Category: Parenting

Posted on in Being Gracious, Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Kindness, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Wisdom, Worship

Holding Space During the Holidays

Well, we made it to December! It has already been an interesting month. On Monday, we had work and school, followed by a funeral and a class in the evening. It was a lot to juggle!

The funeral was for a thirteen-year-old girl, someone Lydia knew a bit from church. They were in the youth group together, though they went to different schools. They were two months apart, so her sudden death was very sad and shocking. We attended the visitation (skipping the funeral) because I also needed to take Lydia home before returning for my church leadership class in a separate area.

Free Wreath Flowers photo and picture

The funeral was still happening when I walked back into the building, and I heard several students talking about how the girl had made a difference in their lives. She loved Jesus and seemed to be very sweet and encouraging.

My class was the final meeting of the semester, and we had pizza for dinner, a lesson on prayer, and then a white elephant gift exchange! It was a lot of fun, and I am so grateful to have the opportunity.

During the training, we prayed for the family of the girl who died. We discussed how to hold space for these two different events of the night – the funeral and the training/party. We can rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.

It’s not easy, but it is important to honor the sadness and grief while also moving forward and celebrating Life. The holidays seem to be full of these situations, don’t they?

This year feels like it flew by, with so many personal wins, but there’s also sadness because my mom died in February. This time of year is challenging for other reasons anyway, including Dave’s birthday, Christmas, and the fact that he’s not here either.

But, I also recognize how GOOD God is through all of it. Jesus very much understands the dual nature of sorrow and joy. He was a Man of Sorrows, yet He also possessed the fullness of God’s joy (Psalm 16:11). Somehow, He held both simultaneously and remained faithful to His mission.

If Jesus can hold space for emotional duality, so can we. I know from experience this is true. While I don’t know what you are facing this Christmas season, Jesus does. He loves you deeply and cares about your concerns.

It is okay to feel conflicted, whatever you are experiencing. None of it is a surprise to the Lord. Take a little time to rest. Then, bring all of your emotions to Jesus and let Him help you sort them out. He really wants to be there for you, if you will let Him.

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Father God, thank you for the gift of Life and for emotions to express how we feel. Help us hold space for all You are doing in us and through us this holiday season. Bring us comfort and peace as we trust You and lean into all You have for us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: How are you holding up so far this week? Do you have any helpful tips for the holiday season?

Task: Take a few minutes and check in with Jesus and tell Him how you really feel. Don’t stay stuck in your emotions; let them be indicators, not dictators.

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Pivot

Finding Grace #508

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Free Autumn Leaves photo and picture

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?!

This was a fairly restful week.

Work went well, though a few people canceled or did not show up, which is a bit of a double-edged sword. I don’t get credit for seeing them, but I also get some time to catch up on charting!

My coworker had her baby, a sweet little girl, so she is now on maternity leave (the third one this year). So, I was the backup for her weekend on-call. I went in today for one patient, and it wasn’t too difficult. The next five or six weeks will be fairly busy until the second coworker returns from her leave in January! But God is good, and we are grateful for all the cute babies!

Thanksgiving was just what I needed. Instead of a big turkey dinner, we had meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie from Costco. I didn’t want to spend all day cooking, so Lydia and I just kept it simple. We had a fun and quiet day, relaxing and watching movies.

Yesterday, after work, I braved the Black Friday crowd at the mall. I needed to return something and picked up a few small items. I enjoyed the holiday sounds, lights, and overall atmosphere. If I didn’t have an appointment to get my oil changed, I would have stayed to people watch!

We got our first snow of the season on Tuesday, and it took me an extra twenty-five minutes to get home! But it was good to go slow and stay safe. We got a little more snow today, but further south will probably get a lot more. I bet the snow we received this week will not melt, since temperatures will stay chilly and probably dip lower!

