Take a Breath Before You Respond!

Having just sent Joy off to Scotland where she is very pleased to find herself the happy owner of a sea view--if only for a time!--I'm a bit nostalgic this week.  How does it all go by so quickly?  And yet, I'm so grateful for all the moments in my memory with my sweet ones.  This memory happened several years ago and is still a good reminder to me of the moment it takes to breathe deeply and extend grace when my nerves are frayed!

It had been a very long weekend, many years ago--the third such weekend in the string of conferences one winter. Lots of wonderful women chattering, asking questions, sharing hearts; speaking, praying, encouraging, laughing. One more conference done, with four more to go before our 20-day mission trip ending the season! We were leaving the hotel to spend a day with friends. Everyone's adrenaline was down and our tempers were short. I was bone-tired, finding myself feeling the weariness a little more with each year. The girls had been working long hours at registration, putting up boxes of books, setting up tables. They had spent countless hours running cash registers and putting gifts and chocolate out for all the women to enjoy, going to bed late, and getting up early. Everyone did their job as expected without being asked or checked on. Our family all knew the routine and what was expected as we worked together.

As we were to check out of the hotel, Sarah and Clay and I were walking down the hall to the elevator.  Just then, Joy said, "Hey, wait! I want to get my sweater out of my bag." And as I turned around to look at her, she reached into her bag and accidentally emptied the entire contents of her suitcase on the hall floor, sending hair bands and brushes, shoes and books, shampoo and lip gloss, socks and a swim suit rolling everywhere.

A sharp, "You need to be more careful! Why did you hold up the suitcase when you were unzipping it instead of setting it down?!" was right on the edge of my tongue. I did not feel like putting down my suitcase, computer bag, purse, coat, and Clay's shoes that were all barely juggled in my grip, as I knew I'd have to if I were to help her. But, something inside me nudged my heart. I pictured this sweet teenage girl, working, greeting, smiling, and helping without complaint all weekend long. I knew this was not the time to scold or to be impatient, though I felt all of this on the edge of my attitude, waiting to spill over.

I put all the things I was carrying down and walked toward her. "I am so very sorry it all fell out. You must feel so frustrated and if you are as tired as I am, you could use a real rest! Let me help you. By the way, did I tell you how amazed I was at how hard you worked this weekend? You were such a trooper. You are handling yourself like a pro. I can't believe you can work such long hours without anyone telling you. I really appreciate you, honey, and know you must be bone tired," I chattered as I picked up and folded and placed everything back into the bag alongside her.

How thankful I was that the Holy Spirit had put his finger on my heart. I saw eyes of anger  and defense change into gentle eyes--glad to be understood. She really didn't drop this whole bag of clothes just to further irritate me on a tiresome morning! And she really was a great 13 year old.

Grace--a cup of cold water to a thirsty body; a bouquet of flowers on a winter window sill; a kind patient timely word; a rescue to a four year old who drops his whole plate of food or spills one more cup of milk; a cup of tea for a hormonal girl; a back rub and chocolate chip cookies to an overwrought teen boy; instrumental music and a candle lit with a warm meal for a grumpy husband so worried about finances when he comes home from a hard day of work.

Grace is the undeserved and unforeseen act of kindness and patience that totally changes moments. It is the noble soul exercised toward the humble, needy, and grateful.

I am so very thankful that I have received so much grace from my wonderful heavenly Father. He keeps loving and giving and bearing with me through all my immature and awkward moments of life. Grace changes everything and redeems amazingly.

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed ..." 2 Corinthians 9:8

How might you show grace to someone in your life who desperately needs it, today?

Discipleship on the Go!

I hate to say it, but enjoy today--it will all pass quickly! And in the end, they will be your very best, inner circle friends!!!!

As I say good bye to Joy in St. Andrews today and head back to send Joel to Cambridge. Sarah is now married and on a totally new track and Nathan is firmly planted in New York City, I will return home for the first time in 32 years! There is a hole in my heart--I will miss my best friends. So take time today to ENJOY THEM!

......................

The car was packed to the gills. Six people and their "must have" items— swimsuits, CD players, board games, favorite blankets, magazines, and lots and lots of snacks—competed for space in the crowded interior. One item we all agreed on as a necessity, however, was a rousing book on tape.

Every year when we started our ascent up the steep, winding roads to our favorite mountain town, we began a new book together. The only break we ever allowed in the narrative was a stop at an authentic A&W RootBeer drive-in along the way, where we would all indulge in big, cold Frosties (root beer swirled with ice cream).

Our pick for this trip was Gods' Smuggler, the thrilling autobiography of Brother Andrew, a Dutch factory worker who helped open up communist Eastern Europe to Christian missions. We all listened in rapt attention as the British narrator began to unwind for us the details of Brother Andrew's story. We learned about his early life—how the upheaval and heartbreak of World War II in Holland created questions and needs in the young man's heart. How he joined the army and how the death and devastation he witnessed while fighting in a brutal Dutch-Indonesian war led him to discover his own deep need for Christ.

