Girls To Grow

Nurturing moms in their walk with God

3 Important Things a Spirit-Filled Woman Does

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I was going to start today’s post by talking about how we’re about to wrap up another month. But instead, I decided that I just want to live in the moment and stay in full-on summer mode for a bit longer!

I’ve made it to Ephesians in my current read-through of the New Testament. The passage below is a familiar one, but I want to dive into it a little bit.

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” ~Ephesians 5:18-21

We receive the Holy Spirit when we make the decision to trust Jesus as our Savior. He is the down payment on our eternal salvation, the “earnest of our inheritance.” [Ephesians 1:12-14]

In verse 18 above, we’re instructed to avoid being controlled by alcohol, but instead to allow the Holy Spirit to dictate what we do. Our natural tendency is to allow our flesh – aka our own desires and emotions – to control us.

Yet as we grow in our faith and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, what evidence is there that we’re filled with the Spirit? What’s our part in the process?

I find it interesting that these verses are filled with verbs – speaking, giving, and submitting. Those are things we do. Being filled with the Holy Spirit isn’t just a feeling. It involves action…things we can do because the Spirit gives us the ability to do them.

So how does a spirit-filled woman act?

Let's dive into Ephesians 5 to see three important things that a Spirit-filled person does.

1. She gets a song in her heart.

This portion of the verse uses the phrase “speaking to yourselves.” We can talk to ourselves – but not just with words, but through songs.

Whether or not we’re musical, we can cultivate this in our lives. We can read a favorite Psalm or a hymn, maybe even out loud. Put together a playlist of uplifting, encouraging music. Have a set time during the day to turn it on and sing along.

The more we make time to worship and praise God, the more it becomes a part of us. We will still have days when we’re down, but music can lift us up.

2. She is grateful.

Just like cultivating that song in our hearts, being grateful is a practice. It’s not a Pollyanna, everything’s-great outlook because some days everything won’t feel so great. Rather it’s acknowledging that it’s His will for us to be thankful in all things [1 Thessalonians 5:18] and that every good gift comes from our Heavenly Father [James 1:17]

How do we make gratefulness a practice? In his mind, my husband rolls through three new things he’s thankful for before his feet hit the floor each morning. I write out at least three in my journal during my regular time with the Lord. Those journals have become a treasure, a diary of God’s faithfulness.

Is it always easy to find something to be thankful for? No, but as we do, we can find our whole attitude changing.

3. She has a humble spirit.

The word used in the verse above is submit. Here again, we need the Holy Spirit to empower us. It’s not in our human nature to submit. We are prideful people who want our own way.

But as Spirit-filled women, we get to choose to yield to someone else. Maybe it’s our husband or another family member or a co-worker. We can live humbly as we put others ahead of ourselves and strive to model Christlikeness in our relationships.

I hope that we’ll all seek to be filled with the Spirit and have that song in our hearts, a grateful mindset, and a life marked by humility!

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How to Find Comfort in Praying the Names of God

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Hello all! Hope it’s a good week so far where you are. Mid-morning yesterday I went walking outside with a friend in her neighborhood. There was no doubt that it’s the middle of the summer!! I came home and cooled off by eating a bunch of cut-up watermelon from the fridge šŸ™‚

Recently I was doing a quick study on a few of the names of God. (I will say up front that I’m no expert in Hebrew, but I’m trusting that the resources I use are fairly accurate.) As I looked at the meanings of these names and read them in context in Scripture, I realized how comforting it is to dwell on all that our God is and does.

Below is a list of five names of God, an example of how they’re used in a Bible verse, and a prayer we can pray that relates to that name.

Here are five specific names of God to bring us comfort along with related prayers we can use as we talk to God.

1. El Shaddai ~ All-Sufficient One, Lord God Almighty

“And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.” ~Genesis 17:1

This is the first time in the Bible that this particular name of God is used. The Lord and Abram are well acquainted by now. But in this passage we find God reaffirming His covenant with Abram and changing his name to Abraham.

Abraham is remembered for his faith. “And he [Abram] believed in theĀ Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” [Genesis 15:6] Abraham believed in a God who was all-powerful and all-sufficient, one whom Abraham was willing to follow to a new land and totally trust with his future.

Thank you, God, that you are all-sufficient. There is no other God but you, and you are more than enough to meet my every need. You are almighty, the Lord God alone who holds all power and authority. May I see your sufficiency and power at work in my life every day.

