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Song: Faithful Father

January 2018 issue

Written and produced by Amy Smith

 
 
Ladies! We need your input* for our next magazine issue! ⠀ ⠀ What are your tried-and-true entertaining/hospitality tips? ⠀ (They can be your own, passed down from family, or ones you've seen implemented elsewhere.)⠀ ⠀ Leave a comment! 🍽️🥂⠀ ⠀ ⠀ *by commenting with your brilliant idea(s) you are agreeing to allow us to publish your answer in the upcoming S&S magazine, along with your first name and last initial.
|| Friday Magnify ||⠀ ⠀ “Oh, magnify the LORD with me,⠀ And let us exalt His name together.” Psalm 34:3⠀ ⠀ I am so thankful for spiritual growth. I'm so thankful that God doesn't leave us in our fleshly condition but actively refines us, burning away the parts that don't bring Him glory, and molding us more into His likeness. ⠀ ⠀ He has been growing my husband and I in so many ways through the Perspectives class we are taking, leaving us in awe of our Lord and His heart for the world! I can't wait for the day when every tribe and tongue will worship Him together in unity. ⠀ ⠀ What are you thankful for this week? How can we magnify the Lord with you?⠀ ⠀ Natalya
Confession time. I love Valentine's Day. Everything from exchanging valentines to a romantic dinner with my love. (Things I do not love also happen to be V-day stereotypes, such as the color pink *shudder* and bouquets of flowers). But my most favorite thing about February 14th is the excuse to love on others. "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." 1 John 4:11 Love for others is something I want to instill in my boys while they are still young, and I love how easy it is to share God's love. Like Mother Teresa wisely stated, a simple sincere smile is so powerful! Love on your precious ones today, friend, but don't forget to extend the love of God to others outside of your circle. You never know who God might put in your path if you make yourself available to His leading! Natalya
{{From the Archive}}⠀ ⠀ I smudged my eyeliner one morning. Okay, I smudge it many mornings. Most mornings. But one morning, in an attempt to fix it, I gave myself a brown-black eyelid.⠀ ⠀ Instead of removing the smudge, I had smeared more eyeliner all over my lid. I stared at it in the mirror, a little confused. Then I realized I'd already used that end of the q-tip --whoops. ⠀ ⠀ It seems obvious, but sometimes it's not: you can't clean with something that's dirty. ⠀ ⠀ You can't bring peace to your household if your inner world is in angry turmoil. ⠀ ⠀ You can't lead your kids to demonstrate patience if you never slow down yourself. ⠀ ⠀ You can't love your husband well if you're always berating him in your head. ⠀ ⠀ You can't clean with something that's dirty. ⠀ ⠀ Take your shortcomings, and I'll take mine -- take them to Jesus and lay them at His feet. Put down the dirty q-tip and ask Him to clean it, clean your heart. Ask Him to renew you, make you more like Himself from the inside out. ⠀ ⠀ As He works on us and sanctifies us, we can live and give out of what we *actually* have as opposed to what we *think* or *wish* we had. We will be authentic, and bear legitimate fruit that glorifies Him. ⠀ ⠀ "'...first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.'" ⠀ (Matthew 23:26; read Matthew 23 for full context as Jesus talks to the scribes and Pharisees about hypocracy and true faith in Him.)⠀ ⠀ - Amy
“I know now, Lord, why you utter no answer. You are Yourself the answer. Before Your face questions die away. What other answer would suffice?”⠀ C.S. Lewis⠀ ⠀ The age old question of "Why?" The weeping and frustration at the silence. The realization that the Answer needs to give no response. The utter peace and reverence and awe that instantly overcomes anything else.⠀ ⠀ God is for you, mama. Not against you. Lean in to Him through His word! Gather your little ones around you and lead them in prayer, teach them to come before their God - they may not cooperate, I doubt they will, but you will be instilling in their little hearts the importance of prayer and worship.
Talking to kids is one of my favorite things to do. They are so cute, funny, and honest! The answers we received to this question were the sweetest, and it was such a fun article to include in the latest issue of Strength & Song. ⠀ ⠀ "This magazine is purposed to be a means of refreshment and encouragement as we read God's truths together and share each other's stories and testimonies. My prayer is that you are inspired to keep going, to trust God more; to find that He truly is in the everyday.⠀ ⠀ May you see that your motherhood is a beautiful gift from God." - excerpt from S&S's Vision.
Happy Monday, friends! Quick rundown of this week's email:⠀ ⠀ - Valentine's Day activities and resources (@focusonthefamily)⠀ - Creating a family mission statement (@amberlee_rich)⠀ - Sweet Valentine's Day thoughts from Natalya (pun intended, sorry 😉)⠀ ⠀ Check your Inboxes! If you're not on our list yet, sign up at www.strengthandsong.com for weekly encouragement. (In profile!)⠀ ⠀ Have a great start to the week!
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."⠀ Hebrews 13:8⠀ ⠀ Thank God! Have a restful Sabbath, friends. ❤️
I remember dreaming of having tons of kids running around my house. Growing up, I wanted ten - ten little munchkins filling my home with joy and chaos. Over the years, between then and now, I've had chances to cook and clean for many. Groups of fifteen, twenty, twenty-five, more. Chances to serve rooms full to the brim with children. I have loved it.⠀ ⠀ Yet sometime, once I had kids of my own, I started wondering, "Is this really it?" ⠀ ⠀ The cooking, the cleaning, the teaching, the cooking again, the cleaning again, the teaching...again. Is that really it? ⠀ ⠀ God has shown me so much more. ⠀ ⠀ Being content. Truly content, praising Him for what He has given me today. The things in front of me today. ⠀ ⠀ Contentment has often just been head-knowledge for me; I know I need it and I pray for it. But actually BEING content? Different story. ⠀ ⠀ Contentment is knowing the day will be just fine even when the kids are up at 5am. It’s remembering the desires you’ve had in the past - desires for good things - and knowing that if the Lord brings about those desires, so be it. In His timing, in His way. And if He doesn’t, so be it. You’re not missing out on anything by being faithful to Him.⠀ ⠀ Contentment is an incredibly beautiful, satisfying thing. It only comes from the Lord. And it is so, so worth pursuing. Ask Him to lead you to contentment today, friends. Seek Him and gain satisfaction from Him.⠀ ⠀ - Amy⠀ ⠀ P.S. This scene? One of the scenes I’ve always dreamt of. We may only ever have two sets of everything, or we may have the ten that I’ve hoped for. But truly, I am satisfied with either and anywhere in between. Thank God!
|| Friday Magnify || ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ “Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together.”⠀⠀ Psalm 34:3⠀ ⠀ Praise God for a glimpse of WARMTH! We had two warm days this week (50-60 degrees) and I am so grateful! ⠀ ⠀ We were able to spend some extra time outside, and the boys helped me wash the car. Obviously got more water on themselves than the car, but yanno. Win for everyone! 😉 ⠀ ⠀ Has anyone else gotten some warm weather? Especially after that ridiculously cold stretch (like -50 wind chill in the midwest, where did THAT come from?). ⠀ ⠀ Share your week's thanksgivings with us, we want to hear! ⠀ ⠀ - Amy