As the story unfolded, we saw Brother Andrew learning to listen to the still, small voice of the Lord through his time of studying the Bible and in prayer. We saw him visiting Poland at the close of World War II, when the Soviet Union began to take over the country, and feeling compelled to visit a communist rally for thousands of young students. Though young and with few resources, Andrew dreamed that somehow God would use him to reach the millions of people behind the Iron Curtain for Christ.

Then the excitement really began as Andrew smuggled Bibles and Christian literature into Eastern Europe. Miracle after miracle took place as this young Dutchman trusted God for the impossible. Over and over again, God proved faithful through incredible, providential, and personal answers to prayers. And through it all, our family listened wide-eyed to this book that reads like a spy novel.

As we approached our destination, Clay reached to turn the tape off. "Dad!" all the kids cried at once, "Don't turn it off! We want to see what happens!"  As we talked about the story later that evening, Joel said, "I would love for my life to be like that. I would love to see miraculous answers to prayers and see God use me in a special way. I hope my life will be like that someday! We as a family need to pray like he did!"

I felt a thrill in my heart as I heard Joel voicing his desire to be used by God. In his eyes and voice I could detect the early signs of a heart totally committed to God and his purposes. This is what I had always longed to see in my kids. It is my central goal as a mother.

I don't just want my kids to be moral. I don't just want them to know all of the biblical rules for behavior. I don't just want them to make it through my home with good grades, no drug addiction, and no premarital sex.

I want them to leave my home with a hunger and passion to know God personally and to be used by him to accomplish great things for his kingdom. I want them to personally hear God's voice and have His Spirit's gentle touch and impression on their hearts as they read the Scriptures and struggle with the issues of their lives.

That's what God wants for our children as well. Whatever else we give our children as they grow, he wants us to pass along an eternal vision and purpose as well as a passion for Christ. If we are wise, we will keep this goal ever before us— to keep us focused on what really matters, on the ultimate purpose of our activity as parents.

"Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise,making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil" ~ Ephesians 5:15-16 (NIV)

How can you make the most of the opportunities presented to you with your family, today?

**winners of last week's Teaching From Rest giveaway ... Angella, Elaine P., and Sarah Gommeson! Please email Misty at mkrasawski@yahoo.com with your home address, and we'll get them to you asap!

Teach your children how to think, not just what to think & A Great Giveaway!

As I write this post, I am speaking at a conference in Wales with families from all over the world. 

"Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you."

Drinking tea in cathedral cafes with friends from different countries, jumping from subject to subject, hearing stories from all ages, has made my trip to the UK for Sarah's wedding rich for my soul. As a seasoned missionary, who cut my teeth on the world as a young woman, I am probably most comfortable amongst people from many cultures and languages. Seeing a bigger picture of life gives scope to my own.  I remember as a young woman in our international chapel in Vienna, Austria, being amazed that we had 40 countries represented on Sunday mornings. It was a little bit like glimpsing what heaven would be like. 

Now through London and on to Cambridge to meet with friends from 30 years ago, and spending 3 days with parents from all over Europe this weekend while speaking at a conference,  causes me to see the fingerprints of God transcending through all cultures, all of history. These days give me a renewed glimpse into eternity where we will all be together to celebrate the ways God has worked through all peoples, all languages, to show His reality through His faithfulness through many diverse stories lived well. 

As a young mama, I wanted my children to see the whole world and to hear great stories of those who lived in other cultures, other generations--Amy Carmichael, Winston Churchill, Florence Nightingale, Wilberforce and others from the UK, the brave story of William Tell and Heidi in Switzerland, the rousing faith tales of brother Andrew and the story of Corrie Ten Boom, The biography of Ghandi, the tales of Mother Theresa, and so many great people from all over the world. 

Stories make deep roadways on the heart that become the basis for our children becoming heroes in their own lifetimes. But hearing about heroes of all countries, including the heroes of the Bible, grant such scope for imagination. 

Another great book I am happy to give away to my readers this week is Give Your Child the World. 

When I received a review copy,  I began to thumb through the book and thought, "I love this book!" I made a note to talk to Kristen about doing a podcast about it. 

Much to my surprise, after I corresponded with Jamie, I read her introduction. She had also worked in Poland like I had, she married a wonderful man from the UK, also a place I love. the more I read, the more I realized that she had a vision for her home and children must like mine! My brain juices began to work and I wanted to read more.

As a woman who had spent years in missions, I wanted my children to meet people from all over the world, to study cultural and historical stories that would inspire them and show them how God could use them to reach out to their world in their lifetimes.

Giving children an appetite for great stories helps all of us to engage in thoughts beyond our own realm, and increases our wisdom for life.

 I didn't  just want to dump a lot of facts into my children's brains. I wanted to give them a heart for the whole world, to become Kingdom keepers for all of God's messages. I wanted to help my children learn to think well by exposing them to stories of great people from all over the world. And one of the ways I stretched my own children's brains was to read them hundreds of great books about people all over the world. 

I would follow up with, "I wonder where in the world God will take you to live your own story worth telling! I wonder how you will change the world with the messages God puts on your heart.

