Longing to know I am not alone--the gathering of kindred hearts

"and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near."

Hebrews 10: 24-2

We need to be angels for each other, to give each other strength,consolation. Because only when we fully realize that the cup of life is not only a cup of sorrow but also a cup of joy will we be able to drink it.” 

― Henri  Nouwen

Candles lit, tables decorated, chairs counted, all preparations made as women started parading through the door.

Amazement filled my mind and heart. Why do they come? Snowy roads, a cold night, leaving their homes. Always, I am surprised as each month precious ones pile through the doorway. Why do they take the time to come, to meet one more time?

As I look at my own heart needs, I see how many years I have felt that deep down, hunger, longing, emptiness from lack of  community, wishing for friends who want to share life, for women--for someone who cares that I am alive and knows my struggles, my fears, my heart.

I am surrounded by people, crazy busy, rarely having a quiet, moment without the weight of life,

and yet, still so alone. But the places have now been filled by years of sweet, loyal, loving friends who have owned our friendship for years and years through it all. Such a gift.

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Yesterday, I spent an hour on the phone with a cherished friend. A precious, faithful, loving heart--yet she so alone in carrying heavy burdens of life, that when an unsuspecting stranger asked her how she was, the tears began to flow--

just to have someone ask, to pretend to want to know. Well beloved by so many and yet,

No one knows, no one helps or reaches out to her.

I understand--how many people are in my life, how few souls  have known the scope or depth of the my own soul battles--they are all busy and overwhelmed, too. And this leads me to want to see into the heart of others for what they bear, where they live.

We were made for friendship. Our hearts are prewired to be loved, to belong, to celebrate and share life together, in community--to bear each other's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.

And so where would the evil one attack?

He would separate us to be alone, vulnerable, weak as one by ourselves in the battle for souls, so that we cannot be strong, joining arm in arm, heart to heart.

He would isolate us in neighborhoods where we live alone, with no knowledge or shared life with those nearest to us in proximity. With values and faith and ideals, that separate us from the world, but impossible to uphold alone.

He would break the close bonds of fellowship that church was made to uphold, the body knit together,  and let us go to large buildings filled with noises of music, people all around with nary an intimate friendship.

Loneliness, an epidemic. Here is the battleground.

That feeling in the dark of night that your life is invisible--Does anyone care? Does it matter that I keep dragging on day by day? Does anyone know the weariness of my soul? Do others swell with anger? Or wish for relief? Or feel a lack of worth? Or want to quit and don't even know what that means?

And so we gather, with food, drink, a little reprieve from real life, and touch someone else who shares our world. We gather to listen to His words--together. We gather to understand that our sacrifice is precious to the One who sacrificed all.

We gather to know we are not alone.

Our hearts are cherished and held by the one who counts our tears and sees our faith and knows our exhaustion.

We ponder Mary, alone on her journey through countries, through years of questions, through people seeking the life of her son,

but because of her heart, her boldness to believe, Mary, finding favor with God, being chosen by him to bring His life into her home, so that the son of God find comfort, beauty, love for the years he would live on earth.

Even as we provide life, beauty, comfort,  love so our children will not feel alone.

A simple mother, whose heart gave all that He might have a safe haven to find rest for his baby soul.

And so, we meet to find strength, love, laughter, understanding and hope-the hope that keeps our feet on the path, our minds steadfast on our beliefs, our hearts willing to take another step of faith one more day, one more month, one more year, because once again, we know our life of giving and our love poured out is changing the world.

And so this is the message of Christmas--making time to love, giving time to talk, to share hearts to show compassion,

The gift of our time to listen and to share--it is what the baby did when he came for our sake and what we need and what will keep us worshipping a little longer.

and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. 

You are not invisible to Him, the one who came because He loved saw you and loved you.

Someone else in your life also needs to know this truth.

Today, invite a friend, call a loved one, take initiative to make room for encouragement so that your own soul needs will be met.

Buying one more thing will not satisfy. Investing love and heart time will restore, redeem, fill bring life and hope. Who needs you today? Who do you need to celebrate life with today?

Life happens when you open your door, invite and welcome, look into eyes and share life--Wherever two or three are gathered, there I am in their midst.......

May God bless you with a new friend this season of celebrating the one who himself  took initiative in our lives, so that we would not be alone.

My philosophy of parenting: Pondering Christ

Carl Boch--Jesus with children

"But Jesus said, "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Matthew 19:14

I pondered all the verses that were in the New Testament when Jesus was with children. "Do not hinder them from coming to me."

I wondered, what would hinder a child from coming to Jesus--since I am the picture of Jesus in my home? Fear would--fear of harshness, fear of condemnation, fear of anger. Guilt prevented Adam and Eve from coming to God. Perhaps raising a child with constant condemnation or anger could turn little children away--at least it would turn me away if it was the atmosphere in my home.

