Wow!  It's been a while since I posted on here!!  Going to work on getting back to it!
We have married off another daughter and gained a grandbaby since I was last here!  We also have another one on the way(grandbaby that is)!  And...another wedding coming up in December!!  Life has been crazy wonderful!

Also, this past January, I started a new adventure!  After years of being anti-direct marketing, I jumped into a side business that has completely changed my mindset!  I found a company that not only has amazing products, a CRAZY good comp plan, but also a foundation of gratitude that sets it apart from others.  And I have done my research!

The company is Monat.  It is a hair care company that specializes in restoring the scalp and the hair by removing build up, waxes and silicones penetrating through all three layers of the hair shaft.  And they go to great lengths to have only natural, botanically based, essential oil infused ingredients with no added fragrances.  The result is amazing smelling shampoos, conditioners, masques, and styling products that are actually healing for your hair and scalp.  The Rejuvenique oil is the foundational product that is in almost every one of the products. 

Over the next few weeks I will be introducing you to these products and showing how we have everything you need to have amazing hair--specifically formulated for your hair type!  One of the things I love most about these products is that it has given so many people their confidence back!  Whether from thinning and balding all the way to Alopecia and after-chemo regrowth.

As an introduction to these products I am giving away a travel set/cosmetic bag gift set!  The set includes:
Smoothing Shampoo
Smoothing Deep Conditioner
Blow Out Heat Protectant Cream
Rejuvenique Oil
And of course the cute bag!

To enter:
Go follow @SunnyStrands on Instagram, like the post talking about the giveaway and tag at least one person.

I will be picking a winner on Monday night 9/17 at 9:00 PM EST

Can't wait to tell you more about these products that have changed the quality of my thick, dry and brittle hair to soft, healthy and manageable!

Spinning plates, Taco Tuesday and Titus 2? Yeah...well...

Go on Pinterest or Facebook these days and you are bound to be bombarded with cooking tips, health advice, and videos of some new yummy concoction!  Google healthy eating and soon you will know everything you need to know about paleo, vegan, ketogenic, and the like!  There is a great health craze going on...and that is a good thing!  Unlike the past, the trendy thing now seems to be eating healthier and cleaner, rather than restricting your food or only eating one thing! (Remember the cabbage soup diet?) Now we are more concerned about what is going on our plate and, therefore, in our bodies.  And that has to be making us healthier.  Physically.

But it really got me thinking the other day.  We think so much about food.  Pretty much my day is planned around my meals and what I am going to feed my family.  Anyone else live for Taco Tuesday?!?

But how much time, thought and planning do we give to what is going on our daily activity plate?  Or our mental plate?

I actually follow an eating plan that has helped me so much.  Not only with weight loss, but overall better health and relief from inflammation due to rheumatoid arthritis.  Much of the emphasis is cutting out the things that are not whole and natural (you know like "you shouldn't eat it if you can't even pronounce it").  But there is also an emphasis on the time frame of eating.  It takes about 2 1/2-3 hours for your body to digest and metabolize what you have eaten.  They suggest waiting that long between meals or snacks IF you are going to change fuel type.  If your meal is heavier on carbs, wait the 3 hours before you eat a meal or snack that is high in fat.  And they suggest breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, and maybe even another snack!  Small meals, with a rest period in between.

When looking at our "plate" of life, do you have just one?  Few of us ever do!  Goodness!  I spin a few: wife, mom, homemaker, pastor's wife, bible study leader, homeschool teacher, worship leader!  Not to mention sometimes nurse, college application filler-outer, blogger, question-answerer, discipler, taxi, bill payer..." You get the idea!  And I am sure you are in the same boat!  And I rarely rest between going from one plate to the next.  It actually is like spinning so many plates at once! But we would never sit at a table with 5, 6, or 10 plates at a time eating off of them all in succession.  Right?  I know I need to stop and re-evaluate often.  I need to do that now.

We all need to ask ourselves:  Is our activity plate healthy?  Are we putting things on, or spinning plates that God never intended us to?  Do we have our hands in too many plates at once? Do we load down the plates He has specifically given us with things that are not supposed to be on them?

Like....additives that have names we can't even pronounce?

When we do that, inevitably some plate is going to come crashing down!  Which one will it be?  Our relationship with God?  Our marriage? Will our relationship with our kids grow cold?  We have to ask first: What HAS God called us to?

Well, as women, He actually has called us to some very specific things!  You know I'm heading to Titus 2, right?  Don't blah, blah, blah me here.  Let's take a fresh look at it regarding what really should be on our plates.  And don't get defensive...snacks are perfectly acceptable!

"Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to too much wine. They are to teach what is good and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self controlled, pure, working at home, kind and submissive to their own husbands, that the Word of God may not be reviled." Titus 2:3-5

Of course, all of the scripture is a tool for men and women to learn how to love, obey and glorify God, but sometimes a specific word is given specifically to women, men, children, etc.  Titus 2 is a great place to start in figuring out what some of the basic things are that should be on our plate in order to have a well-rounded appetite for the things of God in His design for womanhood.

This is a blog, not a bible study(and of course we could go much, much deeper)....but I pray as we list a few of the things here, it will cause us to take a second look at our plates.  That we will put as much, actually more, emphasis on our spiritual plates as we do our meal plates.  That we will begin to prioritize by seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Older women are to teach younger women, and so all Christian women are called to these plates: 

• Reverent in behavior (not foolish, not a gossip or a slanderer, but filled with the Spirit rather than too much wine).
• Know what is good so they can teach it!  Devotion life, prayer life, bible study are key to be a qualified teacher of what is good!
• Training other women!  Discipleship!  Investing in the lives of other women in church, in your or their home, serving other women.  Exhibiting genuine Christ-likeness so you can say, "Follow me as I follow Christ" (1 Cor. 11:1)
• Love your husband.  Fulfill the role of wife that is designed by God. (What a great study that would be...hint, hint).  On down in the verse it also says, "kind and submissive to their own husbands."  Oh what wisdom and joy there is in doing just those two things!
• Love your children.  Care for them, nurture them, teach them as you sit in the house and as you walk by the way.  That is true love.
• Be self-controlled and pure.  Walking in the Spirit day by day, resisting the temptations of the flesh
• Work at home.   Hold on now...don't get crazy on me!  No one says you can't have a job outside the home and I know some of you are single and are the only provider. I get that.  The mandate here is to make your home a haven, a peaceful refuge for your husband and children.
• That the Word of God would not be reviled.  That's the big plate, the main course and the dessert all rolled up in to one. Our purpose on this earth is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.  All of our plates should be pointing to that one purpose: to glorify God!  How we will then enjoy Him!  That was Jesus' main goal as well:  "My meat is to do the will of the one who sent me." John 4:34  And the Psalmist echos our heart cry, "How sweet are your words to my taste, yes sweeter than the honey to my mouth." Psalm 119:103.  Not only that, but Job who had much trial reminds us of this truth: "I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food." Job 23:12

Are you feeling over-burdened, burned out, stretched too thin?  Sweet sister, take a look at the plates you are spinning!  And be reminded that what HE calls you to, HE equips you for!  The plates He designed for you are healing, nourishing, and energizing!  

Are some of the plates you are spinning keeping you from what He has called you to?  

May be time to put a few plates back on the shelf for now.  

Once we are grounded in His calling for us, we can add some things on: some will be out of necessity, and some, after much prayer, an added blessing! A snack!  Let's just be careful not to replace the necessary nutritional things, for the over-processed and false fillers.

Tune my heart to sing Thy grace

I have been meditating on this line in the song Come Thou Fount...(which I LOVE).
Usually I am drawn to the phrase "prone to wander, Lord I feel it". You too?

But this week, after sitting with a friend, rejoicing over the trials He has been bringing her through, this line has caught my attention.

I remember years ago when we had someone come and tune our piano.  He was a wonderful older gentleman who immediately saw the opportunity to engage my sweet homeschooling kids.   He asked me if I would like him to give the kids a lesson and count it as a homeschool "field trip" while he showed them the ins and outs of the piano and the method of tuning.  It was so interesting and the kids were immediately intrigued.  He spent time explaining how the piano works, some history about the instrument, and the specific method of large tuning and fine tuning.  He was obviously very skilled and uniquely qualified as a master of the workings of a piano.  That method of tuning really stood out to me as God began showing me the relation between the time and commitment it takes to tune a piano just right to get the most beautiful sound, and how He works in our lives to mold and make us into the image of Christ.  Sometimes large tuning...and a lot of fine tuning!

He is always tuning us.  I know how easily it is for me to get out of tune.  The author of the hymn Come Thou Fount evidently had the same sentiment.  He knew He needed the Master, the One who made these instruments for His glory, to constantly tune his heart so the melodies of God's grace would come forth in praise.  Rightly.  In tune.

So I started asking myself a few things:

How do we get out of tune?
How did we become an instrument in the first place?
Why do we need to be constantly tuned?
What does it take to tune us?
How does it benefit us?

Do you ever feel out of tune?  Does your praise seem dry and off key?  Are you praising at all?  Oh don't you want to be tuned by the Master?  Don't you want to be used for His glory?

I'm going to be doing a summer series on this topic regarding being tuned by the Master.  Won't you join me?  We will be looking at 1 Peter, Psalm 51, Psalm 84 and many other scriptures in the journey of being instruments of His grace!  I hope you will join me!

"Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise!"