And so, I loved seeing that this book combined both great books to read to stretch your children's understanding about the very international world in which we live, but also a challenge to help our children to think.

The basis of fruitful education is giving a student a love for learning.

Helping to engage a child's heart in knowledge, ideas, history, stories that inspire, thoughts that produce life and vision is the foundation for shaping a child into one who will grow intellectually the rest of his life.

Great books and inspiring stories must comprise the shaping of a great mind. But to fully live well and to flourish in this era, we must help our children to be "world" Christians.

Long ago, I was riding on a train through Austria. I had just finished speaking on a mission trip in Dubai, Macedonia, Poland, Hungary and Austria. As I was contemplating the trip our family had just completed, I remember God whispering to me. "You know, all of these people you spoke to come to me through their own cultural understanding and apply scripture through the Spirit's direction in their lives. I am not American. I am a God of truth beyond this time, your country and your small cultural misconceptions of me. I love the people in every country as much as I love American Christians. Worship me as I am in all countries."

What a profound thought at the time. I did not even realize I was holding on to American Christianity and that I needed to see Him through a new lens. But God was speaking to me through my thoughts, my experiences as I was reading His word. 

The American culture has produced a generation of teachers and a philosophy of education that is often comprised of fill in the blank and multiple choice. Children are shaped by the idea that there is only one answer. Often, even as Christians, children are given moralistic instruction that indoctrinates them, but does not engage their mind in the life of ideas about God or their heart with faith.

Moralistic instruction tends to be rule based and produces pharisees but not disciples.

Rule based education produces children who can memorize and spit back what is expected, but does not necessarily prepare them to think, to develop convictions based on truth or shape their brains with ideas that extend creativity, and scope for life.

Education of children in our homes must not merely give them facts to memorize and things to know, but real education cultivates the mental muscle of teaching children how to think.

Strong thinking skills come from engaging minds in great books, interesting ideas, great minds, good writing. Discussion of ideas and stories gives children practice at learning how to evaluate, and own their own ideas. Writing opinions and evaluations of stories, political views, world shaping ideas develops mental muscles and increases the capacity of the students in strong thinking skills.

 Give Your Child the World is such a great book. Lists of literature about stories from all over the world are given as a guide to help us know how to immerse our children in stories and cultures all over the world. 

For children to stand up against wrong philosophies, they must have grappled with the fallacies and incorrect thinking of the world views that are not consistent with scripture. They must swim in ideas that are different and beyond their own cultural expectations. Having a comprehensive view of the world is a part of becoming His light to real issues that confront us on a daily basis. Working from a grid that is based on wisdom and knowledge provides real intellectual understanding.

That is why books, literature, poetry and history are the basis of teaching children to think and to give them a broad understanding of the world, not just America. Instead of boring facts to memorize, children learn real ideas in the context of real people and great thinkers through time and in different countries and exercise their minds on the best minds that have lived throughout history. Studying God's word and memorizing scripture, discussing a Biblical world view and seeing the world from the eyes and experiences from different cultures is the food for great thoughts.

Thinking properly is the basis of worshipping God with our minds.

And so, understanding the importance of giving children practice at thinking, articulating their thoughts, interacting with stories and writing opinions is so important to building a soul that comes to truth from exercising their own minds. Children and adults who are encouraged how to think will be able to evaluate truth from fiction, clear thinking from indoctrination and will be able to hold confidently to truth in a world that denies the reality of God.

So, today, ask a question, read a story, give opportunity for your child to think and to engage his personality and soul in the work of real education. And be sure to give your children a heart for the world!

This is my third week to have the privilege of giving away some of my favorite books. This week, I will be giving away 5 copies of Give Your Child the World. Leave a comment about one of your favorite authors or stories of any kind and you will be entered in the giveaway. Thanks, Jamie, for this great book.

Buy this great book HERE.

Buy this great book HERE.

Our Strength is Found in Trust--And In Pouring Out!

Depression and fear are natural results of being in and surrounded by difficulties--three times in John we read that Jesus was troubled. But when we move into the presence of the Lord, we begin to see life from His eyes, so we are able to refocus and gain strength and instruction about how we can move ahead with grace.

I was feeling exhausted and depleted one day several years ago, when those feelings of depression and fear threatened once again.  As a mom, it seems I have spent myself on others forever--serving them, loving them, providing for them, and caring for their endless needs.

But there was another part of the puzzle of our own particular family. We had all agreed that God had called our whole family to work as a team in ministry, which meant lots of travel, serving, odd hours, and preparing our hearts so we could give out. 

I have spent myself as much as possible, for as many years as I can remember! This night, when I had to pack up--again--and knew that we would only get two to three hours of sleep before our alarm awakened us at 3:20 a. m. so we could get to our taxi to the airport, and then board our 6 o'clock plane, I felt pretty much like giving up--or giving in, whatever that meant! But this was not a foreign feeling to me, so I knew not to water it and give it more attention, but to file it in the file drawers of heaven.

Then I reminded myself of an important truth: decisions should never be made at night. Happy hormones are down and we truly need a night of sleep to build them up again--never pay attention to the dark thoughts of a late night! They kill and deplete and destroy.

