faith

August 21, 2013 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

God Doesn’t Expect You to Be Mother Teresa

I’ll admit it: I’m not a very compassionate mom. My kids have to beg for a band-aid, and most of the time when they get hurt my response is, “Come here, give me a hug. See? All better!” (As if those words would make it so.)

Of course there are times when a band-aid wasn’t enough. Like the time my son needed stitches on the back of his head after slipping in a parking lot, or the time my daughter broke one elbow and sprained the other on a trampoline. I was no Mother Teresa then, either, but I did get my kids to the ER without too much panic so others could bandage them up.

Compassion isn’t something that comes natural to me. It’s something I’ve asked God to help me with. How?

I pray for compassion. I’ve asked God to give me a tender heart.
I seek to be empathic. I try to see the world through my kids’ eyes and pray for their unique needs. Even though their needs may seem small to me, I pray God will help me imagine being in the other person’s shoes
I look to the “deeper” need. My child may not really need a band-aid, but he or she does need to be cuddled, cooed over, and cared for with tenderness.

Lacking compassion? Sometimes I do as a mom. I’ve asked God to help, and here’s how:

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Read the rest of my tips on Hope for the Weary Mom!

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Wondering what’s up next for me? My book A Christmas Gift for Rose releases soon. You can pre-order it here!

August 17, 2013 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

Ancestors: Hearing Their Stories Reminds Me of the Importance of Mine

: My great-grandmother as a child in Mexico; my great-great-great-great-great grandfather Friedrich Wyneken; the wall in my hall with my kids’ photos

I am writing the true Amish story of my friends Ora Jay and Irene Eash. In one of my conversations Irene mentioned that she had a famous relative. I love this story!

The Amish are a story-telling people, and perhaps the best-known story in Amish circles is that of Jacob Hochstetler, an eighteenth-century Amish man who lived with his family on the Pennsylvania frontier. In 1757, as the French and Indian War reached their corner of the world, the Hochstetlers awoke one night to find Native Americans attacking their cabin. Two of Hochstetler’s sons, Christian and Joseph, reached for their hunting guns, but Jacob would have none of it; he forbade them to use violence. Instead, the family took refuge in the cellar. The mother, one son, and one daughter were killed. Two of the surviving sons later fathered large families, from which a sizable percentage of today’s Amish population can trace its ancestry—no doubt one of the reasons the story is so often repeated. 1

Hearing stories like this makes me consider my ancestors. Ancestors on my maternal grandfather’s side came from Kansas. They were farmers who moved to California during the Great Depression. On my maternal grandmother’s side, my great grandparents came from Mexico. They moved to California around the same time, and my grandmother grew up living in a box car. Humble beginnings for both families!

Have you considered how your life will impact future generations? @TriciaGoyer @NotQuiteAmish

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On my paternal grandmother’s side, my great-grandparents were German immigrants. Great-great-grandfather came to the United States with six nearly grown daughters, all of them over six feet tall! (That must be where I got my size 11 shoe from, even though I am only 5’6”.)

But my favorite discovery was hearing about my paternal grandfather’s family. My great-great-great-great-great grandfather was Friedrich Wyneken (1773-1863), a German missionary who became a circuit preacher, reaching out to the German immigrants in the midwest. Seeing the great need, he returned to Germany and recruited missionaries to help. He also was the first president of Concordia Theological Seminary.

Since I grew up not knowing my biological father, I was an Christian, author, and speaker before I even understood my family’s history. It made me wonder if my ancestors ever prayed for their children and children to be servants of God. They no doubt did.

The life I live will impact generations! —@TriciaGoyer @NotQuiteAmish

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Read the rest of this post HERE.

Wondering what’s up next for me? My book The One Year of Amish Peace releases soon. You can pre-order it here!

