Identity Girls site launch! {Celebrity Guests & BIG Giveaways!}

{Today, my daughter-in-law, Rachael Lee Clarkson, is sharing some very exciting news about the launch of her new contributing blog for young women!}

Hollywood has been the place I call home for the past 5 years now. While I love my career as an actress and model, at the end of each night in Los Angeles "living the dream", I always felt something tugging at my heart. There was this desire for purpose in me...a desire for all of my work to actually mean something, for my life to mean something.

Living in LaLaLand, where I was constantly surrounded by unrealistic standards and photoshopped magazine models, I began to lose sight of my own value and worth. Who was I? What was my identity? Our surroundings, relationships, and experiences begin to form who we are as young women. Through the movies we watch, the books we read, and the company we keep, are we truly living out who God designed us to be?

I knew that I wasn't living out God's design, because I did not feel wonderfully made. I certainly did not feel like a valuable treasure. My heart and soul felt no strength and dignity.

God didn't call me to live in Hollywood for no reason, and I know He didn't bring me here for this hard work and struggle to amount to nothing. I used my own personal struggle as a fire to ignite the passion in me, to help other young women overcome their insecurities and step into who they were made to be.

Today is one of my favorite days ever. On this day, I am launching the Identity Girls blog...a contributing online community with the most incredible team of young women. The Identity Girls are Hollywood actresses, professional models, writers, chefs, singer/songwriters, health and wellness coaches, fashion stylists, and more who all have the desire to use their platform to inspire and encourage young women.

What makes Identity Girls unique is the fact that each young woman involved is not only successful and living out her God-given identity, but has the desire to be a role model for young women everywhere. This site will be a place where girls can come to be refreshed and do life with others who are sharing their stories, wisdom, and applicable ideas on how to become confident with the girl in the mirror. Our goal is to encourage young women to overcome insecurities and step into the life God has for them. I believe in being a well-rounded woman, which is why the team of writers is so diverse! We will have topics on recipes, fashion, decorating on a budget, health and wellness, resources, and more...all from a godly perspective. The Identity Girls believe in tackling the difficult issues, such as: anxiety, depression, body issues, deep rooted insecurities, how to have healthy boundaries, and more.

There are 20 AMAZING women on the Identity Girls team, but I am going to introduce you to 5 of the ladies on the writing team:

-Tanya Chisholm {Lead actress from Nickelodean's "Big Time Rush" and Disney's High School Musical 2.}

-Shannon Stewart Ratliff {Runner up on America's Next Top Model cycle 1, runner up in Miss Ohio USA, and a model for Sephora, Teen Vogue, Elle Girl, Allure, and many more.}

-Beverly Bautista {Professional dancer in Hollywood.}

-Rachel Zeskind {Health and Wellness Coach.}

-I am SO excited to introduce our very own Brandee Knowles who often shares her delicious recipes on I Take Joy! She will be writing our articles on food prep, cooking, and many tasty recipes so that young women feel encouraged and equipped to take on the kitchen!

Our writing team is so unique because so many different elements make up our identity! Learning how to be a well-rounded woman includes cooking, decor, fashion, beauty, health, wellness, art, and great godly wisdom. Visit the site to meet the rest of the Identity Girls! The team is so incredible, diverse, and will be able to reach so many young women!

During our launch week, we will have many celebrity guests, surprises, and BIG giveaways! You won't want to miss out on any of the excitement, so make sure you subscribe today to the Identity Girls blog. Since it is launch day, I have some exciting giveaways to share with you! All you have to do is go to the bottom of this page to find the giveaway, which will give you the instructions! Once you have subscribed to the blog, followed us on Twitter, and liked the Facebook page, you will immediately be entered in to win one of the 6 prizes below.

We are giving away 6 prizes, which means 6 ladies have the opportunity to win something fun! Enter below, and be sure to share Identity Girls with the ladies in your life.

Thank you for believing in Identity Girls, and for supporting young women everywhere as they begin the unique journey God has for them.

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Practicing a habit of Courage

Sarah and Joy, my inner circle BF's

A while back, my two girls and I were on my bed talking of dreams and adventures we hope to experience together as a family. I was covered up–my two girls were tucking me in! It was a bittersweet time for me to listen to their hearts--most of their dreams have not been fulfilled in reality, YET!

There are many dreams I have held all of my life that have not yet come true … but I still dream them. And of course, I know that some of my girls' dreams will lead them far from me. But how precious it was to hold this time close and hide it in my memory; this night when hearts are opened and deepest desires shared and we all snuggled together as I fought to keep my eyes open.

