The Dreams in our Hearts: How will God use us to reach our world in 2015?

A Letter from all of the Clarksons

Sweet Friends,

For those of you who have followed my blog and ministry, you know that Clay and I have a ministry that we have built for 20 years together. We would so appreciate it if you would read our end of year letter and consider supporting our ministry if God puts it on your heart. Thanks so very much!

It’s That Time of Year – The Year-End Letter

Dear Friends and Whole Heart Partners, We celebrated twenty (20!) years of ministry to Christian parents in 2014. It all started in the spring of 1994 with about a dozen moms and dads in the living room of our small home in rural Texas. We held our first WholeHearted Child Home Education Workshop, then we published Educating the WholeHearted Child, and Whole Heart Ministries was born in September of 1994.Since that inauspicious beginning, God has allowed us to encourage and equip countless Christian parents through workshops, a children’s book catalog, fifty hotel conferences for moms since 1998, twenty print books and ebooks, national and international speaking and publishing, online ministries, training Intensives, Mom Heart Ministry, and more. If it all stopped here, we’d be thankful and content. God is good. But we believe God still has a heart for Whole Heart. And so do we.The Heart of Whole Heart Is Strong

As we enter what we are calling our “second generation” of ministry, we are thankful for all that God has done through Whole Heart. But we also realize there is so much more ministry left in our hearts yet to do. That’s why we are focusing so intently right now on what’s ahead in 2015 and beyond. We want to discover one thing: What is God’s heart for Whole Heart? In all our envisioning and planning, we are reminded of one simple truth: We would not still be serving Christian parents today if not for the generous support of so many friends of this ministry through the years. We need partners. We can’t do this alone. But before we get to that, we want you to know this: We will do what God calls us to do as long as we are able to do it.

We want to be among those “whose heart is completely His,” the ones God searches all the earth to find (2 Chr 16:9). The heart of our ministry vision has always been simply to help Christian parents—to encourage and equip them to raise godly children who will, as David said, “serve [God] with a whole heart and a willing mind” (1 Chr 28:9). As the biblical design for family is threatened by a tidal wave of cultural change, we want to make sure we can continue to “strengthen what remains” (Rev 3:2)—to keep helping families be faithful for Christ. At the end of this letter, we’ll share with you how you can help us help parents.

Will you take just a few minutes to catch a glimpse of our vision for Whole Heart?  We Want to Have God’s Heart for Whole Heart Every week we hear from parents who want us to know how Whole Heart Ministries has helped them. Whether they live in the heartland of America or in another land that doesn’t speak our language, our hearts and desires for our children are all the same. Here are two comments just from this week:

“[Your books] totally changed the mother I am and the way we have decided to parent and disciple our son. We are SO thankful to the LORD for your ministry!”   ~ a mother in California

“[Right] now there is a need in Poland for many excellent books you and Sally wrote, but we would like to focus on Educating the WholeHearted Child as we see specific need in rebuilding the unity and faith with Polish families ...” ~ a father in Poland

We have hundreds of similar letters in our files, from all over the world. Sally’s books have been translated into seven foreign languages, and our books and ministry reach families in English‐speaking countries such as Australia, New Zealand, England, and South Africa. Young mothers are hungry for biblical perspective from a seasoned Titus 2 older woman, and parents want sound, biblical insight for building a Christian home and raising godly children.

God has given Whole Heart a mission field. We’ll Minister to the Beat of God’s Heart Like the Apostle Paul, we “press on toward the goal” (Phi 3:14) of fulfilling Christ’s call on our lives to strengthen families. But as our children leave home and find their own ways in the world, we are entering a new season of life and ministry. To stay effective, we are seeking God’s heart for Whole Heart. We want to invest in ministry choices that will last, and that will enable us to last.

We want to invite you, as a Whole Heart Partner, to join us in this ministry. Here’s where God is taking us:

• WHOLE HEART PRESS: We started Whole Heart Ministries with the vision of writing and publishing books to help Christian parents. That “ministry in print” will always be at the core of the Whole Heart mission as we write new books for moms, dads, kids, families, and small groups.
• WHOLE HEART ONLINE: Our ministry website, WholeHeart.org, is the online hub of this ministry. It’s a place where anyone can come to find out more about the books, resources, messages, media, initiatives, movements, and events that are the “ministries” of Whole Heart Ministries.
• MOM HEART CONFERENCE: Since February 1998, we have offered fifty WholeHearted Mother and Mom Heart Conferences in seven states to encourage thousands of Christian mothers to “come home to God’s heart for motherhood.” We believe in the power of gathering together as believers.
• MOM HEART INTENSIVES: Nearly fifty mothers attended the first three‐day Mom Heart Leader Intensive Training in our home in 2010. Other “Intensives” have followed, and now more are planned in Colorado and around the world as Sally trains mothers to minister to mothers.
• MOM HEART MINISTRY: Mom Heart Ministry is a strategic small groups ministry initiative to “restore moms’ hearts to God’s heart for motherhood.” On MomHeart.com, moms can find training, resources, media, encouragement, and connections to be part of this movement of mothers.
• STORYFORMED PROJECT: Sarah, our oldest daughter, envisioned, started, and leads Storyformed, a ministry initiative to champion the role of literature, story, imagination, and the arts in the home. As an author, she will oversee the Storyformed Books imprint and the Storyformed.com website.
• SALLYCLARKSON.COM: Sally’s online and in‐print ministry to Christian women and mothers has grown beyond Whole Heart to become her own personal ministry. Her heart is to be a biblical encouragement to women to become life‐givers who “own” the life God has given to them.

