A New Year, Ready to be Launched! Own your life in 2015!

One more Christmas picture where we almost caught everyone smiling! (and it only took about 8 attempts--amidst groans, guffaws, hilarity and "We have enough, already! A big discussion was if the boys should put their hands in their pockets or not! :))

"Show me, O LORD, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life."Psalm 39:4

I have put one more Christmas to rest and now another year is upon me. I see more clearly, the older I get, that life is indeed a passing story where I have the opportunity to live in such a way that my story can be one of pointing to God's goodness, His faithfulness, His kingdom, His ways.

But to live a story well, I must make choices every day, to live that as my integrity and love to be intentional in my commitments.

This holiday season was one of the best I remember for a while. Seems all the kids have snuck into adulthood while I was busy and they have become strong and established in their own personhood. It is sweet tasting to my heart and soul to see them love each other, prefer each other, want to be together and affirm each other in our presence--even amidst small and petty arguments, natural personality conflicts and differing opinions.

After all, we trained our children to think, to be convicted, opinionated, and so they are. But their preference for each other as best friends and the "holiness" of our family community eventually trumps the differences that are natural.

If I ever wondered that all the work of training, loving, correcting, serving my children was in vain, I now know that it made a difference--that God was indeed at work using a small vessel like me to fill and form their souls. (And yes, throughout the years of fussing and tension that existed in normal life, I didn't know they would end up such great friends--Simply amazing and wonderful--take hope!)

Just this morning, a phone call from a grateful child and  filled my heart. "Mom, you cooked and cleaned and served a lot this Christmas--but we were all watching and it went deep into my heart. The messages you shared and the devotions we had while we were home penetrated deep places and I just wanted you to know your labor has not been in vain. I love you and appreciate you more than I ever have."

A sweet salve to my heart and an unexpected surprise after working and serving this season.

Some thoughts have bubbled up during their time at home......

Discipleship is never over.

In the midst of the busy days, I was sequestering each child by themselves to pour in vision and encouragement and words of life and exhorting, because I know more than ever how short my time is--and I know that they all have many voices in their pathways vying for attention.

And so I remind them, "How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, but His delight is in the law of the Lord" and then over coffee and laughing and sharing hearts, I remind them again to seek the still small voice and the holy way above the other noises of life--and to seek to see His fingerprints and heartbeats.

Another thought is how my family fills my cup, and lives a reality that blesses me and renews my own courage and faith, as I want to be strong because they believe that I am strong. As our family has practiced the presence of Christ, His words, His feasts, His love, His truth, His mission as a way of living every moment together, we have become a strong fellowship of Christians moving toward similar missions of glorifying Him together.

Sometimes when I am exhausted, like now, and have lived through a looonnnnggggg year of trials, I am tempted to compromise my ideals--just a little here and there without noticing.

But that is not His way, and I do not want to capitulate to the ways of weariness. And so amidst serving them, I was called to a higher standard just by hearing them talk and dream and idealize--those I have served are now serving me and exhorting me to hold fast and stay the course!

And so, the next few days, I must follow the advice I gave to them, for myself. I will leave the internet, go away by myself for 2 nights and 2 days and be before the Lord.

What work do you have for me this year? How can I serve your purposes? What do I need to correct? How can I better serve you? Show the light of your life onto all the hidden places of my heart and let me give all of them to you.

 I want to hear Him, His voice, His priorities.

I have found over the years that many people seem to know "God's will" for me and are free with advice. But I want to hear Him, follow Him and please Him. I am feeling the rumblings in my heart to pull back further from culture and expectations of others to have more time intentionally to invest on those areas that are on His heart and to make sure I have time with real live people to be personal and focussed in my love. But before I make any decisions, I must go to Him to hear His voice.

I would so appreciate the prayers of friends as I go into my vortex to seek Him, that I would be still and know that He is God, and please pray I will truly know how to follow His priorities and do what He wants, no matter what the other voices say.

And so, today, I wish you not only a happy new year, but a blessed year, a time when you can see His love and commitment to you and hear His voice of wisdom and compassion.