So I poured my heart out to the Lord for a bit.  "I think I need a long, long rest, Lord. I think I may be getting irrelevant, dried up, unusable--I don't think I can go one more year in ministry. I feel like I am failing in keeping the ideals I talk about in my own home. I am tired and drained and discouraged! This is only the first trip of our busiest season yet, and I'm already tired. Can I please have a year off--just to rest, refresh and gain perspective?"

And so the dark cloud swirled around, hovering around my depleted heart, threatening and accusing and intimidating.  As for me, I did what needed to be done--I finished packing!

Nate came in and we had a long talk.  This was my last time with him before he went back to New York the next day, so I found strength to give to him, knowing how important and rare talking time had become for us.

Just as I finished with him, Joy came in changed into her "flying" clothes and crawled in bed with me. Seems she was overwrought from tiredness and depleted adrenalin from many competitions in speech and debate, and at fourteen, it all left her feeling a little weepy. "Mom, I can't get to sleep. Will you please snuggle with me? I just need to be close to someone."

So I snuggled my sweet girl until 1:00 am thinking, One more time; I can give out one more time, because this little bundle is so very precious to me! Finally, I fell asleep, looking at the clock for the last time at 1:23 am! The impossible had been done again; there had been enough strength after all, in spite of my tempestuous emotions and thoughts. I call this the amazing endurance of faith, putting one faithful foot in front of the other. 

The next day was a blur--we slept as if we were drugged on the plane. But Clay picked me up at the Denver airport with some of my own homemade cinnamon bread, toasted, plus cheese and toasted pecans and a "welcome" heart for the hour long trip home. When Joy and I arrived at the house, Sarah and Joel had lit every candle in our house; they had cleaned and put on a beautiful instrumental cd, along with a fresh pot of tea with muffins for a lovely tea time. We enjoyed it all together, only having two more days with them before they both took off to Boston.

For so many years, this is how I had greeted them--after trips, in the mornings, or when they returned home from adventures. How very encouraged I was to be in the life of home again-- this time, a lovely treat that my own, young adult children had created for me.

And again I was reminded: difficulties and weariness are constants in life.  The paradox is this: pouring out of ourselves is the answer.  First, the pouring out of our hearts, our emotions and worries and discouragement, to God in prayer.  And then, by faith and obedience, embracing His help and strength as we turn and pour into the precious lives around us.

But now I have lived long enough to see that my serving of them has made them servants of me and those who would come into their worlds. What we water will grow, what we practice, they will become.

Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. ~Proverbs 11:25

And for a fun treat, here are the winners of the LoveGodGreatly You Are Forgiven books!  Teresa, Sheila Miller, Shanna, K, Shelley Roy, Ashe Franklin, Katherine Lief, Bekah S, Carissa, and Liz Walker--please email Misty at mkrasawski@yahoo.com with your mailing addresses as soon as possible and we'll get those sent your way!!!

Loving Like Jesus Did

"In the twilight of our lives, we will be judged on how we have loved."St. John of the Cross

Trying to love people the way Jesus did can be intimidating. It can push us well beyond our comfort boundaries. Yet as we make this effort our children will learn what real love—and real ministry—is all about. The flame of inspiration may well be lit as our children observe our love in action—and begin to see the results in people's lives.

On Tea Time Tuesday today, I speak of 5 ways to practice love in our relationships near and far.

When our family first moved to the Colorado Springs area, we discovered a wonderful little restaurant that served a "proper" British tea, complete with scones and clotted cream. Since "teatime" is one of my favorite experiences, I frequented the little cafe often with my children in tow. Over a period of time, we befriended one of the waitresses who became dear to us. Each time we visited, we learned more about her life. And each time we returned home, the kids would have new excitement about praying for her.

"Mom, maybe we can have her to our house for tea and have a chance to be her friend and help her know the Lord."

The Lord did open up an opportunity for us to share a couple of our books with her, to talk about the Lord, and to become even closer to her before we moved away. And when we drove through the area recently on a trip, we stopped by the restaurant for a surprise visit. Our waitress friend threw up her arms in surprise when she spotted us coming in the door, and she treated all of us to lunch. Tears filled our eyes as she told us how much we had meant to her. I feel quite sure we will talk about our friend and pray for her for years to come.

So often in the context of our family routines the Lord has given us opportunities to reach out to others. It might be a checkout clerk at the store, a lonely neighbor, a nurse at the doctor's office, or a pesky neighbor child who hangs out at our house every day while his mother is at work.

Wherever the Holy Spirit places us is exactly where he can extend this special love through us. As we are faithful to take these opportunities to minister, our children will gradually get the idea that God wants to use them, one person at a time, to change the world by reaching out to people who need his love.

Romans 5:8 tells us that "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." It wasn't while we were praying for him to come or while we were being godly but while we were deeply involved in our particular brand of selfishness and sin that Christ saw our need, reached out toward us by coming to earth, and gave himself up to death for our benefit.