August 2, 2013 by Tricia Goyer 1 Comment

Suicide: Warning Signs and Kristen Jane Anderson’s Redeemed Life

Kristen Anderson thought she had the picture-perfect life until strokes of gray dimmed her outlook on life. Once a happy child, Kristen’s world darkened after three friends and her grandmother died within two years. Still reeling from these losses, she was raped by a friend she thought she could trust. She soon spiraled into a depression that didn’t seem to have an end. Then, on a cold January night at the age of 17, Kristen attempted suicide by laying down on a set of railroad tracks near her parents’ home. She was run over by 33 freight train cars at 50 mph, and both of her legs were severed, but miraculously, she survived!

Kristen and I wrote her book Life, In Spite of Me a few years ago, and God has done some wonderful things in her life! She’s gotten married and has a sweet baby boy. God continues to redeem her life. <click to tweet>

I recently had the opportunity to chat with Kristen again and she shared her story. Although it is difficult to hear, I believe it’s important to gain an understanding of the struggles one might go through when experiencing depression and/or suicidal thoughts.

listen here: https://triciagoyer.com/walkitout-podcast-023-kristen-anderson/

Here are some suicide warning signs:

appearing depressed or sad most of the time
having no hope for the future
Feeling hopeless, helpless, worthless, or trapped in a situation, and having excessive guilt or shame
talking or writing about death or suicide
withdrawing from family or friends
acting recklessly or impulsively
a change in personality, sleeping, or eating habits
decreased interest in most activities
dramatic mood changes
giving away prized possessions

You can connect with Kristen and her ministry, Reaching You, on Facebook!

Do you know someone who is struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts? You can call and get help or direct them to the National Suicide Hotline.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across the United States. The Lifeline is comprised of a national network of over 150 local crisis centers, combining custom local care and resources with national standards and best practices.

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July 27, 2013 by Tricia Goyer 5 Comments

The Child God Chose for Us

Eleven years ago, I was reading a “Woman’s World” magazine, and one article changed my thoughts on how many children is “enough.” At the time, I thought three was plenty. My kids were ten, seven, and five. I was homeschooling them, and we had a very busy life.

Then I read an article about all the girls growing up in orphanages in China. I wept when I read the article and realized my heart had room for more. That night after dinner, I showed John the article and brought up the idea of adoption. At the time, John wasn’t interested. “These three are a handful. How can we deal with more?” Then there was the thought of cost. Adoption was/is expensive. I was disappointed, but I let the matter drop. I’ve learned over the years that nagging never works, and if God desires John’s heart to change, then He’ll do the change.

Years passed, and I mentioned adoption a few more times. I was still interested, and John was still not. Then around 2005, John surprised me by asking me if I still was interested in adoption. My eyes grew wide, and I exclaimed, “Yes!”

Over the years, God had softened John’s heart. Maybe it was due to the fact our kids were older and easier to deal with. Maybe it was because I was mentoring teen moms and we had their little kids around often (and enjoyed that!). Or maybe because God decided the time was right.

It took almost three years for us to fill out the paperwork for a Chinese adoption . . . just in time for the wait for a Chinese baby to greatly increase. We still don’t have that beautiful little Chinese girl I felt called to add to our home. We’re still waiting, and we know that the child God chooses to bring into our home in this way is going to be pretty special. And, like the way God works, there have been other surprises along the way.

Read the rest of this post on Somona Christian Home!

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July 23, 2013 by Tricia Goyer 3 Comments

What An Unexpected Flower Pot Taught Me About Hope | Guest Post by Eva Piper

Hope can be a verb or a noun. Used as a verb it means we want something to happen. We hear stories of tragic events and hope everything and everyone will be safe. We may hear from a friend or loved one who shares a need. We end the conversation with “I hope everything works out.” Newly expecting parents may say, “I hope it’s a girl,” or, “I hope it’s a boy.” Students walking down school hallways utter, “I hope I get an A in this class.” “I hope I make the team.” When we are going through difficult time hope becomes a noun <click to tweet>. HOPE is something we long for. We long for a particular thing to happen to lift our spirits and bring peace. It is our hope that a loved one recovers from an illness or accident. It is our hope that a relationship can be saved. It is our hope that a new job can be found to replace the one we lost.

