Counting My Blessings: 1052 to 1066

Blessings

Every week, I share on the blog all the good things (and bad) I am grateful to God for.  If you’d like to know more, you can read these blog posts on why I do it and how to get started.  Care to join me on this journey of intentional thanksgiving?

1052. Jason and Judah holding hands in their sleep.

1053. This conversation:

Me: Jon, what’s taking you so long to get dressed?
Jon: My hand is taking sooo… long, Mama!

1054. Jason and Judah spinning round and round…

1055. My husband spinning round and round with Judah.

1056. Jason making his helicopter’s propellers work with just a rubber band.

1057. Enjoying the moonlight and a cool night breeze with hubby dearest.

1058. A husband who takes over the night shift at home.

1059. The Good Friday tableau at church.

1060. People flocking to church – first time visitors.

1061. Hundreds giving their lives to Christ.

1062. Being able to tell the Lord, “Here I am”.

1063. The fact that we serve a risen Lord.

1064. Light rain after a sweltering hot day.

1065. My husband’s expressions as he listens to 10,000 Reasons.

1066. A great start to a new week/new month.

Are you in the habit of counting your blessings? I mean, literally counting them 1, 2, 3… Would you consider joining me on this journey? Would you dare to live fully, right where you are?

To have new blog posts delivered directly to your inbox, you can sign up to receive them by email, or in a reader.

Counting My Blessings: 1052 to 1066 Read More »

Counting My Blessings: 1037 to 1051

Blessings

Every week, I share on the blog all the good things (and bad) I am grateful to God for.  If you’d like to know more, you can read these blog posts on why I do it and how to get started.  Care to join me on this journey of intentional thanksgiving?

1037. Jason saying, “Mama, look! A princess like u..” Sure makes a gal feel special :).

1038. The boys singing in chorus.

1039. The havoc they’re wrecking at home with a bunch of old drum sticks.

1040. Boys happy to learn something new even after their assessments are over.

1041. The way Jon always watches out for Jason.

1042. Heeding to Gods prompting even when I don’t want to. (Oh, so difficult!)

1043. 4 generations praying for a special person.

1044. Healing and recovery.

1045. Meeting someone new in church and connecting with them.

1046. Judah glued to his seat, watching the musicians practice at church.

1047. The boys learning to share and play with other kids.

1048. Laughing out loud.

1049. A bike ride with my husband beside a lake.

1050. Friends.

1051. Finding out that the week long meetings at church were being webcast live… Totally made my day!!!

Are you in the habit of counting your blessings? I mean, literally counting them 1, 2, 3… Would you consider joining me on this journey? Would you dare to live fully, right where you are?

To have new blog posts delivered directly to your inbox, you can sign up to receive them by email, or in a reader.

Counting My Blessings: 1037 to 1051 Read More »

Top 3 Thursday – Edition #22

I rummaged around blogland for 3 posts I’d like you to read.  Check them out?

1. Living and Leading Like Jesus Bible Study @ Good Morning Girls

2. When Circumstances Shake Your Faith @ Joyful Mothering

3. God Doesn’t Play Whack-a-Mole With Our Dreams @ Inspired To Action

If you’ve read or written an encouraging blog post during the week, share the link in the comments below.  I’d love to check it out!

If you don’t want to miss a future post, you can sign up to receive new blog posts by email, or in a reader.

Top 3 Thursday – Edition #22 Read More »

Counting My Blessings: 1022 to 1036

Blessings

Every week, I share on the blog all the good things (and bad) I am grateful to God for.  If you’d like to know more, you can read these blog posts on why I do it and how to get started.  Care to join me on this journey of intentional thanksgiving?

1022. A brisk morning walk.
1023. A warmer season.
1024. Sons with sore muscles after Sunday’s cricket game.

1025. Neatly folded laundry.
1026. Sons who tidy up the living room within minutes.
1027. A husband who prepares practice worksheets for the kids.

1028. This verse – “The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace” (Psalm 29:11).
1029. Receiving The Adventures of Mighty Mom in the mail from my aunt.
1030. My husband saying, “I hope the boys grow up to have my taste in women. I want them to find someone nice like you”. {Made me blush!}

1031. A new prayer partner.
1032. A loosening of the introvert shell.
1033. The boys making a loud noise singing Beautiful Jesus.

1034. Power cuts that don’t last too long.
1035. A family that loves to hang out at church all day.
1036. A husband who lets me serve in church.

Are you in the habit of counting your blessings? I mean, literally counting them 1, 2, 3… Would you consider joining me on this journey? Would you dare to live fully, right where you are?

To have new blog posts delivered directly to your inbox, you can sign up to receive them by email, or in a reader.

