Entries by Renee

Create an intentional summer the easy way – some of my favorite summer posts on life, memories, traditions, and experiences

May 22, 2018 in , /by

Summer brings mixed emotions for some people. Summer living CAN be easy but sometimes the Pinterest pressure to create never-ending bucket lists and expensive experiences feels overwhelming. We see pictures of our friends on social media taking trips and living lives that we can’t live.

I want to encourage you today that an intentional life can be simple and full in a beautiful way. Don’t miss a moment because the moments fly. Lord wiling, we get 18 summers with our kids. This is the time of year the hashtag #dontblink begins to pop up on every post.

As we conclude school years, we are reminded how fast time moves. With that reminder comes a mix of excitement and overwhelm at what that means for summer.

Today I share 7 of my favorite summer posts I’ve written over the years. It was fun to see how much I’ve changed over the course of the years in my writing, but the heart of what I love to write about remains the exact same. As I read through these posts, I was so grateful for living with deep intention in these years. Many of these posts were written in the toddler, preschool, and early elementary years. We are now entering high school, middle of middle school, and end of elementary. I blinked for sure, but I feel grateful for seeing it all.

How to literally rest on the Word of God

May 11, 2018 in , /by

I want to take intentional living to higher grounds. There is a reason God instructs us to talk about Him with our kids when we lie down and rise up, when we walk along the road and when we sit together at home. There is a reason He tells us to write His Word on our doorposts. To become wholehearted in a godless culture takes intention. Today I share a story of how our family has used God’s Word to literally learn to rest on the Word of God and how you can do the same.

I’m so fearful to share this with you, so here goes!

May 10, 2018 in , /by

My face still flushes when I remember the story I share with you today. The best way to overcome embarrassment is to expose yourself to it, right? I think the same is true with fear. I’m sharing something with you today I’ve wanted to share for quite some time. But I’m scared. I’m scared I’ll fail and be humiliated right in front of your eyes.

At the same time, if you are a reader here, we’ve grown a trust between us. You are a close community to me, and I feel I can expose my heart to you. I trust you will hold it with tender care. So thank you for allowing me to be vulnerable with you.

Join me for today’s post. I have a story to share that will give you a chuckle and an announcement to make which I’m holding my breath until you’ve finished reading.

About disappointment and the moment that almost was

May 9, 2018 in , /by

Some moments in life are right there. Right within our reach. We see it, we are touching it. It’s almost….then it’s gone. And like that it’s gone before we ever held it. Or we held for a moment, only to have to release it before it belonged fully to us.

How do you handle the disappointments in life? And there are many. Today I share a story of a trivial disappointment the Lord used to reveal to me the deeper moments I have walked through and will walk through. Join me for today’s post.

Before Mother’s Day arrives try adjusting your expectations

May 1, 2018 in , , /by

It’s hard to stay in our own lanes these days isn’t it? The other lane is before our eyes all day long. We have to choose how we view that lane because the reality is, we can’t focus on our lane only.

At the intersection of expectations and reality can be disappointment depending on our perspective and perception. If we aren’t careful in our own hearts, we will miss the beautiful ordinary handcrafted for us. We will miss stepping into our ordinary with full awareness of the nearness of God. It may not be post worthy on social media, but it’s worthy of the attention of Heaven.

I wrote a post about Mother’s Day a few years ago the Lord keeps reminding me of. I want you to read what I wrote then as it’s a reminder I need as I walk into my everyday. Join me for the rest of today’s post.

Choosing Simplicity Over Popularity

April 26, 2018 in /by

Simplicity I crave simplicity. My standard Starbucks drink for the last several years has been a grande white mocha, 2 pumps syrup rather than the sickeningly sweet 4 pumps, with skim milk and no whip cream. How complicated is that? A few months ago I decided I was over the complicated fancy coffee drinks. I […]