If you didn’t have a chance to read part 1 of this post, you’ll want to do that before reading on! Click HERE to read that post. I’m covering five ways I’m seeking Jesus in the baby season of motherhood and I already covered:

1. Making it a goal to get to church whenever possible
2. Staying committed to Bible study and small groups

Now onto the final three…

3. Daily prayer reminders

My mentor friend and small group co-leader has daily alarms set for the “birthdays” of her husband and kids. (Example: August 5th would be 8:05 AM or PM.) When the alarm goes off, no matter where she is, she pauses to pray for that family member. Sometimes it’s a longer prayer, sometimes it’s brief if she’s out and about. She even includes me when we’re together and an alarm goes off!

As someone who has struggled to stay faithful in praying daily for those closest to me, I decided to adopt this practice. I have a daily alarm set for my daughter’s birthday to pray for her and my wedding anniversary to pray for my husband. Sometimes the alarm pops up and I think to myself “I’ll pray later,” but I’m getting into the habit of stopping to pray no matter what I’m doing. It’s sweet to include our daughter in these prayers since I’m usually with her when the alarms go off. And I slowly added additional loved ones’ birthdays and anniversaries both daily and weekly, but I wanted to start small and build on the discipline.

How God is using this new habit

God is using this new habit to keep me focused on Him in my day-to-day life. It’s sweet to pause and remember Him and the needs of my family. He’s also using this practice to reshape my understanding of what it means to seek Jesus in the baby season of motherhood. He’s teaching me what it looks like to faithfully pray and do so without ceasing (Romans 12:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:17). I can see how God is using this simple practice to prompt me to pray at other times too. (Ex.: When I’m burdened by world events or when a friend I haven’t seen in awhile comes to mind.) I hope to continue in this spiritual habit long term. And, I look forward to seeing God use it in my life and the lives of others.

Question to Consider: What would it look like to develop a similar discipline of prayer in your own life?

4. Listening to biblically-rooted podcasts

I like podcasts! And since my time alone with Jesus is limited and I have a baby with me all day, I’m more intentional about what I choose to listen to. In the newborn phase, I listened to a conference on YouTube while nursing since so many hours were spent sitting each day. But now that I’m on the go a bit more, I primarily stick with podcasts.

My current go-tos are Wretched Radio and Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey. Wretched primarily focuses on theological, church, and cultural issues and Relatable is more cultural and political from a biblical lens. I still use my judgment if I think a topic is too heavy for little ears. But in general, I find that the episodes are usually more appropriate. God is using this discipline to help me make better choices for when my daughter is old enough to start processing what’s being spoken about. Likewise, God is blessing me personally. I used to listen to a lot of secular political podcasts. And while I still like to be informed, I’m finding that less of that (or receiving that from another believer) has me feeling a lot lighter!

Question to Consider: How might God bless you and those around you with an adjustment to what you listen to throughout the day (whether it be music, podcasts, news, etc.)?

5. Reflecting on truth as I create

I have dialed way back when it comes to creating and writing. However, hand lettering is still one of my creative go-to’s after my daughter goes to bed. God continues to use hand lettering Bible verses as a way to get me memorizing and reflecting on His written Word. The art I create is not just a gift in material ways, but in deeper spiritual ways. When my time seeking Jesus in the baby season of motherhood is limited, having a creative outlet and job that is so centered on Him is a blessing words can’t adequately express.

But of course, my life isn’t all baby and work. I have other creative outlets as well. And in recent weeks, I’ve been learning to crochet. I am a long-time knitter, but there are so many cute lovey and toy crochet patterns I wanted to try, so I took a class. Admittedly, there is less of a direct biblical reflection happening in the moments im crocheting. But the Bible teaches that we can glorify God in whatever we do (1 Corinthians 10:31). And creating for my sweet daughter reminds me that in doing so I am reflecting my Father in heaven who gives even better gifts to His children (Matthew 7:11, Luke 11:13). Praise God for those visible reminders of who He is!

Question to Consider: How do you like to spend your downtime? Whether you have a lot or hardly any at all, what would it look like to reflect on what’s true during that time?

To close…

I hope you enjoyed this little update on how I’m seeking Jesus in the baby season of motherhood. Even moreso, I hope you were able to glean some encouragement or an idea to seek God in new ways when life is full. To be clear, I am in no way implying that these practices are all that’s needed to cultivate a healthy relationship with Christ. I am still a firm believer in having a regular quiet time. And truthfully, I’m still struggling to figure out what that looks like right now. But, I know that God gently leads those with littles and that His grace abounds (Isaiah 40:11, Romans 5:20, 2 Corinthians 9:8).

This week and last week’s posts weren’t exhaustive lists by any means. I just hoped that sharing a handful of things I’m learning could be used by God to encourage other busy sisters in Christ to seek Him in new ways. But of course, I would love to hear ways you’re seeking Jesus if you’re in a busy life stage. Whether it be a season of motherhood, work, school, serving, caregiving, or something else, I’d love to hear from you. And perhaps you could encourage someone else as well!

