-
Ryan’s “Care” Projects: How *Clearance* Backpacks Can Make a Difference
Seize every opportunity to do acts of kindness for others, for these are the moments that delight your Father’s heart. Hebrews 13:16 Friend, it only takes one devastating blow in life to end up in a much different place. One unexpected diagnosis. One ill-timed layoff. One catastrophic storm. One life-shattering event. It only takes one. In our season of blessings, it is so incredibly important to look around and reach out our hands to help others who are in their seasons of need. We are all God’s children, called to be the hands, heart, and feet of Jesus in all places and spaces. We are called to serve and most…
-
Two-Minute Thoughts on Faith: Feed Your Belly & Feed Your Spirit This Holiday Season!
Video Transcription Can Be Found Below. VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Hi, everybody! Shannon here with Raising a Blessing Blog and today as we roll into the holiday season, (we’re only two days away from Thanksgiving) we’re going to talk about the spiritual food that we are consuming as we gather together with our friends for friendsgiving or with our family for more traditional Thanksgiving. We’re going to talk about how important the spiritual food is that we are consuming. You know, Jesus said, that the most important commandment was to love Him and to love others. And I know that as we roll into this Thanksgiving season, sometimes it’s challenging to be…
-
#MomLife & My Perfectly Imperfect “Quiet Time” With Jesus
Some days, this is what my time with God looks like. Yup, this picture (right here) is often my personal version of “quiet time with Jesus.” Messy and imperfect, it’s true, but also the beautiful reality of the season that I’m in right now – a season of several hats and many hearts, but too few hours in the day (#momlife). But friends, if there is one thing I’ve learned lately in the chaotic and wonky days of the journey, it’s this: Never underestimate the Holy Spirit’s ability to move into even the messiest, most imperfect, and simply mundane moments (like this) and powerfully speak to your heart. Because no…
-
Reflection: An Important Part of the Healing Journey
Find Me. When you revisit the painful memories of seasons in the past, find Me. When you sit in a space of reflection and there’s still an ache, a sorrow, in the healing, find Me. When you still struggle at times, wrestling with the rise and fall of forgiveness, grace, love, hope, and peace, find Me. I’m always there. And I always will be. … Over the summer, I sat right here at this beautiful waterfall. The pictures would make it seem magical, an incredible destination and adventure. But for me, it was a place that brought back more memories than I cared to revisit. But you see, that’s not…
-
Book Review: Fear Is Not The Boss Of You by Jennifer Allwood
Sometimes I feel like a book came across my desk at just the right time. It seems to hit all the feel goods and really capture my attention. And then, other times, I know it came across my desk at just the divine time – that is, God’s timing! This book is the latter. It was absolutely no coincidence whatsoever that this book landed in my lap. In fact, I also believe that it was no coincidence that I also happened to need a good book for my nightly walks and runs and ended up downloading it as an audiobook. Why? Because hearing Allwood’s voice as she poured out her…
-
P.S. God, Is That Really You?
Here are some questions that I’d like to take a moment to reflect upon with you today, friends – What keeps us from believing that we are truly hearing His voice? What filter have we placed between His voice and our hearts and how can we remove it so that we FULLY experience the flow of His outpouring? Exploring these questions is such an important part of the journey, but sometimes, it can be quite challenging to unwrap the answers. I’d like to propose some possible scenarios that we can work through below, but I also want to encourage your heart to explore this question more deeply over the next…
-
Two-Minute Thoughts on Faith: Teaching Our Children to Dance with God
One day, he’ll decide for himself what he believes. You could say that about him now, with his confident nature and unapologetic faith in who God is, but he’s still so young and he still comes to me with his doubts and questions. But one day, he won’t. One day, he will seek out those answers on his own. One day, he will be on a journey that is all his. And on that day, it won’t be the knowledge that I have shared with him or the beliefs that I hold deep in my own heart that securely anchors him to the Father. It will be the one-on-one relationship…
-
Two-Minute Thoughts on Faith: Come Just As You Are, My Child
“For (Jesus) has dedicated a new, life-giving way for us to approach God. For just as the veil was torn in two, Jesus’ body was torn open to give us free and fresh access to Him. We come closer to God and approach him with an open heart, fully convinced that nothing will keep us at a distance from him. For our hearts have been sprinkled with blood to remove impurity, and we have been freed from an accusing conscience. Now we are clean, unstained, and presentable to God inside and out!” (Hebrews 10:20,22 TPT) Sometimes one simple Bible verse can ground you solidly in His truths, given permission to…
-
I Am Not Catholic, But My Family Loved Joining the Good Friday Pilgrimage! Here’s Why…
Dear Friends, this blog post is part of our NEW! Challenged & (Always) Cherished series! I hope you enjoy it and I pray that it speaks to you and blesses you immensely! If you’d like to learn more about our Challenged & (Always) Cherished series, see the video at the end of this post. … I am not Catholic, but my family recently participated in the local Good Friday Pilgrimage (and LOVED it!). I wanted to take a few moments and jot down my thoughts and share with you where God has been growing me. And if you hang with me until the end of this post, I truly believe…
-
Two-Minute Thoughts on Faith: The Identity List
It started off as a conversation about shame between my Heavenly Father and me. He pressed on my heart to give it over to Him and I resisted, arguing in a most stubborn fashion that I deserved to carry it. The conversation quickly transpired into a full-blown discussion about my identity and who I am in Him, but it unexpectedly evolved into a beautiful and life-changing challenge that He placed on my heart: To write a list, the list: Much like I asked my son to do for this art project, my Father asked me… Who are you? Make the list. Write the words. Leave nothing left unsaid. And here’s…
