Laurel Luehmann

Book Reviews, Journaling, Personal

April memories -2024

April 29, 2024April 27, 2024by Laurel Luehmann3 Comments

Hello, friends!

April showers have been bringing dandelions and daffodils…and this post.:)

Things worth remembering…

not having a cold for the first time in forever
living on ice cream, yogurt, and noodles after bidding wisdom teeth goodbye
a nostalgic viewing of a Winnie the Pooh movie…or two
handing Project Redemption off to an editor
being able to write poetry again
hitting a cajon with wild abandon for the first live worship time with our entire church
being told by a young child that I’m “too little to drive”

Fear not tomorrows, child of the King; trust them with Jesus. Do the next thing.
Author unknown

What I’ve been reading…

Holy Hygge – Jamie Erickson

Encouragement is more than just giving a compliment. It is the passing on of courage. To encourage someone is to give them the courage to face an unknown future, the courage to trust an unseen God, the courage to stand firm in a turbulent culture.

I’m so glad I finally got this book. I’m marking it up all over the place! It’s been a gentle challenge for me to consider the way that I walk through life and treat the people that surround me…and what that lifestyle says about who God is.

At Home in Mitford – Jan Karon

“Timothy, look at that funny cow staring at us.”

He raised his head slightly, and froze. “Do not move,” he said. “That is a bull.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” she whispered, “this happens in comic books, not real life. Will we be gored?”

I’m such a slow reader, but I was able to tear through this book while I was down after getting my wisdom teeth out! XD You can read my full review here.

The Inheritance Games – Jennifer Lynn Barnes

…I looked past her to the counter and realized she’d baked more than muffins. There were also cupcakes. I felt my stomach plummet. “Oh, no, Lib.”

“It’s not what you think,” Libby promised. She was an apology cupcake baker. A guilty cupcake baker. A please-don’t-be-mad-at-me cupcake baker.

I did end up shelving this as DNF because the combination of teenage angst and implied content wasn’t my cup of tea. That and the plot just didn’t grab me like I’d hoped. I loved the MC’s snappy dialogue, though, and the glimpse of the tender heart beneath her armor, even in the first chapter.

“…we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
2 chronicles 20:12

From the journal…

Let me see each day, each aspect of my life as a battleground; an opportunity to decrease and let You increase.

What made your April memorable?

❤ Laurel

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase something through one of the links I share in this post, I receive a small commission…at no extra cost to you.:)

Poetry

spring’s gift – a poem

April 22, 2024April 19, 2024by Laurel LuehmannLeave a Comment

Hello, friends!

It’s spring in my corner of the world…on the ridges and in my soul. Here’s a new poem to commemorate these days.

the world is coming alive again,

and so

I…

spring is yawning green,

pushing its delicate fingers through the loam

that knew death with such intimacy…

but it breathes again,

racing to meet a cloud-studded sky

at the horizon to dance a jig

where death has died.

words flow, inky black

yet so alive

from my pen.

funny how, in the months where

the world stretched barren,

my pen was barren, too…

and now,

as the fields are wooing my heart,

my fingertips spring to life with the words

I fought to snare all winter.

a gift, a gift,

it’s all a gift…

the chorus echoes through my mind

and thunders through my ribcage.

all these God-formed hands can do is

plant,

water,

weed,

gather the increase that comes

from the heart of God and never

from my own sweating brow.

fear melts with the last of the snowdrifts, and

I poke warming fingers into the grasp

of an Almighty hand…

grateful,

eager,

in love.

P.S. I had to revamp my newsletter because I was running into some issues with my hosting site…so if you were subscribed to receive my newsletters, you’ll have to re-subscribe here if you’d like to continue receiving them!

(And, hey…if you weren’t subscribed in the first place, now’s your chance. ;))

Book Reviews, Journaling, Personal

March memories – 2024

April 15, 2024by Laurel LuehmannLeave a Comment

Hello, friends!

Now that we’re in the middle of April, here’s the March review! XD

If there is anything that we ought to get straight, it is how little we are.
a.W. Tozer

Things worth remembering

walks in the pasture
a family birthday celebration
poetry in the Notes app on a late drive home
goat kids
driving with the windows down while snacking on kettle chips
talking books and family history with my grandma
making garlic toast
working dates with a friend
music practice with friends
reading through John leading up to Holy Week
a hike with glorious views

“…unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.”
John 12:24

What I’ve been reading

The Words We Lost – Nicole Deese

Funny how differently time is prioritized when it’s in short supply.

If I enjoyed the romance genre (or if this book didn’t happen to be written as a romance…XD) it would likely receive five stars from me. The pacing, the side characters, the plot twists…it’s a heavy read, but an endearing one. It handles the topics of grief and loss so well, and I loved the coastal town feels! And now I want a blackberry lemonade slush. XD

At Home in Mitford – Jan Karon

My goodness, the humor in this book! The characters are so real. There are some minor things in it that I’m not a fan of, but in general it’s been an easy fun read with all of the small town feels.

