life – Laurel Luehmann

Book Reviews, Journaling, life, Personal

November Memories – 2022

December 5, 2022by Laurel Luehmann6 Comments

Another month, another review…

Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving us wordy evidence of the fact.
george eliot

Things worth remembering

Sniffing 95% of the candles at Hobby Lobby (even the disgusting ones) with a sister
puddle selfies
the first real snow of the season
Bananagrams and peanut butter cups with friends
sharing music with my family at a local church
family time and preparations on Thanksgiving Eve
baby snuggles and rodent tales on Thanksgiving Day
surviving a painfully awkward and extremely predictable Hallmark-style movie

I’ll walk with you through the shadowlands till the shadows disappear…
from Andrew Peterson’s “Dancing in the Minefields”

What I’ve been reading

The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien

Up jumped Bilbo. “Breakfast?” he cried. “Where is breakfast?”

“Mostly inside of us,” answered the other dwarves who were moving about the hall; “But what is left is out on the veranda.”

I’m still reading this one…and it’s still just as hilarious and thought-provoking as last month.

Death by Living – N.D. Wilson

Drink your wine. Laugh from your gut. Burden your moments with thankfulness. Be as empty as you can be when the clock winds down. Spend your life. And if time is a river, may you leave a wake.

This was an enjoyable read…and while I did get lost in some of the poetic nature of it all (I’m a baby poet, and too much of it loses me) and I didn’t really agree with all of Wilson’s conclusions, this book has quite a few quotable lines and provides a lovely perspective on eternity and mortality.

This Life of Mine – Victoria Lynn

I had the privilege of beta reading the second book in my friend’s series, The Chronicles of Elira, and goodness. It’s just so good. I can’t wait to share my review with you!

“We do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive!”
Daniel 9:18

From the journal…

Help me to remember truth: that You loved me eve when I was dead in sin. that You chose me before the world began. That it is grace that leads me home, not my stellar conduct.

What made your November memorable? What’s been your favorite read of late?

❤ Laurel

Photo by Anne Nygård on Unsplash

Book Reviews, Journaling, life, Personal, reading

October memories – 2022

October 31, 2022by Laurel Luehmann7 Comments

And so another month sinks beneath the dust of time…

Before we carry on with my typical format for this post, I want to give you some bad news, and then some good news.

The bad news: a few months ago I lost all of my contacts for my email list. (That’s why I haven’t been sending newsletters.)

The good news: You can sign up again for emails now (follow this link!)…and you’ll want to, because tomorrow I’m sending an email with some pretty exciting news that you won’t want to miss! So go ahead and sign up…as long as you don’t mind me saying hello in your inbox every month.:)

Things worth remembering

participating in a fun Instagram challenge hosted by my friend Victoria
frying up lots of apple fritters
jam sessions made even better with a cajon
an apple orchard adventure
walks…as always
raking corn stalks on a beautiful (and very dry and dusty) day
dozens and dozens of runzas
hauling silage for the last time this year
several deep (and some very strange) conversations
hikes with breathtaking views
a slumber party with Grandma, complete with hot chocolate and an old movie
pizza, more apple fritters, and Ole and Lena jokes with family

To forgive is to set a prisoner free and to discover the prisoner was you.
corrie ten boom

What I’ve been reading

Adorning the Dark – Andrew Peterson

…my expression, even if it is of the most intimate chambers of my heart, can lead the audience beyond me and to the Ultimate Self, the Word that made the world. In that grand chamber alone will art find its best end, as an avenue to lead the audience home.

Nothing to say but that several times during this book my soul has been screaming, “Yes! I’m not the only one?? Yes. Yes. Yes!!!” The truth. The beauty. Words can’t describe it.

The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien

His house was perfect, whether you liked food, or sleep, or work, or storytelling, or singing, or just sitting and thinking best, or a pleasant mixture of them all. Evil things did not come into that valley.