With Faith, and with Your Partnership, We Will Press On

We are, and always have been, just a small, family‐run, nonprofit, Christian, faith ministry. All that means is that we trust God to provide financially as we step out in faith. There are two needs we’re trusting God to provide for through this letter. First, looking ahead, we need financial partners who will move boldly by faith with us into our second generation of ministry.

Second, right now, we need partners to help us overcome a significant 2014 deficit. Because of an unanticipated shortfall of funds in August and September, we were forced to borrow against our 2015 budget to meet obligations. Your financial gift would be greatly appreciated at this time to help us remove the deficit and move into 2015 financially healthy.

If God puts it on your heart to support our ministry, you may donate HERE. WholeHeart.org. It is safe and secure, and will give you full control over your giving.

You can also send a check to the address below. Financial contributions to Whole Heart Ministries, a 501c3 tax‐exempt organization, are tax‐deductible. Thank you for your partnership! Your gift helps us press on in Christ to keep faith in the family.

Grace and peace to you and your family. Wholehearted blessings in Christ, Clay and Sally

Whole Heart Ministries Keeping Faith in the Family PO Box 3445 | Monument, CO 80132 719.488.4466 | 888.488.4466 | 888.FAX-2WHM www.wholeheart.org | www.momheart.com www.storyformed.com | sallyclarkson.com whm@wholeheart.org | admin@wholeheart.org — since 1994 —

Thanks for reading this. God bless you with grace and peace as you celebrate his coming to bring His light.

How can a Mother Find Favor with God? Mentoring Monday

The Annunciation Henry Ossawa Tanner

"Greetings, favored one, the Lord is with you." Luke 1:28

Throughout the ages, artists have tried to illustrate the mysterious moment when the angel of God came to Mary and announced God's favor with her. But I think rather than seeing what the scene looked like, I would love to know what kind of woman, living in the unseen moments of her everyday life, would find favor with God?

Oh, how I wish these words expressed how God felt about me--would God see me as the kind of woman He would choose now to mother the most high God? By what means did she find favor, in the hidden moments of her life? These thoughts swirled around in my mind.

Mary lived in a tiny, obscure village amidst a humdrum life. Wheat was ground, bread was pounded out on wooden tables, crumbs were swept from the floor, children lovingly tended, mother and father presiding over the home, the Shema was listened to every day over shared family meals, the Sabbath was kept. Mary lived in invisibility in the moments of an ordinary, obscure life, as far as anyone in her own life knew. And yet, in the living of her life, quietly, faithfully, God noticed her, God saw her and she found favor and pleased His heart.

God always sees even when no one else is noticing.

Imagine being greeted by an angel, in the midst of a normal day, when no one else knew, "Hail favored one."

What would he find you doing? Believing? Saying? Loving?

And then, "Mary, do not be afraid, for you have found favor with God."

Really? She did not have a college degree or a ministry position or title and had never published a book or even spoken in the synagogue--and yet, in the midst of her quiet life, she of all women, had found favor with God. I have been pondering this.

But there are clues.Being the mother of Jesus would require a tenacious, steady, engaged faith. As his mother, her  life would be  in danger, Jesus would be  pursued by a crazy king, and at every point, people would cast doubt on her irregular, fantastical story.

 Satan would have wanted to prevent Jesus becoming savior and Mary would be his protector--a shelter from danger, a nurturer of his soul, a provider of truth, a teacher and trainer, a strength in storms--all of this she would be asked to be for God, the baby, entrusted into her hands, as his mother, a divinely appointed role.

She would have to move, put up with peer pressure of her own village, believe in the miraculous, obscure amongst the humble, live amidst despised Egyptians. Her life would be filled with stress, pressure, rejection, fear, loneliness and questions.

And yet, God had called her favored, He had seen her heart, he had noticed her response throughout her life, He had tested her willingness to obey, and she had been found faithful, and so she was favored.

Her response, ready on her lips, practiced in her heart.

"“Behold, the^]bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38

God looked for one who would serve Him, willingly, readily, at the moment of His impossible request, one who would respond in utter submission.

I am your bondslave--a commitment he had seen in her prayers, through out her life as she engaged her heart in scripture, He had seen her practice of worship by choosing, through all the years of her training, her response of believing and her heart consecration to serve Him, to obey throughout the seemingly unnoticed moments of her life.

One who considers themselves a servant, believes and lives to accomplish the will of her master. Is that my heart--to obey, willingly, whatever He would ask?

Is that my response to this life He has given to me--be it done according to your will for I am your bond-servant? Even if it means sacrifice of the plans I hold dear? Even if it means being misunderstood? Rejected? Chased? Inconvenienced? Even if it requires me to have courage against fears that will assail my life?

And yet, we are left  another clue. Elizabeth, her older cousin, who had also lived above reproach and obeyed God, upon seeing Mary, responded,

"And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”

Mary believed God.

She had a ready heart to believe Him, trust Him with all that it would require of her, to await the miraculous, to live through long years of waiting and quiet and mundanity, as she awaited to see this little baby become the expected Messiah, the fulfillment of His role as a savior.

She believed there would be a fulfillment.

 She had practiced believing in Him her whole life and this, I think, was in part, what would qualify her to be the mother of the son of God, she was ready, willing to immediately respond to Him in belief--even to the impossible--even in the obscure place of dust, dishes, and duty.

And so God shined His light on my soul this early morning as I pondered Mary in His presence--am I ready to believe, to obey wherever He takes me, to await the fulfillment of His word and to choose to believe in His future fulfillment of faithfulness in my own life and in my own prayers--even if the ultimate fulfillment will take years and years, as it took Mary?

So, today, as I live amongst feasting, gift-wrapping, cleaning, sharing hearts and thoughts, singing beloved hymns at church, celebrating in the sparkle of our Christmas home, I hope that He will find me, in the integrity of my heart,  obeying, responding, bowing my knee to His will, a bondservant whose heart is ready to follow, obey, accept limitations of a world at battle for righteousness, and yet ready, in His strength, to believe.