In my quiet time one memorable day, I read the words that Jesus said, "Woe to the one who causes the least of these little ones to stumble."

Jesus takes very seriously our role with children. And so I keep searching His words, His heart.

"Greater love has no one than this, that a man lay down his life."

After he washed the feet of his disciples, "If I did this to you, you should also do this to one another."

And then, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:35

"By this, Sally, your children will know that you are my disciple, if you love one another--love Clay, love them, love your neighbors and friends. Love is the foundation for my laying down my life. Love must be your foundation. " He spoke to me gently in my quiet times.

Teaching my children, then, to love is the goal. To love generously, lavishly, undeservedly, as Jesus loved the disciples, as Jesus loves me.

And how did He teach them to love? By instructing, by modeling love to them, by laying down his life to serve the meek and lowly, by dying to himself and giving up all for their sake.

I know my limitations--I did not know how to love in a mature way when my children were given into my hands. I did not know how to be unselfish.

Jesus knows that I am sometimes impatient, that I am selfish, that I am still learning to be mature, but that one of the places where Jesus teaches me to be mature is in my home, as I learn to practice love, practice patience--to practice  gracious, forgiving sort of loving, to practice laying down my life as I get up one more time at night, wash one more dish, correct one more attitude.

 My home and what I practice there becomes my sanctification, my story of His life through mine--this home He designed, was for my own character training, because as a Father, He knows I need practice in becoming like Him.

--He has used my sweet children to make me more like Him. Learning to love them and learning how to love my husband has taught me more about his own unconditional love,  than any other assignment He has given to me. So I said I wanted to be mature, and He gave me a marriage and children and He humbled me and brought me to my knees.

Now, I receive His grace and forgiveness with a more grateful heart--because I see my selfishness, my sin more clearly as I live in front of my children and am grateful that He is patient with me---

that He gives me one more chance to obey--over and over

and that does not reject me.

And so in the messy living of life, pondering Him, seeking to model Him, learning to love and model love, parenting becomes even more meaningful because I realize I cannot separate my service of Him from authentic serving of those He has placed into my hands in my home.

So, as I learn this philosophy of love by pondering Him, I teach my children how to love.

Loving them means training them, correcting them, discipling them, teaching them, so that they can learn a healthy way of life. Loving them also means practicing long suffering as Jesus did. Practicing serving as Jesus did. Teaching over and over again and forgiving---just as Jesus did.

Loving them means rocking them and singing gentle love songs.

Serving them delicious meals with joy and touching them with gentle affection.

Loving them teaches, "You may not say those unkind words, it is not the loving way of Jesus. How could you have said that in a way that gives grace?"

When a toddler throws a toy or hits a child, I grab him into my arms and say very seriously, "You may never, never hit another as that is hateful. You may only use your hands to bless and to give love. Tell him you are sorry--you must ask him for forgive you."

Loving them means helping them to recognize the roots of sin in their hearts that will bring death. And I look deeply at the heart--I correct the heart attitudes of pride, selfishness, anger, critical spirit--with the words, the truth of Jesus.  I lead them to love, teach them to love, show them how to love, bring them with me in serving love in my home, to others, in my ministry.

And in loving them and instructing them and bringing them with me in this life where I am living and learning love, their hearts are softened and they in turn become lovers, they learn to forgive as they have been shown grace, they learn to lay down their lives as it has been modeled to them.

As Paul also follows the pattern of Jesus and says, "Through love, serve one another." " Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ," He also learned that to lead means to love and wrote I Cor. 13.

And Paul, the great discipler, because He loved Jesus said, "But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children."

 Jesus wanted children to freely come into His presence, to know the touch of his arms wrapped around them. To know that because he designed them--their personality, their body, hair, eyes, that he would look upon them with love, listen to their jokes and antics and laugh with them. He would tenderly care for them, as he said,  “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep."

And so ... His word, His life, pondering Him, seeking Him, gave me a pattern, that has served to reach way down into the hearts of my children--a way to follow, and in this form of parenting, my own heart has been transformed, filled, affirmed. I will forever be different by practicing being Jesus in my home.

Superman strikes again......PLEASE VOTE!

http://youtu.be/1qaxhhiVUIo This morning as Joy and I were sipping tea and reviewing the night we had celebrated with so many moms, we covered all the subjects of the world. "You know, Mom, while I was in my bedroom, I was looking back on all the videos we have of Nathan, and he really is a superman to me! He still thinks that some day God will use him to save his world!"

It is fun to finally be at that place where my kids enjoy each other as best friends and support each other's vision and dreams instead of picking on each other. It is a miracle and I am so very grateful to be at this season!

Many of you know Nathan, my son, because he helped market Dolphin Tale to families. The third child, second boy, came out with dreams, passion, and a heart that wanted to be a hero. He loved warrior tales, loved historical battles and those who saved nations and showed courage.