Book Review: The Gentle Art of Discipling Women

From the back cover:

"Does Jesus' call to 'Go and make disciples' seem a little intimidating?  You're not alone!  Let seasoned discipler Dana Yeakley mentor you on this incredible journey of discipleship.  Dana knows that discipling women can be overwhelming- but she's seen how our amazing God works and knows the He has uniquely designed you to disciple other women."
I was excited to review this book on the topic of discipleship as it is something very close to my heart...not only as a pastor's wife, but as a woman of God desiring to obey what God has commanded me to do.

Most Christians have a tender heart toward missions and the gospel, but often we forget the foundational call in both of those areas: discipleship!  In Matthew 28, where Jesus gave the disciples (and us) the great commission, it was to go and make disciples!

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

When God does that miraculous work of drawing us to Himself through the Holy Spirit by the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, we become His disciples...His followers.  We dig into the Word, we learn all we can about God and His character, we are sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and He shows us how to become conformed to the image of Christ!  And as we grow in the Word, prayerfully, there will be those more mature in the faith, to lead us by example of how to walk as exiles upon this earth. How to be in the world and not of the world.  Those who will say, with Paul, "Imitate me as I imitate Christ." (1 Cor. 11:1)


Sadly, there is a lack of discipleship in many of our churches.  Discipleship, meaning, being one who authentically follows Christ and is building, investing into someone else's life.

There are various ways for discipleship, but all should center around the Word of God. And it should be more than just a bible study, but an apprenticeship or teacher/student relationship.  A one on one intimate relationship formed around the Word. We have a beautiful model of this as we see that Jesus taught many, had 12 disciples, and was very close to three.  Who better to learn this from than from Christ Himself! It was a model of multiplication and reproduction...and one we see carried out in the early church.

In this book, Dana Yeakley, lays out as a guide, how to begin discipling for those who are unsure where to start.  But, she also explains the why's and the how's.  The first half of the book is about being His disciple yourself...an important step in determining if it is your season to disciple or be discipled.  The second half is how to make disciples.  Each chapter allows you to go deeper with study questions and though-provoking questions.  The book is flexible for those who really want to dig in and study the topic and also for those who need a quick refresher and reminder of the call.

I appreciate the author's emphasis on the importance of the Word, prayer, while also reminding us that discipleship is also an act of walking alongside each other for real life application.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking to be a disciple, or one who is looking to obey the call to disciple other women.  My recommendation, though, would come with the advice to study the Word and be in prayer primarily, and use this book as only an addition to that.  God's Word to us is the greatest manual for learning how to "go and make disciples."

*I was give a free copy of this book by Tyndale for an honest review

                                                     

Who, what, when, where, why and how!

30-Day Revive our Hearts Reading Challenge
Day 2: Hey, That’s Mine! 

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” —Hebrews 4:12 ESV

It’s fun to check emails—to see if friends have written us or if a special message has arrived— but imagine if someone else read your messages all the time and then just passed along parts of them to you. After a while, you’d likely say, “Hey! I want to read those messages myself, thank you!”

 It’s the same with Scripture reading. Perhaps you’ve heard lots of sermons or read books about the Bible. That’s great, but it’s not the same as reading the Bible yourself. It is God’s love letter to you; it’s meant to be personal.

When you read a letter, you notice who wrote it, but also what they said, when they wrote it, perhaps where they were when they wrote, and even why they wrote. Follow that same observation technique as you read the Bible. Ask the questions, “Who, what, when, where, why, and how?” Look for the people involved. Look for the subject, event, or action. Try to determine when and where the verses were written. Determine why God wanted you to hear this message.

 Finally, ask questions for application, like: “How does this apply to my life?” “How can I change my thinking or behavior so it lines up with biblical truth?” “How does God want me to respond?” Ask the Holy Spirit to be your teacher and give you insight and wisdom. In this way, you’re not just getting into the Word; the Word is getting into you! The Word of God is alive and powerful (Heb. 4:12), and God will use it to transform your life.

Keep on reading; keep on listening; keep on growing!

Action Step: As you read the Bible today, ask yourself application questions like the ones above.


© Used with permission. http://www.ReviveOurHearts.com Info@ReviveOurHearts.com

Resolved 2016

I'm a little late on the New Year Resolutions thing...and this isn't a blog about keeping or not keeping them!
But the number one question I get from ladies of all ages has something to do with what bible study plan I use or if I can recommend a good plan for reading through the Bible.

I'm not big on New Year's Resolutions either, but the beginning of a new year does seem a good time to a spiritual check-up.  Here is a great start for that:https://soundcloud.com/revive-our-hearts/a-spiritual-checkup?utm_content=buffer6a506&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Usually, during those times of seeking God to show us areas we have slacked on, a big one is our time in the Word.  As His children, we know the importance of spending time with Him.  And He is faithful to lovingly draw us back through the conviction of the Holy Spirit when our world has gotten caught up in misplaced priorities.