God’s will originally was that all women would have the opportunity to get married, to have children, and to do their work in harmony with their husbands–to leave a legacy of righteousness, beauty, productivity, and tradition. They were intended, through the family structure, to pass on righteousness and a loving relationship with God to every generation.

Yet my girls find themselves in a broken world where few have their values, and many children of their generation have ended up with broken hearts because their mothers lost the heart of God’s call on their lives. Every day, I pray that my girls will have the opportunity to meet godly, righteous men who have a dream of building family influence in their generation.

At the end of a conference one time, a sweet woman asked me through tears, “How long do you keep praying for some of your dreams to come true? When do you just give up and accept God’s response as ‘no’?”

Well, I can’t fully answer because I don’t know God’s will for her life. But I do feel the older I get, the more childlike I seek to be. There is a temptation to become cynical and crusty as we make our way through life. Yet, in studying verses about God’s will this year, I was impressed again to pursue child-like faith–to keep believing my God can do anything; to believe in His goodness; to believe in prayer.

So I continue sharing my own dreams with Him! I pray for miracles, and for Him to do great things in and through the lives of my children, Clay and me. I ask Him to knock down walls, to stretch our sphere of influence–because I want everyone to know how personal, responsive and gracious He is. I want to live with anticipation like a child; to not measure my life by what I can provide for myself, but by what He is able to do as I believe in Him and trust Him.

The Lord has brought me through many difficult, busy, trying seasons. When I’ve come into His presence and spent time in His word, He has been there for me. I didn’t always feel His presence, but took His word and promises at face value and rested in them, and then practiced taking steps of faith--one day, one issue at a time. Now, I can look back and see that He has used each part of the journey to shape me–my character, my love, my humility, my compassion—and taught me to rest in Him.

My heart and mind must be guarded so that I don’t spend unnecessary energy and time on worrying, but rather give everything into His hands and picture him taking and working it all out on my behalf as His daughter.

I need courage. Courage is the ability to face difficulty, danger, fear or pain without being overcome by present circumstances, but instead acting with resolve; with strength of mind and behavior. I have made a decision of my will to take courage–to practice being strong, to put one foot in front of the other, to believe in a good outcome from a Father who is good. Courage lies in believing and behaving as though God will indeed be faithful. These habits create a life of faithfulness and are the foundation of a life well-built and well-lived.

Growth in character has been the result of walking in God’s ways. He has stretched my capacity to work as well as my capacity to love, and also my ability to resist “down” feelings, to cultivate a content attitude, and to practice being joyful in front of my children and family.

 If you have the desire to go deeper in your study today, complete the reflection and application below.

• “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6.  What are you anxious about today? Make a list, and then in prayer and supplication--with thanksgiving!--make those requests known to God. Enjoy His peace!

• “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. Have you embraced the simple fact that in the world tribulation will come? In what areas might you need courage?

• “… for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:11-14. What dreams are you holding on to? Spend some time with these verses in Philippians and see what the Lord might say to you about the reality of holding His hand tightly—and your dreams lightly.

Not-so-perfect mamas are pretty amazing! A Giveaway and an E-course

Nathan and me, at a talent competition, in Florida, when he was 18

Nathan had graduated from high school and was working at a landscaping job. My life was busy, demanding, I was tired and frazzled, in my 50's and still raising a 12 year old who was beginning to have hormones. I had two "olders" searching for themselves, with late night talks, (why does everything come out after 11 pm for older kids?) an almost full time job working side by side with Clay in our ministry and writing a daily blog and at least one book a year. But most of all I was mama.

The house was in a constant state of mess, straighten up, mess, straighten up. We ate more often on paper plates. I had to control my grumpy more often.

"Mama, I really think God wants me to go into the entertainment industry--be an actor or musician. Will you pray with me about this?"

"Mom, if an athlete trains and never gets to get into the ring, his training will be for nothing!"

Really? I thought. That is like asking to be the quarterback of the Denver Broncos or like planning to be president. It is not realistic and is it really possible to make money at such a job? And do I want my teenager in New York or Hollywood? REALLY?

But God whispered to my heart, "You need to allow him to live by faith as you have taught your children to do!"

BUT, I didn't say what I thought. I said, "You know that I will always pray with you for the things God puts on your heart." And so we prayed. and prayed. And prayed.

