Thoughts, Stories, Homeschool Tips, and Hymns/Poems to Encourage You
BROWSE ARTICLES
Thoughts: Short Drops of Encouragement
Let Those Cares Go! Cares come in all sorts of different sizes and shapes. We can be careful about all the things we need to do, careful about what we’ve said or done, careful about other people, careful about our health–we seem to attract cares like a magnet! At the time, the cares on our shoulder seem heavier than anything else in the entire world could possibly be. Getting It Right I wanted to be the best assistant I could be. I wanted to be helpful. I wanted to have the right words to say. I wanted to get it right! I had fallen into a dangerous trap–and I was carrying burdens I didn’t need to bear. He’s Orchestrating Each Detail It always amazes how beautifully all the different sounds of a nicely put together orchestra fit together. If an individual tone of the orchestration were isolated by itself, it would often seem harsh or unnecessary. Yet when mixed together by a skillful composer, the individual notes and sounds become music. Like a master composer, God knows just how to orchestrate our days much better than we do. View more thoughts by browsing our past newsletters (each newsletter contains a thought), and sign up to have these free e-newsletters sent to you each month !
Stories: Short Read-Aloud Stories with a Message
The Folly of Carrying Cares Bridget had a problem–a problem that kept getting bigger and bigger. All day long, she kept getting packages called CARES handed to her. The CARES came in all sorts of shapes and sizes and from all different sources. And, rather than handing each new package to her father, who kept offering to carry them for her, Bridget insisted on carrying them herself. After all, it was part of being responsible, wasn’t it? Nothing Can Separate From her bedroom window, Rebecca eyed the children playing in the snow enviously. How she longed to play with them! “Now, Rebecca,” she remembered her father telling her that morning. “You can’t play in the snow today.” The Joy of Trusting Brittany loved to play her violin. She used to spend hours upon end playing song after song. The part she loved most was practicing with her father. He would adjust her bow or fix her form. In his presence, the notes she played became beautiful music. We’ve extracted some more of our monthly short stories and compiled them on a page for you. Enjoy! View more stories by browsing our past newsletters (each newsletter contains a story), and sign up to short stories sent to you!
[optin-cat id=5797]
Homeschool Tips: Encouragement for Homeschool Moms
Playing to One Audience Have you ever felt like you couldn’t please anyone no matter how hard you were trying to please everyone? Or have you ever worked hard to make someone happy and failed? Just making dinner at my house can be a challenge if I’m trying to please my family’s varying tastes. You simply can’t please everyone all the time. And sometimes you can’t please anyone! Rather than experiencing the joy of being a servant, you end up frustrated, feeling like a failure. A Dry Perspective Ever have days where it seems that miscommunications abound? Someone says something and you take it totally wrong. Or you say something and you can tell the person doesn’t understand what you mean. Communication is important–especially communication to our children. And we often forget communication is more than words. Homeschooling is an opportunity to minute by minute communicate God’s love to your children, and problems can really mount if we have “dry” perspective–a perspective not watered by God’s Word. View more homeschool tips.
Hymns/Poems: Encouragement from Poems and Music
Day by Day – By Karolina W. Sandell-Berg and translated by Andrew L. Skoog. Day by day, and with each passing moment, Strength I find, to meet my trials here; Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment, I’ve no cause for worry or for fear. Father! I Know – Author unlisted Father! I know that all my life Is portioned out for me; The changes that will surely come I do not fear to see; I ask thee for a present mind, Intent on pleasing thee. View more hymns/poems by browsing our past newsletters.
View Past Newsletters
Selected newsletters are arranged by date below. Newsletters contain an update, thought, story, homeschool tip, and hymn/poem–read it all or just scan for the items of interest to you.
While we no longer send out newsletters, we do still send out short stories and other information! You can subscribe below.
