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0 In 2020/ Faith/ Family/ Inspiration

13 questions with The Voice Contestant Jon Mullins

Jon Mullins is married to my cousin Whitney, and on NBC’s reality singing show called The Voice.

Jon and Whitney’s wedding day. I lived with Whitney, her sister Courtney and my aunt and uncle through college. This family is very dear to my heart!

Jon’s audition was March 9th, 2020 and I’ve included it at the end of this post! (I’ve also included his incredible new single.)

Blake Shelton said that it was his GREATEST day of his coaching career on The Voice when he got Jon Mullins on his team!

Kelly Clarkson said that Jon’s voice gave her chills. His voice fills a room and he should be on Broadway.

Nick Jonas wants to “snatch him up” if he get the opportunity! (Update – he DID get the opportunity and was good on his word! Jon spent some time on #teamnick.

Here is my recent conversation with Jon:

ME: Jon, one thing I’ve always admired about you is your love for people. When you are in a room, you are not on your phone. You are engaged and interested in every person in the room – whether it’s our 90-year-old grandpa or our 5-year-old niece. As a parent, I’d love to see my kids engage the way YOU do.

Question 1: Where does your love for people come from, and how can parents cultivate it in their children?

Jon: I’ve always been outgoing. As a 4 yr old…I’d be at family gatherings, walking around, talking to everyone.

My parents cultivated it by not trying to hold me back.

Both of my parents are caring and engaging with people, and I’ve learned from watching them.

QUESTION 2: When did you first realize you had a gift for singing?

Jon: At 14 years old I became curious about singing. My choir teacher asked me to audition for an Acapella group and I made it. That’s when I discovered that maybe I could sing.

QUESTION 3: You play several instruments. When did you start playing and how often did you practice?

Jon: I began playing the trumpet as an 11 year old. Once I got that thing, I never put it down. I’d play all.the.time. Even sitting on the toilet.

I got my 1^st guitar at 14 and took 3 months of guitar lessons and was hooked.

I’d practice at least four hours a day.

I’d fall asleep with a guitar in my hands.

QUESTION 4: How can parents motivate their kids in music? Or help develop a passion for it?

Jon: If your child is showing interest in an instrument, even drums, or any musical aspect, ENCOURAGE it!

I wish I would have started lessons before 11.

If you can’t afford lessons, ask a family friend to give you lessons. (You can also find lessons on youtube now!)

My parents never got annoyed by my constant playing and singing. Or if they did, they didn’t mention it. They always encouraged it.

QUESTION 5: You are an extremely talented, powerful singer. Kelly Clarkson said your voice fills up the room. Are you 100% talent…or do you still have to work at it?

Jon: First of all, thank you for saying that.

A singer’s vocal technique is ALWAYS a work in progress. Every popular music artist you can think of (Justin Bieber, Usher, etc) STILL has a vocal coach traveling with them and teaching them how to use their ‘instrument.’

I am ALWAYS a student of my ‘instrument’ (my voice). I’m always learning about how to use it properly so I don’t lose it.

QUESTION 6: Can you tell me a little about your faith?

Jon: Since I was young, my parents attended church. It was fun to me. I grew up in church. At about 5 years old, I felt a tugging on my soul. I talked to my dad about it and I prayed and invited Christ into my life at that young age.

My relationship with God has grown from there.

I am depending on God through this whole thing. Asking for peace and trusting HIM along the way. I’m asking that He open doors that should be open, and close the ones that need to be closed.

Also, if you saw me on stage with my hand raised, it’s because I’ve been a worship leader in the past, and I just start raising my hands when I sing.

I’ve gotten a feedback about my audition – that it was almost like a worship experience. My prayer is that people will see God through me.

QUESTION 7: How did you get on The Voice?

Jon: A friend of mine was in the audition process. They told the producer to reach out to me and they did.

I was REALLY hesident. I’d been on American Idol in 2010 and wasn’t excited about doing any more reality TV.

I had a conversation with Whitney, my wife. She said, “If God opened this door, walk through it. Maybe this is a good time to step out in faith.”

