Thursday on Living Inspired: Prayer & Missions with Janet McHenry & Loring Morris

To listen to the interview: go here and click on the player in the upper right corner of the screen. Thursday at 3:00 pm Central.

This week on Living Inspired I'll be interviewing two guests. The first guest is Janet Holm McHenry, author of PrayerWalk. We'll be talking about her new book and hear tips from her on how to live a life of prayer. Then during the second half hour I'll be interviewing my good friend Loring. She and her family (Team 5 Morris) moved to the slums of Uganda two and a half years ago to church plant. We'll hear all about their adventures.

For a chance to win a copy of Janet's PrayerWalk, leave a comment {HERE}.

      Winner will be notified via email next week.

More About Janet: After Janet graduated from University of California, Berkeley, with a degree in journalism, she married her high school sweetheart Craig and worked as a newspaper reporter and editor.  They eventually settled down in the Sierra Valley in northern California, where Craig is a rancher and where there is not a single stoplight in the entire county. In their town of 700+ folks, she says they have raised four pretty good children – three done with college – and are now enjoying the grandkids, all of whom are perfect. As a high school English teacher, academic advisor, and teacher mentor, Janet says the only pastime she has time for is friends!  And she looks forward to knowing you better! For more info about Janet and her other books, please visit her website at http://janetmchenry.com.

More about PrayerWalk:
Many years ago, depressed and overweight, McHenry found a simple plan for her life: she would pray while she walked. Little did she know, it would change her life personally and open her eyes to the needs of her community.

More about Loring and Team 5 Morris: Benjamin, Hannah, Aiden, Loring, and Daniel Morris comprise Team Five Morris. Inobedience to God, they are committed to sharing Jesus as sojourners in Uganda. They have joined International Messengers, an organization committed to training and mobilizing believers for active involvement in reaching the world for Christ.

Keep up with daily life of Team 5 Morris here: http://www.teamfivemorris.com/latest-news/lorings-blog or connect with Loring on Facebook (you'll be glad you did!).

If you feel led to support Team 5 Morris or to find out more information - go here.

Baby Homeschool 101

As a mom of four children ages 22, 19, 17 and 16 months I figured out I'm going to homeschooling for 35 years! That's a long time to be thinking about lesson plans and fun, educational learning. But this “second time around” I've discovered it's never to early to start homeschooling.

The first time around, I never planned on homeschooling. I was a teen mom, and my first son was born when I was just seventeen-years-old. It was during that pregnancy that I dedicated my life to God and a lot of my priorities changed. God blessed me with an amazing husband and two more great kids (to start). And as my oldest son neared school age, God also put it on mine and my husband's hearts to homeschool. I started off unsure but excited. Now after seeing two kids graduate and go off to college—and the third in his senior year—I'm confident in homeschooling. It's an awesome schooling choice!  

Seeing the results has made me excited about experiencing learning with our new daughter … and I've realized it's never too early to start. Here are some ways I've already started homeschooling 16-month-old Alyssa.

Reading. I started reading to my baby girl as soon as she could hold up her head. Once she was able to hold a book in her hands she thought they made great teethers, but I was okay with that. In fact, I would often give her a board book that had foamy pages to play with and chew on. As she got “older,” I would read a few books a day. Then, something kicked in when she turned 15 months. Alyssa fell in love with books! Sitting on my lap and listening to a story is one of her favorite things. At least twenty times a day I hear “book, book” and she brings one to read. As we read I point out animals, we make the sounds, and she points out her favorite things. If any page in the book has a “birdie” (which she sometimes calls “boppi”) I hear about it.

Counting. We count Cheerios on her high chair. We count toys as we put them away. We count her socks as I put them on her feet. (That's an easy one.) We count the boppies on a page! :)

Letters. I'm not into teaching my baby to read, but I did buy plastic letters for the fridge. One of Alyssa's favorite games is moving them from the fridge, to a cookie sheet, to a tall tumbler and then back to the fridge. She says “D, O, R ...” even though she doesn't get the letters right she's figuring out what they are!

Singing. Alyssa loves to sing! Or rather to hear me sing. Don't worry about your voice, belt it out, Mama. One evening John and I were driving home from a day trip and Alyssa was getting fussy. We started singing Sunday School songs and nursery rhymes … an hour passed without us repeating one song! Alyssa loved it. Now singing in the car is a tradition.


Signing. We first started teaching Alyssa sign language when she was eight months old. We started with three simple words, “more, milk, and all-done.” We're adding a few more words every month. (It helps that my college-age daughter Leslie is minoring in sign language in college!) I found some great signing DVDs and books for me to use when Leslie isn't around.


