Too Much Rubble

 A few days after Christmas, I assessed our situation. It was Monday, and I hadn't decided when we would start up homeschooling again after a few day's Christmas break.

 

I looked around at the after-Christmas clutter in our bedrooms, the decorations that needed to be stored and put away, and at the general disorder around me. 

And I decided that we needed to "clear the rubble" before we began to "build the wall" again. 

It would be difficult and frustrating to delve into our studies when there was so much "build-up" all around us. And so I told my two children (much to their delight), that we would be taking a few days to clean and organize before we delved back into our books. 

We needed to clear the rubble before building the wall. 

 

Then Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall.”  

Nehemiah 4:10 NKJV

Isn't this true in our lives? The "walls" of whatever it that the Lord has called us to need to be built. They need to be physically or figuratively built; they need to be spiritually built and strengthened through prayer. The walls need to be built.

What has God called you to build, friend? Is it the spiritual foundation of your family? Is it the strengthening of your devotional life? Is it a ministry or a special project that He has placed upon your heart? What walls are you building? And are they surely the "walls" that the Lord has called you to build?

 

 

I've found, so many times in my own life that I need to STOP and re-access what I am building. Did the Lord really call me to a project or to an endeavor, or am I building the "walls" of my own fancy and design? 

When He HAS indeed called me to a project or to a work, is there clear ground around my feet, or "rubble" that I may trip over and "mess up" the wall that He has called me to build? This "rubble" may take on many shapes and forms--it may be distractions--spiritual or physical distractions that need to be "cleaned up" and dealt with. It may be a besetting sin that "trips us up" and needs to be repented of at the foot of the cross. It may be the "extra clutter" of things and activities that the Lord has not called us to and doesn't want us to pursue, even if in appearance they seem like a "good" thing. As Oswald Chambers says, "Beware of the good that is the enemy of the best." 

 

 

Clear out the rubble, friend. Tidy up your spiritual house. Deal with things quickly with the Lord. Keep short accounts. 

And then "tidy up" your physical house. Has the Lord called you to eat in a healthier way to serve Him better? Clean out your refrigerator; get those offending foods out! Has He called you to wake up a little earlier to spend time with Him? Has He called you to go to bed a little earlier so that you may serve Him better during the day?

Has He called you to "show hospitality?" Give your kids a dusting rag and a broom and together physically clean out the rooms in your home. It will be easier to fulfill His calling when we are obedient to Him in the day to day "tidying" of our homes. 

Has He called you to take the spiritual lead in your home? Dust that Bible off--pick out a good family devotional and clear that rubble of kid's complaining and "lack of time," and pursue the spiritual growth of your home with the simple spiritual "tools" that the Lord has given to us--a Bible, and hymnal, and a mind that can memorize God's Word and hide it in our hearts. 

We don't need all the extra things-the "rubble" is holding us back. 

In the summertime, often my kids will try to start building something in the sandbox while all the other sand toys are lying around and cluttering up the project area. I often tell them--"you can't build with all of this clutter; clean it out first." 

And how true this is for us as well! So come before the Lord. If you can kneel, do so--if not, spread out your hands to Him and ask Him what it is that He has called you to do. Make a list. Get rid of the things that He hasn't called you to, that are just the "rubble" of an extra burden or activity. 

And then get up and build. He has given you the tools. He has given you His Spirit. He will strengthen your hands and your heart. And through your obedience, you will know His smile and pleasure. 

Strengthen the weak hands,
And make firm the feeble knees.

Say to those who are fearful-hearted,
“Be strong, do not fear!

Isaiah 35:3-4a NKJV

Book Recommendation--this is an excellent one to start off the new year--

Discipline: The Glad Surrender, by Elisabeth Elliot

What I've Been Reading

Happy New Year, friends! I wanted to take a few moments to share some books and a few thoughts on some books that I've been reading in my personal reading time. 

Let me encourage you to carve out time to read~~read good books! They will nourish your mind and your soul. So many times, the Lord speaks to us in His still small voice through the pages of a book.  

Even if you can only give a few minutes to reading each day, choose one good book and chew away at it slowly; the Lord will bless those few minutes and minister to you through the pages of books. 

As a mother of two small children, I often will add a few minutes onto my devotional time to read in the morning before my children wake up. This has enabled me to read much more than I would be able to if I didn't carve out this small amount of time. 

