It was the 20th of December, and for an entire month the smells of gingerbread and homemade fudge had filled the farmhouse kitchen, secrets had been exchanged in whispers behind hands, and Randy Travis’ Christmas album had been played more than a dozen times through the boombox. The month had borne all the earmarks of a Werner family Christmas…except for the one that was most important in Grace Werner’s eyes.
There was no snow. At least out of doors.
Last year I wrote a short Christmas story about a (fictional) little girl I’d gotten to know quite well after spending a few years writing a story about a baker, a deputy, and a farmer who happened to be Grace’s older brother. Grace was never a main character in that book, but anyone who’s met her on the page knows that she’s most definitely main character material. (Major levels of sweetness and sass will do that for a seven-year-old.)
All Grace wants is to make Christmas 2001 absolutely perfect for her family. Is that too much for a seven-year-old to ask? But she can’t wrap gifts as well as her mother, or decorate cookies that look as nice as Grandma’s, and to top it all off the sky won’t yield even a single snowflake! Her dreams for a perfect Christmas seem to be crumbling as fast as her sugar cookies, but could it be that there’s more to a perfect Christmas than perfection?
This Christmas, join Grace and her family in their blustery corner of the Midwest for a chuckle-inducing adventure that will warm your heart and possibly leave you craving a plate of sugar cookies.
I reread this story last week, and it was such a treat to revisit all of Grace’s mishaps and adventures. (I honestly had forgotten how I’d resolved the story, so it was sweet to read that part like it was the first time, hehe!)
If you love all of the close-knit family vibes, humorous little kids, and the chance to visit a rural Midwest community via the written word, this story might be for you. 😉
Indeed, in the triune God is the love behind all love, the life behind all life, the music behind all music, the beauty behind all beauty and the joy behind all joy.
My favorite non-fiction read of 2025, hands down. Read it!!
“We are not called to be successful in accordance with ordinary standards, but in accordance with a corn of wheat falling into the ground and dying, becoming in that way what it never could be if it were to abide alone.”
I found this book deeply impactful in high school and have been enjoying a reread.
And I will wait on the LORD, Who hides His face from the house of Jacob; And I will hope in Him.
Isaiah 8:17
From the journal…
May every fiber of my being magnify and rejoice in You!
Lord, let me be obedient to the point of the death of my dreams.
I am satisfied because of Who God is. Please be the first thing I seek, the One I long for in the driest of seasons. Help me to see Your lovingkindness as truly better than life.
To pray, “Thy will be done,” I must be willing, if the answer requires it, that my will be undone.
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And that is the God revealed by Jesus Christ. Before He ever created, before He ever ruled the world, before anything else, this God was a Father loving His Son.
AHHHHH!!! Read this book!!! I’ve known the Lord since childhood, but this book digs so deeply into the triune nature of God and what it says about Him (and consequently about our relationship with Him), I feel like I’m meeting and falling in love with Him for the first time all over again.✨
Gardening is one part labor of our hands and one part God’s sovereign care through creation. It’s a reminder to us that God often chooses to provide at the intersection of our just get started and His watch me do this.
Hands down one of the very best books I’ve read this year. I came to it expecting a recipe for surviving unwanted circumstances and came away challenged to thrive in the pieces and seasons of life I wouldn’t have chosen. It was also an encouragement to me to stop moping at the doors God’s closed to me and instead start asking Him to show me the doors He’s opening and give me the courage to walk through them. If you’re struggling with discontentment or restlessness, read this book if you can.
“The way to shape a child’s heart is through love. And the way to shape a child’s mind is through literature. When you read to a child, you accomplish both.”
Romance still isn’t my genre, hehe, but I so enjoy Nicole Deese’s writing style and endearing characters. I listened to the audiobook after my sister read the book, and it was so much fun to discuss it with her. I’d recommend this book if you enjoy the clean contemporary romance genre, fun-loving male MCs (think a hilarious dinosaur obsession), parts of the story told through text threads, and some adorable kids.
Character is shaped by the level of God’s control in our lives.
This one popped up as a recommended audiobook on Spotify, and, to be honest, I was skeptical but in possession of lots of audiobook hours to use before the end of the month, so…I started it. I haven’t listened to much of it, but I’ve been so pleasantly surprised. Thus far it’s been a convicting and encouraging listen.
“‘Snickers has ear mites, I hope Barnabas is doin’ fine in all those sandspurs, I hope to th’ Lord you’ll check his paws on a regular basis.’ Emma was running her straw around the bottom of the cup and sucking with great expectation, but not finding much. He turned the volume down on the answering machine.”
Continuing the Mitford series…as always, it’s a lighthearted yet touching read.
Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, And revive me in Your way.
Psalm 119:37
From the journal…
Help me to treasure and see as weighty the gaze of Your eyes alone.