And along the way, may you have a lot of fun and enjoy this life He has placed into your hands.

Be blessed, my friends.

I  hope many of you will be able to join us this year at our Mom Conferences where I am more passionate than ever about helping sweet women to learn the ways of discipling their children, reaching out in ministry, finding God's ways and favor every day.

For more information and to register for the Mom Heart Conference nearest you, go HERE. 

In 2015, I pray you will learn anew, to Own Your Life and live for God's glory.

If you are alive, then you will have conflict!

“As long as we continue to live as if we are what we do, what we have, and what other people think about us, we will remain filled with judgments, opinions, evaluations, and condemnations. We will remain addicted to putting people and things in their "right" place.”

Henri J.M. Nouen

From the first chapters of the Bible, we see conflict--between Adam and Eve, as she wants to lead him astray. Between Satan and God over the loyalty of hearts of the first children He made. Cain and Abel. And it goes on from there.

Sometimes Hollywood makes us think that it is possible to be married to a perfectly compatible partner. Formulaic parenting books suggest that if you just follow the right rules, or formula, children will quit fussing and be kind the rest of their lives. What about supposed Christians in your church who are quick to criticize? Your family arguments at Christmas? That friend you have loved, but there has been a break? The person at the driver's liscence bureau? Your neighbor? Your neighbor's dog? A Christian leader? Your siblings?

And what about the conflict you have with the children you love with all of your heart but for some reason or another,  drive you crazy--personality, disability, illness, too loud, too quiet? And then you condemn yourself for being a bad mom--cause if you really loved your children, you would always be patient, right?

I could write a whole book about what it looks like to love well, and quote scripture and give you insight to grow in maturity in relationships, because I have had to learn soooo much in this area--and I have learned so much through my failures.

But,  this article is about dealing with the reality--conflict is a normal part of life in a fallen world where everyone you meet is in need of Christ's grace. Everyone you meet, no matter how spiritual, will be tempted by selfishness, pettiness, sexual thoughts, greed, envy, insecurity, anger, and more.

However, I do have a few thoughts that have helped me go forward in regards to this whole mysterious issue of conflict management--especially amongst Christians, family and people you expected to get along with.

1. You will never be perfect. Accept your limitations in this fallen world. Jesus is never biting his nails over your imperfection, nor is He surprised by it. Scripture tells us that he did not trust himself to men because He knew what was in their hearts. John 2:24

He was discerning and used self-control even in relationships.

Consequently, He understood the fallen nature of our hearts and that all of us are prone to transgress in relationships.

If you live in constant condemnation for raising your voice, getting impatient, being petty, being tempted, and promise yourself you will never do it again, you will be in constant disappointment with yourself. (Paul tells us, "I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate." Romans 7:15)

2. Be humble and recognize your frailty. Let your sin and immaturity lead your heart to gratefulness that Jesus died for you.

First, Jesus says, "God gives grace to the humble, but is opposed to the proud."

Jesus said, "I am humble and meek. Learn from me."

Humble people who can admit they are immature are more likely to give grace, kindness, compassion to others who also fail. And when they give love from a grateful heart to others, there is naturally more reconciliation and more harmony. We all sin, we all need to forgive, we will all do it again--but Hallelujah, we are all forgiven.

Romans 8:1 says, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

Let it lead you to celebrate His love, His goodness, His generosity. Get over yourself--you are just a person with feet of clay. He is mindful that we are but dust.

3. Be shrewd as serpents, innocent as doves.

Unfortunately, several in our family have had to learn this the hard way. Sometimes as Christians we think we are supposed to "be kind to all people, accept all people and give them grace no matter what." Yet, to be shrewd means to have deep insight, vast understanding, and Proverbs is full of admonitions not to companion ourselves to fools. We are called to accept all people as those receiving the grace of Christ, but we are not called to engage our hearts to those who are foolish, unwise, immature, or who would engage our hearts in constant conflict.