Here are a few of the books that the Lord is using to encourage and to grow me in my faith . . . 

~~Clippings From My Notebook, by Corrie ten Boom~~

Oh, this book, this book! It sat on the shelves of my Mom's bookshelves for years and I had never picked it up and read through the entire book . . . Lately my Mom has been going through her boxes and boxes of books that she had packed away after she sold her home in Rhode Island and came to live with me. Let me tell you, her multitudinous volumes have been a rich blessing to my sisters and me!! We are discovering all sorts of treasures as she unpacks these boxes . . . :-) 

And so I re-discovered this beautiful book full of wisdom from Corrie ten Boom. I've been reading and re-reading the devotional insights and it has been such an incredible blessing to me. Corrie shares her faith simply and refreshingly without any pomp or fuss. Her simple faith in our Almighty God has daily challenged me to walk more closely with the Lord and to lay aside every weight and the sin that often so easily entangles (Hebrews 12:1). What a blessing! I discovered that this book is out of print but second-hand copies may still be purchased on Amazon if you would like to get your hands on a hard copy. I highly recommend it! 

~~Honey For A Child's Heart, by Gladys Hunt~~

This is another book that was unearthed from my Mom's boxes and what a rich treasure of wisdom it is! I just began this book a short while ago and am hoping to share more insights when I am finished with it, so I won't say much here except that I am really, really enjoying Hunt's insights into reading to children and the importance of books in their lives from a very early age. She also provides a tremendous list of suggestions for books to read to children at the different ages of their lives~~such a wonderful resource!

~~Mrs. Oswald Chambers: The Woman Behind the World's Bestselling Devotional, by Michelle Ule~~

I'm about a quarter of the way through this book and though it was "slow" reading at first, I am really starting to enjoy it now that I am beginning to "organize" all of the different people mentioned in the beginning of this book in my mind. I love missionary biographies~I have since I was a little girl~~and so this one is right up my alley. I  have read a lot about Oswald Chambers, but not a great deal about his wife, Biddy (Gertrude) Chambers. This book goes into great deal about Chamber's wife~~the woman who was used by God to transcribe Oswald's talks into the writings that are cherished today. There are so many little details included in this book and I love the author's careful, spiritually insightful research into Oswald Chamber's wife's life. This is good reading! :-)

And lastly,

~~My Utmost For His Highest, by Oswald Chambers~~

Everyone should read this book~~several times!!! :- ) This is the book that the Lord used instrumentally early in my Christian life and the book that the Lord continues to speak to me through. I chose it to read again this year as my devotional in the morning~it re-surfaced after a couple of years in the basket next to my reading chair! ;-). If you have never read My Utmost For His Highest, friend, get a copy or borrow it from your church's library~~ this book will speak the Lord's deep truths to your soul and leave you desiring more, more of our Heavenly Father in the day to day comings and goings of your life. 

I pray that these reading suggestions may bless you in your daily walk with the Lord . . . 

More, more about Jesus;

More, more about Jesus--

More of his saving fullness see,

More of His love who died for Me.

~Eliza Hewitt

You might find me on these link-ups:

Inspire Me Monday, Literacy Musing Mondays, The Modest Mom, Raising Homemakers, Classical Homemaking, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries,  Testimony Tuesday, Tell His Story,  Imparting Grace, Thought Provoking Thursday, Good Morning Mondays,  Counting My Blessings, The HomeAcre Hop, Mommy Moments Link Up, Grace and Truth Linkup, Faith Filled Friday, RaRaLinkup, Word of God Speak, Booknificent Thursday, Coffee For Your Heart Weekly LinkUp, You're the Star Blog Hop, Homesteader Hop, Fresh Market Friday, Heart Encouragement Thursday , Sitting Among Friends Blog Party, Fabulous Warm Heart Party, Oh My Heartsie Girls Wonderful Wednesday Linkup, Writer Wednesday, Tea and Word

Devotional Recommendations for 2017

The Lord has used the following devotionals to greatly bless me. I pray that they may be a blessing to you or to someone you know who is seeking a deeper walk with Christ! 