2. Adonai ~ Lord, Master

“O praise theĀ Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.” ~Psalm 117:1

Not much needs to be said here! He is our sovereign Lord and ruler of all.

God, you are worthy of my praise. All knowledge and power belong to you. You created me and then you bought me with a price, the death of your only beloved Son. You are my master; you own me. May I serve you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

3. Jehovah Rapha ~ The Lord who heals

“…If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.” ~Exodus 15:26

What comfort there is in believing in a God who has healing power! Yes, this means physical healing. But also emotional healing. Maybe we’ve endured a bad relationship or find ourselves in a season of discouragement. He also offers spiritual healing, foremost salvation through Jesus Christ, and also victory over sin in our lives as we walk with Him.

Oh Lord who heals, hear me today. You know intimately every illness that I have, every weakness. Heal me in every way, I pray. Give me physical strength, emotional health, mental wellbeing and spiritual victory. May all the glory go to you always.

4. El Olam ~ The Everlasting God

“Trust ye in theĀ LordĀ for ever: for in theĀ Lord JehovahĀ is everlasting strength:” ~Isaiah 26:4

This one reminds me of God’s faithfulness. If we loved and served a God who would eventually fade away, what help would that be? No, our God is eternal. His ability to keep His promises never expires.

It also assures me of my home in Heaven. A God who lives forever has a place prepared for us to dwell with Him.

God, you are the eternal one, with no beginning and no end. We will never cease to worship and praise you. Time means nothing to you; you are the King of all the ages. Your character never changes. Thank you that you keep your promises in this life here on earth and that I will spend eternity with you in Heaven.

5. El Roi ~ The God who sees me

“And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?” ~Genesis 16:13

All of these names of God are comforting, but especially this one! When we feel lonely, God sees us. When we feel abandoned or sad or discouraged, God sees us. There is nowhere we can go, no night so dark, that He is not there watching over us.

Dear God, I find such comfort in your name El Roi. When I, like Hagar, feel forsaken and alone, may I remember that you see me. Let your compassion and concern comfort me. Find me in my brokenness and give me hope and courage.

I trust that we will all find comfort as we grow in our knowledge and understanding of our great and powerful God!

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10 Things You Can Do Today to Be Encouraged

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How are you feeling today? In this instance, I’m not talking about your physical health, but more about your emotions.

One day recently I was feeling a little blue, as they say. There was no reason for it, that I knew of. I just wasn’t my usual happy self šŸ™‚

Maybe you can relate if you occasionally have days when you’re a little down and aren’t really sure why. It could be that you’ve had lots of changes happening in your life and it’s a bit overwhelming. Or maybe nothing changes ever and that’s left you rather glum. Perhaps it’s a health struggle or a relationship breakdown or just a case of realizing you’re not getting any younger!

Whatever brings about those days, I would guess that many of us have them. But we don’t want to stay in that unhappy place. And we can’t just count on our circumstances changing to make us feel better. Sometimes we have to step up and encourage our own selves.

It may not be what we actually feel like doing, but it can be what we need to do to turn our mindset around. So if you’re looking for ways to find encouragement, something on this list of ten actions could be helpful. We likely know most of these but it’s always good to be reminded of ways we can encourage ourselves.

Check out this list of ten things you can do to encourage yourself when you're feeling a little down.

1. Go to God’s Word.

Read it. Dive into the Psalms – many of them are short and so relatable when we’re struggling. Choose one verse and write it out.

As you have time, dig deeper into a verse or passage. You could even turn it into your own prayer to the Lord.

2. Pray.

We can pour out every thought, every hurt, and every emotion to God. He hears and is merciful and compassionate.

3. Give thanks.

Just look around and notice all that you have to be grateful for. Write out a few of your blessings every day.

4. Praise God.

Turn on music that is uplifting. Sing some songs out loud while you work around the house or drive in your car.

5. Meditate on God’s promises.

If you know there’s a particular worry or fear that’s getting you down, find a promise of God that addresses that issue.

Is it a financial strain? “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” ~Philippians 4:19

Need guidance? “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” ~Proverbs 3:5-6

You can also focus your mind on God’s character. For example, read through these six truths about God from Psalm 145 and choose one to meditate on today.

