The Good Hand of God | My 3-Minute Testimony

“I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good…” —Nehemiah 2:18

Life Before Christ

I grew up learning that we’re all sinners and that Jesus died on a cross, was buried, and rose to life to save us. However, for almost two decades, I didn’t understand how that truth applied to my life. In my mind, church was a moral obligation, God was beyond reach, and salvation was achieved through a combination of beliefs and works.

Yet, the good hand of God was upon my life. In my late teens, I felt prompted to pray for closeness to Him, not knowing what that looked like. Despite these occasional prayers, I drifted far from God. My life revolved around obtaining the attention and approval of others. So when I experienced a break-up that rocked my world, I spiraled downward into a pit of bitterness and anger that continued well into my freshman year of college.

Receiving Christ

By that point, I seriously doubted God’s existence. I carried the weight of my mistakes and I feared the person I was becoming. But one evening, while home for spring break (in 2012), I shared these burdens with two old friends who—to my surprise—encouraged me to take it all to Jesus because He wanted a relationship with me. They told me if I confessed my sins and surrendered to Him in faith, He would forgive me in full and I could have a relationship with Him that would change my life. 

That evening, I understood that this was the purpose of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. By the power of His Spirit, my eyes were opened to His grace for the very first time. I suddenly realized that salvation could not be achieved, it could only be received through trusting in Jesus as my Lord and Savior—and this gift of grace set me free.

Life With Christ

I turned from my old life and began falling in love with God, listening to sermons, keeping a prayer journal, reading the Bible, and learning to actively live out my faith. Eventually, God showed me that I was born again and this new life in Christ was eternal. This was the closeness to Him I had prayed to experience.

As I’ve grown in my relationship with Jesus over the years, I’ve learned that intimacy with Him often comes through trials. Most recently, I experienced His faithfulness as I walked through a year of deep grief and great joy as I mourned miscarrying two babies, joyfully anticipated the birth of our miracle baby, and said final goodbyes to my dad’s parents. Wrestling through that tension has taught me that Christ’s grace truly is sufficient in every moment and that the hand of my God has been—and always will be—upon me for good.

Biblical Christian Easter Gifts for the Whole Family

I can’t tell you the number of times I have searched things like “biblical Christian Easter gifts” or “Christian Easter decor.” And when a dear friend asked for my recommendations on Easter gifts for her grand-babies, I knew I was not the only one on the hunt. Bunnies and chicks are cute, chocolates and jelly beans are sweet, but there is no greater gift than the Easter story—the gospel—which is the good news that Jesus died on a cross and rose from the dead to save all who repent and believe in Him alone for salvation from sin.

Therefore, in this post you’ll find a lot of books and a few other Scripture-based items. Whether you’re putting together Easter baskets for your children or looking for a gift for your Easter dinner host, I hope you’ll find meaningful biblical Christian Easter gifts for the whole family!

Click each image to be redirected to where you can purchase each gift.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. However, I am not specifically endorsing any of the creators of the products below by request or as a paid promotion. These are my genuine recommendations.


Biblical Christian Easter Gifts For…


Babies & Toddlers

The Gospel

The gospel message is why we celebrate Easter! This is a great board book that preaches the gospel to babies and toddlers every day of the year.

Jesus

Jesus should always be the focal point of our Easter celebrations. This sweet board book is a great way to teach littles who Jesus is.

Bible Stories

This adorable board book contains several Bible stories that are told simply for babies and toddlers. I love that it has some gospel connections as well!

God Rescues Me

God’s great rescue story is told in this little book! It’s another great way to share the gospel with your littlest loves.

God Speaks To Me

We love this book focusing on how God speaks through creation and the Bible—and the gospel is told in it as well!

The Garden, the Curtain, and the Cross (Board book)

This book highlights why sin separates us from God and how we are reconciled to Him.


Children

The Donkey Who Carried A King

This book is both imaginative and biblical. It creatively tells the gospel story and about living servant-heartedly.

Light of the World

This movie takes some creative liberties, but the gospel is clearly presented and biblical principles are upheld.

Truth Cards For Kids

A sweet friend of mine makes these and we keep them on our kitchen counter to frequently reflect on biblical truths. (They fit in this holder perfectly.)

Attributes of God Coloring Book

I love this idea for teaching kids the attributes of God. It has a variety of coloring pages and activities for them to learn from and make their own.

Cross Craft

Here’s a simple and sweet craft for after church on Easter Sunday… or to be saved for a meaningful rainy day indoor activity.

Resurrection Sunday Magnet Set

Teach elements of Christ’s resurrection story with this playful magnet set. Plus it’s a decorative reminder of the true meaning of Easter.


Teens & Young adults

Vinyl Stickers

I carry a variety of stickers featuring Bible verses and quotes in my Etsy shop! They are popular among all, but especially this age group.

