Personal – Page 4 – Laurel Luehmann

September memories – 2023

October 2, 2023by Laurel Luehmann3 Comments

And we leave September in the dust…

(Actually, we’re leaving it in splashes of mud. LOTS of mud. After a very dry summer, we spent a week in mud that made reminded me of London as portrayed in Bleak House.)

When you think of what you are, and despair; think also of what He is, and take heart.
C.H. Spurgeion

Things worth remembering…

covering the corn silage bunker
breaking two plastic forks on a meatball in the span of 3 minutes
starting Sunday school up again
hosting this poetry challenge with a friend
finding that the fastest route is not always the most direct one
APPLE FRITTERS.
Making more progress on Project Redemption…make sure you’re subscribed to my newsletter to read an exclusive snippet and hear some fun info on the project coming later this week!

There is always time to do the will of God. If we are too busy to do that, we are too busy.
elisabeth elliot

What I’ve been reading…

Southpaw – Tabby RH

Garrison leaned his forearms against the island and bowed his head, letting the wooden countertop take his weight. The High King was still in the business of redemption.

This book!!! There are so many elements of the plot and characters that I want to emulate in my own novels, and it was an absolute joy to read. If you love involved plots with elements of mystery and memorable characters, you’d better get your hands on a copy!

The Pursuit of God – A.W. Tozer

Others before me have gone much farther into these holy mysteries than I have done, but if my fire is not large it is yet real, and there may be those who can light their candle at its flame.

I’ve been in a bit of a non-fiction reading slump, but I so appreciated this book a couple years back and I’m determined to appreciate it again.:)

The Fellowship of the Ring – J.R.R. Tolkien

It was generally agreed that the joke was in very bad taste, and more food and drink were needed to cure the guests of shock and annoyance.

I’ve decided to finally read through this trilogy for the first time this autumn, and I’m thoroughly enjoying it.

You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the season that their grain and wine increased.
Psalm 4:7

From the journal…

Lord, don’t let my fear overcome my desire for what is good and righteous. I just want to want Your ways completely.

Don’t let me choose tasks based on ease, but on Your heart.

Lord, help me to whole-heartedly love Your will, even when it comes at a great cost to myself.

Lay down your life FOR GOOD on the altar of truest love. If you are nothing else, be a clear channel of the love of Christ.

What are you taking away from this September?

Stay the course!

❤ Laurel

Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash

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.:)

Book Reviews, Journaling, Personal, reading

August 2023 memories

September 4, 2023September 1, 2023by Laurel Luehmann4 Comments

Hullo, friends!

(Can you believe it? I’m actually getting back into my schedule of posting once a week! XD)

August in my corner of the world was full of life: good and hard and sweaty. (Man, was it ever sweaty.) Here are some of my favorite takeaways…

Things worth remembering…

kayaking with a friend, in which chatting + drifting happened as much as paddling 😂
pizza dates with siblings
a walk in near-complete darkness (for the record, it was not my idea)
laughing at laughter
raccoons (real and stuffed) and the most glorious puns
hearing this song for the first time
not melting in the mid-August heat (lemonade helps)
becoming an editor and cover designer for siblings
a women’s conference and my first book table ever (!!!)
prepping this poetry challenge with a friend
quality time spent working and laughing and studying with friends
finishing several books and paring my “currently reading” shelf down to an almost-healthy size
THE FLIES DYING. Now I can be happy and drink my coffee in peace without them wanting a taste.

To every right there is attached a duty, and to every privilege there is tied an obligation.
peter marshall

What I’ve been reading…

Holiness: The Heart God Purifies – Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

In other words, we must make it our constant, conscious ambition and aim to be holy. We have to work at it, concentrate on it, as an athlete sets his sights on winning an Olympic gold medal: He focuses on his objective, he trains and strains to achieve his goal, he sacrifices for it, he endures pain for it, and he puts aside other pursuits for the sake of a higher pursuit.

Reading this while going through Leviticus has been extra convicting/challenging. I highly recommend it.

The Memories We Painted – Caitlin Miller

But wasn’t that what love looked like — loving and being afraid? Wanting the best for someone but afraid of what that meant, of letting go when everything in you still wanted to hold on?

It’s been a while since a piece of fiction has wrenched and strengthened my heart like this.
This slower, introspective read is beautiful, and while some of the dialogue seemed a bit too eloquent (and because of that, slightly unrealistic) for my liking, I loved the way the author expressed the reality of suffering in an honest and hopeful way and wove so many pieces of the story together so masterfully. The dual timeline was also done extremely well! It lent so much depth to the main characters.