6. Do something for someone else.

Do something small – a text that says, “I’m thinking of you” – or mail a handwritten note. Or do something that takes a little more of a time commitment – make someone a meal or stop by and visit someone who’s currently homebound.

7. Surround yourself with encouraging people.

Reach out to a friend and ask her to pray for you. Head to a church service where you can connect with fellow believers.

8. Read good books that will encourage your heart.

Find biographies of Godly women or search for Christian books that will help you learn more and grow in your faith.

9. Set a small goal to accomplish each day.

Many times we feel better when we have a sense of accomplishment. Determine a small thing you’d like to do – it could be taking a walk outside or exercising or straightening up one area in your house. Tackle it early in the day so that you can cross it off your list and get that little win.

10. Find something to be excited about in the future.

Put an event on your calendar in the next few weeks that you can look forward to. Lunch with a friend, a pedicure, a visit to a craft store for new supplies for your hobby, a walk in a new-to-you park or part of town. Then take care of any planning ahead of time so that you’re ready for your adventure when the time comes.

When you have one of those “feeling blue” days, I hope you’ll choose one or more of these things to do and end the day encouraged!

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10 Helpful Bible Study Resources for Women

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Hello, friends! Taking a quick mid-summer break from our usual content to share some resources that I think you might find helpful.

This list includes Bible studies, books, devotionals, and a journal. I (or, in one case, my daughter) have personally used all 10 of these items and would recommend them. Click through the links provided to check them out!

Check out these Bible studies, devotionals and books that you can use to help you learn and grow as a Christian woman.

Amazon affiliate links are included below. I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

1. The Armor of God by Priscilla Shirer. One of my favorite Bible studies ever!

2. Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss. It may seem strange to have a fiction book on this list, but I learn so much from it each time I read it. (I try to re-read this book on a regular basis.) The main character’s struggles so perfectly mirror my own in my walk with God. As I see how she gains victory in her life, I’m encouraged to do the same in mine.

3. Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin. The subtitle of this book is, “How to study the Bible with both our hearts and minds.” This book is a very practical help if you want to learn more about digging into God’s Word.

4. Becoming Elisabeth Elliot by Ellen Vaughn. I actually just finished this book recently. It’s a biography of the first half of Elisabeth Elliot’s life. The author gives a realistic view of Elliot’s struggles using many excerpts from her journals.

5. A Woman of Prayer by Betty Henderson. This was a very helpful Bible study on prayer, a subject I always want to learn more about.

6. 3-Minute Devotions for Teen Girls by April Frazier. I actually bought this for one of my daughters in her mid-teen years and she enjoyed it.

7. The Next Right Thing Guided Journal by Emily P. Freeman. I’m on my second of these journals – I filled one up in 2021 and started the next one in January of this year. However, you can begin the journal at any point in the year. It’s grouped by seasons and you just fill in the dates as you go.

8. Keep a Quiet Heart by Elisabeth Elliot. I like this book for its encouragement, but I also like how it’s set up. The “chapters” are short so that it’s easy to read one a day along with my Bible reading.

9. Then Sings My Soul: 150 of the World’s Greatest Hymn Stories by Robert J. Morgan. At one point I used this as part of my devotional time in the mornings. I’d read one story a day after I finished my Bible reading.

10. Sweet Journey by Teri Maxwell. The link here is for the kindle version or you can go here to order the paperback version, which is what I have. A friend at church gifted me a copy years ago and it was a blessing.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today. Let me know in the comments if there’s a resource that’s been a help to you as you study the Bible. Have a great Tuesday!

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10 Ways to Build a Relationship with Your Teenager

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Hello friends! I’m back on the blog after a week away for our family vacation. We spent a couple of days exploring Philadelphia, which was fun for us since we all like checking out historical sites. Then we had a day at Hershey Park, a morning visiting Amish country in Lancaster, and finished up with a few days at Bear Creek Mountain Resort, which was very relaxing!

Our daughter’s fiance came in for the July 4th weekend and it was nice, as always, to have him here. And now it’s July 6th already and it feels as if summer is just flying by!

Yesterday I was catching up with a mom who’s just ahead of me in parenting. She already has a couple of young adult married children. We’ve known each other for a while, and she and her husband were a hugely positive influence on our daughters during their high school years.

I was reminded of some of the rough spots we hit with our girls during those teenage years. She and I talked about how rewarding it is when your children make it through those trials and, as best as you can tell, are walking with the Lord.

