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Easy Ways to Make the Bible Kid Friendly
The Bible is the one book we say is the most important in our homes, but how do we make it truly central in the lives of our children and home in a meaningful way? (Heaven not Harvard is as a participant in affiliate programs including the Amazon Associates Program. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.) Give them the Bible and Bible stories that are accurate and age appropriate. My daughter was given her first toddler board book bible before she could walk. We read the stories together regularly, although not as often as I wish we had. The days go by so fast! But the real difference…
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How to Pray on this National Day of Prayer
Today is the National Day of Prayer. My daughter was born on the National Day of Prayer a few years ago, which has made it special for me even when it doesn’t fall on her birthday. I always take time to pray today. With everything in the news, I feel overwhelmed. Every time I read the news, the world seems more on the brink of disaster. So many people don’t have a relationship with or even knowledge of God. Sometimes, this world feels hopeless. But thankfully we know that the hope we have is not in this world, but overcame it! John 16:33 ESV I have said these things to you,…
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How Motherhood Changed my Mother’s Day Perspective
Motherhood has completely changed my Mother’s Day perspective through every challenging and exhilarating moment. Each year has added to the fullness of the beauty of mothering as much as to its challenges. Instead of expecting gifts, I try to celebrate BEING a mother on Mother’s Day. Card company expectations are the enemy of joy, while macaroni necklaces, dandelions, and Crayola cards are priceless. I’ve learned to celebrate the messy work of being a mother. As my daughter becomes increasingly independent, my role is shifting from primarily physical needs to more emotional and spiritual guidance, which is teaching me so many new aspects of motherhood. My Mother’s Day perspective is also…
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The Harsh Truth about being a People Pleaser
Are you a people pleaser? I have been. I struggle against striving to please people almost daily. But the struggle has gotten easier since I learned the truth. Know what you get when a ‘recovering’ control freak is mixed with a harmony desiring people pleaser? Me. And it was messy and hard. And made me completely crazy! Didn’t do much for my family either. (Heaven not Harvard is a participant in affiliate programs including the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.) God’s been working on this area of my heart for…
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Joy and Sorrow: the Bones of My Father’s Life
My father’s life and personality has been my strongest influence, for better and worse. As he grows older, there is joy and sorrow in every visit as I sit surrounded by the bones of my father’s life. This week I’ve traveled across the nation to visit my father. He is in an assisted living facility now after battling with some memory loss issues for several years and having had a small stroke. It is emotional for me to watch from afar while he deals with losing the pieces of himself. I’ve been able to tell he is losing ground in this fight. He used to be a Christian counselor and…