When we seek to inspire our children, we need to model for them this initiating principle. That means we put out our spiritual antennas, so to speak, wherever we go, looking for people in need. Then we take steps to reach out to them in some way, whether or not they are people we would normally feel comfortable with or people we think are good "prospects" for accepting Jesus. Even as Jesus died for us when we needed it, following him means befriending others who, like us, are in need of his grace. Then, once a relationship is formed or a friendship is started, we seek opportunities to share the truth of God's love and forgiveness as gently and attractively as we are able.

"Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart ... " ~Acts 2:47

Can you think of someone who might be in need of your hospitality today?  Invite someone for a meal or coffee, and love the way Jesus loved.

Why Education Should be Happening in Every Home & A Giveaway

Sarah's book embodies many of the ideals I held when I was homeschooling. A wonderful book!

"Sally, would you please, please start speaking and writing on Home Schooling, again???"

This was the most often received request at our Mom Heart conferences this year. Because I love all mamas and love just encouraging them in their roles, I have, perhaps, neglected writing articles on home schooling. But, if you have been in my home or have read some of my books, you know that I think all mamas are educators and trainers.

Each of us, no matter what school choice we make for our children, should be doing some educating of our children from our homes. Discussing important ideas, reading stories, teaching scripture, building character, are all areas moms should be practicing every day. 

Learn to inspire yourself.

Wise women learn from wise women. I have a sweet friend who is a kindred spirit--and she is wise. Sarah Mackenzie is gifted at communicating how to live through the whirlwinds of life and still be able to deeply impact your children. Her book brings heartfelt inspiration while granting freedom to live in peace every day, through all the circumstances of life.

We should all be reading great books to inspire ourselves in the direction of our ideals to fan the flames of our ideals. Teaching From Rest by Sarah Mackenzie is such a book.

  I loved, loved homeschooling my children and love who they have become. I home-schooled all of them from birth till they graduated from high school and pursued their own careers and school. By God's grace, they all love us, love God and have found affirmation and favor in their careers or educational pursuits, so I suppose I can now speak with some authority about how we did it in our home.

There is a way to homeschool that cooperates with the way God designed a home to be--and it will prepare them to flourish in life and give strength to your children. (A lot of the principles of helping adults and children to flourish are in The Life Giving Home book.)

This year, Sarah, my daughter, will be finishing her degree in theology at Oxford. Joy is getting her Masters at St. Andrews in Scotland, after being accepted to a Master's program at Yale,  Joel is completing his Masters in Cambridge, England at a wonderful Choral Music and conducting program. After having produced his first movie, Confessions of a Prodigal Son, and having it in Netflix and selling in many places, Nathan has been writing a book with me and working on a new movie.

Because all four of my adult children are thriving in their own fields of interest, and have been able to flourish in academic settings, many women ask me all the time, "How did you do it? What curriculum did you use?"

I was not a perfect mom and rarely in one year accomplished my educational goals with my children. But almost every day, we had devotions and read-alouds--sometimes at night, sometimes in the morning, sometimes at tea times, but I kept baskets of books everywhere--in every room, in the bathrooms, in their bedrooms. And each year on birthdays and Christmas and other holidays, they all received books as gifts and I helped each of them build their own libraries.

Yet, even as you plant seeds in a garden, protect the plants, fertilize them, water them-you should expect them to grow healthy and strong, so should all children grow healthy and mentally strong if the right seeds are planted, watered and cared for. 

I understood early that education, the acquisition of words and messages, faith and the ability to think provided a power and authority to people so as to give them an advantage in every field of study, every profession of life. And so, I focused on these as priorities--faith and reading and discussion.

We begin to understand the value of communication and messages by looking at scripture and even by looking at the one word definition God chose to use about Christ's name.

"In the beginning was the Word (Jesus's name--the word) and the Word was with God and the Word was God." John 1

If God's name was "word" then words and foundations of words are so very important.

So, if you do one thing right, read, read, read to your children. It is what was the foundation of the minds of all of my children.

There is so much pressure today, (as always), to conform to cultural norms--and to try to keep up with the Joneses and all the blogs and articles that everyone else writes about what kind of curriculum to use, when to put pressure on your 5 year old to become academic, what you have to complete in the teen years. But I did not follow or listen to the voices of culture. Even as I made a step of faith to educate my children full time at home, so I made a step of faith that we would follow life as God gave Clay and me our own ideals--not as the school system, or any other "authorities" told us to do. We were quite free to follow our own inclinations from reading and researching about what we thought would best build our children within the time limits of our own lives.

But really, really, really--the key to giving your children mental muscle power and an advantage in any kind of education, is to read out-loud to that child. All research complies with this, all teachers and writers say this, Clay and I say it emphatically in our own book. Read first--read daily---turn off media and put away work books and before you do anything else, read out-loud to them--and read out-loud to them until they are 30! Do not think that just because they can read at 6 that you should make them read to themselves and stop reading out-loud. Read to them because you get to share in mentoring, discussing ideas, your vocabulary is bigger and you can explain things and they develop better skills in thinking and writing and communicating when you read out-loud.