So begins my foray into the wild and wonderful world of Tolkien. Not only is this making me laugh with its humor and smile over Tolkien’s golden descriptions, it’s convincing me that I, like Bilbo, am most likely a descendent of both the proper hobbits and the wilder Tooks. And now I’m absolutely sure I want to create a home like The Last Homely House.

To-Do: With Love – Abigail Rehmert

If I give my best efforts only when I feel like it, or when it blesses me, then what will this accomplish? If I share my possessions with the needy, but am impatient about it, this counts for nothing.

This post was so convicting to me. Give it a read if you can.

Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.
Jesus Christ (John 12:24)

From the journal

John 16:29-30 – The moment of the disciples’ strongest confidence in their Savior was followed by the greatest test of their faith. Lord, help Thou my unbelief! Make me unwavering in my trust and help me to remain humble and ever aware of my need for grace.

Oh, Lord, You knew all that was to come upon You and You walked forward to meet it anyway. What greater courage is there than this? Thank You for paving the way for me to walk in the most selfless of loves.

…inconsistency taints the picture I’m painting for others of You.

Oh, let me not stray from the path You have laid for me, whether that leads through meadows or minefields. The world roars so loudly, Lord…may I keep my ear close to Your song.

…if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?
1 corinthians 14:8

What made your October memorable? ❤

Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash

Book Reviews, Journaling, life, Personal, reading

September memories – 2022

October 3, 2022by Laurel Luehmann4 Comments

Hello, friends!

I was going to apologize for my lack of posting for the last couple of weeks, but then thought maybe I shouldn’t…because I’m not sorry for sparing you hastily pulled-together words just for the sake of saying I posted. So…sorry, not sorry.🙃

Just because I haven’t posted, though, doesn’t mean I haven’t been writing. I’ve been working again on the project I started this summer and *cough cough* another project that I will likely be announcing sometime within the next few months. There’s a lot happening behind the scenes right now, and I am so excited to be able to share it with you!

Anyway, here’s September’s review…

Things worth remembering

Fresh zinnias and snapdragons from our little flower garden
Charring an apple over a bonfire…it did not live up to my expectations. Its tumble into the ashes didn’t improve the taste. At all.
The lovely photos of the moon I captured
Learning what to do (and what not to do) when a faulty latch locks you in the tractor
Walks by the lake
Dancing the polka with my dad
Gorgeous road trip weather
Harvesting corn silage
Visiting a writer friend at Bible college
Worship in the stairwell, late night talks and laughter, and dancing in the rain on aforementioned trip
Wandering a huge cemetery with a friend

Be careful not to measure your holiness by other people’s sins.
Martin luther

What I’ve been reading

The Westing Game – Ellen Raskin

A most uncommon-looking delivery boy rode around town slipping letters under the doors of the chosen tenants-to-be. The letters were signed Barney Northrup. The delivery boy was sixty-two years old, and there was no such person as Barney Northrup.

This mystery both cracked me up and blew my mind. It’s the perfect autumn read!

The White Cliffs – Alice Duerr Miller

Ah, they forget they cannot write their parts; the bell has rung, the curtain rises, and the stage is set for tragedy – they were in love and young.

I read this novel-in-verse last fall, and enjoyed it so much I decided to read it again.

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip – Sara Brunsvold

As if sensing the widening gap, Admin Gal looked over her shoulder and came to a stop. “I can get you a wheelchair if you’d like, Mrs. Kip.”

“I think a race car would serve me better, honey.”

I’m halfway through this one and am loving it so much! The dual timeline, the different perspectives in the same scenarios, Clara Kip in general…it’s just so good. The descriptions are fresh and poignant. It’s perfection.:)

To me, a lady is not frilly, flouncy, flippant, frivolous and fluff-brained, but she is gentle, she is gracious, she is godly and she is giving.
Elisabeth Elliot

From the journal

Oh, Father, may I not mourn the death of this season. May I rejoice in You, gladly giving You all of me. Regardless of where it leads me.