May He prepare your heart today to worship in the quietness of your life, right where you are. May He bless you with His peace and grace.

I pray you have a most blessed and favored Christmas, and that God gently leads you, and me,  to embrace for our lives, the integrity that characterizes of the story of Mary, His choice to be the mother of his own son.

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Mom Heart Conferences are just the place we love to celebrate the eternal significance of motherhood. Hope you can attend one with us this year in Colorado, California or Texas.

Remember to enter our Christmas giveaway. Everyone who is registered by 11:59:59 PM on December 24 will be entered in a special Christmas Day drawing for another FREE REGISTRATION. Register Now! Hope you can come!

Hope you will consider getting my new book for a Christmas present and join my friends for an online book club to consider how to make plans to organize your life for the best new year ever, as you are inspired to live your life anew with God's purposes and with inspiration for living a life of intention and favor with God!

The Christmas gift my boys never forgot!

The Christmas Gift my boys never forgot!

“I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.” Psalm 40: 12

Driving through the maze of crowds, and bumper to bumper traffic during the Christmas holidays was a true test of my mama patience. I had an agenda and evidently the world did not know what it was because everything was slow on this particular day.

My boy’s chatter, loud noises and vying for attention was particular irritating when I was stuck in a traffic jam with time ticking away.

“Mama, he hit me.”

“No I didn’t, I just tapped him.”

“You did not, you hit me!”

Finally, we got off the freeway, made it to the main intersection of the mall I was seeking, when Joel piped up, “Mama, look at the poor man with one leg and one crutch. He has a sign that says ‘I’m hungry!’. Don’t you think since it is Christmas, we should stop and get him something to eat?”

It just happened I was reading the boys Psalm 40: 12,(“I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.”), just the day before. and We had talked about the need to have compassion on those less fortunate, the poor, those who were sick, the downcast.

Nathan shouted out, “He is one of the poor and needy ones, mama, don’t you think?!”

The Lord gently put his finger on my heart and said, “Let go of your expectations, now! This is a moment to impress compassion on your boys’ hearts because this is a moment they are open to the Spirit and what they have been memorizing with you.”

Taking a deep breath, I slowed down the car and said, “Boys, I know a fast food burger place near here. Why don’t you roll down the window and ask the man what he likes best—a chicken sandwich or a hamburger.”

The two boys almost crawled out the window yelling at the top of their lungs, “Hey, mister, do you like hamburgers or chicken sandwiches best?”

Hamburger and coffee it was. So we drove to McDonalds and I supersized a cheeseburger, French fries and coffee order.

When we drove up, the little boy faces filled with pride, “Merry Christmas, mister, we thought you might want this for lunch.” They took out each item from the bag and handed it to the crippled, gaunt man.

When they were finished, the weather worn man practically leaned into the car and shook the boy’s hands fiercely.

My name is John. What are your names?” the man asked in a gruff voice.

”I’m Nathnn.”

“I’m Joel.”

A smile from someplace deep in the man’s memory slowly crossed the lines of his face.”

Today, I am writing for my sweet friend, Ruth, at TheBettermom.com

For the rest of this article, go to: Thebettermom.com

Get yours as a Christmas gift to yourself! 

Keeping Wonder Alive in our Hearts

Oh, Christmas tree, Oh, Christmas tree, .... Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls my mom made for me 50 years ago.

************************************************************************************************* Flickering candlelight, shimmering slivers, golds, reds, greens and blues sparkling on a real tree inside the house; familiar songs that beg swaying and dancing; the smells of pine boughs, vanilla, sugar, spices, cookies, coffee, breads filling the air with invitation each different time of the day, lots of friends and family and hugs and kisses and celebration and presents,stories to stir up imagination of babies, wise men, young mothers, animals--all of these wrapped in one short period of a few weeks--all to fill the heart and stir the imagination to new dreams and the heart with lots of love---what's not to love about Christmas?!

I have had many women write to me and ask if I thought it was pagan to celebrate Christmas and have trees and presents. Of course Clay and I pondered this many years ago and studied the Word and we came to our own conclusions as each family must do. But, we now see even more, how it was the delights of our home and the filling of emotional cups and the fun and making of memories and cherishing Christ and carols every day, that gave our children even more love for Him. Since our family is not pagan, the celebrations in our home are not pagan--nor the ways we choose to celebrate.

And I so love the family togetherness. When my children have lived far away, and now all four, coming home to celebrate together--to celebrate all that it is--is something they can hardly wait for--it is another of the invisible strings that ties our heart so strongly together..

When I think about the wonders of the first Christmas--astonishing, bewildering, unimaginable beings appearing on the earth; terrestrial choirs filling the heavenly sky; a heretofore unheard of star filling the night sky; wealthy, learned kings traveling from afar; a virgin birth in the midst of a love story; an old woman and an old man marveling and speaking of the messiah as the baby is dedicated- with celebration and feasting;--our Heavenly Father was the first to celebrate.

He was the first one to document the birthday of Jesus--supernaturally with music and feasting and amongst the humble and the kings.

I love seeing the feasting--usually for days--in the old testament. God is a God of celebration. Christmas is a time when we bring friends and family into our home to be refreshed. It is a time of personal worship as I mentioned yesterday and a time of joy-work and preparation to say I love you to our family, whom God designed for the passing down of His story and of His love.

I think that sometimes people are afraid to have too much fun or to celebrate life. Yet, it is only when we do this fully, from our heart that we understand the joy of the Lord--the God who gave us the ability to be satisfied, to laugh and play games and eat merrily.

