The Garden Heralds Resurrection
Bless Your Heart and Home
by amanda
1y ago
Welcoming spring’s rays, our little farm is coming alive — grass reaches up to the sun, eggs fill nesting boxes and kitchen bowls, and mama-cat hides away new kittens. Standing on the porch, you could peer through the screen door to spy an ambitious stack of seed packets and gardening notes spread out on my kitchen counter. This is the time of year that gardening is just FUN — beautiful weather, very few mosquitoes, and the anticipation of summer’s first ripe tomato. Anticipation of harvest: that’s why gardeners garden, isn’t it? Because as wonderful as it is to be outside on a warm sunny day ..read more
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The Inefficient Ministry of Motherhood
Bless Your Heart and Home
by amanda
1y ago
“Two-year-olds take time,” she told me. He was my first, and I had not expected motherhood to consume quite so much time and emotion. The energy and life I had previously invested into eternity-worthy endeavors were now being spent through the inefficiency of motherhood. I’ve often thought back on this grandmother’s wise words, taken a deep breath, and slowed my expectations to a reasonable pace. But I still grow impatient with the sheer time that it takes to be a mother — to cook a warm meal (only to know that snack requests begin within 90 minutes at best), buy and launder clothes, read sto ..read more
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2020: Sing
Bless Your Heart and Home
by amanda
1y ago
Its path obscured by winding turns and shadowed horizons, the new year stretches out before us. As if we’re facing a bend in a wooded path, the calendar hides its entries from us, only to be revealed day by day as his grace meets us new each morning.  But around that bend into the year’s unknown, we can “fear not!” For there is Stability that goes before us, a Rock that follows us, and a constant Friend who will be our refuge and strength. So in dependence on that Rock of Ages to be who He says he will be and do what he’s promised he’ll do, why don’t we sing in 2020? Sing to the Rock. Sin ..read more
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The Road to Christmas (video)
Bless Your Heart and Home
by amanda
1y ago
What God is like ours? With opportunity ripe for him to wow the world through feats of strength in great resurrection power, Jesus’s glorious way was to light a fire in the hearts of his disciples through patiently explaining to them the Scripture. How keenly I identify with the confused, dismayed disciples in Luke 24. “Jesus, this isn’t what I expected. What are you doing? Who are you really? I do believe; help my unbelief.” And he reminds me, too, through the Scripture, that “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” What Jesus did for those disciples on the Road to Emmaus, he ..read more
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How Do I Read the Bible? Remember My Neediness.
Bless Your Heart and Home
by amanda
1y ago
Sometimes I sit down to read the Bible, and it’s a glorious feast that I don’t ever want to leave. But other days, I feel like I’m just staring at black marks on a white page, feeling guilty for my lack of excitement about this book. So why does Bible reading sometimes feel dry, and what can I do when I just don’t enjoy it? Here are some ideas to work through. Am I just plain tired? Due to the normal course of life, sometimes we’re bone-weary and don’t FEEL excitement about sitting down to read and concentrate on the Bible. If this is you, take heart – just because we don’t FEEL close to God ..read more
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How Do I Read the Bible? Enjoy a Daily Quiet Time.
Bless Your Heart and Home
by amanda
1y ago
(This post is one in a series on “How Do I Read the Bible.” Find other posts in the series here). How do I read the Bible? Enjoy a daily “quiet time.” The basics of a quiet time are (1) the Bible and (2) prayer. We set aside a specific time to read God’s Word to hear his voice, and we talk to him in prayer. When prayer lulls, we read his Word some more. Back and forth – read and pray. That Arizona sun on a recent visit out West. If you are just beginning a quiet time, I suggest grabbing your Bible, a notebook, and a pen. I set those items out on the kitchen counter each evening after supper, e ..read more
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The Garden Heralds Resurrection
Bless Your Heart and Home
by amanda
3y ago
Welcoming spring’s rays, our little farm is coming alive — grass reaches up to the sun, eggs fill nesting boxes and kitchen bowls, and mama-cat hides away new kittens. Standing on the porch, you could peer through the screen door to spy an ambitious stack of seed packets and gardening notes spread out on my kitchen counter. This is the time of year that gardening is just FUN — beautiful weather, very few mosquitoes, and the anticipation of summer’s first ripe tomato. Anticipation of harvest: that’s why gardeners garden, isn’t it? Because as wonderful as it is to be outside on a warm sunny day ..read more
Visit website
The Inefficient Ministry of Motherhood
Bless Your Heart and Home
by amanda
3y ago
“Two-year-olds take time,” she told me. He was my first, and I had not expected motherhood to consume quite so much time and emotion. The energy and life I had previously invested into eternity-worthy endeavors were now being spent through the inefficiency of motherhood. I’ve often thought back on this grandmother’s wise words, taken a deep breath, and slowed my expectations to a reasonable pace. But I still grow impatient with the sheer time that it takes to be a mother — to cook a warm meal (only to know that snack requests begin within 90 minutes at best), buy and launder clothes, read sto ..read more
Visit website
2020: Sing
Bless Your Heart and Home
by amanda
3y ago
Its path obscured by winding turns and shadowed horizons, the new year stretches out before us. As if we’re facing a bend in a wooded path, the calendar hides its entries from us, only to be revealed day by day as his grace meets us new each morning.  But around that bend into the year’s unknown, we can “fear not!” For there is Stability that goes before us, a Rock that follows us, and a constant Friend who will be our refuge and strength. So in dependence on that Rock of Ages to be who He says he will be and do what he’s promised he’ll do, why don’t we sing in 2020? Sing to the Rock. Sin ..read more
Visit website
The Road to Christmas (video)
Bless Your Heart and Home
by amanda
3y ago
What God is like ours? With opportunity ripe for him to wow the world through feats of strength in great resurrection power, Jesus’s glorious way was to light a fire in the hearts of his disciples through patiently explaining to them the Scripture. How keenly I identify with the confused, dismayed disciples in Luke 24. “Jesus, this isn’t what I expected. What are you doing? Who are you really? I do believe; help my unbelief.” And he reminds me, too, through the Scripture, that “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” What Jesus did for those disciples on the Road to Emmaus, he ..read more
Visit website

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