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Testimony Tuesday with Shannon
Yesterday on our Facebook page, I invited you to share a piece of your story with us and tell us what God’s been doing in your life lately. Today, I wanted to share a small piece of mine in hopes that it will bring your heart some encouragement if you’re sitting in the wait… You see, after traveling through a very difficult season, God began to gently press on my heart to share my story. And as you’ll gather from this excerpt, I was immediately filled with reluctance and doubt. But following through on His nudge, His gentle press, has blessed me more than I could have ever imagined. He…
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Talking Jesus in the Mayonnaise Aisle
Picture it… Talking about Jesus in the mayonnaise aisle at the grocery store as others come and go around you… If we’re being honest, what feelings does it stir up in your heart? Discomfort? Anxiety? Fear? Not too long ago, I would find myself awkwardly uncomfortable – to the point of shutting down – if any conversation, public or private, ventured into the topics of God, Jesus, or the Bible, but especially in group or public settings. I could give you a whole list of reasons why, but it primarily came down to two (well one, really): Fear and Insecurity. I feared either total rejection (even by strangers) or that…
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Two-Minute Thoughts: Shaking Courage
When describing the moments just before he stepped out in faith, Nehemiah writes, “I was terrified.” (Nehemiah 2:2) But he took the step. And guess what? God showed up. God delivered. God was faithful. Sometimes, God calls us to step out in faith, muster up every ounce of courage we can scrape together, and trust that He will catch us. And sometimes we are shaking in fear because we have a lot on the line and we’ve been disappointed so many times when we have counted on anyone other than ourselves. Sometimes what He is calling us into feels so impossible or the road feels too impassible. But my friends,…
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What If Joy Doesn’t Come With the Morning?
“Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” (Psalm 30:5 NLT) But God, what if it doesn’t? What if the morning comes and I’m still curled up in the fetal position, overwhelmed with depression, anxiety, and confusion? What if I’m angry… so angry… because it’s all just so unfair. It’s unfair, God. I’ve done everything I know to do and these unrelenting waves are beating the life out of me! One after another after another. I come up for air and just as I think maybe there’s a reprieve in this storm, I’m thrown under the water again, gasping for my next breath and struggling to…
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Travel: South Padre Island (SPI), Texas – Beach Vacation for the Whole Family!
Welcome back, friends! I’m beyond excited to share this travel blog post with you today because our family has been vacationing in South Padre Island, Texas for several years now and we just can’t get enough of its unassuming charm and endless fun and beauty! Our first few years vacationing there, we spent the entire week just enjoying beach activities (there are so many!), but more recently, we’ve been taking time to really explore all that the island has to offer! I’m sure that we will be adding more to this list in the years to come, but for now, here are some of our favorites to explore, eat, and…
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Book Review: When Heaven Invades Earth by Bill Johnson (Bethel Church)
When Heaven Invades Earth was my second book/read by the pastors of Bethel Church and it did not disappoint… far from it. In fact, what was so incredibly neat to me while reading through its pages was the realization that I had heard many of the same messages from God while traveling through my own season of healing and growth and writing my book, A Time to Dance: Chasing Joy in Difficult Seasons. That said, my depth of understanding, experience, and growth was like a dipped toe into a very deep pool compared to what Bill Johnson offered in his book. “Heaven is not just our eternal destination, but also…
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Homeschool Books & Resources We Loved: Kindergarten
As a somewhat-new homeschooling mom, I have always felt a lot of pressure to find the right resources to help my little guy thrive! I want him to truly find enjoyment in learning, so I find myself constantly shifting materials in his curriculum until we discover the gems that light him up. Because I know that there are other moms out there with the same struggle, I began to keep track of what we loved as we worked through his Kindergarten year. And bonus… these are not just suggestions for homeschoolers! Many of these books can be rolled into your nighttime routine if your kid attends school outside of the…
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On The Nightstand: A Current List of Books We Are Reading & Our Favorite Book Reviews
We often get asked what books we are currently diving into or recommend. On this page, we will strive to share all of our updates, book reviews (as they become available), and keep our book lists current. Please feel free to drop us a comment at the bottom of the page with your feedback or recommendations! Blessings! Before we get started, I’d love to take just a moment and recommend my new book for your consideration, A Time to Dance: Chasing Joy in Difficult Seasons. It’s all about drawing close to God in the really difficult seasons of life and allowing Him to pour into you and remind you who…
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Book Review: Do It Afraid by Joyce Meyer
If I’m being perfectly honest, this has been one of the most challenging book reviews that I have ever written. I struggled with this book, a lot, and my personal opinions are not the most flattering, which makes this review very difficult for me to publish, but I also know that putting it off won’t make it any easier. I realize that I’m just a little (tiny) fish in a very big pond, but I still desire to be a cheerleader for everyone putting themselves out there and encouraging others in their journey. So, I want to be clear and pause for a second to say, just because something is…
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2022 New Year’s Resolution: Simply Put… More Jesus!
Friends, if I may be a little vulnerable with you today… 2020 was a year that brought me to my knees, quite literally. It was hard… so very hard. There were times that I wasn’t sure how to breathe, much less how to put one foot in front of the other. And by the start of 2021, I had only one prayer on my lips; one resolution that I could even wholeheartedly commit to chasing. Simply put, More Jesus. Over the course of the year that followed, I dedicated myself to speaking life into His promises, over and over, even when I could not see a way through the emotional…
