A Writing Challenge: Day 31

So we are here! The final day of the #write31day challenge. I think I did pretty good. There were only 5 days that missed this whole month. I have really enjoyed doing this and I am proud that even though I missed a few days, I didn't give up and stop. I hope that you enjoyed reading my posts and that they were in some way, encouraging to you! My final praise and prayer is about salvation.

My salvation is a gift that no other could give. Because God the Father sent His son to die on the cross for my sins, I can spend eternal life in heaven, if I choose to believe. Some days I can't even wrap my head around it. My Lord and Savior gave His life for me, a gift I can never repay. It's the ultimate sacrifice, the ultimate gift.

This gift is not just for me. It's for anyone who chooses to believe and accept it, and it only takes a simple prayer. Maybe this is something you have been wanting to do, but not sure if you are ready. Well, I assure you now is the perfect time. God is waiting for you to say this prayer today. Won't you pray this with me?

Dear Jesus, I acknowledge that I am a sinner and in need of a savior. I believe that you died on the cross for my sins so that I can spend eternal life in heaven with You. I ask that you come into my heart and forgive me of my sins and choose to follow Your path. Thank you for this undeserved gift that I can never repay. In Your precious Name I pray, Amen.

I praise God today for anyone who has chosen to believe in Him and pray this prayer! He is there for You and has a plan for You. I pray that you will grow in His knowledge and will be blessed in the days to come.

And here is a little something I finally got around to finishing, even though it's the last day of October, hehe. As I always say, better late than never, and besides it's still fall until the middle of December!

Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 29

Praise: Today's praise is for His heavenly peace. I am so grateful that He stills my soul. Whether I am  overworked, overwhelmed, or worried, He brings a peace that transcends all. All I have to do is lift my voice in a simple prayer, turn it all over to Him and will bring a peace that passes all understanding. Praise God for that!

Prayer: My prayer ties into my praise today. As we are coming to a close with our #write31days challenge, I can say that Gd has really been working in my heart over the past few weeks regarding several different situations. Through writing about praise and prayer, He has really given me a peace about everything. I can honestly say when you make time for Him everyday, my days just seem more peaceful. Now, I am not saying everyday is perfect. I have definitely had some hard days, but during those hard times I have still been at peace, because ultimately I know that He is still in control of everything. This has allowed me to let go of things a lot easier and move on faster, instead of staying worries or overwhelmed in my situation. I pray this prayer for you, so that in the days to come you can experience this same peace no matter what your situation.

Dear loving Father, I thank You for all that I have learned over these past few weeks, while participating in this writing challenge. I ask that you would continue to bring peace into all areas of my life. I pray this for all my friends as well. Help to still their hearts and focus on the good. Bring them a peace that passes all understanding, so that no matter what their situation they will know that You are in control. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

Don't forget to enter the DaySpring Giveaway! Today is the last day!!

Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 28

As I was thinking about what to write for my praise today, I realized that I don't need a reason to give Him praise. I can just praise Him for who He is. He alone deserves praise just for being our God. Not for anything He does for us. So I'm keeping it simple today.

Praise: I praise Him just for who He is. Not for anything He has done or will do, just Him. For being my Lord and Savior.

Prayer: My prayer today is that I will do my best to remember how awesome He is, day in and day out. That nothing could ever replace Him in my life and without Him I am nothing.

Dear Jesus, I praise You for who You are. I am so grateful that You have been my God through all of the ups and downs. That just Your Name alone deserves endless praise. Please send Your Spirit to be with me, so that I may never loose sight of You. Forgive me when I don't make time for You in my day. As You should be first in everything. I love You! In Your Name I pray, Amen.

Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 27

So I know that I am a little late with this post, but the day is not over yet.

Praise: Today's praise is for His leadership. Many people think only of Jesus as this holy, all powerful, magnificent being, but forget, that He was also a human being just like you and me. Of course He was without sin, which sets Him apart from you and I, but He was still 100% flesh and bones human; breathing, eating, sleeping, and resisting temptation. He was the ultimate leader! I praise Him and thank Him for being the perfect example of how we should be. 

Prayer: Today's prayer is for our leaders today. Whether we agree with how they lead or not, they still need our prayers for guidance in making the best decisions for our country. Will you pray this prayer for them with me?

Dear gracious Heavenly Father, I lift up to you the leaders of this country. Be with them everyday in big things and the small. Watch over them and protect them from any harm or disaster. Be present with them as they make decisions and give them the wisdom and clarity to know what is best for our country. Give them peace and rest so that they will put forth their best self on a daily basis. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 26

Praise: Today's praise for His sense of humor. I feel like when people think of God or Jesus, they think of Him as being so serious. Honestly, I think He is quite the opposite. Think about it. Jesus always attended celebrations. In fact, He was the life of the party. I definitely think God wired us to have fun and enjoy life and I think that if He were here at one of our celebrations, He would be laughing right along with us. I praise Him for having a sense of humor and for giving me one too!!