As I think back over the struggles we had at times, I tried to pinpoint what kept us in relationship with our teens. If I had to name one overarching theme, I would say that our daughters believed that our heart was for them. Even when they disagreed or didn’t like our decisions, I believe they sensed that our desire – whether we always communicated it well or not – was that we wanted what was best for them.

I understand that there are many parents with prodigal children who’ve turned away from God, at least for the moment. Our children make their own choices and they can break our hearts. That could be the case in our family tomorrow. But I wanted to share ten things that will hopefully help us as we try to build relationships with our teenagers.

Here's a list of five things to do - and five things not to do - when seeking to build a relationship with your teenager.

First, let’s look at five things NOT to do when trying to build a relationship with your teenager.

1. Make arbitrary decisions.

Once our children are teenagers, it’s good to move beyond answering their “Why?” questions with “…because I said so.” Try not to make decisions based on a whim or simply because you’re in a good – or a bad – mood.

As Christians, we have the Bible on which to base our decisions. Use Scripture to explain why you are or aren’t allowing something. Does that mean that they will always understand and jump on board with your decision? No, but you do have a reason for what you’re doing, not just something you made up.

2. Be inconsistent.

We all like to know what the boundaries are whether in a job situation or in a relationship. We want our children to be able to trust that our response will be the same no matter what.

3. Be unwilling to listen to them.

Listening doesn’t mean you will give in to what they want, but you can at least give them the courtesy of hearing them out. Communication is foundational to any relationship, so don’t let yourself be the only one who gets to talk.

4. Compare them to others.

Maybe your friend’s teenager gets better grades or is more involved in extracurricular activities or seems more spiritual than your child. Even if you don’t verbalize the comparison, it can affect how you respond to your teen.

5. Fail to acknowledge your own mistakes.

If you’re doing everything perfectly in parenting, I don’t even know what to say. You certainly don’t need to be reading here – please go write your own blog and I’ll come read it!

One of my dad’s favorite lines, when I was a teenager, was, “I’ve never parented a __-year-old before.” We’ve certainly used that with our older daughter – and we could find ways to apply it with our younger one as well. We’re going to make mistakes as parents and we should be willing to go to our child and admit it and ask forgiveness.

Now let’s look at five positive things that we could do to build that relationship.

1. Support their interests.

It may mean spending a little money and perhaps lots of time, but support them in the activities they’re interested in. And make sure it’s their interest and not just yours.

2. Spend time with them doing what they enjoy.

When we were at Hershey Park, I was sharing a memory about my dad with one of my daughters. I’m not sure that my dad actually enjoyed roller coasters, but I do know that if any of us kids wanted someone to ride with us, he would do it.

It’s easy to bring our teenagers into what we love, but let’s make sure we’re seeking to know what their interests are and find ways to join them in it.

3. Pray.

I’ve written a lot about praying for our teenagers already! Pray for specific needs in their lives, and pray for wisdom for yourself as you parent them. Our sovereign God loves them and His Holy Spirit can guide all of us through this season.

4. Use your words to lift them up.

There’s plenty to criticize and lots of things to correct. But let’s keep some of that in check so that we can say, “I love you” and “I’m proud of you.” Be specific with your praise and especially take advantage of opportunities to praise their character and not just their accomplishments.

5. Celebrate their joys and empathize with their sorrows.

Make a point to find ways to celebrate when good things happen for them! That’s usually a lot easier than dealing with a disappointed teen. Be available to listen and empathize without having to offer a solution right away.

I hope these ten ideas will help all of us as we seek to build better relationships with our teenagers!

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The 5 Best Books I Read This Spring

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Happy Friday! Do you have anything fun and/or relaxing planned for this weekend?

One of my favorite ways to relax is to settle in with a good book. My reading goal for 2022 is to average one book a week. So far this year I’ve finished 37 books so I’m well ahead of schedule!

Now that we’re officially in summer, I thought I’d take a look back at the best books I read this spring. While I did read several non-fiction books, my top-five list is all fiction.

This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra charge to you. Thank you for supporting Girls to Grow through your purchases!

The top-five books I read during Spring 2022 - and they all happen to be fiction!

1. Against the Tide by Elizabeth Camden. I’ve read several books by this author and have enjoyed them all. This particular story takes place in Boston in the late 1800s.