So, our family makes time to delight together. It is the organic life of Christ, the tastes, smells, fun, love and theology that gives the whole picture of this baby become king and savior. And so in a spirit of love, we celebrate Christmas--His coming to earth--fully and happily.

A Merry Christmas Book for you! A Giveaway!

 

Own Your Life: Read for your own education, Read to Your Children, Invest in your Mind!

Sometimes I like to just look at my children. They are miracles to me--that they are mine, that they have grown into such interesting, engaging adults, and that they still love to be with us, and that they love the Lord. It is a gift more fulfilling at this point than I even knew it would be. I gave my life to serve them and God's grace made it a work that deeply satisfied my heart.

Having my boys home for 2 days by themselves, sitting at the dinner table for two hours talking about life helped me to see that they are growing stronger, and flourishing--a relief to a mama who has been praying while they are in worldly, large arenas.

One of their conclusions at the end of our table talk stayed in my mind and heart.

"Mama, we are who we are because of the stories we stored in our hearts as little boys, because of the books you read outloud, because of the devotions we celebrated every day, because all of these epic stories lived in our hearts and shaped who we are now as adults investing in the creative world.

Love of books, love of stories, on of the most profound sources of heritage we gave to our children, that has prepared all of them for their calling and living in the World.

Fast forward, and you will find Joel working daily on recording a book on tape that he enjoyed day by day. His conclusion as he finished it last week was, "We need to read this story out loud as a family. It is really a good story!"

I am soo delighted, for these reasons, to be able to introduce you to this wonderful author. He has generously given me 10 books to give to you for Christmas. It is a perfect gift for your middle school aged kids and high school. Here is his story!

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We almost never made it through the wardrobe and into Narnia. It was a close call.  Stung by the strident criticisms of his close friend, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis was ready to abandon his Narnia series before it was ever published. Lewis was deeply hurt and discouraged because he respected Tolkien’s opinion so much. For his part, Lewis had been a longtime proponent of Tolkien’s own work. If not for the entrance of Roger Lancelyn Green, we would never have found our own way into Narnia.

Imagine that.

So what magical power did Roger Green exert on his friend and former tutor? What elixir was mixed or what castle stormed to save this magical tale from oblivion? I’ll tell you. Roger Green had words, words of encouragement, when they were most needed. Green’s enthusiasm and encouragement, by Lewis’s own admission, saved the whole project. What potent power lies in encouraging words.

My own story was, to borrow an expression, saved by childbirth. Specifically, my story would not exist were it not for the woman who gave birth to me and first read to me of Narnia. My mother believed--well, believes--in me. I have lost count of the encouraging encounters I’ve had with my mom related to my own writing dream. But it was when I was a child that her encouragement took root. I had never met an author, and you might as well have told me I was going to go to the moon as write books. But Mom convinced me it was possible. She encouraged me. So I worked on stories as a boy, and dared to dream. She always believed, even when I didn’t.

I’m 37. It’s been a long road, but my first novel is out in the world. The Green Ember is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. More, it might be a gateway to light for a child somewhere, perhaps one I don’t even know. That’s an incredible thought to me.

I’ve had more encouraging Roger Greens in my life than critical and discouraging Tolkiens, my mother being an early and regular one. But there have been more. My wife has been a rock of encouragement, our kids a chorus of enthusiasm. But it’s amazing how discouraging and derailing it can be to hear critical words. I’ve heard those too.

Don’t get me wrong. We all need to take criticism and coaching. What we want, however, is to avoid losing the heart for our calling in the midst of it.

 

I needed encouragement. All kids need encouragement. They also need equipping, and to be challenged. But what dreams are churning in our children’s souls?

Some of the Roger Greens in my life have been the Clarksons. Sarah is a dear friend and one whose opinion I deeply respect. She read a very early (think raw/bad) draft of The Green Ember and offered vital insights which have helped shape the story. But more than just constructive criticism, she had powerful words of encouragement. Sally too has been so encouraging to me as a new author, sharing insights and enthusiasm. Clay has been a wise mentor and friend for years and Joel has become a crucial creative partner.

There are more Greens to speak of, but this story of how Roger Green saved Narnia has more in it for us than just identifying, with gratitude, the enthusiastic encouragers in our lives. It raises another question.

Who in my life needs me to be Roger Green for them?

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The Green Ember by S. D. Smith is available here in both hardcover and paperback (ships now). 

It's also available at Amazon in paperback (out of stock at the moment, but restocked immanently) and also for Kindle.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Join A Movement of Motivated Women and Make 2015 the best year yet!

I am so excited to finally be able to share my new book with you. It has been a project that has bubbled in my heart for many years--to take God at His word, to engage in His kingdom work, to love deeply, to live faithfully--to own the amazing life He has designed each of us to have!

All week, women from all over the world have been designing the most beautiful posters about how they are going to take responsibility for the stewardship of their own lives in 2015. We will be hosting several large online book clubs where you can sign up with other women to discuss the concepts developed in this book.

If you order it now, you can become a part of these clubs and discuss Biblical ideals and how to live them out within the demands of day to day life.

How will you own the legacy of leaving a heritage of faith to your children?

What ways can you cultivate your spiritual, emotional, intellectual and ministry life within the walls of your home to make it a life-giving place where all who come will find rest, inspiration and love?

What goals will you make for yourself this year so that you can realistically spend more time in the word of God, give yourself to times of prayer, and cultivate a more personal relationship with God?

All of these ideas and many more, you will find in the pages of Own Your Life.

We would love to see your own posters of how you will own your life this year. Share them on pinterest, instagram at #Ownyourlifebook or Sallyclarkson facebook page.- and I will share them with my own networks to encourage women all over the world.

Buy it now and get ready to join others in discussing how to live intentionally this  new year, 2015.