Perhaps you can relate to my current season of life. As a new mom, my day-to-day has been all about prioritizing and finding new rhythms. As a result, my time with Jesus and my time for this ministry and business looks a lot different. So, I thought some of you might be encouraged to hear how I’ve been seeking Jesus in the baby season of motherhood. Whether you’re in a similar place or you’re in a slightly different stage of life that’s keeping you busy and causing you to pivot, I hope you’ll be able to glean from some of the things I’ve been learning over the past several months.

Added Note: Let me start out by saying that as I share my experience, I am not suggesting that you should do things exactly as I have been. I’ve had my challenges and I know you have had your own unique obstacles too. I simply want to share what’s helped me, in hopes that you might be encouraged in some way to seek Jesus in busy, demanding seasons or times of transition.

5 Ways I’m Seeking Jesus in the Baby Season of Motherhood:

1. Making it a goal to get to church whenever possible

My husband and I were committed to going to church on Sundays before having a baby. So, I wanted to make sure we established that same rhythm as a family of three as soon as possible. Thankfully, I had a smooth recovery and we didn’t have to spend too many Sunday mornings at home. 

Luke serves weekly on the worship team. So, I knew I’d need to learn how to get myself and a little one out the door on my own. This isn’t always easy (or doable) with feedings, a morning nap that’s smack dab in between our two service times, and getting myself up and dressed. But, it’s been amazing to see God bless our desire to be faithful in this. I have been shocked more than once how God orchestrates the events of the morning—especially after particularly challenging weeks—so that we can get to church on Sunday. It’s something we frequently pray for. I aim to get there early or on time. But even when we’re late (sometimes very late), the effort to get there is always worth it.

Remember, it’s all worship

As many of you moms know, getting to church does not always mean getting to participate fully in the service. I spend quite a bit of time walking in the hall with a wiggly baby in my arms or crawling on the floor while watching and listening to the service on a TV in the lobby area. Our church live streams services as well. So, there is a small temptation to stay home (and it’s a great option when we need to). But, it’s best to be in the building with our church family. 

Christ commands us to not cease meeting together as a church body (Hebrews 10:25). And, we have found the blessing in following that command—imperfectly, but to the best of our ability. Likewise, I’ve learned that whether I am in the sanctuary singing and listening intently or calming a fussy baby in the hall, it’s all worship and I am blessed by being there.

Question to Consider: What changes could you make to your routine or mindset for the purpose of prioritizing church each week?

2. Staying committed to Bible study and small groups

One of the other ways I’m seeking Jesus in the baby season of motherhood is by staying committed to Bible study and small groups. I have been a Bible study small group leader for several years. And when I got pregnant, God didn’t seem to be calling me out of that role. I serve with a mentor friend I’ve known since before I knew Jesus, so it helps to share the leadership responsibilities. Additionally, being a leader means I have added accountability to complete my Bible study lessons week after week.

On top of that, our family is a part of an every-other-week church small group with families in our immediate area. We live “out in the country” a bit and our church is in the suburbs. So, It’s nice to have a multi-generational group of families we can connect with closer to home. We are in the same study as my other small group. So, it’s sweet to have more time to connect on the Word, on life, and through prayer.

Added accountability & blessings

It’s easy to make excuses not to engage in careful study of the Bible—especially in busy, demanding seasons. Being accountable to people I love has been a huge help to stay rooted in the Word. Likewise, the relationships that are being built through our small groups have been a blessing in other ways. My co-leader has been able to help and connect with my daughter, our family gets to be in a small group together, and my new mom friends have been there for encouragement and to offer tips on what to do with littles when you live further away from things in the cities. I am grateful to God for His powerful Word and the blessing of Christian community.

Question to Consider: How could studying the Bible among other believers deepen your commitment to God’s Word and relationships with others?

It’s November, it’s not even Thanksgiving yet. But if you’re hoping to spend more time in God’s Word this Christmas season, now is the time to start praying and seriously consider what that might look like. I recently announced the release of my brand new Bible study, God’s Glory, Our Peace, which is a doable daily Christmas Bible study all about God’s great plan and promise to bring peace. If your goal is to stay more focused on Jesus and prepare your heart for Christmas, this study is for you!

This post contains affiliate links.

Tips to Help You Stay On Track

Perhaps your biggest question or hangup is: 

Do I realistically have time to add one more thing to my plate during this busy time of year? 

Without going into too much detail (you’ll have to get the book for that!), I include a lot of encouragement and tips that will help you find space in your schedule for this study. In the introduction of the workbook we consider things like how we can utilize time normally spent scrolling on our phones, saying no to non-essentials… and more. Taking daily time to engage with Jesus in Scripture this time of year is worth it. I want you to be equipped and encouraged as you embark on this endeavor because I trust God will bless you through it—He truly blessed my heart as I studied this content!

25 Short Daily Lessons

If I’ve sparked your interest, you also may be wondering: 

So what do these daily lessons look like? 