2. Tidewater Bride by Laura Frantz. Here’s another favorite author – and another historical fiction book! I’d really gotten away from reading many books in that genre but have gotten back into them lately. Early James Towne colony is the setting for this story. Even though it’s fiction, I like how the author includes actual historical places and people.

3. We Were Kings by Court Stevens. This is considered a YA book, another genre that I don’t read often. However, this mystery drew me in and I was a little surprised by the ending.

4. Provenance by Carla Laureano. Here again, I read this book because I enjoyed previous books by this author. It’s a sweet story of finding redemption and family when you least expect it.

5. The Gem Thief by Sian Ann Bessey. This modern-day story had a good pace and kept me guessing who the “bad guy” was up until the end.

Honorable Mention: Trust Me by Kelly Irvin is a romantic suspense novel that was very good, although I did figure out “who-dun-it” pretty early on in the story. The Letter from Briarton Park by Sarah E. Ladd is a Regency romance and was also an enjoyable read.

Share with me in the comments what you’ve been reading lately!

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7 Helpful Prayers to Pray When You’re Struggling with Your Thought Life

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Welcome to the blog today! While the weather this time of year isn’t my favorite (here’s looking at you, heat and humidity), I do totally enjoy all the daylight hours! I love the light early in the mornings and late into the evenings.

Today’s topic is one that we’ve probably all struggled with at some point. Having a strong, healthy thought life means overcoming a wide range of temptations.

Sure, it could be impure or lustful thoughts. It could also be jealousy or envy, often brought on by comparing ourselves or what we have with others. Fear and worry can dominate our minds. Or maybe we just have a negative outlook because we’re ungrateful.

We read in the first part of Proverbs 23:7 that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. That tells me that the person I’m becoming is directly tied to how I’m thinking.

Here are seven Bible-based prayers we can pray as we seek to gain victory over sin in our thought life.

We become what we think about. So what are we feeding our minds?

Do we read books or watch movies or listen to songs that lead us to impure thoughts? Are we giving fear top billing in our minds as we check the news throughout the day? Do we worry more or pray more?

I can admit that I’ve been in all of these places at different times in my life. Yet no matter what our struggle is in this area, we can have victory through God’s power.

Here are seven Bible verses we can pray to help us win the battle for our minds.

1. “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.” ~Psalm 19:14

This is the perfect verse to start with because it’s already a prayer! The meditation of our heart – what a perfect description of our thoughts. God knows every thought that passes through our minds and we want all of them to be pleasing to Him.

2. (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; ~2 Corinthians 10:4-5

What beautiful imagery – capturing every thought. It’s easy to let our minds fill with any ol’ thoughts, to just let them run free. But this verse doesn’t have gentle language. It’s active – pull down, cast down, bring into captivity. We have to take action to control our thoughts.

This verse is also a wonderful reminder that we can only do this because of our mighty God. It’s a spiritual battle and we need His help to win it.

God, through your power, let me throw out of my mind wrong imaginations and any thoughts that cause me to go against You and Your Word. Help me to capture every stray thought and align it with your truth.

3. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. ~Philippians 4:8

Here’s a checklist for our thought life. If what you’re thinking about lines up with these guidelines, you’re good to go.

Dear Lord, let my mind only dwell on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, good, and virtuous. May all my thoughts be praiseworthy.

4. Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. ~Matthew 22:37

If I’m loving God with all my mind, there will be no room for other sinful thoughts.

Heavenly Father, help me to love you with all of my mind. Let thoughts of You and Your truth crowd out all else. I’m thankful that you are worthy of all my worship and praise.

5. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; ~1 Peter 1:13

It’s easy to get sloppy about our thought life. Monitoring what goes into our minds may seem unimportant at times. But, as we mentioned above, what we’re feeding our minds is going to affect every part of us. It’s important to be vigilant about what we’re allowing to influence us.

Dear Lord, may I take control of my thoughts and be serious about guarding what enters my mind. Thank You for your grace and that I can seek forgiveness from You when my thoughts get off track.

6. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. ~Psalm 139:23-24

Just like the number one above, this verse is already a prayer. No need to elaborate – we can just pray what’s written! It’s humbling to ask God to search us, not just our words and actions, but our thoughts and motives.

7. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof. ~Romans 13:14

This verse applies to every area of our lives, from where we go to what we take in to the people we hang out with.

God keep me from thoughts that would cause me to sin. Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil. Give me perception and discernment to see where certain thought patterns will lead and let me not follow blindly. Convict me of sin in my thought life.

