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encouragement for every season of life

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Letting Go of Expectations and Letting in the Light

Letting Go of Expectations and Letting in the Light

in (In)Courage· Advent· Change· Faith in Action· Girl Meets Change· Seasons

After reading Myquillyn Smith’s philosophy about how lamp light can “sprinkle some cozy” and improve the mood of a room, especially in the…
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Looking Back and Looking Ahead

Looking Back and Looking Ahead

in Advent· Parenting· Teens· Thanksgiving

This past Thanksgiving, I placed my china plates on our dinner table, just as I’ve done since 1995. They come…
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Book Recommendations for the Advent Season

Book Recommendations for the Advent Season

in Advent· Authors Extraordinaire· Fun Stuff· Seasons

Looking back on these November weekends, my family spent a little time hootin’ and hollerin’ at the TV, watching our Alma…
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Life When You’ve Been Benched

Life When You’ve Been Benched

in Advent· Authors Extraordinaire· Christmas· Creativity· Encouragement· Faith· Faith in Action· Family· Friendship· Holidays· Home· Hope· Rest· waiting· Writing

As an upper elementary and middle school kid, I played softball. Or rather, I tried to play softball. I quickly discovered my…
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On Instagram

$1.99 ebook deal-extraordinaire!🎉💃🏻🎉 R $1.99 ebook deal-extraordinaire!🎉💃🏻🎉 Right now, get the digital version of Back Roads to Belonging for $1.99! ⁠⁠
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This book can be a gift for anyone feeling lost or lonely no matter her life season, but I believe it's an especially timely gift to yourself or a loved one who may be missing her place and people during the lingering pandemic. ⁠⁠
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Tap the link in my profile for links to both Kindle & Nook.☑️☑️⁠⁠
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And if you read this book and found it personally helpful, perhaps consider sharing it 'round your circles, too? ⁠⁠
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#backroadstobelonging⁠⁠
photo credit: @jenlintsphotography
An accomplishment for this week: Taking daily walk An accomplishment for this week: Taking daily walks outside, because outside is where the pretty lives even if it's also where the cold lives, too. ⁠⁠
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Another accomplishment this week included introducing my daughter to an '80's staple of pop culture: Dirty Dancing.💃🏻🕺🏻 My inner 8th grader still knows all the songs, and my daughter was able to understand the origins of "Nobody puts Baby in a corner." and that it *doesn't* refer to an actual baby. What can I say? I've found one homeschooling subject I feel qualified to teach. ⁠⁠✅
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Happy Friday, dear hearts!⁠⁠💛
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Trusting God with the ones you love ~ I found this Trusting God with the ones you love ~ I found this easier to do when the ones I love lived in my house full time. It turns out that having them move out from under my roof is a real lesson in seeing the holes of my trust.⁠⁠⁠
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You might say learning this has been A WHOLE THING. ⁠⁠⁠
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I first saw this book on @annvoskamp's instagram feed, and since Ann never steers me wrong, I promptly bought it and am now halfway through it. ⁠I skip some chapters as they don't (yet if ever) apply, but those that *do* apply have been a real help and comfort. ⁠⁠⁠
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In short, author @jodie_berndt's prayer prompts and stories reflecting an array of circumstances and outcomes has been a real gift to my mama heart. ⁠⁠⁠
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⁠Being a parent is hard no matter the age of our kids, but I'm so thankful for books like this that ease our trials and deepen our trust along the way.⁠⁠⁠
#fromthebookstack
This verse came alongside me like a friend not onc This verse came alongside me like a friend not once but twice in two days:⁠⁠
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"The angel of the Lord encamps⁠⁠
 around those who fear him, and delivers them.” ~Psalm 34:7⁠⁠
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I don’t know what hardship you're encountering today, but I hope you also encounter this message:⁠⁠
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As God surrounds you, may He deliver you *to* a better place, yes. But may He deliver you *from* anxiety, loneliness, fears, and wrongdoing.⁠⁠
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And along the way, may He give you a friend who prays for you and walks with you from where you are to where you will be. ⁠⁠
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#whereIbelongWednesday⁠⁠
#backroadstobelonging
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