As a young man, the Lord put it in Nathan's heart to make a difference in Hollywood. After praying for a year and a half, much to my surprise, he entered a contest and won singer-songwriter and a scholarship to New York Film Academy. God answers the prayers of your children--even if they aren't the prayers you are praying!

After finishing his schooling there, and God helping him to keep his Christian faith in tact,  he moved to Hollywood. Nathan has been there for 2 years and has earned his sag card, (actor's guild) been in about 30 shows, turned down many, many more parts because they portrayed immorality or issues that didn't agree with His own sense of spirituality and love for the Lord.  Yet, little by little, he has had more and more opportunities to be in bigger roles, to be in commercials and to begin making friends and getting to know a wider range of people.

Hollywood is a pretty dark, self-serving place--so the first favor I would ask of you, would be to please pray for Nathan, to love God every day, to keep growing in his faith, to find others who can mentor them--as well as see the Lord open the right door for him in acting.

But I also have a favor to ask--Nathan has entered another song competition. He is more of a message maker (some of you know his blog: https://nathanjclarkson.wordpress.com/) He made it into the top 20.

This competition he has entered is a song writing contest for a Christian  for actors and singers. Would you please consider voting for him? If he wins, it would give him an opportunity to be able to meet a wider range of directors, producers and leaders in the entertainment industry who are willing to work with believers.

PLEASE VOTE FOR NATHAN

So, please go here  (http://amtcmusic.com/poll.asp?pollid=8) and vote just for Nathan if you would like to support him and help him pursue his dream of being a spiritual influence in Hollywood.)

There are many wonderful young believers hoping to make a difference in the industry. We are amazed that Nathan has made it there for 2 years and keeps praying and walking with God in the midst. He has somewhat learned the ropes, learned what it is like to interface in this crazy industry and he is hoping for someway to be a message maker to His generation of God's voice.

Thanks for letting me be a mama today and to seek to help advocate for and support my sweet son's faith dreams. So many of you helped to make Dolphin Tale happen and so now I can't wait to see what happens with this.  IF YOU COULD VOTE AND SHARE IT, I WOULD BE MOST GRATEFUL! :)

Be blessed and know His love today!

Christmas cheer abounding

Marie Antoinette gets a bow

(I inherited one of my mom's lamps when she passed away recently-most interesting little statuette--so Joy thought she needed a bow--then my stocking, a red jar for a candle and a needle point mother and child--a gift from a friend.

From my earliest childhood, I remember Christmas as a time of lights, sparkles, smells, color and delight. One of the gifts my mother gave to me was a love for hospitality. My father was, for most of his life, a real extrovert. He loved people and the more the merrier. Often, we would have 100 people in to our home--they just spread all over the house and the yard and the porch and everywhere.

Remember how I told you I am using wreaths for my tables? This is the dining table.

This is a coffee table (missing in the picture are some of my Christmas books.)

In preparation, all of us kids were given rooms to clean, goodies to make in the kitchen, dishes to wash, lawns to mow. We were the staff that my mother learned to employ. Because it was a part of the oxygen we breathed in our home, we all became used to hosting people in our home. And so, my children have grown up decorating tables, cooking, putting lights outside, and providing the candles and music that adorne each event in our home.

We have to have a place for my mama's Santa cookie jar that I have had since childhood.

The messes are not all tamed ever--there is always a pile somewhere or dust or a smudge--but who would notice with all the people living and laughing and sharing life--and so perfection was never the goal.

Excitement has been bubbling up inside me all week as we are celebrating our Mom's Bible study Christmas tea in my home tonight. Everyone has to bring their own tea cup or coffee mug. I will provide hot wassail, (cider with spices), two kinds of tea and decaf coffee to fill their cups. They will all bring a savory and a sweet and we will spread out all over my home and celebrate this season together.

A cake stand filled with greenery became an easy centerpiece. And of course books everywhere. (I have collected red jars over the years for just plain candles--as the candles look beautiful--but cinnamon or apple red candles make my family sneeze, so there are odorless.)

At the end of our evening, we will crunch into my living room and women will sit on the floor, up my winding stair case and peering through the dining room and entrance hall. Somehow we will all be together. Usually we have between 50 and 80, but sometimes we have hit over 90 women--we just all squish into the rooms. I love these dear ones and I am so very grateful that we can have this fellowship once a month.

But, I look back to my childhood years as the time I learned all about making my home a place of life and food and fun--to my mom who taught us to work, to greet, to serve little trays of food around the house and to learn to love serving the life of Jesus in the walls of our home.

Of course, I must have a tea table--tea represents to me serving another, making a moment to really share hearts, thoughts, words of love--it takes time but restores hearts!

And of course it is hoped that all who enter will find here the peace of our precious Lord, and take His comfort and presence and worship home with them in their hearts after we part company.

Peace be with you today!