I laugh in wonderstruck delight
at the order You have settled in the heavens:
the way You set Earth in its orbit
just close enough to smile at the rays of the sun.
and yet I worry that I – a trillionth of a speck
on the face of North America –
missed something that You wanted me to find,
and now it can never be recovered.
Your sovereignty, O Lord,
has taken into consideration my clumsiness…
Ever heighten my sensitivity to sin in my own life and root it out, but ever deepen my comprehension of the depth of Your grace. Don’t let Satan wield my awareness of sin (confessed and repented-of sin) to drive me deep into despair and a sense of worthlessness…show me Your glory and Your mercy!
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
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They’ll tell you that arts and humanities aren’t practical and then read poetry at funerals and weddings, cry over films and search for meaning in ancient philosophy. Surviving is one type of practicality, knowing why we bother is another.
– on the importance of the arts and humanities
Things worth remembering…
playing music with my youngest sisters
fixing a dresser drawer (#powerful)
a cute pumpkin and flower farm
enjoying chai again
catching up with an old friend
getting my braces off (!!!)
biting into an apple for the first time in YEARS
gorgeous sunrises and sunsets
chats about surrender
the gospel preached many times over at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service
the sobering reminder to not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ✨
riding with siblings in farm equipment
the Great Eggy Microwave Explosion
surviving way too many stairs
the overwhelming gentleness of God
Apart from sin, we have nothing of which to be ashamed. Only an evil desire to shine makes us want to appear other than we are.
“You’ve put your foot in it now, old boy!…” And Dolly laughed so heartily that a spoonful of ice flew upon the head of a lady sitting below him, and got him into a scrape also.
Ahh, I’m so enjoying this one. I don’t know that I’ll like it quite as much as Little Men, but getting to see the children from that book grow up and find their way in the world has been so much fun.
It’s the boring, everyday fruitfulness that makes a life.
This book has been on my TBR ever since it came out, and I’m finally getting to it. God’s timing is impeccable…this is a very applicable (and convicting) read right now, and it will definitely make my list of favorites. I highly recommend it.
Choose prayer. Choose courage. Choose beauty. Choose adventure. Choose family. Choose a life of faith. Most importantly, choose Christ.
Erika kirk
From the journal…
Lord Jesus, You are my portion…may I ever see the richness of that!
Be most beautiful to me, Jesus.
This is enough…to be seen and chosen and cherished by the One Who handcrafted me for His glory and pleasure, for such a time as this. Help me to trust Your heart when I cannot see the significance of these days and circumstances. Keep me so very close to You. Don’t let me poke artificial fruit onto my branches, but abide, deeply delighting in You, day after day after day. Give me the discipline and desire to abide in You when the siren calls are loud. Glorify Your name in me.
Father, thank You for the gift of Your Spirit. Constant companionship, comfort, intercession when I don’t have the strength or the words…what a gift it is.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
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Well…it’s not the first day of autumn, but now that it’s September, I’m letting myself pretend it’s autumn. It has taken discipline, but now my inner Winnie-the-Pooh is going to fully enjoy the chilly, hot chocolate-y mornings.
But August was a lovely month…
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:8
Things worth remembering…
weather cool enough to open windows
FaceTiming with my brothers
overcooking a sweet potato in the microwave
playing “Blessed Be Your Name” with my little sisters
flowers and a thoughtful note on my front steps after a long week
sunrise walks
a celebratory anniversary dinner
young adult Bible studies
spending a couple of weeks with a dear friend
seeing Beauty Even Here in print for the first time
building a castle (a small one, uninhabitable) with a cousin
walking to the post office
meeting my brother’s new puppy (a.k.a. falling in love)
watching The Fellowship of the Ring for the very first time
“That’s why we made them for you,” cried Tommy, standing on his head as the most appropriate way of expressing his emotions.
I’m so glad one of my sisters recommended this book to me…it is such a joy!! Louisa May Alcott’s writing style is one of my favorites, and this is just such a jovial yet heartfelt story. It’s also really sweet to see the characters from Little Women as more mature adults. I’m savoring every minute of it.
This entire time I’ve been closing myself off from love, but it’s been the solution all along. I’ve built walls at every turn. No more.
Oof. YA isn’t my genre, but I was fascinated by the concept of this story (a slight Beauty and the Beast retelling) and had some audiobook hours to use. I didn’t go into it knowing it was a TRILOGY, and now the epilogue might twist my arm into braving the rest of the teenage angst and listening to the rest of the audiobooks. (Love triangles exasperate me, though, so we’ll see what happens, hehe.)
The mill owner’s wife persists. “A dollar, my foot! Fifty cents. That’s my last offer. Goodness, woman, you can get another one.” In answer, my friend gently reflects: “I doubt it. There’s never two of anything.”