Prayer: Today's prayer is for contentment. Over the past few weeks, my husband and I have been slowly unpacking our things and having stuff done to our new home. We have had someone in our home almost everyday for the past two weeks.  It's been a little stressful. Things have been moved from one room to another and back again.  Now comes the fun part of decorating, or so I thought. I never knew how hard it is to decorate an entire space, and like it. I am getting so overwhelmed just thinking about it. I want everything to just be done for me. God spoke to my heart and reminded me that our old townhouse didn't get the way it was, over night. It took time. In fact, it was an ongoing process that didn't really end, but that is for anyone who is feeling overwhelmed like I am.

Dear Lord, I can't thank you enough for this new house that we get to call home. Please help me to remember that it is not going to be finished over night. In fact, the joy in creating this home, that will serve You, will be a life long process. I pray that my heart will be content in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in and just enjoy the journey. In Your precious Name we pray, Amen.

Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 24 & 25

Praise: Today's praise is for growth. Over the weekend I had time to reflect on my growth, not just in my spiritual, walk but in so many areas. Thinking back 10 years ago, I am definitely not the same person today. I say that in a good way though. I don't feel that I was a bad person back then, but I wasn't married and didn't have a little one to care for. Thinking about how so many things have changed since college makes me really appreciate how far I have come. It has been such an adventurous journey filled with so many wonderful memories. I praise Him and thank Him for how much I have grown and continue to grow in so many ways with Him right there every step of the way.

Prayer: My prayer today is for all of you out there, who may be growing in some way. Maybe it's your faith, or a new job, maybe it's a new relationship or you are a new mom. This prayer is for you.

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that from Your glorious, unlimited resources You will empower us with inner strength through Your Spirit.Then Christ will make His home in our hearts as we trust in Him. Our roots will grow down into God's love and keep us strong as we continue to grow in all areas. In Your precious Name we pray, Amen. 

Have a blessed week! This is the last week for the #write31days challenge! I hope you have been enjoying this praise and prayer journey with me.

Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 23

Praise: Today's praise is for the dreams that God has placed in my heart. Dreams that I know, one day He will see through. I have to admit, there are times when I get overwhelmed and upset about all the ideas and dreams I have and feel like I am never going to be able to follow through with them. I have filled pages and pages of notebooks with ideas and projects that I hope to, one day, complete. My mind has trouble shutting down and I feel like the ideas keep coming and coming. A good way to declutter my brain is for me to write everything out on paper. This gives me a better idea of what my idea is and whether or not it is really a God sized dream or just another 'to-do' project. I have to remind myself that dreaming is not a bad thing. I love that God made me this way. I lovely creative side. I know that if the day ever comes when I no longer have those ideas and dreams, that is the day that I should really be worried!

Prayer: My prayer today is that God will always keep those dreams in my heart. That my passion and desire to complete these ideas, projects, and dreams would never go away. Never give up on Your dreams either. God has great plans for you.

Dear Lord, Thank you for designing me the way you did. I trust in Your promise that You know the plans You have for me. These plans of God sized dreams. I ask that You would never let these passions and dreams die. Most importantly, I pray that as these dreams and passions are fulfilled that they would be pleasing to You and honor You. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 22

Praise: Today's praise is for all the gifts that we don't see but are there all the time. I have been working hard to count the gifts He gives everyday, but I know that there are times when He gives and I don't see it, because really, isn't everything a gift? My job, sure there are days when I wish I could stay home and do nothing, but without it, I would not be able to pay my bills or provide for my family. Cleaning, yes it can be so tedious and tiring, but the fact that I clean, means I have a home. No hot water, lets just say the first step into that shower is not easy, but it means I have clean running water. Really hard situations filled with pain and hurt, they are not easy, but it means I about to feel things. I means I'm living and it's all a part of real life. So I keep counting the gifts and I praise Him for the all the ones that go unnoticed because I know there are so many!

Prayer: My prayer today is for wisdom. I recently received my new devotional, Women In the Word, from She Reads Truth. I can't wait to start it! My prayer is that through this study I will gain wisdom and knowledge to that I can handle any situation in a godly way. Two verses come to mind today when I think of wisdom. I am going to say them as a prayer, inserting my name into them. You can pray them with me.

Dear Jesus, Please help Erin to be diligent in studying Your Word, so that she can be approved unto You, as a servant that need not be ashamed, and can rightly divide the Word of truth. Let Erin's speech be always full of grace and seasoned with salt so that she may know how to answer everyone. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

Here are some photos I took from our adventure to Johnson's farm the other day.