I’m afraid to hand my plans to You. I’m afraid to let go of hopes I’ve held for so long. It’s ridiculous because I know You. I know You always handle things so much better than I do. Lord, I choose surrender. I choose to let go. I choose to raise open palms to You, waiting blindly in the darkness…

The devil tempted Jesus with that which belonged to Him, but it was not yet time for Him to take hold of it.

Let me carve my legacy in souls, Father!

“Whoever of you does not give up all claims to personal rights, ambitions, and dreams for My sake cannot be My disciple.” (paraphrase of Luke 14:33)

What were the highlights of your September? Have you been reading anything lately?

❤ Laurel

Photo by Brigitte Tohm on Unsplash

Book Reviews, Journaling, life, Personal, reading

August Memories – 2022

September 5, 2022by Laurel Luehmann5 Comments

You know the routine…let’s cut to the chase!

Things worth remembering

The smell of new twine and hay
“Getting” to hear what it sounds like when a tire blows
All of the music, dance, and stories shared at my grandma’s memorial service
Singing around the bonfire with family and hearing my grandpa play the guitar
Getting to see and help set up my brother’s new apartment
The guys and girls singing together in the hallway on the youth retreat…the closed door in between the two groups only made for more giggles and louder scream-singing!
Misty mornings
Baseball and wading in the crik with friends
Baby Cchini (If you know, you know)
Hauling silage
Watching the goldenrod start blooming in the road ditches
my brother coming home a day earlier than he said he would
a road trip with my grandma, aunt, and friend
escaping the sketchy antique store and enjoying the beauty of a much better one

A gracious woman retains honor.
Proverbs 11:16a

What I’ve been reading

The Scarlet Pimpernel – Baroness Orczy

“Mr. Hempseed shook his head with an infinity of wisdom, tempered by deeply-rooted mistrust of the British climate and the British Government.”

I’ve been meaning to read this one for years, and I finally dug it out of the darkest corner of my bookshelf and started. I’m so enjoying the humor and the eloquent writing style!

(At this present moment, I have misplaced the book. Pray that it has the courage to once more show its face.)

The Best Yes – Lysa Terkeurst

We have to put our hearts and our minds in places where wisdom gathers, not scatters.

There are some real nuggets of wisdom in this book!

Today’s choices become tomorrow’s circumstances.
Lysa Terkeurst

From the journal…

With the privilege of being a partaker of the divine nature comes a grave responsibility: to live as the royalty I am.

Keep prying my fingers away from what is good and let me raise willing hands to receive what is best.

Love speaks the truth for the good of the loved, even when it hurts like crazy for both parties.

I want to work to build a legacy of souls, whether they remember my name or not.

Love produces a formidable strength in the lover…oh, Lord, may I love You with this passion that overcomes all obstacles!

Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, you people in whose heart is my law: do not fear the reproach of men, nor be afraid of their insults.
Isaiah 51:7

Question of the day: What book/poem/movie/show (barring the Bible) has influenced you the most, and why?

❤ Laurel

life

What is your gift?

August 22, 2022by Laurel Luehmann10 Comments

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”
Jesus Christ (Matthew 7:11)

I can’t tell you how grateful I am for the gift of writing.

It really brings me so much joy. Being able to write poetry, blog posts, and pieces of flash fiction that encourage and bless others…man, it’s honestly such a fun blessing! But a while ago I caught myself talking about it with the Lord…

There were some other things I wanted, and I was bringing my requests to Him, just like He’s asked me to. In the middle of it all I caught myself saying, with vehement passion, “God, I would give up writing for that!”

It wasn’t until a few days later that the rudeness of that statement slapped me in the face like a putrid, rotting fish.

I seriously just told the God of the universe I didn’t want the gift He hand-picked for me.

Instead of marveling at the treasure and the weight of the commission He’d given me, I held it back to Him with the wrapping paper barely touched, tears filling my eyes, begging for a different gift in exchange.

Rude. Inexplicably, so despicably rude.