Then, I was at an eye appointment and there was a sign in the waiting room that said:

The biggest mistake you can make is a being afraid of making a mistake.

So, I felt like God gave me a LITERAL sign.

QUESTION 8: What was it like singing to the backs of four chairs and knowing that in those chairs sat Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson, John Legend and Nick Jonas?

Jon: I went into the whole situation determined not to concentrate on the chairs. I focused on the meaning of the song! Because of this journey I’ve taken with my wife, the song had SO much meaning to me.

So, I told myself ‘Don’t focus on the chairs – focus on the message!‘

If you focus on the chairs, only nerves will come through!

QUESTION 9: What would you say has been your favorite moment in the competition so far?

Jon: Can I say two?

First, I’ve loved getting to know and grow close with the other artists. We all text and hang out, outside of the show. It’s now a family.

My other favorite MOMENTS … when I was able to step on that stage and sing that song about my experience. And then…

the HUG from BLAKE SHELTON!

When Blake said, “This is the best day of my coaching career,” I nearly fainted.

Question 10: If you look down the road, 5 years from now, what do you hope to be doing?

Jon: Maybe with a kid!?

I’ll still be living in Nashville.

Touring and playing – music is in my blood, so I’ll still be writing and singing!

Whitney still continuing her successful Lularoe business. Click here to find her stuff!

QUESTION 11: Speaking of Whitney, how is she doing?

Jon: She’s about 85 percent.

About 4 years ago, she fell and hit her head in the front. She damaged the part of her brain that controls important cognitive skills like emotional expression, problem solving, memory, language and anxiety.

After the fall she started having severe panic attacks. Agoraphobia …anxiety…

It’s getting better but she still gets occasional anxiety and panic attacks.

QUESTION 12: How can we pray for you?

Jon: Pray for Whitney – complete healing for her and peace through this process

That God continues to open and shut the doors for us.

Pray that the right people come into our path!

QUESTION 13: Where can people find you and follow you?

Jon: The HUB for me is JonMullins.com

Other places:

@jonmullinsofficial on insta and facebook

You can listen to me on youtube here – JonMullinsMusic

Twitter: @jonmullinsmusic

Jon, we are so proud of you! Keep up the good work!

Check out Jon Mullins amazing new release here:

March 15, 2020 By Kathryn

0 In 2019/ Book Review/ Faith/ My Journey

How Muslim culture influenced my Christian parenting

Read to the end for a chance to win a free book!

Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus by Nabeel Quresh

I recently read the book Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus and was deeply impacted by the way Muslim parents instill their faith into their children.

Muslim mothers begin reading from the Quran each and every day, out loud, to their children from the time they are born.
Often the FIRST book their children read is the Quran.
Children memorize large portions of the Quran.
Muslim families are a part of a strong Islamic community.

Their Islamic beliefs are often so engrained that they do not even QUESTION whether their faith is based on truth. Instead, they carry on the same beliefs and traditions with their children – reading from, teaching, and memorizing the Quran from infancy to adulthood.

This book left me asking if I’m teaching my children about the Christian faith as passionately and faithfully as Muslim parents.

As I read further into the book, the author (Nabeel Qureshi) shares how he became best friends with a guy in college who was a Christian. The two of them had a mutual respect because of their strong faith in God. As they grew in their friendship, they began to challenge each other’s faith.

As Nabeel did research to defend his Islamic faith, he began to realize that he COULD NOT defend it. The more he studied, the more he realized that there was no truth behind his Islamic faith.

After lots of research, and even a prayer for the one true God to reveal Himself, Nabeel chooses to become a Christ Follower!

This book challenged me as a mother to teach my kids the WHY behind WHAT we believe.

We have a defendable faith.

Our Christian faith is based on a solid foundation of historical truth.

Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus made me decide to read:

Talking with your kids about God, written by Natasha Crain.

The author covers the evidence for the existence of God, how science confirms the God of the Bible, the nature of God (love, and justice), how Christianity is different from other religions, and how all these things apply to us and the world around us.

If you want to talk to your children about why Christianity is true, or you just need to solidify your own worldview, I highly recommend this book!

I want to read this author’s other book, Keeping Your Kids on God’s Side: 40 Conversations to Help Them Build a Lasting Faith, next!

