Jesus – Laurel Luehmann

Book Reviews, Journaling, Personal, reading

December memories – 2025

January 5, 2026January 5, 2026by Laurel Luehmann2 Comments

2025 is a wrap! And what a glorious year it was to watch God move, drawing people to Himself and bringing His name glory.✨

Peace is looking into the face of my Jesus and needing to see nothing else.
Hannah hodgson (@resurrectionpoetry)

Things worth remembering…

a Christmas parade
decorating for Christmas
winter walks in the dark
a friend who tethered me to truth and light when I couldn’t bring myself to do it
hot cocoa, a slow afternoon with siblings, and The Appendix Scare
celebratory dinners for the first responder siblings
cookie and gift exchange chaos with friends
grapefruit!!
drinking hot chocolate and wrapping gifts while listening to Christmas music
putting a difficult month of winter on the farm in the books
making shortbread for Christmas with the pro (my youngest sister)
so much reading after Christmas
accidental mac and cheese soup
receiving hugs, hot cocoa, and stories from my grandma on a hard day
an evening errand run with the brothers
The Whipped Cream Game
my brother’s eggnog

Lord, I would clasp Thy hand in mine,
nor ever murmur nor repine;
content, whatever lot I see,
since ’tis my God that leadeth me.
Joseph H. Gilmore

What I’ve been reading…

Louisa May Alcott’s Christmas Treasury – Louisa May Alcott

Before another word could be said, a little old lady appeared in the hall, trying to look stern and failing entirely, because she was the picture of a dear, fat, cozy grandma.

I read this with friends for a book club! It wasn’t my absolute favorite read from Alcott (it began to feel repetitive after awhile), but there were some sweet, thought-provoking stories with Louisa May Alcott’s inevitable dash of humor. Her characters are so endearing!

Where Secrets Lie – Colleen Coble, Rick Acker

I almost didn’t listen to this audiobook because I didn’t love the first book in the series, but I’m glad my restless mind got the better of me; I enjoyed this one so much more the one that preceded it! It ended on a horrible cliffhanger, though, and the third book doesn’t come out till March. Boo!!

Oswald Chambers: Abandoned to God – David McCasland

“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.”

Still reading through this one!

Terms and Traditions – Morgan Taylor Giesbrecht

You know I’m not the biggest fan of the romance genre, but this Christmas rom-com has delighted me with how much I’ve been able to enjoy it! I love the depth of the characters and the author’s sense of humor. If you’re a rom-com fan, you should definitely check this book out.

The LORD is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
Psalm 145:17-18

From the journal…

Strengthen my hands to lay all my hopes and fears to rest on Your chest, and fix my eyes in sheer adoration on You.

Live slowly enough to be able to think deeply about God.
J.I. Packer

What made your December 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.:)

writing

caskets and Christmas – a (very) small essay

December 8, 2025December 7, 2025by Laurel Luehmann1 Comment

Hello, friends!

I wrote this piece a couple of years ago and wanted to share it now. I hope it can be a blessing!

Practice guitar for the Christmas program.

Continue with gift preparations.

Finalize edits on my aunt’s obituary.

It’s a cruel and confusing thing to be grieving while the world swirls in such happiness and anticipation to the tune of “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” blaring over the radio.

But isn’t that why we have a Christmas in the first place?

God saw, God grieved, and so He came. Christmas isn’t a fragile veneer that’s been plastered over reality. It’s the reality of God made flesh so death could die, and deep grief gives us the opportunity to celebrate that in a way that goes much deeper than trite choruses and wooden nativity scenes.

We stand beside caskets that hold the shells of the ones who have burst into eternity before us, and we lower them into a hole in the earth’s frozen heart and our weeping hollows us out because we are broken, dying humans living in a broken, dying world.

But we sow these shells in a sure and tearful expectation, because, just as the souls we have loved have shed their shells, these shells will one day shed these caskets and meet their Savior in the air because we are healing, blood-bought humans living for a healed and blood-bought world.

And so we carry our grief, sometimes over our shoulders, sometimes in deep, hidden pockets, but always with a deep-seated expectation that weeping only endures for a night, and joy will come with the morning.