The entire study is broken down into three key sections: 

1. The Plan: Creation, Fall, Redemption Restoration (the overarching story of the Bible)
2. The Promise: Prophecies of Christ’s Birth
3. The Peace: The Christmas Story

These themes will broaden your understanding of God, yourself, the Bible as a whole, and of course, the significance of Jesus’ birth. I was very familiar with the Christmas story as I began writing this workbook and was still so surprised by how much God taught me as I studied the passages within these themes. So whatever knowledge you’re bringing to the table—whether it’s a little or a lot—God’s Glory, Our Peace will be worth your time!

Getting into the finer details, each lesson includes a short daily Scripture reading, about five questions, one short commentary, and a prayer prompt. The lessons are brief, but the goal is to take you deep as you observe and apply each day’s reading.

Pray and Order Today!

If you need more time to pray about engaging in this study, take the time to do that today. God’s Glory, Our Peace is available now, so I encourage you to order it, page through it, and see for yourself that this truly is a doable daily Christmas Bible study. For the best experience, you’ll want to start on December 1st (or a little earlier if you want to give yourself some grace days). So if you’re all-in or even just curious, order God’s Glory, Our Peace today! I am excited to be in God’s Word with you this special time of year!

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Have More Questions About My Bible Studies?

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I am thrilled to share that my brand new Christmas Bible study is available now! I am sure most of you aren’t ready to hear about Christmas yet. But now is a great time to start thinking and praying about what it would look like to spend intentional time in God’s Word and prayer this December. In the meantime, I would simply like to take this opportunity to share the story behind God’s Glory, Our Peace—a 25-Day Christmas Bible study about God’s great plan and promise to bring peace.

This post contains affiliate links.

The Concept

Last year, I created a short Bible reading plan as a freebie on my publisher’s blog and a bookmark you can purchase in my shop. It included three themes: The Gospel, Fulfilled Prophecies, and the Christmas Story. Reflecting on each deepens our understanding of the significance of Christ’s birth.

When my publisher suggested I write a Christmas Bible study this year, I was so excited! I chose to expand on the same concept I came up with for the reading plan. And as I prayerfully planned, God refined the scriptural themes and passages we’d focus on for the study. God’s Glory, Our Peace is broken down into three sections:

1. The Plan: Creation, Fall, Redemption Restoration (the overarching story of the Bible—including the gospel)
2. The Promise: Prophecies of Christ’s Birth
3. The Peace: The Christmas Story

One of my favorite parts of writing this study was seeing how God brought the content together in a way I did not expect. I knew all of these themes would deepen our understanding of Christmas. But God opened my eyes to His greater purpose in revealing Jesus’ arrival the way He did. I am so excited for you to discover that as well as you work through this study!

Growing Through An Unexpected Turn of Events

I had planned to create this study over the course of about five months. But in the spring, my publisher expressed a need to accelerate the timeline quite a bit. I was about halfway done writing when they asked if I could have the book completed several weeks sooner so that we could release the book well before December. This meant studying and writing long hours each day. But I knew that if this was God’s timeline, He would equip me to finish by the new deadline. And He did!

This change of plans was not my plan, but I now see how God blessed it. He grew me in surrender and dependence on Him. Likewise, He taught me how not to rush, but to trust Him as I took the time needed to devote to each lesson and commentary. He revealed His power at work in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). And I was so encouraged when my mother-in-law, who was one of my editors, told me that some of her favorite lessons were written on the days where I felt particularly tired and mentally weak. God truly gets all of the glory for this book. He sustained and equipped me through some challenging days of studying, writing, and lettering… all while I was pregnant!

Hitting a Wall

When I finally got to writing the last few lessons, I hit a wall. I had been working some very long days for a few weeks and I basically mentally shut down. I was working from a rigid schedule, so I was afraid to take a break. But I knew I couldn’t force the ending and needed to trust God to provide it. So I took took a few days off to just pray, meditate on the final passages, and listen to sermons. And God graciously used that time to reveal the ending and solidify the title and overarching theme of the whole study. In the end, I’m confident that God’s Glory, Our Peace is a better study because of the challenges God allowed me to face while creating it. Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing (John 15:5) and He used this experience to grow my understanding and application of that truth.

Order God’s Glory, Our Peace Today!

Thanks for taking a moment to hear a bit of the story behind God’s Glory, Our Peace. Again, I know it might feel too early to think about Christmas, but I hope I at least sparked your interest. I mentioned in my book introduction that there were many years I had good intentions to go deeper in the Word during Christmastime but didn’t plan ahead. So, I invite you to start thinking and praying now about engaging in this study. Order God’s Glory, Our Peace today, read my introductory content about the structure of the study, and check out my tips for making room in your schedule for intentional time with God during the busy Christmas season. I pray this study will be a great blessing to you this year and I look forward to sharing more about it as Christmas approaches!

Hello, lovely readers! I am so grateful to be slowly getting back to work after my maternity leave. As I begin writing this post on all things motherhood and more to come, I have a baby strapped to my chest. Oh how life has changed since I last blogged! I have been overwhelmed by God’s faithfulness over the past year and I’m excited to share more about that today.