Then one day a radio commercial came on the Christian station and advertised a talent competition. "Mom, maybe we should go to this! Let's just see what it is about."

But I had an agenda  to accomplish and was already overwhelmed.  I got no less than 7 phone calls from friends who said, "Sally, have you heard the commercial......." And so I called, and we went to try out. Clay and I thought it must be a scam. it was expensive to fly Nathan to Florida and to stay in the hotel where he would be competing with others, and we did not have extra money that had been planned for this, but God whispered.....

"Mom, please! Please?"

And so I prayed, and prayed and God wouldn't let it go. We scrimped and saved and worked and flew there. As Nathan was competing before the judges, I sat alone in the coffee shop with Bible and journal in hand. "God, he really needs some encouragement in life, but what are we doing here? Please be with him now and help him not to get too discouraged. Please help him and give him favor. Please help me not to worry.............."

And so the beating on the doors of heaven, again, when I had no control, was a familiar place to be. God, only you can help and answer now.......

And so the process began, a mama and her "little boy become big" thousands of miles away from home, there to cheer and scream for him as he performed, and to pray and say, "You will do just fine!" when in my heart, I hoped, I wondered, then to lose more sleep, again, to pray and cheer and love and dress him well.

And that was the beginning--then there was New York City when he was 19 and then there was Hollywood when he was 21, and then.......

"Superman in a dark world to bring redemption--you know that has always been my dream.... You are the one who taught us to live by faith....."

Now, producing his first movie, Confessions of a Prodigal Son, and what next? Still on my knees, still believing in his dreams,

It is the beauty of mamas. We do it imperfectly and we sometimes stumble on the path. No mom is perfect--not even one. All of us become weary, yell at our children, do not keep a perfectly clean house, (because we have a constantly full house with people who want to eat and wear clothes on a fairly consistent basis.) We lose sleep, lose our muscle mass, lose keys, toys, receipts and library books. Sometimes we wonder if we are accomplishing anything, as we scan the horizon of our home.

Yet, mamas are truly the heroes of the world. What would a generation of kids do without that mama who believed in her child's dreams? If there were no one to dry their tears? or make birthday cakes? Or teach them how to be warriors in a very fallen and very tough world.

Would the world have heroes if mamas weren't there teaching about courage? Would marriages stay strong if mamas weren't there to train their children to love? Would faith be vibrant and strong if a mama wasn't on her knees asking for heaven to bend down and give her strength, wisdom, unconditional love and patience just one more day?

Mamas do not have to be performers, or perfect, or have a certain personality, but they have to have heart--a heart for Jesus, a heart for her very own children, a heart for righteousness and for the destiny of the next generation. And the heart is what drives the work--to keep going, to keep loving, teaching, encouraging, listening, one day of patience after the other and another.

Today, no matter where you are, no matter what circumstances, your sweet children are just waiting and hoping that they will see what it looks like to be a hero by watching the one who is living right in front of them in their very own home. You are God's best idea of bringing life and beauty, of being a gatekeeper for a pure heart of your sweet ones, of building character muscle and teaching them how to celebrate life. You are truly Amazing.

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Tonight, (Monday night) Sarah and I will be hosting a live e-conference and I hope many of you will join us. It is the last one I plan to do for a while, as i am pulling back to breathe and focus on the heart of God's plans for me in the next year. I need to fill my heart, celebrate my own family, and be fully engaged in life here so I can have strength and wisdom to give out in a new season of giving out. 

Teens--some ideas of what to do! How did my children learn to do so well in college? How to get scholarships? How to be initiators and engaged in their lives, character and education instead of being passive in life--how to develop a love for learning.

Our hearts are filled with inspiration, ideas, challenges and practical information for you. I will address some issues of foundations for home and for children so that they will be able to learn and grow strong mentally, academically, and in initiative and character. Mental muscles, my daily schedule with my children and everything I can fit into a 45 minute talk. 

Sarah, by the request of many at our conferences, will be speaking about why is it important to fill your children's minds with beauty, inspiration and truth so that they will draw on it in years to come--and they will remember what the heroes did. (What place imagination, moral training, and discipline plays in this role.)

Please help me by sharing about this conference on fb, twitter, and to your support groups, as I am not great at marketing, but want to help so many moms out there who need to be encouraged. Thanks for taking the time to help!