Bookmarks

I offer a variety of bookmarks with various purposes. Find paper bookmarks with Bible study tools or simple, sweet magnetic bookmarks.

Scripture Memory Bracelets

I made these bracelets for a short season. I’m no longer selling them, but I’ve linked a similar product above where you can learn more.

Scripture Memory Tattoos

I haven’t tried these temporary tattoos myself, but I love the concept for young men and women. Such a creative way to memorize Scripture!

Topical Memory System

Admittedly, I have not used the workbook, but the Scripture included in the cards book is great for anyone new to Scripture memorization.

Scripture Prayer Journal

This prayer journal helps women of all ages cultivate biblically-rooted prayer time. Choose between an affordable $5 softcover or deluxe version.


Adults

Backgate Prayer Cards

Women from my church make and sell these prayer and praise cards. Pre-made or customizable versions are available—and they’re biblical!

Scripture Stones

I have my own little collection of these Scripture stones. They make great biblical Christian gifts for all seasons and occasions.

Hearts From The Holy Land

These hearts were hand-made by artisans in Bethlehem and Jerusalem. I love that they come with a card that proclaims the gospel too!

The Bible in a Year

I created this Bible reading plan and devotional to help others get into the Word daily and better understand the character of God.

Bible Promises Book

These are simple books to give as gifts to believers and non-believers alike! I love that this one is in ESV, but I’ve given a similar NKJV one.

A Gospel Primer For Christians

This is possibly my favorite devotional book. It’s filled with gospel truths for your daily life. I highly recommend as a gift for other believers in your life!


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How to Pray for Your Country | 3 Steps to Pray for the USA

Do you have a desire to pray for your country? Does it feel like there’s so much to pray for that you don’t know where to start? As the Fourth of July quickly approaches and as we look ahead to a presidential election in the fall, my desire to pray for our country has increased. That’s why I decided to get organized and create a 30-day plan to help me stay faithful in prayer for the United States. Today I’m sharing the basic outline of my plan, but I’m also offering a free PDF download of all 30 prompts at the end of this post. Or, you can order the full plan in bookmark form right here on my website (bonus: free shipping)!

3 Steps to Pray for the USA

1. Examine and surrender your heart.

It’s so important that we surrender to Jesus before we dive into praying for everything else. We see this modeled in Psalm 139:24 when David sings, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” 

The truth is, we are sinners. We get things wrong and our desires don’t always align with God’s will. That’s why Jesus commands us to pray, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Even the most politically-informed, biblically-aligned among us have blind spots. So, humbling yourself before Jesus is critical when you start to pray for your country. Prayers of praise, thanksgiving, confession, and asking for wisdom are all great to begin with.

2. Pray over the big picture issues.

Once you’ve surrendered your heart to God in prayer, you can start to pray over the big picture issues. In my 30 Days of Prayer Prompts for the USA plan, I keep things broad. For instance, one of my prompts is for protection against evil and enemies. If I’m out and about and only have a couple seconds to pray, this is a great short prayer. But if I’m at home and my daughter is sleeping or independently playing, I can take a little more time to pray more specifically. I can pray for protection from specific violent groups, evil individuals, wars, or even unbiblical ideologies that are harming the flourishing of our country and its citizens. I might even pray for specific laws that will defend and protect the United States. 

There are so many ways we can approach prayer for the issues. Ask the Spirit to guide you as you bring your requests to Him.

3. Pray for specific people.

Once we’ve covered the big picture issues in prayer, we can get even more specific and focus on individuals. Are you praying for the president and the current administration? What about your senator and state representative? Or how about church leaders—like your pastor and elders? And do you pray for the politician, journalist, or family member that grinds your gears? These are all great starting points. I encourage you to pray for people by name when you can. But again, even if your prayers are more broad or you do your best to get specific without knowing the names of people you want to pray for, remember that we pray to the all-knowing God of the universe. He hears, He knows, and He will answer.

Encouragement

I encourage you to get a prayer plan in place so you can start praying for your country regularly! Feel free to write your own plan in your prayer journal. But if you appreciate the simplicity of these three prompts and would like to go deeper, download and print my 30 Days of Prayer Prompts for the USA PDF for free! Or, order a beautiful, red, white, and blue bookmark with the same prayer prompts. All of my paper bookmarks ship free and you can get a special discount when you order four or more—so invite your friends and family to pray with you!

Let’s be faithful to pray for our country this Fourth of July, election season, and always!


Seeking Jesus in the Baby Season of Motherhood | Part 2

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!

Seeking Jesus in the Baby Season of Motherhood | Part 1

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?


A Doable Daily Christmas Bible Study

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!


Have More Questions About My Bible Studies?



The Story Behind God’s Glory, Our Peace

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!


Personal Update: Motherhood and More to Come

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!

Seasons of Quiet Times | Podcast Episode

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 times, 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

Bible Verses for Moms Bookmark
Books of the Bible Bookmark
SOAP Bible Study Bookmark