Today, Lydia and I both had online tests. Lydia passed her driver’s test for her learner’s permit! It will be a couple of weeks before I can take her to pick it up, lol. And, it will be at least a year, maybe two, before she can get her actual license, but at least she can start practicing. I passed my last test for the church leadership course I am taking this semester! Our final class is next week, and then we start up again in January. We also did some cleaning and Saturday things. Later, she will hang out with a friend, and I might watch a movie!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Fruit, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Personality

Finding Grace #507

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Free Fall Waterfall photo and picture

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?!

This was a red-letter week full of many blessings!

On Sunday, Lydia and I had an awesome day at church. It was fun to see how we are connected to so many people in God’s family!

This week, I had my performance evaluation at work. It has been a wild year with a lot going on, but by God’s grace, I received my highest ranking ever! I was pleasantly surprised and want to give Jesus all the glory!

On Tuesday night, I was asked to teach a lesson on personality traits and spiritual gifts at church. There were sixteen people, and I had them complete two brief assessments. Then we discussed their answers and some details to consider. I have not done that in a few years, so it felt really good. I was right in my element! I was honored that a couple of people heard I was teaching and came to hear me speak. And, the pastor in charge of that group asked me to come back again in two weeks to share more!

Yesterday, Lydia turned fourteen! She is such a blessing. To celebrate, we had one of her friends spend the night. They watched a movie and ate snacks. 🙂 Then, today, I took them to the movies to see Wicked: For Good. It was somewhat sad, but it was well done!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance, Prayer

Finding Grace #502

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Free Autumn Forest photo and picture

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?!

This was another week of hustling!

We served in the kids’ ministry at church on Sunday, and I squeezed in a quick walk with a friend. Then, we ran home to get Lydia packed for Congress before her team left on the bus.

Lydia was gone all day Monday, but did really well at Congress. She gave four of her speeches and scored high enough to place! It was a cool end to her first season!

My Monday was very full but good. I stayed close to Jesus and enjoyed several church-related events. I’m grateful.

On Tuesday evening, we attended a golden birthday party for one of Lydia’s school friends. If you recall, we met a family from Africa a few years ago at the bus stop. Over time, we have seen less of them since they have gotten more settled. We enjoyed catching up, eating really good food, and enjoying their culture and traditions. And, they sent us home with leftovers!

Wednesday was my mom’s birthday. We all miss her so much, but we are doing well. And, she is with the very One who loves her the most. So, while we are sad, we are also happy for her and proud of her!

At work, I felt like I was chasing my tail all week, and I was only there four days! 🙂 I barely stayed on top of my charting, but somehow did. I know God was helping me all along the way. I had nice patients and accomplished a lot. Thanks, Lord!

On Thursday night, I dropped off Lydia and a friend at church for a youth convention that went through today. It was a funny week because I was pretty much on my own for much of it (Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday).

Yesterday after work, I met up with my coworker, Natalie, to hang out again. (She is off on maternity leave.) She had her new baby girl and her older son, who did not have preschool that day. It was fun to spend time together, and we visited a church ministry on the NDSU campus before getting coffee!

After that, I went to Menards and then finished up some outdoor projects at home… while catching up with my sister on the phone. Next, I did some studying and watched a movie. It was a fulfilling day!

This week, the weather definitely felt more like Fall! It was a little chilly, overcast, windy, and rainy. I didn’t mind too much and am thankful it wasn’t snow!

Today was a fairly restful Saturday. I did some studying before running errands and picking up Lydia from the youth convention. She had a big week and ended up resting for quite a while after that! After a three-hour nap, I had to wake her up!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Being Gracious, Food and Nutrition, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance, Personality, Pivot

Pasta and Feeling Perturbed

Yesterday, I woke up with a sore neck and spent most of the day trying to stretch or rub the affected area. Periodically, at work, I noticed I was slouching a bit and clenching my jaw, which didn’t help the pain. I tried to correct my posture, of course.

Also, I had a few stressful moments at work and knew I needed to refocus. By the time I got home, I was trying to relax; however, I was still a bit agitated. Lydia then asked me to pick her up from the high school a block away because she was hot, and it was hot outside.

