Living as a Victorious Christian Woman

October in Iowa means going from dramatic storms and flooding rains to 85 degrees and bright, beautiful sunshine in a matter of hours. This weather uncertainty led me to create a beautiful, flower- and bird-filled planner layout that will sparkle and shine regardless of what's happening outside! The bright colors of the flowers and 3D metallic edges on the birds practically make these images fly off the page. For this spread, I started with the largest flowers in the set as my anchor points and scattered them down each page. Then I went back and matched up each large bouquet with smaller blooms and added a sweet bird to each cluster. As you can see from the pictures, the birds practically glow in the light - I can't wait to see this spread for the next seven days. My prayer for this week is that our hearts will glow as brightly as these images in my planner. There may be a lot in the world that's evil and ugly, but the Holy Spirit living inside us can outshine it all when w...

There’s just something about fall flavors that makes you want to slow down and get cozy. Cinnamon, brown sugar, vanilla, and warm spices seem to belong together, whether they’re tucked into a fresh-from-the-oven cinnamon roll or turned into something sweet enough to share with friends. And while I love a good cinnamon roll, this month I decided to take those classic comfort-food flavors in a slightly different direction! Our monthly fudge series has been giving me an excuse to turn all kinds of favorite flavors into little squares of sweetness, and I couldn’t let fall pass without adding cinnamon roll fudge to the lineup. This recipe combines the familiar flavors of a gooey cinnamon roll with the rich, creamy texture of homemade fudge. It’s the kind of treat that feels right at home with a cup of coffee or cider on a crisp fall afternoon and, thankfully, you don’t have to wait for the weekend to make it! Before you start, mix 1 cup of sugar and 3 tablespoons of cinnamon to make a mix y...

If there's one thing about Jesus we can rely on, it's that He'll tell it like it is.  In Matthew 17, a father brings his demon-possessed son to the disciples for an exorcism, but they fail. Falling at Jesus' feet, the desperate father begs Him for mercy on his son's behalf. Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.  And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. Matthew 17:15-16 I often wonder about Jesus' tone of voice when He says certain things. While I certainly believe He never would have been disrespectful or short-tempered, I think we can agree that there were times when He was frustrated and concerned. Then Jesus answered and said,  O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. Matthew 17:17 The man is not an unbeliever, but Jesus tells him that his belief needs some work, some gr...

And suddenly it's the final quarter of the year. October always feels like I'm torn between trying to play catchup from the past 9 months and excited that fall and the holiday seasons are here. My planner layout for this week is both a tool to organize my thoughts and goals for the next few days, and a beautiful woodland scene full of mountains and trees and animals. It's definitely a draw to keep opening it and keep working in it. Each day of this weekly spread has a different small journal box, accented with a leaf or a feather. Then the box is paired with a mountain scene and an animal or phrase. I love these little vignettes, sweet and relaxing, designed to clear my mind and make me smile. And there's still plenty of room to write out my meetings and to-do lists, especially with the extra blocks - I'm planning on getting a lot accomplished! My prayer for this week is that we'll each find places of peace and tranquility, whether it's in the pages of our p...

Every year at the end of September, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources starts sending out the annual Color Watch Report. They divide the state into sections and give an update on what trees are changing color, what colors you might see, and how far into the autumn change they are. I'm sure from these photos you can tell what color Southern Iowa is right now - green! If you look very closely at these photos from around our house, you can clearly see multiple shades of green. Our area has apparently forgotten that fall is here and it's supposed to be morphing into beautiful hues of yellow, orange, and red. They missed the memo because of the differing amounts of rainfall over the past few weeks, and now they're going to have to play catchup in a big way. From ground level on our property, you can just begin to see a few hints of fall around the edges. One tree went yellow last week and has already dropped most of its leaves. We're not speaking to him any more. But t...

September is one of my favorite months of the year! The last weekend of September is when our community hosts the Pages for Pennies used book sale, and the proceeds go to support three local nonprofits. Even while sorting books, organizing the sale, working the sale, and cleaning up afterward, I still made time to read some pretty great books of my own! Dinner With King Tut by Sam Kean. One of my birthday books from Danny, this fascinating book explains how experiential archaeology is bringing the people and stories of the past into the forefront, not just the stuff being found in the ground. The author learns about everything from atlatls and trebuchets to how to tan hides and what insects make the best protein-packed meals. Along the way he weaves fictional accounts of what those discoveries might have looked like into the present-day accounts of the historians working to keep these everyday lives alive. The Witness and The Enchanted Barn by Grace Livingston Hill. I'd still readi...