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Song: Faithful Father

January 2018 issue

Written and produced by Amy Smith

 
 
Do you ever just have a rough week? . Or a rough... three weeks? Two months? More? . Yeah. . And after a while you start to wonder what's "normal" and if you and your family even ever had a "normal." . Routines and rhythms keep a home well. They're important, and saying no to consistently overloading your schedule is crucial to maintaining this household flow. . But what about the times you have things thrown at you from every direction? What about the times you don't really have the option to say no? The times you wish you could say no, but you can't? And then, days or weeks or months in, you wonder how you even got there and what's the way back? . The practicals look different for each of us. But as I've wrestled with this lately, there's one thing that's true and satisfying no matter how far away from "normal" we end up: . Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) . The days dinner is late and lame -- He is still the One who provides for our every need. . The times unexpected issues arise that shuffle our whole schedule -- He is still Lord over the details and will give us what we need when we need it. . When I face my sins again and wish they'd just be gone for good -- He is still my Savior and the One who is able to make me more like Himself. . Can you imagine serving a god who changed? It would be awful, and that god wouldn't be God. Praise our Lord that He is who He is! . When things throw you for a loop this week, remember Hebrews 13:8. And when the week goes as planned, remember Hebrews 13:8. 🙂 . Have a great Monday, ladies. Friendly reminder that the weekly email went out this morning & if you're not receiving them, I highly suggest you do! . - Amy . www.strengthandsong.com (in profile)
Happy Sunday! We are so excited to announce our first GIVEAWAY! . This November we will be giving away goodie bags to two of our magazine subscribers! We have put together a survey for you ladies, and everyone who completes the survey will be entered into the drawing. . One item in each goodie bag is this coffee from East Africa Coffee Co, and it. is. delicious! Natalya and I both love their coffee, and we love their mission. Justin and Katie are the husband & wife team running this business out of Pennsylvania. They first connected with the country of Uganda through the adoption of their son, and have since established an ongoing relationship with a church in Uganda. They were given the opportunity to sell Ugandan coffee in the States, and decided to do so with the commitment of giving back. So, for every pound of coffee they sell they give a dollar back to Christian ministry in Uganda. East Africa Coffee Co. helps spread the Gospel -- in the States through their testimony and in Uganda through local ministry! . To read more about EACC or buy some coffee from them, visit www.eastafricacoffeeco.com. Stay tuned for more info on the giveaway -- and if you want to enter but haven’t subscribed to the magazine, you can fix that in our profile. . Have a relaxing day, friends! ❤️ Amy
|| Friday Magnify || . "Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together." -Psalm 34:3 . It's been a loooong week. Not just a long week, but a loooong week. I'm sure you know the feeling. 😉 . As I wrestled with finding answers for my "why?!"s this week (more on that in next week's email), God has reminded me that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He doesn't change. Which means that He is still sovereign, still in control; not one thing is done outside of His knowledge. Including the hard and bad things. . Even when I wrestle and don't find the answers I want right now, j know that where I'm at and the circumstances I'm in are under His authority. And I can therefore trust that He knows the ins and outs and will direct my paths for His glory. There is great peace in that! . What are you thankful for this week, friend? How can we praise Him alongside you? . - Amy
"Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God." . || William Carey || . William Carey pioneered missions in India, translating the Bible into at least six languages and establishing the Baptist Missionary Society. Yet his beginnings were humble to say the least - he was a shoemaker by trade, from a family of weavers. The quote above was the motto he lived by, and the Lord honored his faith by blessing and prospering his ministry and leaving a legacy that is thriving to this day, hundreds of years later. . Ephesians 3:20 makes it clear that God does indeed do great things for His people, and in the hope of that expectation we can attempt great things for Him by the power of the Holy Spirit, according to His will. "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." . Moms in a season of investing in your little legacies, are you expecting great things from God?
Happy Monday, ladies! Ever wonder what it means for the joy of the Lord to be your strength? Sharing some thoughts in the email today on that verse in Nehemiah. It was applicable to the people rebuilding Jerusalem, and it's applicable to us moms now! . Look for this week's email in your inbox (there's an excerpt from the current Strength & Song magazine in there too). We pray it inspires you this week to pursue Christ and make Him known -- He is good! ❤️ . www.strengthandsong.com (in profile)
|| Friday Magnify || “Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.” Psalm 34:3 This past week we packed our two boys and took off for a few days, soaking up our favorite part of the Oregon coast. With two boys two and under, and little Thad now crawling everywhere, it wasn't the definition of restful that I was used to, but nevertheless it rejuvenated our weary little family and brought us closer to the Lord and as a result, each other. I have a heart full of thanks for that. . Being near the ocean brings a feeling of awe and wonder as well. Jeremiah 5:22 says it perfectly: . "Do you not fear Me?' says the LORD. 'Will you not tremble at My presence, Who have placed the sand as the bound of the sea, By a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it? And though its waves toss to and fro, Yet they cannot prevail; Though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it." . Thank You God for being All Mighty, All Powerful, Creator God - yet loving and caring for a little mama like me. Natalya
"Recently I read a popular book that’s been pretty controversial. As I read through it I found some good points and thoughts from the author, as well as many statements that didn’t align with Scripture. In fact, there were quite a few things the author claimed as truth that simply aren’t. . But the book is well-written, and some false statements are close enough to being correct that they sound good. It got me thinking about how my kids will process the information they read and hear. . How will they know what’s accurate and what’s not? How will they avoid lies and things that will lead them in the wrong direction?" . Read the rest 👉 link in profile
“We are women, and my plea is: Let me be a woman, holy through and through, asking for nothing but what God wants to give me, receiving with both hands and with all my heart whatever that is.” || Elisabeth Elliot || . Are you thanking God for the beauty of femininity that He has endowed you with? I encourage you to rejoice in the gift of womanhood and all that it entails. Not to lord it over males in a garish and obscene way that has marred and uglified modern day feminism, but to explore what biblical womanhood looks like and to embrace the qualities God has chosen specifically for females to possess. . If you havent read Let Me Be A Woman by Elisabeth Elliot, I highly encourage you to add that to your reading list! God has an amazing call that is specific to us as women. We have the ability to mother - what a gift and treasure.
Need some hope? . Our world is pretty messy right now. So many injustices, so many things that are straight up wrong. Sometimes we can't help but wonder why God allows it all. . One thing we know is this: God is just. He will serve justice in His timing, and it will be RIGHT. (That should terrify us and encourage us at the same time!) . If you're in need of some hope today, make sure to check your Inbox for the email we sent out this morning. (Also check your Spam folder, sometimes it ends up there!) You'll find some great resources and Scripture to remind you of where your hope is truly found. . www.strengthandsong.com (in profile👆)
|| Friday Magnify || . “Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.” Psalm 34:3 . This week we've had the gift of time with my mother-in-law. We don't get to see her often, which makes our time together even sweeter. Our boys love playing with her (it's definitely mutual!) and my husband and I love spending time with her. . This week, I'm thankful for a chance to get to know her even better. I'm thankful for an extra set of hands to help with kiddos, and for the countless dishes she's washed. Coming downstairs from the bedtime routine to a fully cleaned kitchen is amazing! I'm thankful for the car rides we've had, the errands, the conversations. And, I'm very grateful to have a good mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship. . Thank You, Lord, for this gift of time! . - Amy