“…the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.”
John 3:29-30

From the journal

God, be my strength and smile today! Open my eyes to see what You are doing.

when my soul is weary and pleading for more than a sin-soiled world, there is hope and satiation in Your very presence beside me…

You are the-God-who-sees. You see me pressed beneath the weight of this deadline…and You call Yourself enough within me to bear this weight. You see me faltering before the most miniscule decisions…and I call You my Shepherd, all knowing and sovereign. You see my longing, and I call You all I’ll ever need.

“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour?’ But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.”
John 12:27-28a

Jumping back a few weeks…what was memorable in your life this March?

❤ Laurel

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase something through one of the links I share in this post, I receive a small commission…at no extra cost to you.:)

Poetry, Uncategorized

entry – a poem

March 25, 2024by Laurel Luehmann4 Comments

Hello, friends!

This is my first poem inspired by the Holy Week prompts I posted on Instagram! Happy reading…✨

what causes a crowd who

welcomed You with praise

to turn on You within a week,

demanding blood?

oh, the power of delusional expectations…

You entered and I answered with joy,

making way for You into the fortress of my heart,

laying down my cloak and willing to lay down my very life

for the King of majesty.

but something changed in my loyalties when

You walked a rocky path spattered with Your own blood

and bid me walk beside You.

this, You whisper, is the test of my love, begging it to become

a love that is not contingent on bloated expectations,

but a love that trusts even when

blood runs into the eyes

and pain carves canyons in the heart.

You ask for humility, not royal robes…

my loyalty, not only my cloak.

Poetry

Holy Week poetry prompts!

March 18, 2024March 18, 2024by Laurel LuehmannLeave a Comment

Hello, friends!

I just wanted to pop on the blog and let you know that I have some poetry prompts for you all.

Lent and especially Holy Week is one of my favorite times of the year as we look back on what Christ has done for us and look forward to an eternity with Him. It’s a reflective time of year for me, and that usually means poetry!

I put together some poetry prompts for each day of Holy Week, and if poetry is your thing (or if you want it to be your thing…) please feel free to join me in using them to inspire some new poems!

I’ll be sharing some poetry each day of Holy Week (hopefully!) over on my Instagram account and will post a roundup of my favorites on the blog after Easter.

Happy writing!

❤ Laurel

Poetry

rest – a poem

March 11, 2024March 11, 2024by Laurel Luehmann3 Comments

Hello, friends!

This poem was inspired by the events related in Matthew 14, if you’d like some more context.:)

teach me to rest, Father…

tell me the stories of

the Man who slept through the storm,

who retreated from the crowds,

and returned from such retreats

to have compassion…

not just to feel it throbbing in His chest,

but to surrender self-pity and pride

to the flames on the altar of truest love.

the Man whose love brought Him

through the wildest storms,

the deepest heartbreak,

the most torturous death

(and the ultimate death of death)

and finally to a place where

He receives His beloved

in the everlasting arms that

never weary now.

Book Reviews, Journaling, Personal

February memories – 2024

March 4, 2024March 4, 2024by Laurel Luehmann3 Comments

Hello, friends!

The post graphic is a bit deceitful, as this February held virtually no snow and lots and lots of spring-like weather. It was definitely a month for the books…

I trace the rainbow through the rain
and find the promise is not vain
that morn shall tearless be.
from George Matheson’s “O Love that will not let me go”

Things worth remembering…

talks with friends that were good for the soul
lots of walks in unseasonably warm weather
color palette experiments
Chinese food with sisters
realizing how much I dislike elevators
watching geese fly north
learning again that “He must increase, I must decrease” (John 3:30)
lots of fun music practice sessions
hiking with friends (and not losing anyone over the edge)

The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger,
And his glory is to overlook a transgression.
Proverbs 19:11

What I’ve been reading…

The Golden Road – L.M. Montgomery

“Sometimes I don’t think it’s right to tell funny stories about ministers,” said Felicity. “It certainly isn’t respectful.”

“A good story is a good story – no matter who it’s about,” said the Story Girl with ungrammatical relish.

I had such good memories of reading The Story Girl, and it was so enjoyable to read the sequel! There are portions where witchcraft is handled lightly, however, so that’s something to keep in mind when handing it off to younger siblings/friends. L.M. Montgomery can get a little too poetic (ironic, I know!) for my liking, but the cousin/friend dynamics are absolutely hilarious and touching all at once.

The Mysterious Benedict Society – Trenton Lee Stewart

‘If any others flee the room in panic or dismay,’ she said sternly, ‘please remember to close the door behind you. Your sobs may disturb the other test-takers.’

It’s been so much fun to read this book with my sisters! Each character is so vividly unique…my personal favorite is Number Two.😂

From the Grave – A.W. Tozer

…the will of God is the place of blessed, painful, fruitful trouble…It is my conviction that one of the reasons we exhibit very little spiritual power is because we are unwilling to accept and experience the fellowship of the Savior’s sufferings, which means acceptance of His cross.

This Lent devotional has been really thought-provoking. I always appreciate Tozer’s perspective.

Do not be afraid of sudden terror…
for the Lord will be your confidence.
from Proverbs 3:25-26

From the journal…

God, may they see Your fingerprints all over my motives and my actions!