The Importance of Being Earnest – Oscar Wilde

“If you are not too long, I will wait here for you all my life.”

Oh, my goodness. I read most of this aloud to a sister, and half of the time was spent laughing. The humor, plot twists, and foreshadowing are all spot on, and I’ll definitely be reading this again when I need a good laugh.

Look for Yellow – Anna Barroso

I’ll never be a sparkling one
but I hope I’ll catch your eye
I’m dripping with mold instead of glitter
oh how I want to be beautiful
how I want to shine for you

I have mixed feelings about this book…I LOVED the gut-punches and “I feel seen” moments the author delivered in some of the poems, such as the one quoted above…you know, those words you want to roll around and savor in your mind for awhile.✨
Personally I feel that the poetry could have used a bit more clarity and proofreading, but it does contain some real gems for the ones who need to feel seen and known in the middle of grief/hard times.❤️

Their feet upon temptation,
Their faces upon God.
Emily Dickinson

From the journal…

I know You are enough — always will be — but I’m coming to realize that sometimes You show up for those You love by sending them someone who will show them Your love in a very tangible way. (Make me this kind of person.)

The FOMO is hitting hard today…oh, give me a very real sense of Your ability to use me everywhere.

(On the Passover in Exodus 12) I love how God asks them to celebrate this victory of His before it even comes fully to fruition…much as we celebrate the Lord’s Supper in anticipation of the day when we will eat and drink with Christ in His kingdom.

Oh, Father! Keep my eyes and heart and hope fixed on You, not Your work or blessings.

What are you taking away from this August? Did you have a favorite read of the month?

Stay the course!

❤ Laurel

Photo by Anne Nygård on Unsplash

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.:)

Book Reviews, Journaling, Personal

July Memories – 2023

August 7, 2023by Laurel Luehmann5 Comments

July has been left in the dust for a week now, so let’s review it, shall we?

There is only one Being Who can satisfy the last aching abyss of the human heart, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Oswald chambers

Things worth remembering…

friends and flowers and birthday cheesecake
not dumping the aforementioned cheesecake on one of the aforementioned friends
detours in the rain
a baseball game
learning that camo and hot pink bridesmaid’s dresses have been attempted and never should be again
harvesting slightly-stale cheesy puffcorn from the gravel (five minute rule, right?)
attempting cheater ax throwing for the first time
scheduling developmental edits for Project Redemption!!
postponing aforementioned edits when Reality Struck

Little is much when God is in it,
Labor not for wealth or fame;
There’s a crown, and you can win it,
If you go in Jesus’ name.
Kittie l. Suffield

What I’ve been reading…

Wildflower Pages – Brittany Litster

practice giving your time and flowers // practice giving more than required // expecting nothing in return // it mimics the Father’s way of doing things

This was such a lovely collection of poetry that focuses on the simplicity and beauty of living each day with Christ. Some of the poems did seem to get a bit repetitive by the end, but it’s amazing and definitely a collection I’ll be referencing!

(It’s also the first book I’ve colored in since toddlerhood…see the pictures here!)

The Secret at Lone Tree Cottage – Carolyn Keene

The Dana girls had found the teacher’s car. But where was Miss Tisdale?

My teenage self would have loved this so much more than my current self did this summer. XD

Think Nancy Drew, but it’s two sisters at a boarding school instead with all of the fun no-gore mystery and adventure elements. It was a fun riveting read for a week and I’d hand it over to my little sisters with no qualms, but there’s no character development that would induce me to spend much more time on this series because my TBR is so long!

And Then There Were None – Agatha Christie

“I have, let me confess it in all humility, a pitiful human wish that someone should know just how clever I’ve been…”

I’m still not sure how I feel about this one…it’s an absolutely brilliant mystery, but due to the sheer number and type of murders, it felt extremely dark. It’s not really something on which I want to be dwelling.

The Memories We Painted – Caitlin Miller

But wasn’t that what love looked like — loving and being afraid? Wanting the best for someone but afraid of what that meant, of letting go when everything in you still wanted to hold on?

I’ve been looking forward to reading this book for so long! I’m still at the beginning.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler – E.L. Konigsburg

Instead of oxygen and stress, Claudia thought now of hushed and quiet words: glide, fur, banana, peace.