Learn to discern the character of people. Are they gracious? Do they seek to serve, encourage? Or are they competing to be the center of attention? Do they say, "You hurt my feelings," a lot? Do they react easily, get offended easily--then they do not have the strength of character or heart to be a loyal, devoted, unconditionally loving friend. Perhaps we are called to minister to such in our lives, but we are not called to entrust ourselves to them. Proverbs says, "He who walks with the wise will be wise, but a companion to fools suffers harm."

Many people have had such destructive backgrounds that they manipulate emotionally as a way of life. As we mature, we are called to love all people, to forgive those who have wronged us, but we cannot make immature, destructive, controlling or manipulative people behave in a mature way.

But we can be healthy and learn to mature, ourselves.

Remember, maturity is a process of growing stronger and more like Jesus one day at a time. It is not instant. Practice love and you will become more loving.

But, we do not have to carry the burden of someone else's  irrationality or criticism. Don't take it into your body, your stomach, give it to God and move on. We can live in grace, accept our limitations and reject the criticism of others. Then we can  walk in graciousness as we follow the One who defined "graciousness."

There are some people I waited most of my life to love me and affirm me--and they never did. But I learned to love them by faith and not give them power over how I felt about myself. I learned to lean into God's sweet love for me and love who He made me, warts and all--this made me free to love others more generously.

Some of these irrational relationships will be with us our whole lives because they are family members or connected to us for good. But we do not have to take on their accusations, neurosis, unjust condemnation. We are responsible for our own sense of well being. Don't compare with others, like who you are and accept the great love and freedom that comes from pleasing only One--and that is by faith in His ability to save you and help you grow.

There are some relationships that may never be healthy or whole--but you can be healthy and whole if you walk in Biblical patterns.

4. Beware of the Pharisees--those who pride themselves in knowing all the rules, thinking they are capable of keeping all the rules, and condemn all who are less than they are.

Beware of Gossips

When I notice that new friends criticize others a lot or gossip or are condescending towards others, I know that wisdom would teach me not to trust my heart to them. A gossip or critical person will gossip or criticize you behind your back. It has happened to me several times in my life and I have had to learn from failing rather than being wise as I faced new relationships.

And don't you be a pharisee by peer pressure--You can't please Jesus and condemn others and other groups as a habit. He who loved the prostitute, the tax collectors, the outcasts is the one who wants you to be just in your relationship to others.

Don't join the peer pressure of others to ostracize certain groups--if you want to please Jesus, sometimes you have to walk alone to do what is right.

Most of all, grow--grow in learning little by little how to love well, learn how to forgive, learn how to overcome, learn how to be at peace and learn how to walk in the grace and forgiveness He generously gives every day.

So much more to be said, but this year, give the difficult and destructive and hurtful relationships into the file drawers of heaven. Let God take them. Get rid of unnecessary guilt. Live in freedom. Biblically, own your relationships.

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Be sure to sign up for the webcast, Tuesday, January 6, 6 Pacific, 7 Mountain, 8 Central, 9 Eastern. Bring friends to your home and enjoy and be inspired. For more information and to sign up, go here!

Hope you can join us!

De-Cluttering Your Soul for 2015 The Secret to Peace and Rest

My Home Town--Pikes Peak

Snow blew through our whole area today and it gave me some time at home to begin my yearly tradition of planning my priorities, commitments and goals for a new year. Each year I write about how God has led me to de-clutter my heart, mind and soul. I hope it will encourage you to do the same!

There is something uniquely good about January 1. It marks a new year, a new beginning, a new possibility. It also marks, for me, the reentry into simplicity. I don’t know if there is a more satisfying feeling for me during the year than when we put all of our Christmas things away, the decorations, the remnant of cookies, the clutter. We did that in my home, today. I have also been revisiting an article that I rework every January 1, as it is a pattern I seem to keep needing to learn.

Every year for the past few years, I have pondered and written about de-cluttering my soul. I hope you will be blessed by these thoughts. I am pulling away for a few days, once again, to see what needs to stay and what needs to be cut. I am sending Sarah off to Oxford tomorrow and Nathan back to Hollywood and then we will get back to normal. And so I am deliciously excited to take time alone to get back to my soul.