Click here to check out her awesome blog – Christian Mom Thoughts.

~~I’m giving away my copy of Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus. If you’d like to win this book – just share this post on Facebook!~~

The contest runs until November 25th, 2019.

WINNER – Lisa E. – Congratulations Lisa!

I’ve written a post with some simple tips for teaching your kids about God. Click here to read!

Subscribe so you don’t miss a post!

The books recommended are Amazon Affiliate Links. If you choose to purchase one, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

November 18, 2019 By Kathryn

2 In Colorado/ Colorado Springs/ Faith/ Inspiration/ Joy/ Memories/ Moving/ My Journey/ Peek into our Week/ Things to do in Colorado/ Traveling

My Volunteer Vacation

One year ago, New Life Church was hosting an amazing children’s/family ministry conference called The Gathering. It was during this conference that my husband accepted a job with Target, which meant we’d be moving to Minnesota.

I love Colorado, and I also loved working with this team at New Life. I was struggling with the idea that this chapter would be ending soon.

On the last night of the conference (last year), each person who helped lead the conference was given a box of cereal from Dr. Michelle Anthony – my (former) boss and Family Ministry Pastor. She gave me a box of S’mores and told me that she would like S’more of me. It took everything in me not to burst into tears right then. Just a couple days later, I’d be sharing the news that we’d be moving and she’d be getting S’less, not S’more.

I went home from the conference and shared how I was feeling with Ted. He encouraged me to come back to the conference in 2019 and volunteer.

So this year, I went to Colorado for a Volunteer Vacation! I came to assist, learn, and connect with my New Life friends!

When I first arrived in Colorado Springs – tears filled my eyes. This city has such a special place in my heart, and I was so happy to be back.

The morning of the conference, I drove over to New Life Church with my friend Holly, and helped with the last minute details. All morning I was greeted with love and hugs from friendly faces. It was pure joy.

Because my kids weren’t with me, I got to focus my whole week helping wherever needed … AND catching up with SO many dear people. I loved every minute of it.

In a season of all things new, spending several days in a place that holds so much familiarity & treasured relationships, felt like a well-timed gift.

Though I didn’t sleep much, I came home from my Volunteer Vacation refreshed and full.

If you have some vacation time coming up and aren’t sure what to do – consider a “Volunteer Vacation!” Take the opportunity to go somewhere and help with something. Every non-profit organizations can use an extra set of hands. And when you make time to bless someone or something, you always get blessed in return!

Here is an (affiliate) link to a book filled with ideas on short term adventures that will benefit you and others!

July 9, 2019 By Kathryn

0 In Faith/ Family/ Inspiration/ Joy/ Memories/ Motherhood/ Traveling

Leaving Hawaii, Keeping Aloha

Today I have a guest post by my sister Krista!

Krista is a loving mom to four beautiful kids, a wife to her childhood sweetheart, and an Interior Designer in Indiana.

Since arriving home after our family vacation in Hawaii, I’d been feeling a sense of longing for something I can’t put my finger on. I am sure the gray weather hasn’t helped, but it’s something more. While away, I had many awakening moments, and felt so much joy and peace. Even simple things like driving a Jeep with the rag top off, my hair blowing in the wind, the sun warming my skin and the tunes lifting my soul, felt almost supernatural; especially with the backdrop of the Hawaiian scenery unfolding before me with each twist and turn of the road! I had a few ‘once in a lifetime’ adventures like hiking 8 miles along one of the most majestic and rigorous coasts in the world, to a breathtakingly beautiful waterfall; it seriously did take my breath away for a moment. Another incredible moment was when my daughter Kate’s prayer was answered. Since the moment Kate heard we’d be visiting Hawaii, she’d been praying each night for God to let her meet one of her role models: Bethany Hamilton. God answered her prayer when we happened to be in the SAME place at the SAME time as Bethany!

Kate is SO happy to be meeting Bethany Hamilton!