I agreed to pick up Lydia, although she is fully capable of walking to and from school. Still, when I saw her, I was a little annoyed to see that she was wearing sweatpants and Uggs — definitely not a good choice when it is 80+ degrees! Teenagers…  🙂

Free Noodles Pasta photo and picture

I decided to make pasta for dinner, specifically, a box of cavatappi noodles. These are like corkscrews, and I was eager to enjoy them since the shape was kinda fun.

Well, I left the kitchen and asked Lydia to finish the noodles. I expected her to wait until they were fully cooked and then drain them. For whatever reason, she only watched them for a couple of minutes before draining the noodles. Apparently, Lydia likes them still crunchy, but I prefer them softer.

Well, the only way to fix the noodles would have been to reboil them. I didn’t want to do that… I was too hungry and too irked to wait! Lydia could tell I was a little grouchy and apologized several times. I told her it was fine, but that her saying sorry was also “too much,” especially just for pasta.

After dinner, we each went our own ways. I started my blog post (this one!) and she worked on some homework downstairs. About when I got to this point, I went downstairs to check on Lydia. I apologized for my bad attitude, and she again apologized for the undercooked pasta. 🙂

My neck still hurt, but I needed to keep moving forward. I happened to read a little table calendar with a short prayer: “Lord, help me to rest in You, keep a quiet heart, and look forward with hopeful expectation to the things You are working together for good.”

Free Poppy Flower photo and picture

I started to thank God for all the ways He has been moving lately. We’ve had amazing weather, uncharacteristically warm (but not too hot). I’m on top of my winter house preparations list. Lydia has been doing well at school, and work can get crazy, but I appreciate having a good job. We have plenty of food and clothes. I have amazing friends and an awesome family. So, I just need to chill.

I have no reason to stay perturbed for long. If things don’t go my way, it’s not the end of the world. Life is too short not to enjoy it. Thankfully, I was able to get over myself, lol!

On some level, these minor annoyances can also be viewed as a spiritual attack. The enemy only pushes us when we are making progress. When he feels threatened, he tries to trip us up. If I weren’t doing something important, he wouldn’t bother. So, consider this a reminder to check your pride and ego, as well as anything that might hinder your progress. Use God’s armor to remind our enemy of the Victory we already have in Jesus!

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Heavenly Father, thanks for being in my corner. Forgive me for my bad attitude. Help me walk in Your Truth with eyes wide open. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Question: How have you turned a bad attitude around to praise God?

Task: Don’t live by your feelings, but pay attention when you are in a funky mood. Catch it, check it, and change it!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Pivot, Wisdom

Finding Grace #498

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Free Flower Herbstaster photo and picture

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?!

This was a full week, but good overall.

Monday was the busiest day I’ve had in quite a while. I had a big presentation at work, which went really well. I prayed for God to help me and had total peace. Then, I had about five patients in five hours, so I didn’t really get a lunch. That night, I had a church training, which went well, but I didn’t get home until 9 p.m. or so, just in time to say goodnight to Lydia. Whew!

The rest of the week was a little less “busy” but still had a lot going on. One highlight was helping Lydia with her Congress preparations. She wrote some awesome responses for real pieces of legislation. I listened to her, timed her, and provided some feedback. I’m really proud of her!

I mowed the lawn on Wednesday, which was perfectly timed before a few rainy days! We had just the right amount of rain, in that I could use my umbrella but didn’t desperately need it. It was a bit cooler, just perfect for autumn. I even noticed a few of the trees are turning colors now.

I talked with my sister and dear friend back-to-back on Thursday. It was fun catching up with their lives and asking for some advice on mine. I’m grateful for their godly wisdom and support.

On Friday after work, I went to see the Downton Abbey Grand Finale. I liked it overall, and it was a little bittersweet that it is “over.” I enjoyed the costumes and seeing all my favorite characters, though! I also had a coupon for a cheaper ticket and free popcorn, so that was good! 🙂

After the movie, I ran across the street to introduce myself to our new neighbors. They have been there for a couple of weeks, but I was waiting for them to get settled. The family has two elementary-age kids. I hope they stay there for a long time, so we can get to know them better!