Motherhood, Joy, & Grief

I had a speedy and smooth 5-hour delivery back in August on our baby girl’s due date. In some ways, it feels like the weeks since then have flown by just as fast. I wrote back in June about how I wasn’t always sure I wanted to be a mom. And I have been amazed by how God continues to redeem the fears and anxieties I once had around motherhood. From the moment I met my daughter, I have marveled at her beauty, my love for her, God’s goodness and power as her Creator, and His faithfulness in delivering her into our arms and home. The greatness of that gift is not lost on me. 

Throughout my pregnancy and even these first few weeks postpartum, God has been teaching me about balancing joy and grief. We Ibachs have been going through such a long, joyful season. While simultaneously, a few families close to us have suffered tremendous pain and loss. It’s been challenging to figure out what it looks like to rejoice and mourn simultaneously. 

Gospel Hope

As I’ve begun studying Genesis this fall, I’m reminded that all God created was good because He is good. But because man and woman sinned against Elohim—the all-powerful Creator and God of the universe—the world is cursed. We still experience glimpses of the joy of Eden, but it’s also met with the burden brought by the curse. We have been in the midst of that tension. However, our hope remains in the promised Savior in Genesis 3:15, who died on a cross and rose from the dead to save all who repent and believe in Him (Mark 1:15).

Jesus alone forgives our sins and gives us eternal life that begins the moment we trust in Him. And as we await Christ’s second coming, we continue to hope in the promise that one day all death, mourning, crying, and pain will pass away (Revelation 21:4). While our baby girl has been an incredible source of joy for us, we know that our greatest joy is in the gospel and the promise of heaven—eternity with Christ and complete joy (John 15:11).

Shop

Another blessing in this season has been time off from work. It hasn’t been much of a vacation by any means. But this is the first time since starting my business that I took a break for more than a few weeks. Likewise, it’s the first time I’ve ever truly had the chance to miss it. I have a renewed sense of gratitude for this ministry and business with which God has blessed me. I’m happy to report the shop is back open and orders are already being shipped across the country again! I hope you’ll remember my little online shop for your special occasions this fall and all your holiday celebrations as the weather gets chillier. I encourage you to visit my shop today since I added a few things before my maternity leave that are finally available again!

New Book

While I was pregnant, I was not only creating a little human, but I was also busy creating another book! Lord willing, it will be out the first week of November! I’m waiting a few more weeks to share all the details. But I will say this: Have you considered how you will connect with God and reflect on the wonder of His birth this Christmas season? Now is the perfect time to start praying about that. And I invite you to join my mailing list community and be notified when my new book is available for preorder. I can hardly wait to share it with you!

Thank You

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this personal update on motherhood and more to come. I am so grateful for each one of my readers. And if you are one who has prayed or reached out with a word of excitement and encouragement, I want you to know your prayers have been felt and your words have truly uplifted me! I hope you have a blessed fall and I look forward to updating you on the new book very soon!

Whether you subscribed to my mailing list three years ago or three days ago, I make sure everyone receives content on having quality quiet time. Spending intentional time alone with Jesus is foundational to growing in our faith. But since I don’t know the details of your day-to-day life, I can only offer the basics. So when the She is Becoming podcast asked me to be a part of a conversation about seasons of quiet time, I thought of this community. I knew the conversation would get more detailed and would be an encouragement to you in whatever season of life you may find yourself.

Four of us sisters in Christ shared about what our daily devotional time looks like in our current season of life. I was asked to be on the show since I’m a new mom. But, we all had something unique to bring to the table. Bev is a retired wife, mom, and grandma. She has wisdom for women in her specific life stage, as well as younger women. Delaney is a single mom who faces her own set of unique challenges. And Nicole is a married homeschool mom of four with a very busy schedule. We each value time with God in His Word and prayer. But how we are finding and spending that time is as unique as our individual phases of life.

Our Invitation

We invite you to listen in on our conversation. I personally walked into our chat feeling like I had little to offer. But, I left feeling uplifted and excited to continue learning what quiet time with Jesus looks like in these first weeks as a new mom. So be encouraged, challenged, and receive grace as you consider how you will seek Christ in your daily life.

Listen to the episode of the She is Becoming podcast, titled “Seasons of Quiet Times” below or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Quiet Time Resources

Have you ever learned Bible marking? Do you know how to mark your Bible effectively? There is no exact science, nor are there explicit biblical commands to follow around this area of Bible study. But with a better understanding of how Bible marking can help us in our walks with Jesus, our personal time in the Word can be enriched both in the moment and for years to come!

This post contains affiliate links.

How I Got Into Bible Marking

As a young believer, I remember being excited to learn that my Bible wasn’t a book that I needed to keep in the most pristine condition. Instead, I could let it get worn from use—and even that I could mark it up! I got started with Bible marking by simply highlighting verses that stood out to me based on what I was going through at the time. But as the months and years passed, I—for the most part—stopped marking up my Bible. It was nice to look back on my highlights from months and years passed and remember how God was working during those times. But I started realizing that when I’d just highlight my favorite passages, the pages would get filled and not much would stand out to me anymore.

