Living as a Victorious Christian Woman

As we wrap up 2025 tonight, let's take a few moments to review and reflect on the year. If you don't already have one started, I would prayerfully recommend you start a journal today, one that will begin with your last moments of this year and be filled with God's blessings in the year to come. I'll wait while you go get your journal... Great! Now, what to write in it? A blank page, let alone an entire journal, can be incredibly daunting.  Below you'll find 50 journal prompts to close out the year and move you forward into the new one. My prayer for you over the next 24 hours - and the 365 days to come - is that this journal will be a place to strengthen your walk with the Lord, keep track of His many blessings, and prayers for your life and those you love. Happy New Year, my friends. Where did I see God’s faithfulness most clearly this past year? What prayers were answered in ways I didn’t expect? Where did I struggle to trust God, and why? What spiritual habits st...

As we prepare for the new year this week, there's no better place to go than Scripture. Thinking about new things from God's point of view helps us look forward to the future and the blessings He has in store for us. Here are just a few Scripture to meditate on as the year winds down. Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 And what can you do with these Scriptures? Right-click on any of the Scripture pictures here and on this blog under the Scripture label, and you can save them for your own use. Use them as backgrounds on your phone, as your computer wallpaper, or print them and make them part of your daily devotions. C...

Hello, 2026! There's something different about turning the planner page from December to January than any other turn of the year. It's more special in a symbolic kind of way. And I'm ready for it! With plans and goals and the future all in writing, it's time to go into the new year with joy and hope. That's why my month spread for January is all metallics and motivation. This is where I keep track of my blog post ideas, so it's one I refer back to all month. I pulled together a couple of different January-themed sticker sets and did a random drop all over the pages. I love the winter color scheme, too, and I can't wait to see this spread after the pen. I'm doing something completely different on my weekly spreads for the month of January. I dug back through my Illustrated Faith Print + Pray collection and chose a few sets to decorate with. I started this first week with the Becca Bonneville set Refocus My Heart.  This set really a struck a chord with me,...

Brown may not be your favorite color (it's definitely not mine), but December is still looking pretty dramatic with no snow. Here in Southeast Iowa we've only had a few inches of snow all winter, and there's only a thin sheet of ice left on the ponds.  The wildflower field looks exactly the same in shape and size, just without the riotous colors. And my favorite tree survived some brutal autumn winds and is still standing strong. Our maiden grass patch by the barn always looks lovely this time of year. It starts out with new green shoots every spring, mixing in with the golden brown already there, but they'll soon match and stay fall-themed for the rest of the year. Praise the Lord we don't have to go out and rake the property! With dozens of acres of trees, we'd be out there until spring...no thank you. They do make for some great, crunchy walks, and the puppies are always looking to see if anything's burrowed into the piles that they can roust and chase. W...

When I'm decorating our storefront windows, I'm working from the back. I know what I think I'm creating, but I have to jump out of the window repeatedly, go around and outside, and look at it from the sidewalk. That change of perspective helps me see the gaps in my display and how I need to move things around to help it look more put-together. From inside the window, all you can see is that back of a hoodie and the nakedness of two trees. From back here, you'd think I hadn't done anything. It looks more like a work in progress than something beautiful I want to share  with the community. But from outside on the front porch, it's a snowy winter wonderland. The trees are lovely and decorated, the hoodie has our town name emblazoned across the front, and all the lights are twinkling brightly. This view, this angle, is what I had pictured in my  mind. The back side, the working side, was all I could see in the process, but the front was the view I was working toward...

God brought His Son into the world in a humble place, to humble parents, with humble beginnings.  Jesus didn't come to impress, to dominate, or to force belief on people. Jesus entered quietly. Imagine the world Mary and Joseph brought Jesus into that Christmas Eve. They were dealing with cold, exhaustion, crowds, stress, and the pain of being overlooked. Jesus didn't just preach humility. He lived it. His earthly parents carried hope in their hearts as they followed God's call on their lives with complete and unhesitatingly obedience. They lived in a small town. Everyone knew their names and their story. Mary was pregnant, unmarried, and people were probably already whispering. Now a decree forced her to leave. Not later, not when it’s easier, but now. She packed only what she could carry. She didn't know where she'd sleep. She didn't know who would believe her. But God told her to go. Every step hurt. The road was rocky and uneven. The couple moved slowl...