Whether that morning is earthside or not matters not to us, because we are trusting a flimsy future to the hands of a sturdy God. He has worked all for the good of those who love Him, and He is unchanging. Why should He think He will break that habit now?

Photo by Klim Musalimov on Unsplash

Book Reviews, Journaling, Personal, reading

November memories – 2025

December 1, 2025by Laurel Luehmann2 Comments

November was a gift. ❤

“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him.”
Lamentations 3:24

Things worth remembering…

the maples in my backyard turning golden
wondering why Marketplace thinks I need to buy an antique coffin
playing with toddler friends
crochet project adventures
washing windows with a vengeance
getting to watch TWO stage productions with my grandma
making shortbread cookies
prayer and worship with fellow believers
God answering a question with a sermon on the radio hours later
a dear friend taking me on my first Trader Joe’s excursion
a coffeeshop writing/reading/schoolwork date with sisters
wandering Fleet Farm like a lost soul looking for bolts in all the wrong places
making a list of delightful blessings God gave this year
time with extended family and all of the laughter that ensued
getting to enjoy a glorious snowfall without having to work through it
decorating my “most tragic” little Christmas tree for the first time

Turn your eyes upon Jesus;
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
Fanny Crosby

What I’ve been reading…

Delighting in the Trinity – Michael Reeves

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!!

The Coronation – Olivia Lynn Jarmusch

“What. Is. That?” Millie asked, drawing out each word for dramatic effect.

“It’s called quiche,” Jillian stated simply.

“I’ve never heard of it.” Millie wrinkled her nose, “I don’t think I like it.”

This has been a cute book thus far! It’s perfect for a light evening read.

Oswald Chambers: Abandoned to God – David McCasland

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.
Elisabeth Elliot

What made your November 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.:)

Book Reviews, Journaling, Personal, reading, writing updates

October memories – 2025

November 10, 2025November 9, 2025by Laurel Luehmann1 Comment

Hello, friends!✨

October was so full of good things…

The measure of our love is the measure of our willingness to be inconvenienced.
Elisabeth elliot

Things worth remembering…

watching God open unforeseen doors
going to a new coffeeshop with a friend
finding another four-leaf clover
walks/bike rides with the youngest sister
dear cousins in town…
therefore walks, Dutch Blitz, talks, and a shopping trip
so much music
trying a new soup recipe (it was delish)
taking senior pictures for my sister
watching sessions from Revive Our Hearts’ True Woman Conference with some dear ladies
Farm and Fleet and burgers with a brother
a helpful webinar from Glory Writers
checking trail cams and climbing round bales

Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart…
Ephesians 6:6-7

What I’ve been reading…

Delighting in the Trinity – Michael Reeves

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.✨

Jo’s Boys – Louisa May Alcott

Prosperity suits some people, and they blossom best in a glow of sunshine; others need the shade, and are the sweeter for a touch of frost.

This one was so good, even though my favorite boy didn’t get his happy ending…

Now and Not Yet – Ruth Chou Simons

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.

Before I Called You Mine – Nicole Deese

“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.

Loving Your Husband Before You Even Have One – Kim Vollendorf

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.

A New Song – Jan Karon

“‘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.
titus 2:11-14

What made your October 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.:)

Uncategorized

God and Current Events – My Thoughts

January 7, 2021by Laurel Luehmann3 Comments

If my emotions depended just on the news…

You probably don’t want to know.:)

But honestly… I think that no matter where a person stands on politics, coronavirus-related policies, etc., every single one of us has a fairly legitimate reason for being sickened/depressed/frustrated by the news. America just left an epic year of division and unrest in the dust… and by the looks of it, 2021 isn’t looking promising, either.

Honestly, I’m pretty frustrated.

I want my nation to be indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Most of all, I want America to be one nation under God… but she’s not. She’s broken and hurting and sinful, spitting in the face of the One who has been so patient with her.

This wasn’t my plan, God.

In the past year, the one truth keeping me at peace with what’s going on in our nation is this:

God retains complete control over everything.

