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Do you have children in your life? My children are now grown but I have grandchildren. I’m always thinking of ways to gently impact my grands for the Lord, adding to the teaching and guidance of their parents. Kids are amazing, taking in so much information around them every day. There is more of that external influence on them today than when I was a child, and much of it we don’t want them to know. I’ll bet you’ve noticed that too. Well, I’ve discovered a source of good information for those young minds and I want to share it with you.

Recently, I was introduced to a children’s devotional written by fellow blogger and author, Susanne Maynes. A few years ago I reviewed her devotional book Unleashing Your Courageous Compassion, a 40-day devotional especially for women who work in life-affirming ministries such as pregnancy centers.

Now Susanne has written and published a 40-day devotional workbook geared for children ages 8-12 years. Releasing Your Brave Love: Helping Kids to Change Their World builds from the ground up to do just what the title says: help kids to change their world. But first, they must understand why they and their world need changing. Here is life-influencing information we want our children to have!

Susanne Maynes, like a master builder, starts her devotional for children at the foundation level: God created you in his Image. Every person has worth and value because of that. Humans are a unique creation of God and Susanne slowly builds the walls of biblical truth, using Scripture, one brick of truth at a time in each of her daily two-page lessons.

Susanne starts with the foundational truths and as she builds on them she works her way to the crucial matter of children putting God’s truth into action in their lives. She brings up numerous everyday examples where a child can enact God’s way to bring change to his or her world. Knowing truth doesn’t help us or others if it isn’t acted upon and the author gently leads the way to the practical application of God’s word.

Susanne enhances the learning process by asking thoughtful questions creating teaching points parents can expand upon as they discuss the issues with their child. In this devotional, parents have been given a tool to use as they disciple their child. Since discipling our children is a tremendous responsibility for every parent, each tool is an asset!

There is much to appreciate and applaud in Susanne Maynes’ devotional for children, Releasing Your Brave Love. I highly recommend it for parents of children ages 8-12 years. I purchased one for my 8-year-old granddaughter and look forward to her working through it with her parents or even us, her grandparents.

Releasing Your Brave Love may be purchased online here. I encourage you to take a look at Releasing Your Brave Love for your 8-12 year old child, relative, or friend.

Wednesday, January 30th, is the day I’ve been counting down to for the past several weeks! This is the day my new book, Brokenness to Beauty Bible Study: Going Deeper to the Source of Transforming Your Brokenness to Beauty is ready to be introduced to the world.

Though Brokenness to Beauty Bible Study has been for sale online for about a month, I waited for this month to advertise it because December is an extra busy month for most of us (remember Christmas?).

One reviewer said of the Brokenness to Beauty Bible Study, “This ten week Bible study starts with a review of our own personal journey and helps each see how God is moving us onto a deeper relationship with Him ” (C.Reinoehl).

Another wrote these words about the Bible study, “She partners scripture to her teaching throughout the lessons and shares how the love and hope of Jesus brings healing to our broken and hurting places. Her validation of our stories and the truth of the healing power of Jesus, makes this a powerful Bible study” (Lynn Donovan, Author of Winning Him Without Words and Not Alone).

If you’d like to take a look at the Brokenness to Beauty Bible Study, you can go here to read more from inside the book or here to my website where I offer the paperback version of Brokenness to Beauty Bible Study and my book, Brokenness to Beauty for sale at discounted prices.

If you are an ebook reader, whether Kindle or Nook or another ebook form, you can get either one of my books in digital form for only 99 cents each at major online retailers.

Why is it important to introduce this Bible study to the world? I wrote it with the prayer that God will use it in people’s lives to help grow them stronger in Christ. One friend emailed me and said, “Jacque, you have hit a home run with that Bible study! … Writing a book is no mean feat, but writing a deep, life-changing Bible study to go with it is monumental!”

Life change. That’s what Bible study is all about. It is what we all need and should experience as we put into practice what we study in the Bible. This is my prayer and goal for the Brokenness to Beauty Bible Study, life change because Christians are growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as a result of using the study.