Counting My Blessings: 1022 to 1036 Read More »

Five Minute Friday: Rest

Five Minute Friday
Click to read about Five Minute Friday

Rest

Does one ever get enough rest?  I was listening to a podcast by Michael Hyatt yesterday where he mentions that we should follow the “Surge – Rest – Surge – Rest” pattern.  That’s where you work intensely for a while and then take a break.  {Rinse and repeat for the rest of your life! :)}

I know well the effect of surging for too long without a break – it’s called burnout.  I also know that I’m prone to laziness if I decide to take an undeserved break.  So, I’m still working on finding the balance – the surge-rest ratio that works for me.

I’ve found, however, that when I turn to entertainment for a break – television, facebook, a movie, a game… I rarely feel rested enough.  On the other hand, a short 15 minute power nap gives me the break I need to keep me going the rest of the day.  I’ve also found that reading a good book is a wonderful way to wind down late in the day.

All that being said, I strongly believe that in this busy world we live in, we can quite forget our source of rest.  True rest can be found in one place alone – the presence of God.

“Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.” (Psalm 62:5)

Did you take some time to rest at God’s feet today?  You really do need it.  And If you’re feeling weary and burdened by the cares in your life today, take heart.  Your Father is waiting for you to run into His open arms.  In Him you will find rest.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

If you like what you’ve read and you don’t want to miss a future post, you can sign up to receive new blog posts by email, or in a reader.

Five Minute Friday: Rest Read More »

Top 3 Thursday – Edition #21

Here are 3 blog posts that I found inspiring over the past week.  Check them out?

1. If Jesus Came To Your House @ One September Day

2. Speaking Words That Water Souls @ Mom Heart Online

3. Do As I Say, Not As I Do @ Not Consumed

If you’ve read or written an encouraging blog post during the week, share the link in the comments below.  I’d love to check it out!

If you don’t want to miss a future post, you can sign up to receive new blog posts by email, or in a reader.

Top 3 Thursday – Edition #21 Read More »

Q & A: How to Start a Gratitude Journal

QA

This is a relatively new feature on the blog, where I answer questions I’m asked a lot.  So if you have a question for me, shoot me an email and I’ll try my best to give you a relevant answer.

Question: How do you start a gratitude journal?

Answer:

Over the past year I’ve received a handful of queries from ladies who have read my Counting My Blessings posts and are interested in start their own gratitude journals.  To get a background of my own journey, I encourage you to read how I got started and why I continue to do it.  The rest of this post will explain the basics and tools to help you get started.

You will need one of the following to document your blessings:

– A journal/notebook and a pen.
– A notepad on your computer, tablet or phone.
– The One Thousand Gifts app.

When you’ve decided how you’re going to document your blessings, be on out for things you are thankful for each day.  Jot your blessings down, numbering them as you go.  I take mental notes throughout my day – maybe a funny thing a son said, beautiful flowers, a verse from the Bible, or an experience.  At the end of the day, I open my notepad and do a mental recap of the day – writing down everything I am thankful for.

If you find it too daunting to write down long sentences at the end of the day, I encourage you to take the Joy Dare from A Holy Experience.  That’s where I started as well.  You can download the Joy Dare for each month, get the daily prompt and then look for things you are thankful for based on the prompt.

For example, if the prompt for today is “3 gifts sweet”, you go about your day looking for sweet things you are thankful for – chocolate, a fruit or perhaps even a kiss :).

These daily prompts had me thanking God for the unlikeliest things – gifts I usually take for granted – like electricity and clean running water.  Let’s not forget to list the not-so-nice things you are thankful for as well.  Last week, I actually managed to thank God for a lost wallet.  It definitely puts things in perspective when we choose to give thanks in all circumstances – good and bad.

A note of caution here: let not the act of counting your blessings deter you from keeping your focus on God.  In developing the habit of giving thanks, we may tend to focus on the gifts rather than the Giver.  It is essential to remember that every blessing, every gift, everything you are thankful for comes from God alone.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)

Do you maintain a gratitude journal?  Are you planning to start one?

To have new blog posts delivered directly to your inbox, you can sign up to receive them by email, or in a reader.

Q & A: How to Start a Gratitude Journal Read More »

Draw the Circle: Book Review

Draw the Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge by Mark Batterson is based on the principles outlined in his previous book The Circle Maker. I haven’t read The Circle Maker, but I was still able to grasp the concept of praying circles and how it enriches our prayer lives.

The idea behind the book is that when you receive a promise from God, you diligently circle it in prayer until it is answered. The author derives this from the story of Honi. (I had no idea who Honi was, so I had to do a bit of research. Apparently, he is a character from the Talmud, who drew a circle in the ground around him and wouldn’t budge until God sent rain.)