When I find myself getting worked up about what’s happening, I come back to this and calm down. There is nothing else that brings me more peace than this fact – that the One who loves me more than I can fathom is the One with whom nothing is impossible. The One who has all of what I see as a mess ordered in His perfect will.

I wanted to remind you of this today… just in case life has you in the dumps. Come on out of there, friend. God’s got this. He’s working all things out for His glory and the good of those who love Him. Rest in Him. ❤

-Laurel

life

Take My Life, God… Really?

December 14, 2020by Laurel Luehmann7 Comments

It’s a song I love. It’s a song I love to sing. But it’s a song that’s really hard for me to live.

Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.

There are days when I don’t really want to live this. Instead, I end up living an oxymoron. In the morning, I come to God and re-surrender my life to Him. Here, God, it’s Yours. I live for You.

Fast-forward a few minutes to where He’s taking me up on my offer. I’m suddenly snatching my life back and clenching it in my fists.

God, You know that conversation is going to get really stretched out, and I don’t want to give that much of my time…

You want me to love them??? Didn’t You see how they hurt me???

God, it was a long day and I’m exhausted… I don’t want to go on a walk with her.

But anyway… take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.

I’ll sing it, God… but I won’t live it.

You are near in their mouth but far from their mind. – Jeremiah 12:2b

It breaks my heart when I find myself living this awful oxymoron. How can I claim to love God, yet trample over His desires for me in pursuit of my own? Christianity can’t work this way. It doesn’t work this way.

Surrender is surrender. No bones about it. When we surrender ourselves to God, we give Him everything. Literally everything.

We give Him our time and the way we spend it. We give Him our family and friends and our interactions with them. We give Him all of our possessions and what we do with them. We give Him our talents and the way we use them. We give Him our longings, our passions, our hopes, our dreams…

We give Him everything.

And we don’t take it back.

That’s what it means to be an all-out disciple of Christ.

I don’t wanna spend my life stuck in a pattern
And I don’t wanna gain this world but lose what matters
And so I’m giving up everything because

I wanna be different
I wanna be changed
‘Til all of me is gone
And all that remains
Is a fire so bright
The whole world can see
That there’s something different
So come and be different in me

-from Different by Kyle Lee and Micah Tyler Begnaud

Photo by Edwin Andrade on Unsplash

writing

Psalm 138 In My Own Words

December 10, 2020by Laurel Luehmann2 Comments

With all that I am, God, I will praise You. In the face of all that seeks to turn my eyes from You, I will sing Your praises loud.

I worship You, Lord – because of Your tender affection. Because of Your truth. Because You have magnified Your word above all Your name.

When I cried out, You answered me; You filled my soul with strength and made me fearless.

When the rulers of the world hear Your words, my God, they will cry out in praise of You.

Yes… they will sing of Your ways, for great is Your glory, my King!

Though You are exalted above all, my Lord, You still take interest in the lowly. With the proud, however, You do not have intimate fellowship.

Even though I’m walking in hardship right now, You will revive me – with Your hand You will ward of the wrath of my enemies – You will save me with Your right hand.

Lord, You will bring to perfect completion all that weighs on my mind. Your mercy endures forever, my God – do not forsake those You have created.

Uncategorized

What an Apple-Murderer Taught Me About God

November 19, 2020by Laurel Luehmann3 Comments

Sometime this past summer, my youngest sister brought me an apple she had pulled from one of our trees. A tiny, misshapen, worm-eaten thing. She held it like a treasure.

“Can you get me some water so I can put this in it, so it can grow?”

Oh, girl.

In trying to help the apple, the well-meaning squirt had killed it. She didn’t realize that removing it from the tree would destroy all its hopes of further growth. Now it was destined to be nothing more than what it was – a less-than-appetizing apple.

This made me think…

Am I tearing myself from my source of life?

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5

I look in the mirror and see a mess. And I’m not talking about the chronically crazy hair or the breakouts on my face. It’s a mess that’s deep inside, rooted, and complicated. I look in the mirror and see a weary, misshapen, sin-eaten soul.

But God sees me as a treasure.

