What Will You Fill Your Home With Today?

Home is so much more than a shelter where we simply eat, sleep, and gather. It is a place of refuge, a safe haven for our children that is welcoming and beautiful.

I truly believe that the home we cultivate as mothers is the restorative training ground for our children — a place where they can be discipled and filled with love and care prior to growing up and heading to battle.

God has entrusted you with an incredible responsibility as the "home maker." What will you fill your home with today?

Read more about this in The Lifegiving Home.

Tea Time Tuesday: Sometimes My Faith is Fragile

Sometimes my faith is fragile. I have spent a greater part of my adult life reading or studying scripture as a way of life. Sometimes I feel like I am walking in darkness or find fear, discouragement influencing my sense of faith in Jesus. I love Him always, but sometimes, He feels far away. Then I live into His gentleness, His humility toward me, His child, His promise to never leave me or forsake me. As psalms, we see that dark nights of the soul are a part of a faith journey with our precious shepherd in this broken world.

That is when I need to gently reach for His hand and heart, walk slowly through each season with His kindness, compassion leading me.

Some years ago, I met Elizabeth Santelmann online as we shared podcasts. A kindred spirit, indeed. She sent me a message when I was living in Oxford. She was going to be in town on the night I held my Oxford Bible studies. We all brought food to share, squeezed around my small dining area, squished the chairs as close as possible, crowding in 18 women to my tiny space. we shared a lovely, special memory together in my tiny home in Oxford.

From that time, I better understood the heart of Elizabeth. Such a love of the Bible, gentle sympathy, compassion for each woman attending, life-giving encouraging words.

Now she has filled a wonderful book with words of guidance, truth, compassion and all encompassed in the light of Jesus’s words—the Bible. This timely book invites weary women to rediscover closeness with God through simple, grace-filled spiritual practices. I know you will love it.

You can find all things Elizabeth on IG @sunshineinmynest — I know you will be refreshed by a gentle, inspiring teacher who will walk beside you and make the beauty of Christ come to life. Be sure to listen to my podcast today where you will be encouraged by my conversation with Elizabeth.

Be sure to sign up to my membership, Life with Sally, for a new virtual teatime livestream next week, Tuesday, September 1st, and a Mom Heart Meetup in Nashville for all who are members. Can’t wait to meet you face to face. More details for both meetups on my membership. Would love for you to join us.

The Fingerprints Of God Are All Over Your Life

When we read of Abraham's life, it is said, "By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he left, not knowing where he was going." (Hebrews 11:8)

This has been true of my own life: following God over many years, often not knowing where my obedience would require me to go or the demands it would place on my life.

Many times I was led to countercultural decisions. Yet I counted on the fact that if I followed hard after God, my life would be filled with meaning. I had faith in His leading to work in me and shape me to become more like Christ and to mature more, and that He would companion me each and every step.

Read more about this in Well Lived.

Tea Time Tuesday: A Long Term Dream: Mission of Motherhood in Spanish

Mission of Motherhood: Now in Spanish

Click here to play today’s new podcast episode.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7-8

The Bible tells us that God wants us to pray and He can work out the details of our prayers and desires. Yet, I have been amazed to see His handprint in my life through answered prayers over many years.

As a little girl, I grew up being surrounded by Spanish at the same time I learned English. Some of my best friends were little girls from Mexico that I spoke to in Spanish. The elementary schools in my city even taught Spanish in the classroom as an every day subject.

Fast forward, many years later, Clay and I wished we could reach out in ministry by publishing in Spanish. Many of our books were in other foreign languages (Dutch, Korean, French, German, etc). But we did not have the rights to our published books so we kept praying about the possibility. Clay is our publisher and diligently sought many ways many people to help, but alas each time it fell through.

Enter Dorcas Showalter, my friend, who had a passion to influence women she knew in the Spanish speaking world that she thought would drink up the messages of our books. You’ll have to listen to our podcast today to hear how the Lord miraculously brought us together and made this a possibility—a long life dream come true.

Now, you can be a part of that dream of reaching parents all over the world with this message in Spanish. Support at www.wholeheart.org to help us fund our outreach, buy a book for one of your Spanish speaking friends, pray that many parents will be inspired and instructed by the book.

We are also working on The 24 Family Ways and two more books. So it is our hope to reach the Spanish speaking world, as well las other countries in the future. Also, when you join our membership, Life with Sally, it helps support us, our staff and projects like this.

Listen to the rest of our story on my podcast today. You will be encouraged.

Thanks for all of you who have encouraged us in our outreach to families all over the world.

The Lord bless you today and answer your prayers in His time.

God Is Waiting To Respond To Your Cry

Everyone's situation will be different: a broken marriage, a prodigal or otherwise seemingly impossible child, financial issues, loneliness, failure, deep soul wounds and rejection at the hands of those who should have loved us, broken dreams.