Please take your brother's leg out of your mouth. Stop yelling. Stop yelling! STOP YELLING! Don't rip the toy, just play with it. He doesn't want you in his face, Bubba. No, I'm not a chew toy! Do you want me to carry you down the stairs? Nope? Ok. Please don't fall... You can dig outside in the snow, but not inside in the carpet. If you destroy the squeaky toy, you can't have it back. That's your brother's ____ - please let him have it! Yes, you're adorable, but giving me the eyes won't help right now. You can't have my coffee. Caffeine is the last thing you need. Do you have an off button? We all need naps. Please don't lick the furniture. How can you be tiny and a bottomless pit? I love you so much. Can you lay down and relax now? Please?

It was just sitting there in the deep-freeze. Waiting. I'd honestly forgotten that this lovely beef tri tip was there. So imagine my excitement to find it, sear it, and cover it in the most wonderful pan sauce ever. The treatment this beautiful cut of meat deserves. At the risk of sounding like a romance novel set in the kitchen, the best cuts of meat need special treatment. I think you'll agree that the sear-and-sauce method brings out all the meaty flavors of the tri tip and pairs perfectly with whatever sides you choose. Ingredients:  Olive oil 20oz tri tip roast Steak seasoning 1 orange 3 Tbsp honey 1 Tbsp minced garlic Chicken stock 1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, then reduce the temperature slightly. Coat the tri tip with your favorite steak seasoning and deeply sear it on all its sides. Remove from the skillet. 2. Scrape the bits from the bottom of the skillet and add the orange juice, honey, garlic, and just enough chicken stock to cover ...

My November reading was a little slower than the previous month, but that's ok. I read some really great books - and one I ended up skimming - so it was a great stack to share with you. I'll start with the not-so-great one. My nonprofit is run by a Board of Directors, so Creating Caring and Capable Boards sounded great. It's full of great information about reminding your Board how important being a trustee with passion and purpose is, I just wish it hadn't been so dry. A lot of what nonprofits do is mundane though necessary, so a book that puts some life into would have been nice. My two history books this month were amazing. Washington and Hamilton by Stephen F. Knott and Tony Williams wove the two founding fathers' stories into one exciting narrative that shared more details than I'd ever known. Their working relationship, mentorship, eventual friendship, and the building and rebuilding necessary between them so they could build and rebuild a nation and govern...

Welcome to the first day of the Advent season! It's time to celebrate our coming King and enjoy a month of love, hope, peace, and joy in every way possible. Thank you, God, for Your unspeakable gift! The planner that I'm using this year has a monthly planner layout followed by four weekly spreads. For December, I did a random scatter of tiny images and phrases that coordinate across both pages. There's a few pieces of this gorgeous Christmas tree washi tape, too, with some pink and blue thrown in there for good measure. And that little row of holiday houses just makes me smile. The smaller stickers are perfect for these small boxes, and they leave plenty of room for me to keep track of my blog posts there. This is a great use for the little stickers left from larger sets, as they'll combine really well over a large space. We had our first snow of the year this weekend, so my planner layout is a tribute to how beautiful it is outside right now. And praise that it was onl...

My entire focus at work every day is local businesses. Our job at the convention and visitors bureau is to bring in people from outside the community to shop in our stores, eat in our restaurants, and visit our attractions. We're a huge part of the economic impact in our county, and it's our pleasure to do everything in our power to get people here.  And if it wasn't for our local businesses, we'd have nothing new and different to offer those visitors. Hopefully you're not going to the same chain restaurants when you travel that you go to when you're at home. Hopefully you're trying some local restaurants with menus and specials you can't get anywhere else. Hopefully the same goes for stores and shops you won't find at home, especially this time of year when you're shopping for the people on your Christmas list. Whether you're out and about at home or traveling  today, Small Business Saturday is the perfect opportunity to look local first. Be...