If someone were to ask me what devotional has had the greatest impact upon my life, I would immediately answer My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers. This book spoke to me profoundly in my early years of following the Lord and beginning to learn the sweetness of surrender and obedience. The Lord was peeling away the crusty outer layers of my heart and pouring His truth into my soul. The fullness and richness of Chambers' devotional was daily nourishment to me. My early years as a Christian were years of sweetness and of sensing the Lord's presence and experiencing His nearness in a way that is indescribable. It was the spring of my life with the Lord, and I treasure those years and this devotional which the Lord used so powerfully to grow my heart in obedience and love for Him. 

My mother's copy of Chamber's devotional that she gave to me. 

As I began to grow in my faith, the Lord led me to another devotional which is equally precious to me, Charles Haddon Spurgeon's Morning and Evening. There is so much to glean from Spurgeon, and I have used this book for years and continue to return to it. Spurgeon's wisdom and insights as well as his deep and intimate relationship to the Lord spoke to me--this devotional has been like water to my thirsty soul over and over again. 

A third devotional that the Lord has used in my life is Streams in the Desert. This book, compiled by Mrs. Charles Cowman, was recommended to me by several people, and I finally ordered a copy. I have been enjoying this one immensely. The "old-time" writers' words have been ministering to my heart, and I have been enjoying selections from Pastors and authors like George Matheson (who wrote the hymn "O Love that Wilt Not Let me Go"), Frederick Faber, and others.  If you are seeking a deeper, more intimate walk with the Lord, this is a wonderful devotional to slowly read through. 

 Two other devotionals that the Lord has used to encourage me in my walk with Him have been Charles Stanley's Every Day in His Presence and Elisabeth Elliot's Keep A Quiet Heart. While Keep A Quiet Heart is not a yearly devotional, it is one that could be used devotionally for a shorter period of time and is so rich in wisdom. 

I pray that these recommendations would be helpful! The Lord bless you as you seek His face daily . . . Please feel free to share with me in the comments what devotionals have been an encouragement in your life! 



You might find me on these link-ups:

Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth, Inspire Me Monday, Literacy Musing Mondays, The Modest Mom, What Joy is Mine, A Mama's Story, Mom's the Word, Rich Faith Rising, Cornerstone Confessions, Mom's Morning Coffee, Raising Homemakers, Classical Homemaking, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries,  Testimony Tuesday, Tell His Story, Women With Intention Wednesdays, Messy Marriage,  Graced Simplicity, Children Are A Blessing, Imparting Grace, Thought Provoking Thursday, Soul Survival, Good Morning Mondays, The Weekend Brew, Counting My Blessings, The HomeAcre Hop, Mommy Moments Link Up, Grace and Truth Linkup, Faith Filled Friday, Tell It To Me Tuesdays, SHINE Blog Hop, TGI Saturdays Blog Hop, RaRaLinkup, Word of God Speak, Booknificent Thursday, Living Proverbs 31, Sharing His Beauty Blog Linkup, Coffee For Your Heart Weekly LinkUp, You're the Star Blog Hop, Homesteader Hop, Fresh Market Friday, Fabulous January Party Link Up

Three Devotional Recommendations

The Lord has used the following devotionals to greatly bless me. I pray that they may be a blessing to you or to someone you know who is seeking a deeper walk with Christ! 

If someone were to ask me what devotional has had the greatest impact upon my life, I would immediately answer My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers. This book spoke to me profoundly in my early years of following the Lord and beginning to learn the sweetness of surrender and obedience. The Lord was peeling away the crusty outer layers of my heart and pouring His truth into my soul. The fullness and richness of Chambers' devotional was daily nourishment to me. My early years as a Christian were years of sweetness and of sensing the Lord's presence and experiencing His nearness in a way that is indescribable. It was the spring of my life with the Lord, and I treasure those years and this devotional which the Lord used so powerfully to grow my heart in obedience and love for Him. 

My mother's copy of Chamber's devotional that she gave to me. 

As I began to grow in my faith, the Lord led me to another devotional which is equally precious to me, Charles Haddon Spurgeon's Morning and Evening. There is so much to glean from Spurgeon, and I have used this book for years and continue to return to it. Spurgeon's wisdom and insights as well as his deep and intimate relationship to the Lord spoke to me--this devotional has been like water to my thirsty soul over and over again. 