Chores. Okay, okay at 16-months old I'm not teaching my baby to do the laundry, but there are a few things we do. She helps me carry in items to set the table such as napkins, silverware, and sometimes plastic cups. She helps me pick up toys. She also helps me sweep. I got her a little broom and she does a great job at messing up the dirt pile I'm sweeping up, but that's okay. I want her to think chores are fun! (This pays off later, I promise!)

Those are just a few ways I've started “homeschooling” already. I've learned over years that the best thing to do about homeschooling is to make learning part of life. I'm excited to share more learning joy with my daughter as she grows. What are your favorite things to do with your little one?

Favorite books:

I'm not usually a middle of the night Bible reader ...

This morning I woke up at 3 a.m. super excited. No, we weren't heading out on vacation. Instead, I was excited because I could spend time with God without anyone interrupting. 

I'm not usually a middle of the night Bible reader, but a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do. With company at my house (and a toddler!), life is busy and I often don't get time with God during the day. Boy, can I feel it when that happens. I feel drained, and the only thing that charges me up is time with Him.

This morning as I was reading my Bible and praying I realized something ... I can pray about making time with Him. I realized it's okay for me to ask God to help me carve out quiet time during my day. I can pray He will 1. Give me the time, and 2. That I will be diligent to spend time with Him when the opportunity arises. I don't have to figure it out on my own. I won't get more "points" if I come up with the solution myself. Instead, I found myself praying, "Lord, help me make time for You." 

It's a simple prayer, but one I know He will answer.

Can Teen MOPS make a difference?

Jovia was one of our regular Teen MOPS attendees. She was a 17-year-old Senior due just six weeks before graduation. At Teen MOPS Jovia earned clothes, diapers and baby furniture for her baby girl. She built friendships with many mentors who connected with her through the week. When Brianne was born, the mentors visited her at the hospital and at home. They were around to answer all the questions of a young mom. The biggest challenge came when Jovia had six weeks of school left, yet she didn't have childcare for Brianne. Through a Teen MOPS connection, a wonderful woman from FamilyLife volunteered to babysit Brianne and give Jovia rides to a from school. Because of the help and support Jovia graduated from high school and she is now registered for classes at Pulaski Tech! Jovia is looking forward to the new Teen MOPS year ... and we are excited to see what God is going to continue to do in Jovia's life!

Teen MOPS is a support group for teen moms. To find out how you can start a Teen MOPS group go to: http://www.mops.org/page.php?pageid=86

Teen MOPS in Little Rock meets every Thursday (starting September 8th) from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Mosaic Church, 6420 Colonel Glen Rd. Little Rock. For more information email tricia@triciagoyer.com.

Five Things I’ve Learned from the Amish that Have Nothing to Do with being Amish and Have Everything to Do with being a Christian ...

Guest Blog from Suzanne Woods Fisher (and a Fab Kindle Giveaway!)

Enter 8/15 - 8/31!

Five Things I’ve Learned from the Amish that Have Nothing to Do with being Amish and Have Everything to Do with being a Christian:

Being Amish is not a lifestyle. Life among the Amish has to do with faith. Faith can’t be squeezed to an hour or two on Sunday morning; it infuses their entire life like a teabag in hot water. What they do and how they do it is rooted in the spiritual question: What is pleasing to God?

Amish proverb: “Letting go of earthly possessions enables us to take hold of heavenly treasures.”

The Lesson: To pray about my day’s activities and offer them to God, first, for His purposes. And then trusting interruptions (seeing a friend in the grocery store, for example) or de-railings (those days when everything goes wrong!) to be God-managed.  

Cherish your family. A family that works together, grows together. Amish families spend a lot of time together and try to keep their work close to home. Children are valued as gifts from God, wanted and enjoyed. They’re included in all of Amish life—from barn raisings to three-hour church services. An Amish bishop once said, "We don't prepare our children for the future, we prepare our children for eternity."

Amish proverb: “Tomorrow’s world will be shaped by what we teach our children today.”

The Lesson: Involving children in chores and activities may not be the most convenient or efficient way to accomplish a task, but the benefits are long lasting. Look for ways to get everybody involved—cook together, sweep out the garage together, set the table together. And have fun while you’re doing it!

Draw a land in the sand. The Amish want to be good stewards of God’s resources—time, money, material goods. They know that convenience comes with a cost. They don’t want to be dependent on outside sources (such as electricity or gas!). Convenience means loss of something valuable. For example, fast food means less nutrition. More stuff means more maintenance. They’re willing to say no.

Amish proverb: “Things that steal our time are usually the easiest to do.”

The Lesson: Technology has its limits. And technology isn’t all good. Evaluate purchases more thoughtfully. Think of where a purchase or an added expense will lead your family. More time together or less? More stress or less? Reframe your view of time and money and goods as God’s resources.