Do you ever have times when you just want peace and quiet and an opportunity to lift others up? As a beautiful fall day ended on our quiet property, I thought long and hard about the noise and chaos that is happening elsewhere.  The world is filled with pain and suffering and so much worry. There is fear and evil and many things to be concerned about. If you've experienced hard times and days full of trouble, it's guaranteed that everyone else you meet every day has (or is) too.  Jesus didn't promise a life without trouble for those who would follow Him, but He did promise salvation, eternity with Him, and peace and support while we're here on earth. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. Romans 14:19 When we're given the peace of God which passes all understanding, we're given the tools we need to edify each other. His peace calms us down and lifts us up at the same time - what an interesting j...

In 1789, Congress passed a resolution requesting President George Washington declare a formal Thanksgiving Day for America. Washington chose Thursday, November 26, 1789, as this national day of thanks. And how much the new country had to be thankful for in those days. In his proclamation, Washington began in the first sentence  of the first paragraph that this thanksgiving was to go one place: to the Lord God  Almighty. Gratitude for His blessings was the whole purpose of the day. His heart was in sharing his Lord with the people of his country. "By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation. Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor-- and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by ac...

This is the perfect weather for two of my new favorite warm, thick, yummy dishes. Between a hearty beef stew and tuna casserole-turned-soup, you'll have a week's worth of cold-weather goodness.  These two meals use very similar ingredients with two completely different tastes and smiles. And what's even better, you probably have everything you need in your pantry and refrigerator right now.  Comfort food doesn't get any better than that. Beef Stew Ingredients: Olive oil 2lbs beef stew meat 1/2 cup onion, diced 3 Tbsp garlic, minced 3-4 cups chicken stock 1 envelope onion soup mix 3 Tbsp tomato sauce 1/2 bag sliced carrots 2 cups frozen broccoli 1. In a large pot, heat 3 Tbsp olive oil. Add the beef and brown completely, 6-7 minutes. 2. Add the onion and garlic and sauté together with beef for 3-4 minutes. 3. Add chicken stock, onion soup mix, and tomato sauce. Stir well and heat through. 4. Add in the carrots and bring to a boil. 5. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer on low...

I could not be more grateful for all God's blessings since the last Thanksgiving week. Blessed beyond measure may sound like a cliche, but if we were completely honest, we've all seen far more good this year than not. When our hearts are grateful, our lives and our days are full. For this week's planner layout, I raided my entire collection of stickers and washi tapes and threw them all on the page! I had way more Thanksgiving and fall-themed bits and pieces than I realized, and I would wager that you do, too. Go check. I'll wait. The washi tape became the bottom of each day's box and the banners across the top - I mean, who can resist a border that says gobble, gobble, gobble? Not me. Then I clustered phrase banners, smaller word stickers, and lots of adorable leaves and pumpkins all across the spread. Honestly, my favorite is Life's short, eat dessert first! This was a common phrase in our house when I was growing up, one that remains to this day. This week, D...

When I asked Danny what special dessert he wanted for his birthday earlier this month, he knew exactly and immediately. Not cake, not ice cream, not cupcakes. Nothing traditional. He wanted blueberry cheesecake cookies. Can you blame him? Just that three-word combination conjures up ideas of fluffy, yummy, scrumptious cookie-ness. And with just a little prep and a few minutes to put the dough together, you'll have them ready to devour in no time at all. Sounds like a birthday dessert to me! Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened 8oz cream cheese, room temperature 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 2 tsp vanilla 2 7oz boxes blueberry muffin mix 1 1/2 cups flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 cup white chocolate chips 1. Allow butter and cream cheese to come to room temperature, about 4-5 hours. 2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. 3. In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream butter and cream cheese until completely blended. 4. Add sugar and mix compl...