Help me to choose You in everything…to love people well because they bear Your image.

I find it so interesting that David ends Psalm 119 – a psalm about the Word of God – with a confession that “I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, for I do not forget Your commandments.” No matter how much we love the Word, our hearts are still prone to wander and we’re no less desperate for grace. The commandment doesn’t save; the gospel does.

Even in all these broken places You are Lord.

What made your February memorable?

❤ Laurel

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase something through one of the links I share in this post, I receive a small commission…at no extra cost to you.:)

Poetry

rewriting insomnia – a poem

February 26, 2024by Laurel Luehmann4 Comments

what a privilege it is

to wrestle through the midnight watch

in sleeplessness and ink-stained prayers,

fearless, for the God who sees

has already sealed the answer…

yet still He waits – holds tenderly

the restless, inkstained hearts that skip

to the beat of holy longing.

Poetry

priceless love – a poem

February 10, 2024by Laurel Luehmann8 Comments

Hello, friends! I unearthed an old poem to share today…happy reading! ❤

I asked to learn love, and so

affection flew away on silver wings,

desire at its heels.

the rose-colored glasses slipped from

the bridge of my nose, and

I was left silent,

words stolen by

shock.

indignation burned

hot in my ribcage, and words I hate

bubbled to my lips.

this, God? You expect me to love

this???

as I fumed, I felt quiet eyes on

my clenched fists.

I turned and saw confusion glinting

in the eyes I met through His Word.

“but I love you.

I died for you.”

shame burned a mottled mask

across my face.

I remembered the ugliness

He sees each day.

I glanced at scarred wrists and saw

the receipt of redemption.

how could I ever refuse to give

a shred of the love

He’s lavished on me?

Book Reviews, Journaling, Personal, reading

January memories – 2024

February 5, 2024February 5, 2024by Laurel Luehmann5 Comments

The first review post of 2024!!

when you understand that God is never late, you wait differently.
unknown

Things worth remembering…

kicking off the new year with a stomach bug…hurrah! It could only get better from there. XD
practicing bass runs with my brother
road-tripping with siblings and some of our favorite songs
coming up with a tentative title for Project Redemption👀
tea and chats with friends
hitting 50k words on Project Redemption
people watching at Culvers
frigid temps followed by a glorious (albeit slushy) heat wave
music practice that felt like the best worship jam session ever
toting a baby doll and stroller around the mall in disguise

No matter how far from ease, a wise woman’s heart is betrothed to gratitude.
from “The divine proverb of streusel” by Sara Brunsvold

What I’ve been reading…

The School Story – Andrew Clements

…in that instant Natalie saw what mattered. It wasn’t whether the book got published or not. It wasn’t whether Zoe was absolutely crazy – which she was. The important thing was Zoe herself, her friend.

This is such a fun MG read! While I’m not a fan of all of his books, I so enjoy how Andrew Clements’ style shines in this one. He really writes some powerful kid characters, and the mother-daughter relationship almost made me cry. I loved reading this to my sisters. (FYI, it does contain a good amount of name calling. I just skip over those words when reading it to sisters!)

Wonderstruck – Brian Selznick

Maybe, thought Ben, we are all cabinets of wonders.

I absolutely LOVED the experience of reading this book. It kept me turning pages so fast…especially because of the brilliance of using only drawings to tell one side of the story. The author used so many little details to draw the reader in and imply things in such a powerful way.
I did feel a little let down by the ending, though…there were some minor questions I’d asked that didn’t feel answered, and I just generally wanted more. Also, with it being MG fiction I struggled with the addition of a few mature elements being mentioned/handled casually. Just throwing that out there as a heads up if you want to hand it off to younger ones. Overall, though, I’d probably reread it for fun, as it is such an enjoyable experience!

In My Father’s House – Corrie ten Boom

She began to make plans – we had no money, no experience – but we started.

I’m savoring every moment of this book. I especially love hearing about how two single women and their father opened their home and hearts to so many in the name of Jesus. (It’s also sprinkled with a healthy dose of Corrie’s humor. :))

The Divine Proverb of Streusel – Sara Brunsvold

Ask Nikki questions, she’d told him. Memorize her answers. Lover her accordingly.

This book feels like coming home. I absolutely love Sara Brunsvold’s poetic prose and the quotable qualities of her writing, but wrap it around a rural setting full of German food and history, characters who are solid and real, and a middle-aged bachelor who is painfully awkward around the woman who adores him? I’m sold.❤️❤️

(While handled so tactfully, dealing with the aftermath of a divorce following unfaithfulness is a premise of the story, so be aware of that if it’s something that’s too painful for you.)

I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.
charles spurgeon

From the journal…

Sinning is basically telling God that His ways aren’t good enough for us…telling God that we know better than He does.

I don’t have to slink into Your presence with the faint remains of stains on my skin. You have purified me completely, and You cause these bones You have broken to rejoice.

In the way I respond to trials and disruptions – help me to see Your image in the souls that trouble my own. May I deal graciously and uprightly with any who cross my path. You must increase, I must decrease. Be Lord over my life, not simply my words!