly painful. That's kaizen.

You can apply the kaizen approach to anything—start with a one-item morning routine and do that for a week. Then add two. Then three. In five weeks, you've got a lovely little routine of five things every morning. Nice.

Want to lose a lot of weight? Don't aim for 100 pounds in 365 days. Go for five pounds in 30 days.


Photo by Dawn of My Home Sweet Home

2. No woman is an island.
I asked my Twitter followers for one key thing to make new year's resolution stick. The most popular answer? Accountability, or making your goal public. Getting others involved, in other words.

You might feel weird asking a friend to keep you accountable to lose 10 pounds, or to stick with a menu plan, or to not watch as much TV. But guess what? She's got something, too. You could reach goals together, even if they're not the same ones.

A few ways to use the power (and fun) of camaraderie:
• Gather a small group of friends at a monthly coffee date, and encourage each other to stick with your goals. If you'd rather do it online, meet with a friend over Skype or Facebook. Kat and I meet monthly via Skype, where I encourage her to reach her blogging goals; she helps me meet my fitness goals.

• Write a post about it on your blog, and commit to writing a monthly update.

• If you'd like to use my e-book, Jeannett of Life Rearranged will be writing about her personal progress on the first Friday of each month on Simple Mom—and we invite you to share your progress in the comments. It'll be readers encouraging other readers, together.

• On Facebook, Kitchen Stewardship readers are going through the book together each Monday.

• Life as MOM has a great online book club, and the first selection of the year? One Bite. Read it together, for motivation.

Set yourself up for success. if you really, truly want to reach your 2012 goals, do what you can to remove obstacles. It's much easier, and it's more fun, too.

You've got until the end of the day to enter the giveaway for one of ten copies of One Bite at a Time! Head on over there.

What 2012 goal of yours seems insurmountable? What's one thing you can do to make it happen?



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For When I Am Weak, Then I Am Strong
Jan 06, 2012 12:10 am | shauna


Anxiety
Fear
Sick stomach
Jittery nerves
Sweaty palms
No appetite
Loss of confidence
A need to be right next to my husband or my mom
Makes me reconsider my worth
my sanity
my own self
Makes me wonder if I am fit to be a mother,
a daughter.
a sister.
a friend.
a wife.
a person loved by Christ.
–
Thick fear
claustrophobic
very real
very irrational
yet feels very rational
–
The thorn in my side?
Yes.
–
HOWEVER
–

I have learned so much from this prickly thorn.
–

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

–
Weakness.
It is a hard thing for me.
I am not talking about trivial weaknesses.
I am talking about the weaknesses that bring me to my knees;
Weaknesses that make me catch my breath and afford no other alternative but to pray.
Could those type of weaknesses truly bring strength?
–
Weaknesses – Whether proceeding from Satan or men. For when I am weak – Deeply conscious of my weakness, then does the strength of Christ rest upon me. (Wesley)
–
"Deeply conscious of my weakness"

-THEN-

"the strength of Christ rest upon me."

And isn't that what I am here for? To be clay in his hands.

To be completely dependent on him so that I beg him to be with me every second of every day. Because when I am in the practice of begging for his presence, then I can truly begin to be used by him.

To become dead to my own fearful self.

"his power is made perfect in my weakness"

Realizing that truth brings about a humbling realization that I can be a tool which is used to make Christ's power perfect. Not by any of my doing, but only by becoming an available vessel to him so that his power can flow right through me into someone else's life. So that their pain can bring them to their knees before their Creator. So that they too will be made weak so that they can be a tool of the Lord's power.
And on.
And on.
This begins to paint a small, miniscule picture of the way that God uses pain in our lives. To bring us bowing down before him. It cannot, then, be a bad thing.
To remember this when I am in the thick of it.
That is what eases my fears.
Knowing that he is strong and it is good that I am weak.
For when I am weak, I am strong in Him.
And what better place can I be than that.



Be strong in the Lord and in His great power. Ephesians 6:10

By: Shauna Attwood, Discovering Goodness



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2012: A Sea of Treasures
Jan 06, 2012 12:10 am | Sarah Markley


At the start of 2011 I was hopeful and happy. I knew God had been telling me all sorts of things and I was eager to get moving. I'm not one to make grandiose resolutions with the New Year but last year s I did make a New Year's Pronouncement.

I made a this-is-the-way-things-are-gonna-turn-out statement.

I know. I'm gutsy for doing that. Maybe even a little stupid. Actually, who am I kidding? It was courage and idiocy combined to make daring audacity.

I began saying it to my husband first. Then to a few friends. And then anyone who I happened to have a conversation with that went deeper than how to make the best tasting green smoothie.

I said this: My life, at the end of 2011, will look drastically different than it does at the beginning of 2011. In essence, the next 12 months will be pivotal, important and turning-point months in my life.

And I said it over and over again. I'm convinced now that sometimes just speaking something has the power to make it happen.

I spoke my Pronouncement with hope and optimism. I said it with this here-I-come confidence that I hadn't really felt for a long time. I pronounced it with an attitude that whatever was on the horizon was better than what I was currently standing in.

And then it happened. My life did change. Last month when I began to take stock of the past year, like one often does around the end of things, I realized that it does look drastically different than it did last January, but not at all in the way that I'd foreseen. I was hoping for things to be good, for things to be happier and somehow better.

But that isn't what happened.

In 2011 I suffered from depression. My marriage needed some serious first aid. And to put a cherry on it, last year I lost a whole collection of friendships for reasons that I still don't understand.

"Why is she doing this to me?" I lamented sometime in October to my husband.

"I don't know honey. I really don't know." And then "By the way, have you talked to _____ lately?"

"No. Not in months. She's not returning my emails or texts."

Insert more whines here. I was whining regularly to my "safe" people as much as a four-year-old at the end of a long day at Disneyland.

I began to realize that yes, my life DID look drastically different than it had in January. Instead of being "better," I'd lost most of my friends. And I grieved.

But this is what happened: standing at the ocean, in front of a sea of waves, the water retreats to leave treasures at the bottom. Shells, sea glass, and driftwood that weren't visible before are now there shining brilliant and perfect.

At the same I was losing friendships, I was gaining different ones. I was intensely renewing relationships with some old, good friends that haven't been close in a long time. The water retreated with much misery, but revealed a seabed of beauty and treasures I'd been unwilling to see before.

It took a good, hard year to allow me to see what was really very important and to reevaluate the benefits of the "drastic change" that actually did happen. Bad isn't always bad. And loss isn't always true loss. And sometimes what I think is good and what I need is exactly what I don't.

My New Year's Pronouncement for 2012? To find JOY in the journey this year even it involves loss. To race to find the treasures beneath the waves this year before they find their way to me. And to allow the year and God to do with me what they will without fighting against them.

What is your New Year's Pronouncement for 2012? What is different about this year than last? What, if anything, have you learned about loss? How will you find the treasures this year?

By Sarah Markley who is actively working to find the treasure in today.