Start a group in your church or home to discuss these God-designed goals. I hope we can help establish a movement of encouragement all over the world. Won't you join us?

A Home that says Welcome! Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room

"I go to prepare a place for you."

Jesus

PREPARE: TO MAKE READY FOR USE IN ADVANCE

"Oh, mama, I can hardly wait to come home. Let's have tea by the tree, share all of our adventures from the past few months, and just be friends for hours and hours. I just love home!"

Excited down to my tippy toes and filled with butterflies every time I think about it, I can't wait till my precious ones are all under my roof. We all belong to each other and we have all needed a place--

--A sanctuary for life, a holding place for all of our ideals, an atmosphere of love and a energy that engages dreams and inspiration. In short, my children and husband to not need a perfect home, or always organized and clean, but they need a mother and wife who is committed to whatever it takes to fully live the life of Christ in this home that they understand, taste and feel His reality.

God created the garden as a "place" for us to flourish--wild with color, confronted with beauty, texture, interesting sounds, a variety of food, companionship. He contemplated not only the needs Adam and Eve, his children would have, but he also pondered how to make their home a place of beauty, soul satisfaction, mind engaging and interesting and spiritually captivating.

Planning and providing are truly a glory of a woman, living into God's design. With my precious ones coming home,  I have been planning and preparing ahead of time, so that when they come home, I can focus on our time together, meet their needs and walk through the days with peace. With 7-10 people in my home for the next few weeks, three meals a day, will not totally overwhelm me as I prepare ahead of time for the few days I will have with my crew. If I am behind and in a "Martha" mode, I will miss precious moments with my favorite people. Relationship is the key to love and influence, so it is my goal to prepare to be patient, to stay up late to listen, to understand and to serve. I want them to leave my home to go into the world with the fragrance of Christ fresh in their hearts, minds and souls--and always thinking this is the best place to be.

A Place of Beauty and Tradition

Now in my 60's, I have had a whole lifetime of gathering precious treasures that speak to my children of family, memories--the way we have always done things, and to make our home environment one in which they will always think it is the best place to be.

Actually, I have learned that when I live in a tiny overseas apartment, or a sprawling older home, that it is the "me" inside of it that makes it home for my children.

Each of us, made to be like Him, has an endless capacity to bring beauty in our world as He did. We just have to practice. I tend to do things the same every year, because my life doesn't provide for much creative space right now--but for all the times I have built this in the past, it is now easy for me to put in place because of practice.

The gorgeous red dishes in the poster were very special dishes passed down from a great grandmother. The kids ate on these only on very special occasions at their grandmothers home. But they speak of heritage.

My grandmother on my mother's side constantly worked in ceramics and I grew up with this nativity scene from the time I was a little girl, so it sits on a hutch in our entrance and will speak of all the times we read the story out of look and looked at this precious scene. I grew up with this as a little girl.

As both of all of our parents passed away in the past few years, our house is stuffed with grandparent stuff, and great grandparent treasures. The rocking chair was needle pointed by my grandmother where she rocked my father to sleep when he was a child. The fireplace brass cover belonged to a great grandmother on Clay's side. The auspicious grand mirror hung in my mother's dining room my whole life. The silver tea set was my mothers and she would have up to 100 people in our home at a time and all of us children had to serve.

Since Clay and I have, at times, lived a much simpler life in small apartments and leaking houses in missions, we pondered how we would use all of this "stuff." But 6 years ago, we planned to have leadership trainings in our home and we serve all of the moms who come off of the old china, talk about heritage, keep literally over 100 people on our home each year, and so we consider it God's art as a place where people come for a refuge away from the world. And so it has become for my sweet children. Our house is a miss-mash of precious old antiques from family and 50 % off furniture from garage sales and furniture marts--but this is our puzzle, our story--every one's is unique and with effort becomes special to our children and friends because it reflects some of our story or background.

PREPARING FEASTS AND TASTES

Guess who was home last night--and the first thing we did was, EAT! We sat for 2 hours catching up, laughing, talking, being friends, and so once again, the atmosphere was set by food!

So to ease my stress, I cooked up lots ahead of time to help me every day when someone is hungry again!

Next comes planning for all the tastes and cooking so I do not have to always get overwhelmed when my children want to eat all the time.

I cooked 5 pounds of ground turkey and put into bags to use for easy meals--nachos, vegetable soup, shepherd's  pie, etc.

3 pounds of pecans, roasted, sea salt pecans with a toss of butter,  for munching that is tasty but not so sweet

Several dozen of their favorite Christmas cookies in dough balls so I can take a few out at at time and cook them fresh. (Peacan snow balls, oatmeal butterscotch and 3 dozen sugar cookies)

2 Dozen Turkey Meatballs--for a Swedish meal and  2 dozen for an Italian meal!

In the kitchen at all times, clementines, some kind of roasted nuts and dark salted chocolate almonds--

All the favorites of my homecoming kids.

PREPARING YOUR HEART

Every day, we have so many choices--what to do with our time, how to relate to people, what to value, how to deal with pressure and conflict, how to invest our lives at each moment of the day! But what we practice, what we cherish in our hearts and thoughts, we become. Truly, what we sow, we reap.

If I want my children to leave my home loving God, being morally strong, having emotional healthy foundations, living by faith, then I must invest in my heart--and make very specific goals for how I am going to become more excellent, more holy--set apart for God's purposes. It is my heart that feeds my children every day and gives them an appetite--a longing and desire to become the best they can be because they captured a vision of what God made their lives to be by being with me.

Daily, I have been spending time in Isaiah 40's about Jesus--and asking God to continue showing me what our amazing savior was really like. I have also been studying Mary--what made her such a wonderful picture of one who responds to and follows God.