TONIGHT: 7:00 MOUNTAIN, 8 CENTRAL, 9 EASTERN, (6 MOUNTAIN)

WHEN YOU SIGN UP, YOU WILL RECEIVE AN OUTLINE AND A SOME BOOK LISTS, AND A CONNECTION TO THE PLACE WE WILL BE SPEAKING. WE HAVE BACK-UPS THIS TIME SO THAT IF ANYTHING GOES WRONG, WE WILL GET A GREAT TAPE!

YOU CAN WATCH THIS LATER AFTER THE LIVE CONFERENCE IS RECORDED, BUT THE PRICE WILL INCREASE. If we reach our maximum, you can buy it after tomorrow on my blog.

WE WILL HOST A live QUESTION AND ANSWER TIME FOR 30 MINUTES FOLLOWING FROM SARAH AND ME FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO PICK OUR BRAINS! REGISTER HERE.

THANKS FOR SHARING AND FOR BEING A PART OF ITAKEJOY.COM! You are partners with me in a ministry to mamas and to generations to come. a Rafflecopter giveaway

What Story will your life tell? A giveaway and an e-conference!

This week, my two girls, Sarah and Joy, have been home together. We have talked of life, stories, their dreams, their ideals and goals and I am filled up and refreshed once again. (And of course eaten great food, listened to favorite music, drunk lots of tea and watched some great movies--after all, it is spring break for Joy and a week off to celebrate life together.)

Hearts afire with goodness, ideals and ways they will invest their lives are bubbling in every conversation, and in all the moments of our mutual sweet friendship. Where did these souls become shaped to that they are inspired to live a great life? Because they did not just learn facts and cover subjects of interest. But their imaginations were captivated by the idea that they had a story to tell with their own lives, that they had a destiny to live into.

Educating your children is not just about checking off lists, but about reaching hearts and engaging minds--and then sending your children into their world with confidence, grace, intelligence, a love for God and a willingness to fulfill His purposes.

Enjoy part of the intro to Sarah's new book! Out in a couple of weeks! And a theme she will be addressing in the e-conference!

Great stories teach us that we are called to live a great life story.

Stories are a powerfully formative force. They furnish children with rich vocabulary, broad imagination, and the spirit of possibility necessary to purposeful living or heroic action. The great tales of literature both inspire heroism and demonstrate what actions must be taken if the world is to be conquered or creation accomplished. Great books are richly stocked with the characters, scenes, countries, and crafts that form an expectation of what is possible in a child’s imagination. Stories are rich in the kind of description that teaches a child to see, and to wonder at the artistry of the world. They shimmer with song and firelight, castles and dragons, inventions and quests, kings and queens all stocking the heart of a child with dreams.

But the storyformed life is also a gift, one that rests in the hands of inspired parents. A childhood filled with great books is something that only a parent can provide. Parents are the storytellers who narrate the opening of their children’s lives, choosing the books, images, and ideas that will outfit their minds. They are also the story-givers who create the rhythms of home life in which great books can be read again and again. I am convinced that the storyformed childhood my parents gave me was one of the greatest gifts I have ever received, and this book has come from my deep commitment to help other parents give that mighty gift to their own children. But before they can offer that gift, I think many parents today need a fresh understanding of the formative value of stories.

Exposure to the great tales of literature or even Scripture as a story itself is rarely listed as of primary importance when childhood training, formation, or education is discussed. Rather, parents today are often presented with a list of facts and skills they must pound into their children’s heads. Childhood formation, according to many models, seems to be about the filling of a mental bucket rather than the forming of a whole, vibrant soul ready to act justly, love beauty, and bring goodness to the world. We tend to think of childhood in terms of data acquisition; what children need to know, and what they must be able to do by the time they reach adulthood. I think this is a deadening view of childhood. While knowledge and skill are, of course, vital, they are only the skeleton structure of a great life. They will remain inanimate until the child who possesses them is kindled to passion and movement by a vision bigger than a list of accomplishments.

Stories are the lifeblood of existence. They are the heartbeat that pumps vision into a child’s developing imagination and hope into his or her soul. A storyformed child views life as an epic tale in which he or she must live as hero or villain. Storyformed children grow to adulthood understanding that they have been specially formed by a loving God, destined for his kingdom, specially crafted to love, create, and conquer. They have reason to respond to their parents’ training, to work and learn, hope and know, because stories assure them that right choices and brave actions are the force behind happy endings. A story-formed child understands exactly why hard work must be done and goodness attained, why beauty is a prize to be sought and love is a treasure worth the cost of their whole lives.

