From Frazzled to Fun

Kudos to Baylor President Dr. Linda Livingstone for boldly speaking truth and sharing a powerful witness this week to the many in her realm of influence.

Linda, a dear friend of ours since the 1980's, is courageously working amidst the adversity of this dark world and all it's pressures to preserve the Christian mission of a major university (no small job, right?)

Lord, bless Linda Livingstone and all the others standing up each day for what is right and good so that our children might have the opportunity to walk in your Truth.

How can you take a stand for the Lord in your realm of influence? What is one change you could make this week, even if it is small?

[CLICK HERE] to listen to Dr. Livingstone's powerful 1 1/2 minute Easter greeting that was sent out to thousands upon thousands this week.

I pray this new song, written and recorded by Taylor Stull, will refresh your spirit and soul as you look to the Lord.  

(By the way, if your kids hear this song, you may be hearing them sing it the rest of the day! It seems to have that effect.) :)  

Taylor shares:   

"This little song is now spreading its wings & how I hope it soars!  

Psalm 24. 'Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? Those who have clean hands and pure hearts.'  

With every step, I come to the knowledge that anywhere with Jesus is safe.  

The more I let him cleanse me.

Purify me.

The more I experience him.  

Take me on the mountain.

Or take me to your riverside.

Mountain high.

Valley low.

Anywhere you want to go…..  

Just change me as we walk together.  

When I hear this song, I feel like I’m soaring high above the clouds.

Kissing the tops of streams & running through open...

I'm still rejoicing over how the Lord met us in such a powerful way at the Coach Mom Live Retreat in Phoenix a few weekends ago.

I so appreciate everyone who shared their talents to make it such a special weekend.

My daughter Mari made this video showing highlights from the weekend, which includes some of the moms sharing what the time meant to them.

Again, one of the most powerful moments this year was the time the foster and adoptive moms shared their stories with each other.

Where to go from here...

I am excited to continue the love and support by opening the doors to Truth Mom Tribe, a community for honest, free, and fun foster and adoptive living.

If you are a foster or adoptive mom, or seek to know how best to support your foster and adoptive mom friends, I hope you will consider joining the Truth Mom Tribe!

Happy Thanksgiving!

May all our days be filled with gratitude and thanksgiving.

Even science proves that it has a great impact on one's mental and emotional health.

Some thoughts on thanksgiving that I journaled this last week from a compilation of sermons by Bill Johnson:

• Thankfulness is an expression of trust that keeps us conscious of the Presence of God
• Thanksgiving enables us to take what the enemy meant for evil and transfer it into to the hands of God, knowing that He is causing all things to work together for our good.
• When we are thankful, we sanitize our touch and involvement in the matters our our lives. It removes the remaining "flesh influence" that defiles what God might do.
• Thankfulness sanctifies.
• When I am thankful, everything in my life is usable to God.
• Thankfulness is an automatic position of humility, the #1 virtue that changes a person's life.
• Thankfulness can change the nature of a family line

I am thank God for the privilege of being...

It's time to STAND. Actually let's ROAR. What we believe is not what we say, but what we do. Do you believe all humans have been given unalienable rights by our Creator...Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, to name a few? How are you exemplifying that now in the choices you make in these ongoing unprecedented times? Do you want life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for your children's future? Mama, it's time to show your children what you believe and to live it out.    In case you hadn't heard: Colleges are reinstituting their COVID mandates. Over 100 schools have put in place a vaccine mandate A major Hollywood studio, Lionsgate, is bringing back mask mandates, contact tracing, and  mandatory COVID tests $1.4 billion dollars is being spent to develop yet another (the 7th) COVID booster The federal government is buying up new COVID supplies in...

Click here to play Imago Dei. 

Here's one way you can stand for your children today.

The enemy knows that one of the easiest ways to keep our children from living out their destinies is to deceive them about their identity.

The enemy only comes to steal, kill, and destroy each life.

Especially this month with the promotion of gender confusion at every turn, it's important to talk with our children about how beautifully and wonderfully made they are.

Continuously remind them

• God made them
• God loves them
• God sees them
• God has gifted them to do great things

I encourage you to play this beautiful song, Imago Dei, by Sean Feucht over your children as you tuck each one of them into bed tonight.

Imago Dei so powerfully reminds us we are made in the image of God, and the beautiful music will touch you to your inner being.

Sean Feucht has been a major prayer warrior and advocate for the life of the unborn, and he wrote the song before the overturn of Roe...

I've given up canceling out my own prayers for my child.

What do I mean?

Well, let's consider something that I really wanted to see change in for my child.

For example, my child was making selfish choices and always seemed to put herself above others.

When I was in a quiet reflective moment I prayed that the Lord will help her to learn to put others first and be more considerate of others.

Later in the day, when bringing in a pizza for the family and a few friends I said to my husband,  "Oh boy, here we go again...she's going to push to the front and rush to get the biggest piece as soon as we come through the door, just like she always does."

Wait a second.

Back up.

I had to ask myself, Do I believe the Bible is true?

Because I know it says this: "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever...

A mom's retreat, friends made so dear

Many touching moments that brought a tear

We really chilled 

Our cups were filled

And connected with beautiful peers.

With a new perspective hope appears

And a moment to breathe, we see God is near

So take a peek

At something you might seek

To add to your *calendar for next year.

*Feb. 23-24, 2024

Have you heard friends talk about their "word for the year" and wondered how they found it? And what difference it made in their life?

Twenty-three years ago when I created my DIY prayer notebook, I began seeking a word, scripture, or phrase that the Lord would give me as my focus to write on the first page so that I could see it every morning and live intentionally.

Those words, scriptures and phrases through the years have provided me great inspiration and focus. 

And it's really cool to look back on them as I have those pages all still in the front of my journal, starting with the most recent.

I encourage you to give it a try! 

My simple step-by-step process for finding your "word for the year":

1. Get a pen and paper, find a quiet spot for 5-10 minutes, and ready your heart to hear from the Lord.
2. Pray something like this: “Lord, clear my heart and mind so that I may hear from you. Spirit of Truth, speak to me as I...

History

The idea of Christingles came from a Moravian Church in Germany in 1747 when minister John de Watteville gave children at the service a lighted candle with a red ribbon around it. He explained that this represented Jesus being the light of the world and the final prayer of that first service was "Lord Jesus, kindle a flame in these children’s hearts, that theirs like Thine become".

Moravian missionaries brought the tradition to the Church of England in the late 1700's and the Christingle was later made more popular in the UK by John Pensom in 1948 at Lincoln Cathedral.

The tradition is often observed either the Sunday before Christmas or on Christmas Eve.

Over the years the symbolism of the Christingle grew into what's known as a Christingle today. What does it represent?

• The orange represents earth.
• The candle gives light to the darkness, just as the love of God and Jesus himself does. (The foil is only there to catch waxy drips from the...