It was such a fun day! As you can tell, by my son's facial expressions in each photo. He is always so excited and I love that about him!

Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 21

Praise: I praise my God today for His compassion.  I know that when my heart is breaking, for whatever reason, His heart is breaking even more. Our God is full of compassion and gentleness. It is reassuring and comforting to know how much love He has for us. That means whatever I'm hurting for, He is right along side me, there for me, hurting for the same reasons. I praise Him for that!

Prayer: My prayer today is for God to open my eyes to those who are hurting so that I can be an encouragement to them and pray for their situation. I know that sometimes I mistake someones sadness as a negativity towards myself. This thought pattern is something that I am working so hard to change. Most of the time, when someone is sad or in a bad mood, it has nothing to do with me, even though I automatically assume it is something I did. I have found that if I just take a minute and ask that person if everything is ok, I find that they are usually upset about something personal and it is an opportunity for me to ask if there is something that I can do for them. I need to really work on doing this more.

Lord Jesus, Please give me Your eyes to see when people are hurting! Help me to be aware of these opportunities so that I can encourage others and pray for them. Forgive me for assuming that it has to do with me and think differently about the situation than I normally would. Thank You for having compassion towards me in every situation. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 20

Praise: Today's praise is for answered prayers! I praise Him and thank Him for hearing my prayers and answering them. Even when He answers no, I am still grateful, because it is an answer that I have been praying for. My encouragement for you today is that, He does hear your prayers and He will give you answer eventually. Just don't stop praying. For we know that the testing of our faith produces perseverance.

Prayer: Today's prayer is for perspective. Sometimes, it is so hard to see the good in the bad. Especially, when it seems like the bad keeps coming. A good friend brought up a good point about trying to view the situation from a different perspective and since then, that is what I have been praying about. 

Dear Lord, Forgive me when I let the bad and the ugly take over my thoughts. I ask for You to open my eyes to a new perspective during those situations and allow me to find the good. For I know that You work all things together for good to them that love the Lord and are called according to his purpose. In Your awesome Name we pray, Amen.

Don't forget to enter DaySprings giveaway!

Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 19 & A Giveaway!!

I can't believe that I am more than halfway done this Write 31 Day challenge. It has been such a joy writing and sharing with you. I initially decided to do this challenge as a way to encourage others through praise and prayer. I have to say that I have been more encouraged through this process than I ever thought. God has opened my heart to some many things over just the past few weeks and I am so glad that I was able to participate this year.

Praise: Today's praise is about new beginnings and second chances. This morning I was listening to K-love when a song came on that I love. One of the lines in the song says, "It's day one of the rest of my life, it's day one of the BEST of my life." I love this, because it becomes more real when you actually think about the meaning. Every new day is a gift. It is day one, (pause for added emphasis) of the rest. of. your. life!! Yesterday is gone. It's in the past. Along with every other decision or choice that you may have made that might not have been the best one. That's so awesome to me. Now, I am not saying that I want to forget everything in the past, but it's very encouraging to know that when we mess up or make a mistake, we get a second chance!! Everyday is a new day and it can be the best day! So that means that if I try my best today and it's still not my best and I fall short (which I probably will), tomorrow is a new day. The first and best day of the rest of my life to try again or start over, and that's so amazing to me and I praise Him for that!

Prayer: Today's prayer is for blessings and protection of my new home. My husband and I moved into our home just about the time I started this 31 day challenge. Needless to say we have been very busy unpacking, painting, decorating, and figuring out what other random furniture we need. In the midst of all of this, even though I have thanked Him on several occasions for this home, I have not really taken the time to ask Him for His blessings upon it. I decided that this weekend I would create some sort of remembrance and give thanks for this blessing and promise He fulfilled to us. Here is the shortened version of the prayer that I have written which is a little longer and more personal to my family.

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You and praise You for this beautiful home that you have blessed our family with. It is a gift from You, that we surely don't deserve. I pray that we will use this house to love and serve others in anyway possible, as to bring glory and honor to You. I ask for Your blessing over this house. Please protect this house when we are not here and keep us safe from harm when we are dwelling in it. I pray for many memories filled with joy and love in the years ahead. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

And there is also a an awesome giveaway from DaySpring! Check out the details below and be sure to enter!

DaySpring.com is celebrating all of the amazing Write 31 Days readers who are supporting nearly 2,000 writers this October! To enter to win a $500 DaySpring shopping spree, just click on this link & follow the giveaway widget instructions. Good luck, and thanks for reading! Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 17 & 18

Praise & Prayer:  Today's praise and prayer go hand and hand. After a rough but blessed week, I feel that this is perfect for this weekend's praise and prayer. I praise Him for the pain. For the hard times, the suffering and the sorrow. It's not easy to do this but it's the truth. We need to praise and thank Him for the hard stuff. I want to take a minute and share with you a few verses from the book of Philippians. It is taken from the Message version of the bible. I have read these verses several times before, but this time these words really spoke to my heart and were more real than ever to me.