It has been my experience to find hope when others put actions to their words. In December of 1988 the youth of South Park Baptist Church gathered for a Happy Birthday Jesus party. I attended the party since Don was serving as youth minister. I taught a youth Sunday School class and helped out on retreats.

There were a few of the youth who had babysat for us since our arrival in Alvin a year earlier. That evening following the games, singing Happy Birthday, and eating cake one of the youth leaders got up and began to speak. He called Don and I to the front and began to thank us for all we had done to help guide our young people to a better understanding of Christ. He then presented us with a gift. In those days it was popular to give a money tree. The tree was actually a branch that was spray painted white and decorated with small ornaments. The tree was then placed into a decorated flower pot.

While the adults had pinned bills to the branch, the youth had placed their loose change into the pot to hold the tree upright. I’m sure none of them thought of anything big coming from their nickels, dimes, and quarters. Yet they put them in anyway, hoping it would help tell us how much they loved us.

On that dismal, damp, chilly January afternoon as I raced through our home trying to pick up what I would need to be at the hospital with Don, my eyes fell onto that flower pot sitting on the kitchen counter. I would need to notify people of Don’s condition. I hadn’t even talked to his or my parents about the accident.

Those were the days before cell phones and I knew my only source of communication would be pay phones. I grabbed the flower pot, dumped the change into a lunch bag and put it in my purse. Later I was able to use those nickels, dimes, and quarters to call family and friends asking them to pray. My hope for his survival was made possible because some teenagers put their ‘hope’ into action and God answered the prayer, the hope of those I was able to call by healing Don.

Now Don is often called the ‘minister of hope.’ He speaks to people all over the world telling them that God is a God who listens, who loves, and who cares for His people. What a wonderful gift of HOPE that little flower pot became!

About Eva Piper:
Eva Piper is a speaker and author with a unique insight into the trials of heartache and the triumph of overcoming. The wife of best-selling author Don Piper, Eva was the glue that held her broken husband and her family together. Don’s story, recounted in the New York Times bestseller, 90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Life and Death, is Eva’s story too. A teacher of 34 years, she and Don now live in Pasadena, Texas. Visit her website to reserve your copy today or to read a free chapter. You can also connect with Eva on Facebook and Twitter.

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July 20, 2013 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

A Daily Dose of Faith for Writers

Have you ever had a character from a book impact your life? Has a character’s faith ever rubbed off on you? As a Christian fiction writer, I always have drama, conflict, romance, and resolutions within my novels, but equally important is how I display my character’s faith. It’s something all Christian authors think about. I love this quote by Jan Karon:

“In my books I try to depict not a glorious faith with celestial fireworks, but a daily faith, a routine faith, a seven-days-a-week faith. Father Tim’s faith is part of his everyday life. He has simple prayers, not polished, pious prayers. He follows the Apostle Paul’s command that we pray without ceasing. I try to depict how our faith may be woven into our daily life, like brandy poured into coffee. I believe that spirituality needs to be basic, common, everyday.”

Of course, the only way to display daily faith accurately is to live it. As a writer, I can research many things—location, occupation, affliction, and affection—but a true connection to a loving God cannot be made up.

So if a character’s faith journey has impacted you, I guarantee an author’s faith journey has been impacted first <click to tweet>. I can speak for many of us Christian authors that God deals with our hearts before one written word goes onto the page.

For me, a successful Christian author isn’t measured in book sales (although those do come in handy, ensuring we can be given the opportunity to write more!). Instead to me a successful Christian author is one who finishes her books, her career, and her life with the flame of God shining bright within!

Read the rest of this post here!