My grandma lent me an illustrated version of this short story, and goodness sakes…don’t read it if you don’t want an emotional ending! It’s beautiful, though…a skillfully written recollection (I realized halfway through that it’s autobiographical!) of a bittersweet childhood Christmas with all of the feels.
Don’t you know that your Father in heaven knows just what you’re needing? seek Him first and everything else that you need will be given don’t you see, He loves you much more than the lilies and sparrows come and rest don’t waste a day being scared of tomorrow.
My times are in Your hand, and it is a strong, wise, loving one. ❤
Lord, thank You that these trials do not need to define me the way Satan wants them to. He wants to use them to harden my heart, sharpen my tongue, weaken my mind and resolve. When I walk through them with You, You will use them to soften my hard edges, tune my ear to Your voice, sharpen my eye for Your heart and Your goodness. What a gift, Father…may I be faithful to steward it well.
God formed us for His pleasure, and so formed us that we, as well as He, can, in divine communion, enjoy the sweet and mysterious mingling of kindred personalities. He meant us to see Him and live with Him and draw our life from His smile.
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O LORD God of hosts, Who is mighty like You, O LORD? Your faithfulness also surrounds You. You rule the raging of the sea; When its waves rise, You still them.
psalm 89:8-9
Things worth remembering…
coffee and crocheting with my mom
dabbling in songwriting again
watching fireworks from my brother’s pickup
not completely missing my cousin’s bridal shower due to traffic…🫠
completing my twenty-third trip around the sun
enjoying the malt wagon and the county fair with siblings
TRAILER RACES
book club with sisters and friends
lotsss of music practice
playing country music over a football game (SO much more fun than listening to the announcer, hehe!)
I’m not a fan of the romance genre, but I did so enjoy reading through this book with a book club!! Nicole Deese’s characters and prose were absolutely delightful…and the conversations and elephant pits that sprang up around it were certainly a highlight of the summer.
And honestly, that’s about all…there was so much life this July, I didn’t read too much. XD
Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.
Psalm 34:9-10
From the journal…
May we be utterly surrendered to You and Your leading. Let our brokenness gentle us to hear Your voice and to joyfully heed.
I know that in making a way, You must clear out a good deal of brush…make our hearts and lives surrendered to Your purpose-filled demolition so You may build beauty here.
Lead, kindly Light, amid th’encircling gloom Lead Thou me on; The night is dark, and I am far from home; Lead Thou me on; Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see the distant scene, One step enough for me.
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One of my dear friends started a book club, and we’re reading through this one! I’ve really been enjoying this reread…Nicole Deese has such a lovely way of wording things.
This is a short story, and Caitlin doesn’t waste a single word. This was a beautifully written and powerful read…plus it’s free for her newsletter subscribers!
The secret of joy is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances.
Elisabeth Elliot
From the journal…
I think of how I have come to recognize the voices of singers…by repeated listening. May I repeatedly listen to and choose Your song, O Lord!
Don’t let me despise the small, weighty quietness of this season.
Deepen my trust in and remembrance of Your goodness and mercy, for they do pursue me each and every day of my life. I have exchanged vows with You that extend infinitely beyond the veil of death, and have covenanted with the God-Man whose Word has never returned void.
My deepest vocation is to be a witness to the glimpses of God I have been allowed to catch.
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Let your care and wish be to glorify God by your life here as long as He pleases, even though it be in the midst of toil, and conflict, and suffering, and leave Him to say when “it is enough”.
charles spurgeon
Things worth remembering…
finding rue anemone in the woods
a small road trip with my mom
COUSIN TIME!!!
guacamole
blossoms on the tree in the front yard
Reading Poppletonand Alfie with the aforementioned cousin
a random child at the lake sitting down next to me while I was reading
printing off a copy of Beauty Even Here for edits (!!!)
experiencing the temporary tattoo parlor that popped up around the dining room table one night
finding a solution for my lack of bookshelves problem…three cheers for double decker coffee tables!
watching Mrs. Miniver with Grandma and finding that it’s a new favorite
This was the final book in the If I Run Christian mystery and suspense trilogy. I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as the first two…it got into the mind of one of the villains while he was doing his bad things and that’s something I personally don’t care for. I was grateful for resolution at last, though!!😅
Disclaimer: due to thematic elements, I personally will not recommend this series to anyone younger than 18.
I got a hundred pages in (it’s ginormous!!) and it just wasn’t clicking with me yet so I set it down. I definitely want to come back to this one of these days because I’ve enjoyed the previous two books in The Chronicles of Elira, but I guess that day is not today!
Ahhh!!! I’m so glad I’m finally into this book. It’s a YA thriller, and a sequel to a book I really enjoyed. The banter is so. much. fun.