But about a year ago, when I was receiving some training through my church on how to lead a small group through the basics of Bible study, there was a chapter on Bible marking. We received a simple key on how to more strategically mark our Bibles. I immediately connected with this training. Unlike my old way of Bible marking, which would change with the seasons, this plan was evergreen. I could gain wisdom from the markings as I was writing them. And I could benefit from them when I looked back, no matter how much time had passed.

Getting Started Again

Needless to say, I was excited to get started with Bible marking again! I even asked for a new journaling Bible for my birthday so I could start fresh. (And add notes in the margins when I wanted to!) I had my eye on this one for years and my sweet hubby got it for me. What a special gift it was when I turned the big 3-0!

So I got my new Bible, but my one issue with the Bible marking key my church gave us was that it was color-coded. I’m a hand lettering artist, so you might be surprised that I’m a minimalist when it comes to pens! I wanted to recreate a key with a similar concept where I could use just one pen. So, I made up my own underlines and symbols to mark similar words and phrases. I wrote my special key on a notecard I kept in my Bible so that I could easily refer to it. As I learned and grew, I even added some of my own underlines and symbols to highlight other key words and phrases I was noticing were important.

As I engaged with God’s Word in this way, I began realizing how my time reading Scripture was deepened. And when I did it alongside the Bible study I was going through with my small group, I could more easily answer the questions, because Bible marking was helping me see key themes and how to apply the text to our lives.

My Bible Marking Essentials

So as Bible marking became more of a consistent part of my quiet time, I decided it would be fun to create a pretty bookmark to share my system with others so that you could benefit from it! Pictured below are my three Bible marking essentials: my ESV journaling Bible, my go-to pen, and of course, my bookmark key.

ESV Journaling Bible | Sakura Pigma Micron 005 Pen | Bible Marking Bookmark

ESV Journaling Bible

I love the ESV translation because it’s considered an “essentially literal” translation that’s still easy for today’s readers to understand. It prioritizes transparency to the form and structure of the original documents, which is also known as a word-for-word translation. The fact that this journaling Bible is pretty is just an added bonus! (You can learn more about Bible translations in this blog post.)

When I shared with a friend about my Bible marking endeavors, she loved the idea of starting with a new Bible. She, like me, wanted to give it a try but wasn’t ready to start marking up her favorite Bible. But as I mark up this new one, it is becoming my new favorite! If you’re wanting to start Bible marking, you don’t need a journaling Bible. You can use a regular Bible, a study Bible… but don’t let perfectionism be a hangup. Bible marking isn’t an exact science anyway! And if you feel comfortable, go right ahead and start marking up the Bible you’re currently reading from!

Pen

Like I mentioned above, I wanted to be able to do my Bible marking with just one pen. So it had to be the right one! Thankfully with my experience as a lettering artist, I’ve tried a lot of them! So I knew the Sakura Pigma Micron Pigment Fineliners were great. I chose the 005 weight so it wouldn’t muddy up the pages in my Bible or bleed through to the other side.

Bookmark

I had so much fun creating my Bible marking bookmark, which is now available in my shop (ships free)! It was a total upgrade from the notecard I initially wrote up for myself. And I even included a little sample passage as a helpful reference. Even if you use the exact same key, your markings will likely vary! As I did this sample passage with others in mind, I realized that there is a slight bit of variation that happens—even when I revisit a passage the next day—and that’s totally okay! All the more reason not to stress about perfection!

More About My Bible Marking Key

You might be wondering, why mark up these particular words and phrases? So, I’d love to briefly break down a few reasons why each prompt is important.

Names of God

God is at the center of the Bible—it’s His revelation to us! So it deeply benefits us to notice where He is mentioned. Circle Father, Son, Holy Spirit, God’s pronouns (He, His, Him), the Lord, etc. And get to know God by His names as He reveals Himself throughout Scripture.

Who God Is / What He Does

Similarly to how beneficial it is to take notice of God’s names and pronouns, it’s also important to notice His attributes, what He does, and what He promises. This shapes our most basic understanding of who God is.

Repeated Words & Phrases

Simply put, noting these can give us a better understanding of what the main point of a passage is or how God is calling us to apply a particular truth to our lives.

Sin, Warnings, Evil, Enemies

Have you ever looked at the mentions of these things in the Bible as an act of God’s mercy? He has so graciously warned us about various sins and how to recognize evil and enemies. He also uses these warnings to point us to Jesus and the gospel!

Application / What’s For Me?

I reference James 1:22 a lot, but it’s so important that we are doers of the Word and not hearers only. Sometimes the application of a passage is more implied or discerned, based on the context and content. But other times, the application is explicitly stated. It’s important as we read to ask God: How are you calling me to respond?