Daily, I have been praying for my family and friends--because I know that all miracles begin with God--and His mysterious work. When I bow my heart before Him regularly, my faith grows so strong and at peace knowing that I have no control of anything, but by depending on Him, I am living a spiritually strong life

Daily, I make write down commitments: I will listen and look into the eyes of my peeps, I will not be on my computer, I will watch my tongue and use it to encourage, to build up, to create a peaceful place. And I will write down some of the things I want to pass on to them through the messages on my heart--this year it is a ministry heart. (More about that tomorrow!)

But when I take time to prepare my heart to be ready for the entourage, noise, work and interaction of these live adults who will invade for 15 days, I am much more likely to make good memories and to see that God was at work amongst us.

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I would be so honored if you would order and read my new book and find inspiration in its pages!

My Mama's Christmas Tradition Lives On! Happy Friday!

A big black fat book stood out on my mother's bedroom bookshelf that I always viewed with delight. I would beg for her to read it to me, "PLEASE, just one poem!"

The book held hundreds of poems, which she would read with passion, humor, skill, enacting each role with a different voice, playing each character as though she had become them. Once in a while on cold and rainy days, my mama would draw me on her lap and say, "Let's read!"

I remember even now, that I always cherished the times my mother would hold me close as we sqished in an overstuffed chair together and the deep tones of her reading voice would draw me into imaginary worlds. Sitting that close to the one I loved the best, feeling loved within the sweet smell of her lotion and soft skin, m longings for love were fulfilled to overflowing happiness to steal away this time from her busy days. A very clear memory was the first time she read me this Christmas poem. The story captured my attention and then as it unfolded, my little girl heart swelled with joy. Even now, at 61, the memory of it brings me soul comfort.

I will be reading it to my children again this year because it has become a precious story and a tradition that has gone on long after my mama quit reading out load to us. On this Friday, make a special time with hot chocolate or spiced tea and read it out-loud and begin a new tradition! Enjoy!

As for me, I will be bustling about getting the last touches ready for my own crew to begin coming home, starting Saturday. Oh the butterflies are flying and I am getting oh so excited.

Annie And Willie's Prayer

'Twas the eve before Christmas. "Good night," had been said, And Annie and Willie had crept into bed; There were tears on their pillows, and tears in their eyes, And each little bosom was heaving with sighs, For tonight their stern father's command had been given That they should retire precisely at seven Instead of at eight-for they troubled him more With questions unheard of than ever before: He had told them he thought this delusion a sin, No such creature as "Santa Claus" ever had been. And he hoped, after this, he should never more hear How he scrambled down chimneys with presents each year. And this was the reason that two little heads So restlessly tossed on their soft, downy beds. Eight, nine, and the clock on the steeple tolled ten, Not a word bad been spoken by either till then, When Willie's sad face from the blanket did peep, And whispered, 'Dear Annie, is 'ou fast as'eep?" "Why no, brother Willie," a sweet voice replies, "I've long tried in vain, but I can't shut my eyes, For somehow it makes me so sorry because Dear papa has said there is no 'Santa Claus.' Now we know there is, and it can't be denied, For he came every year before mamma died; But, then, I've been thinking that she used to pray, And God would hear everything mamma would say, And maybe she asked him to send Santa Claus here With that sackful of presents he brought every year." "Well, why tan't we p'ay dest as mamma did den, And ask Dod to send him with p'esents aden?" "I've been thinking so too," and without a word more Four little bare feet bounded out on the floor, And four little knees the soft carpet pressed, And two tiny hands were clasped close to each breast. "Now, Willie, you know we must firmly believe That the presents we ask for we're sure to receive; You must wait very still till I say the 'Amen,' And by that you will know that your turn has come then." "Dear Jesus, look down on my brother and me, And grant us the favor we are asking of thee. I want a wax dolly, a teaset, and ring, And an ebony workbox that shuts with a spring. Bless papa, dear Jesus, and cause him to see That Santa Claus loves us as much as does he; Don't let him get fretful and angry again At dear brother Willie and Annie. Amen." 'Please, Desus, 'et Santa Taus turn down tonight, And b'ing us some p'esents before it is light, I want he should div' me a nice 'ittie s'ed, With bright sbinin' 'unners, and all painted red; A box full of tandy, a book, and a toy, Amen, and then, Desus, I'll be a dood boy."

Their prayers being ended, they raised up their heads, With hearts light and cheerful, again sought their beds. Tley were lost soon in slumber, both peaceful and deep, And with fairies in dreamland were roaming in sleep.

Eight, nine, and the little French clock had struck ten, Ere the father had thought of his children again: He seems now to hear Annie's half-suppressed sighs, And to see the big tears stand in Willie's blue eyes. 'I was harsh with my darlings," he mentally said, 'And should not have sent them so early to bed; But then I was troubled; my feelings found vent, For bank stock today has gone down ten per cent!

But of course they've forgotten their troubles ere this, And that I denied them the thrice-asked-for kiss: But, just to make sure, I'll go up to their door, For I never spoke harsh to my darlings before." So saying, he softly ascended the stairs, And arrived at the door to hear both of their prayers; His Annie's "Bless papa" drew forth the big tears, And Willie's grave promise fell sweet on his ears. 'Strange-strange-I'd forgotten," said he with a sigh, 'How I longed when a child to have Christmas draw nigh." "I'll atone for my harshness," he inwardly said, "By answering their prayers ere I sleep in my bed." Ilen he turned to the stairs and softly went down, Threw off velvet slippers and silk dressing gown, Donned hat, coat, and boots, and was out in the street, A millionaire facing the cold, driving in the sleet Nor stopped he until he had bought everything From the box full of candy to the tiny gold ring; Indeed, he kept adding so much to his store, That the various presents outnumbered a score.