29 There’s far more to this life than trusting in Christ. There’s also suffering for him. And the suffering is as much a gift as the trusting. You’re involved in the same kind of struggle you saw me go through. 

That's right, the suffering is as much a gift as the trusting. Wow!! That is such a hard thing to do, but it needs to be done. I praise you Father for the hard things, because nothing in this life was ever promised to be easy. The hard times develop our faith and strengthen our trust. Thank you for this gift.

So my prayer today is not asking of anything Father, it is a simple thank you for it all. The good and the bad, because we know that the testing of our faith is what makes us whole and complete, lacking nothing. If there were no sin in this life, we would not need a Savior. I need a Savior and if the suffering is what is necessary to bring You glory, then I thank You for that. In Your precious Name we pray, Amen.

Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 16

Oh hey Friday, so glad to see you!!

Praise: Today's praise is all about His provision. It is so amazing to me how He knows exactly what I need, when I need it. Whether it's a verse of encouragement on a hard day, a song at the exact moment when you feel your worst, or just for Him to come through on a bill that you don't have the money for or extra time to complete something important. He always come through and provides exactly what you need for that situation. I can't praise Him or thank Him enough for that!! Can I get an Amen?

Prayer: Today's prayer is for clarity. Sometimes I feel like my mind is pulled in so many directions. When making decisions it is so important to make sure that it is the right decision and the best. This takes discernment and clarity, and sometimes, I hate to admit it, I feel clueless. What's the solution? Pray and wait. Sometimes the answer isn't so clear and other times it is. Sometimes we might not get an answer at all for awhile. That can be the hardest for me, but I would rather be 100% sure about it, then making a bad decision. Are you unsure about something today? Pray this prayer with me!

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You and praise You for Your power and discernment. Thank You for knowing what is best in every situation. I ask for clarity and discernment to make the best decisions for myself and my family. Please give me Your patience when waiting for an answer and trust in You for the outcome! In Your Name we pray, Amen!

Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 15

Only one more day and then it's the weekend! I am so excited! We are taking my son on a pumpkin picking hayride at the farm down the street from us. We do it every year!

Praise: Today's praise is about adventure. I love doing things that are adventurous! I know that our God loves a good adventure. Have you read the bible??!! I mean, so many stories in there are filled with adventure. Sometimes, I wish I lived during those times, so I could experience all the awesome adventures that took place. My favorite would have to be the parting of the Red Sea!! My favorite adventures are the ones I get to go on with my family. These are the ones I will cherish the most and I praise Him for those opportunities and for being an adventurous God!

Prayer: Today's prayer is for me to let go of control. After thinking more about how I was feeling yesterday, a lot of it had to do with letting go and letting God. Sometimes it can be so hard to give all control over to Him. There are times that I don't even realize that I am trying to control things my own way, until He graciously puts me in check. I pray this prayer for you as well, if you are having trouble letting go of control.

Dear Jesus, Please forgive me for trying to control and fix this situation. I know that no matter how hard I try to plan things out and take control myself, You are going to order my steps. I ask for the wisdom to know when things are out of my control and not for me to fix. I give them over to you and trust you with all my heart. I thank you for knowing what is best in all things! In Your Name we pray, Amen.

Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 14

Today was hard. Very hard! From the moment I walked out of the house, it just seemed like everything was going wrong. They only thing that I could seem to get out during my prayers today was His name. Jesus. I don't know what to pray for right now. Jesus. My heart is heavy. Jesus. Please help me to find the words. Jesus.

It may seem crazy, but sometimes the only thing we can get out when we go to pray is His name, Jesus. And you know what? It's ok. He already knows your burdens, pains, and sadness. He knows how to intercede and send prayers to our Father God when we don't have the words to speak. So that's it. My prayer today is His name and that's enough for me!

Prayer: Jesus.

Praise: Today's praise is for the continued blessings. Even when I am hurting and my heart is heavy. He continues to bless me. This is the secret to lifting those burdens and pains. Count your blessings. Count the gifts. One after another. You see when you take your mind off of yourself and your feelings, you can focus on the blessings. It is physically impossible for your mind to think about two different things at once. So focus on the gifts. You will see that things aren't as bad as they seem. I praise Him and thank Him for His endless blessings and for allowing me to see I need to count is all as joy.

Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 13

Praise: Today's praise is for courage and our God is a courageous God indeed! Sometimes at work, I get nervous at meetings when I have to talk to parents. I am afraid of what they will say or think about my decisions. Other times, I get nervous about whether a teacher agrees with recommendations and fear what they say about me. Now, part of this is my fault because, some of these thoughts are just thoughts, they aren't reality and I need to stop overthinking things. Other times, the fear is real and I start to question myself and whether or not I know what I'm doing. Then God steps in and whispers, "Are you crazy?". My response, "Yes, Lord. Yes I am!" In all seriousness though, God created me to be courageous and confident in Him. I can't let fear, or other people, steal my confidence. I worked hard to do what I do and I received my certification. I am confident in myself that the decisions I make are the best decisions for my students. I praise and thank you Lord for sharing Your courage with me!

Prayer: Today's prayer is for my family. It is a simple one, but very important. Growing up, my mother always used to pray for me and my family on our way to school. I may not have known the importance then, but I do now. I want to make sure that I do the same for my family each day. Don't you? Pray this prayer with me.

Lord God, I thank you so much for this day. This is the day that You have made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. Please be with my family today. Watch over them and protect them from sickness or harm throughout the day. Give them traveling mercies wherever they go. I ask for Your blessings on them in all that they do. I thank you for each and everyone of them. Let them know how much they are loved! In Your Name we pray, Amen!

Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 11 & 12

So I let it happen again. I'm so mad at myself. I let something so little ruin the second half of my day, which in turn caused me not to make my post for the day. I am so sorry for that! Looking back now, I know that this little mishap was not my fault, and I should not have let it get me so upset!

Well today is a new day! I have forgiven myself for yesterday and have had such a great day so far today!

Praise: I praise Him for all His beauty and splendor. Today was such a beautiful fall day! I had off from work so I was able to take my son for a wonderful long walk this morning. The weather was perfect and the scenery around us was just so beautiful. To think about creation and all that it entails, is amazing. It's truly a miracle. Every little thing has such fine detail and purpose. Our earth is a true beauty. I thank Him for that!!

Prayer: Today's prayer is for forgiveness. Not about the mishap that I got so upset about, because my husband convinced me that it wasn't my fault, and he was right. It was for getting so upset and letting it ruin the rest of my day and change my mood and I didn't end up getting anything accomplished after that. I know we can all relate. So this prayer is for you as well,if you need to ask for forgiveness. No matter what it is, He will always forgive you if you ask!

Dear gracious Heavenly Father, Please forgive me for allowing something so small to change my attitude. I know that I should have come to You first. Please give me the wisdom to react differently next time so that my attitude is a reflection of how you would act. Thank you for always forgiving me when I ask. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

This art print pretty much sums up my day. Just add a little mommy and me time and it's been the perfect day off! Download it for free.

Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 10

What. A. Day!!!  Let me tell you, I have been debating on whether to post in the morning or in the evening each day. It's hard, because if I post in the am, I am less likely to forget and it ensures that I post something everyday. Somedays, I am just so drained after work and have less time to post. On the other hand, if I wait till the day is over, I am able to reflect on the day and give praise for what has transpired. I think that I will continue to post depending on the day. At first, I felt bad about it not being a consistent time, but I let go of that and have focused on just making sure I write each day, no matter what time of day it is.

Praise: Today's praise is on His strength and guidance. I am on day 6 of my Whole 30 challenge and without His strength and discipline, this would have been a lot harder for me. Before I started Whole 30, I read up about how hard the first week was going to be. I was very nervous about how I was going feel and if I would be able to resist the temptation and just give in. I have to say honestly, it has not been that bad at all! I know that through His strength and guidance I have been able to follow the guidelines n what to eat and the cravings for all that unhealthy stuff have been very minimal! I praise and thank Him for this, because without Him guiding me everyday, I would have given in and given up on day 1!

Prayer: Today's prayer is for His patience. Just like we need His strength for those tough areas in life, we also need His patience. I was told by my mother, that I am never to pray for patience directly, because my patience would in fact be tested. Instead, we ask Him for His patience during those frustrating times, because without it, we can quickly loose our cool. There were a few times today when I started to get frustrated and could my mood shifting in a direction that I did not like. A couple times, I caught myself before spewing words that I would have regretted later. Here is the prayer that I prayed to redirect my thoughts back to Him. This prayer is for you too!

Dear Jesus, It says in Your Word, the Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still. Please give me your patience as I deal with this situation and to remember the grace that is offered to me day after day. I have the choice to get frustrated or to let it go and see things from a different perspective. I ask all these things in Your Name, Amen.

Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 9

Praise: Today I praise Him for He is a God of hope. Most of the time when we think of hope, it's the quick, fleeting desire for something good. "I hope I get this job". "I hope your day goes ok". "I hope that I have something nice to wear tonight". These are all temporary hopes, and they are not bad. It's good to have hope! But the kind of hope that I am talking about is an everlasting hope that God promises for us. This is a hope that when things don't always work out the way that 'we hoped' they would, God still promises a hope of everlasting life! And I praise Him for that because that is the kind of hope I want to really hold on to. 

Prayer: Today's prayer goes along with our praise, because even though I know this everlasting hope is there, sometimes it's really hard for me to see. I focus on the hopes that I had, that didn't work out for me, and I'm left sad and disappointed. This prayer is for anyone who needs to find that everlasting hope. 

Dear Lord, I know that sometimes I focus on my hopes. The things that I want to see happen or the situations that I want to change. I know that it is not bad to have hope, but when I put my hope in other things instead of you, I miss out on that everlasting hope, which is far greater than anything I could ever want in this life. Please help me to trust you for every outcome and give me wisdom to accept that not everything will work out as I hope. In Your Precious Name we pray, Amen. 

Happy Weekend! Enjoy this fall weather!

Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 8

It's one of those days. I just don't feel like doing anything. I am so not motivated and the day just seems to be dragging on. I came into work feeling like I was pretty much caught up on everything, and then I got slammed with a billon other things to do. I just feel overwhelmed. Today, my prayer came first.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, I am ready for this day to be done. I am feeling very overwhelmed and anxious. I surrender these things that I have to do, over to you and ask for your guidance and strength to get them all done. Please give me a peace about everything so that I can refocus my outlook. Help me to see what is most important and to take it one day at a time with You by my side. I thank you that each day is a new day and that this feeling is only temporary. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

I hope that your day is a little better than mine, but if you are feeling overwhelmed like me, take a minute to say this prayer and give it over to Him.

Praise: I praise Him today for always being there and caring about me more than I could ever imagine. His love is so great, I will never be able to comprehend. It gives me peace knowing that I can hand over my cares to Him and trust that He will help me to do what I need to do, given His strength! And you can too!

Here is a free printable for you today! Maybe it will cheer you up. Try to follow these three things today, for a better outlook tomorrow!

Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 6 & 7

So it happened. Yesterday got away from me and I could not find the time to write. Although I am a little disappointed, I am not going to beat myself up about it. I'll just pick up where I left off and do my best to not miss again. Sometimes life happens and no matter how hard you try to fit everything in, it just doesn't happen. You know what I mean?

Praise: For yesterday and today, my praise is on grace. I praise Him for He is a gracious God. I know that no matter how much I slip or drop the ball He is gracious to forgive and even forget. That's why I am not going to beat myself up about missing a writing day yesterday. I know that I did not intentionally skip it, there were just other things that were more important. There are so many other areas in life that we fall short of, and it's evident when the outcome affects others. One thing I can assure you of, is that even when others in this world don't offer grace, Jesus always will, whenever you ask. Let's praise Him for that!

Prayer: Today's prayer is for the little ones. I have an almost two year old son. Ever since he was born I have been praying for him and now that he is older, I have been praying with him. First, it started out with me saying the prayer before bed. Then he slowly started to repeat parts of the prayer. Now he finishes every sentence of the prayer. I know that in a short time he will be saying it all himself. I can't tell you how important this is to me. It makes my heart sing to see my son get excited about saying his prayers. I love listening to his little voice as he says those words. The best part is, at the end, he gives a big smiled, Aaaamen!! Here is the prayer that I have been saying with him every night before bed. You can feel free to change up the names:

Dear Jesus,

Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep,

Guard me through this long dark night,

And please don't let me wake, until the morning light.

God bless mama, and God bless dada

God bless grandma and grandpa too,

God bless Aunt ____ & Uncle ____ & their little baby,

God bless uncle ______ & mimom & pop pop too.

Thank you Lord for loving me

For protecting me in every way.

Please help me to love others

And do my best to obey.

In Jesus Name we pray, Amen!

Many Blessings,

Bonus Tutorial: "You Got This" glitter tumbler cup!

Items you will need:

1. Some sort of plastic tumbler. I used the one I bought from Starbucks.
2. Gold glitter
3. Mod Podge: Dishwasher safe kind
4. Craft Smart Gold Paint Pen
5. Brush and 2 large cups for the glitter and mod podge. Make sure they are deep & wide.

