Praying Scripture: Difficulty | Hardship

Today we’ll continue our ‘praying scripture’ journey and look at scriptures (turned into prayers) that speak truth into times when we are facing difficulties and/or a difficult season of life. These prayers are just examples. Feel free to use them as they are or modify them using your own words and specific situation(s).

Click here for prayers on anger and frustration.

Prayer 1

Lord, help me see this struggle as an opportunity for joy, as an opportunity for my faith to be tested so that I can gain endurance to make it through to the other side of this. Thank you for your faithfulness in comforting me during my struggles so that I can point others to you as I give them the same comfort you’ve given me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Scriptures:

  • Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:2-4
  • He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 2 Corinthians 1:4

Prayer 2

Lord, I know you are working in this situation. Please open my eyes so that I may see you at work. I want to see you. I want to believe You when you say that all plans are worked out for my good and Your glory. Lord, help my unbelief. Thank you for your faithfulness. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Scriptures:

  • 16 “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” 17 Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. 2 Kings 6:16-17 (This is an amazing account in the Bible. It’s well worth your time to read the whole chapter!)
  • 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
  • 24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” Mark 9:24
  • If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is. 2 Timothy 2:13

Prayer 3

Lord, what I am facing now is so incredibly difficult. I get lost in it often and it robs me of my joy and thankfulness. Help me be joyful in all circumstances so that my life points to you. Lord, please guide my gaze upwards, fixating my eyes on Jesus so that I continue to run with endurance this race you have set before me! In Jesus’ name, amen.

Scriptures:

  • 16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
  • Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Hebrews 12:1-3

You may notice that the prayers include a “so that” clause. For more on “so that” prayers, click here.

What scriptures do you pray when you are experiencing a hardship?

Stamped Gift Bags

We try to get our girls involved in giving, especially during the Christmas season – a time when it seems the focus for them (and probably most of us, actually!) is often on getting.

In addition to participating in Operation Christmas Child and other missions during the holidays (which we involve the girls with as well), this year we decided to give gifts to our neighbors. My toddlers and I decorated the paper gift bags using Christmas-themed stamps. They had a lot of fun (and so did I – haha)! We will also deliver all the gifts together. If your kiddos are older, they could get a bit fancier with how they decorate the paper bags. You could also use other stamps to decorate bags for other holidays and special occasions (Thanksgiving, Easter, birthdays, graduations, etc.). The possibilities are endless!

I thought they turned out pretty cute! I found the treat bags, stamps, and ink on Amazon.

“You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. ‘For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.’” 2 Corinthians 9:7

Praying Scripture: Anger | Frustration

Well, it’s been a bit since I’ve posted last! But, I’m back at it! At least for now :).

Over the next several months, I’d like to share with you some prayers based on scripture. Oftentimes I know I need to pray, and I want to pray, but I just have no clue WHAT to pray. Maybe you feel that way too? I’ve found that praying scripture is great because it gives me words to pray, and I’m praying God’s words back to him!

Each ‘Praying Scripture’ post will include prayers based on scriptures that focus on a specific challenge area such as anger, sadness, anxiousness, being wronged, etc.

Today I’ll share a few prayers we could say when we’re feeling angry or frustrated.  Continue reading »

Acts of Love and Kindness Chart

Commit.

And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:6-9

Commit.

It’s my focus word for 2018. I’ve chosen to commit to teaching my children (and others) about Jesus. Of course, I will continue to teach my children about Jesus and weave it, hopefully, ever so seamlessly into my parenting beyond just this year. But, this year, this is the year that’s going to get me started on that path!

Last month my 2.5 year old and I (who am I kidding, it was just me) created an ‘Acts of Love and Kindness’ chart. At this point, you’re probably assuming I’m going to link you to a pin on Pinterest showing you where I found this idea. Am I right?? Well, guess what!? I did NOT find this on Pinterest, although I’m sure it’s out there :). I came up with the idea on my own! Actually, I take that back. I’m SURE the idea was given to me by the Good Lord above. I do NOT come up with ideas like this so easily!

Below the title of the chart, I included the second half of Galatians 5:14, For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Each circle on the chart represents something my daughter can do for someone else that is kind or loving. Every time she does something that’s on the chart, she puts a sticker in the corresponding circle. We love it!

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I’d love to hear your ideas! What ways do you teach your children about Jesus and how to be like him?

Finding an Aluminum-Free Deodorant

Eight or nine months ago, I set out to find an aluminum-free deodorant. I tried Honestly pHresh, Primal Pit Paste, and Schmidt’s. I applied the deodorant at least twice, if not three times, a day – at night before bed/after shower, in the morning, and then usually one more time in the afternoon.