I love the celebration of life and the traditions and the fun and the beauty of special times spent with my children, husband and friends. But, there is something deeply satisfying to me about getting it all put away and getting back to normal.

Perhaps it is because my normal responsibilities of caring for my family’s needs demand so much of me—cooking nutritious meals, organizing our schedules, cleaning and organizing on a daily basis, homeschooling and add to that ministry—these are enough, but holidays put on that extra load. Routines go by the wayside and so the clutter and demolishing of the house, slowly takes over.

I am not a person gifted in handling details—too much mail, too many catalogues, too many emails, too many options, too many things. The more there is, the more I become responsible for, the more work there is to be done, and so, the more anxious I become. Same with activities. The more I commit to, the more I say yes, the more I have to drive, the more my house gets into a mess, and the more anxious I become, the more hurried we feel, and the more weary I become. When I am not at peace, nothing in our home is at peace.

We can all see how too much clutter and too many piles causes us to feel overwhelmed with life. Consequently, slowly, I have learned to declutter as often as I can—throw away unnecessary stuff. Clay is really the master at this. He helps me get rid of things, organize things and put away things. Yesterday, he decluttered our pantry—threw away chip bags that held little but took up space, cleared out empty water bottles, bad, junky Christmas candy that had been given to us, but would never eaten; baskets that had fallen off of their nails, groceries that had never been put in their place. Now, if someone came into my pantry, they would mistakenly think that I am an organized person. (Thank goodness for Clay!) It made me feel good just to open the door and to see that all was manageable again.

But, I have also come to realize that my brain and heart can be the same way---cluttered with worries, responsibilities, duties, children’s future, finances, time constraints, expectations, disappointments, critical attitudes, resentment. All of these added together, can tend to create soul piles and mind clutter. If I don’t take the time to sort the piles of mind clutter, my spirit becomes a mess and my heart becomes overwhelmed and weary.

It is what awakened me at 4:00 a.m. this morning-soul clutter and worry. It is another reason I like January. It gives me an opportunity to make a new plan, to simplify the mind messes and to start off a whole new year well. In the same way that throwing away stuff and clearing out closets brings me relief, even more, soul and mind cleaning and decluttering brings me rest.

So, as I begin a new year, and head into my conference season, a very busy time for our family, I resolve to deal with my soul-clutter, so that I may have strength to face each day in peace. I come to the place where I know I will find the help that I need. I come to my Father and ask Him to help me, His child, to show me how to make get rid of the junk that is unnecessary, and to help me clean out and organize my soul.

He speaks to me gently.

It was in writing my book, Dancing with My Father, that I have learned so much about finding joy--and peace. In Him, with Him, by Him all the moments of my busy day. His voice leads me to what I long for--but I must get rid of all that causes me to fret, worry, criticize, control. There is a way....

“In quietness and rest shall be your strength.” Isaiah 30:15 You need to come to me and give me all those things that are weighing on your heart. Resolve to seek rest and peace.

“Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29

I listed all of my issues this morning in my journal (and there seem to be multitudes of clutter piles in my soul--worries, attitudes, bitterness, weariness, fear, sin and a few more!) These are issues that will suck me dry and my energy dry if I do not notice them in order to clean out my soul!

The Lord prompted, "List all of your issues, give them over to me, don’t hold on to them. I am capable of taking them from you and being responsible so that you will not be weary or carry what you are not capable of carrying.

"Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. “ Psalm 37:7

Focus on resting in me—sit in my lap, so to speak, rest in my arms. Let me carry you. I love you.. Wait for my timing. Don’t force things or beg me to hurry up. I am in control.

“Be still (cease striving) and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 “Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me.” Psalm 131:2

Give me your attention and get control of your spirit. Be quiet. Be still. Recognize my sovereignty and transcendence. Remember what Jesus said, “Our Father who art in heaven, holy is your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Jesus modeled his understanding that my will is what you need to rest in. I am in heaven and I see all things—the future, the past, your children, your relationships, --all your clutter. Give them to me. Quiet your soul and rest in my strength and power.

“Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one little child like this receives me.” Matthew 18:3-5

Come to me as a child—even as your children, in their innocence and sweetness of heart, know that you will care for them and meet their needs because you are a loving parent who cares for them, so I am your Father who will take care of you. Leave the burdens to your father and take your rightful place as a child. Humble yourself and trust me. Enjoy me. Delight in the beautiful moments of this day. Notice the little miracles. Live as an unfettered child. Accept your little and big children and receive them as a gift from me, and your will indeed receive me into your midst.

“ ... a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.” I Peter 3:4

“Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about so many things. But really one is needed and Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10 41-42

Don’t worry and fret and stew and stir up unnecessary dust. Choose simplicity—just one thing I require—that you give it all to me and love me. I will take over. Even as I gave and provided a Sabbath in which all of my children should have rest from their work, so I want you to live in my Sabbath rest for your soul. Rest from your striving and labor. Take time for naps, for pleasure, for joy. This day you have to receive as a gift--I can't promise what tomorrow will hold. But today you can love, give peace, speak kind and wise words, dance in your soul with my secret pleasure that comes from knowing that I love you.Simplify your life, don’t make choices that will complicate or add unnecessary pressure or cause you to sin or grumble. “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life,” as Paul said.

So, as I yielded my lists into God’s hands and de-cluttered my troubled soul, I left feeling that even as my house has been coming to order, after we cleaned and straightened it yesterday, now my soul is moving in the direction of order.

Rest, rest, rest—in quietness and rest will be your strength every day, every year, until you see me face to face. I love you, my sweet girl. Don’t forget that I am with you each moment of today. Your doting and loving Father.

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So many have written and left comments about the Webcast coming up a week from today. Your excitement for this webcast greatly encourages me. I hope you can join my sweet friends and me as we welcome the new year with encouragement and vision for 2015 as we share our own struggles, dreams and intentions for Owning our Lives and living intentionally for Him. Register HERE.

Happy Almost New Years & Inspiration for 2015!

Sarah Mae, Crystal Paine, me and Angela Perritt

in my home, celebrating my new book!

Happy Almost New Years to my sweet friends!

I actually love having a new year with a fresh start. Christmas memories are tucked away until another year and now a brand new year is ahead. Rethinking my commitments, my ideals, my relationships, my walk with God, my health, so many priorities, gives me a way forward to have a great new year.

In the next two weeks, I will be launching my newest book. As a part of that, with the new year in mind, I am hosting an inspiring webcast with three of my dear friends, Sarah Mae, Crystal Paine, and Angela Perritt. We had so much fun working on ideas from this book in the past two years of my leadership intensives, and I asked them to share them with you next Tuesday evening, the day my book, Own Your Life, is officially released.

I hope you can join us and I know it will be a great way to have inspiration for the new year. Be sure to register so we can send you the information about how to connect to us the night of the launch. Hope you can come!

Sally

Join Sally Clarkson and friends Sarah Mae, Angela Perritt, and Crystal Paine for a FREE online Girl’s Night to celebrate the launch of Sally’s newest book.  They will all be discussing what the book has meant to them and sharing about partnering with God and pursuing God’s best for our lives.

This promises to be an uplifting, fun-filled hour of shared laughter and encouragement to help you and I know you will enjoy hearing the personal stories and a glimpse into the hearts of all of us as we share our own priorities, struggles and faith personally with you.

• Make the most of the life God has given you
• Move beyond barriers like guilt and chaos
• Create and nurture loving supportive friendships
• Refuel your life
• Love well and enjoy the journey!
• Learning to love who God has made you, leaving guilt and inadequacy behind
• Living into the generous, abounding and unconditional love of God
• Finding peace, rest and strength to live the life God has given you
• Discovering the ministry moments God has designed for you to engage in every day
• Finding contentment right where you are, single, married or somewhere in between
• Building a home environment that gives life to all who come there
• Becoming the friend and lover of all, that God created you to be
• Embracing your ministry of parenting and learning how to do it with grace
• Building a long term story of faithfulness in your marriage
• Leaving a legacy of a strong faith, generous love, an intentional life

*** After the webcast, please join Sally for a live online chat.***

Let Sally know you'll be watching by clicking the button below, reading more about the webcast, and registering at the bottom of the page. You'll be sent the link for the webcast and given reminders leading up to the webcast.