Why do you say, O Jacob,

And speak, O Israel:

“My way is hidden from the LORD,

And my just claim is passed over by my God”?

Have you not known?

Have you not heard?

The everlasting God, the LORD,

The Creator of the ends of the earth,

Neither faints nor is weary.

His understanding is unsearchable.

Isaiah 40:27+28

God, in His unsearchable wisdom, set me on the path of writing. He may not choose to keep me here forever, but it’s the gift and the task that He’s set before me in this season, and I’m blessed to be able to embrace it with joy and gratefulness, choosing to set my eyes on Him and not merely on the gifts He gives.

Will I place my identity in His gifts? No. Will I choose to use them for His glory to the best of my abilities? Absolutely! And I pray that you will do the same. ❤

What are some gifts/opportunities that God has given you in this season? How are you/can you be using them for His praise today?

❤ Laurel

Photo by Lina Trochez on Unsplash

Book Reviews, Journaling, life, Personal, reading

July Memories – 2022

August 1, 2022by Laurel Luehmann2 Comments

Goodness sakes…this was most definitely a month to remember.

You know the writing challenge I told you I was doing this July? Well, I got about 5k words written of the 20k I wanted. But I’m going to let myself be okay with falling flat on my writer’s face, because this month took the cake in terms of real-life plot twists and adventures. So much of it made me laugh. A lot of it made me cry. But I saw God’s hand and knew His presence so clearly this month, and we’ll close it out in His praise. ❤

One life. Just one. Why aren’t we running like we are on fire towards our wildest dreams?
Unknown

Things worth remembering…

Sitting by the lake and just drinking in the beauty of all of the sights and sounds and smells.
Taking goofy photos with my sisters.
Fresh veggies from the garden!!
Holding my brand-new cousin in the hospital…my heart! *happy sigh*
Being there with my family when my Grandpa left his earthly home to see the Lord face to face. I had never experienced anything like that, and the raw pain and beauty of that evening was beyond belief.
Lots and lots of hugs. ❤
Completing 20 revolutions around the sun.
Gifts and a handmade birthday card from some guys in my youth group…they have no idea how much that made my week. ❤
Bingeing Doctor Thorne with my Grandma into the wee hours. 11/10 recommend.
Wildflower bouquets.
French fries.
A weekend with cousins…the sweetest and weirdest memories made with the sweetest and weirdest souls. May Morgan, the Jensens, the fruit kabobs, and the couch (was it really free?) live forever in our hearts.
Getting my brothers graduated!!!! Another weekend with cousins and the dearest friends.

Soon shall end this earthly story, swift shall pass the pilgrim days, hope soon change to heavenly glory, faith to sight and prayer to praise.
Henry Francis Lyte

What I’ve been reading

Behind the Act – Abigayle Claire

“I should hope not,” the red-headed teenager replied, bouncing on his toes. “Welcome to The Magnificent.” He gave a dramatic sweep of his arm to the cramped lobby.

I’m not very far in this one yet, but I’m excited to see where this story leads! I love Abi’s descriptions…they make me feel as if I’m right there in the book!

The Story Jar – Robin Lee Hatcher & Deborah Bedford

“I knew all about Jesus from Sunday school and knew all the right things to say and what I was supposed to believe. But I never knew Him.“

I wasn’t sure if I would like this book, but it pleasantly surprised me! The stories were heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time, and the perfect read for a road trip.:)

The McWilliamses and the Burglar Alarm – Mark Twain

He looked confused and ashamed, and said, with embarrassment, “I beg a thousand pardons. I did not know you had a burglar alarm, else I would have rung it.”

Oh, this short story gave me a good laugh!

say goodbye to where you’ve been // and tell your heart to beat again // let every heartbreak and every scar // be a picture that reminds you // Who has carried you this far
“Tell Your Heart to Beat again” (Performed by Danny Gokey)

From the journal

A new month = new mercies.