Watch Your Words. The Amish continually stress the importance of filtering their speech.

Amish proverb: “Words break no bones, but they can break hearts” and “Mincing your words makes it easier if you have to eat them later.”

The Lesson: Say less. Prayer more.  

Nothing replaces face-to-face visits. Back in the day when telephones emerged on the scene, the Amish bishops made a deliberate decision to keep the telephone out of the house. They didn’t want to interrupt family life. But they drop everything for a face-to-face visit.

Amish proverb: “Use friendship as a drawing account, but don’t forget to make a deposit.”

The Lesson: Nurture relationships by investing face-to-face time in them. No technology can substitute for the real thing.

Honor the Sabbath. An Amish person would never think of working on a Sunday. But it’s more than that—they truly cherish their Sabbath. They spend time on Saturday to make Sunday a smooth and easy day.

Amish proverb: “Many things I have tried to grasp and have lost. That which I have placed in God’s hands I still have.”

The Lesson: Strive to make Sunday a different day than other days. A day of rest is important on so many levels—time to worship, time to reflect, time to re-energize. A re-charge your battery day.

###

Suzanne Woods Fisher is a bestselling author of Amish fiction and non-fiction and the host of a weekly radio program called Amish Wisdom. Her most recent book, Amish Values for Your Family released in August. The Waiting is a finalist for a 2011 Christy Award. Amish Peace: Simple and Amish Proverbs were both finalists for the ECPA Book of the Year (2010, 2011). Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, W.D. Benedict, who was raised Plain. Suzanne has a great admiration for the Plain people and believes they provide wonderful examples to the world.  When Suzanne isn't writing or bragging to her friends about her first new grandbaby (!), she is raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To Suzanne's way of thinking, you just can't take life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone's underwear in its mouth. Keep up on Suzanne's latest news on Facebook, Twitter and on her blog!

Thursday on Living Inspired: Momsense with Jean Blackmer

To listen to the interview: go here and click on the player in the upper right corner of the screen. Thursday at 3:00 pm Central.


Don't miss my guest this week! Jean Blackmer is head of MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) publishing and a wonderful writer herself! Her latest book Momsense is a topic that has long resonated with me. I'm a firm believer in momsense! Be sure to tune in to find out if you have "momsense".

For a chance to win a copy of the book, leave a comment {HERE}. Winner will be notified via email next week!

More about Jean: Jean Blackmer is the publishing manager for MOPS International where she designsbooks specifically for moms of preschoolers. She is also the author of a book for moms of boys, Boy-sterous Living! Celebrating Your Loud and Rowdy Life with Sons, is a regular contributor to MomSense magazine, and has written for other magazines including Guideposts, Thriving Family, Today's Christian Woman, and Christian Parenting Today. She has her master’s degree in journalism from the University of Colorado at Boulder and lives in Colorado with her husband, Zane, and their three sons.

Visit Jean's website for more information about her and her other books! www.jeanblackmer.com

More about Momsense: Life can be overwhelming but when children become part of the picture, a mom mayfeel that her life is out of control. In MomSense (ISBN: 978-08007-2022-3, $12.99, 192 pages, June 2011) author, Jean Blackmer guides new and experienced moms through the plethora of advice that is available today. MomSense illustrates that moms do not need to seek perfection but find their own unique mothering style is what really counts with their kids today. Readers will discover that they already possess the instincts and the ability to think critically to be confident moms and to raise confident kids.

Blackmer showcases “real mom” stories that are proven and practical advice for moms.  MomSense provides clarity and helps moms honestly assess their skills, embrace those instincts, and develop their own unique mothering style. This practical and hope-filled book equips moms to mother with confidence, contentment and joy.   Each chapter provides thought-provoking “MomSense” questions and a section of “Mama Drama” scenarios for moms to discuss in groups making this an excellent resource for study groups.

Everyone wants to write a bestseller.

Personally it excites me as an author to see my readership grow. My first novels sold 5,000 - 10,000 copies. Now, between my novels, my blog, (my tweets!) my audience has greatly expanded, for which I am thankful.

Yet while we all want our books to sell more, many writers are surprised by the challenges that come with that. I'm not talking about fame, notoriety, and greater demands. (Although those are challenges, too.) I'm talking about God's sanctification process. It seems to me the greater influence one has, the more God's really going to dig in and help you dig out the junk in your own heart. Why? As Luke 12:3 says, “Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!”

I also like how The Message puts it:

“You can't keep your true self hidden forever; before long you'll be exposed. You can't hide behind a religious mask forever; sooner or later the mask will slip and your true face will be known. You can't whisper one thing in private and preach the opposite in public; the day's coming when those whispers will be repeated all over town.”