A third devotional that the Lord has used in my life is Streams in the Desert. This book, compiled by Mrs. Charles Cowman, was recommended to me by several people, and I finally ordered a copy. I have been enjoying this one immensely. The "old-time" writers' words have been ministering to my heart, and I have been enjoying selections from Pastors and authors like George Matheson (who wrote the hymn "O Love that Wilt Not Let me Go"), Frederick Faber, and others.  If you are seeking a deeper, more intimate walk with the Lord, this is a wonderful devotional to slowly read through. 

I pray that these recommendations would be helpful! The Lord bless you as you seek His face daily . . . 




You might find me on these link-ups:

Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth, Inspire Me Monday, Literacy Musing Mondays, The Modest Mom, What Joy is Mine, SDG Gathering, A Mama's Story, Mom's the Word, Rich Faith Rising, Time Warp Wife, Cornerstone Confessions, Mom's Morning Coffee, Motivate and Rejuvenate Mondays, So Much at Home, Raising Homemakers, Hope in Every Season, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries, Whole-Hearted Home, Testimony Tuesday, Tell His Story, A Soft Gentle Voice, My Daily Walk in His Grace, Women With Intention Wednesdays, Messy Marriage, The Charm of Home, Graced Simplicity, Theology Thursdays, Children Are A Blessing, Mittenstate Sheep and Wool, Imparting Grace, Preparedness Mama, A Look at the Book, Essential Thing Devotions, Thought Provoking Thursday, Every Day Jesus, Count My Blessings, Christian Mommy Blogger, Renewed Daily, Soul Survival, Good Morning Mondays, The Weekend Brew, Blessing Counters Link Party, The HomeAcre Hop, Mommy Moments Link Up, Grace and Truth Linkup, Faith Filled Friday, Saturday Soiree Blog Party, Tell It To Me Tuesdays, SHINE Blog Hop, Faith and  Fellowship Blog Hop, Motivate and Rejuvenate Monday Link-Up, A Little R&R Wednesdays. TGI Saturdays Blog Hop. Totally Terrific Tuesday, RaRaLinkup

Bi-Weekly Hymn Spotlight: Come Down, O Love Divine

To learn more about Bi-Weekly hymn spotlights, click here. 

Come down, O love divine,

seek thou this soul of mine,

and visit it with thine own ardor glowing;

O Comforter, draw near,

within my heart appear,

and kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.

O let it freely burn,

till earthly passions turn

to dust and ashes in its heat consuming;

and let thy glorious light

shine ever on my sight,

and clothe me round, the while my path illuming.

Let holy charity

mine outward vesture be,

and lowliness become mine inner clothing;

true lowliness of heart,

which takes the humbler part,

and o'er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.

And so the yearning strong,

with which the soul will long,

shall far outpass the power of human telling;

for none can guess its grace,

till Love create a place

wherein the Holy Spirit makes a dwelling.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Words: Bianco da Siena, d. 1434;

trans. Richard Frederick Littledale, Jr., 1867

Brief Synopsis:

Not much is known about the author of this beautiful hymn. A Catholic mystic, Bianco Da Siena, was born in a small Italian hamlet, Anciolina. He later moved to Siena, where he worked as a wood carver. Bianco was a member of the Gesuati, living in a monastery. He composed his music in what is known as the "laude" form (a form that was used outside of the Catholic liturgy and was usually composed as "melody only.")

Bianco's hymn became better known after the Irish composer, Richard Littledale translated 4 of the hymn's stanzas and it was put in the English Hymnal in 1906. 

The English composer Ralph Vaughn Williams (1872-1958) later set the hymn to music in a way that draws the beauty and richness of the lyrics out. 


How is this hymn meaningful to believers, past and present?


I was introduced to this hymn through listening to a recording of musician Fernando Ortega performing it. The lyrics struck me with their simple poignancy and it seemed as though grace breathed through the notes. The hymn spoke to me of surrender--of surrendering one's whole soul, life, body, spirit, mind, and heart to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. 

And then it spoke of that filling, that indescribable moment when the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in a believer's heart and begins to mold and shape every aspect of his inner person. 

I grew up surrounded by and immersed in very Conservative theology. I am grateful for the solid, biblical foundation that the Lord provided for me through that experience. I was "grounded" in the Word, taught that the Word is unchanging, and convinced of the authority of the Scriptures. This was a great blessing to me. 