Will you help me achieve this goal? Pick up your copies of Brokenness to Beauty and Brokenness to Beauty Bible Study today. Start a Bible study with your friends!

The following is a reblogged post by Debbie W. Wilson. I thought it was so good I wanted to share it with you. You can read it here or go directly to Debbie’s website at
Debbie W. Wilson. Enjoy!

The last days of 2018 sped by like the final squares on a roll of toilet paper. In considering the New Year, my prayer is that I’ll manage my life instead of arbitrary influences controlling me. After the holidays, I have lots of things that need to be corralled—including sweets, spending, and schedules!

To read more click here:

The post Make 2019 Your Best Year Yet appeared first on Debbie W. Wilson.

This is the time of year when the daylight hours are fewer and the night darkness longer, at least for those of us in the northern hemisphere. So we put on our house lights sooner in the afternoon and leave them on later in the morning so we can see to do what we need to do.

In my house, the day after Thanksgiving signals the time to start pulling out the Christmas decorations. My favorite is the lights. Randy prefers the multicolored mini-lights over than the white lights so that is what we use to decorate with. He even strung them on our patio, which makes it festive and cheerful all year round.

This year he surprised me by designing a large five-point start on our front porch, with swags of lights running across the front of the porch. All who drive by can see our declaration that we believe in the Star of Bethlehem and the Christ whose birth we profess to celebrate.

When I get up in the early morning darkness now, I like to plug in the lights on our tiny tree and on the garland draped on the eight-foot tall, wide entryway from the living room into the dining room. I enjoy sitting in their soft glow, cup of coffee in hand.

Lights, whether white lights or multi-colored mini-lights, can bring us joy at this season. Lights bring us crucial assistance all year round, lighting the darkness.

There is another light crucial to our lives, the reality of which struck me as I recently began reading the book of John. Since then, I’ve been contemplating the Light that Scripture often refers to. In the gospel of John, some of John’s first words are:

In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was [continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally]  with God. All things were made and came into existence through him; and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being. In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines on in the darkness, and the darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it]. …

There it was—the true Light [the genuine, perfect, steadfast Light] which, coming into the world, enlightens everyone. He (Christ) was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was His own [that which belonged to Him—His world, His creation, His possession], and those who were His own [people—the Jewish nation] did not receive and welcome Him. But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right [the authority, the privilege] to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name— who were born,… of God [that is, a divine and supernatural birth—they are born of God—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified]. (John 1:1–5, 9–13 AMP, emphasis added)

This is the Light that transcends all other lights for it reaches well beyond the physical realm alone. This Light reaches all the way to eternity.

Jesus Christ, who is God, the Creator of everything, who has life in himself, has come into our world to give that life, the Light, to everyone who will receive it. The more I think about these words, the more amazed and moved I become!

This is the Light that will bring to us true and lasting joy; the right to become children of God! This Light brings the joy and peace of the presence of God and the assurance of eternal life, the life Jesus Christ bestows on us when we embrace by faith the Light of Christ.

Do you have that Light and life by faith in Jesus Christ?

What are we then to do with that Light?

Let’s keep contemplating the Light and see what God teaches us.

May this Christmas you have a blessed celebration of the entrance of the Light of the world, Jesus Christ, into our darkness!

Photo by Dan Kiefer on Unsplash

Since starting to blog in 2008, I’ve made two blogging name changes and site moves. The first was from JacquesJourney (Blogger) to BrokennesstoBeauty (WordPress.com) in 2014.  This year I changed the name again, to Living with Hope and Purpose and made the big leap to set up my own website. I’ve moved in and set up housekeeping so …

It’s open house time! I hope you will take a look around the website, sign on to continue getting my blog posts, plus a complimentary download, and occasional tidbits of inspiration or valuable information from me.

Send me your comments using the comment button with this post; I’d love to hear from you. Thanks for stopping by!