Join Sarah and me Monday night to learn more about building a story-formed life, cultivating strong mental muscles, giving a foundation of ideals and inspiration and passing on a love for learning to your children. Register HERE.

I will speak about my schedule each day, about the foundations that help build the habits and anchors of academic excellence into your home life, and ways to inspire and reach the hearts of your children. I am fresh with ideas because of a week with Sarah, Joel and Joy speaking into my life!

Please help us spread the word about the conference, and enter to win a copy of Sarah's new book, Caught up in a Story!

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Simplify: Avoid Burnout

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” 
― Leonardo da Vinci

The voices of culture are ramping up. The  ideals espoused by countless tell us what to do, what to read, how to spend our money, how to educate our children and the chaos created from the frenzy of trying to do it all is killing the souls of mamas.

Perhaps we need to live more like "Mary" and who has chosen the good part, instead of Martha who tried to carry so much and live in constant activity.

When I was a young mom, without the internet, cell phones, facebook, and twitter, I had so much more undistracted time. My life was still busy, but I lived by my own ideals and followed the wisdom I held in my heart. I was not as tempted to look to the right and to the left to see what others were doing. I was the pioneer, the standard for my own family.

Often, people who know our children, want to know, "How did your child score a perfect score on a Harvard entrance exam?" "How did Joel become composer of the year at Berklee when he entered without even reading music?" "How did Nathan produce a movie at 24 years of age and write the script himself?" "How did Joy get a debate scholarship when she only competed in speech for 3 months?"

I am realizing more that I do need to begin speaking more on these issues again, just as a stewardship of what God has taught me. Of course, it has been the grace of God that they are all doing well, as well as a lot of hard work and diligence. But, I tried to focus on what was of the most value--to go for the gold, so to speak. My idealism led me to seek that which was the most excellent, and also the most simple and time tested.

I used to come home from conventions with swag bags full of stuff that promised to be amazing. It usually cluttered up my shelves, floor, and I rarely ever used even a portion of what I brought home. I was reflecting this morning about how the clutter of other voices usually brought confusion or comparison of myself to others--and that rarely produced good fruit in my life.

Simplicity brings order. Simplicity brings peace and rest. The more we focus on the "one thing" or at least the few things that really matter in our lives, the more we will see great fruit in our lives and the lives of our children.

A favorite quote from a sweet southern friend who had a real Texas twang was, "We do not want to create children that are a mile wide and an inch deep."

Perhaps the goal is to create souls that are a mile deep, even if focussed on an inch of width of their calling, so that they might be best in their field. The point is, focus and intention in cultivating what really matters will produce sure results.

Even when you observe the life of Jesus, He did not go to the leaders, and seek after the "influencers" of His day. He deeply impacted a few, he traveled less than 50 miles from home, he served the local, simply, every day, and yet the strength of His words, the purity of His kingdom message turned the world upside down. Judas wanted a country-wide revolution. Jesus created a heart revolution.

So it is with education, moral strength, leadership. Excellence is built on the elegance of wisdom, and not on the slippery, overwhelming, loud proclamations of the world. Peer pressure has rarely brought about brilliance or distinction.

I see so many women spending lots of money on activities, curriculum, classes for their children and I also observe they are exhausted, burned out, unhappy and spent--these are great, wonderful hearted women. But, flurry and busyness does not always mean forward motion. Sometimes our insecurity drives us to engage in activities out of the thought that we are not capable of accomplishing something by ourselves.

Yet, home is enough, simple tried and true literature still inspires, and children are less tempted by the things of the world and the peer pressures that come with so much activity if their lives are simpler and more focussed.

Join Sarah, my daughter, and me, next Monday night for 2 hours of discussion where we will speak about the things of elegant simplicity, the pursuing of the "gold" things of life, the ways I worked in my home, to reach the minds and hearts and vision of 4 such different children. I hope we can encourage you to take a deep breath, to cut back, and to enjoy your life that God has given you.

I hope you will join us for a night of focus and an evening of inspiration about what really matters.

May He bless you with strength, wisdom and encouragement today. He is the source of your strength as you go forward.

Register HERE

The Ultimate Homemaking Bundle Has Begun! & Discipline is the key to a Happy Child!

Today is the day, my friends! I am excited to announce that the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle has officially begun! Life as a mother can be overwhelming, and we could all use a helping hand. This spring, with the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle, you will have access to numerous resources that will fill your life, and home, with joy.