Or in the TG (Tricia Goyer) version, the more influence you have, the more you're going to reflect what a Christian is all about—for the good and the bad. And God is a God who doesn't want anyone giving Him a bad name. But instead of giving His children the boot, God sets to work at scouring us out—transforming us into a vessel worthy of use.

I've experienced this personally. (And I've seen it happening in the lives of my author friends.) Over the years God has dealt with me concerning past relationships, unhealthy longings, pride, the need for approval, and materialism. (To name a few!) I've had more days than I want to admit where I've relinquished things to God, only to go back to my unholy ways the next day. Yet God doesn't give up. He knows that I can only be a good influence—through my words and my life—if His goodness is in me. That means scrubbing out the bad.

Sometimes I've felt like my heart has been mangled with a wire brush. Sin doesn't release its grasp freely. But on the other side of that cleansing is a freedom that's hard to describe. The freedom is worth the pain. God knows this. He knows I'll thank Him in the end, even if it's through blurry tears.

The thing is just when one area of my life gets cleaned up, God sets His gaze on another area I've been trying to ignore. Lately He's been dealing with me about my struggle with food. The more I dig into God's Word, the more I see it's a spiritual issue. It's yet other area where I want to please self instead of turning to God.

I know the journey's going to be hard—with this issue and the other issues God will faithfully reveal. The battle against sin is always, well, a battle. But I'm looking forward to a greater freedom at the end.

I'm also looking forward to those who God will connect me with during the process. And just maybe my influence will touch them in ways it never could have before. That's what I'm counting on. If something's going to be shouted from the rooftops through my life and my witness, I want it to be about how faithful, loving, and dedicated God is about transforming me into the likeness of His Son.

Date Night Ideas!

Getting date night is hard. What is your best solution? This is a question I asked my Facebook and Twitter friends. They gave some great responses!

Tammy: Have your children 9 years apart so you have a built in babysitter. LOL!

Diane: What Tammy said (although mine are 5 1/2 years apart). Before that though, the kids' bedtime was 7:30. Gave us lots of alone time. :)

Ronel: Plan ahead and have a back up plan.... my grandmother whom raised 4 kids close in age told me to do datenight at home if money is tight, make a nice dinner and put the kids to bed a little early or set them up with a movie & tell them they can NOT bug you... I have found this refreshing when money is tight!!

Lisa: We've never had a date night & been married 22 years.I don't really understand the need. We always wanted to include our child in things we did & have had plenty of time together also.

Kennisha: Definitely planning ahead is key. I don't like asking people to watch the kids at the last minute. If all fails, we do a nice dinner/movie date at home after the kids are put to bed. :)

Tammy: When my kids were younger, I traded off with another mom for date night babysitting. Now mine are 12 and 9 and can be home alone for up to 2 hours, with hubby and I within a few miles of home and reachable by cell phone :)

Shannon: With 8 kids our days are booked. We seize our moments remembering to focus on one another. Whether its our couch time every night when he comes home. Kids know dad will kiss them hello and then he and I get a good 15 minutes of uninterrupted time!

Tricia P: Date MORNING! Mid-Saturday mornings for us seem to work best. We're not rushed or super tired then.

Kim: Only way it happens with us is when we both put it on our calendars weeks ahead of time. Then it's sacred. To us anyway.

Ann: We do an at-home date night every week. Kids go to their own rooms at 7:00 for booktime, and they know that this is our night. We started this 4 1/2 yrs ago when the kids were 5, 3, and infant, so it can work with little ones!

The_go_between: When kids were little bought tickets to symphony - guaranteed date night 3 times a year!

Amanda: Lunch dates while the kidlet is in school.

John and I did most of these ... although I don't remember symphony tickets! Remember the best thing you can do is PLAN. Whether it's at home or out on the town time with your spouse is worth taking the time to figure out!

Do you have an idea we can benefit from? I'd love to hear it!

Follow Your Dreams, Mom

When I first started homeschooling my three kids (ages 6, 3, and 1) in 1995, I thought my life from that moment would always be about homeschooling. I pictured all of my time (or at least most of it) shaping my children's education. I scheduled my day in 15-minute increments and did my best to stick to it. What I didn't know was that over the years God would call me to follow my own dreams. What I also didn't realize was my kids would benefit from that.

It all started when I attended the Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference with a friend. Being there with industry professionals made writing for publication seem possible. Classes taught me how to be published. The love, prayers and support of published authors and editors brought people into my life who believed in me and prodded me to follow God's dreams. It didn't matter to them that I was a young, homeschooling mom who hadn't even finished college.