Here is another quotation that explains the culturally rich soul and the impoverished souls because of literacy and reading. Hope you enjoy these articles.

The poor and the affluent are not communicating because they do not have the same words. When we talk of the millions who are culturally deprived, we refer not to those who do not have access to good libraries and bookstores, or to museums and centers for the performing arts, but those deprived of the words with which everything else is built, the words that open doors.

Children without words are licked before they start. The legion of the young wordless in urban and rural slums, eight to ten years old, do not know the meaning of hundreds of words which most middle-class people assume to be familiar to much younger children.

Most of them have never seen their parents read a book or a magazine, or heard words used in other than rudimentary ways related to physical needs and functions. Thus is cultural fallout caused, the vicious circle of ignorance and poverty reinforced and perpetuated.

Children deprived of words become school dropouts; dropouts deprived of hope behave delinquently. Amateur censors blame delinquency on reading immoral books and magazines, when in fact, the inability to read anything is the basic trouble.” 

Peter Jennison

My sweet friend, Sarah Mackenzie, has written this great book, which embodies so many of the ideals I carried through my years of home education. Celebrating life with your children within the limitations of your own life puzzle. Reading great books. Giving a vibrant faith lived within the moments of life. You will love this book.

Giving Away 3 Books!

Sarah has generously offered to give away 3 books to my readers. Please leave a comment below and either tell us about yourself, your questions or why you would like to win the book. And if you already have it, we are happy to send one to the friend of your choice. Be inspired today!

But it HERE

Freedom To Breathe Starts with the Knowledge That You Are Forgiven

“Mama, do you still love me when I make such stupid mistakes?” My sweet teenager, many years ago, was curled up on the couch in an almost fetal position, deeply regretting something she has done and condemning herself over and over again for not refraining from the foolish behavior.

“I love you if you had made 10,000 mistakes. I love you because you are mine. I love you even in spite of  the mistakes you will make the rest of your life. You are so precious to me, I can hardly refrain from kissing your sweet head a million times right now.”

A tiny smile curled her lips. I stroked her hair and told her that God’s love became more precious to me each day, because the older I got, the more I sinned, even when I wish I could be good.  And this truth made me love Him for His gracious love given freely every single day.

The truth is, all of us know that deep inside we are broken. We want to be good, to practice patience, to be generous of heart, yet, our petty selves accuse us of countless ways we fail to live up to our own standards on a daily basis. And we know we fall short in a thousand ways of God’s ways for us. But now that I am 63, I have learned that His love for me is beyond measure, His forgiveness already extends to every day of my life. His mercy is never ending. This truth has changed my life. No matter what I do in a day, he still loves me, forgives me, wants to be in relationship with me.

Just this morning, I was awakened by a sunrise outside the bedroom window. Pink and coral shadows danced on the clouds and seemed to say, “This day id holy, a day to celebrate, because I am here. My love and mercy are the starting points of your day. Remember me and live in my joy.”

 And then I remembered one of my favorite verses that speaks to me every time I see a beautiful sunrise.,

 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;[a]
    his mercies never come to an end;
 they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

The Steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning. Every single morning when we awaken, God’s mercy sees our frailty and provides for a covering of grace through every moment we fall short of perfection. Every day, we can live in the freedom to know we are forgiven.

This profound truth is so vitally important to being able to love God fully, and to live in the deep joy and freedom He wants us to experience every day.

The truths of His forgiveness written in this book will transform your life every day. His life exchanged for your life means you will never have to feel separated from Him again, but every day, you can curl up in His abiding love, walk in His gracious mercy and breathe free from the burden of guilt.  Our heavenly Father waits to show you His goodness because it is at the very core of His heart.

It is my hope and prayer that everyone who studies these profound truths will understand and experience His complete forgiveness of every sin you will ever commit, every flaw, every imperfection and that you will live in the peace His spirit brings to carry us through every day until we see Him face to face.

I’m so excited to announce that Angela and her Love God Greatly team have recently released another book…this one called You Are Forgiven. If you enjoyed, You Are Loved (which Angela and I co-authored together), then I know you will enjoy, You Are Forgiven! This weekend I’m happy to announce that I’m giving away 10 copies of Love God Greatly’s newest book: You Are Forgiven.

We all need to read this book because in a broken world everyone needs to know that there is love and forgiveness to be found in Christ for every single person: for you, for your offenders, for your spouse, for your children and friends..

 Enter this giveaway today and make sure to share it with your friends! The You Are Forgiven Giveaway begins now and ends Sunday morning.

 Ways to enter the giveaway:

1.    Share about it on Facebook or Instagram and add your name in the comment section.

2.    Share one of the many images for You Are Forgiven, tag LoveGodGreatly so they can see it.

3.    Comment on this post why you struggle with forgiveness.

Buy it HERE

 Don’t forget, Love God Greatly’s next Bible study begins on August 29th so grab some friends and join them at LoveGodGreatly.com!

Building the Last Homely House & Podcast

Building the legacy of Home, marriage, a godly legacy requires Owning Your Stewardship of those god-designed roles.