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July 6, 2013 by Tricia Goyer 5 Comments

40 Ways To Be Present in Your Child’s Day

The true gifts of life lie in the moment. That is why we call it the present. ~ Author Unknown

In the midst of a busy day it’s easy for mamas to think of our children as “tasks” rather than as “hearts” we need to connect with. I sometimes struggle with putting my kids before my to-do list. After all, I can mark things off my to-do list as “done.” With kids, they are never done.

It hurts my heart to realize what my kids see and experience on some days: a busy, distracted mom who orders their lives instead of really seeing them.

“If young children live in the present and adults spend most of their time in the past or in the future, we have abandoned our children to some degree,” says Becky Bailey, PH.D., author of I Love Your Rituals.

How often are your children present but abandoned in your day? <click to tweet>

Do you expect them to be able to entertain themselves so you can get your work done? Do you use the television or video games to keep your kids occupied more than you should so you can focus on your work? I’ve been guilty of both.

Yet, I also know children can only entertain themselves for so long. Children will do what it takes to get our attention. Won’t they?

“We get caught up in our obligations and tasks and lose sight of our children until they ‘get in trouble’ (displease us) or ‘do something special’ (please us),” says Bailey. “On these occasions, children received our undivided attention—negative or positive. Neither type of attention is helpful or healthy. . . . To break this cycle, adults must take charge and establish strong relationships with children. They must make time to ‘be’ with their children. This time must be commanded and orchestrated by adults, not demanded by children.”

We must give our children attention—real, focused, positive attention. I’ve found when I spend even ten or fifteen minutes with my children at regular intervals during the day, they are happy to entertain themselves or play positively with their siblings at other times. When our child’s love tank/attention tank is full, then he or she has fuel to feed other positive relationships.

Each moment in our day we have the choice to be present. Our children will not only benefit from it, but we will reap the rewards.

40 Ways to Be Present in Your Child’s Day

Sing “This Little Piggie Went to Market” as you put on your child’s socks.
Make eye contact when your child asks you a question.
Use different voices when reading a bedtime story.
Play horsey ride.
Take a deep breath and say a prayer thanking God for “right now.”
Get on the floor and invite your child to join you.
Create a gratitude journal with your kids and add to it through the day.
Put down your smartphone. Set it aside and pick it up and check it once an hour.
Write things you appreciate about your kids on post-it notes and repeat these things often.
Add a sprinkling of love to your child’s lunch. Ask, “What is one thing I can do to show my child I love him/her during this meal?”
Ignore the dishes, the laundry, the vacuuming for the first hour of the day and start the day off with your child.
Teach your child a finger play you knew as a child.
Find ways to say “Yes” rather than “No.”
Start again if a moment’s not going right. Call out, “Do over!”
Reflect on what your child is doing at that moment. “You are standing on one leg. You are jumping up and down.” Don’t feel you have to praise for no reason … kids just enjoy the focused attention.
Teach your child a simple chore.
Slow down. Take twice as long as you plan on doing something, and do it with your child.
Tell your child about an experience you had when you were his/her age.
Soak in your child’s stories. Ask for more details.
Ask your child what he/she would like to do for ten minutes. Set a timer and have fun.
Go into the yard and see what type of creatures you can find.
Play Simon Says.
Tell your child than you are so thankful he/she is part of your family.
In your mind trade places. How does your child see you in that moment? How do you want your child to see you?
Call a friend or family member with your child, just to say, “Hi.”
Exercise together!
Bring out your photo album and share a special memory.
Offer a hug.
Host a family meeting and highlight things your family can look forward to and things your family is doing right.
Catch your child doing something right.
Ask your child to help you with whatever you’re working on.
Go on a lunch date.
See how high you can count as a team.
Visit the library.
Tell your child about the first week after they were born.
Tell your child the meaning of her name.
Memorize a Bible verse together.
Turn off the Television
Forgive yourself. Don’t let your mind wander to the past and all the ways you’ve messed up as a parent. Give that to God.
If you find yourself thinking/worrying about the future file that away for later when your kids are in bed. Better yet, give that to God, too!