Why do I write to encourage mothers? And a CONFERENCE TICKET OR Book giveaway--you can help!

Paul Peel, mother and child

A CONFERENCE TICKET GIVEAWAY OR $50 IN BOOKS!

BE SURE TO COMMENT AND TELL US YOUR ENTRIES BY MIDNIGHT, DECEMBER 11!

‎"God designed mothers to partner with Him in His eternal work.... It is for the children's sake that we give our lives. We are protecting future generations that they might be strong for the battle of life. We are the real, in-the-flesh, tangible picture of God's loving hands, strong arms of protection, and encouraging words of hope to our children." ~ Sally Clarkson, The Mission Of Motherhood.

As a young woman, someone shared Christ with me in my 10th floor dorm room, while I was at college, wanting to know Him. To understand that God knew me and still loved and accepted me was revolutionary. I was discipled by a sweet young woman who told me that as a growing believer, the Lord wanted me to be available to pass on what I was learning about Him to others, who like me, wanted to know Him, His love and forgiveness and the kingdom principles that He taught.

And so, young and passionate, I immediately gathered my friends and started a Bible study. I loved sharing the word and talking about Him, so eventually I went into missions. I told God I would be His girl. Eventually I got married to Clay, we spent more time in missions and then began having our precious children. God directed us to start a family ministry, because when we read scripture, we saw that children were a blessing, Jesus said, "Woe to the one who caused the least of these little ones to stumble," and we saw that Satan was battling for the souls, consciences, minds and hearts of children who would be the adults in the next generation.

I had so little instruction and support when I was raising my own children, and so I determined that if God blessed our following of what we thought were Biblical principles in our own children and if they responded to Him and to us, that we would spend the rest of our lives seeking to help other parents feel the support, instruction, encouragement and Biblical inspiration about how to raise a godly generation who loved and served God, in and through their own homes.

And that is how Whole Heart Ministries was born. This is why we write our books, do this blog, host conferences, and have leadership trainings in our home. We want to be a part of what the Holy Spirit is doing in the world to build a godly legacy in families and homes for each generation.

We are praying that we can be a part of building an army of women who will start groups, reach out and train and encourage so many millions of women who want to be a godly mom, but who have not been taught how or do not have support systems. So, will you help us?

We are hosting 3 mom's conferences this year to train, inspire, encourage and instruct moms who can come to these conferences. But even if you cannot come to one of these, would you help us get the word out? We have often seen women attend from all over the world, and then return to their own cities and countries to start Mom Heart Groups. So, you can possibly help us reach women who are longing for support, who are in your own spere of influence, that you didn't even know would need this kind of training and conference.

And so, we are offering either $50 in whatever books or tapes or cd's you would like from Whole Heart Ministries, also listed on our side bar, or 1 free ticket to the conference of your choice in California, Colorado or Texas. (We are hoping to be back on the east coast again soon, but for many reasons, we had to limit this season to 3 conferences and the east coast hotel did not work out.)

Below is information about the conference. Would you help us reach other women by putting it on your facebook, your own blog, announce it to your Bible study or support group? We are also hosting Mom Heart Teas at each conference to help moms know how to start a group or Bible study in their own arena. At each conference you will hear stories and testimonies from 10 to 15 moms just like you--their struggles, their ideals, their stories and you will also hear from special speakers to help inspire and encourage you in your own journey as a mom.

THE HEARTSHAPING MOM - How to Open, Fill, and Hold Your Child’s Heart

Sally Clarkson (CO/CA/TX)

Your greatest desire as a mother is to win the heart of your child.Sally Clarkson (ITakeJoy.com) shares your passion and can help. By God’s design, your child’s heart is already turned to you, just as you are already designed by God to be a heartshaper. Sally will share her secrets, learned over 27 years of motherhood with four children, how to open and fill your child’s heart with grace and truth, and to hold it with love. This is life-learned, heartfelt biblical insight that will change you, and your children. Join Sally and her special guests Deb Weakly (Mom Heart Leader Team, CO/CA/TX),Courtney Joseph (WomenLivingWell.org, TX), Angela Perritt(GoodMorningGirls.org, CA/TX), and Ruth Schwenk (TheBetterMom.com, CO). It will be a weekend of fellowship, inspiration, and worship you won’t want to miss. We hope you can join us!