With 84 e-books, audio files, and printables {on decorating your home, cooking, parenting, faith, and other homemaking tips}, you will find just the encouragement and inspiration you have been seeking. The Discipleship and Discipline eCourse will also be included in the great resources you gain in this amazing sale!

Who doesn't want, and need, a library filled with every aspect of homemaking for under $30?

Feather your nest this spring with this amazing bundle. I hope that these books inspire you and give you just the encouragement you need this season to be a life-giver for your family and home!

Simply click on the photos below {available on Kindle and as a PDF} to grab your books before they are gone, as this once-in-a-lifetime deal will only last for six days.

And, Be sure to register for Home-Centered Learning Part 2. HERE

So many fun opportunities right now. I look so forward to being with many of you at the e-conference on Monday night! Be sure to sign up ahead of time as the price goes up when the conference is full and after we have video-taped it. (If you can't join us live for the conference, you will receive an outline of the messages and a code for the video so you can watch it later.)

I am so thankful for all of the wonderful comments and emails and for each of you who come here each day, so,  I would love to give away 3 of Sarah's newest book, which will come off the press in a couple of weeks. Just share this page, about the bundle and our e-conference and enter the giveaway! We will send you an e-version of the book.

Share on Facebook with your friends and let us know and you will get 5 extra entry points.

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Weaving a Love of Reading into the Fabric of Your Family--an e-conference!

Attention, sweet friends! A New Registration Page is up as the other one crashed. All who have registered are fine! Can't wait! Check below!

Monday Night

April 28, 7:00 Mountain time, 8:00 Central, 9:00 Eastern (6:00 Pacific)

To register for the E-Conference, click here:

How can parents cultivate heroic hearts in their children? What is imagination, and why is it vital to a child's education? What role do great books play in shaping a child's perception of self? How do parents develop mental muscle in their children, helping them to learn to think clearly, build a vocabulary and cultivate convictions and critical thinking?

The Clarksons have cultivated conferences to address the need for excellence in educating children while reaching their hearts for God. Sally and Sarah will each speak for 45 minutes and host a 15 minute question and answer at the end of the two talks. Space is limited, so be sure to sign up soon. (This conference is a special price, as it includes two talks for the price of one. This time we have an extra video coverage in case the network goes down again! Trying to have our bases covered and hiring extra help and equipment to assure the best video! We had to cancel the Parenting e-conference when Clay's mom had a stroke, but will host it sometime later this summer.)

Sally's Talk

 Join Sally Clarkson will speak about Developing Mental Muscles as she lays foundational principles that were used in their home to inspire their children to become self-motivated learners and thinkers. Education is not just a matter of choosing the right curriculum, but instead a process of capturing a child's attention, inspire their heart and motivating them to want to learn and to engage in great thinking skills.

A home is  a natural place to cultivate academic excellence, critical thinking skills and the capacity to think and communicate clearly, with simple means. Education should be a natural process that cooperates with the home, without adding excessive pressure to consume large workbooks, or  working through impersonal text books and trying to cover too many subjects.

Sarah's Talk

 We are story-formed souls right down to the roots of our being. We are narrative by nature, driven from birth to discover who told us alive, and to what good ending we are headed. But we lose sight of that in our practical and unimaginative age. In our pressured drive to do many things, we forget what we were created to be: heroes and heroines in the great true tale of God.

Stories remind us of our identity and they are deeply formative to the heart and soul of a child. They kindle children's imaginations and help them to gain a vision for all they are called to do and become. My parents gave me the great gift of a childhood filled and formed by the best stories they could find. My goal in this talk is simply to help you give that gift to your children as well.

Sarah's Talk: Caught up in a Story, based on her newest book,will inspire you to reach your children's hearts with stories that will capture their hearts. Following the five points of dramatic arc, we will explore how great books can be a parent's best ally in forming and filling their child's mind and heart through every phase of childhood. We will explore the power of imagination, the way that stories drive character formation, and how the gift of a great vocabulary can expand your child's ability to dream. I'll even read aloud from a few of my favorite books as we celebrate the soul-forming power of story to help children imagine, and live, a great story of their own.

In her new book, and in the talk with the same title, Caught Up in A Story, Sarah Clarkson answers these vital questions, demonstrating how great books can be a parent's best ally in shaping a child to love what is beautiful, pursue what is good, and grasp what is true. Drawing on her own story-formed childhood and her long study of children's literature, Sarah Clarkson explores and celebrates the soul-forming power of story to help children imagine, and live, a great story of their own.