Helen Allingham

“Frodo was now safe in the Last Homely House east of the Sea. That house was, as Bilbo had long ago reported, ‘a perfect house, whether you like food or sleep, or story-telling or singing, or just sitting and thinking best, or a pleasant mixture of them all.’ Merely to be there was a cure for weariness, fear and sadness.” 

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

As a lover of great literature, Rivendell, in Lord of the Rings, captivated my attention and Sarah's and Joy's attention. Picturing our home as a place that remembers all the great life from eras gone by and that captures its beauty, has been one of our goals, that has given us hours and years of collecting and crafting and nurturing over the years.

Kristen is thinking about building Home this week because she moved to Portland yesterday and is pondering how to shape a new part of her story for her family in a new place. As you read this, I will be flying with my family to Oxford, via London, with thoughts of helping Sarah put together her new home as she marries and begins a new part of her history. Kristen and I both cherish the same sorts of ideas for building a place that holds a legacy of faith, a marriage that holds fast through all the years and all the seasons, or a single mom who creates Life through her own planning and creativity, a holding place for the reality of Christ to be lived through all the moments. We all know this requires planning and a conductor of such a life. It is the theme of my newest book, released last year with Sarah, The Life Giving Home

Buy the book and the Planner to give yourself fresh ideas. HERE

Building a Home Requires Imagining it as a Place of Resource for Life:

A library that holds all the great books of children's literature and classics and great thinkers, biographies and writers is a must. And now, due to Clay's kindness to move his office to the basement, I have our library as a tea room of sorts. With comfy chairs, a tea set, art and paintings from my background all over the walls, with candle light and music--it is a lovely getaway where I can share heart-to-heart with all in my wake.

A well-stocked kitchen with all sorts of home-made recipes crafted over years of testing, with all the holiday food; food for those who are ill; birthday fare; winter-cold-night soups and breads and all sorts of healthy variety in between.

Fireplaces where stories are told and ideas discussed and children are cuddled.

bedrooms with comfy chairs and piles of books in baskets to encourage reading and quiet times and of course candles galore.

Piano, guitars, drums, flute, dulcimer--all collected over the years--some more used than others, but all for practicing producing music of all sorts.

Games and book baskets and art books and cd's and Pandora and dvd's from all imaginings to instruct, inspire, soothe, comfort and to stoke the imagination.

Clusters of chairs, grouped together to encourage great and close conversations--rockers on the front porch; setees and big chairs on the back deck; gatherings of chairs in 2's all over the house to make a close meeting and discipleship time for all who are there.

And of course a bookshelf in every room, with each child collecting his own library.

A suitable place for traditions celebrated and momentous occasions retold and the Bible read, over and over and over again--to remember Him and stories of faith and heroes and courage and holiness.

This is what I have had in my heart to shape--a home that breathes life and truth and love into all who would enter--

To make sure my home, for my family and friends, is indeed the last homely house and that all that has been excellent and worthwhile over the ages is celebrated in its walls--

because everyone needs a place to belong and a home where welcome is always fresh with all who cross the doorway.

We hope you will enjoy our podcast today. 

Kristen and I will be taking a break from our podcast for a few weeks as I spend 3 weeks away in the UK with our sweet children and as Clay and I celebrate our 35th anniversary! Kristen is settling in and she will be giving birth to her precious baby boy. We have some great plans for a new series for our podcasts coming this fall. 

And please save dates on your calendars and plan to join me at a whole new kind of conferences that I will be hosting this year. We plan to come to Denver, Colorado; Orange County, California; Dallas, Texas; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Portland. The conferences will be late January--early March. I hope many of you will be able to join me. 

It will be grand. 

Blessings and blessings in your days ahead. 

Don't Forget to Encourage One Another!

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near." Hebrews 10: 23-25

One morning, in our small group Bible study, a sweet mom came in feeling so overwhelmed with her children that when we showed just a little tiny bit of interest and sympathy for her, she burst out sobbing.  Choking the words out, she told us what an awful mother she was. We all shook our heads knowing this wasn't true--and as the story spilled out, we found she hasn't gotten any sleep for several days as she has a small baby, plus three other children under seven. No wonder she was falling apart! She is tired and weary. She has had no help or relief in the past weeks, and just needed some love and prayer. I was so very happy she came to our group that day, because the Lord was just waiting to encourage her through lots of others. What if she had not come? She would not have felt the fellowship of the Lord, His love, His words of encouragement, or His direction--because the sweet mom would have been alone and as a person alone, we become especially vulnerable targets for Satan's arrows of defeat and discouragement.

I remember once when we had just moved to a new city and I was feeling quite alone,  a lady at the check out stand of a grocery store very kindly and unexpectedly asked how I was doing. She said, "You look like you just need to know someone cares." Well, I didn't even know that I was close to tears, but her kindness brought them to my eyes immediately. She gave me a hug, I gathered my many bags and headed to the car.  That kind woman became an angel to me, as it was such a blessing just to know that someone in the world cared!