Now . . . what can you add to this list? I’d love to know!

Read the original post over on The Better Mom!

Also, I’d love to hear how YOU are present!

January 24, 2012 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

10 Rainy Day Activities

Whether there are thunderstorms pouring outside, snow is falling in the middle of winter, or it’s the heat of summer and your kids are bored, these 10 rainy day activities are sure to spawn some creative play. Enjoy!

10 Rainy Day Activities

1. Stage a circus. Help your kids pick their own roles and find their own props, then give them 15 minutes to come up with a show for you. Better yet, put various roles into a hat and let them draw: lion tamer, clown, acrobat … each requires creativity and imagination!

2. Turn your bathtub into a water play center. Fill the tub and give your kids boats, dolls, funnels, or balls. Lay towels down on the floor and dress them in their swimsuits. For older kids give them tin foil and assign them the task of creating the best kind of boat.

3. Share your favorite childhood stories. No, I’m not talking about books … rather tell your kids about the things you did and saw and enjoyed when you were young. My kids love hearing about a time before home computers, DVD players, and microwaves!

10 Rainy Day Activities

4. Create a relay race. Come up with different “challenges” such as carrying peanuts with chopsticks or picking up cotton balls with a spoon (blindfolded of course). Encourage your kids to come up with their own challenges, too.

5. Have a dance party.

Use Pandora.com or YouTube.com to come up with different songs from various cultures and/or generations. Match your dancing to the music in tone and feeling. Who knows, your kids might discover 80’s songs are cool after all!

6. Creative Painting. Get out the paper and paints but leave the brushes in the drawer. Instead find other things to paint with—corn cobs, cotton balls, paper cups, marbles, and more!

10 Rainy Day Activities

7. Learn to juggle. Practice with balls or even socks. See who can juggle the best or come up with the best tricks!

8. Become a movie producer.

Create a list of one-minute dramas for your kids to act out. Tell them they have to act without props (similar to charades). Pretend to videotape them … or if you can, record them and watch later. Sample dramas:

chick hatching
surfer catching a big wave
mother wolf teaching her pup to hunt
an astronaut exploring the moon
making a snowman
riding a rollercoaster

9. Become ambidextrous. See how many things you and your child can do with their opposite hand. Or if you’re really brave … with their feet!

10. Re-write your favorite Bible Stories as if you and your child were the main characters. Make sure you use your five senses. What would Daniel have smelled in the lion’s den? How did the sun feel, beating down on Moses as he wandered through the desert? After you’ve completed a story, call a grandparent or special friend to share it over the phone.

10 Rainy Day Activities

These rainy day activities are sure to bring some smiles and laughter. What are some of your favorite indoor activities?

You might also enjoy 15 Fingerprint Crafts:

January 27, 2010 by Tricia Goyer 4 Comments

Lord, what do you want me to write?

When I was in the process of becoming a published author, I asked this question: Lord, what do you want me to write? I was twenty-eight years old and had already published over one hundred articles for national publications. I’d also been contracted to work on two book projects for well-known publishers. Still, I felt far from successful. Let me share how He answered my question and the desires of my heart.

Lord, what do you want me to write?

For five years I’d labored full-time on my own book projects with no luck. I was flourishing as a writer, publishing articles constantly. But the offers to publish a book just weren’t coming. My agent didn’t understand, “These are excellent proposals,” she said. “I don’t understand why they’re not being snatched up.”

Maybe I just have to try harder, write more, I thought. But it didn’t help.

Around that time, I started going through the workbook “Experiencing God” by Henry Blackaby. I learned one phrase that kept going over in my mind. “Look to see what God is doing and join him.” The premise is this: if you’re doing something that doesn’t work, put what you’re doing aside and see what God is doing. So, I did that. And . . . I discovered God had different plans!