The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.
Proverbs 21:1
From the journal…
My life is not my own. It rests in the hands of my omniscient, omnipotent Father, who loves me so deeply, more deeply than I can be loved by anyone else. Therefore I don’t have to wonder if there is meaning or intention in where He has me now. I don’t need to fear that I’ve somehow missed an exit or an on ramp. I am not overlooked or crowded out by other items on His to-do list.
May I pursue You as You pursue me, day after day after day, filled with Your goodness, lost in Your love.
I thank You that Your goodness and Your mercy are truly running after me every day of my life…even on the ones when I feel that I’ve botched it.
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Our own humour and appetite must not determine our practice, but the honour of God and the good and edification of the church. We should not so much consult our own pleasure and interest as the advancement of the kingdom of God among men.
I listened to this one in two days during work. XD I hadn’t read a thriller/suspense novel in a while, and this was a fun one to get me back into that genre. You can read my full review here!
Disclaimer: due to thematic elements, I personally will not recommend this series to anyone younger than 18.
I’ve come back to reading this one and am almost done!! It’s gotten me so interested in rowing that I’ve looked up videos of Olympic regattas on YouTube. XD
One of my dear friends released an Easter-y poetry collection this April!! I’ve been enjoying reading through it…I love both her imagery and her heart for Jesus!
and the waiting will be remembered as a very little while.
Lord…You know what must be done, and You are never short on time.
I was struck yesterday by the poetry in John’s gospel of Jesus drinking sour wine before declaring “It is finished.” He drank to the dregs the cup from which He had begged to be delivered. Thank You, thank You, my precious Jesus. “Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.”
Oh, Father! May it be enough for me to be held in Your hand, smack-dab in the middle of Your will.
…the demand and the gift of Christ.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Stay the course!
❤ Laurel
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Happy Monday, friends! And happy last day of March! It’s hard for me to believe that we’re already one-fourth of the way into 2025…I think my concept of time needs some help. XD
Anyway! Here’s a recap of this month. I always love putting these together and remembering the random wonderful (and wild!) moments that may have slipped my mind. I hope you can enjoy it a bit, too!
God is wise in heart and mighty in strength.
job 9:4a
Things worth remembering…
random FaceTime messages from my brothers
tapping season and time in the woods with siblings
quite literally spilling the tea with a dear friend
working on poetry things behind the scenes
the magic of fresh flowers in bringing homeyness to a new space
culinary adventures, in which chicken cooks faster than anticipated…numerous times
reading Bonhoeffer while babysitting the boiling sap
late night ice cream and chats with sisters
watching the grass begin to green up
setting a reading goal for myself at last and meeting it
sharing one of my favorite poems from Clarion Hope in video form
community.🫶🏼
spaghetti and a steer chases with sisters
sitting on the floor with my journal and a guitar
Lord, I would not be a citizen where Jesus was an alien.
I read this book last summer, but reread it this month, marking it up with colored pencils to gift to a sister. It was so much fun to read it again, not just to enjoy the story but to savor the beauty of the prose and the nuances of the characters’ personalities. I highly recommend…again!
I listened to the audiobook, and shocked myself by giving it five stars. XD (If you’ve been around for a bit, you know I don’t usually enjoy romances.) I appreciated the historical richness of this book and the glimpse of the moral difficulties that were faced by German Christians during WWII, and the courage with which the Bonhoeffers met them. And Dietrich’s intolerance of misunderstanding?? It delighted my soul.
I’ve started crocheting and listening to audiobooks most evenings, and I’m working through the Little House series. It was such a delight to revisit this book! It’s interesting to listen to it now, being closer to Ma and Pa’s ages, and seeing it with new (or older? Ha!) eyes. It really makes me remember just how much the ordinary moments and rhythms of life mean to young children.
I know whate’er befall me Jesus doeth all things well.
fanny Crosby
From the journal…
Jesus, I leave regrets in the Hands that work outside of time…
Nothing is too hard for the Lord…if He wants something mended or fulfilled in this moment, He will make it happen. But there has never been a circumstance in my life in which He can only sigh and say, “That’s really too bad.”
Awaken in the hearts of Your people a remembrance of the glory of Who You are. Break us out of the ruts of our self-importance…
Open eyes! Heal breaking hearts. Show us a way out of this brokenness, and show us You in the midst of it.
Is not God enough for thy need, or is His all-sufficiency too narrow for thy wants? Dost thou want another eye beside that of Him who sees every secret thing? Is His heart faint? Is His arm weary? If so, seek another God; but if He be infinite, omnipotent, faithful, true, and all-wise, why gaddest thou abroad so much to seek another confidence?
charles spurgeon
Stay the course!
❤ Laurel
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Laurel Luehmann 