Deb Weakly (CO/CA/TX) Mom Heart Leader Team

Courtney Joseph (TX) WomenLivingWell.org

Angela Perritt (CA,TX) GoodMorningGirls.org

Ruth Schwenk (CO) TheBetterMom.com

Conference States & Dates:

COLORADO: January 20-21, Denver/Littleton, CO (Denver Marriott at Park Meadows, $79.00/night room rate) Click here: For MORE INFO | Click here: To REGISTER NOW for CO

CALIFORNIA: February 3-4, Irvine/OC, CA (Irvine Marriott, $99.00/night room rate, includes up to two full buffet breakfasts) Click here: For MORE INFO | Click here: To REGISTER NOW for CA

TEXAS: February 17-18, Irving/DFW, TX (Dallas Marriott Las Colinas, $84.00/night room rate, includes up to two full buffet breakfasts) Click here: For MORE INFO | Click here: To REGISTER NOW for TX

Conference Registration Cost:

Early: $89.00  |  Regular: $99.00 

Conference Schedule: Check-in for each of the events begins at 1:00PM on Friday. Afternoon workshops begin at 3:00PM and 4:00PM that afternoon. Guests are on their own for dinner. The first main conference session is 7:00-10:00PM that night. The second session is 8:45-11:45AM Saturday morning, followed by a lovely banquet luncheon. The final conference session is 2:00-4:30PM that afternoon. Sally will be the main speaker for all main sessions; other noted guest speakers will be announced soon.

PossibiliTea (Separate Event): We also plan to offer a Friday morning PossibiliTea at each of the conferences from 9:30AM-Noon. This special time with Sally will focus on personal insights about motherhood, Mom Heart Ministry, and how to be more involved. However, space will be very limited and attendance will require a separate $25.00 registration fee.

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If you go to this page, you can also find the banner and html to put on your own site, (like the one on my side bar) and you can find a printable brochure you can use to advertise to your group. Let  us know what all you do by leaving a comment for each way that you advertise this and we will put an entry for you for each task you complete to help us get the word out and to help us  advertise.  We will close the giveaway at midnight, December 11, so be sure to enter this giveaway by then. I so appreciate your help in this. We want to continue to see the Lord raise up, as I have said before, an army of women all over the world partnering together to hold up each others arms as we seek to raise up a godly generation for His glory. 

We have lots more plans up our sleeves. We want to partner with other writers, bloggers, speakers, leaders, international women to help establish strong communities of discipling moms all over the world. A heartfelt thanks to each of you who is supporting this work and who have donated time, money, and prayer. We are amazed to see what God is doing. Last year alone there were countless book clubs, over 400 groups studying one of our books, and meeting to encourage one another. I know God will continue to bless us as we "encourage one another and all the more as the day draws near." Hebrews

Thanks for helping us!

Below is another sample of a brochure you can copy onto your own page, or print out for your group, if you want to have a handout or announcement. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help.

PS We have had women attend these conferences from all over the world when they found out about it--so you never know who is in your spere of influence who just might be able to come and then fly back to their country and start a ministry! You could be the one to reach someone you didn't even know was interested! Thanks for praying and believing with me. We covet your prayers!

Putting a close to a surprisingly good day

Snow, slush, ice and 18 degrees greeted me as I crawled out of bed at 5:57 this morning. Familiar reluctance filled my heart. Why does is seem it always snows the day we have to be somewhere early when the highways are questionable and dangerous and too crowded? Oh, now I remember why I always want to move south for the winter--like the smart birds.

This was the morning Joy was to take her SAT's downtown Colorado Springs. What would normally be a 25-30 minute drive would now be almost an hour. Was it really ok to send my baby, my 16 year old little girl out on such questionable highways by herself with just one year of driving experience?

And so I quickly piled up with layers and jumped in my car to follow her to be sure she could make it out. And so, after trucks drove too fast, cars pushed us to drive faster than I felt was comfortable, with a truck pushing Joy's car and staying within 5 feet to let her know he was there--with me watching from behind, she made it and walked into the high school administering the test, literally the minute they were starting.

Adrenalin up from gripping the wheel, I tried to relax (South Colorado Springs didn't even have snow on the highway or main roads--we are just lucky in Monument and always get tons more snow because we are 2000 feet higher!)

Next, I was going to meet a young man that we had sort of adopted into our family 18 years ago in Texas. He has married and was now a father and we were going to catch up. Huevos Rancheros at a natural cafe in Manitou Springs warmed my tummy. I think it must have been 8 cups of coffee that we visited. So sweet to see how much the Lord has worked in the life of someone you have loved and watch grow up--so the day was already sparkling a bit more than it had begun.

Hilde, at Heritage Lace Shop, 2530 W. Colorado Ave-- everything blue on this shelf--my favorite!

Someone at my Bible study in my home last week had accidentally left a flyer in my living room about a Christmas buffet of samples at a small shop in Old Colorado City near Manitou Springs where I had breakfast. And so I searched for the shop and parked my car and went into a lovely, treasure-filled gift shop. Tea cups and tea pots, lace, crystal, table cloths, lovely feminine clothing, quilts, centerpieces--all sorts of European looking wares that I had grown to love when I was a missionary. A charming woman met me at the door and asked me if I needed some help. I immediately detected a beloved German accent, which I always listen for since my days as a missionary in Austria. We struck up a conversation and I got to hear her adventurous story about how she was able to start a gift shop many years before, and the details of how her husband and she had  opened shops. She went to market in New York City and learned how to pick lovely, quality items that delighted and filled homes with color. Somehow, we got to the question of how old she was--I was expecting her to be near to my age--and to my surprise, Hilde said she was 81. She was charming, fun, interesting, engaged and I decided I want to be her when I grow up--an unexpected delightful time and new friend. New friends near the crystal lovelies!