At first I felt guilty following my dreams. I'd homeschool in the morning and then in the afternoon I'd set aside a few hours to write while my children played. Those early years, I wrote articles and ideas for novels as Barney played on the television. At least a dozen times during those two hours my kids would ask me for milk, or a snack, or to play with them. I'd offer what I could but then remind them, “This was Mommy's writing time.” Guilt weighed me down as if Barney the dinosaur sat on my shoulders, and I was sure I was the worst homeschooling mother there was. To combat my guilt I swung the other way and became overcommitted, making frequent library trips, signing my daughter up for dance lessons and my boys up for sports. It was my husband who urged me to stop the madness. Over the months to come we figured out our priorities:

• To provide a godly education for our kids
• To sign up each child for one extra-curricular activity a year
• To have dinner time as a family
• To train our children how to be part of the family unit and do chores
• To connect and serve in our local church
• To have reading time together as a family at night
• To see what God was doing in our lives and follow Him

For me, this last one included following my writing dreams, and as the years past I started getting published—first with articles and later with books. When the kids were 11, 8 and 6, God called me to help start a crisis pregnancy center, too, and to start mentoring teen moms. During that same time my husband started a dynamic children's ministry at our church.

With each call from God I argued. Lord, what about this homeschooling thing? Shouldn't I focus more on that? Yes, I was still spending 3-4 hours homeschooling every day, but I'd look around and see my friends pouring 100% of their lives into their kids. I felt I was giving my kids the short end of the stick. Instead of sitting outside working on nature journals, my kids were with me at the pregnancy center folding baby clothes or babysitting for the teen moms. Instead of taking those art classes at the museum, my kids were reading or building Lego forts while I worked at my computer. The more success I had in both arenas, the more I felt torn. Yet the more I prayed about it, I also saw God opening doors. Soon I was traveling out of town to research books and attend conferences, and sometimes I had to drag my kids along. (Poor kids!)

I can't say when the “ah-ha” moment happened, but over time I began to see how following my dreams benefited my children in numerous ways. For them, they'd say they realized having a mom who wrote books was cool when we got free tickets and backstage passes to a Newboys concert through a writing friend. For me, I'd say it was when I saw my daughter's compassion for teenage mothers or when I overheard my son telling someone he wanted to write screenplays. They met WWII veterans I was interviewing and traveled all over the US as I researched.

As a mom, I didn't need to teach my kids that we should follow God's dreams for us and work hard to share His truth with others. They saw that lived out on a daily basis. Being a servant of God was modeled … and I just thought I was being a slacker for not doing science projects or having them memorize enough spelling words! As time passed, I realized God asked me to follow my dreams not only for the people I served, but also for my kids.

My kids are 22, 19 and 17 now. Cory is married with a newborn son. He's finishing college, working and writing a novel on the side. Leslie is in her junior year of college and plans on teaching English and doing mission work overseas when she graduates. Nathan is a high school senior, is actively involved in children's ministry with his dad and he's also writing a novel. We've also adopted a baby girl who is 16 months. I plan on doing many things the same, including homeschooling, serving teen moms and writing … but this time I'm doing it without the guilt. I trust God more now. I trust that if He's called me to something for Him, He understands how it'll impact my kids. I trust He sees their futures too. I trust homeschooling isn't just about books and learning, it's about serving and following God with everything we have.

So what about you, Mom? Has God placed a dream in your heart or your spouse's heart? Maybe like me you're thinking, “I'll do that after these homeschooling years have passed.” I'd encourage you to reconsider that and go to God in prayer. After all, kids learn far more from our lives than from books. You are your child's teacher … teach them with your life not just your lesson plan.

© Tricia Goyer, 2011

Too Blessed to Be Stressed KINDLE Giveaway and Facebook Party!

If you missed yesterday's interview with the hilarious Debora Coty - listen here or download on iTunes (free) here.

To celebrate the release of her latest laugh-out-loud book, Too Blessed to Be Stressed, Debora Coty is hosting the Too Blessed to Be Stressed KINDLE Giveaway!

Too Blessed to be Stressed is a fun-filled read overflowing with insights and practical tips. Perfectly delicious for living happily ever after! 
-Rhonda Rhea, best-selling author of Whatsoever Things Are Lovely

Read what the reviewers are saying here.

Debora has created a “Too Blessed” prize package worth over $150! One grand prize winner will receive:

* A brand new Latest Generation KINDLE with Wi-Fi and Pearl Screen

* Too Blessed to Be Stressed by Debora Coty (for KINDLE)

To enter just click one of the icons below. Hurry! The giveaway ends August 25th. Winner will be announced on the evening of the 18th during Debora's De-Stress Facebook Party! Debora will be hosting a "life-preserver" chat (it’s okay if you haven’t read the book – who knows, you might WIN a copy!), testing trivia skills, swapping funny stories, handing out some decom-stress tips, and giving away tons of great stuff! (Chocolate, books, and more!) Hope to see you there. Bring your friends and join the fun on August 25th at 5:00 PM PST (6 PM MDT, 7 PM CDT, & 8 PM EDT).