Then homeward he turned. When his holiday load, With Aunt Mary's help, in the nursery was stowed. Miss Dolly was seated beneath a pine tree, By the side of a table spread out for her tea; A workbox well fitted in the center was laid, And on it the ring for which Annie had prayed, A soldier in uniform stood by a sled "With bright shining runners, and all painted red.' There were balls, dogs, and horses, books pleasing to see, And birds of all colors were perched in the tree! While Santa Claus, laughing, stood up in the top, As if getting ready more presents to drop. And as the fond father the picture surveyed, He thought for his trouble he had amply been paid, And he said to himself, as he brushed off a tear, 'I'm happier tonight than I've been for a year; I've enjoyed more pure pleasure than ever before; What care I if bank stock falls ten per cent more! Hereafter I'll make it a rule, I believe, To have Santa Claus visit us each Christmas Eve.' So thinking, he gently extinguished the light, And, tripping down stairs, retired for the night.

As soon as the beams of the bright morning sun Put the darkness to flight, and the stars one by one, Four little blue eyes out of sleep opened wide, And at the same moment the presents espied; Then out of their beds they sprang with a bound, And the very gifts prayed for were all of them found. They laughed and they cried, in their innocent glee, And shouted for papa to come quick and see What presents old Santa Claus brought in the night (just the things that they wanted,) and left before light: 'And now," added Annie, in a voice soft and low, 'You'll believe there's a 'Santa Claus', papa, I know"- While dear little Willie climbed up on his knee, Determined no secret between them should be, And told in soft whispers how Annie had said That their dear, blessed mamma, so long ago dead, Used to kneel down by the side of her chair, And that God up in heaven had answered her prayer. 'Den we dot up and prayed dust well as we tould, And Dod answered our prayers: now wasn't He dood?" 'I should say that He was, if He sent you all these, And knew just what presents my children would please. (Well, well, let him think so, the dear little elf, 'Twould be cruel to tell him I did it myself.")

Blind father! who caused your stem heart to relent, And the hasty words spoken so soon to repent? 'Twas the Being who bade you steal softly upstairs, And made you His agent to answer their prayers.

- Sophia P. Snow

I Hope you will love my new book, coming out January 7!

For more information, Go HERE!

God Forgives, but foolishness has consequences: Owning Your Choices

"I am so confused! I have so many decisions to make and I feel paralyzed which way to go!" I have struggled with this before, and hear this from women every day.

In this time, there are many different voices and opinions pulling us in numerous directions--confusing the heart, mind, and soul. Many young women are listening to feminist voices, to popular culture, to contemporary thought. They do not know that all choices, especially made after seeking the counsel of the wrong voices, will have great consequences in their lives.

When we don't own our lives, something or someone else will. Whether we realize it or not, we are always choosing to serve and worship something. Many in today's culture unwittingly think that personal fulfillment comes from getting the material things they think they need to have; experiences will give them a surge of adventure and excitement; romance will make them feel loved. Dreaming of circumstances in which you might escape the irritations or depressing circumstances of your current situation is a false hope. Anything else substituted for God, His ways, His wisdom will disappoint and lead you further down a road of foolishness.

What popular cultural voices do not tell us is that in the long haul, no one and no thing can make us happy or fulfilled apart from the love, grace, instruction, truth and forgiveness of God. So many decisions made for short-term gain have devastating ramifications and leave ugly scars in the long run.

Often, we shake our fist and wonder why our circumstances are so terrible instead of seeing that if we make foolish or selfish choices, we will end up with devastating consequences.

God has designed you as a woman with potentila influence. Your choices matter and have weight. One of my dear friends always says, "God will forgive you, wisdom won't." While we are blessed by relationship with a loving, gracious, merciful God, each step we take is leading in a direction, and the wrong path will end with a negative outcome.

Three principles, though, can lead us to make decisions that will lead us in paths of blessing.

1. Walk the pathways of your life with wise people, don't engage yourself with those who have foolish values.

Proverbs says, "He who walks with the wise will be wise, a companion of fools suffers harm." Find wise people to learn from, to model, or read books by those whose lives reflect His ways and His light. Seek out wise people

2. Study, memorize, read, ponder and store up God's word.

Psalm 119:105 tells us, "Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path." God's word shows us, always, the way to go. As we memorize his word and store it in our hearts, it becomes a vocabulary for the Holy Spirit to use to prompt us, to lead us in righteous paths. Don't blame God for your bad decisions or the consequences that have followed.

3. Obedience to His ways and sensitivity to His voice--God makes it very clear in scripture that if we obey his commandments, we will find blessing. He also tells us the when we follow the gods of culture and disobey Him, we will find curse--bad consequences in our lives.

"See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse— the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known." Deut. 11: 26-28

When you practice walking in wisdom and choosing to follow Biblical wisdom and truth, you may find yourself alone, but walking the way of God--owning and taking responsibilities--will result ultimately in the favor and blessing of God, because we were made to flourish in living by His direction.

How can you own your life through your decisions? How can you face the foolish decisions you have made and come back to the pathway of following the ways of God.

Choose to be a woman of wise, discerning, godly choices, even when making the right one is difficult and you will find more grace and light with each day, each year.

"But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until the full day." Proverbs 4;18

***Don't forget that my new book, Own Your Life, is now available for pre-order!

10th Annual Christmas Tea with my Colorado Bible study! Own your Outreach!

" 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: 24-25

What could be better than friends gathering, feasting, gabbing up a storm and ending the evening inspiring each other to stay strong and fast in our desire to love our precious Lord. Ten years ago, I found myself alone again, in a new town with no friends.

"I need friends and people to walk with through life, Lord, I prayed." And then I sent out an email invitation to as many women as I could find and we began our times together. Swelling to 180 on our email address list, we have seen women come and go--but always there is room for whoever wants to come--and always prayer and love for whoever needs it.

