Blessed

"Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God."

~Titus 2:3-5

My Mom has set an example for me in so many ways, but as I prepare to get married in a few short weeks, I've been reflecting on all the ways that Mom has imaged for me what it means to be a godly wife:

• Mom reads her Bible and prays daily. This isn't necessarily marriage related, but it's priority related. Christ is a priority for my mom, and because of that, she is able to be a godly spouse.
• Mom gives of herself sacrificially. She recognizes that sometimes denying herself means deepening her relationship with Dad, and she finds satisfaction in that.
• Mom respects Dad. She doesn't boss him around. She doesn't make fun of him. She doesn't demean him. Rather, she respects and honors him, especially in the presence of others.
• Mom is 100% faithful to my dad. Divorce has never been an option, and has never been mentioned in our household.
• Mom speaks her mind, and then submits. Mom is a smart lady and she says what she means, but then she obeys Dad, even if it's hard, because she believes that Dad is her God-given authority.
• Mom is a detail person, but doesn't major on the minors. She accepts that Dad is different than her and she loves him anyway.
• Mom genuinely enjoys spending time with my dad, and she talks about it. She expresses gratitude for the little things he does and gives thanks at all times for him.

Mom doesn't disregard the hard parts of marriage, but she says she wouldn't want to do life without Dad. She always casts marriage in a positive light, as the good gift from God that it is.

So on Mother's Day this year, I'm celebrating Mom, not just as my mother, but as an example of godliness in marriage. May Christ continued to be formed in her, even as He is formed in me.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

I love you!

Fight Songs for Facing Fear

Some time ago, I posted some of the songs for motivation. I'm still listening to those songs, but I have a few new favorites, so I thought I'd share:

"All In" by Matthew West

"The Breakup Song" by Francesca Batistelli

"Fear, He is a Liar" by Zach Williams

"Fearless" by Jasmine Murray

"Ready to Be Myself" by David Dunn

Yes, most of these songs have to do with fear. It's a real thing and something I'm battling on a daily basis. It must be a common enemy of others, too, if there are so many songs coming out about it. So, in retrospect, I should probably call this list my "fear fight song" list.

Magazine Envelopes + "Open When" Letters

A kind friend from college sent me a special note in a unique envelope, and I just had to ask her about it. She explained that she made the envelope from a magazine page. I Google-searched the idea and found lots of ideas, but I found Creative Green Living's tutorial especially helpful.


I made an envelope or two, and then set out on a bigger project: a series of envelopes to house, "Open When" letters. "Open When" letters are a way to share thoughts and encouragement with someone far away. Simple provide a list (or a key) that tells the person when to open each letter. I used an idea I saw on Pinterest as a foundation and then used the internet to search for ideas. I came up with 25 prompts, and a series of letters that looked like this:

My friend texted me when she received the package yesterday. I am so excited for her to begin opening them. I really enjoyed this project because it combined note writing, encouragement, crafting, and using up excess (old Conde Nast Traveler magazines) all in one.