Also - be sure to check out Debora's series of Stress-Buster videos at her website: www.deboracoty.com. She’s also hosting a photo caption contest on her blog for a chance to win a copy of Too Blessed to Be Stressed.

Today on Living Inspired: Debora Coty

To listen to the interview: go here and click on the player in the upper right corner of the screen. Thursday at 3:00 pm Central.


This week on Living Inspired Debora Coty will be joining me.  We'll be talking about her new book Too Blessed to Be Stressed. Her interview couldn't come at a better time. I'm not saying I'm stressed or anything (YIKES!), but I'm looking forward to hearing her tips and funny stories.

Leave a comment {HERE} for a chance to win a copy of Debora's book for yourself! Winner will be notified next week via email.

About the book:
Do your to do lists have footnotes? Has your fam suggested a rabies shot because your bite has surpassed Rover’s?

Maybe it’s time for a healthy dose of truth gift-wrapped in humor. With her own offbeat brand of wit and near-wisdom, inspirational humorist Debora Coty addresses the heart-needs of desperate women drowning in the churning everyday stress-pool of busyness.

In Too Blessed to Be Stressed, you’ll find simple, practical steps for attaining the peace that you crave as you struggle with the stresses of finances, health, career, relationships, self-image and family. You’ll discover healing, refreshment, and revitalization for your own spirit, body and mind through heart-changing real life stories, biblically based insights, and short chapters for on-the-run convenience.

About Debora: 
Debora M. Coty is a humorist, columnist, speaker, writing workshop instructor and award-winning author ofover 100 internationally published articles and ten inspirational books. She has also contributed short stories and devotionals to numerous anthologies. Debora's passion is sharing her offbeat blend of humor and hope, wit and near-wisdom with women of all ages. As a piano teacher for twenty years, she acquired the skill of auditory long-suffering and has helped countless people as an occupational therapist specializing in orthopedics for over three decades. Mother of two grown children, Debora currently lives and loves in central Florida with her husband and desperately wicked pooch, Fenway. www.deboracoty.com

Be sure to check out Debora's KINDLE giveaway (going on right now) and Facebook party on the 25th.

Enter 8/8 - 8/25!

Dandelion Days

One of my favorite things to do as a child was to pluck white dandelions and blow them with a heavy breath, scattering the seeds on the wind. At the time I didn’t realize I was infesting my grandpa’s pristine lawn. To me it was just a game. Like dandelion seeds, we can plant faith in our children’s hearts … but as my grandpa could have told you, seeds grow best in the right conditions.

To make his grass grow, my grandpa provided soft soil and the right amount of moisture. This, of course, also made the perfect growing environment for dandelions. Add sunlight (which my grandpa did not provide, of course) and the dandelion seeds that I blew took root, much to my grandfather’s chagrin.

There are many things parents do to scatter faith in their children’s lives. We purchase Christian music and books. We take our children to church. We read them Bible stories. What we forget, is that these are only seeds. For seeds to grow we need to provide a foundation of trust and dependence.

According to Dictionary.com, trust is defined as, “reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence.” Trust doesn’t come from “things” but from people: parents and grandparents who model what God’s Word says and Sunday school teachers who offer hugs, smiles, and kind words in addition to coloring sheets and crayons. Children also benefit from connections with family friends, people from other cultures, and missionaries whose active faith proves loving and following God is not just a “mom and dad” thing.

In fact, the more trusting relationships there are in a child’s life, the more fertile the ground for the seeds you scatter. And soon, with the light of the Son, the seeds will grow.

Warmer days outside can remind us of the need to plant seeds in a child’s heart, but dandelion days are any day in your child’s life. Faith in God isn’t just something we cross our fingers and hope for. If we provide the right environment, we can trust God will make those seeds grow.

Ten Trust Builders
1. Ask a grandparent or special friend to read Bible storybooks with your toddler.
2. When you’re on an outing with friends, point out a beautiful sunset or exquisite flower and exclaim over God’s creation.
3. Invite your child’s Sunday school teacher into your home for a meal or dessert.
4. Join with other families to take a meal to a needy friend.
5. Introduce your child to your pastor.
6. Train your child how to connect and communicate with someone who is disabled.
7. Involve your child in ordinary acts of kindness to neighbors and strangers.
8. Spend time with families who are different than your own in race, economic standing, or culture.
9. Color a picture together to send to a missionary you support.
10. Model God’s love in and outside your home. Your child follows your actions, even more than your words.

As you model caring, trusting relationships the seeds of faith you scatter will take root!