My Colorado friends, be sure to tell her hi for me and that you found out about her here as I want many people to see her wonderful store! Then a lovely walk downtown, a mug of foamy coffee, a hot oatmeal-butterscotch cookie, and home--where the roads had almost cleared up-- to a fire, Christmas lights, a few minutes alone with Christmas music and sparkling snow--and finally about 6 long distance phone calls catching up with sweet loved ones. I don't know what I expected of this day, but I found myself enjoying the sweet company of the people strewn along my path, heart-filling in ways I didn't know I needed. And now to a hot bath--a great ending to my Saturday. I hope you have such a Sabbath day tomorrow--one filled with surprises and friendship unexpected.

The seed bed of potential

Daniel Ridgway Knight

"Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not borne fruit. "'From this day on I will bless you." Haggai 2: 19

I love this picture--a woman surrounded by the beauty, the product of her life's cultivation, is such an encouragement to me for my own life. Part of the glory of women, in my mind, is that they have been throughout all the ages, civilizers, those who subdue, those who cause the garden to flourish. Wisdom is personified all the way through Proverbs as a woman. The older I have gotten, I seek to grow into this great role. Gardening is such a visual representation of the potential of a woman's life.

A field that lays fallow has endless potential for producing fruit, vegetables, flowers of every kind. If the soil has been prepared and fertilized and attended to, it has massive potential. Yet the potential lays dormant until the seeds or plants have been strategically place and planted into the soil.

This is a picture of all of life. We have the Holy Spirit inside of us when we become Christians. We, and our children, are made in the image of God. Intrinsic within our hearts, lives and souls is the capacity to display God's imprint to the world, but the potential lays dormant waiting for a gardener of the soul to cultivate it.

And so, I picture myself as a gardener of souls, in relationship to Him who gives me the power and strength through His spirit to be a part of His work in the world. First of my own soul. I must plant the seed of God's word, of truth, excellence, art, beauty, character, intellect, relational skills, vision and inspiration and water it daily with the grace of God by engaging with Him, watering the planting with faith--engaging my heart at every point, every moment with His perspective, His thoughts, His priority. I must bask in the sunshine of Jesus---living in His love, His redemption, His humility, His generous soul always reaching out and giving in compassion and redemption. Pulling the weeds of sin, and attitudes and hurts. Protecting from the storms of Satan and the world. All these things I must do to cultivate a beautiful harvest as I walk in the life of His power and reality in my life, through the seed of Himself that He planted there..

I invest deeply so that others may have the richness and productivity of His life and ways and truth and character to draw from my soul.

And then, I come to motherhood. I understand how broad my role is in planting the seeds of truth and faith and character in my own children's lives. Protecting them from the ravages of their own storms in a fallen, wicked world. Exposing them to the sunlight of Jesus in every way, every moment through out my day. Helping them to develop a strong root system of family, friends and Christian community during the winter seasons, and to water their souls with God's love, grace and hope, and teaching them to spread their plant in the direction of cultivating a life of faith, service, and giving as they yield from their souls eternal produce.

All this and more is waiting to be intentionally planted, cultivated, nurtured, but requires a wise and intentional gardener--willing to do the hard work it requires to bring about a great produce.

So, what are you planting? How intentional have you been about designing a garden of your own soul and your children? How are you protecting? Fertilizing? Weeding? Watering.

Such great potential lays dormant in our souls, but such a vast harvest is available if we engage in the wisdom and with submission and obedience  the First Gardener. There is such capacity for life--in Him and in His ways.

Live into the potential of your call to civilize and cultivate. When women become intentional about eternal issues, the whole world will be influenced by her grace and life.

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I have had so much help, so many blessings, such richness because of real live people coming alongside in the work of our own lives and my heart overflows with love for so many of you--even those I have not yet had the privilege of knowing face to face.

I want to acknowledge how very much I have been encouraged in my own life by so many of you. So many of you have given to me in words of life--(I was greatly encouraged yesterday and on many days before, by your comments, emails, phone calls, fb comments, tweets, letters. Every bit of your giving words of life to me have gone deeply into my soul.)

The investment of having friends work beside us for all of these years as we seek to cultivate our ministry and messages into the lives of other people--my soul is rich from so many of you investing love, time, prayer.I do not deserve but have been greatly blessed by each of you.

Our ministry could not exist or be alive today if it had not been for so many investing financially so that we could publish, do conferences, build messages, work with leaders.