My mood is very fragile…I woke up and the fact that everyone had polished off the bagels before I’d had one nearly ruined my day. (I have to laugh at myself sometimes…XD)

I was getting a headache, borderline snapped at people, and morphed into a silent, weary, glowering, ham-gobbling state of torpid existence. (…) Oh, Lord, let me bow only to Your heart, not the selfish dictates of my own.

It’s one thing to grapple with death. It’s another to realize that someone will never again be in your life, making new memories with you.

The Spirit in me is the one that gave Samson his strength; give me the strength, Lord, to love fully and abundantly, and to live this day to the hilt.

How was your July? What were the highlights? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!

Photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash

Book Reviews, life, Personal, reading

May Review – 2022

June 6, 2022June 6, 2022by Laurel Luehmann4 Comments

May is…over?

Right now my computer is slower than a lame tortoise and my brain feels like a mashed potato in a tornado, so I’m grateful I wrote this post as I lived through May so I don’t have to remember everything on my own! I hope you enjoy my glance back on this month with me.:)

When David faced Goliath he didn’t talk about how dangerous Goliath was – he talked about how great God is. Don’t talk fear. Talk faith.
Breny (someone I follow on IG)

Things worth remembering

wandering through some war memorials
sneaking over to my grandma’s house with my siblings in the early morning to fill her yard with pinwheels as a birthday surprise
pizza, ice cream, and good talks with a study group
a long sibling walk that ended in a rainstorm and sprinting…too bad we weren’t headed to Netherfield, huh?
exploring old farm buildings and finding bones
scaling fish for the first time and immensely enjoying it
seeing This Will Not Last on my library’s online catalog!!
finally wearing tank tops to work again
leading worship with friends on a women’s retreat
fighting the urge to start a fund for purchasing WWII uniforms
spending time with family for my grandma’s birthday
watching the talent show put on by my younger cousins
senior testimony night at my church’s youth group…I love hearing what God has done in each of their lives. ❤

what if…everything you are going through is preparing you for what you asked for?
unknown

What I’ve been reading

Blog posts

Seasons – Winter And Spring, Both Of Them Beautiful! – Makayla Jesalyn

The way I feel isn’t a good excuse to be unproductive, and neither is a lingering winter. I am completely responsible for myself, and my actions do not hinge on the whether the weather outside is frightful or delightful. What’s inside me is what ought to drive me.

The spiritual parallels of the physical seasons are my favorite, and Makayla has some wonderful thoughts in this post!

Consorting with Wild Youth//How Sarah Became Friends with the Local Delinquents – Sarah Baran

I’ve opted for a new and much more effective approach; manipulating them using the unconquerable force of peer-pressure. I can do this because I’m college-age and therefore a god. At least, in their opinion.

Sarah’s posts always leave me laughing and in awe of her ability to use my beloved snark so beautifully, and this one was no exception…except this one wrung my heart a bit at the end. Do yourself a favor and give this one a read.

Books

Bound – Victoria Lynn

Death had a habit of being permanent.

Oh, my goodness…this book was heart-wrenching and the sweetest all at the same time. I loved everything about this story. It was also super fun to read it after spending time with the author!:)

Cathedral – Maya Joelle

remember that no matter how tiny the fragments this time, how far apart they are scattered, how long you must search, he will help you find the pieces of the person you once were and the image you once bore.

I’ve been digging into this one again. It’s one of my absolute favorites.

Rescue – Jennifer A. Nielsen

“Enough of your questions about who I am. Maybe I should ask who you really are. Am I safer taking my chances out there with the Germans?”

I stole this one from a sister on a road trip and was instantly hooked. Talk about suspense!

Devotedly – Valerie Elliot Shepard

Guys.

I FINISHED IT!!!!

(If you’ve been here for a good amount of time, you’ll know how wonderful this is.XD) I loved it so much!! You can read my brief review on my Goodreads account.:)

“Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us.”
Isaiah 25:9

From the Journal

Oh, Lord, may I ever remain set apart for Your purpose so that You may do wonders in my tomorrows.