The green church we visited on Easter Sunday

I can remember sitting in a quaint green church on Easter morning trying to hold back tears. I was feeling a sense of awakening to how I was made, how God made me, as well as what makes me feel alive and engaged with who I am and the life around me. It also was an awakening to some ways I’m conforming that aren’t really true to how I am made – conforming to my environment and people for one reason or another.

Back at home, I was cleaning up breakfast, doing laundry, and picking up toys (that were just picked up). I felt a since of sadness and frustration wash over me. I thought, “Is this all I’m ever going to do?” I turned to Nate sighing. He asked what was wrong and what was fluttering through my mind. I told him how I wanted to feel the way I did in Hawaii. In Hawaii, the mundane chores were enjoyable. I wanted to go back to the way we were in Hawaii-completely natural-with no make up and no hair brush. I loved how I could let the ocean water and air style my hair, and it was beautiful. We could walk barefoot almost everywhere, even shopping! I felt a sense of belonging and at home in a place I’d never been.

Nate reminded me of what the Hawaiian pastor taught one Sunday in a Hawaii…

Pastor Steve, in a small tent with maybe 100 people, taught from a passage in Philippians. This passage talks about praying with joy. He went on to describe how amazing it is when you think about Paul and all he went through. Paul wrote about JOY while in prison! Throughout Paul’s life, he had times where he was in need, and other times when he had plenty, he experienced the best and worst of life. Paul encourages us, as believers in Christ Jesus, to choose contentment and joy in all things, situations and places. Paul tells us to count it “all” joy. Pastor Steve paralleled this all to the deeper meaning of Aloha.

Aloha means ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye,’ but it also mean SO MUCH MORE. Aloha means joy, and more specifically, finding joy in the mundane…maybe even choosing joy in the mundane. It is being in harmony and unity with your REAL self, with God and mankind. It involves being honest, truthful, patient and humble. Aloha (joy in the mundane) isn’t just something to experience in Hawaii, it’s found…WITHIN!! Even though I experienced it in such a deep way on an island in the Pacific, it doesn’t stay there. I can experience “Aloha” wherever I am! Joy is on the inside of me and I will CHOOSE it!

There is a part of me that wants Heaven on earth and life to be easier than what it is, for me and for others. I’m beginning to see that the longing itself is beautiful. We were made to long for more. The longing actually leads us to “Aloha”. It can lead us to unity and harmony with our real self, God and humanity. I am a living example that He does satisfy, amaze, and leave us at peace like nothing else when we seek Him in what He is saying and doing in the mundane. I believe true Aloha only comes from Him and is also a journey with Him.

So I leave you with a heart full of Mahalo. Mahalo simply means “Thank you!” However, the deeper meaning involves thankfulness to God for our past, present and future. I’m hoping it touches a part of your heart and awakens you as it did me!

Krista and her 3 oldest kids – Kate, Mason, and Jack

April 24, 2019 By Kathryn

2 In Book Review/ Faith

Is there evidence to support the Christian faith?

Today is Easter Sunday and as I scrolled through Instagram, I noticed many people celebrating the “Resurrection” today. They even posted: “Happy Resurrection Day!”

What is the Resurrection and is it really worth celebrating?

The Resurrection means going from death to life. We, as Christ followers, celebrate Easter as a way to remember that Jesus conquered death and came back to LIFE.

Is there evidence of this? Yes. There is.

Let me introduce you to a guy named Lee Strobel. Lee graduated from Yale with a Law degree and then became a journalist and legal editor for the Chicago Tribune.

He was also an atheist.

One day his wife came home and told him that she had become a Christ Follower.

Lee describes that day as one of the worst in his life. The first word that came to his mind was DIVORCE.

He was trained to research, investigate, and pursue truth and he was sure that his legal and journalism training could be used to disprove the Christian faith.

He started with Easter and the Resurrection. He knew that Jesus claimed to have been raised from the dead. If he could PROVE that this did not happen, he could prove to his wife that there was no basis for her faith.

He thought it would just take a couple of days of investigation and research to disprove the Resurrection, but after a year and nine months of research and study – he realized that the evidence for the Resurrection was clear and compelling. He could not deny the truth of the Resurrection of Jesus … and chose to become a follower of Christ.