Whatever the situation, we feel alone, unnoticed, helpless. Of course, this is just the place where God can teach us to rely on Him completely.

He so desires to be the One who fulfills our greatest longings. He wants us to know His voice of guidance, purpose, love, and mercy.

Read more about this in Mom Heart Moments.

Tea Time Tuesday: A Gentle Way of Life

Click here to play today’s new podcast episode.

"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." — Proverbs 15:1

Several women have emailed me or messaged me lately about how exhausted, weary, drained they feel in the warp and woof of life. And then, often comes, “And I have been so harsh with my loved ones.”

Then follows self-condemnation, guilt that weighs heavy hanging over thoughts and hearts.

Committed motherhood is a long marathon of life with constant demands, draining, endless tasks. Yet, over years and seasons, I realized how much choosing, practicing gentleness brings peace, provides comfort of being loved unconditionally through all circumstances.

A hormonal teen, an exhausted toddler, a school-aged child, or a husband who is angry, a depressed or critical friend—all of these, long to be treated with focused attention, an understanding heart, a loving gentle response.

As we all know, it is natural to react in like—anger to anger. However, it is supernatural to give a gentle gracious answer from the Spirit of Him who is love that leads us to react in love. And yet, as the Spirit lives through us, we will see His power and fruit drawing others to Him in us, when we choose to remember bits of truth he has left for us to follow. A gentle answer, turns away anger.

Gentleness grows stronger with practice. It comes with humility. It grows as wisdom and takes root in the heart that values the ones she loves.

“Always to be gentle toward everyone.” — Titus 3:2

Perhaps before I became a wife, or parent, I assumed, I would be able to be mature, healthy, loving, and successful at these relationships. Conflict in my own heart and life, the stress of living with so many needs and so many constant demands showed me my selfishness.

I longed for mercy, but especially for gentleness. I wanted to be understood—that I had a heart to be good at  these relationships but sometimes I just couldn't—my own selfishness got in the way. I meant to be patient, giving, loving, but I had my limits. As an idealist and “feeler” heart, I wanted compassion and sympathy, but especially a gentle response—not anger and condemnation.

How can you practice gentleness today?

Hear more today on my podcast.

God Loves Our Children Even More Than We Do

I know from experience how easy it is to become discouraged when we fail as parents or when our children fail (or refuse) to live up to what we expect of them. But failure is not a reason to give up! It is a reason to regroup, refresh our vision, and then continue moving forward.

We must remember always that it is God’s responsibility to lead our children, even our different children. We are called to love them and guide them to the best of our ability, to teach them that their choices have consequences, and to provide a strong foundation for stewarding their lives. But we are not ultimately responsible for all that happens to them.

Read more about this in Different.

Tea Time Tuesday: How To Celebrate Life With Your Loved Ones

Celebrating August birthdays with my wonderful daughter-in-law, Keelia.

Click here to play today’s new podcast episode.

Celebrate! Celebrate! Dance to the Music!

And so my wonderful daughter-in-law, Keelia, and I are celebrating our August birthdays together for the fourth year.

Don’t miss an opportunity to celebrate a loved one. It shapes their heart.

There is something sacred about life celebrations. To underline and commemorate a life accomplishment, a normal day, a birthday, or just life, gives the person value, adds importance. Celebrations live in the hearts, minds, souls of the one celebrated for a lifetime and gives hope and courage when hard times come.

Many of you know that in my 40’s I made a commitment to seek to choose joy, to cultivate it, to be thankful and to celebrate the daily fingerprints of God through out the moments of my life. It is a practice, a choice. I have not always succeeded but the more I grow in practicing joy, the more of His grace I feel in my life.

The dance of life goes on—one more generation anew will have their turn to make it beautiful because we have captured their imagination that celebrating life, especially with the people God gave us, is a way of living by faith, pleasing His heart.

I still have time to invest, to send gift cards when they need a boost, to call, write small texts, notes, about how much I love them, to encourage. Because they are busy adults, much of my time to celebrate life personally with them is gone, to love, encourage is less than it used to be. Remember, my friends, today, you are living, writing the story of your life, crafting the legacy of love and joy, you will leave to generations to follow.

“Teach us to number our days that we might present to you a heart of wisdom.” -Psalm 90:12

No longer the door slamming as a boy child runs into the house yelling, "Mama, you'll never guess what we did! Mama, where are you?"

or a girl child, "Mama, will you sit here with me just for a minute to talk before I go to sleep? I want to tell you what I was thinking today."

Join me today on my podcast for more fun stories of celebrations.

My own heart is filled to the brim by your wonderful love, messages, memories and friendship. Heartfelt hanks to each of you.