First, my grandfather was diagnosed with cancer. I invited him into our home. Between doctor’s appointments, hospice visits, taking care of my husband and three children, there was little time to pen prose. My grandfather passed away after only four months, but inside I was changed. It was as if my heart had been rubbed raw with sandpaper. My eyes were opened to pain, and I had a new appreciation for helping those in need.

Lord, what do you want me to write? I prayed.

Lord, what do you want me to write?

A few months after my grandfather’s death, my pastor and two women in the church approached me about starting a Crisis Pregnancy Center. (There wasn’t one for hundreds of miles.) I didn’t want to do it, but I told my pastor I’d pray about it.

The next morning, I did. I told God. “Lord, I can’t help with this center,” I pleaded. “I’m a writer and my articles are helping people around the country.”

His voice was clear, “What about the people in your own community? What are you going to do to help them?”

Ouch.

God showed me this was something He was doing, so I joined Him.

Soon, I was using my writing and organizational skills to create community newsletters and to write radio commercials and grants. In one year, we had a huge center (given to us for free rent), forty volunteers, and we were reaching hundreds of women. We even received a $13,000 grant to teach abstinence education in the schools! At night I often felt drained by the number of young women who needed assistance—who needed hope—yet, I also felt a renewed sense of satisfaction. God was at work and I so was glad I’d joined Him.

After that, I started getting new writing assignments. I started writing about pregnancy centers, forgiveness after abortion, and other related issues.

When our center was two years old, we hired a director who oversaw everything. I focused my time on working with the young moms. We had helped these young moms make a decision for life, now we needed to help them with their parenting. I started a support group for young moms called Teen MOPS. It’s part of the bigger MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) organization. While working with these young moms, I tried to find Christian resources just for them and couldn’t find any. So I worked on a proposal, registered for the MOPS convention, and my agent set it up for me to meet with a few MOPS editors while I was there.

Lord, what do you want me to write?

That first convention in 2002, I attended alone. I remember sitting among 3,500 women and saying, “One of these days I want to be on that stage talking about Teen MOPS.” In 2003, I had a contract for Life Interrupted: The Scoop on Being a Teen Mom. I’d also brought six other women, three mentors, and three teen moms with me. On top of that, I was invited to speak in front of those 3,500, telling them about support for teen moms!

Obviously, God was at work. I’m just so glad I joined Him!

Write That Book

Making your writing dreams become a reality is tough. You have ideas but you wonder if any of them are good. You have no idea how to connect with agents and editors, and what in the world is book proposal anyway?

I’m here to help. And I’ve invited some of my friends to help you too. They are professional agents, editors, authors, and marketing and publicity team members. They’re the best of the best in the Christian publishing industry. Together we want to help you reach your dreams.

To help you do this, I’ve created Write That Book. This premier group provides education, inspiration, and connection with other writers and experts. It’s a place to learn all the tricks of the trade while getting your personal questions answered.

Over thirty experts will be available throughout the month to answer your questions. Their decades of experience will be at your fingertips. They not only want to help you, but they also want to get to know you better. After all, your words might just be the ones they’re looking for!

Are you ready to take your writing to the next level? Join Write That book here: Write That Book

January 3, 2007 by Tricia Goyer 2 Comments

Encouragement for the New Year!

After 2020, maybe you need a little encouragement for the New Year. No matter what you faced last year, let’s dream a new dream for 2021. I believe this can be our best year yet friends! I pray this post can shine a little light on wherever you are today and help you move into January with a smile on your face and hope in your heart.

Encouragement for the New Year

Recently, I came across these “fun facts” in Sharon Jaynes’ book, The 5 Dreams of a Woman.

If you’ve ever had one of those days (months…years) when you feel like quitting, then read on. These are sure to lift you up.

After Fred Astaire’s first screen test in 1933, the director noted, “Can’t act! Slightly bald. Can dance a little.”