Here are four E’s he found that summarize the truth of the Resurrection:

Execution – No one has ever survived a crucifixion. Jesus was Dead. The death of Jesus by crucifixion is indisputable.
Early accounts of Jesus’ resurrection – Some people think that the story of Jesus’ Resurrection is a legend. However, legends take time to develop but we have written evidence of Jesus’ death and Resurrection written within months of the event.
Empty tomb – Even the opponents of Jesus admit that the tomb was empty after 3 days. So HOW did it get empty?
Eye witnesses – We have many ancient chronicled witnesses that all confirmed that they saw Jesus after his death.

Further proof of Jesus is that we have tons of ancient literature that predicts the life and death and resurrection of Jesus. It would be mathematically impossible to fulfill all of those predictions. Yet, they are fulfilled.

The evidence is there…will you open your heart to believe these truths?

To all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
John 1:12

So if you believe in Jesus based on the historical data, the next step is to receive the free gift of God’s grace. A gift of forgiveness and eternal life that Jesus purchased on the cross when He died for our sins as our substitute.

When we receive the gift … we become sons and daughters of God!

I am grateful to be a Child of God! It has forever changed my life.

A prayer for you if you’d like to become a child of God:

Jesus, as best I can I believe, you are the Son of God. I want to receive your free gift of eternal life. Thank you for dying for me and for paying for the things I’ve done wrong. Today I choose to follow you.
Amen

If you’ve made a decision to become a Christ follower, send me a message!

If you want to hear Lee Strobel share this story and more, you can listen here: Lee Strobel Podcast

To read more about the evidence he uncovered, you can read his best-selling book, The Case For Christ.

Thanks for reading and Happy Resurrection Day!

Click here for a fun and unique way to teach kids about the resurrection.

April 21, 2019 By Kathryn

2 In Faith/ Family/ Inspiration/ Motherhood/ Raising boys

8 habits that lead to a healthy, long life

As a mom, there are two things I want for my kids:

One, that they know and love God.

Two, that they live long, happy, healthy lives.

I was so excited to read an article in Parents magazine about some research that was done on how our kids can live the best, longest life. I’ve captured what I learned here.

8 habits that lead to a healthier, longer life.

Spending quality time with friends and family
Daily Physical activity
Engaging in Nature
Consuming water and vegetables
Getting enough sleep (13 hours for kids ages 3-5, 9 hours for kids 6-12)
Attend church or temple
Having a positive mindset and believing that positive actions today will result in a better future
Volunteering, performing charitable acts and practicing selflessness

Study done by Dr. Rhonda Spencer-Hwang, PhD, associate professor at Loma Linda University

Read my post about Volunteering entitled “17 Reasons to Serve” by clicking here

April 7, 2019 By Kathryn

0 In Faith/ Inspiration/ Motherhood

God-propelled vs. Self-propelled

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
Marianne Williamson

Every day…every moment of every day…we get to choose to be SELF-propelled or GOD-propelled. We can live solely on our own energy, patience and wisdom…or tap into God’s LIMITLESS energy, patience and wisdom.

As Christ-followers, we get access to the unlimited power of God!

Self- propelled

Self-propelled looks like:

Limited focus, energy, and strength.
Short-tempered and impatient.
Harsh words.
Frantic or angry.

God-propelled

God-propelled looks like what the Bible calls the fruit of the Spirit. It means going about our day with LOVE, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and self –control.

We can’t control what happens throughout the day:

Our kids will keep us up at night,
The baby will have a blow out at a totally inconvenient time and place,
Our kids will fight or they will break something…

We can’t control what happens, but we can control our response to what happens!

Tapping into the power source allows us to keep our joy in the midst of difficult circumstances.

Each day, each hour, each minute is an opportunity to chose either “Self-propelled” or “God-propelled.”

How do you stay God-propelled?

For ME, it means that I’m talking to my Father God throughout the day.

I usually start the day with a prayer before I get out of bed.

The prayer can be as simple as “HELP!”

I love this verse:

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
James 1:5

I ask for wisdom THROUGHOUT the day. Why not? Scripture encourages us to do that!!!

Also, this is my favorite book regarding prayer:

Each chapter contains a different topic and a prayer. It also includes Scripture verses regarding that topic.