I thank you all with all of my heart, as God put you in my own heart today. May He bless you abundantly with the fullness of Him--His grace, life, truth, power, redemption, and the reality of His presence and love.

PS The winner sof Aaron's books:

Heather Ertzberger Sara (who commented at 1:24!)

Thanks for entering.

Celebrate, celebrate, dance to the music........

My quiet time place this morning in my living room

There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. John 1:9

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”Luke 2:13-14

Celebrating is a part of God's nature. The crickets sing to God, the birds chirp to God, the sunrise and sunset sing of His glory, the stars declare His glory and beauty.

God was so excited to celebrate the incarnation of His son on earth, that He crafted and designed in his honor a chandelier in the heavenlies for this special occasion. Imagine a Father saying, "I love you so much, I will give you a star for your birthday, and then the wealthiest kings of this small globe called earth will bring riches untold for your birthday present. I have arranged the heavenly host to sing a cantata, filling the sky, just to celebrate this moment, and all the earth will hear of your birthday party throughout all the generations."

Those he chose as the audience were the very ones who took care of sheep, the very symbol of His son--those who probably had hearts most ready to engage in  worship,  because nightly they delighted in the  display of splendor strewn across their ceiling, with twinklings, flurries of comets, galaxies waxing eloquent to the rhythm of their creator's bidding. These who had eyes to see and hearts to worship became the attendees of His celebratory party.

And so, I desire to have such eyes--to see His glory in the natural course of my own life. To hear the melodies that daily display songs of praise in the creation He has made, to see His very fingerprints in the eyes and souls of the precious ones in my home.

And so, in His honor, I bring light into our own personal darkness where we also live in the fallen place, a palette of color into the humble outpost of our daily lives and worship, and we host non-stop melodies proclaiming this momentous occasion--the beginning of light into darkness, redemption of all sin and hurt and failure, the conquering of death through life, and the inception of light snuffing out all darkness.

A mother, the civilizer of life, the artist by His side as Wisdom, "a master workman, daily His delight." (Proverbs 8: 30)

There is a life and hope and energy in this celebrating. It brings all earthly struggles into perspective, a baby bringing life that would conquer all ills, calm all storms, wrest all evil powers, heal all wounds.

"And His name shall be called Wonderful,  Counselor, the mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace."

And so my little room became a place of worship--just me and Him. And now my heart is filled for my day and all that it will bring, and it will spill over in all the moments of my day, for having been in His presence and celebrated one more time.

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PS Today is the last day to register for the Mom Heart Conference and receive a $10 coupon to the book table! Tell your friends!

http://www.wholeheart.org/our-events/

What's your secret? What do you hide from everyone else? and a giveaway

Edmund Blair Leighton

Probably all of us have secrets deep inside our hearts--and probably many people, like the man above, want to bear their heart to someone. Secrets can weigh heavy on your heart. Satan uses secrets to point his finger at our soul saying, "If only everyone else knew--they would be disappointed in you, they would reject you......You call yourself a Christian?!"

Voices inside of us can eat up energy, heart, time, feelings, emotions.

Yet, Jesus knows us and still loves us--he knows the selfishness, the failures, the insecurities--and still, he is so very willing to heal, to bring light and beauty our of our ashes.

My friend, Aaron Stern, has written an insightful book about this very subject. Aaron and his wife, Jossie, (also a dear friend!), took a group of 30 college students and built the group into one of the largest singles groups in the United States over a period of 10 years. The group is over 1000 people. And guess what, they heard a lot of secrets from countless people who carried these burdens deep inside and allowed their secrets to define themselves.

This wonderful book illuminates how to deal with all the secrets in our past, in our souls, that keep us from experiencing the freedom and grace God has to bring to each dark corner of our lives. Aaron is one of my family's favorite teachers and pastors. He generously offered to give away 2 of his books to my friends on this blog.

Here is Aaron's book, (also to be found on Amazon.com), and here is how he described his book: Is there something about you that you hope no one else ever finds out?

You're not alone. Everyone has secrets-hurts, abuses, bad habits, fears. Big or small, secrets can destroy you from the inside out. The good news is that confession is more powerful than secrets-or the fear that keeps you from telling them. Confession, accountability, trusting your inner life with another, is the only Biblical way to find restoration, healing, freedom and renewed life.

This truth is unpacked and developed in my new book, What's Your Secret?.  The topic of secrets isn't talked about enough and yet we see the effects of them almost every day played out on news, and in the personal lives of people all around us. Confession is easy to avoid but it is an important practice for believers to model, and for parents to practice in their families and with their children. Children need to understand this vital habit, so that they do not hide from God, and  before their own secrets take root.

What's Your Secret?: freedom through confession is now available. It is a must read for parents and young people alike.

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If you would like to win one of these books, please leave a comment on my blog, post it on facebook, or leave a comment on Aaron's blog, http://aaronstern.typepad.com/

Then let me know what you did--an entry for each comment or fb or twitter  connect. Entries will be closed at midnight, November 29! You will love this book!

