Category: Resources

a song of hope

Our family loves music. It’s one way we communicate. We really believe that music and song have a way of reaching the heart that written words simply do not. Music stirs our affections.

In that vain, I wanted to share a song for each advent idea. Some are “Christmas songs,” and some aren’t. Feel free to listen to these songs by yourself or together with your family. Use them to begin discussions. I pray that they will stir your affections for the Lord in this season, and aid in keeping your heart stayed on him.

One of my favorite Christmas songs is “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus.” I love how it is filled with hope for the Messiah and the fulfillment of that hope in Jesus! This is my most favorite arrangement, by Red Mountain Music. Enjoy!

Come thou long expected Jesus

Come Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free
From our fears and sins release us
Let us find our rest in Thee
Israel’s strength and consolation
Hope of all the earth Thou art
Dear desire of every nation
Joy of every longing heart

Born Thy people to deliver
Born a child and yet a King
Born to reign in us forever
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring
By Thine own eternal spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone
By Thine all sufficient merit
Raise us to Thy glorious throne

By Thine all sufficient merit
Raise us to Thy glorious throne

a great cloud of witnesses

I recently shared that I am nearing the end of a great devotional study, written for mothers. As I have been praying about what to move on to next when I finish up the study at the end of this week, I have searched for direction.

Generally, I like to keep my study time lighter on topical studies and heavier on studying sections of scripture. Walking With God in the Season of Motherhood was exactly what I needed, when I needed it. But I am ready now to turn from the topical toward more focused scripture study.

So, what next?

Should I start reading through the Bible again? Well, maybe. But it’s almost January, and perhaps I should just wait to start until then…

Should I read through the Proverbs? Always a good option, especially when you have a month to work with…

Should I pick a book to study for a month? OK, sure. But which one?

It’s always so hard to decide where and when to start a new thing! Ack!

Well, God is faithful. As always. Just as I realized I really needed to get a move on figuring out what to do next (time was running out!), an email popped up in my inbox with a pretty obvious choice. Yay!

I have been invited to preview a study on Hebrews 11 as part of the launch team for Trillia Newbell’s newest book from Moody Publishers: A Great Cloud of Witnesses. I am thrilled to start this in the coming weeks, and to dive in again to this rich chapter of Hebrews.

The book’s description gives some insight into what the study encompasses:

Enter the stories of the faithful in A Great Cloud of Witnesses. This six-week Bible study dives into Hebrews 11, examining the lives of Rahab, Enoch, Gideon, Sarah, and many more whose faiths withstood the tests of their days. By studying the great cloud of witnesses, your own faith will be strengthened to run the race before you.

Moody Publishers

I am truly looking forward to studying Hebrews 11 over the next six weeks. I am sure I will be encouraged and edified as I meditate on this chapter. I hope to share with you what I am learning as I go. In the meantime, I encourage you to check out this new resource to see if it might be a good fit for your future study as well!

As part of my participation in the launch team for Trillia’s new book, I received an advanced copy of A Great Cloud of Witnesses. The study officially releases on January 5, 2021, but it is available for pre-order now, anywhere books are sold. If you choose to pre-order through the links I have provided, I will receive some affiliate compensation.

a devotional for mothers

Over the past nine weeks, I have been reading through a topical devotional study called Walking With God in the Season of Motherhood. I have appreciated Melissa Kruger’s insight and wisdom in the past (especially her book The Envy of Eve — a must read!), so I was excited to stumble upon this study this past spring, in our newly-COVID world.

I was finishing up reading through the Bible in a (little-over-a) year, and was searching for a guided study with a more topical emphasis, yet a study still rich in Scripture. This fit the bill for sure. It turned out to be exactly what I needed.

Of course, who could doubt that God would provide exactly what I needed? I admit, I always go into a new study or devotional book with trepidation. Even when I know God will teach me and grow me through His word, I am still apprehensive. Will this new book or author hold my interest? Will I stick with it? What will I learn? How will this teach me?

Well, this study was balm for my weary soul. Like I said before, I really have loved Melissa Kruger’s writing before. I think I just resonate with her style and syntax. It is like talking with a friend. She is not stuffy, yet not superficial either.

In this study, she has a wonderful way of guiding you through Scripture systematically and making you think about what you are reading and how it applies to you. She adds analogies, anecdotes, and real life application along the way. And while Melissa Kruger’s life is not the same as my life — our circumstances are certainly different — I find her writing and application very relatable.

If you are looking for a new study that will both encourage and equip you in this season of motherhood, I highly recommend this study to you. I am not being paid to write this. It is just a resource I have found to be profitable as a mother, and I would love to share it with you fellow moms “in the muddle.”

I have two more weeks left in my study. I have actually kept up with reading it consistently every weekday for the past nine weeks. I have not skipped a day or needed to catch up. I am really truly amazed by this! And I am looking forward to the next two weeks as I continue to learn and grow. I honestly feel like it will be a little sad to say goodbye to this book, and put it on the shelf for perhaps another read-through in another year. But I have a new study on the docket, which I will be sharing with you soon. Stay tuned…

{All links are my Amazon Affiliate links. If you choose to purchase through these links, I will receive a small commission, and I will be grateful for it :)}