Instructions:

1. Clean your cup and make sure that it is dry.
2. Pour glitter and mod podge into the two larger cups (I used solo cups).
3. Tape off where you want your glitter line to stop. I only did the bottom of my cup so that you could still see the Starbucks logo.
4. Slowly dip your cup into the mod podge making sure not to go past the tape line. Then take your brush and remove excess. You don't want a really think layer of mod podge.
5. Dip your cup right into the glitter cup making sure that the whole area is covered. Tap the top of the cup over a trash can to remove any excess glitter.
6. Let dry overnight and then repeat steps 4 and 5. Then give it a final coat of mod podge over top. In order for you to be able to run it through the dishwasher though, it has to cure for a week! I know that's a really long time, but at least you know that the glitter will never come off! (The glitter that gets stuck to the underneath of your cup will eventually come off if you don't mod lodge over top of that part).
7. I then took my craft smart gold paint pen and hand lettered "You Got This" above the glitter on the one side. You can write whatever you want on there!!!! And don't worry about it looking perfect! Just have fun!

A Writing Challenge: Day 5

Praise: Today's praise is for God's faithfulness. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever more. I praise Him because His word never falters and He is faithful to fulfill His promises. As I was reading my First 5 devotions today, the story of Abraham and Isaac was the theme, with the takeaway moment being Abraham's strong faith and God's faithfulness to Abraham in return. It made me think back on all of the ways God has been so faithful to me and my family. Here is a look back at just this past month in photos from my Instagram feed. I just found this hashtag #relovingthemonth and I think it's such a great idea. 

Prayer: Today's prayer is for healing. I have a close family member that is suffering from a few different things right now and is really struggling to be positive about it. I wish that there was more that I could do to take away her pain, but the best thing I can do is pray! This prayer is for you or anyone you know who is suffering from sickness right now.

Dear Father, Please here my prayers for this loved one. I ask that you in this moment send a healing touch to this person and remove this sickness from their body. For I know that by Your stripes, we are healed. Please comfort them and give them rest. I ask that you help them to find hope in You for better days to come. Thank you for hearing my prayers. In Your healing Name we pray, Amen.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for a quick tutorial!

Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 4

I hope that everyone had a wonderful weekend. Filled with lots of laughs, rest, and checked off to-do lists.

Praise: Today's praise is focused on rest and fellowship. I love Sundays! I love waking up early to have my coffee and breakfast, going to church, and then just hanging with my family all day and resting. The best part about it is, that I don't have to feel guilty about not doing anything, because God commanded us to remember the Sabbath Day and to keep it holy. That means no work! Just fellowship and rest. I praise You and thank You for adding rest into the equation because it is definitely something that we all need!

Prayer: Today's prayer is for a strong will and discipline. Tomorrow, I am starting a version of the Whole 30 food challenge. During this Whole 30, I can't eat dairy, sugar, grains, or gluten. The only thing you are allowed to have are veggies, fruit, nuts, and meats. Drinks you are allowed  to have are water, tea, and coffee, but with no sugar. It is going to be difficult, but I know I can do it. With God on my side and His strength and will power, I know that I can discipline my self to get through the next 30 days. The purpose is not to loose weight, rather its a way to eliminate foods in your diet that are making you feel like crap and stealing your energy. I am hoping at the end of this that I will be feeling rejuvenated and energized! Giving things up that you are used to consuming every day, can be extremely difficult. Here is my prayer for myself and anyone who needs the will power and discipline to get through a tough change. You got this!

Lord God, I know that it is so important for me to take care of myself and make healthy choices. My body is a holy temple and I need to guard what I put in to it so that I may honor you. Help me Lord to discipline my body and keep it under control. In Your Name I pray, Amen.

Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 3

So I know that its a little late, but the day is not over yet, so it still counts. Today has been another busy day, but it was also a day of excitement and fun! We were out and about shopping for house supplies, unpacking more stuff, and then we had a coed baby shower for a sweet friend. I was so excited, because even though it was a little chilly today, the rain finally stopped. It was a great fall day!

Praise: Today's praise is all about the little things God gives. He gives us little moments of joy throughout our day even in our normal routine. There was nothing really special about today. It was just another day of running errands and spending time with friends and family, but it is during these little moments that I find so much joy. Joy in the little things! These are the days that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in them. I praise Him for He is a God of joy filled moments!

Prayer: My prayer goes hand in hand with my praise today. I pray that you will be able to find joy in the small moments of the day. That you will look at each day as a gift and an adventure and that you will rejoice in it and be glad. I pray that if you are struggling to find the good in your day, that He will place little blessings along the way that will bring you joy! Help us to remember that even though there may be pain today, joy comes in the morning! Thank you Lord for showing up in the little moments everyday! In Your Name we pray, Amen.

And if you know someone who has lost that joy in their everyday life, be a blessing to them. Offer a hug, pay for their coffee, or let them know that you are praying for them!