However, the Lord also allowed me to be influenced by a person very close to me to read the "mystics," and by mystics, I mean those believers who held that the Holy Spirit works in a believer's life powerfully and fruitfully, and most important--personally. 

Lilias Trotter, Oswald Chambers, Andrew Murray, and Amy Carmichael, among others had a profound effect upon me. Theirs and others' writing brought the Holy Spirit alive for me--because all of the right theology in the world doesn't produce holiness. Only the Holy Spirit's powerful working in a believer's heart does. 

More recently, the Lord led me to read A. W. Tozer's writing, and I have been tremendously blessed through that as well. I felt a kindred bond to him when I read these words that he spoke to renowned theologian Martyn Llloyd Jones:


'Once', Martyn Lloyd-Jones recalled, 'Dr. Tozer and I shared a conference years ago, and I appreciated his ministry and his fellowship very much. One day he said to me: 'Lloyd-Jones, you and I hold just about the same position on spiritual matters, but we have come to this position by different routes.' 'How do you mean?' I asked. 'Well,' Tozer replied, 'you came by way of the Puritans and I came by way of the mystics.' And, you know,' said Lloyd-Jones, 'he was right.'

I am profoundly grateful for "right" theology. I am also profoundly grateful for the personal, life-changing work of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life, the work of which this beautiful hymn speaks.  They are a two-fold cord that cannot be torn apart. 

May the Lord touch each of his people with a keen understanding of the Spirit's individual work in their lives and circumstances and may He grant to each of us that "yearning strong," of which Bianco da Siena writes. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sources:
http://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-italian-mystic-composes-melodic-o-love-divine

http://www.lectionary.org/HymnStories/Come%20Down,%20O%20Love%20Divine.htm

The Life of A.W. Tozer: In Pursuit of God, by James L. Snyder 



You might find me on these link-ups:

Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth, Inspire Me Monday, The Modest Mom, What Joy is Mine, SDG Gathering, A Mama's Story, Mom's the Word, Rich Faith Rising, Time Warp Wife, Cornerstone Confessions, Mom's Morning Coffee, Motivate and Rejuvenate Mondays, So Much at Home, Raising Homemakers, Hope in Every Season, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries, Whole-Hearted Home, Testimony Tuesday, Tell His Story, A Soft Gentle Voice, My Daily Walk in His Grace, Women With Intention Wednesdays, Messy Marriage, The Charm of Home, Graced Simplicity, Theology Thursdays, Children Are A Blessing, Mittenstate Sheep and Wool, Imparting Grace, Preparedness Mama, A Look at the Book, Essential Thing Devotions, Thought Provoking Thursday, Every Day Jesus, Count My Blessings, Christian Mommy Blogger, Renewed Daily, Soul Survival, Good Morning Mondays, The Weekend Brew, Blessing Counters Link Party, The HomeAcre Hop, Mommy Moments Link Up, Grace and Truth Linkup, Faith Filled Friday, Saturday Soiree Blog Party, Tell It To Me Tuesdays, SHINE Blog Hop, Faith and  Fellowship Blog Hop, Motivate and Rejuvenate Monday Link-Up, A Little R&R Wednesdays. TGI Saturdays Blog Hop. Totally Terrific Tuesday, RaRaLinkup

Monthly Book Giveaway-- Abandoned to God: The Biography of Oswald Chambers

For more information about Monthly Book Giveaways click HERE.

I am beyond excited to announce this month's book giveaway. Oswald Chambers is a man whose writing and experience have helped to shape so many in their Christian walk and to encourage surrender to the Lord in every area of life. Chamber's devotional, My Utmost for His Highest, has been widely read and has touched the hearts and challenged the souls of countless believers. 

I "met" Oswald Chambers when I was about 16 years old. That was the time when the Lord more deeply awakened my heart to spiritual things -- to wanting a very close relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, even though I had asked Him into my heart as a young child. 

I wanted to know the meaning of surrender -- what it meant to surrender everything to the Lord, to live a life consecrated to Him. 

So I asked my mom, who herself possessed a deep relationship with Jesus Christ, how to have a more intimate connection with the Savior.