All will be made whole…

Achan took the spoil because it was tempting…but God was going to allow the spoils to be taken lawfully in the next battle. Oh, Lord, help me to trust that You will satisfy my longings in due time.

Oh, Lord, clear my mind and give me the wisdom to discern between roadblocks You have set before me to turn my heart to greater things, and the rugged territory of fallen trees I must naturally clamber over on my way in Your will for me.

Lord, grant repentance. We cannot even come to the realization and regret of our sins if You don’t give us the grace to do so.

I can laugh without fear of the future, not because I am well-prepared and invincible, but because my Father laughs in the face of my greatest fears, and I trust Him completely.

How was your May? What stood out to you in this past month? Have you been reading/watching/listening to anything good lately?

Blessings,

Laurel

Book Reviews, life, Personal, reading

April Review – 2022

May 2, 2022by Laurel Luehmann3 Comments

Goodness gracious, this may have been one of the most exciting months of my life! I know it’s been pretty quiet on the blog front, but it’s been jam-packed with raw living…and it’s been incredible.

Let’s take a peek.:)

Things worth remembering

Releasing my first poetry book!
going on a quest to pick up furniture with my brother
packaging and mailing out preorders of aforementioned poetry book – I so enjoyed getting to think about all of the people who would be receiving a copy of This Will Not Last!
making toast at the first sibling bonfire of the year
Sharing a Christian Seder meal with family and dear friends
Not blowing away in some pretty high winds
Navigating airports and lengthy layovers on my own and realizing it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be
Spending a week talking and adventuring and building relationships with like-minded writers on the Glory Writers retreat! I want to do a full post dedicated to covering this event, so stay tuned!

“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.” – Aristotle

What I’ve been reading

Love Comes Softly – Janette Oke

I know, I am a fierce critic of the romance genre, but I devoured this book in two days! There was so much solid character development, and of course a bit of heartache. I’m not the biggest fan of Janette Oke’s writing style, but after I got over that I couldn’t put the book down. I definitely recommend it!

White Stallion of Lipizza – Marguerite Henry

I love Marguerite Henry’s books! I hadn’t read one in the longest time, so it’s been fun to pick this one up again.

“There are far, far greater things ahead than any we leave behind.” – C.S. Lewis

From the journal

Today is not your day. It’s God’s. Use it accordingly.

And yet I praise You, Father, because You know best, and even in the broken valley You are the restorer of my soul.

What made your April memorable? I’d love to hear in the comments!

Book Reviews, Journaling, life, Personal

March 2022 Review

April 6, 2022April 6, 2022by Laurel Luehmann4 Comments

This March was so full of adventure and soul-searching. Here’s my review!

Things worth remembering…

a tramp through the woods with my brother and a couple of sisters
listening to Flight of Valor live. It was written to honor the heroes on United Flight 93…I still can’t listen to it without getting goosebumps.
a weekend trip to Nebraska with my brother and grandparents
a crisp morning walk through a cemetery I was delighted to find lay across the road from the motel on said trip
star-gazing on the side of the road with my grandma while everyone else was in the vehicle skunk-gazing the smelly little family crossing the road in front of us
making Shamrock shakes without a blender
setting up my Etsy shop! Currently I don’t have any listings (Preorders for This Will Not Last have closed), but I am hoping to have some poetry-themed products out soon.:) What would you like to see? Greeting cards? Post cards? Notebooks? Anything else? Let me know in the comments!
trying a new method of curling my hair and accidently making it look like I just stepped out of the eighties
giving dried seaweed a hearty 0/10 rating
reading and discussing Crazy Love (by Francis Chan) with friends
a family shopping trip and supper out

“I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again.”

F. Scott Fitzgerald

I’ve been reading…

Reflection – Laurel Burgess

Technically I read this short story in February…but, man. It’s too good not to share. I definitely recommend it!

Also…definitely check out Laurel’s website. Her short story, Attack of the Gummy Worms, had me laughing so hard!

