Book Review - Now:Purposeful Steps Toward a More Abundant Life

I have received a free copy of Now: Purposeful Steps Toward a More Abundant Life in exchange for my honest review.

It's been a while since I've updated on here. We've been in hibernation most of this winter, snuggling on the couch in front of the fireplace, reading books, watching movies, and simply enjoying each others company undistracted. What a wonderful feeling this has been. But now spring is in the air and thus, we are stirring again.

During those cozy winter months, I have had the pleasure of reading "Now: Purposeful Steps Toward a More Abundant Life" by Sarah Coller. Sarah is a beautiful mother of nine and writer over at Classicalhomemaking.com, where she shares about homemaking, literature, and her wonderful family. Please head over to her site, you will find so much hope there.

And for anyone looking for encouragement to a fulfilling life, author Sarah shares her practical guidance on living a satisfying life through the focus on God. Stepping into the first chapter, Sarah opens with a spiritual experience she encountered a couple of years ago. At once honest and realistic, Now: Purposeful Steps to a More Abundant Life had me nod in awe to the wisdom she is sharing with her readers. Living purposefully by centering on our Lord God, is the core focus to our own happiness and well-being. The steps she approaches in her book, together with the "Pray and Respond" section at the end of each chapter help the reader to focus on their own reflection and growth.

Filled with personal experiences and encouragements that had me relate to Sarah on so many levels, as a mom, as a writer, as a sister in Christ, Now: Purposeful Steps to a More Abundant Life, is a book written as a devotional and quick to read. You can choose to read it from cover to cover in one sitting, a chapter each day or - as I did -  a couple of chapters at a time to help internalize her wisdom and support. I pray that you will find as much encouragement in her book as I have, you will not be disappointed.

You can find Sarah on her website at www.classicalhomemaking.com, where she also hosts a weekly Classical Homemaking Party, and on social media, among others on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Jesus Loves Me...

".... This I know.

For the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to Him belong,

They are weak and He is strong." 

I have been humming this little song all evening long. While I straighten the house for the week to come.
While I pack my daughter's bag for her Day Mother.
While I nurse her.

My sweet little Baby - so tiny and yet so big already.
She will be eight months this week. It is hard to believe how fast time has been flying by.

Precious time.

She has started crawling now. And since Friday, she's been pulling herself up on everything possible.

Her little body must be hurting - I can see the exhaustion in her beautiful eyes, but she doesn't want to sleep just yet.

She wants to explore the house with her new found mobility.

Wants to find every cable in the house and bite it.

Wants to look and feel new textures.

I nurse her to sleep, she's so tired she barely finishes eating.
My heart is full of love for this little human being. Truly a blessing from the Lord.
I gently touch her hair, trying not to wake her up, while taking in that baby smell.

My pretty little daughter. Daddy and I are so proud of you.
We Love you.

God loves you.

Seek His Will

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

    do not depend on your own understanding.

Seek his will in all you do,

    and he will show you which path to take."

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

These are the words I wanted to read this morning, before the day caught up with me.

A Saturday. 

How can it catch up with me, I wonder? 

But it did. 

It was one of those days where I got overwhelmed very quickly, wondering if I'm a good wife to my husband, if I'm a good Mama to our daughter. Am I a good manager of my time - between work and household, laundry and dinners? And once the thoughts start going, they keep on coming. 

Like the snowball effect. In August.

I wanted to read this passage this morning to keep my mind focused on GOD. Our GOD. Because in the end it wasn't as bad as I picture it to be. I'm a servant of GOD and with Him, I know I can do it.  

A Wife of Noble Character?

"Her husband can trust her,

    and she will greatly enrich his life.

She brings him good, not harm,

all the days of her life.

Proverbs 31:11-12

 

It's July 31st, what a better day than to read and think about Proverbs 31. 

We took long walks at the beach this past weekend. My husband and me.

Us.

We walked and talked, prayed and laughed. Watching other families. Taking a peek into their lives.

Wives sitting on the edge of the water, watching over their children playing in the waves.

Dads playing catch with their kids. Laughing. 

A long time ago I prayed to God to help me become a good christian wife to my husband. He has answered my prayer in so many ways - guiding me along the way to becoming my husband's help meet. 