Not in my strength

A few days ago I was asked to submit some creative ideas for what could be a very cool writing project. The only thing was, the company could only give me 48 hours to come up with the ideas. I looked at my schedule. It was completely full. I had a writing project to work on, a baby to care for, errands to run with my Grandmother, and a teen MOPS program to prep for.

Finally, it was nearly 9 p.m. the night before the ideas were due that I sat down to consider them. I sat with my notebook computer on my lap next to my husband and daughter who were watching a TV show. My toddler was still awake and was climbing all over me. I was tired. My neck ached after a long day. How in the world was I going to be creative? I had no strength, no wisdom, no energy.

So I prayed.

I prayed God's Spirit would meet me there. I started reading God's Word in search of Truth. (www.Biblegateway.com is my favorite resource.) I jotted down key words that resurrected in my mind ... and one by one the ideas came.

I felt hot all over and a sweet stirring filled my chest. Jesus' presence was strong as I typed.

Two hours later when the television was turned off, I looked down at the five pages of ideas. I read the words in awe because I honestly didn't know where they came from. Actually, yes I did. And they didn't come from my creativity, my strength, my energy.

I emailed those ideas off and joy flooded over me. At this moment I have no clue how those ideas will be accepted. Maybe they're not what the company is looking for ... and if they're not, that's okay.

The truth is, Truth--Jesus the Truth--met me in that moment. If those words were just for me, I'm grateful. If those words will touch and impact others, then I'm grateful for that too.

In this life there are few perfect moments that foster creativity, but I've discovered one thing. When I seek Jesus He shows up. He's never failed me yet.

It's not in my strength. It's not about me. And I'm so glad.

Don't Check Your Brains At the Door ... and a Kindle Giveaway!

Last week I had a GREAT interview with Bob Hostetler! Bob is a pastor, speaker, and author. Bob has co-written several books with Josh McDowell, the latest of which released last week - Don't Check Your Brains At the Door. It's an apologetics book targeted toward older teens and college age and focuses on the importance of knowing what you believe and why. Bob also writes GREAT fiction and is a sought after speaker. Be sure to download the Living Inspired podcast here or on iTunes for free.

Now on to the giveaway!

To celebrate the release of their new book, Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler have teamed up with their publisher,Thomas Nelson, to give away a brand new KINDLE!

Don't Check Your Brains At the Door answers many of the faith-related questions Christian youth face. It challenges young readers to test gospel truths found in the Bible so they can learn to give an answer for their faith as they mature into thinking adults. A great resource for teens and college-age. Read the reviews here.

One "brainy" winner will receive a Kindle prize package worth over $150.00:

• A Brand New KINDLE with Wi-Fi and Pearl Ink Screen
• Don't Check Your Brains At the Door by Josh McDowell & Bob Hostetler (for KINDLE)

A perfect back-to-school prize package! To enter just click one of the icons below. Hurry! The giveaway ends August 18th. Winner will be announced on the evening of the 18th during the Don't Check Your Brains At the Door Facebook Party! The authors will be chatting with guests, answering questions on "knowing what you believe and why" (it’s okay if you haven’t read the book – who knows, you might WIN a copy!), testing your trivia skills, and giving away tons of great stuff! (Gift certificates, books, and more!)

Bring your friends and join the fun on August 18th at 5:00 PM PST (6 PM MDT, 7 PM CDT, & 8 PM EDT).

Thursday on Living Inspired: Shannon Ethridge

To listen to the interview: go here and click on the player in the upper right corner of the screen. Thursday at 3:00 pm Central.


Don't miss this week's show with my guest Shannon Ethridge. Shannon is the author of the Every Woman's Battle series and she has spoken to youth, college students, and adults since 1989. Her passions include: challenging adults and teens to embrace a life of sexual integrity, encouraging married couples in their pursuit of sexual and emotional fulfillment, counseling women who have looked for love in all the wrong places and equipping parents to instill sexual values in children at an early age. Don't miss this week's show. And if you have a question of Shannon, leave it in the comments section or send it via twitter (@triciagoyer). Or call in to the show at 1-877-864-4869.

More about Shannon: Shannon is a million-copy best-selling author, speaker, lay counselor, and advocatefor healthy sexuality with a master’s degree in counseling/human relations from Liberty University. Her passion for healthy sexuality actually began in Mortuary College. Her first career choice, becoming a mortician, led Ethridge to work on dead bodies. Many she embalmed were young people who had died from AIDS or committed suicide as a result of an HIV positive diagnosis. Because of her own promiscuous teenage years, she knew it was a miracle that she was standing over the embalming table rather than laying on top of it. These experiences inspired her to begin speaking boldly and bluntly to teen, college-age, and adult audiences about the benefits of sexual integrity. She has taught and counseled thousands of young singles and married couples over the past decade. She is the author of 18 books, including the best-selling Every Woman’s Battle series, the 5-book Completely His series, and her new book for the mainstream market, The Sexually Confident Wife.