Sarah Clarkson, Sally's oldest daughter

Sarah is a freelance writer and editor currently at work on Hope with Feathers, her first piece of children’s fiction. Sarah is the founder and editor of Storyformed.com, an online community and resource center for families who want to discover the glories of imagination, the formative influence of story, and the soul-shaping power of beautiful words. As editor at Storyformed Books (an imprint of Wholeheart Press), she oversees the publication of a new line of fiction and essay collections designed for families ready to delve into the world of good books.

Sarah speaks regularly on topics such as story and imagination, the spiritual and educational power of beauty, literature, reading, and loneliness. She blogs personally at ThoroughlyAlive.com, and is also a regular contributor at the delightful RabbitRoom.com. Sarah has worked with Summit Ministries as a student mentor, and spent time as a student at Oxford University in England. When not traveling to exotic places, reading fascinating books, or sharing coffee and ideas with kindred souls, she can be found at home in Colorado, in the beautiful foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

Sally Clarkson, an author of 9 books, has educated her 4 children at home for 25 years. (Sarah, 30, is an author of three books; Joel, 27, is a composer and orchestrator for original compositions and has recorded 3 albums of original music; Nathan, 25  is an actor and just wrote and produced his first movie, Confessions of a Prodigal Son; Joy, 18, is a junior at Biola University and is on the debate team.)  Join Sally as she explains basic foundations of the educational principles she and her husband used to cultivate her children into independent thinkers, and to inspire them to own their own messages.

Clay and Sally are known for their book: Educating the Whole Hearted Child and have spoken to groups about Homeschooling all over the world for 20 years.

Whole Heart Ministry is publishing Sarah's newest book, Caught Up in a Story: Fostering a Story-formed Life of Great Books and Imagination with Your Children. The book will launch in May.

To register for the E-Conference, click here:

A New Season is upon me! I need your opinion!

I don't know if I have ever been so ready for spring!

I am inspecting my yard every day for evidence that spring will actually come to Monument! Has spring fever hit you, yet?

I am also entering a new season of evaluation personally, as a mom and wife, in ministry and as a writer. God is at work and I am so grateful for being refreshed in my own vision and values for the ways I want to invest my life at this season.

I have had  letters and emails and messages from so many of you about e-conferences and more possibilities for doing things online. I would love to know what you would be most interested in hearing. God has so kindly invested in so many ways in my life and I want to be a good steward in helping, encouraging and teaching the messages that are most needed at this time. So, if you have a longing or need or wish for what you would like to hear me speak about or write about, let me know.

I am going to be making some changes in my blog and presence in the public world, but more about that later?

Would love to hear your ideas--

Marriage?

Traditions and Home Life?

Motherhood?

Spiritual?

Keeping Going in the road of ideals?

Home Education? What aspects?

Specifically what is on your heart? Other issues?

Sarah and I will probably be doing an e-conference next week --I will speak about Developing Mental Muscle in your children--cultivating the ability to think, reason, solve problems, think Biblically, and be academically strong and Sarah will be speaking about how to cultivate a strong literary presence in your home, developing a story-formed life. (Lots of women loved this talk at the mom conferences this year, so we have heard your requests and will do it very soon.) So stay tuned for that tomorrow!

Let me hear from you! Hope your Easter was wonderful!

Easter Ponderings Love that Gives and Forgives

Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. I Corinthians 13:4-8a

When I graduated from college, I worked on the staff of Campus Crusade for 2 years at the University of Texas and then I moved to Eastern Europe to travel in Communist countries as a missionary. I had the illusion that because I had a committed heart, I was mature.

But since the Lord is a good parent, and He wanted me to grow into the likeness of Christ, and he saw that I was quite young, immature, self-centered and full of pride, he knew I needed more practice and training to become more like Christ.

So he gave me a husband and children, so that I could really find out what sacrificial love was all about. It has not been easy to pull out the weeds of expectations; to fight the storms of giving up my rights; to endure the drought of feelings that did not always match up to what I thought a loving wife and mother should feel in a happy home. But, I kept holding on to Him, pondering His life and seeking to be loyal through faith in His reality and presence, even though I could not always see Him.

Now, though still growing, I have learned so much more about true love, self-sacrifice, commitment. long-suffering--and it has all made me love Him more because I see how much of my life has required that of Him--as I have tested Him, misbehaved, thrown tantrums, and pulled away at times. But still He loves me and still He sacrificed for us while we were yet sinners.

