BLESSINGS

Continuing to count God's sweet blessings...

2415. Dinner as a family.

2416. Laughter from my husband and children.

2417. Reading at bedtime to relax.

2418. God's provision.

2419. Remembering that God is always near.

Share something you are praising God. I would love to rejoice with you.

THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS WE MISS

After I finish my morning devotions, I pick up my phone. It's time to peek at Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and check email. The time flies by and before I know it, I've spent too many minutes of my morning on social media.

I finally set my phone aside only to hear the ping of Facebook. So, I pick the phone back up to check. Twenty minutes later an email comes through. I am once again on the phone. Then the ding of Instagram. Back on the phone. Before I get the screened blacked out, Facebook pings again. And on the day goes. With every ding, ping, and buzz, I pick up the phone. After all, something needs my attention. It can't wait.

Or can it?

Throughout my years of handling a smart phone, I have learned to put the phone down and make eye contact with my loved ones as they speak to me. It is important to me. But lately, I have been wondering what I am missing even when they are not speaking to me.

My kids are older now. Honestly, I am grateful to God that smart phones didn't exist when they were little. What would I have missed? A first step? Yet, what am I missing now? My oldest daughter is engaged to be married. This is our last summer with her before handing her off to her husband to be. I don't want to miss any moments with her. I don't want to miss any moments with any of my children.

It's not just moments with my kids. I don't want to miss moments with my husband, my parents, or with any of my family. I don't want to miss sunrises and sunsets. I don't want to miss the wildflowers growing on the side of the road or fluffy clouds formed overhead.

These moments are important but in order to not miss them, I need to put my phone down and pull my eyes up.

Am I saying social media or technology is bad? No. In and of itself, it is not bad. I am not cancelling any of my social media accounts. So how am I putting my phone down and pulling my eyes up? I am turning off social media notifications on my phone. I will still check social media a couple of times throughout the day, but without the pings, dings, and buzzes, I won't be tempted to pick up my phone every five minutes.

Friends, I am not telling you to cancel your social accounts and I am not telling you to silence the notifications on your phone. What I am telling you to do is to evaluate how much you are on your phone (or tablet or computer, any device that takes your attention). Do the constant notifications distract you from what really matters in life? Are you missing moments with your family and friends just to scroll through memes, videos, and political arguments? Can you limit yourself or maybe take a phone free day once a week? What can you do to not miss the beautiful things?

Please share your own experiences in the comments. I'd love to hear how you have struggled or kept from struggling with this.


Matthew West's new song has been a huge for me. Matthew's words were confirmation of what God was already speaking to me. Please take a moment to listen.

GOD'S GIRL SAYS YES

Every parent hopes their children make wise decisions and follow hard after God. But we don't always know how to teach them to do so. Wynter Pitts is here to help! In her brand new book for girls ages 8-12, though girls older will love it too, Wynter helps girls see what God can do when we follow Him.

In God's Girl Says Yes, Wynter says, "God has everything you need, and He can't wait to give it to you. All you need to do is believe that what He says is true and say yes to trusting Him." She teaches girls about their best yes, saying yes to a relationship with God, saying yes to God's help, saying yes to being fruitful, and saying yes to all nine of the fruits of the Spirit.

Each chapter is full of stories from Wynter, Scripture, and ends with a prayer. Your girl will learn what it means to say yes to God and how living a life with Him means living an incredible life of adventure. God's Girl Says Yes is great for your girl to do alone, or to do as a mother-daughter journey.

Pick up your copy of God's Girl Says Yes below!

WEEKLY BLESSINGS

Continuing to count God's sweet blessings...

2410. Enjoying July 4th with family.

2411. My country.

2412. Watching the sun peak over the horizon.

2413. Music that brings me to a special place with Jesus.

2414. See my children use their musical gifts to minister at church.

Share something you are praising God. I would love to rejoice with you.

BATTLE READY

Does life ever feel like one battle after another? Between health problems, financial woes, relationship troubles, and everything in between, it feels as though there is always a battle going on.

Do you feel like you are ready for the battles that come your way? No, we are never fully prepared for the different battles thrown our way.

I wasn't prepared for the bone disease my daughter has that gave her about a hundred tumors on her body and constant pain. I wasn't prepared for the struggles of my husband's work being slow. I wasn't prepared for the hard side of ministry. And I surely wasn't prepared for my mother-in-law's sudden death.

Most of the time battles come unexpected, but no matter how they come, they are hard. How can we be ready? Kelly Balarie's new book Battle Ready is a great tool to help us be ready for the battles that will come. Kelly reminds us that through these battles, God is good. Period. He. Is. Good.

Breakthrough  for  Hard  Battles
By:  Kelly  Balarie

To  be  Battle  Ready  is  to  face  opposition  that  can  look  like  disagreements,  health  concerns,  financial  trauma,  rude  comments,  emotional  issues,  memory  loss,  regret,  loss  of  dreams,  and  long  waits.  It  is  to  face  these  things,  yet  to  still  stand  firm.