Similes & Metaphors

God often used similes and metaphors to make specific points in the Bible. Many of these examples refer to Christ. It’s also helpful to recognize similes and metaphors for accurate Bible interpretation and application. 

Pronouns Referring to Me / Psalmist

Recognizing pronouns like me, I, you, us, and we can better help us understand how a text applies to us.

Gospel Passage

Romans 1:16 states that the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes! These passages are of the utmost importance. They minister to us personally, no matter where we’re at in our walk with Jesus, and they help us witness to others as we carry out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:15).

But / For / Therefore

Transition words are often overlooked. But in the Bible, they can have great significance. Paying attention to transition words can help us better understand ourselves, the character and promises of God, and so much more!

Enjoy Your Time In God’s Word

Are you ready to start Bible marking? I hope that this post has ignited a similar excitement in you as learning this did for me! As you read, take your time, go at your own pace, don’t worry about perfection, and discover how marking your Bible will benefit your personal studies and grow you in your understanding of who God is, who you are, and how He is calling you to respond. Blessings!

Continue Reading

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In case you haven’t heard, I am pregnant! My husband Luke and I are expecting our first child mid-August and we are so excited to meet her! Before she is born, I wanted to share a bit about my redemptive journey to motherhood, because God truly deserves all of the glory for the joy I have over this precious gift.

A Full Transformation

In my early 20’s, I really wasn’t sure how I felt about the possibility of one day becoming a mom. A lot of my friends got married and started having babies pretty quickly after. I saw this natural longing in their hearts to be moms, but I really struggled to relate to that. I think somewhere in the back of my head motherhood was for “someday.” But I wasn’t sure how I would ever change. I was never at peace with my lack of desire and wrestled internally for a long time. So my husband and I prayed that if it was God’s will for us to have children, that He would give us both the desires of His heart (Psalm 37:4). We ultimately knew God’s will was best.

Looking back, I can now see that my primary hangup was fear. God had to expose my fears and wrong thinking to bring about a heart change within me. If I had to point to one thing that had the most impact on my heart transformation around motherhood, it would have to be biblical counseling. Biblical counseling is centered on the sufficiency of God’s Word to counsel us in the various issues in life we are confronted with. (You can learn more about biblical counseling here.) Luke and I went through biblical counseling with our pastor for completely unrelated reasons to our worries around parenting. But as we grew in our trust in God and His Word, other areas of our lives began to change. That included fears around starting a family. (Click here if you’re interested in a great biblical counseling podcast.)

Choosing to Believe God’s Word

Psalm 127:3-5 says that children are a heritage and reward from the Lord. To put it more simply, the word heritage is also translated as gift. And the original Hebrew of the word reward speaks to the benefit of having children. A good friend pointed out this verse as she was wrestling with her own struggles as a young mom. Through this passage, God opened our eyes to the countercultural nature of the biblical view of children. For a long time, without realizing it, I had been so influenced by what the world preaches to us about children. The culture teaches that your life is basically over when you become a parent. You need to establish your life. You need to accomplish all your goals and travel before you have kids because they drain your time and finances… What a depressing view of children!

In contrast, God speaks highly of children in the Bible. As I mentioned above, He describes them as a gift, benefit, and blessing in Psalm 127:3-5. He speaks about the tender, loving care He has for every child even before they are fully formed in the womb in Psalm 139:13-16. Jesus spoke highly of children in Matthew 18:3 when He said we must become like children to receive eternal life. He welcomed them and was not too busy for them (Matthew 19:13-14). Those are just a small handful of biblical examples of how God views children. And yet, so many of the cultural lies are exposed through them. So as I chose to believe what God says about children and rejected what the world focuses on, God transformed my heart just as Luke and I had prayed. Our God is so faithful!

Redemption

God’s greatest redemptive story is the gospel. Out of His great love for us, Jesus died on a cross and rose from the dead to save all who repent and believe in Him (John 3:16, Mark 1:15). By grace, through faith, we are given eternal life (Ephesians 2:8-9). God has given me the greatest gift, benefit, and blessing through Christ. Even still, He uses our unique circumstances to reveal the power of the gospel in our lives. I praise God for how He has orchestrated my redemptive journey to motherhood. He has shown me His abundant mercy and joy through this experience. And God continues to humble me by exposing my fears for what they are and lovingly drawing me back to Himself and the truth of His Word. 

A Word of Encouragement to The Woman Wrestling With Becoming a Mom

I have learned throughout the years that every woman has her own fears, struggles, and feelings toward motherhood. I know it’s such a tender topic that can well up both joy and grief. My heart rejoices with moms raising children and it aches for the woman who longs to be a mom and is waiting. But given my story, I want to encourage the woman wrestling with becoming a mom. If you relate to my story at all, first I want to say, you’re not alone. I remember feeling so lonely and misunderstood in my early 20’s. And it wasn’t until my late 20’s that I met moms who had similar stories. My best advice is to get connected with women in your church. Serve, join a small group and Bible study, hear the stories and wisdom of others. If there is a pastor or leader at your church you trust, reach out to talk through your personal struggles. And most importantly, I encourage you to bring your concerns and fears to the Lord in His Word and prayer. Trust that He knows what’s best for you and surrender to His will. He loves you and cares for you.