Love, like the beautiful rose garden at Glen Eyrie Castle above, must grow over years and years to become mature. It must be cultivated and watered and nurtured and protected and worked again.

Thank you, sweet Lord, that you showed me the way and went before me to model real love.

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

Jesus, our gentle savior, He who said, "Forgive them for they know not what they do, as he hung, bleeding, fainting with pain, compassion and love still above all the dyer circumstances, He forgave, He gave up His life, He lived in gentle peace with the ones who did not understand.

Love slowly dawns on my soul as I watch You  throughout my life, and I am humbled and brought to worship of you, the great Lover.

Dining Biblically

Today's article is from the heart of my daughter-in-law, Rachael Lee Clarkson. ___________________________________________________

"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." -J.R.R. Tolkien

There has always been something so beautiful about preparing delicious food and opening up my home to others, no matter how tiny my Hollywood apartments have been. The reason I love cooking, preparing fun meals, and having people in my home, is not out of necessity. Isn't it amazing that while we need food to live, God made it so much more than filling up and sustaining our bodies?

God made food creative, beautiful, unique, versatile, exciting, and has a way of bringing people together.

As a creative spirit, I enjoy nothing more than preparing something new. This past weekend, my husband, Nathan, and I had friends over to our home who are vegan. While some may have seen this as an obstacle, I saw it as a wonderful opportunity to try something different. Challenge accepted.

While we decided to prepare a vegan tapas meal, the more we started putting things together, the more it became clear to us: this seems like a meal that Jesus would have eaten! Now, before I share our meal with you, just know that this was an accidental-biblical meal, meaning that it probably isn't 100% like what would have been eaten in those times. However, many elements of our meal allowed God to shine through, and allowed us to remember Jesus as Easter is so close.

There are many reasons why trying this meal in your home will be a hit: 1- Encourage your children to try something new. Perhaps your children have never tried a vegan, Mediterranean, or tapas style meal. This will expand their palates and introduce them to brand new flavors. 2- Get comfortable and change things up! Grab your coziest pillows and place them around a small table (it can be a coffee table). We find that sometimes our guests feel immediately more welcome in our home when we make them feel at home by everyone taking off their shoes and sitting on the floor together! 3- Talk about biblical dining. This is an amazing opportunity for you to discuss with your children about breaking bread, pondering what Jesus would have eaten, why God created beautiful, colorful food, and more! Endless wonderful discussions are available simply through what is on the table for dinner.

Our vegan tapas meal included: -Pita bread -Hummus -Avocado salsa -Green olives -Roasted almonds with tamari -Dried mango and figs -Marinated peppers -Kale chips -Grape juice

God is so creative. Just look at the color, vibrant beauty, and life in this meal! And the best part is, it's so easy!

In scripture, Jesus attempted to eat figs from a fruitless fig tree on the road to Jerusalem, which leads me to believe that he probably liked them! Figs and dried mango add that pop of sweet flavor to this delicious meal.

A great child-friendly idea for biblical dining would be to serve grapes to munch on. You can even share with your family about how many vineyards are still in Jerusalem! What a fun and beautiful thing to imagine. "I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn’t bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken. “Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me. “I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant." -John 15:1-6

With your grape juice and pita bread, your family can have an intimate communion time. "And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood." -Luke 22:19-20

Another wonderful thing about this meal is that it is an opportunity for your children to eat healthy, fresh foods! Not everyone is fond of kale, just yet. I used to be a nanny, and I am convinced that I can help anyone fall in love with kale. I made homemade kale chips for our guests the other night, which is so simple. Just grab a bunch of kale {I go for the thicker, larger leaves}, wash them, and place them in a bowl. Toss with some sea salt to taste, and two tablespoons of olive oil.

Allow older children to assist you in the kale-chip-making process, and talk about how it is believed that the “sop” used to dip bread in during the Last Supper may have been olive oil.

Spread your kale out evenly on a baking sheet, or two depending on how many chips you're making, and bake in a preheated oven at 300 degrees for about 15 minutes.

There is great value in meeting in homes, breaking bread, sharing meals, and living in community with one another. Spring, and Easter, is the perfect time for a light, vegan, biblical, tapas meal. Try something new, be vegan for a day, explore the culture and color of biblical food, sit on the floor, and enjoy the flavors that God puts on your plate!

For more on Rachael Lee Clarkson, you can view her blog for young women by clicking this link.