Staying tapped in to God, or living “God-propelled” means that:

If I’m tired, I ask God for strength.
If I’m feeling angry, I ask for help and/or patience.
If I need to have a tough conversation, I ask God for wisdom.
It means I’m praying for people as they come up in my mind.
It means stopping to pray with my kids when they have a concern or when they get hurt.
It means pointing out where I see God throughout the day. Do you notice a beautiful flower, bird, sunset? An answered prayer? Talk about it!
It means asking my kids, husband, or someone else to forgive me when I mess up.
It means keeping a heart of thankfulness. “Thank you for food to feed my children.” “Thank you for a washing machine.” “Thank you for eyes to see my child play and ears to hear their laughter.”
It means open communication with God throughout the day.
It means taking time to read my Bible, to then think about it, and memorize specific verses.

Do I do ALL of this everyday? No!

Am I self-propelled at times! YES!

I, too, have to choose every day, each hour, and minute-by-minute, to be God-propelled and not self-propelled!

I encourage you to try ONE thing from the “God-propelled” list above and do it today.

Each day brings a new opportunity to give Him thanks and invite Him to empower us.

There’s a popular verse in the Bible that says:

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13

I love this verse and say it often when I’m feeling weary…but I also want to point out that it doesn’t say that we are to do ALL THE THINGS ….sometimes we try to do too much and we are left feeling exhausted.

Seek God before you add another thing to your ‘to do’ list.

Being a parent is challenging. Marriage can be challenging. However, we DON’t have to do it in our own strength. Rely on God to make you the wife and parent He wants you to be…Give HIM your weaknesses and burdens and let Him carry those for you and then go about your day in peace and joy!

When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you. So I am very happy to brag about my weakness. Then Christ’s power can live in me.
2 Corinthians 12:9

If you have prayer requests … leave me a comment. I want to pray for you.

Let me leave you with this:

May the God of hope fill you with all JOY and PEACE as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with HOPE by the POWER of the Holy Spirit!
Romans 15:13

Important Note: I am NOT a parenting/marriage expert. I am a guinea pig and mess up every single day (you can ask my husband). I’m on this journey right along with you. When I write about something, it’s NOT because I’ve mastered the topic but because this is what I’m learning. Thanks for joining me in the journey. Leave a comment and let me learn from you too!

March 22, 2019 By Kathryn

3 In Faith/ Family/ Inspiration/ Motherhood/ Raising boys

Do this ONE THING to change the future!

We are ALWAYS looking for ” things” to improve our children’s lives:

💥A new toy ….

💥Education …

💥Sports …

💥Hobbies …

What about nurturing the INSIDE of your child? Our lives are formed with WORDS!😍

Words Kill, Words Give Life. They are either poison or fruit. You choose.
King Solomon

Before your kids leave for school, or before they go to bed, are prime opportunities to speak LIFE over them! To declare TRUTH for their future.

Positive Affirmations build your character and attitude. Affirmations retrain your inner dialogue (self talk) to help build your faith and joy. Your words are seeds that grow and shape your world.

Below is the declaration we’ve created for our family .. feel free to copy or adapt and use for your family – or yourself!

Share this with a parent, grandparent, and any person who could benefit from speaking these words over themselves and their children each day!

February 19, 2019 By Kathryn

0 In Book Review/ Faith/ Memories/ Motherhood

What the world needs now is love, sweet love

My first assignment as a college freshman was to write a paper on any ‘classic’ book.

**“Can I write my paper on the Bible?” I asked my English professor innocently. I didn’t know of a more classic book than the Bible.**

**“Yes,” my English teacher replied, “but the Bible is a long book with many different topics. Choose one topic.”**

I chose the topic of…LOVE, having no idea how much the Bible has to say on the topic, and how much I needed to study it.

I’d felt God’s Love follow me through my life, but to stop and study it was magnificent.

“The only thing that can change us, the world, is this – all His love.” – Ann Voscamp, 1000 gifts

I honestly feel nervous about writing this post for two big reasons:

1. I can’t find the actual paper I wrote about God’s love. It’s probably on a floppy disk at the bottom of a box in my basement, and

2. Capturing the essence of God’s love in one paper or blog post is like explaining the ocean by giving you one drop of water.

