When Crickets Chirp...

If you are one of the few precious people who read this blog, you may have noticed that I’ve been quiet for awhile.  Like… pretty much since before Christmas.  Way too long.  Maybe you've heard the crickets chirping here. :) Sure, I’ve done a few product reviews and those are always fun, but I really haven’t taken the time to express my own thoughts in awhile. 

To be honest, I haven’t really known what to say.  The Lord has had me in this “quiet season” right now.  It’s a season of rediscovering what I know to be true about Him and yet discovering things about Him that I’ve never truly known before.   It’s a season of reshaping my faith and shutting my mouth so that I can really hear His Word and His voice in new ways.  And, it’s a season of stripping… of painful pruning and trust walks, when I can’t see where He’s taking me. 

(a precious 5-year old version of Jesus coming back in the clouds) 

This week marks two years since my sweet husband went to be with Jesus.  Everyone prepared me that the second year post loss would be harder, and boy, were they right.  I’ve been faced with some really difficult trials this year, and been up against some obstacles that I’ve never encountered before and could have never guessed were coming.   Our circle of support has also grown smaller, but I was prepared for that too, thanks to wise words I’ve read from the lovely Kay Warren.  The grief pops up in less expected ways that I'm not as prepared for. Through it all, I’ve had to continually learn more and more to let Jesus be my total sufficiency, and trust Him to provide all that we need in His perfect timing.  That timing, of course, is far different from my own. 

Yet, He has been so so faithful in gently guiding me on this journey and giving me a strength I could never conjure up on my own to endure whatever each day brings.   He has humbled me greatly as I see more and more, that this life has nothing to do with me and everything to do with Him.  He has challenged my faith through the lives of others who have walked this journey before me.  He has brought broken dreams to the spotlight of my prayers and has given me the boldness to bravely approach Him with my shattered heart, entrusting Him again and again with those dreams.   And when I do, He beautifully pours in me the hope, though some days bleak, to continue dreaming and trusting. 

I want to see Him continue to work, and to accomplish those dreams He’s put in my heart.   But for now, I believe it’s about being still and letting Him fight for me as I learn that in quietness and confidence is my strength. (Is. 30:15)

Pastor James MacDonald visited my church recently, and preached from James 1.   When he spoke on James 1:3-4:

"...for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

He explained that steadfastness, patience, or whatever other word your Bible translation gives, is the Greek word “hupomena”… which means "to remain under."   This is the true challenge of trials and hard seasons in our lives.  Will we choose to remain under when all we want to do is to get out?  To stop fighting it and endure for as long as is needed, learning what our Father wants us to from it?  What a lesson learned that will help us through anything we will face in life!  When we learn how to “remain under” well, it is a funnel through which all other ministry and life opportunities will grow. 

This brought so much clarity to me and encouraged me, as I hope it does for you, that God is using the hard seasons to teach us so much.  The process of learning how to remain under will not only help me now, but in whatever seasons that are ahead.  

So for now, I choose to remain under even when it’s painful.  And remaining under may mean more quiet.  More seeking instead of speaking.   I may be quiet for awhile longer.  The crickets may keep chirping around here, but amidst the silence, a lot more can be learned than it often can in the noise.  

I honestly don’t really know what’s ahead.  I have big dreams and plans, even for this little blog, but they are all in God’s hands.  

And I'm learning that there’s no one better to hold them.  

Book review... The Fringe Hours

Another book that I had the privilege of reviewing just released this week, and if you are anything like me and have a hard time finding time for yourself... you are going to want to run to the nearest bookstore or click over to the nearest website to buy this book!

Jessica Turner's new book, The Fringe Hours: Making Time for You, was the best book I've reviewed in awhile.  In this practical and liberating book, Jessica Turner empowers women to take back pockets of time they already have in their day in order to practice self-care and do the things they love. Jessica uses her own experiences and those of women across the country to teach readers how to balance their many responsibilities while still making it a priority to invest in themselves. She also addresses barriers to this lifestyle, such as comparison and guilt, and demonstrates how eliminating these feelings and making changes to one's schedule will make the reader a better wife, mother, and friend.

I love how the reason for the creation of this book came from Jessica's heart and struggle to create more time for herself.  As a working mom of three, she understands the desires of women to juggle so many things well.  She also knows how often we can push our own needs and dreams aside to do so much for everyone else in our lives, and gives so many practical tips on how to care for others and still care for ourselves as well.  

My favorite part of this book was the way it was set up so interactively, with space given for personal reflection and application.  There are small motivational "take aways" at the end of each chapter too, to apply what has been read.  

The Fringe Hours would be a great individual read or an excellent choice for a group study.  And if you don't have a local group to go through it with and want to be part of one online, it's not to late to check out the (in)Courage's Bloom book club that is about to journey through this book.    

To learn more about the book and access extra resources, go here. 

More book reviews... and a giveaway!

Giveaway has ended... the winner is Andrea! 

Yikes, it's been over a month since I've blogged! I've been a horrible blogger lately, I know. Sigh. It's just been one of those difficult seasons... but I still have big dreams in mind for this little blog and am excited to be back more regularly soon, Lord willing.  I have missed writing!

I have been reading though, and today, I have two books to share with you that I recently read to review. The first is a fiction book called At Home in Last Chance.  This is the third book in a three part series by Cathleen Armstrong, and tells a beautiful story of  the power of love and forgiveness.

Kaitlyn, the main character, has come back home to try and build a bond with the 7-year old daughter she abandoned and left her brother to raise just six months earlier.   Through a series of difficulties and hard times, Kaitlyn has realized her need to be near her daughter and rebuild her life back in her hometown.  That doesn't prove to be easy, however, as trust has been broken and relationships need to be restored and rebuilt.  Through her mistakes, pain, and growth, her heart learns to trust both her God and the others that He has put in her life.   Her friends and family also learn to love her in needed ways that help her grow and heal.

This story will encourage you and leave you pondering the ways that you have also changed through hurt and loss, and the growth of character that will come along as a result.  I highly recommend this book as a light and encouraging read.

The second book I recently read was Mothering From Scratch, by Melinda Means and Kathy Helgemo.  Mothering From Scratch was very recently published.  It offers a great perspective especially to younger moms who are just starting out on this journey, by two seasoned mom authors who share nuggets of truth and wisdom from their own journeys. They present important information to consider such as personality types, scheduling, and priorities. Furthermore, they present it all with the perspective that every mother is unique, so their methods and journeys should be as well. The advice to stop comparing and start being the mother that God made you to be is a message that will encourage many women who read this book.

My favorite part of this encouragement was the reminder that our dreams as women do not "spoil", just because we are not able to make those dreams happen right now. If we are focusing on what is most important in this season, which is raising our children in a godly way, we will have another season ahead when we can make dreams come alive for ourselves personally. With motherhood feeling so all encompassing at times, I needed that reminder, and I'm sure others do too.

I am grateful for the authors' honesty with their own stories of successes and failures along the way, so all of us moms coming along behind them can learn to be the best moms possible.  Do you or someone you know need the encouragement found in this book?  I'm giving a copy away of Mothering From Scratch!  

Just leave a comment on this post before 11:59 p.m. Thursday night, and I'll draw a winner on Friday!