Shannon has been featured on The Today Show (MSNBC), appeared on the cover of Today’s Christian Woman Magazine, and is a frequent guest on international radio & television shows such as The 700 Club, Life Today with James & Betty Robison, FamilyLife Today with Dennis Rainey, and New Life Live! with Stephen Arterburn. She has also been published in numerous magazines such as Focus on the Family, Brio, and LifeWay and is the winner of a Gold Medallion Award for Excellence in Publishing.

Although grateful for the opportunities to influence this generation as a writer and speaker, Shannon remains most passionate about her role as a wife and best friend to her husband of 20 years, Greg, and a mother and cheerleader to their two children, Erin (18) and Matthew (15).

www.shannonethridge.com

More about Shannon's latest book: Every Single Woman's Battle - Powerful Tools For Guarding Your Body, Mind, and Heart

Remaining pure while single isn't easy in a culture that encourages women to use their bodies to gain power and personal fulfillment. The longing for emotional and physical connection can gradually and subtly lead you into compromises you never intended to make. But you can resist the pressures-or reclaim your purity-by building a strong foundation of integrity.

A sanctuary of friendship. (and book giveaway!)

In 1991 my husband and I started attending a new church in Anderson, California and one of my new friends was a woman named Cindy. Living in Anderson it was the first time I'd lived farther than 10 minutes from my mother and grandmother. I missed them, and for a time I felt alone—tossed around by the storms of life without someone close to turn to.

As the months passed, I found my friendship with Cindy as a safe place. A sanctuary of friendship. Over the years we've been connected as we've raised kids and wrote books. If I needed to talk to someone who understood my world, I knew Cindy would be there.

Recently my friend Cindy has teamed up with Sheila Walsh for a new novel, Sweet Sanctuary. It's a story about a son's prayers, the stirring up of pained memories from the past, and a hope for a new life and new love. I connected with the main character Wren from the first page and wanted to know more about her story. I was eager to see how God was going to work, and how she was going to turn to Him as the storms of life hit.

What I love most about Sweet Sanctuary is the truth that our true Sanctuary is found in God.

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. Hebrews 6:19

We have hope because the One we are anchored to has a flawless character. Just as the Israelites sent a high priest into the inner tabernacle, behind the curtain, we too can go into God's presence. With hope … with bold steps … we can enter into the very presence of God.

www.jessicasvisionsphotography.com/

As a Christian, I am thankful for this hope that keeps me secure. I'm thankful for those God brings into into our lives to be a shelter of friends. And I'm thankful for story. It's amazing how we can sit down with a cup of tea and a good book and get swept away with fictional characters—yet in the amazing way God works He meets us there. As we read, we become a part of the story. The words flow through us into our hearts … and God can use even these fictional worlds to remind us He is here, for us, for this moment.

Be sure to check out Patheo's Sanctuary book club.

SHARE: Leave a comment and tell me about your own SANCTUARY and you could win one of three copies of Sweet Sanctuary by Cindy Coloma and Sheila Walsh. Winner announced 8/26.

Heavenly Dreams

What are your dreams for your kids? 

http://www.jessicasvisionsphotography.com/

When my kids were younger I'd pray about them finding good jobs, a good spouse, and become productive members of society. I still pray for those things, but I also pray for more now. I pray my children will be citizens of heaven and that God will use them to lead others to be part of this heavenly family. So how has God led guided my husband and I in doing this?

1. Look ahead. "We are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives," Philippians 3:20 reads. "And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior." This verse reminds me that this world is not our home. All our planning, decisions, life choices need to be based on not this world, but our heavenly citizenship. John and I consider this when we're making family decisions, and we talk to our kids about it.

2. Reach out. We had the door open to go on two mission trips to a country that has less than 1% of Christians. Walking the streets I'd tell my kids, "Look around ... most of those people you see need to hear the good news of Jesus." Being there--seeing their faces--changed their hearts.

3. Open our doors. My grandmother has lived with us for eight years. We also recently adopted a baby girl. We take it seriously when the Bible says to care for the widows and the orphans. We also regularly reach out to teen moms. If we believe people matter--their souls matter--we need to live as such.

4. Model God-seeking. My children often wake up to see me reading my Bible and praying. They hear my husband and I reading the Bible together. We worship together at church. We tell them about the things God is asking us to do. We explain what seeking God is like. We try to live obediently in our own lives.

I'm blessed that today my kids are ages 22, 19 and 17 and they all are strong Christians ... but is that enough? If my family is going to spend eternity together, I want to make sure we bring a crowd. That is my heavenly dream, and it's my kids heavenly dream, too. I think that's just the way God likes it.