What I remember about the college assignment was that it forced me to dig into God’s Word and discover what it said about God’s Love. I found that the more I studied God’s love, the more my heart was filled with His goodness and love!

While I watched as other college freshman searched for significance in temporary fixes, I found lasting significance right there in the pages of my Bible. I was growing in my awareness that I was unconditionally LOVED by the Creator of the Universe. I was His Beloved Daughter.

‘See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!’ 1 John 3:1

The Creator of the universe loves you … exactly who you are, with all your faults and inadequacies—He thinks you are worthy of love!

Becoming a mom helped me understand God’s love even more than before. Having children opens up a new kind of love: a sacrificial love. I had no idea I could love someone who requires so much of me. But that’s when I began to see, at a deeper level, how much God loves me. He literally gave everything for me, even His life.

I can see how He still loves me when I mess up because I love my children that way. I’m disappointed when they choose wrong, because I know it hurts them. When they hurt, I hurt. But my love for them doesn’t change.

Though I understood God’s love more after becoming a mother, the love I have for my children doesn’t compare to the love God has for us. God’s love transcends human love. God’s love is unconditional—not based on His feelings or our actions. He doesn’t love us because we’re lovable or because we make Him feel good; He loves us because He is love.

Take a minute and learn from your children. Matthew 11:25 says:

“At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.’”

There are certain things we can learn from our children. For instance, they never turn down a gift. When you give a child something, he or she will receive it immediately, with no questions asked! Children don’t wonder if they’ve earned it or if they deserve it. They just take it. We must learn from our children and receive God’s love like that. It’s a gift!

If you’ve never received the GIFT of God’s love, stop now and tell God that you want to know Him and receive His Love!

Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”

God’s not in love with a future version of you; He is in love with you just as you are.

If you are having a hard time accepting or understanding God’s love, pray Ephesians 3:17-19 over yourself right now, and again each morning:

I pray that you (I), being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Begin to search the Scriptures for what it says about love. Read each verse and let the truth of God’s Word fill your heart with comfort, confidence, peace, joy and love.

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3

God so desperately wants you to rest in His love. He wants you to live your life knowing you are loved.

Close your eyes and imagine this…

Imagine yourself curled up in your Father’s lap.

Listen to Him tell you that He loves you.

Bask in the safety of His love.

Now … go about your day knowing you are loved and showing that love to each person you encounter.

Questions for further study:

What is love according to 1 John 4:10?
How did God show us His Love according to 1 John 4:9?
How big is God’s love according to Psalm 36:5?

Next step:

Sing the song “Jesus Loves Me” all by yourself, or with your children, reminding yourself that you are unconditionally loved by Jesus.
For further study on this topic, you may also want to read The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning or What’s God Really Like? by SJ Hill

Have you encountered God’s Great Love for you? If so, leave me a comment and share how that has impacted you? (Leave a comment by clicking on the little comment graphic by the title of this post)

Thanks for reading and please subscribe so you don’t miss a post.

Here’s a song about God’s love for you.

January 28, 2019 By Kathryn

5 In Faith/ Inspiration/ Motherhood/ Moving/ My Journey

5 ways to Cure a Lonely Heart

Feeling lonely?

I am too.

Though we are the most interconnected generation of all time, we are the loneliest generation as well.

We have hundreds, maybe thousands of ‘friends’ on social media, but rarely spend time with people one-on-one, eye-to-eye, really getting to KNOW each other.

This pandemic’s made it worse! We are currently asked to STAY HOME and STAY APART.

We may text and comment on pictures, but rarely have a heartfelt, deep, face-to-face conversation. And when was the last time you HUGGED someone (besides your children)?

After moving to Minnesota, I’d been feeling lonely. My loneliness was causing me to be on social media MORE, but that pseudo-connection left me feeling emptier and lonelier.

We now live in a world that makes it possible to live void of human contact. We can live a virtual life. VIRTUAL connections are not a SOUL connection.