Today, I was on-call and went in for two patients. I did some grocery shopping and bought myself some flowers on the way home. Then, I came home to do ‘Saturday things’ and do some studying. For dinner, Lydia and I had lasagna, grapes, and salad. It was delicious!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #496

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Free Black Eyed Susan Yellow Daisy photo and picture

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?!

This was an interesting and lively week! I am glad it all worked out well.

On Monday, we had a quiet day at home on Labor Day. I did a few small chores and some studying but really tried to relax ahead of this super busy season!

I had a full schedule at work, but ended up having some cancellations. I thought I would have some free time, but little things kept popping up. Nonetheless, I am grateful for God guiding my steps and helping me accomplish what I needed to do!

Lydia decided to join an extracurricular activity called Congress this semester. I had her put together an impromptu presentation to tell me why she wanted to do it, and we both think it will be a good opportunity for her. She and her peers will visit the state capitol in Bismarck and practice speaking on various legislative bills (pros, cons, amendments, etc). It is a competition, and participants will earn points, similar to those in debate and speech events.

Today, I again woke up with some more ideas about reorganizing my house, basically picking up where I left off last weekend. I still have more to do, but it feels really good to make progress. I also did my usual Saturday things and took Lydia and her friend to see the movie version of Hamilton. I went home to study while they were there!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Books and Movies I Like, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #494

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Free Sunflower Yellow Flower photo and picture

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?!

This week felt really busy, which is right in line with the start of the school year. We had a mix of meetings, errands, and back-to-school night.

My nephew, Alex, started Kindergarten in Illinois on Wednesday, and Lydia started 8th grade on Thursday. I am sure they will both have a great year. Lydia seems to have a well-paced schedule with some easier classes interspersed among the more challenging ones. She was excited to see her friends, too!

Work was quite busy. I taught a couple extra classes and saw some extra patients. All went well, but it was just… a lot. I ended up staying almost two hours later than usual yesterday. But, I am glad I have the option as a part-time employee!

After work yesterday, I ran some errands and then went home to mow with Lydia. We had pizza and watched Back to the Future. It was a fun end to a busy week!

Today, Lydia and I went shopping for shoes. Lydia came home with a pair of sneakers and a pair of dress shoes. I have plenty of shoes so didn’t get anything! We got up early to beat the Saturday rush, and then we came home to relax. And by relax, I usually mean catching up on housework and getting ahead for the next week, lol.

I forgot to mention last week that I have officially been blogging for ten years! I am fairly happy with my platform, and although I could do something differently, I am not planning to change anything for now. Thanks for being here and for reading along! I hope my words bring encouragement, insight, and challenge you in your walk with Christ Jesus.

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Being Gracious, Food and Nutrition, Gratitude, Kindness, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Let Us Salad

On Sunday, Lydia and I served at church during a lunch gathering for the Older Adults Still In Service (OASIS) ministry. This is for seniors to enjoy fellowship and implies that although they likely have retired, they are not done living, giving, serving, etc. God still has a good plan and purpose for each person until He calls them Home.

Lydia has a heart for the elderly, so I arranged a time for us to help out. My goal is to let her experience various ways to serve. We really enjoyed it! We set up tables and chairs, then added place settings, and more. Later, we picked up garbage, cleaned the tables, put away the chairs, swept, and so on. We did not do it for recognition, but many people thanked us. I think we will do it again!

Free Appetizer Background photo and picture

The potluck meal’s theme was “salads,” and people brought a variety of dishes. I recognized a retired NDSU nutrition professor, and we agreed that some were definitely from an old church cookbook somewhere! 🙂 We sat with her and enjoyed talking with all the seniors around us. We met some new people but also saw several we knew, including a few who have watched Lydia grow over the years.

In the Midwest, it seems just about anything can pass for a salad. We had taco salad, potato salad, macaroni salad, cucumber salad, multiple jello-type salads, fruit salad (with whipped cream, of course), a couple more dessert salads, and one token green salad. Many of the older adults took home leftovers, which made me happy as a Registered Dietitian.

