I find myself so anxious to share with you, my precious friends, the joy I find in the message of Christ this year, while deep in the mire of challenges and difficulties. Though I am not able to read or look at my computer or screens because of my eye injury, I have done my best to leave you a podcast message and this blog post that I hope will be of come encouragement to you. Know that you are all in my prayers.
Episode #141: Craziness & Life in London
Through the ups and downs, I've been thankful for the graces of God to allow my sweet friends to be near me, my family to support me, and the thousands of letters from people saying they were praying. Your kindnesses often brought me to tears.
Episode #140: London, Hospitals and Friends
I wanted to update you today about my eye injury, so my friends and I recorded a short podcast for you. At the end, we briefly mention the new Lifegiving Parent Launch Community on Facebook. I need many of you to help me as I walk through this valley and struggle through this eye injury. Gretchen, Misty, and Jennie will guide you and provide ideas of how you can help me get the word out.
Episode #139: Harvesting A Godly Character to Reap A Life of Integrity
Thank you so much for your many prayers. I am having plenty of opportunities to practice this principle of character training in my own life right now. I am still seeking answers from eye specialists as I continue to battle pain from inflammation and possible infection in my cornea. My vision is still very impaired. I would so appreciate your continued prayers for wisdom and healing. I know that the One who is walking with me through this is faithful.
Episode #138: The Men in my Life, an Injured Eye & New Books
I thought I would catch some of you up on my eye (the fall I had) and a little bit from Joel and Clay for a fun podcast today.
Episode #137: Choosing to Overcome: Moving Beyond Hurt
If we want to pass on faith to our children, a real, vibrant, strong faith, then in our trials, we must exhibit to them faith that practices walking with God, persevering, holding fast to convictions, even when they don't seem to matter.
Faith must believe that He is--that He is with us, that He is good, that He is in control, that He will reward us in His time and in His way.
Episode #136: Joy and Me in the UK, A Baby is Born
As I look back, I realize I always found that the best way I could teach my children how to serve with a willing and joyous heart was simply to do it myself—to be a model of the kind of attitude I wanted them to learn.
Episode #135: Tending Your Heart and Investing in Your Soul, Own Your Life Chapter 10
When we fill our hearts with excellence and virtue, we find ourselves with a wealth of God’s goodness to offer others from the treasures we have collected. Just as Joy carefully filled her box, so we must learn to intentionally pursue activities that will fill the treasure chest of our hearts with good things. We should look for ways to fill our hearts, minds, and spirits with goodness, truth, and beauty—the things that inspire us, cause us to worship God, and bring light to others.
Episode #134: Letting the Holy Spirit Blow through our Days, Own Your Life 7 & 8
When the Holy Spirit directs our course, the natural consequence is a life outside of normal striving or fleshly effort. We are able to live beyond our own capacity.
Episode #133: Resting in the Transcendence of God, Own Your Life Chapters 5 & 6
We know we are called to follow Christ, to take His message to the world, to raise our children to heed Jesus' call. But sometimes I think we fail to consider that following the Lord might mean leaving behind the ordinary and the familiar. It means exchanging a temporal view of life for an eternal goal. And this may mean leaving behind things we really care about--involvements and pursuits that seem important and worthwhile but may not be God's best for us.