Motherhood is a high and holy calling. Shaping little hearts and minds into followers of Christ is no small task. There is daily monotony contrasted with soaring joy as our children grow and learn. But somewhere in the midst of the teaching, snuggling, wiping and loving, we as moms can lose a bit of who God created us to be. We are all uniquely created in the image of our Creator, who is the most creative of all! Is it any wonder that he has put some of His creative curiosity and talents within all of us? 

But how do we live out this passion to create when we can barely come up with a meal plan every week? How do we find space to clear our minds enough to put pen to paper or paint to canvas, when we can’t even find space to sit on our couch for all the laundry that has piled up? Wendy Speake and Kelly Stuart address these dilemmas and many more in their book Life Creative: Inspiration for Today’s Renaissance Mom. They call this movement that they are inspiring a renaissance because historically, a renaissance man (or MOM in this case) is knowledgeable, educated, interested and/or proficient in a wide range of subjects. And while that may sound like a lofty call to “be all and do all” (which we all know is impossible), the idea is more that there is a time for everything and that we don’t have to choose between the high calling of motherhood and the God-given talents deep within our souls.

Through their book, Wendy and Kelli highlight the stories of many moms who have found the balance of motherhood and living out their creative dreams. Many people whom I have long admired are featured in the pages of Life Creative: Myquillin Smith (The Nester), Angie Smith (author), Lisa Leonard (jewelry designer) and quite a few others. All of their stories are inspiring and have one thing in common— they stopped making excuses and started seeking God for a way to use their creativity for his Kingdom. Additionally, in this book you will learn:

So what creativity is lurking in your heart? Behind the cracker crumbs and crusty juice cups, what gets your blood pumping? What do you stay up pinning on pinterest late at night? And how can you use these passions to glorify God? Sometimes, glorifying God means freeing ourselves creatively so that we can be a better wife and mother to our family. It doesn’t have to be a big multimedia plan, with worldwide distribution. In fact, most of the women mentioned in this book have made the greatest differences to those who matter the most, closest to home.  So if you’ve ever struggled with the desire to be creative in the midst of a busy motherhood season, this book could be just the kickstart you need to begin living in the fullness Christ has given you. I highly recommend this book!

I'd like to thank Litfuse for this complimentary copy! All the thoughts and opinions of this book are my own-- it really is great! 

A full review of this book is coming up soon but I just had to put this out there as soon as possible: there is an amazing giveaway for the Life Creative book going on right now until October 27. If you're wondering if this book might be for you, just read a little further. I know this book grabbed me from the moment I read the cover copy!

 

What is in a name? A lot, actually. For centuries, a person’s name has held deep meaning. Whether it is a family name passed down though generations or a name that is earned through bravery and valor, names can tell us a lot about a person. God has revealed himself through his Word in many different ways, and one of my favorite ways to get to know God better is through studying his names. God gives himself a multitude of monikers throughout scripture, each revealing a unique truth about the core of his being. I even have a notebook that I keep with me when I study— in it, I write down every name of God I encounter in scripture. That is the main reason why Sheryl Geisbrecht’s book “Experiencing God Through His Names” really piqued my interest.

Experiencing God Through His Names is written in a 31-day devotional format.  Each day is one to two pages that focuses on one specific name of God. A few of these names include Adonai, Father, El Bethel. Each day includes a personal story from the author that connect to each name of God, as well as instances in Scripture where this name is used. Some of the names also go deeper in studying the Greek or Hebrew meaning.

I have found this book to be extremely helpful in my praises and petitions before the Father. I pray these names back to him (You are Father, You are my Adonai, etc..) and have found a deeper connection to each of those aspects of who God is in my life. Overall, this is a great little book. It can be used as a devotional book, a reference book or a quick bedside read. Regardless of the manner in which you consume this book, it will no doubt leave an impact on the way you view God. The only complaints I have about this book would be technical- I felt that the book needed some stronger editing to stay consistent in prose (and punctuation/capitalization) and concise in content. But the overarching truths of this book still ring out loud and clear.

I received this book for free from Litfuse but chose to review it of my own accord. All opinions are my own! 

Have you ever felt that as a woman who takes on many roles, you are sometimes just drowning in a surplus of tasks, needs, demands and wants? From the many hats we wear as mother, wife, grandmother, sister, friend, counselor, co-worker, etc. every part of life can whisk us away and carry us downstream if we are not intentional. Some days, the overwhelming task of being entrusted with the raising and training of my two little ones can seem a bit daunting. I am way less than intentional— I’m just trying to survive! But as Melissa Spoelstra says in this great book Total Family Makeover, God calls us to be the key disciple-makers in our children’s lives and disciples are made, not born. Because parenting is such a deeply personal matter, nearly every sentence of this book resonated with me on a personal level. Melissa gently but firmly reminds us that we cannot use the behavior of our children to be our parenting measuring rod. In other words, we need to "shift our focus from our children’s behavior to the joy-filled adventure of teaching them what it means to follow Jesus.” The rest of the book focuses on eight practical steps to make disciples at home. Each of the eight steps revolves around a basic spiritual discipline or practice that we want our children to embrace in their walk with God— both now and after they leave home. These eight steps are:

As much as I love the break down of these eight practices, the way each chapter is explained is truly where the rubber meets the road. Each of the practices begins with Modeling, or looking at the example Jesus set for us in each area. Within this section are extra boxes of practical information, ways to incorporate this into your own family. The section on Modeling is followed by Training, which is equally chock-full of ways to implement each spiritual discipline into your family. 

Melissa writes with a familiarity to family life. Even though we’ve never met, through her writing, I feel like she has been a fly on the wall in my living room. More likely, its the Holy Spirit-inspired words of this book that speak so true to the heart of what every family needs— a makeover from the inside out, an intentionality in making disciples, and a plan of how to do that. 

This book would be a great study to work through as a small group, church, or group of friends. Each chapter concludes with Group Discussion Questions, Extra study for getting into God’s Word and ways that you can dig deeper on the given topic. I feel like this book would be great for children of all ages. There are suggestions for all age ranges, and everything can be tailored to suit your child’s age. I cannot wait to get started on implementing the practices in this book and continuing to intentionally make disciples of the precious little lives God has entrusted me with. 

And now.... for the Giveaway part!!!!! Only one more day to enter!!!!