12 Jan 2016

Doodling the Word

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doodling the word

Everyone has gone through phases in their spiritual journey where focus and energy and excitement about the Word has been less than enthusiastic.  I remember hearing a great word from the woman in my life who loves and knows the Word the best and it went something like this :

even when you don’t feel like it – keep doing it – be faithful – God will bring fruit and excitement

That is so true.

One of the ways that I stay focused in my time in the Word (both during studies, classes, services, and personal devotions) is doodling.  Most people might read that and say that I’m not focusing or I’m tuning out – but on the contrary.  Doing something with my hands engages my mind and actually helps me listen and engage more (internally, as I’ve gotten less apt to speak aloud in a class).  Doodling helps me focus on certain words in the Word or in the book or from a sermon or class that is being taught – or maybe its a lyric from a hymn.  Doodling helps me remember what I’m learning.  And isn’t that the point of Psalm 119: to get the Word in you so the Spirit can help you remember it when you need it – which is always?!

So, I thought I would share some tips – if you want to start doodling, or drawing, or lettering, or anything:

  1.  The focus of doodling is not you – but it is engaging the Word into your mind.  An example: as I was lettering Jeremiah 29:11 this morning, and as I prayed it for a pray names art I did for a sweet little boy in Virginia for a Christmas present – I was thinking of the words wholeness and know that are in that verse.  I was thinking of the verses after it.  I was thinking that these verses are especially popular for kids and teenagers, but how true are they still today when I’m a wife and a momma of two little boys and we don’t feel settled in life and don’t know what is next.  Even then – even this morning – I need to know the truth of that verse. How sweet the Word is to my soul!
  2. Grab a pencil or any writing instrument you want.  I use micron pens a lot, I love pencils, I love Staedtler pens and Le Pens too.  Whatever you want to write or doodle with.  Just grab it.  It doesn’t have to be name brand or cost much of anything.  You can grab dollar store pens and have them on hand for all that doodling.
  3. Start doodling.  The good thing with doodling is it doesn’t have to be perfect.  And its your doodles.  I doodle words mostly because I’m not a good artist.  I love lettering – always have.  I’ve always loved writing, journaling, writing out prayers, etc.  And experiment.  If you really like some lettering you’ve seen – try it out.  You’ll never know unless you try. Pinterest and Instagram are great places to start if you want to find some new fonts to try out and practice.

That’s all there is to it.  Happy doodling.  And I pray that your doodling is fruitful in helping you understand and meditate on the Word!  And this is a great summary of Don Whitney’s thoughts on meditating on Scripture.  You can do a lot of this by doodling – not just thinking.

23 Mar 2015

God’s Delight in Pre-Teen Girls (Book Giveaway)

by | posted in: Books, parenting, Shepherding Children | 10

Brave Girls

(This post is sponsored by Tommy Nelson Mommies: they give me free books – and allow you to win them – in exchange for my review of them.  All opinions are my own.)

One of the first things we learn as believers (or are taught in Christian learning) is “God created everything.”  I already teach that truth to my boys.  We love the verses that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” and “created in God’s image”

But, somehow, I think it is a very easy truth to learn and put into belief the older we get.  I remember being a pre-teen girl.  I was overweight, wore glasses, didn’t have great hair, had zits, wasn’t all the cool, wanted to be cool, had a crush on the cool guy, started my period, looked different than most of the girls in my class, it wasn’t easy.

I believed lies.  I desired popularity.  I earnestly tried so hard to fit in.  But, one of the things I don’t remember reminding myself of is that God created me perfectly in his image and has a plan for my life.

Then, I graduated high school and started college.  I taught 7th grade co-ed Sunday School for 3 straight years.  I still keep in touch with some of those girls.  There were (and still are) so many battles pre-teen and teen girls face.  But, there is only one answer.  God’s truth.

My first devotional when I was in 10th grade was Spirit Wings by Ken Burns.  I loved it at the time.  I was just learning how to have a quiet time thanks to my youth pastor and youth workers.  Quiet time material has come a long way.  I think it is an important discipline for kids of any age to learn.  Taking time each day to talk with God, read His Word, and listen to Him.