She gave me a book -- a worn, dog-eared book -- her own copy of My Utmost for his Highest-Chamber's devotional. I treasure it still. I cannot begin to describe the impact that this book has had upon my life. I am forever indebted to my mom for that precious gift and counsel to read Chamber's words. And I am forever grateful to the Lord for leading me to Himself through this man's writings. 

I later read Chamber's biography, written by David McCasland. This is a tremendous book, providing the reader with a rich look into the life of a man given completely into the hands of His almighty Father. I know that it will be a blessing to any who read it. I could not help it -- I am also giving away a pocket copy of Chamber's devotional, (compiled by his wife, Biddy) My Utmost for His Highest, as a companion to Chamber's biography. The Lord has used this book so mightily in my own life, and it is a rich treasure of insight and encouragement towards a deeper walk with the Lord Jesus.

The following is taken from the back of Chamber's biography, Abandoned to God:

"Oswald Chambers was a man for all time. His mind was the mind of Christ and so his words are compelling because they  reflect the thoughts of our Savior. I am not the first to say that no book outside the Bible has influenced me as much as My Utmost for His Highest. In David McCasland's book we have, at last, the story of this remarkable man's life and how, having honored God, God is now honoring him with the only fame that really matters." Cal Thomas, syndicated columnist

"Whoever has read or heard about My Utmost for His Highest must buy and read this book from cover to cover. Your tears will flow, your heart will be moved, the Holy Spirit will speak a word of peace, and your Christian life will never be the same." Harold Lindsell, Editor Emeritus, Christianity Today

"So many millions of us have read his words, been deepened by his prayers, been brought before God by his writing. And now we get to know him. I had no idea what a magnificent life was present behind these marvelous words. Oswald Chambers' writing is validated in detail after detail by his life." Eugene H. Peterson, James M. Houston Professor of Spiritual Theology, Regent College

"If you are one of those who know and love Oswald Chambers' famous book of devotional readings, My Utmost for His Highest--edited and published by his faithful widow, "Biddy" in the late 1920s--you will want to become intimately acquainted with this giant among Christian devotional writers.This new biography offers you that opportunity." D. James Kennedy, Senior Minister,  Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church

"Oswald Chambers: Abandoned to God is a magnificent description of how one man sought God and lived out that relationship in the realities of life. It will stimulate you heart to follow God more fully. For years I have used Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest. In this biography I see where that depth of input was born and developed." Jerry E. White, General Director, The Navigators

"My Utmost for His Highest has become an essential part of the process of maturity for countless Christians over many decades, but we have know little about this man of God whose life has meant so much to so many. I welcome David McCasland's contribution,which goes a long way toward showing everyone how contemporary Chambers' writing really are." James Engel, Distinguished Professor of Marketing, Research, and Strategy, Eastern College

And now, for the giveaway! :-) Enter below to win a copy of BOTH My Utmost for His Highest (Chambers's devotional) AND Abandoned to God (McCasland's biography):

a Rafflecopter giveaway You might find me on these link-ups:

Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth, Inspire Me Monday, The Modest Mom, What Joy is Mine, SDG Gathering, A Mama's Story, Mom's the Word, Rich Faith Rising, Time Warp Wife, Cornerstone Confessions, Mom's Morning Coffee, Motivate and Rejuvenate Mondays, So Much at Home, Raising Homemakers, Hope in Every Season, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries, Whole-Hearted Home, Testimony Tuesday, Tell His Story, A Soft Gentle Voice, My Daily Walk in His Grace, Women With Intention Wednesdays, Messy Marriage, The Charm of Home, Graced Simplicity, Children Are A Blessing, Mittenstate Sheep and Wool, Imparting Grace, Preparedness Mama, A Look at the Book, Essential Thing Devotions, Thought Provoking Thursday, Every Day Jesus, Count My Blessings, Beauty Observed, Christian Mommy Blogger, Renewed Daily, Soul Survival, Good Morning Mondays, The Weekend Brew, Blessing Counters Link Party, The HomeAcre Hop, Mommy Moments Link Up, Grace and Truth Linkup, Faith Filled Friday, Saturday Soiree Blog Party, Tell It To Me Tuesdays, SHINE Blog Hop, Faith and  Fellowship Blog Hop, Motivate and Rejuvenate Monday Link-Up, A Little R&R Wednesdays. TGI Saturdays Blog Hop. Totally Terrific Tuesday