~keeping faith & family close to heart in a modern world~


praying in old catholic church

“As the sparrow finds a home and the swallow a nest to settle her young, my home is by Your altars, LORD of hosts, my king and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in Your house! They never cease to praise You.

Blessed the man who finds refuge in you, in their hearts are pilgrim roads. As they pass through the Baca valley, they find spring water to drink. The early rain covers it with blessings. They will go from strength to strength and see the God of gods on Zion.

LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; listen, God of Jacob. For a sun and shield is the LORD God, bestowing all grace and glory. The LORD withholds no good thing from those who walk without reproach.”

PSALMS 84

blooming purple flower

A Little Inspiration from Sally

When I get the chance to catch up on my daily devotionals, I grab “Mom Heart Moments” by Sally Clarkson. This is by far the best devotional I’ve found and she has several other books in the same religion/faith realm. There’s no pressure to read these daily (although I try), I simply read the dated entries when I can and trust God’s timing for each as I get to them.

The Lord knows I love my babies but we all need a little downtime to rest and recoup, talk to the Lord and get grounded. A comfy, quiet space with a few glowing candles makes a huge difference in my world of being able to focus on the important things. In keeping with the theme of simplicity, I wanted to share a couple paragraphs from some of Sally’s entries. This devotional is covered in post-it notes, pen marks, and highlighters of all colors – just the way I like to engage with a book!

It’s late and I no longer hear Mac breaking out into random songs from his bedroom. And Cam will need her last bottle for the night here soon so I’ll get to it…

“A woman is at her best when she is spreading life and light from the richness of her soul. I believe moms are true heroes who will be the bearers of light when shadows threaten to overtake. They weave peace and love in homes where burdens are weighing on the shoulders of husbands. They sing songs of faith in the midst of life’s calamities. I believe that moms can be the determining factor in our country during difficult times, to bring courage to families and nations as we wait on God and follow His ways.

Ask the Lord if there is someone you could invite over for an encouraging visit.

Women have always been intended, through the family structure, to pass on righteousness and a loving relationship with God to every generation. Yet my girls find themselves in a broken world where few have the same values they do. There is a temptation to become cynical and crusty as we make our way through life. Yet, in studying verses about God’s will this year, I was impressed again to pursue childlike faith – to keep believing my God can do anything, to believe in His goodness, to believe in prayer. So, I continue sharing my own dreams with Him! I pray for miracles and for Him to do great things in and through the lives of my family.

Have you found yourself becoming cynical… maybe a bit too “adult”? Ask the Lord to help you return to the childlike faith and hope that pleases him.”

From Sally Clarkson’s “Mom Heart Moments”.