After everyone ate, there was some worship time followed by a short sermon. We sang several hymns, and then the pastor asked us if we wanted another salad. We were all pleasantly full, but he went on to talk about the “let us salads” of Scripture.

Free Salad Fruit photo and picture

Here a few:

Romans 13:12 (NIV) says, “The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

2 Corinthians 7:1 (NIV) says, “Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”

Hebrews 4:16 (NIV) says, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Galatians 5:25-26 (NIV) says, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”

There are even some “let us nots!”

Galatians 6:9-10 (NIV) says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

1 Thessalonians 5:6 (NIV) says, “So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.

Well, I will never look at the phrase “let us” the same way again. It was a creative tie-in and pun, as well as a fun memory for us while we helped others. Let us spur each other on to good works!

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God, thanks for helping us spread Your lovingkindness to others. May we serve with joy and a grateful heart. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: What is your favorite type of salad? Where do you like to volunteer?

Task: Read through more “let us” phrases. Some are just part of the narrative, but some of them are very applicable to us today!

Posted on in Gratitude, Kindness, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Just Keep Growing

As a parent, it’s fun to see our kids learning new things. Lydia has been lounging for most of the summer, and I have been happy to let her. Sure, I have given her chores several days a week, but I also realize we are only young once.

Teenagers need more rest, and I can let her sleep in. She prefers to have a small to-do list, so if I don’t have chores for her that day, I encourage her to make her own. I might suggest practicing her viola, reading, spending time with Jesus, cleaning her room, showering, etc. I don’t worry if she doesn’t get it all done.

Someday, Lydia will have to get up and go each summer morning. So, I relish letting her chill for now. It has been an interesting summer in that when I get home, Lydia is eager to chat and hang out. It probably helps that I put some time limits on her phone and internet use! 😉

Since she has a lot of downtime, Lydia enjoys making wish lists of things she wants to buy. She has limited cash, of course, so either she will have to burn through her funds or I will have to chip in. I have to laugh because a lot of what she is picking was popular when I was a kid: faded jeans/shorts, sweatpants, baggy shirts, and Birkenstocks.

Lydia is my only child, and she is generally an easy kid, so it would be easy to spoil her. However, I set good limits and remind her to look for value and a good deal. I rarely buy the first thing Lydia sees and make her research the best price for the quality. I tend to resist buying name brands and ask for a list of the pros and cons since I don’t want her to feel entitled. Sometimes I will splurge, but often we’ll split the cost, shop at a thrift store for the item, or buy a knockoff.

It has been fun to see how Lydia has grown this summer, moreover, in the last two weeks! She’s grown a little taller, yes, but she’s also impressed me lately in other areas. Lydia has shown more responsibility and initiative around the house. She has grown in spiritual maturity, too, asking her friends if she can pray for them. She has texted them the most thoughtful prayers on their behalf! I love seeing her heart for her friends!

All on her own, Lydia also found a website that encourages people to write to the elderly. She plans to start doing this regularly, though I am not holding her to it. We bought some cards, stationery, and other supplies so that she can bless these strangers. (She’s a little timid to write to people she knows, but I hope she will in the future.) I will review what Lydia writes to ensure it meets the guidelines, but my mom would be so proud because she had her own card-writing ministry!

As I reflect on these points above, I am reminded that each of us has a special way of helping others. Serving and loving people is not about giving a lot of money, but about having a compassionate heart to bless others and spread the love of Jesus.

As much as I am proud of Lydia, just think about how much God loves you and is proud of you. Let that sink in for a minute!

If you have not connected with the Lord for a while, now is your chance. Call out to Jesus, and He will be right there with you. He loves you so much and wants the best for you. He has good plans in store, so just keep growing in Him!

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Heavenly Father, thanks for all the ways You love us and help us grow. Help us continue to draw near to You and mature in our faith. May we love others like You do! In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: How has God blessed you this week? How can you serve someone else today?

Tasks: Use your unique gifts, skills, personality, opportunities, and interests to love God and serve others. Let your roots grow down into Him… and read Colossians 2:7-9. Pray about what to do and then move forward!