I wanted to provide you all with a list of great resources for Bible reading this year.  This list has something for everyone.  And even if you are already a seasoned woman of the Word, we all need encouragement to dig in and grow and not to get complacent.

I also will be following Revive Our Hearts 30- Day Bible Reading Challenge.  You can join me here on the blog or on my Facebook page Living Out God's Design.
With this challenge, you will use whatever Bible Reading system you have in place or are looking to implement.  The challenge will encourage you each day to dig deeper in the Word with some practical applications regarding your reading for the day.

I pray this is the year we all grow more and more in love with God and His letter to us.  That we will know and understand better who He is and consequently, then, grow "in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." 2 Peter 3:18

You can go here for the best resource of bible reading plans I have found: Bible Reading Plans

And here is Day 1 of the Revive Our Hearts Bible Reading Challenge:

Day 1: What You’ll Find Between the Covers

We’re so glad you have taken the challenge to read the Bible daily for the next thirty days. It’s going to be a true challenge, because it won’t always be easy. But as with most worthwhile choices in life, you won’t regret it. God will use Scripture to help you know Him better and to discover His wonderful plan for all mankind—His plan for YOU! As you get into His Word, you’ll begin to see how all of it fits together, with the wonderful story of God’s redemption woven through each and every book.

As you read, verse by verse and chapter by chapter, you’ll begin to sense God speaking to your heart. He may give you some marching instructions for your day or awaken you to a truth you’ve never seen before or show you an area of your heart or mind that He wants to transform so He can make you more like Jesus.

So let’s get started.

“Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” —Proverbs 30:5 ESV

We hope you’re enjoying your time reading the Scriptures. No matter where you read, you’ll find that God’s Word is an extremely practical, relevant, and timeless book.

Use what you learn from Bible characters’ examples—good and bad—to challenge your own walk with God. Life’s struggles aren’t meant to discourage us, but to help us grow as we apply the truth of His Word. Some of the stories in the Bible will be familiar to you, but ask God to help you read with fresh eyes. You may see something you’ve never considered before! Let Scripture reading become your daily delight . . . the joy and song of your heart.

If you’ve chosen to read through the Bible from beginning to end, you’ll discover that the first books are foundational. Genesis is the book of first things. It teaches us about the origin of our world as well as the early history of God’s people. Many of the things you see in our world today—especially the ugly consequences of sin and the struggles between nations of people— are a result of what happened in that early history.

History, poetry, romance, prophecy, wisdom literature . . . there’s so much to discover between the covers of God’s book, and it is all “profitable” for us (2 Tim. 3:16). It’s our prayer that your biggest discovery will be that God and His plan for the world is much bigger than you can imagine.

 30-Day Bible Reading Challenge © Used with permission. http://www.ReviveOurHearts.com Info@ReviveOurHearts.com Keep up your reading, with joy! Action Step: Today as you read, look for something you never knew before or for something that speaks to a personal need.

Movie Review: War Room

"From the award-winning creators of Fireproof and Courageouscomes WAR ROOM, a compelling drama with humor and heart that explores the power that prayer can have on marriages, parenting, careers, friendships, and every other area of our lives.

Tony and Elizabeth Jordan have it all—great jobs, a beautiful daughter, and their dream house. But appearances can be deceiving. Tony and Elizabeth Jordan’s world is actually crumbling under the strain of a failing marriage. While Tony basks in his professional success and flirts with temptation, Elizabeth resigns herself to increasing bitterness. But their lives take an unexpected turn when Elizabeth meets her newest client, Miss Clara, and is challenged to establish a “war room” and a battle plan of prayer for her family. As Elizabeth tries to fight for her family, Tony’s hidden struggles come to light. Tony must decide if he will make amends to his family and prove Miss Clara’s wisdom that victories don’t come by accident.

Opening nationwide in theaters August 28 and filled with more of the authentic characters loved by millions in previous Kendrick Brothers’ films, WAR ROOM is a vivid reminder that prayer is a powerful weapon."

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A refreshing and thought provoking film centered around the power of prayer. You won't be disappointed in this new film by the Kendrick brothers and you will walk away with a desire to clean out a room or closet for the specific use of prayer!  

I was thankful that the movie did not delve in to any of the new trends of mysticism in prayer, but held to the biblical truths of crying out to God in repentance and trusting Him and His sovereign rule in all things.  

I was also thankful for the mighty example of a Titus 2 woman in mentoring and seeking the Lord as to how she could invest and make a difference in the lives of other women through the power of prayer.  

I would advise parents to watch the movie alone to discern whether or not it is appropriate for children.  There are some thematic elements that may not be suitable for the younger ones in your family.

In Theaters on August 28th, 2015

*I was invited and given two tickets to a pre-screening of War Room by Affirm Films