 

“Open” sign Photo by Álvaro Serrano on Unsplash 

“Letters” photo by Gabor from Hungary 

(Centerpoint Church of Colton, CA, volunteers serving with MCCA delivering foodstuffs to Christian orphanages in Mexico. Our son Seth is the good-looking guy in the black T-shirt and his handsome son Caleb [a little family bragging here] is in the white T-shirt, his head being squished by his cousin twice removed, Colton; his girlfriend Hailey is next to him. My friend Bob is on the far left. He’s been doing this for over 30 years and is grateful for the young, strong backs joining him! Read on to find out more about where they are and what they are doing, and why.)

For the most part, I’m on facebook to see what my kids are up to and I’m glad I saw this post by our son Seth. He gave me permission to use it for this blog post.

A verse came to mind as I thought about this post, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (3 John 4, NIV). I am happy when I see or hear of my sons following the Lord in whatever he calls them to do. Here is one way Seth is serving the Lord, and by taking Caleb with him, he is discipling him and modeling for him the kinds of things godly men do when they love Jesus. From one generation to the next …. Read on.

By Seth Wallace

On Saturday my son, Caleb, and I went with Mexican Christian Children’s Aid (MCCA, http://mccaredlands.org) taking food supplies to Christian orphanages in Mexico. I spent 15 hours on the road, loaded and unloaded 4,000lb in our truck alone, helped load other trucks, hauled 6- 100lb packs of blankets up nearly vertical stairs in TJ (Tijuana, MX), sat for 2 hours at the border crossing, and got home tired!

The “hard work” of the day, the “frustration” of traffic and driving, the “inconvenience” of a precious weekend taken … is real … but I consider it JOY. I realize what a small sacrifice of time energy and money it really is with Kingdom eyes! So did 20+ other volunteers!

The call to serve others has been given to ALL believers in Christ! Those opportunities to serve can just look like hard work. They are, but it is extremely rewarding to know that others, especially the vulnerable children, will be safe, fed, warm, loved, and blessed!

There is truly no ego or boasting when I post this! Because of the need, I’d love for this to serve as an encouragement to action for you to be God’s hands and feet, with work boots and gloves, and come serve with me!

Centerpoint Church #consideritpurejoy #Godshandsandfeet #selflessgiving

If you can’t join Seth in Mexico delivering food to needy orphanages, what is going on in your area that you can volunteer for? There is need all around us crying out for extra hands to meet those needs. Be the hands and feet of Jesus, power lifting not necessarily required.

 

 

The other day, reading something in a book my brother sent me (he asked for my opinion of Hope in the Dark: Believing God is Good When Life Is Not, by Craig Groeschel, and yes, I do recommend it) I was spurred to start journaling again. I say “again” because I’ve started and stopped journaling numerous times over the years. I’ve always felt rather disappointed in myself and a bit guilty for not seeming to be able to continue the practice. Journaling really can be beneficial in many ways.

For instance, I decided to pull down a couple of the journals I’ve saved from past years. There are probably half a dozen of them, mostly unfilled. First, I was surprised that I actually filled one whole journal with about a year and a half of notes. Pat on the back for that one!

Second, I wrote it during the last half of my cancer treatment; this particular journal started in September of 2008, in the midst of my chemo treatments, ten years ago last month. That I’ve had ten good, cancer-free years since that time is humbling and yet an occasion for rejoicing and giving praise to our good God and heavenly Father for his mercies to me and my family.

Third, along with putting recorded life events (and prayer requests and answers to prayer) in their rightful order and year, it answered a question I’ve had and others have asked me several times. It is a question I confess I didn’t know the answer to–when did I start writing my book, Brokenness to Beauty? Well, there it was, in black and white in my journal. Sometime in 2009 I began to compile my blog posts into a form that could be shaped into a book. So there it is if you ever happened to have asked me that question.

Another benefit of my journaling is that I’m reminded of insights God gave me in the past which I have been building on to the present. Truth is eternal; it doesn’t go out of vogue (at least not in God’s economy). I sometimes recorded lessons God was teaching me from his Word and I’m encouraged all over again reading them years later.

So as I take up pen and journal once again, I hope this time I will keep on writing. There is value in the written word, even our own words.

Do you journal? In what ways have you benefitted by it?

 

Photo by clairtrafton, words.jpg by clairetrafton XqcqdT.jpg