The Best Yes – Lysa Terkeurst

How you live your life determines how you spend your soul.

Man, has this book been a wake-up call. Or rather, a megaphone for the wake-up call that has been trying to grab my attention for a while now. Time is a precious gift. It is limited, and once we spend it, it’s gone. Forever. Making wise decisions is key to stewarding our time in the best way possible…and I’m preaching to myself here.

This Will Not Last – Laurel Jean

when my shell of defense crashes down all around and the world as I know it is gone // You’re still here… You are mine… I am Yours.

Hehehe, watch me shamelessly plug my writing. XD

Seriously, though…I have so been enjoying reading through this again…and again. I think you might like it, too.:) You can order your very own copy here!

Crazy Love – Francis Chan

Could it be your arrogance that makes you think God owes you an explanation? …to put it bluntly, when you get your own universe, you can make your own standards.

I’ve been reading and talking through this book with some sweet friends…another megaphone for God’s wake-up call. Wow. It’s been amazing.

“Do not let your heart envy sinners, but be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day; for surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off.”

Proverbs 23:17-18

I’ve been listening to…

Lots of Alan Gogoll’s music! I love to listen to it when I’m working in the kitchen, drawing, or painting. So relaxing!

for KING & COUNTRY’s newest album, What Are We Waiting For? Over. And over. And over again. I think my sisters might like it. XD

Instrumental with Dave and JJ Heller. This podcast is absolutely incredible! I love hearing about how God uses the tiniest twists and turns in a person’s life to direct it in a beautiful and redeeming way.

“Do you know what hurts so very much? It’s love. Love is the strongest force in the world, and when it is blocked that means pain. There are two things we can do when this happens. We can kill the love so that it stops hurting. But then of course part of us dies too. Or, we can ask God to open up another route for that love to travel. Whenever we cannot love in the old human way, God can give us the perfect way.”

Casper ten Boom

From the journal…

Always, choosing God’s way in a broken world has made His people different from the world. I will stick out. I will walk a road less traveled…and that is beautiful. Oh, steel my heart with courage, Lord!

The way is raw and broken and painful even now…I don’t want it to be this way. But You will make this beautiful. You will heal us. I pray that happens on earth, but even if it doesn’t…Your way is best. I will rest in this even while I ache.

Lord, I want to desire You. Not just the hope of brighter days, but You…for Yourself. For Your justice. For Your mercy. For Your goodness. For Your love. For Your wisdom.

We urge people to “accept Jesus as Savior” (a phrase never found in the Bible), but do we urge them to confess Him as Lord? He is just as much a Lord as He is a Savior, but we’re so attached to our liberty that we don’t want to see Him as anything more than gentle. Oh, Lord, may I treat You as Lord!

Never revert to the safety of the known when God has snatched you from it for the unknown. (Numbers 14)

Yes, I may pray that You show me the way in which I should walk, but I must actively seek…put in the grunt work. Oh, give me courage and determination!

What memories/lessons are you carrying away from this month?

life

What is success?

February 21, 2022by Laurel Luehmann5 Comments

We work and we strive and we ache and we strain and we long…

For what?

What do we think we need to call ourselves successful?

What do our lives say?

How does the way we spend our energy, our time, our money, our words, our thoughts, scream to the world what we truly call success? Not what we think we call success, not what we want to call success, but what we truly call success.

Earthly glory? The approval of others? Popularity? An easy life?

Is that what we really want to see as success?

Strong relationships. Loving people well. Approval in the eyes of God. Serving and nourishing the body of Christ. Collapsing on the finish line at the feet of my Savior, gasping, “I gave it all I had.”

That’s what I want to see as success.

That’s what I want to scream to the world through my life that I see as success.

It’s not a lifestyle into which I can fall with no effort. It’s an intentional, daily battle for the highest and holiest…

For the way I was created to live.

“Only one life, ’twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.” – C.T. Studd

Photo by Tim Bogdanov on Unsplash