Do your lips ever start to move in prayer, only for you to hesitate because you feel like you can't articulate it all? I feel that way so much of the time! Thankfully, Romans 8:26-27 reminds us of a promising truth: In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints … [Read more...]
The Fight To Get Better Sleep At Night (6 Things That Are Helping Me!)
Sleep is super important to me. For real! I'm convinced that although there are recommendations out there for the number of hours you should get (ahem - 8? 7? 6?), some people just naturally need more or less than others. :) Unfortunately - or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, I'm one of those people who just plain needs those 8 to 8-and-a-half hours of sleep a night. My Sleep Story This natural need of mine (to not stay up too late, to sleep well, and to sleep long … [Read more...]
How You Can Thrive During a Season of Waiting
We don't like to wait. I've heard that, specifically, Americans don't like to wait! This is something my husband and I even noticed about ourselves while traveling in Europe this summer! Our human attitude is to fix the wait, not to accept it. A long line? Let's see if there's a way to expedite it. A lengthy subway ride? Perhaps next time we'll try out all kinds of shortcuts to make it more efficient. Bjorn and I have talked about this with some of my relatives, too, who have traveled … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Pray Intentionally This New Season
I love the quote that our prayer life is like a constant conversation with God. We as His creation have this immense privilege to approach the throne of our Creator with not only our praise, but also with our requests and concerns! It blows my mind. The fact that God is intimately involved in our lives brings us purpose and direction...and hope! As we approach this new season of spring and soon, summer (can you believe it's May already?!), I find myself thinking about all that God taught … [Read more...]
5 Things That Have Helped My Faith Walk Lately (+ a giveaway!)
Seasons are at the core of what life is, because so much of our daily lives are affected by the coming or going of a particular event or transition. What season are you in right now? The college season? The married but before kids season? The singleness season? The graduate school season? A season of joy? Or a season of frustration? Our faith journeys are like that, too. As much as we may wish for consistency in our emotions and circumstances, the uncertainties of life tend to tug at our … [Read more...]
Releasing My Fears To God // A Prayer
I'm keeping today's post rather short and to the point. :) There are some situations in life where we feel we don't have a lot of choice, or control, or even energy to deal with our circumstances. That feeling has been heavy on my heart lately - and in all honesty, I have been trying to do it on my own…trying to satisfy my nerves with my own logic and reasoning and strength and competence. But lo and behold, I so often fall short and then suffer from added disappointment from my … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Infuse Respect Into Your Marriage
Someone recently told me that they appreciate how I consistently build Bjorn up on the blog and how I show him respect. I was absolutely touched to read this. I wanted respecting Bjorn to be an attitude that authentically came through on this blog but I wasn't sure how it was coming through. I respect my husband very much, and although any marriage has its tense moments or tired-late-at-night-conversations, I know he feels that respect from me. Today, I wanted to focus specifically on how we, … [Read more...]
Praying 1 Corinthians For Your Marriage
It's so nice to have some wedding gifts that can be displayed in the house - this way, they bring us warm happy thoughts year round! Bjorn and I have a beautiful wooden board from a friend with words from 1 Corinthians 13 printed on it: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, … [Read more...]