The same technology that promises to help us be more connected than ever is – in some ways – making people more disconnected that ever.

My loneliness caused me to spend the day in tears. I had left all my friends 3 years ago when we moved from the Chicago area to Colorado. Then I left all my new Colorado friends to pursue an adventure in Minnesota. (Click here to read about it)

My husband saw me and listened to my sadness … then encouraged me to do a few things that he thought might help. (Husbands love to FIX things.) At first, I didn’t want him to FIX it…I just wanted to FEEL it. Then, I slowly acted on his suggestions and it really DID help! If you find yourself feeling lonely, these ideas might help you too:

Reach out to old friends.

I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to catch up with people who know you and love you. Do it. Call an old friend today.

It’s important to choose a handful of friends that are “lifers” … friends that you want to stay connected with for life. Those are the friends you need to continue to check-in on and reach out to.

Call one (or five) old friends and tell them you are LONELY! Letting someone know how you feel invites them to encourage you, pray for you, check in on you, and spend time with you.

I was feeling sad that very few friends had reached out to me, then I began to realize I had not reached out to anyone either. I have one friend who lost her father, another friend just went through a divorce, another friend moved across the country. I had not reached out to ANY of them!!!!

Wow, I was throwing myself a pity party, then realized I was not doing what I wanted others to do for me!

2. Reach out to new friends.

I had very few people in this new state that even knew my name. But the few that knew me, I contacted. One was my neighbor…we just sat on each other’s porches and talked while our kids played. I invited the one other lady I knew out to dinner. It was refreshing to chat with other ladies and begin to build friendships.

When we sow genuine seeds of friendship – love, encouragement, time, and affirmation – we WILL reap a harvest of good friends.

3. Get outside

Get OUT of your house!

Take a walk, soak in the fresh air.

BONUS: PEOPLE are outside!

This might sound silly, but I intentionally went on walks and bike rides with my kids around my new neighborhood JUST to meet our neighbors and find potential friends.

My first good friend in Colorado was someone I met at the playground when our kids were playing together.

So…get outside!

Since it’s winter in Minnesota and harder to be outside…I’ve found places to go INSIDE! The library, classes at the gym, my church, and a Bible study.

I was actually writing this post from the cafe inside my local gym. As I’m typing, a lady from my church recognizes me and says hello. We talk for a few minutes and she asks me what I’m writing about. I was so embarrassed to answer honestly, but took a deep breath and said: Loneliness. She then INVITES me to her house. This is exactly what I needed and would not have had happened if I’d stayed inside – wallowing in loneliness.

Movement creates opportunity!

Get out of your house. Smile. Be friendly. Stop and chat with people.

4. Start a Gratitude List

Start writing a list of things you are grateful for. I’m currently writing a list of 1000 things for which I’m thankful based on the book One Thousand Gifts gifts.

If you look for the good, you WILL find it!

When I began to focus on the things I DO have rather than what I don’t, my attitude began to change. My shift in perspective caused my heart to mend.

5. Connect with your Heavenly Father.

We are never really alone. Our Heavenly Father is always ready and willing to spend time with us, comfort us and heal our wounded hearts. It’s easy to forget that God is with us all day long…ready to listen and connect. He’s the one Friend that will never leave or disappoint us.

…But I am always with you.
You have held my hand. Psalm 73:23

…You can be sure that I will be with you always… Matthew 28:20

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. Psalm 34:18

So don’t worry, because I am with you.
Don’t be afraid, because I am your God.
I will make you strong and will help you.
I will support you with my right hand…Isaiah 41:10

The closer we get to God, the fuller our hearts will be and the less lonely we will feel. However, it’s okay to ask Him to provide us with strong friendships! He’s the one who said:

“It’s not good for man to be alone!” (Genesis 2:18)

If you’ve moved recently, I wrote a post called “LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE” with some similar but additional ideas and encouragement. You can click here to read it.

If you are feeling lonely, call me or send me an email! I’d be happy to chat with you!

If you’ve found something that has helped you overcome loneliness… leave me a comment!

For an awesome, encouraging book, check out: You are Never Alone by Max Lucado.

January 19, 2019 By Kathryn

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