WLW- Chapters 16-18 Making Your Home a Haven

Have you ever thought about how much you set the tone for your home?
I desire greatly for our home to be a haven. My husband has a tiresome job and that job comes home with him every night. I want him to be able to relax once he is home. To put work aside as much as he can and just rest. In order for that to be possible I have to help make it happen.

In Courtney's book she shares about her homemaking and her struggles with it.  Lately I have felt overwhelmed with taking care of our home. The weekends of the past few months have not been restful to me. Instead I am checking off my to do list and barely making time for friends or doing other things I enjoy.
I love the encouragement and ideas Courtney offers in her book. She doesn't just offer ideas on how to keep your home tidy but how to fill your home with peace and love.

In the fall Courtney also shares a Making Your Home a Haven challenge on her blog. The past few years I have tried to participate in it. She has a challenge to light a candle in your home each day and to pray for peace in your home as you walk by that candle. I love to do this not only for that time in prayer but also it is something my husband loves to come home to. I usually have a few more candles lit and just some lamps turned on. He says he loves how cozy the home feels and it makes him so happy to be home.

My desire is for him to feel that way about our home constantly. I help set the atmosphere for the way our home will be. Through the Lord's help I pray that I make our home a peaceful haven.

WLW- Your Marriage

 Chapters 6 & 7 in Courtney's book are about marriage. I have been so encouraged by Courtney's wisdom and marriage advice she has shared on her blog over the years.

Celebrating our 8 year anniversary this past December

I remember when I found her blog, it was right at the end of the school year and once school was out I spent those first summer days reading through her blog.  After reading through her posts and watching her many videos my eyes were opened.  Courtney showed me what being a helper to my husband means and gave examples and ideas on how to pursue that.

Courtney offers ideas on how to show respect to your husband. This is something I didn't realize I needed to be better about so many years ago.  I know for myself I try to daily encourage and show respect to Chad by thanking him for all he does in his work. Owning our own business and starting a new one keeps him pretty busy and he is always being pulled in a thousand directions. I also know he is working hard to make some of our dreams and my desires possible. I want him to continually know I understand and am so grateful for all he does.
Don't think that I or we have this marriage stuff figured out! We are still learning, but the journey to where we are has been wonderful and I know it will continue this way as we commit to putting God first in our marriage and following him.

Do you need some encouragement for your marriage? Here is a link to Courtney's posts on marriage.

WLW book club - Chapter 5

Chapter 5 was probably the best part of the book for me. Courtney discusses a woman-to-woman mentoring ministry she started at her church.  When I read about this I was almost in tears (good tears).The ministries she tells about in her book are exactly what I have been desiring to start in our church hopefully, this might encourage other women to start or become more involved in women's ministries.

In the Fall of 2012 I started a women's ministry at our church called Mugs and Muffins. I really wanted it to be a time of hearing testimonies and words of encouragement from ladies in our church. The first event we had a decent turn out even though we scheduled it the same weekend that a large women's conference was in town. So I thought the second event would have a better turn out since all those ladies could now come but it ended up being about the same amount of women but thankfully different ladies. Then the last event this past fall well the attendance was terrible! At the last minute a church event was scheduled at the same time and many of the ladies who would have come to Mugs and Muffins ended up having to go to the other event.

I still have problems with thinking that its just something silly and I shouldn't pursue it anymore but then I remember how much I felt like the Lord was leading me to start this ministry and I don't want to give up just because of a few silly things.

I was so encouraged to read about the ministries and bible studies Courtney started. Courtney reminded me with 1 Timothy 4:12 to not let others discourage me.

WLW- Chapter 1

Walking with the King
Courtney always ends her blog posts and videos with her signature, Walk with the King!

How is my walk with the King? There are times when I can say my walk is great but many times I know I fail at carving out time to be fully devoted to my King. In this chapter Courtney talks about slowing down and taking the time to hear from God as well as spend time with him.

I need to strive each day to slow down and walk with my King.
How will I do this? I know I need to get up earlier and start my day with him. Lately I haven't been so great about this. I do a quick read through from a devotional book and a short prayer and that's it for the day. I desire to dive into the word and have a meaningful prayer time each day. This will be tough for me but I will pray for God to help me rise each morning  and start the day with him. I also need to make time each day to hear from God and find rest in him. That can be hard because once I'm at school and as soon as I get home I just start going and don't stop and then I don't take the time to listen for God.

Do you have any tips on how you walk with the King?
Check out Courtney's post on chapter 1

Women Living Well book club

Well hello again! It's been awhile but I'm hoping to keep this blog going. In my last few posts I discussed a book I had the privilege of helping launch!!

 

Courtney's book gave me such encouragement and new insight and I hope it does the same for you. Over the next 8 weeks Courtney will be leading a book club study through her book. I hope you'll join me as I discuss the chapters here. Join Courtney on her blog also.

A free companion study guide is also being offered to use as you go through the book. Check it out here.http://womenlivingwell.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/WLW_CompanionGuide.pdf

Grab the book and join us each week!

Women Living Well- Who will you listen to?

In the first section of the book Courtney opens with asking this question. Recently I have felt bombarded by all the information I receive; blog posts, twitters, photos, facebook etc... I enjoy checking all these things out, but do I enjoy receiving this worldly information as much as I enjoy receiving wisdom from God?

I makes me stop and think about the amount of time I spend in the word. I need to take the time to devote more time in the word than in the world.
Psalm 4:21 "As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God."
I love how in chapter 2 Courtney addresses making the time for a quiet time with God each day. She gives some great practical tips you can put to use to help you get in the habit of having this time each day.

One thing I really admired that Courtney does is keeping a bible on the kitchen table. She models this after her own mother. What a great thing for my own children to see one day. God's word always being available to read and showing my children how important it is to take the time to be in God's word.

I hope this has encouraged you to think of how you are spending your time.

Pre-order Courtney's book here.

Check out her website for more information.

* I received a free copy of Courtney's book to share my personal thoughts and reviews of this book.