If you are looking for a great resource to help you work through anxiety and fear, check out my Bible study Strength in the Struggle. Whether you’re struggling with fears around motherhood or something else, this grace-filled study will equip you to find freedom and overcome life’s ongoing battles with fear and anxiety.

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I hope your summer is off to a good start! Mine has been filled with finishing up work projects before our baby is born in August and getting house projects completed as well. Summer is always a season of being outside of my routine, but this year that’s been especially true. And truthfully, it’s been challenging to stay consistently in the Word and prayer with God.

I think it’s pretty common for most of us to feel that challenge. Many churches have different summer programming, college women are away from student ministry groups, moms have kids home from school, many of us have more weekend or vacation plans… Whatever season of life you’re in, our normal rhythm of life typically changes in these warmer months. That can tempt us to pull away from God and leave us spiritually dry. So, I just wanted to take a moment to talk about how we can avoid spiritual “dehydration” this summer!

This post contains affiliate links.

If Anyone Thirsts

First, something I’m learning is that it’s okay for our quiet times to look different when our schedules are different. There is a difference between me not making Jesus a daily priority vs. seeking Him, but needing to rest in His grace as I navigate a less consistent schedule. For example, there is a difference between literally not drinking water—whether by choice or just plain old forgetfulness—and keeping my water bottle with me, but realizing that not all circumstances allow for me to take a drink.

Jesus says in John 7:37 that, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” Similarly to how we need to stay physically hydrated, we also need to remain spiritually hydrated. So, let’s start by asking ourselves these questions:

Am I currently being a good steward of my time?

In what ways can I prioritize Jesus and remain spiritually hydrated this summer?

Do I need to surrender my idea of a perfect quiet time routine and rest in God’s grace for this season? What might that look like in my life?

I encourage you to take some time to reflect on those questions with God. Ask Him to show you where He wants to grow you—especially if you’re unsure. As you pray, here are some ideas of how we can stay spiritually hydrated this summer:

How We Can Stay Spiritually Hydrated This Summer

Be In the Word Daily

What this can look like: Commit to reading a book of the Bible over the course of the summer, take the time to do a Bible study, commit to memorizing some of your favorite Bible passages, start Bible marking, pray the Word, etc. (2 Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 4:12)

Be In Prayer Daily

What this can look like: Keep a prayer journal, go on prayer walks, pray Scripture, find a quiet place you can talk out loud to God (Sitting alone in my parked car is one of my favorite spots for this), pray with your spouse, kids, roommate, etc., and pray throughout the day while doing things. Continually praying silently to God as we go about our days is important (1 Thessalonians 5:17, Romans 12:12), but we also must remember that even Jesus Himself would often slip away to a solitary place to pray. (Luke 5:16)

Stay/Get Involved Within a Church

This can be a challenge, especially if you travel a lot in the summer, but it’s so important! Try not to rely too heavily on church services online. This is helpful to receive teaching when we’re away, but we miss out on worshipping and serving in community! (Hebrews 10:24-25)

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I hope this list equips you for a summer of staying spiritually hydrated! I shared quite a few ideas, but to simplify even further, I’ll ask one last question:

How will you seek Jesus this summer in the Word, prayer, and within your local church?

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Writing cards and letters is increasingly becoming a lost art. It can be so much easier to send a quick text or email. And truthfully, I struggle spending more than five dollars on a card—and most greeting cards are averaging higher than that these days! But, you can’t put a price tag on a thoughtful handwritten card or letter from someone you love. There are so many cards and letters I have saved over the years and look back on with so much gratitude. So in today’s post, I’d love to offer you some biblical card and letter writing inspiration.

A Biblical Look At Letter Writing

Another reason I struggle buying store-bought cards with pre-written messages is that many of them aren’t biblical. I love a humorous birthday card, but many are just plain mean! (Who is buying these??) I’ve found that oftentimes “get well” and sympathy cards give recipients false hope and offer promises we don’t know will truly come to pass. I’ve realized that I spend so much time in the card aisle looking for just the right one, that I could just get some blank cards and spend my time writing a personalized card. This can be overwhelming—especially on occasions on which I just don’t feel like I have the words. However, we can learn a lot from the structure of New Testament letters and apply that to our own card and letter writing for an easy roadmap to help us write.

Many of the New Testament books are letters and these letters (also called epistles) follow a general format:

• Greeting
• Prayer
• Thanksgiving
• Body
• Closing Greeting

If we take a close look at the epistles, we’ll notice structural differences between many of the letters. For instance, the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatians is much different than his letter to the Philippians. If we read a bit of commentary in our study Bibles about the audience and reasons the New Testament authors wrote each letter, we’ll find that the structure of letters changed based on things like the occasion or urgency of the message. Thinking about our own reasons for writing cards, we can relate to how the content in our own letters and cards changes from birthday to loss, wedding to retirement, “get well” to new baby, and so on. But having this general structure in mind can be so helpful to us as we consider what to write to our loved ones.