We all need sympathy, love, help, and encouraging words. We all feel inadequate at times, and just knowing we are not alone is so important. I have also realized lately that all of us moms who are believers have the Holy Spirit working in us, and He drives us to want to be involved in ministry.  What we can tend to forget is that the ministry of being God's voice, words, hands, touch, and help to those who are in our personal lives could be the ministry He wants to use us in today!  Some moms are great at meals, some are practical, some are encouragers. But all of us who decide to initiate life-giving to those around us--including our children--can be the difference between them being faithful and having hope, or instead giving up or giving in to despair. I see this especially in young twenty-somethings; when they feel alone, they are most tempted to give up their hope and foundations.

Perhaps its the common trait of not getting enough sleep that makes this also true of young moms! That is why I am so committed to starting small groups all over the world, to give grace and strength to those who are called to ideals. It is in praying for one another and loving one another that we will build community and love and friendship.

Think for a moment about who you know, who might be especially in need of encouragement today, and consider how you might offer that encouragment.  (Hint: it may be someone or several someones in your own home!)

Passing On a Vision for Life to Our Children

Now, best friends, kindred spirits, confidants and mentors to each other....forever!

As thoughts of my sweet daughter's wedding are dancing through my many thoughts and as I prepare to travel to Oxford, in my mind, this memory is especially poignant.  Much of Sarah's life, she dreamed of the husband God would bring, the home where she would shape souls of friends and children alike, the ways she would embody God through all the moments of her life in her own arena. And now, these years later, as Sarah waited for her prayers to be answered, she will enter into the dream and prayers she has prayed for so long.

Recently, when my sweet Sarah was home, we sat together again, on our porch, sipping tea. Mother and daughter, and talked of home, children, marriage and building a legacy out of her life. How sweet the time, how short! 

Take note, young mamas ... the time passes much more quickly than you might ever imagine, but right now you are shaping the God sized dreams your children will need to store in their heart, to build a godly home and to shape generations to come. This memory was when Sarah was just beginning to grow into young womanhood..

Sarah sits cross-legged across from me on our king-sized bed, sipping a cup of hot tea, obviously savoring the adultness of the moment. Tonight, we'll read a chapter from Beautiful Girlhood, a lovely book by Mabel Hale from 1922. We only read a few chapters because we always created books as a diving board from which to explore other subjects and I even found other books to read with her through the years. We'll talk about it, turning topics that might seem mundane to other girls today into matters of serious discussion. Chapters on propriety, purity, beauty, marriage, building a family and a godly legacy and femininity. All are starting points that take us down various trails of mother-daughter heart to hearts. 

On other nights like this one we might study the Bible together, share secrets with a whisper, or just giggle a lot. It's our Monday night "girl talk," a special time when we meet privately in my bedroom, just Sarah and me. Although it is supposed to be mostly for Sarah, I sometimes can't help but wonder if the greater impact is on me. As I try to distill, in just a few words, a lifetime of reflection and experience, the Spirit of God reminds me of my responsibility to redeem the time with my children, to make the most of every opportunity (see Ephesians 5:15-17). I think it was taking time alone that built us into such close friends.

As I look at my precious thirteen-year-old firstborn, her spirit and body showing the first blush of womanhood, I realize there won't be enough Monday nights to tell her all I want her to know. These days will pass all too quickly in the torrent of time that sweeps away the weeks, months, and years in a rush of living. When we pull away from the current onto our little Monday night island, though, I catch sight of the changes that I have missed in the rush. I see her slowly shedding the cloak of childhood, tentatively trying on the mantle of young adulthood.  All too soon, we'll sit on this bed and talk, not just as mother and daughter, but as two grown women.

I know I'll never be completely ready for that time, but I pray with all my heart that Sarah will be. I look at the world I am preparing her to enter, and I shudder at the distortions and perversions of true femininity that will vie for my little girl's heart, mind, and soul.

And following close on Sarah's heels are two boys who want to become men. Clay will shape their ideas and ideals of masculinity, but God has given me as their mother tremendous influence over their lives. How I handle their transitions to manhood, and the lifelong connections of mother and son, will have a profound influence on the shape and direction their lives take. And then, when most other mothers I know will be facing the "empty nest," sweet little Joy will be entering young womanhood, just as her older sister Sarah is now. And I'll do it all over once again.

So I find myself praying more than normal after my Monday nights with Sarah. And later I did with Joy, The words of the proverb ring in my heart:

"The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down." ~Proverbs 14:1

They set my heart to questioning my own efforts to build the house God has given me. What am I doing? Is it enough? Am I building my house or, God forbid, tearing it down? Is the foundation strong? Will the house stand? Do I know what to do with the few short years God puts these children under my care and influence? Will I be the wise woman? In Sarah's case, will she accept the mantle of biblical womanhood as she becomes a woman, wife, and mother? Will she imitate my life? Will she pick up where I leave off?

And now, today, after years of mother-daughter talks, many seasons of wondering how it would all turn out, seeking to hold fast to dreams and ideals, Sarah is engaging in all the ideals we ever talked about together through those many nights.

Now, we are best friends forever.

Perhaps it would be good to ask these same questions of your own house.  Many blessings to you today!