I’ve been reading this one to my little sisters and skipping the unsavory parts. XD It’s been such a fun read with so much laughter.

“I know that You can do anything,
And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.”
Job 42:2

From the journal…

The proof of the gospel isn’t in poetry or flimsy words; it’s lived out in a transformed life.

Oh, Lord, help me to remember that even my breath is Yours…Yours to recall whenever You so choose. Help me to live wisely in light of that! Show me where and how to spend my minutes.

and so I run…

barefoot, restless, reckless through the grass,

fingers splayed wide as they reach with expectance

for a warming horizon…

ready to catch the rays of the sun

as soon as they spill o’er

the edge of the world.

What were some of the highlights of your July?

❤ 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.:)

Photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash

Book Reviews, Personal

June Memories – 2023

July 5, 2023July 5, 2023by Laurel Luehmann2 Comments

Hello, friends! Did you know that 2023 is now half over?😱😱😱

On that happy thought…

Things worth remembering…

driving and chatting with my grandma
rain!!
graduations and a baptism
catching up with old friends
very competitive games of King’s Corner
bonfires
seeing my friend’s books at my local library(!!!)
making progress on Project Redemption
not having my car keys stolen
pretty wildflowers

Do you see a man hasty in his words?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Proverbs 29:20

What I’ve been reading…

Prince Caspian – C.S. Lewis

“Oh, I’m a dangerous criminal, I am,” said the Dwarf cheerfully. “But that’s a long story. Meantime, I was wondering if perhaps you were going to ask me to breakfast? You’ve no idea what an appetite it gives one, being executed.”

And so the journey through Narnia continues! I’m thoroughly enjoying it.

Wildflower Pages – Brittany Litster

there is so much more to God than what He can do for me.

This is the first book I’ve annotated, and I’m hooked. This collection of poetry is just so delightful and thought-provoking…I got together with a friend the other day to talk over some of the poems, as we’re reading through the book at the same time! 10/10 recommend doing that with a favorite poetry book.✨

what is a woman fit for? – Maya Joelle

Thank God I have learned how to deal with loneliness, then. I have written about it so many times. I have felt an ache that this world cannot satisfy for all my life. At times, I have thought it was a longing for certain places or people. Today it manifests itself as a longing for love and marriage. But I see it for what it is: a longing for fulfillment. And I know wherein lies my fulfillment.

I appreciated this take on the root of longing so very much. This blog post is well worth the read.

The only reason that we are ever scared of the will of God is because we cannot see the grace that will be there.
Elisabeth Elliot

From the journal…

Help me to go deeper in a world of short captions and fast-paced living. Show me how to live this season with grace.

God is still good when I feel left behind.

Well, June was a full month, and that means a not-so-full journal.😂

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

Stay the course!

❤ Laurel

P.S. My quarterly newsletter goes out this week or next! Expect some secret info on my current writing project, Project Redemption! (and possibly a little writing snippet??) If you’re not signed up for my newsletter already, you can do so here!

Book Reviews, Journaling, Personal

April memories – 2023

May 1, 2023by Laurel Luehmann6 Comments

Things worth remembering

participating in a local road race with siblings + friends
feeding cattle (punctuated by hysterical laughter) with a sister
seeing the northern lights for the very first time
contagious laughter
FaceTiming the brother
getting sunburned
acquiring badly needed new windshield wipers and proceeding to keep them in my back seat for weeks
shopping adventures with a sister
Ultimate Frisbee

I don’t worry about my small salary, ’cause I am getting a happiness and a joy in service that money couldn’t buy…
Peter Marshall

What I’ve been reading

A Man Called Peter – Catherine Marshall

“I’d like this clearly understood,” he went on, grinning like a small boy, “I’m not going to get mar-r-ied till I’m good and ready. I’m good enough now, but I’m not ready.” This remark soon went the rounds.

I don’t even feel like I’m reading a biography when I’m reading this…Catherine Marshall has such a gift for storytelling and description, and Peter Marshall was such a character!

Three Blind Mice – Agatha Christie

The fact that her breakfast had been excellently cooked and served, with good coffee and homemade marmalade, in a curious way annoyed her still more. It had deprived her of a legitimate cause of complaint. Her bed, too, had been comfortable, with embroidered sheets and a soft pillow. Mrs. Boyle liked comfort, but she also liked to find fault. The latter was, perhaps, the stronger passion of the two.