I didn’t quite like the idea of holding God ransom until He answers a prayer, but the author repeatedly writes that it is not so. We are to keep in continuous prayer only those things for which we have received a definite word from God. It could be a verse from the Bible, or a specific promise God has given us – something we know for sure is the will of God.

The idea of circles could be physical – like walking around a building or a town where you want God to move. A biblical example of this is the Israelites walking around Jerico. They obeyed God and walked in circles around the city until God gave it to them. We could also draw a spiritual circle – for example, praying for a loved one’s salvation. It is God’s will that none should perish; when we continue to pray for a loved one’s salvation, we know it is in the will of God and He will answer it in due time.

The book has 40 short, easy to read chapters – corresponding to the 40 day challenge. Each chapter deals with a particular aspect of prayer, and includes a real life story of someone who applied it in their prayer lives and received a miracle. The book is sprinkled with dozens of one-liners that deliver quite a punch. Here are a few of them:

“The true purpose of prayer is to get into God’s presence so He can outline His agenda to us.”

“When you pray to God regularly, irregular things happen on a regular basis.”

“The plans of God are only revealed in the presence of God.”

“Prayer is the difference between the best you can do and the best God can do.”

“The God who gives the vision is the same God who makes provision.”

If you have been praying long for something, and you’re still waiting for your miracle, take heart. I’m still waiting on God for quite a few requests of my own. If you know that what you are praying for is within the will of God, do not give up. We may not understand now why there is a delay, but God will answer in His time. Continue to persevere in prayer!

Disclosure: I received a free Kindle version of this book from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are entirely my own.

Draw the Circle: Book Review Read More »

Counting My Blessings: 1001 to 1021

Blessings

Every week, I share on the blog all the good things (and bad) I am grateful to God for. Join me on this journey of intentional thanksgiving?

1001. Judah’s hair sticking up {I found it cute; he didn’t!}
1002. A nice chat with my mother.
1003. Watching Armageddon curled up on the couch with my husband.

1004. Holding a son who had a heartburn.
1005. Being of some help in church.
1006. Watching a video my husband took of the boys making silly faces and giggling.

1007. A time to put my feet up and just relax.
1008. Watching a late night movie with my husband.
1009. The boys role-playing as pastors.

1010. Making a number of phone calls and not being intimidated by it.
1011. My husband reading a book to the kids.
1012. Watching Judah sitting upright and sleeping in the middle of the night.

1013. Enjoying a cool breeze late in the night.
1014. Losing a purse and being able to thank God for it.
1015. A forgiving husband.

1016. The lessons I’m learning from Draw the Circle.
1017. When God keeps trying to confirm something I’m unsure about.
1018. Not needing coffee to wake me up this morning.

1019. Jon making it a habit of speaking the truth despite the consequences.
1020. Brainstorming – I love how it works.
1021. Our boys playing the slip position at their first cricket game after church.

Are you in the habit of counting your blessings? I mean, literally counting them 1, 2, 3… Would you consider joining me on this journey? Would you dare to live fully, right where you are?

To have new blog posts delivered directly to your inbox, you can sign up to receive them by email, or in a reader.

Counting My Blessings: 1001 to 1021 Read More »

Five Minute Friday: Home

Five Minute Friday
Click to read about Five Minute Friday

Home

This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through
My treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue,
The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

Oh Lord you know, I have no friend like you
If heaven’s not my home, then Lord what will I do?
The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

~ Jim Reeves

This was the song that rushed to my mind when I saw the writing prompt today. As much as I’d like to write about my own home, I am reminded that the world is not my eternal home. I have a Father who is preparing a place for me in heaven. 

Because He loves me, and I, Him… I have this hope that I’ll get to heaven one day and live with Him eternally. Oh heaven seems glorious from what I’ve read in the Bible. I can’t wait to get there someday.

But until then, I’ve got some unfinished business down here – in my earthly home. I believe I have a calling to make my home a little piece of heaven on earth.

A place where God’s presence dwells.

A place where marriage honors God.

A place where children are taught to love and follow God.

A place where friends (and at times, strangers) are encouraged.

A place where people who love God pray and work to share that love with others who haven’t experienced it.

God’s desire is for all of us to enter His home, and ours in heaven. Can we cultivate that same desire in our hearts? Can we get to work now, to share the hope of heaven to those who haven’t heard of it yet?

If you like what you’ve read and you don’t want to miss a future post, you can sign up to receive new blog posts by email, or in a reader.

Five Minute Friday: Home Read More »