There are days when I fail and days when I succeed.  

I hope to be the wife my husband can trust. I long to be the wife that gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast and take care of the household for my husband. 

I aim for it. Every day. 

It's ok to fail sometimes. God will help us to become our husband's help meet. He knows we are trying and He can see into our hearts.

On days I carry a lot of worry in my heart, I learned to give it all to God. He will take care of all my worries for me. My heart hurts less when I do.

Don't worry about anything, instead pray about everything. I pray that God will continue to guide me to become a good Proverbs 31 wife. 

He has shown me examples on our Beach vacation. I have had the great opportunity to learn from older women and wives that have been married longer than I have. 

God is still showing me. Teaching me. And I pray that my husband will trust me and that I enrich his life as he has enriched mine. 

We serve an amazing God.

While she's sleeping

41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:41-42

It is not the first time that I heard this passage, but it is one that I want to take to heart. I get distracted, a lot. My focus is not where it should be. I rush around thinking I'm working hard and concentrated on the task at hand, let it be cleaning the house or preparing for company. But the opposite is happening, I'm frantic and unfocused, worried about the wrong things. Worried about what my company will think if I leave a speck of dust on the floor. Worried that if I'm not up and doing something I'm wasting time. 

As a first time mom, oftentimes I feel like I'm not good enough at the job God has entrusted me with. I feel like there are so many areas that I need to improve and when I look at other moms I wonder how they got it all figured out so quickly. In these moments, just like Martha, I have lost touch with what is important. Whenever I feel rushed and unfocused, I want to be still and remember that He is God. He is in control and will work everything for our greater good.

That said, my little One just woke up and wants my attention. She is a wonderful gift from God and I love every second with her. Be blessed my friends, we serve an amazing God.

For the Ups and Downs ...

... God Gave Me You!

It has been six years yesterday, since my wonderful husband and I said " I Do!". Six amazing years - they seem so short and yet so fast. We met online on a blog while I was still in High School, got engaged a year into my college and married after I was finished. JC is my best friend, my soulmate. I can trust him with everything on my heart - good and bad. He always cheers me on and supports every crazy idea that gets into my mind. I love and respect him so much!



These 6 years have been great, but since God called us it has been even better. The Lord has worked so much in our lives, He is our number One and has only the best for us in mind. We serve an amazing God!

Imagine it like a triangle (hope the below illustration shows up good on your screen) -

GOD

^
/ \

Husband & Wife

Draw it out infront of you, God on top then Husband and Wife on each end of the triangle. Now use your index finger and place one on Husband and one on Wife. Move them upwards closer to God - do you see what happens? The closer you are to God, the closer you are as a Husband and Wife Team! And that's exactly how God has worked in our lives! He has made us so close. God has shown me so many things how I can be a christian wife to my husband and I am so excited to practice what He is showing me how to be the best help meet I can for my better half and raise our child(ren) in a godly way.

Cling to the Father --

We piled everybody in the van - the men up front, kids and wives in the back, and we took off to the mountains Sunday afternoon. In the car on the way, the radio plays "Long, black Train", you know the one sung by Josh Turner with his deep voice perfect for these lyrics. I love listening to him. We all did, because we all interrupted our conversations and each hummed or sang along with Josh. At that moment I felt God's presence in the van, surrounding us all during this song.

And then we were on our way to visiting Shatley Springs  -- up in the mountains after a 2 1/2 hour ride, which seemed like 10 minutes with the great company we had. Through winding roads, up two hills and down one, many turns later Shatley Springs appears out of nowhere. Right there on the left.

At Shatley Springs you eat family style. We all gather around our large table, E in her stroller beside us, and connect while waiting on our dinner. And then it's served, fried chicken, baked beans, mashed potatoes, biscuits and what not. Good country cooking. We talk and laugh and eat until we are stuffed. But desert will fit, there is always room for some strawberry cobbler.

 This is the place I had mentioned in my post on monday. I love connecting with friends, and these friends have been in our lives for only a few years, but it seems like forever. The wives call each other sisters - and it means a lot to us.

What a great way to spend our Sunday afternoon. We really enjoyed it. Thank you, Lord!