Many Blessings,

A Writing Challenge: Day 2

Hey everyone! Woo Hoo! I made it to day number two. Hopefully you all did too. It has been such a long day for me today. My husband and I just purchased a new home and today was moving day! I have to say aside from the weather being crappy, I could not have asked for the day to go any better! We got things moved out of storage and into our new house super fast! So for that reason my praise today is this:

Praise: I praise Him because His timing is perfect! Not just for today but with everything! I praise Him because even though I'm the one who makes plans for our days, He is the one who is in control of how each day actually goes. Today was the perfect example of that and His timing for everything was indeed perfect! Whatever your situation, give it over to Him and praise Him because His timing is perfect for every situation in your life!

Prayer: Today's prayer is for comfort. It was so sad to hear yesterday on the news about the shooting that took place at a local college in Oregon. My heart breaks because I feel like almost everyday you hear about something tragic happening on the news. I can't imagine what the family members and close friends are feeling right now. I can only offer my prayers of comfort and peace to those involved in this tragedy. For anyone going through a tough time with anything, here is my prayer for you:

Heavenly Father,
During these times of tragedy we are left hurt and confused. We don't know the reason why certain things happen, but we do know that Your heart breaks for those involved just like ours. In these times, we turn to you for comfort, peace, and healing. Your word says that you are close to the broken hearted and You save those who are crushed in spirit. Thank you for loving us more than we know. I pray that all of those who are affected by this tragedy to turn to You to get them through. In Your precious Name we pray, Amen.

I hope that everyone has a restful and relaxing weekend!

Many Blessings,

31 Days of Praise & Prayer: A Writing Challenge

Hello Everyone and welcome to my blog! I am so glad that you decided to stop by and visit. Today is the start of the 31 Days Writing Challenge. I am so excited to be able to be a part of this, this year. Over the past few years, I have followed along, reading several blogs during the 31 days in October. This is how I found some of my favorite bloggers! Now that I have started my own blog, I hope that I am able to encourage and inspire others, just as they did for me.

I decided to focus my topic around praise and prayer. Every day on the blog, I will write about simple ways to praise our heavenly Father and ways to pray that are meaningful and quick. I know that we are all very busy and sometimes we don't have lots of time to dedicate to prayer everyday. That's ok. God honors all kinds of prayers! It doesn't matter how versed or how long it is. All He wants is for you to be in communication with Him everyday.

I have also created a praise and prayer calendar for you to print out and hang wherever. This is for you to write a quick little praise for that day and maybe our daily prayer verse. You can hang it at home on your fridge or at work in your office. I have one at both! Here is the link for the free download ---> 31 Days Calendar.

Here is my praise and prayer for today: (I always start off with praise first)

Praise: I praise Him today that we have all made it here! Just being able to be a part of this means so much. It means that I have followed His calling to be a writer and start my own blog. I know that no matter what the outcome, all the praise and glory will be His. It was a rough journey for me when I first started this blog because the purpose behind it wasn't right. As much as I told myself it was to bring honor to Him and encourage others, I secretly wanted to make a name for myself. I wanted to impress others and be like the other bloggers I followed who were so successful. This is so hard for me to admit but I just want to be honest, after all, I am human and the flesh is weak. I quickly became disappointed when I didn't gain the audience I expected. I was ready to quit before I really even got started. God spoke to my heart and after some time, I redirected my focus back to His plan, and here I am. Now, when I write, I don't focus on how many people are reading it, I just know that I am being obedient to Him, and that makes the whole journey much more enjoyable. This way there are no expectations and I am not left feeling disappointed. Friends, if you are in a similar situation today, I feel you! Just take some time to seek His will for your life and redirect your focus back to Him. I promise if He has something specific planned for you, He is faithful and will fulfill that plan. Thank Him today for His blessings and guidance and remember, "Blessed is she who believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her". -Luke 1:45

Prayer: My prayer for today, on this first day of the challenge, is strength. It's such a simple prayer, but so powerful. I pray for all of you that you would have His strength to complete this challenge and be encouraged along the way. Here is a simple prayer for you to recite for today:

Lord, thank you so much for bringing me to this place. I know that I can do all things through Christ who gives strengthens me. Be with me during this 31 day challenge and help me to bless and be blessed along the way. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

Everyday I will create a new post with a praise and prayer for that day and I will link that post back to this main post, so that everything is all in one place. Easy Peasy!

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5 

Day 6 & 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11 & 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17 & 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24 & 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 31

I have also created some art prints for you to --> download for free and use for encouragement. I will add any new ones that I create to this post as well. You can also find them all under the 'freebies' button located in the side bar on my home page. I may also add a few DIY project tutorials here as well. I hope you enjoy them!

One last thing before I go, please feel free to comment with any praises or prayer requests that you want me to pray for you. I would love for you to share these with me! Head on over to Write 31 Days to check out all the other bloggers who are participating in this challenge.

Many Blessings,