Entries by Renee

What God Really Promises vs What We Think He Promises

October 17, 2019 in , /by

Have you ever expected one outcome only to receive something completely outside any and all expectations? Of course you have. We all have. That’s simply life. If we aren’t careful, we find ourselves discouraged or feeling abandoned by God. We may even think He’s failed in His promises. But He has never failed us and He never will.

As I began this post, it became something completely different than I’d intended to write. God changed my direction and flooded my mind with His Words. I yielded to Him and let Him direct today’s post. Maybe it was just for you today. I trust God has a good word for you today. He loves you more madly than you know.

Join me for today’s post as we ponder what we sometimes unknowingly believe God has promised compared to what He actually promises us.

When I Need a Spiritual Recharge Do I Remain or Flee?

October 5, 2019 in , /by

Some of the “strengths” we rely on can be affronts to God. For me it shows up as an independent spirit and self-sufficiency. An “I’ve got this” attitude or a failure to ask for help because I can manage just fine. Inside something begins to decay. But this doesn’t have to be the case. Jesus tells us a simple secret that many of us fail to respond to in our culture that holds busy on a pedestal. Join me for today’s post where I share a story of seeking God and within moments the picture He showed me of how to recharge my spiritual life. And by spiritual life, I mean the very essence of our life.

One blip of a moment that showed why simple traditions matter

September 25, 2019 in , , , /by

Isn’t it amazing how a single conversation, sentence, or moment can become such a beautiful turning point in your life? I’m sharing a story I shared 8 years ago but it’s worth repeating. It was foundational to creating a vision for our family when we didn’t even have kids yet. Looking back I’m so grateful for that moment 19 years ago. I had a conversation with one of my teens recently that brought this story back to mind. Join me for the rest of today’s post.

How to move from burned out to renewed energy

August 27, 2019 in , /by

Are you burned out? Exhausted? Tired of the constant stream of information and the hum of social media? Worn out from everyday living? Soul heavy? Me too. So much so I cried out to God and He whispered back. He gave me the first step to finding rest. After I took the first step, He began speaking.

When I’m overwhelmed, I begin to shut down. I want to run away and hide. There’s a story in the Bible of a prophet who found himself exhausted and scared. He ran away to hide in a cave. I crave the cave. My soul wasn’t meant to carry all it absorbs each day. And when I don’t care for it well, I respond in flight.

As I hid in my cave, I wrote this post to share with you. As I wrote, God showed me what my soul needed most. Join me if you could use some encouragement for the journey you are on.

Today I say goodbye to a dream

August 19, 2019 in , , /by

I made the decision weeks ago, but I cried this morning as I wrote my blog post. Dreams are deeply personal. And when we are courageous enough to follow them, we expose our heart to a variety of feels. Today I say goodbye to dream and I process how I feel about this. Join me for today’s post.

My job is not to make my kid’s struggle easier.

August 12, 2019 in , , /by

It’s tempting to rescue our kids from their struggle. We want to make the path smooth when what we should be doing is stepping back and praying their feet are toughened as they walk the rocky path and learn to trust in Christ alone to guide them. The worst parenting mistake I can make is the one where I elbow Christ out of the way and tell Him I’ll make everything the way I think it should be for my kid.

I wrote a post 7 years ago titled The Struggle with Struggle. A tree gains strength and endurance from the wind it’s exposed to. The same is true in our lives and those of our kids. It’s time we stop rescuing our kids and let those winds blow.

Join me for today’s post.

Books I’ve Read in 2019

August 6, 2019 in , /by

  I should really become more systematic with sharing posts about what I’ve read and am reading. It’s far too sporadic. Nonetheless, here’s a few books I’ve read since my last post Books I’ve Read This Year and Why We Read Aloud.   Personal Growth/Non-Fiction/Christian Living Switch on Your Brain by Dr. Caroline Leaf It’s […]