I listened to an audiobook of this short mystery. I so enjoyed this one. The characters were so intriguing, and the ending completely blindsided me! If you want a good snowbound mystery that won’t take too long to read, here’s your book!

Crooked House – Agatha Christie

Curious thing, rooms. Tell you quite a lot about the people who live in them.

I still don’t know what to say about this one. The ending was so dark, but it was clever. Most of the characters just didn’t come alive for me, either. I don’t know that I would recommend it.

Dead Man’s Mirror – Agatha Christie

Godfrey Burrows came in with a pleasant eagerness to be of use. His smile was discreetly tempered with gloom and showed only a fraction too much teeth. It seemed more mechanical than spontaneous.

This was an enjoyable short mystery!

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – C.S. Lewis

“Why not now?” said Edmund. His face had become very red and his mouth and fingers were sticky. He did not look either clever or handsome, whatever the Queen might say.

I’m reading through this classic for the first time, and am once again enjoying C.S. Lewis’s style of storytelling.

This Will Not Last – Laurel Luehmann

when the world knocks the breath from my lungs, You fill them once more with Your own

Yes, I’m rereading my own book. XD

Where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
James 3:16

From the journal

I want to know You for who You are, not for who I think You are.

How is Christ changing the way I live my life? How is He altering my heart, my desires, my priorities? The way I spend my seconds?

I know You will provide, and I know Your timing is best. I lay down any thoughts of “I know better” and give this mess to You.

What were some of the most memorable parts of your April?

❤ Laurel

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Book Reviews, Personal

March memories – 2023

April 10, 2023April 10, 2023by Laurel LuehmannLeave a Comment

How does March already feel so far away??

Things worth remembering

spending time with a cousin
tacos and fun conversation with friends
eating “maple foam”
our first small group meetings!
making significant progress in Project Redemption
getting an internship I really wanted
The Arm-Wrestling Night (if you know, you know)
getting a box of Clarion Hope copies
late night sibling talks
getting posts prepped for the Clarion Hope release

Jesus is our Ruler.
It is His trail.
Kimu (transcribed from a prayer by Elisabeth Elliot)

What I’ve been reading

Chasing the White Lion – James R. Hannibal

This is the sequel to The Gryphon Heist, and I really enjoyed it! It did get a little bloodier than I like, but I really loved how the author dug into one character’s backstory…and the banter and suspense from the first book didn’t disappoint in the second!

By My Own Betrayal – Cydnie Trenholm

Okay, I loved this one so much!! The sibling relationships, the disguises, the plot twists, the dangling end that leaves you hungry for the sequel…it was just amazing. Put it on your TBR.

The Butterfly and the Violin – Kristy Cambron

I picked this up without realizing it was a romance (if you’ve been around the blog for a bit, you probably know how I feel about those XD), but it pleasantly surprised me! The storylines were gripping, and the descriptions of the death camp were heart-breaking and thought-provoking. I learned quite a bit from this book.

The goal is not to have unrestrained disclosure in every relationship, but to know at any level of communication that we are not holding back our voice out of fear.
Rosalie De Rosset

From the journal…

God, thank You for the pain… Thank You for Your gracious “no”s and “not yet”s… Oh, You know best then, God, and You know best now.

Lord, I pray for unity in Your Church… Show us the art of dying on the hills You’ve told us to die on, and the art of being quiet when the hills aren’t big enough.

David refused to offer to the Lord that which would cost him nothing. Help me to have this heart, Father! May I never look for the easy way out…may I pay full price.

God, who am I to tell You how to write my story?

How was your March? Anything remarkable that you learned/read/did?

Stay the course!

❤ Laurel

Book Reviews, Journaling, Personal, reading

February memories – 2023

March 6, 2023by Laurel Luehmann3 Comments

I have run out of original introductions for these posts. So here you are!

Things worth remembering

getting my teeth bejeweled
learning how to jig
finishing the Sue Thomas, F.B.Eye series with my sisters
speed walking behind my sister on roller skates for what had to be miles
many games of Rummikub with my family
realizing that not all potato pancakes are created equal
writing the outline for Project Redemption in two days

It does not matter how great the pressure is. What really matters is where the pressure lies – whether it comes between you and God, or whether it presses you nearer His heart.
Hudson taylor

What I’ve been reading

The Gryphon Heist – James R. Hannibal

“Also you are very small, no? You need the help.”

Eddie turned and walked away.

Man, oh man, was this an exciting read! I was very pleasantly surprised to find that, not only was it void of junk, it also had some cool forgiveness elements, as well. A great balance of action, banter, character depth, and plot twists.