Louisa May Alcott, the author of Little Women, was encouraged to find work as a servant or seamstress.

Beethoven’s violin teacher once told him he was a “hopeless composer.”

Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor for lack of ideas.

Thomas Edison’s teacher said he was too stupid to learn anything.

Albert Einstein didn’t speak until he was four years old and didn’t read until he was seven. His teachers described him as mentally slow.

Sir Isaac Newton did poorly in grade school.

Babe Ruth, when he retired from baseball, set the home run record (714), but he also held the record for the most strikeouts (1,330).

Winston Churchill failed sixth grade.

And…One basketball player missed 9,000 shots in his career. He lost more than 300 games. Twenty-six times he was trusted to take the game’s winning shot and missed. His name is Michael Jordan. He said, “I’ve failed over and over again in my life. And that’s why I succeed.

Encouragement for the New Year

Maybe you woke up last year on January 1st with big dreams, big plans, and big ideas about how you were going to achieve them. Then, 2020. No one saw that coming. And as hard as we all tried, none of us could truly escape the many challenges that we faced this year. However, there are also so many good things that happened. For instance, quarantine showed many families that they could homeschool their children–and ENJOY it. Many people I know (including me!) took up new art forms, learned to play instruments, pivoted in their careers, and built new and exciting things while stuck at home. Families spent time together baking, singing, playing games, learning new skills, watching fun films (and lots of youtube tutorials), and getting to know each other better.

Out of adversity, came ingenuity. Out of our trials, we became stronger, more resilient people.

This is not to downplay the fact that many faced hard things this year. And if you experienced loss in 2020, or you’re facing anxiety about the new year to come, I want you to know there is someone who cares.

1 Peter 5:7 says this, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

This seems like such a simple statement. Yet when Peter wrote this, he wrote from Babylon–believed to be a Roman military outpost. His readers would have been familiar with suffering and that’s evident in the very next sentence he writes,

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ⁹Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”

We see this today. The struggles that we faced in the last year (and maybe still face today) we faced globally. We faced them as families, communities, the world. Together. And that’s how God wants us to move forward as well–as a body, building each other up. He longs to see His Church loving each other and lifting each other up during these times.

That’s exactly why I’m here. I want to lift you up and give you encouragement for the New Year. My heart is to provide stories, podcasts, and courses that guide you forward into all God has for you in the next year. My hope is to be a bearer of His light and a bringer of His hope. I know that no matter what we face, no matter what lies ahead, God will be there through it all and He will guide and direct and protect us as we turn to Him. I hope the next sentence of this scripture encourages and comforts you.

^“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

Happy New Year! Let’s believe in the Godness of God in 2021!

Encouragement for the New Year

Now, more than ever, it’s so important to pray for our families and to teach them God’s Word and to apply His will to their lives.

My book Praying Through The Bible in One Year allows you to do both!

Praying Through the Bible in One Year is a Scripture Reading Plan and Guided Journal in one. This book helps you read and apply God’s Word to your life. My desire is for this journal to guide you as you seek God and His truth.

It’s divided into three parts:

1. A Scripture Reading Plan. This plan takes you from Genesis to Revelation. Reading four or five chapters a day, you’ll read through the whole Bible in one year! Each week has five days of reading, leaving the weekends for catch up.

2. A Daily Scripture. Pause on these verses, read them closely, and consider how they can impact your prayers for your kids.

3. A Prayer Prompt. Through these prompts, you’ll focus on ways you can pray for your kids. Blank space is provided for you to continue the prayer or to write down other meaningful Scriptures that you read during the day’s reading.

Leave a Legacy

Did you know I created a free course to help you master the skill of journaling through the Bible to create a Legacy Bible for your own children?

Join me as I guide you in sharing God’s Word with your children or grandchildren through the pages of your own journaling Bible. Through this free, 6-week course you’ll discover how to share your own personal reflections through the pages of God’s Word.