Biblical Card and Letter Writing Inspiration for You

So, let’s break down how we can apply this biblical letter writing structure to our own cards:

Get a Card

Biblical epistles were carefully written on scrolls. Today, a simple piece of lined paper works just fine. But, you can make your letter extra special by writing it on a card. I have a collection of beautiful, biblical cards in my shop that you can purchase individually or save 15% when you buy four or more with code CARDBUNDLE (Bonus: they ship free and you can mix and match the cards in your bundle!) I created each card with multiple uses in mind. So, whether you are writing to a loved one about a birthday, wedding, loss, encouragement, new baby, thank you, or whatever circumstance, you are sure to find something that will fit the given occasion. (View each individual listing for my recommendations.)

Greeting

During biblical times, it was common to open with who the letter was from. This makes sense, considering how long the letters were. Readers needed to know who was writing to them from the beginning. But, we generally aren’t writing letters that are the length of a book of the Bible! For a brief note in a card or even a single-page letter, starting with something like “Dear, [Recipient]” and signing our name at the end is just fine. If you are hoping for a response, following with a question like “How are you doing?” can make a great greeting.

A Word of Gratitude & Prayer

Regardless of the occasion, it is always sweet to open with a word of gratitude and how you have been praying for the recipient. If you haven’t been praying for that person, share how you will be praying for him or her in the future. It may feel most natural to open with the prayer piece and follow with gratitude—or, save the prayer for the end! Many of the epistles close with a prayer too. The point is, wherever you place these elements in your letter, know they will likely be extremely encouraging to the reader!

Body

If you have something specific you want to say, the body of your letter is where that will happen. For longer letters, you may have a lot to write and several topics to cover. But, for shorter cards, this might just be a sentence or two. If you are writing a card for a specific occasion and aren’t quite sure what to say, but you want it to come from the heart, an additional word of encouragement, a Bible verse, or simple Scripture reference are all great options to add to the body of your letter.

Closing

If you are hoping for a response, closing with some questions for the recipient is a great way to close. If not, either way, a word of blessing and encouragement, an “I love you,” or a reminder of how you’ll be praying for the recipient are all thoughtful closing remarks. And of course, don’t forget to sign your name clearly!

Letter Samples

Need some additional help improving your letter writing skills? I’ve got you covered! Below are three examples of how I personally apply this biblical format to letters. And hopefully you’ll see how each of the elements we unpacked above work for any occasion.

Birthday Sample

Happy Birthday, Kyla!

What a joy it is to celebrate you today! I am so grateful God brought you into this world, because you have been such a light in my life. You point me to Christ, you pray for me, you make me laugh when I need it most, and even the way you love on my cat is just the absolute sweetest. You are truly a one-of-a-kind friend! I hope you have the best birthday and I pray that God will bless you with many, many more years to come! (Numbers 6:24-26) Have a fantastic day! <3

Hugs, Lauren

Thinking of You / Encouragement Sample

Hello, sweet Anika!

How have you been? I know I haven’t seen you in a bit, but I am so grateful God gave me you for a friend! I have been praying for you as school wraps up—how are things going? Last time you wrote, you said you were pretty swamped and overwhelmed. So, I just wanted to remind you that Jesus promises to strengthen you and use your weakness to display His power and glory (Philippians 4:13, 2 Corinthians 12:9). I know you know this, but sometimes we just need a reminder to keep turning to Him! He will enable you to finish strong! Love you oodles and bunches and I’m excited to hang when you’re on break!

Hugs, Lauren

Sympathy Sample

Dear Jenna,

How are you doing? I have been praying for you as you and your family grieve and process this loss. I know that nothing I say can heal this deep wound, but I praise God that He promises to heal the broken hearted and bind up their wounds (Psalm 147:3). He is acquainted with our grief (Isaiah 53:3), He is near (Psalm 34:18), and He is the Father of mercies and God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3). I pray you will know and feel the Lord’s compassion for you at this time and that you’d experience His peace that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:6-7). Feel free to reach out if you need anything—I can bring a meal, be a listening ear, babysit the kids so you can get away for a bit… whatever you need, I’m here. And no matter what, know that I’ll be praying. Love you, sweet friend.

Hugs, Lauren

Start Writing!

I hope this post about biblical card and letter writing inspiration has been a gift and tool you can use! It’s my hope that you’ll now feel more equipped to write a card or letter from the heart—one that your recipient will cherish for years to come.

It can be super helpful to have extra cards on hand for when the unexpected happens or that celebration on the calendar creeps up on you faster than you expected! So again, I invite you to check out my collection of greeting cards in my shop. Order individually or save 15% when you order four or more with code CARDBUNDLE (all greeting cards ship free!). Words are a sweet gift, but if you want to add a little something extra, I have lots of stickers and bookmarks that fit neatly in an envelope. Or get a little fancier with an art print, enamel pin, or something else. Happy writing!

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