Every year, I get hundreds of letters from women all over the world telling me they long for a mentor, and a friend. I know what it is like to be lonely and to feel isolated. I have moved 17 times--started all over again so many times. But I have always had to be the one to initiate a group in my area. I have always had to start, to reach out, to initiate.

But it is because Jesus was the initiator--I learned it from Him--while we were yet sinners, Christ died--He reached out and so I was taught early in my spiritual life that I was to reach out. He created community and fellowship by gathering a whole variety of people into His calling, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." They ate and walked and lived and loved and argued--together.

"Two are better than one," Ecclesiastes tells us. And "a chord of three strands is not easily broken."

You have so many people who are praying to God to bring a friend into their lives--but you have to spend yourself to invest in others who are hoping for a friend, a mentor, a group that you could start--but it begins with owning your potential influence, your potential legacy of building a community of friends hungry for love and longing for God.

And Paul encourages older women to teach the younger--to help them, to give them a heart to share stories--its almost as though Paul envisioned pot lucks! :) I delight in so many sweet women who are much younger than me, but truly dear friends--and I do not want them to feel alone like I did. I love sharing in their lives and the possibilities of the stories they are living each day and the dreams and ideals they have.

Each of us has a big capacity to love, to reach out to others in friendship, but we must take charge of our influence, learn how to make friends, understand how to serve and work towards the goal of providing not only what we ourselves need--that person to stand with us in all seasons of life-but for the sake of our love of Jesus--to reach out to others who may be lost--like sheep without a shepherd

Each year, woman gather from as far as 100 miles away, just because our fellowship is so encouraging and sweet. Friendships are celebrated. We don't even all know each other because each meeting is varied in who is able to come--and of course we always have newbies and they are welcome, too.But all know that when they are here, we sort of belong to each other, even if just for an evening.

Each year, everyone brings their own favorite mug, tea cup or Christmas cup--all are different and beloved by their owner. Warm, spicy cider, coffee and teas are offered to drink and everyone brings a hearty appetizer sort of thing and desert. The women outdid themselves this year. Everyone came back for 2nds and 3rds!

Tonight, we were serenaded by lovely carols as we sat and chattered away--I could hardly get anyone to quit talking because everyone was having so much fun, being away from the common stresses, away to share burdens, laugh, celebrate this light and life we have cultivated for an evening away, together.

Always there are babies to remind us what is really of value in life and always they bring smiles.

The smiles say it all--it is a merry group and all are so very happy to sit and talk and talk because all of us need time to relax and celebrate the beauty of moments that we miss in the busy whirl of duty filled days.

Tables are set up all over the house and people sit on stair cases, floors, couches and release a little of life weariness. No one notices if there is dust on the tables or messes tucked in here and there-as a matter of fact, these piles make us all feel more normal.

Some friends have been with me almost from the beginning. We raised our children through the years together and we have shared in hundreds of evenings of Bible study together--and it is all stored in our hearts and souls. Ten years is a lot of history, phases, seasons, and watching God be faithful through all the twists and turns of life.

There is a value to commitment and staying faithful--as it provides a pathway to long term memories and relationships that give solidity to life. But sweet fellowship must be planned, worked for, committed to--for a legacy to happen. It requires one person or two to reach out, to work hard, to open their hearts to give love and to stay the course.

There is a core--friends who set up chairs, come early, stay late, pray with those who need it--these who serve with me at my conferences, and who cook for my intensives. We ordinary women caught a picture of changing our world together, and now we see that literally hundreds of lives have been changed merely because we have reached out, prayed and worked together and asked God to use us to be a force of encouragement together. (We missed you Brandee and prayed for your ear infection and cold. But you were being appreciated and loved all evening long.)

How are you owning your arena right where you are? There are women just waiting to find a friend, to be encouraged in Jesus. You will never know how God might use you and your friends unless you reach out. It is not always easy and some groups work and some don't. But after doing this group for 10 years, I see a history of God's touch on the lives of so many who just needed to know they were not alone in their ideals and struggles.

I am so very grateful for all who have been sharing about my new book. You are the best!

Remember, if you order for your whole group, you will get lots of pieces of encouragement from me--a free devotion, video of encouragement, how to start a small group--lots more. It is because I want to help other groups all over the world become a strong community for Christ. It just takes someone initiating.

Buy HERE

Pre-order your copy ofOwn Your Life and receive a free copy of 7 Daily Inspirations to Own Your Life by Sally Clarkson!

Get a week of inspirations, scripture, and prayers to find days that bring out the best version of you with Sally Clarkson’s 7 Daily Inspirations to Own Your Life.

To Redeem: Simply email your digital receipt from an online purchase or take a picture of your printed receipt and email to: momentum@tyndale.com with “Own Your Life” as the subject line. We will send you a link to download your gift. Thank you for your early purchase!

Pre-Order FIVE or More Books!

If you pre-order five or more copies, you’ll receive the gift above, PLUS a six-minute introductory video by Sally and five beautiful, shareable, printable posters with inspirations to Own Your Life.

To Redeem: Follow the instructions above, but use “Own Your Life 5” as the subject line, and we’ll send a link to download all of your free gifts.

Pre-Order TEN or More Books!

If you pre-order ten or more copies, you’ll receive all of the above gifts PLUS a special greeting for your small group by Sally and a digital download of Whole Heart Ministries new book: Taking Motherhood to Hearts – How to Start, Lead and Tend Your Mom Heart Group (a 30,000 word book!). PLUS one lucky winner will get a telephone call from Sally for a one-hour mentoring session! The winner will be chosen after January 5^th.

To Redeem: Follow the instructions above, but use “Own Your Life 10” as the subject line, and we’ll send a link to download your free gifts.

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