How?  You  may  wonder  how  this  is  really  possible.

Let  me  give  you  some  background.  Not  long  ago,  my  son  screamed  bloody  murder  outside.  I  didn’t  know  what  all  6-years  of  him  was  so  upset  about.  I  ran  outside  to  see  the  horrific  problem.

A  rat  wedged  itself  into  my  garage.  Body  half-in  and  half-out,  fortunately  he  was  dead.  But,  what  I  realized  was:  if  we  have  holes  open  to  the  enemy,  he  will  enter  them.

Where  do  you  have  holes?

Where  do  you  need  to  close  up  pain,  wounds  or  unforgiveness.  The  enemy  will  always  attack  unhealed  areas  of  hurt.  He  knows,  if  he  hits  you  were  you  are  already  experiencing  pain  he  can  really  make  you  doubt  God’s  goodness.

But,  God  is  good.  Period.

God  is  not  good  and  He  sometimes  comes  through.
God  is  not  good  and  He  maybe  will  show  up.
God  is  not  good  and  He  sometimes  gives  you  what  you  need.

He  is  good.  Period.  Done  and  sentence  complete.

Where  do  you  need  to  Battle Ready  your  thoughts,  perceptions  and  attitudes  with  the  truth:  God  is  good.  Period.  Done.  Sentence  complete.

Where  do  you  need  to  let  the  goodness  of  the  Lord  work  into  the  ugliness  of  the  pain  you  are  still  carrying  around  with  you?  Hasn’t  the  enemy  gotten  into  your  heart,  mind  and  thoughts  for far  too  long.

Close  the  hole.  When  we  close  the  holes  of  hurt,  then  the  traumas,  the  battles  and  the  hardships  of  life  don’t  weigh  so  heavily  on  us.  To  close  the  hole  is  to  give  the  old  wound  to  Jesus.  It  is  to  let  the  cross  carry  the  burden  now  of  the  weight  that  burdened  you  for  far  too  long.  It  is  to  ask  Jesus  for  forgiveness  for  all  the  (____,  ____,  or  ____)  that  you  did  as  you  carried  this  around  with  you  for  so  long.

Close  the  hold  and  give  it  to  Jesus  now.  Why?  Life  is  too  short  to  live  on  anything  else  but  the  purposes  and  causes  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Plus  His  every  way,  provides  a  way,  shows  you  the  truth  and  brings  you  to  life.

Jesus  is  always  your  best  answer.  Thinking  like  Christ  is  also  your  best  answer.  Do  you  know  how  to  think  like  Jesus?  Do  you  know  how  to  train  your  thoughts  in  a  way  that  no  holes  are  left  open?  There  are  strategies,  biblical  tips  and  wisdom  that  will  help  you  do  this  very  thing.  I  hope  you  join  me  in  reading  the  book  Battle Ready,  I  believe  it  will  change  your  life.


About Battle Ready:Battle Ready is a  hands-on  scriptural  plan  that  teaches  you  twelve  easy-to-implement,  confidence-building  mind-sets  designed  to  transform  your  thoughts  and,  therefore,  your  life.  You'll  gain  practical  wisdom,  like  how  to
·  make  new  habits  stick  in  just  five  steps
·  disarm  the  seven  most  common  attacks  that  plague  women
·  exchange  self-limiting  thoughts  for  purpose-driven,  love-releasing  thoughts
·  implement  thirty-second  mind-lifters  that  deliver  peace
·  create  boundaries  so  you  live  life  full  of  what  matters

To  get  Battle Ready  freebies  -  printables,  devotional  reminders,  a  customizable  daily  Battle  Plan  and  the  “Find  Your  Battle  Style”  quiz,  visit:  www.iambattleready.com

To  order  the  companion  Battle  Ready  Daily  Prayer  Journal  that  will  help  you  practically  change  your  thoughts,  then  your  life,  click HERE.



Kelly  Balarie,  an  author  and  national  speaker,  is  on  a  mission  to  encourage  others  not  to  give  up.  Through  times  of  extreme  testing,  Kelly  believes  there  is  hope  for  every  woman,  every  battle  and  in  every  circumstance.  She  shares  this  hope  on  her  blog,  Purposeful  Faith,  and  on  many  writing  publications  such  as  Relevant,  Crosswalk,  and  Today's  Christian  Woman.  Kelly's  work  has  been  featured  on  The  Today  Show,  700  Club  Interactive,  Moody  Radio  and  other  television  and  radio  broadcasts.  When  Kelly  is  not  writing,  she  is  chilling  at  the  beach  with  her  husband,  a  latte,  and  2-toddlers  who  rightfully  demand  she  build  them  awesome  castles.

Pick up Battle Ready below!