I'm just not that important

Georgios Jakobides The First Steps

O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; Nor do I involve myself in great matters, Or in things too difficult for me.

Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; Like a weaned child rests against his mother, My soul is like a weaned child within me. Psalm 131

I have noticed that when I am too busy and have taken responsibilities on my shoulders that only God can carry, I become harsher. When I am too busy and have overcommitted, I lose a love the things that are normally important to me.  I care less for the lost; have little patience for my children; tend to see people as irritating (What was that driver in that car thinking? Can't believe anyone would drive that way! or "That lady was soooooo slow in the check out line at Walmart!) God is a distant thought that I glance toward with guilt thinking He must be disappointed with me because I just haven't had time for Him, but I have just been so busy.........

Fretting is also a part--Fretting about money, life, family, children, church, ministry, duties, Christmas, gifts, housework, burdens--fretting, fretting--taking so much energy, so much thought life---and the Psalms say, "Fret not, it leads only to evil doing." (Psalm 37:8)

And then I tend to become cynical. "I do so much, and there is no one to help." And of course, "If I don't do it or take responsibility, no one else will."

It is so easy to begin to live a works oriented life, and then to think without me, things will fall apart. Then I become weary. Then I say, "Lord, don't you care that I am drowning?!" or "Tell Mary to come in here. I am doing all the work myself!"

God is not biting His nails wondering if I am going to get it all done. He is not the great abuser in heaven just waiting to give me more than I can handle. And so, slowly, I have had to learn, if I am consistently feeling too much stress, too much weight on my shoulders, I have not given it to Him and or, I am attempting to do things that He has never asked or expected me to do.

Jesus did not go into the world Himself. He stayed local, humble, quiet, and yet His message, in God's hands, changed the world.

"I am humble and meek. Learn from me." Again, I learn from this verse.

If He was humble and not in a hurry and still accomplished God's will--and not all the blind and sick were healed, then I can trust these mysteries into His hands.

A good father would not expect his little child to carry the load. He would carry the load and the fragile child.

I find I have so much on my plate to do, that the only thing I can do is re-access; cut back; only focus on the agenda that He has set.

Burning out

I am old enough to have lived through so many women who burned out--in ministry, in homeschooling, in jobs, in ideals---burn, burn, burn and then all that is left is ashes. It is a cultural value to be busy and to justify ourselves by our activities.

Last Spring, I met with a young woman. She said, as many young women have said, "Sally, God is just opening so many doors for me, I just have to be a good steward of my opportunities." (as her exhausted teen daughter was pushing her toddler in a stroller behind her, and complaining that her mom just never had time for her.) This happens to me a lot--young women who have stars in their eyes from money that can be made, audiences that can be found, numbers that can build up.

I have never had more opportunities come my way as now, but I do not like what I see going on in my heart and soul,  and so, I am convicted that I need to cut back. I am pulling back from expectations. Pulling back from stress. And simplifying.

He needs to be at my center. I need to have peace and quiet in my soul. I can say "no!" no matter how many people there are who seem to need me, so that I can still and quiet my soul. 'When I wait on Him, I see His power, His provision, His answers--always so much better than me, tiny, little me, trying to play the role of God, when all He wanted me to do was to seek Him, rest in Him and listen to His voice.

So many times the examples He left me--David and Goliath; Joshua marching around a wall; a Jewish nation born from a single child; the fish and the loaves, the oil that was enough every day to make one more loaf.

I am a baby to God, his toddler, "like a weaned child, I will not involve myself in things too difficult for me."

God is in control. He does not want to abuse me. He does not want me to be neurotic and angry. He wants me to be at peace--sleeping in the boat in the midst of the storm,  because I am "leaning on my Father's strong arms."

And so, I am waiting on Him before I venture out--the opportunities will always be there, but now is a good time to pace myself, to still my soul, to seek to live more simply, to say yes to my God-given priorities and no to all that will take me away. I could do lots more, but then I would become crazy and grumpy and tight and hard to live with, and living by my own flesh and striving and works--and I cannot hold His hand and behave in such a manner all at the same time.

My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.Psalm 62: 1

So, today, on this very busy day, I know that my soul will only find rest in Him--His will, His way!

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Some of these issues, we will ponder together, How can I make it through this journey of motherhood with grace--is it possible?

3 Friends are giving away a ticket to the mom's conference--be sure to look at their blogs today:

http://womenlivingwell.org (Courtney Joseph--my sweet, encouraging friend.)

http://www.thebettermom.com(Always inspiring, dear friend, Ruth Schwenk)

http://goodmorninggirls.org (Angela Perritt--my gentle, godly friend)

All three will be speaking this year at our conferences. Hope you can come. (For more information, look at button on our sidebar!)