It’s such a meaningful way to pass on heartfelt prayers alongside your favorite Scripture passages, leaving a heritage of faith. Each journal entry will be a treasured gift to future generations.

Great Resources for Creating a Legacy Bible:

Blue Leather Touch Legacy Bible

NIV Quest Study Legacy Bible

Bible Highlighters

How to Pray for Your Child Each Day

Do you need a little help to start praying for your children? So many times I find myself praying for the same things for my children.

That they are healthy.

That they are obedient.

The other day I was reading the Bible, and I came upon Philippians 1:9-11:

I pray that your love will overflow more and more,
and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.
For I want you to understand what really matters,
so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.
May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—
the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—
for this will bring much glory and praise to God. (NLT)

As I read it I thought: This is a perfect Scripture to pray for my kids. So I created a PDF to help me pray. I hope it helps you too. Please download the PDF and insert your child’s name. This will guide you as you begin to lift them up daily.

Sunday: Pray for love that overflows

Lord, may the love of _______ increase and overflow for those in our family and for everyone else. (1 Thessalonians 3:12)

Monday: Pray for growth in knowledge

Lord, may _______ grow to love your Word. May the heart of _______ trust your commands. May _______ seek good judgment. Fill _______ with the knowledge of your will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives. (Psalm 119:66, Colossians 1:9)

Tuesday: Pray for understanding of what really matters

Lord, may _______ know your will and understand what is right because of your law. May _______ not copy the behavior and customs of this world, but be transformed into a new person through changed thoughts and through knowing your perfect and pleasing will. (Romans 2:18, Romans 12:2)

Wednesday: Pray for a pure and blameless life

Lord, may _______ keep firm in their faith, staying pure and blameless, until the end. May the good work you started in _______ carry on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. May _______ hold firmly to the word of life, so life’s labor will not be in vain. (1 Corinthians 1:8, Philippians 1:6, Philippians 2:6)

Thursday: Pray for the fruit of salvation

Lord, may _______ be like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. May _______ delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. And because of your word planted deep, may whatever _______ do prosper. (Psalm 1:2-3)

Friday: Pray for righteous character and for a life in Jesus

Lord, may _____ be a peacemaker who sows in peace and reaps a harvest of righteousness. Lord, may your name be honored because of the life of _______. I know this is only possible because of your grace. May love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control flow of the life of _______ because of your spirit within. (James 3:18 2 Thessalonians 1:12, Galatians 5:22-23)

Saturday: Pray for glory and praise to God

Lord, may _______ produce much fruit so that you may be glorified. May the life of _______ be for your praise and glory, because of hope put in you. (John 15:8, Ephesians 1:14)

As parents, it’s important to pray for our kids, and I’m so thankful that God has given us His Word as a foundation to do just that!

faith

10 Rainy Day Activities

10 Rainy Day Activities

10 Rainy Day Activities

10 Rainy Day Activities

Lord, what do you want me to write?

Maybe I just have to try harder, write more, I thought. But it didn’t help.

Lord, what do you want me to write?

Ouch.

Lord, what do you want me to write?

Obviously, God was at work. I’m just so glad I joined Him!

Write That Book

Are you ready to take your writing to the next level? Join Write That book here: Write That Book

Encouragement for the New Year

Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor for lack of ideas.

Encouragement for the New Year

Out of adversity, came ingenuity. Out of our trials, we became stronger, more resilient people.

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

Encouragement for the New Year

Leave a Legacy

How to Pray for Your Child Each Day

Sunday: Pray for love that overflows

Monday: Pray for growth in knowledge

Tuesday: Pray for understanding of what really matters

Wednesday: Pray for a pure and blameless life

Thursday: Pray for the fruit of salvation

Friday: Pray for righteous character and for a life in Jesus

Saturday: Pray for glory and praise to God

I have created a free PDF for you on How to Pray For Your Child Each Day

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ⁹Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”

^“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”