[optin-cat id=5797]
- No Way Out (September 10, 2015)
- Lost in the Darkness (June 6, 2015)
- A Bank, Cop, and Drop-Off (or Believe Whatever You Want, But…) (May 20, 2015)
- I Forgot (March 23, 2015)
- Taking Steps (January 5, 2015)
- Refusing Treatment & More (September 4, 2014)
- Worry, Rest, & Rivers (June 27, 2014)
- Failures, Burdens, & Fears (June 2, 2014)
- When the Race Drags On/Stuck in the Jungle (April 4, 2014)
- Thoughts Matter (January 13, 2014)
- When Things Get Tough (November 26, 2013)
- Resting (November 6, 2013)
- Checking the Box (September 20, 2013)
- Thoughts from a Concussion/Not Made to Worry (July 8, 2013)
- Needed Everyday/Job Usurping (March 4, 2013)
- Hidden Bows/Misguided Peace (February 11, 2013)
- Listening (November 28, 2012)
- Eternal Purpose (November 5, 2012)
- Self-Pity/Contentment/New School Year Challenge (September 10, 2012)
- Thirst, Sleep, and Spiritual Warfare (August 6, 2012)
- Perspectives (June 26, 2012)
- Waiting (March 5, 2012)
- Thoughts on Truth (November 23, 2011)
- Letting the Fear Go (August 23, 2011)
- Living in Praise/Ignoring the Manual (April 16, 2011)
- With a Whole Heart/Just Do Your Part (February 28, 2011)
- Thoughts/Worries/Fears (January 31, 2011)
- Listening/Fall Colors (November 2, 2010)
- Getting It Right/A Different Kind of Mission/It’s Time (July 31, 2010)
- Spring Reflections/Living As a Son (April 8, 2010)
- February 2010 (Living in God’s Love)
- January 2010 (Lifting Our Eyes/Setting Goals)
- November 2009 (Casting Our Cares)
- September 2009 (Test the Spirits/Guard the Gate)
- August 2009 (Marching Around Jericho/Each Small Part)
- July 2009 (The Shield of Faith/Grounding in God’s Word)
- May 2009 (Keeping Our Eyes on the Goal!)
- March 2009 (Dealing with What’s Deep Down/”Stuck” in the Basement)
- February 2009 (Gratitude)
- January 2009 (Getting Real/Overwhelmed/Wasting Time)
- December 2008 (The Incredible Gift of God’s Word/Hiding God’s Word in Our Hearts)
- November 2008 (Choosing to Give Thanks/Being Different)
- October 2008 (Keeping Perspective/Character Training)
- September 2008 (Finding Strenght/Asking Why, Part 2)
- August 2008 (Remember/Asking Why)
- July 2008 (A New Creation/Dealing with the Piles)
- May/June 2008 (God Is Orchestrating Each Detail/The Joy of Trusting)
- April 2008 (Getting it Right/Playing to One Audience)
- March 2008 (Dried Out)
- February 2008 (Unconditional Love)
- January 2008 (Surviving or Thriving)
- December 2007 (Hope)
- November 2007 (Thanksgiving/Cherishing God and His Word)
- October 2007 (Distractions)
- September 2007 (Delighting Instead of Wishing)
- August 2007 (Sitting at His Feet/The Most Important Thing/Serving the Lord)
- July 2007 (Living in Freedom/Rejoicing in His Care/Using Your Map)
- June 2007 (No Excuses/Delighting/Perfect in Christ)
- May 2007 (Being Transformed Not Conformed)
- April 2007 (Easter Reflections/Knowing God Is in Charge)
- March 2007 (Rejoicing Where God Has Us)
- February 2007 (Blessings in Disguise )
- January 2007 (Our Continual Need for God)
- December 2006 (Christmas Reflections/Have To .vs. Get To)
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- May/June 2006
- April 2006
- February 2006
- January 2006
- November 2005
- October 2005
- September 2005
- August 2005
- July 2005
- June 2005
- May 2005
- April 2005
- March 2005
- January/February 2005
- December 2004
- November 2004
- October 2004
- August/September 2004
- July 2004
- June 2004
- April/May 2004
- March 2004
- February 2004