If I abide in Him, He will give me the grace to keep growing in Him. If I stay close to Him, He will nourish me, develop me, make me more like Him, and give me the ability to bear fruit for Him.

But that won’t happen unless I’m connected to Him.

Unlike my sister’s poor little victim, I can choose to stay connected to my source of life… but it won’t be easy. The world is against me, trying to pull me away from Christ, because it knows that my life and strength come only through Him.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” – Ephesians 6:10

We can fight – and win – this battle against sin only if we abide in Christ.

Are we doing that?

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

life

No Condemnation

October 12, 2020by Laurel Luehmann4 Comments

To be honest…

Some days I get so frustrated with myself for not being the person I want to be. Being me, I mess up, then start throwing accusing questions at myself.

Why can’t I get my life figured out?

Why did I do such an awful job at work today?

Why can’t I live up to everyone’s expectations?

Why can’t I live up to my own expectations?

I can so relate to the Apostle Paul when he writes in Romans 7:15, “…what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.”

Cue the sickening feelings of guilt, insufficiency, and sinfulness. Right?

Wrong.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” – Romans 8:1

This is one of my favorite Bible verses ever. Are you serious? No condemnation???

I’m floored by the fact that the God who looks into my heart and knows my sins even better than I do is the One who loves me with such passion and faithfulness. This incredible love compelled Him to take on Himself the full punishment for my sins. He received all of my condemnation on the cross.

God isn’t calling me to beat myself up over my failures… He’s already been beaten for me.

I can’t let my shortcomings define me. Christ defines me. Yes, I will sin… but I’ll take that sin to God, repent, and walk away from it, travelling on in the amazing grace He gives.

Praise God, I can walk in freedom!

Will you do the same?

Photo by Pete Nuij on Unsplash

Personal

The Unexpected Journey of a Letter

October 8, 2020by Laurel Luehmann10 Comments

Over a year ago I wrote my brother a letter. For awhile we were on a letter-writing spree, and this letter was simply a response to one of his. Nothing too out of the ordinary…

Yet something felt different about this one. I don’t usually save copies of the letters I write, but for some reason I wanted to save a copy of that one. I really felt like I had expressed my heart well in that letter, and I wanted to share it with others. But I felt like God was telling me that wasn’t a good idea. This letter was for my brother, not the world. Right?

So I took a picture of the letter, slipped the letter into an envelope, stuck the envelope in my brother’s Bible, and didn’t think too much more about it. Life went on.

Then, a couple of months ago, this same brother got up to speak at my graduation ceremony. As he was talking, I saw him pull a familiar red envelope out of his pocket, and instantly I knew what he was about to do. Oh, my gracious.

I think I bawled through the whole thing.

It was incredible to see how God had taken a simple letter, said no to my first impulse to share it, and then a year later brought it before many dear people. It was a huge blessing to me and a reminder of God’s beautiful, beautiful timing. I was thrilled.

But God wasn’t done yet.

One of my aunts asked for a copy of the letter, and my uncle shared it in a sermon. Then the sermon got circulated by family members. My letter was reaching people I had never seen.

Do not underestimate God.

He will take the simplest thing and use it in the most unimaginable way.

I wanted to share this letter with you today, because I keep coming back to it and being convicted. As the author, I feel a responsibility to be living out and exemplifying the principles I’ve laid out here… and I constantly need to be reminded of them.

This letter is reminding me to bring my focus back to the right place – and I hope it does the same for you.

The excellency of the power is certainly of God, not us. The more I live, the more I realize how desperately sinful I am. Any good that comes of anything touching my life is certainly of God. He is so, SO worthy of our praise! He has loved me with a love that I simply cannot fathom. He truly must increase as I myself decrease.

More and more God shows me that He wants my priority to be my relationship with Him – not even evangelism, relationships with others, or any other sort of good works. Those will flow from my relationship with Him. He looks at the heart, and if all my feeble attempts to serve Him don’t come from an earnest desire for Him, they are filthy rags to Him.

It is so, SO important to guard our relationship with Him from all that threatens to destroy – even if it means we are called radicals. This love is more than deserving of radical defense. It demands our souls, our lives, our ALL. It calls for action.

Are we acting?