I hope all of us can benefit from one or more of these prayers as we strive to win the battle for our thought life.

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Why This Summer Is Unique – and 7 Ways to Make It Memorable

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While we’re not technically in the summer season yet, the weather and the academic calendar tell me we’re there!

Summer can look different for each of us depending on what life stage we’re in at the moment. You could be dealing with young children, sending a teen off to a weeklong camp for the first time, or fully in the empty nest years.

What's unique about this summer for you? Check out 3 things unique about our summer along with 7 ways we can make this summer memorable.

I’m in one of those in-between stages, but here are three things that are unique about this summer for our family.

We’re planning a wedding.

It’s the last summer that our older daughter will live at home.

It’s our first summer in our new house.

Each of those is informing what’s important to us this summer. From scheduling wedding-related appointments to purposefully making memories to checking out the pool in our new neighborhood, things look a little different from any summer before or any that will follow.

What’s unique about your summer? Is there something that sets it apart from other ones? Maybe the dynamics between siblings are changing. The older children may be able to do more independently and take on more responsibility. Perhaps you’re in a different position with your health or employment.

Regardless of what makes this summer unique to our families, we all want to look back in September and say that we made some good memories. Here are seven ways we can do just that.

1. Elevate the simple things.

We have a cluster mailbox now and it’s a 9-minute walk from our house. Often in the evenings after supper, I’ll walk up there to check the mail. If our 19-year-old is home, she’ll walk with me. We get a little exercise and talk about random things, but it’s a nice check-in time near the end of the day.

Are there any basic things you do that could become a time to connect with one of your children? It could be a chore they help you with or an errand where they tag along. Look for simple tasks or repetitive parts of your day when you could include them in what you’re doing.

2. Schedule around the important things.

You get to decide what’s important to you.

Our girls usually leave for work at 1:30 pm five days a week. Depending on their schedule, they may not get home till 10 or 11 pm. That means my schedule this summer has me home most days between 10 am and 1:30 pm so that I can be in the house when they are. (They won’t know if I’m gone early in the morning because they’re still asleep in bed!)

That’s what’s important to me this summer. Maybe for you, it’s driving them to Vacation Bible School or weekly trips to the library or scheduled playdates at the park or the pool. Put those in your calendar first and schedule other things around them.

3. Start a new tradition.

I don’t have a plan for this yet, but I sure would work on it if our kids were younger! Whether it’s homemade milkshake nights or a campout in the backyard or hide-and-seek after dark, regular traditions give everyone something to look forward to.

4. Allow your child to step into a new freedom.

Make this a big deal so your child can look back and say, “I remember when I was old enough to…”

At our girls’ age, maybe it’s a short road trip with good friends. This could be the summer your child gets a later bedtime or tries a new skill or takes on a bigger responsibility.

5. Stop comparing your summer to someone else’s summer.

If you’re not doing this, good for you! But we’ve talked before about how sneaky comparison can be and how it makes us feel. Let’s find contentment in our own lives and plans and not worry about what everyone else is doing.

6. Stay positive when things don’t go as planned.

I read an article about Yellowstone National Park being closed for several days due to flooding. Suppose you’d been vacationing there this week and planning to tour the park? What kind of pivoting would you have to do? I’m guessing my first reaction would have been frustration!

The summer – like every season! – will bring things that are out of our control. Just last week we talked about the importance of our attitude. I can pretty much guarantee that something won’t go as planned this summer, so let’s do our best to stay positive.

7. Seize opportunities for growth.

This applies to growth in our children’s lives, but for ourselves as well!

It could be that our child gets their first summer job, anything from babysitting to cutting a neighbor’s grass. There might be a new camp to attend or, what could be really rewarding, a chance to serve others or an opportunity for spiritual growth.

Look around and see where you can grow over these few months. Just like your child, try something new. You never know what might become a permanent part of your summer or your life!

I hope that we can all embrace what makes this summer unique and create lifelong memories in the process!

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3 Tips for a Better Attitude Today

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Let’s start out with a question for you today. How’s your attitude?

Maybe things are going great and you’re feeling happy and motivated. You could be on the other end of the spectrum – grumpy and discouraged – or somewhere in between.

If you need an attitude adjustment like I did, check out these three Bible-based tips for having a better attitude today.