Becoming Elisabeth Elliot – Ellen Vaughn

“He is my Rock. it is on Him I count, not on the purity of my own heart…His promises depend on His character, NOT MINE. This is the only foundation for faith.”

Yes, I’m still reading it…yes, I’m still loving it. (It does get a bit descriptive with some of the injury scenes, so if that’s something that disturbs you, be forewarned.)

The Magician’s Nephew – C.S. Lewis

The Bear lobbed the whole sticky mass over the top of the enclosure and unfortunately it hit Uncle Andrew slap in the face (not all the bees were dead). The Bear, who would not at all have minded being hit in the face by a honeycomb himself, could not understand why Uncle Andrew staggered back, slipped, and sat down. And it was sheer bad luck that he sat down on the pile of thistles.

I just finished this one! It was so fun to read it again.

(I also got to beta-read a dual-timeline novel that hasn’t been published yet.)

Teach me never to let the joy of what has been pale the joy of what is.
Elisabeth Elliot

From the journal

…thank You, Lord, that the love does not come from my meager resources, but from the incredible depths of Your love.

Purify my heart, Lord…let self-will die a quiet death in me.

Help me to live in pursuit of Your heart, Father. And yet it is not a pursuit…for You ask me to knock, and tell me it will be opened to me, and all I must do is keep in step with Your Spirit.

What memories/lessons are you taking away from February?

❤ Laurel

Journaling, Personal, reading

December memories – 2022

January 2, 2023by Laurel Luehmann12 Comments

The first post of 2023 and the last review of a month in 2022!

The one who pursues righteousness and faithful love will find life, righteousness, and honor.
Proverbs 21:21

Things worth remembering

cohosting a 12 days of Christmas poetry challenge on Instagram with my friend Alexandria
family time and baby snuggles
visiting Chicago for the first time
Christmas shopping with Brother #1
surviving the blizzard-y weather and re-learning how to navigate ice with a tractor and mixer
getting my car stuck for the first time
seeing some gorgeous sundogs on Christmas Eve morning
not hitting the unsuspecting man at the bottom of the sledding hill (I knew my habit of screaming would come in handy sometime)
highly competitive games of floor hockey and Spoons
jumping on the junk journal wagon with a LITERAL junk journal

We meet no ordinary people in our lives.
c.S. Lewis

What I’ve been reading

A Thousand Gifts – Ann Voskamp

The Eucharist invites us to give thanks for dying. To participate in His death with our own daily dying and give thanks for it.

I love the raw honesty and poetic beauty of this book.

Between Two Worlds – Cheyenne van Langevelde

“Sharing thy concerns with someone is never a burden. It is only a burden upon thyself and other people when thou holdest it all in.”

It had been a while since I’d read a book set in the Roman empire, so it was fun to switch things up again!

Life is so urgent, it necessitates living slow.
Ann Voskamp

From the journal

You have asked me to stick out like a sore thumb in Your name!

Oh, Lord, give me the fortitude of mind to heed the homing call in my heart that screams for eternity.

My attitude towards dealing with my shortcomings and blatant sins has been to roll in the shame, instead of saying “in which we also once walked” and filling my mind with what God loves.

Now for the question you’re probably tired of hearing by now…what are you looking forward to in 2023?

Photo by Elisa H on Unsplash

Personal, Poetry

a poem about love, fingerprints and stage fright

December 12, 2022by Laurel Luehmann7 Comments

Have I mentioned that coming up with titles is not my forte?

my sweater wore sequins,

my skirt wore plaid.

eight-year-old fingers

(fingers destined for the piano,

my father had said)

trembled and left

little sweaty fingerprints

on the black construction paper

that held my sheet music steady.

a child bowed, and I left my seat

and my comfort zone, stretching

eight-year-old fingers

on ancient piano keys.

deep breath.

count down.

play the song.

somehow

habit overcame fear, and

eight-year-old fingers

pulled a tune from

ancient keys.

exhale.

stand up.

smile and curtsy.

twelve years of leaving

my seat and my comfort zone

scraped away layers of fear,

leaving a flayed, perfected love of

sharing beauty.

perfect love casts out all fear.

now twenty-year-old fingers

stretch across strings that

thrum with song,

and love overcomes fear

as I pull raw grace

from a scarred guitar.

exhale.

breathe in.

do it again.

Photo by Clark Young on Unsplash

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