Get Sally's Latest Book!

Do you ever long for days full of joy and energy—days that bring out the best version of you? Sally Clarkson's Own Your Life offers a breath of fresh air for busy women who long to live meaningfully, follow God truly, and experience much–needed order in life's chaos.

So Thankful for Firemen! Especially in Monument

After Nathan and Rachael left for the airport today, I went to my little office to work and read. Clay came in and said, "What is that awful smell?" We eventually had such a burning smell all through our 3 floor home, (2 floors and a basement), that we were getting headaches. We left to go out for a few hours and when we came back the smell was so strong it began to make us all nauseous. We checked everything we could find! Clay said, "Maybe we should call the sherriff's department and see if there are any fires in our area.

The next moment, we looked out our front door and there were 3 fire trucks! After the wonderful men came in and looked over our house, smelling the same thing, they found a burned out lamp shade in Nathan's room that was fresh. (And they also found a short in our ceiling chandelier, too.)

We love our fire department and think they are the best!

Your Shepherd has a heart for you!

Charles A. Watson

"When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."

Matthew 9:36

One of my favorite verses in scripture is the one above. Our Jesus, our God, sees us when we are confused, helpless, weary, carrying so many burdens in our private worlds. He did not react with disdain, or criticism saying, "They should be stronger and more perfect." Instead, he saw us as people who were made to be shepherded. We need direction, instruction, help, guidance in order to live well into the lives we have been given.

Truth is, sheep are easily overcome. They are pre-wired to need guidance, protection, someone to look over their needs and welfare. We, as His sheep, were never meant to just buck up, and do life without help. We were made to need and long for our shepherd's guidance and help and love and joy in our lives.

Today, the day after Christmas, so many are surrounded by the messes that celebrating Christmas brings. Often, women are depleted for many reasons--loneliness because they were not with loved ones--and Christmas was a reminder. Weariness because they have come to the end of their strength. Exhaustion from caring for sick ones or from being sick. Or just the same old personal problems that do not seem to go away.

However you are today--living in doubt, living in discouragement, filled with dreams and hopes, lonely or wishing for alone time, He loves you and cares about your heart and life issues with compassion and with the care of the heavenly Father--the heart that can't let us go, but just keeps giving and giving to us, his own precious ones.

The true comfort I have found over the years is that He cares deeply about you today, He wants you to feel His love, His care and guidance for you. He understands your struggles--He was and always has been made to be a shepherd of us, his sheep. He lives to take care of us, to feed us beside still waters, to guide us in the paths of righteousness. It is His heart--not his duty.

The Lord is my shepherd.

And so, when I wrote my new book, Own Your Life, it was my desire to point to Him, His desire to lead us, comfort us, teach us, and to understand better how He helps us to live into the very life we have been given--not alone, but with His strength, His wisdom, His love, His Spirit filling our lives each step of the way.

Today, rest, knowing His heart is one of compassion. Today, know that in 2015, He will show you the way to find even more secure footing to live into the life where you are--with purpose, with strength and with Joy. Praying His blessing for you all as you enter this new year.

 

To see inside a heart, to embrace, hold and respond, is the gift of Christmas!

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

Hebrews 10: 24-2

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

― Henri  Nouwen

This year, as we celebrate those we love, those at church, neighbors, children, husbands, let us look inside their hearts to see what is there and respond to them--even as Jesus saw the multitudes and had compassion on them, because He saw inside their hearts that they had no shepherd, sheep with no one to comfort, to guide, to guard.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And so where would the evil one attack?

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

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

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

Loneliness, an epidemic. Here is the battleground.

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

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

We gather to know we are not alone.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!