I will confess that earlier this week, my attitude was not the greatest. It all centered on a minor inconvenience that hardly affected me, but I still felt annoyed by it.

Props to my husband…he handled it with no complaining or grumbling…so then I felt even worse about my disgruntled frame of mind!

Before I sat down to read my Bible on Monday morning, I talked to God about how I was feeling. I sensed an undercurrent of dissatisfaction that I knew needed to be corrected.

Isn’t God good to give us just what we need by encouraging us through His Word? [Side note: this is not the point of this post, but I was reminded of the importance of reading my Bible on a regular basis because that’s where God most often speaks to me.]

Do you know what I needed that day? A changed perspective. And I found it in Romans 12:12.

“Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;“

I realized that there were three things I could do right then that would improve my attitude for the rest of the day.

1. Choose joy.

I could focus on the situation that wasn’t what I wanted it to be. Or I could look at all my blessings and thank God for them.

Of all people, we as Christians have hope. We have hope for today because God has promised to never leave us or forsake us. We have hope for tomorrow because He is faithful and always keeps His promises. We have hope for eternity because our final home is in Heaven.

You and I don’t get to choose all that happens to us today, but we do get to choose how to respond in every situation. Let’s be intentional in choosing joy.

Want a practical way to increase your joy right away? Listen to some music that encourages your soul – and sing along!

2. Practice patience.

Remember all those Bible admonitions to wait on the Lord? We all have seasons of waiting, of trusting that God will meet the need, will show us the next step.

The verse above tells us to be patient in tribulation. Isn’t that when it’s the most difficult? We want out of our trouble or suffering as quickly as possible!

Yet our God is sovereign. He will bring an end to our trial in HIS timing, not ours.

I like this quote from Peter Marshall. “Teach us, O Lord, the disciplines of patience, for to wait is often harder than to work.“

3. Pray about everything.

God knows all about my situation. But I believe that He still wants me to talk to Him about it. It’s okay to tell Him if I’m frustrated or unhappy.

Then I can turn to Him in faith. I can bring my need to Him, and ask Him to meet it, ultimately praying for His will to be done.

Our verse above admonishes us to be steadfast in prayer. Stand firm. Don’t give up. Believe that God hears and will answer.

As my dad often said, attitude is everything. I know I’ll need to revisit these three tips often, especially if I want to keep a right perspective when things aren’t going smoothly!

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5 Fun Finds from May 2022

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Welcome to the blog on this first Friday in June! How’s your week been? Ours has been full, but we’re getting some necessary appointments and meetings out of the way, so that’s good.

Before May is too far in the rearview mirror, I thought I’d take a quick look back at five fun finds from the month. I hope you find something on the list that you’ll enjoy, too!

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What I'm loving in May 2022

1. Waterproof Outdoor Decorative Throw Pillow Covers Pack of Four Garden/Leaf Pattern. Two of these are currently on the bench on our front porch. I also got these pillow inserts if you need them and so far I’ve been pleased with both purchases.

2. Overcomer. I realize that this movie came out several years ago, but my husband and I had never watched it. We were searching for something to watch one Friday night, so I rented it on Amazon Prime Video. It’s a little bit long, but I thought it was very good and worth the watch.

3. Tidewater Bride by Laura Frantz and A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden. Thought I’d include these two books as one “find” since I enjoyed reading both of them in May. They’re historical fiction, which I don’t tend to read a lot of on a regular basis. Tidewater Bride is set in coastal Virginia during colonial days and A Dangerous Legacy is set in New York City in the early 1900s. I got caught up in both stories and plan to read more by those authors.

4. The Moment This Dad Realized Youth Sports Were Ending, Forever. I went through these emotions a year ago when our youngest daughter cheered at her last basketball game, acted in her last school play, and performed in her last fine arts concert. Just reading this post brought back all those feelings!

5. Change Your Life Chicken. Kendra Adachi, aka The Lazy Genius, recently released a book The Lazy Genius Kitchen. (Side note: I don’t have the book yet, but I plan to buy it for my daughter who’s getting married in January.) She also produced a set of related videos which I found very entertaining. So, to get to the point – in one of the videos, she mentioned this Change-Your-Life Chicken recipe. I made it one night and it was a winner! I pretty much followed her recipe exactly and plan to make it again.

If you’ve recently come across a fun find, let me know what it is in the comments! I hope you have a great weekend!