Deodorant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s my opinion…

  • Primal Pit Paste:
    • My least favorite.
    • People rave about this one, but, man, it was a no-go for me. It did NOT keep me smelling fresh at all! I will not buy this again. And, in fact, I didn’t even finish half the stick.
    • This was $12.95 on Amazon when I purchased it. I’m not sure how long it would have lasted. I only used it for a couple of months.
  • Honestly pHresh
    • At first I thought I really liked this one, but then there were a few times I felt like I got a little stinky…not good!
    • This was $7.99 on Amazon at the time I purchased it, and it lasted about six months.
    • I probably wouldn’t buy this again either.
  • Schmidt’s:
    • So far, it works the best to keep me smelling fresh!
    • I still sweat with this deodorant (aluminum-free deodorants are not antiperspirants), but it does seem to help with reducing sweat a least a little. I’m not sure I noticed that with the other two.
    • This was $4.99 at Target – about half the price of the others! I’ve only been using it for about a month, so I’m not sure how long it will last.
    • I’m loving the bergamot and lime scent, too :).

What aluminum-free deodorants have you had good luck with?

Workout Playlist – Christian Music

Here’s a 45-minute(ish) playlist of Christian music that’s great for a workout. It includes a warm up and cool down song. Enjoy!

What are your favorite Christian workout songs?

Christian Music Workout Playlist

Weekly Cleaning Schedule

THIS! Let me just tell you, when I finally decided to give the infamous weekly cleaning schedule a try, I fell in love.

One night, my husband and I were talking about cleaning. Well, actually, I was venting about how I have no clue why I can’t keep up with the house work (yes, the hubs does help around the house!). Anyway, he said he was shocked I didn’t have a weekly cleaning schedule. I agreed, because, well, schedules and lists are just part of my personality. Lol.

So, I decided to give it the ole college try about three weeks ago, and boy am I glad I did! It’s amazing! Take a look at this one I found…

Weekly Cleaning Schedule

I’ve stuck to it about 85%, and even that has been great! I like it because it’s simple and doesn’t seem overwhelming when you look at it. I switched dusting to Monday and vacuuming to Tuesday. I was always taught to dust before you vacuum so you can vacuum up all the dust. Was anyone else taught that?  I also love doing one load of laundry per day. Our laundry has stopped piling up and it’s not as overwhelming now.

I read a blog from one woman (not sure what blog it was, sorry!) where she explained that the cleaning schedule helped her feel less stressed. She knew that if, for example, she saw her microwave was getting grubby, she didn’t need to take care of it right then. It was on her cleaning schedule and she knew it would get cleaned soon. I have found this to be so true!

Happy cleaning!

Oh, by the way, our kitchen table is STILL a no-clutter zone! This is one of the best changes we ever made!

The No-Clutter Zone

Take a really close look at that picture below. Can you tell what it is? Any guesses?

table

A kitchen table? That’s correct! Now, where might you find a kitchen table as clutter-free a this? Only in a stage home? Yah, that’s exactly what I thought, too. UNTIL, I declared our kitchen table a NO-CLUTTER ZONE. So, that kitchen table in the picture, that CLEAN kitchen table, that CLUTTER-FREE kitchen table, that would be MY kitchen table! Guess how long it’s been that way? One day? Nope. Two days? Nope. One week? Nope, not even just one week, but SEVERAL weeks. I honestly can’t believe it.

For the past year plus, I’ve been on a quest to declutter our home. I’m going at a snail’s pace, but, hey, at least I’m moving forward, right?! Anyway, one article or book or something I read suggested to start small and declare one space in your home a no-clutter zone. We chose our kitchen table as our starting point.

Because our kitchen is a no-clutter zone, nothing can be placed on the table that doesn’t belong. If you bring mail into the house, it needs dealt with right then and there (or placed somewhere else in the house, preferably the mail pile…Don’t get me started on the mail pile. Sigh. This is another area I need to work on!). If you use your laptop on the kitchen table, when you are finished, the laptop goes back to its home on the desk. If you bring home groceries and unload them on the kitchen table, the groceries do not stay there for days, they get put away (preferably) immediately. You get the idea. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, stays on the kitchen table! It’s genius ;).

Now, on to declare the next no-clutter zone!

What will be your no-clutter zone?

Brown Paper Wrapping Paper

Wrapping PaperTo a stranger, it might not be the cutest present under the tree, but to a grandma, grandpa, mommy, daddy, aunt, uncle, or other loved one, it’s the cutest one there is. This Christmas, use brown packing paper as wrapping paper and let your little one color all over it! Best wrapping paper ever! Plus, your kiddos have fun ‘helping’ you wrap presents :).

Heck, I think this would make cute wrapping paper even without the doodles! Use a calligraphy pen to write the ‘To’ and ‘From’ right on the paper. You could also add some Bible verses to it. Finish the present off with some twine wrapped around it tied in a cute little bow. Adorable!

What wrapping ideas do you have?

Cleaning with Vinegar

vinegarI discovered vinegar’s usefulness in cleaning years ago. I love that it has cleaning abilities while also being free of harsh chemicals. How great is that? I keep a spray bottle filled with vinegar under my kitchen sink.

Here’s what I’ve used vinegar for over the years:

  • Removing hard water stains from faucets
  • Cleaning kitchen counters (unless I’ve had raw meat or eggs on the counter, then I clean it with hot soapy water and a disinfectant spray)
  • Dusting
  • Cleaning laminate floors
  • Removing the musty smell from towels
  • Cleaning mirrors

What uses have you found for vinegar?