You, as a parent to them, have a vital role in this.  You can not only model this for them, but also teach them how to do it for themselves, and engage with them after their quiet time.  Ask them what they learned.  Ask them what they read.  Ask them important questions of how they might apply it to their heart that God is in the process of making new and making to look like Christ’s.

Tommy Nelson has put out resources for quiet times for pre-teen or young teen girls called Brave Girls.  The two I have for the purpose of this blog is Faithful Friends (on friendships and relationships) and Better Than Perfect (on self-image and how to relate to this world in light of the Word).  Each day is a 1-2 page read.  Starts out with Scripture, then there is a story, lesson, truth, completely applicable to this time in their lives, and finishes with questions and prayers.

One way I think it could be better would be to bring everything in every story under the Cross of Christ – but I do think these are really really good and can be a great help to you as a parent in giving your daughter some solid material.  And, as you talk with your daughter and engage with her in what she is reading, you can tie everything back to the Gospel.

So, if you would like a chance to win these books, please comment with the answer to one of these two questions.

1.  What was the first devotional book you read (besides the Bible)?

2.  How do you train your children to have their own quiet time?

16 Nov 2010

Do Hard Things

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This post actually has nothing to do with the Harris brothers’ book by the same title. But, as I was thinking of titles for this blog, that is what came to mind. Others that came to mind: Things I Learned from Randy Stinson, Spiritual Laziness, What I Don’t Like To Do, but Need To. The Do Hard Things stuck and is shorter.
So…what am I talking about? One of the best part of my jobs while administrative assistant in Louisville was transcribing my boss’ talks or sermons. Sometimes I get to hear them live, but other talks I basically memorized because of the time I had to rewind, and rewind again to get the talks just right. It was a period of growth and memorization for me.
Mostly he spoke to men, but I learned a lot. He would tell the men that a lot of the younger generation is lazy. Not because they don’t like to do things, or they just sit around (which some of them do), but more than that he was talking about men who don’t do hard things. They may be really busy, but they don’t like doing things that are hard for them. They would rather live passively with their wives than bring up the issue that both of them know they need to deal with. They would rather let the slacker keep going at work than to confront him and call him on his laziness. They would rather play video games all day than prep for that test or sermon, or fix the toilet that is leaking in the guest bathroom. Do hard things. The boss would always say, do them first: write that note, send that email, fix that toilet, study for that test, ask that girl out, apply for that new position. Whatever is most hard for you to do – do it first, get it off the to-do this first and then you’ll have plenty of time to do the not so hard things.

So, I was thinking about this all day and really the past couple of days. There are two things in my life right now that are harder than the rest: and I haven’t done them because they wouldn’t be easy. I guess I should say I haven’t done either of them with sincere regularity, and my whole life reflects it.

Exercise/Healthy Eating. It is much easier to not exercise, to sleep in when the alarm goes off because it is cold outside, or to not run that extra 2 miles when you’ve already run 3. It is easier to eat brownies and roasted chicken than it is to eat carrots and roasted beets.

Personal Quiet Time. I spend all day writing curriculum, in books, digging into Scripture for my job. I love it. But, what I’ve not done with regularity is sit down in the morning – pre-work – and dig into the Scriptures for myself, for my soul, for my walk with the Lord.
I need to set my alarm, get out of bed, put my feet on the floor (and not hop back in bed) and do the hard things.
What are your hard things?
Is it cleaning the house?
Is it carrying on a conversation with your husband or wife?
Is it asking for accountablity?
Is it reading the Bible?
Is it exercising?
Is it cooking healthy meals for your family?
Is it asking that girl out?
Is it losing weight?
Is it serving in your local church?
Is it giving some of your income away to missions or service projects?
Is it opening your home to strangers or friends?
Is it practicing the spiritual discipline of prayer, worship, giving, evangelism?
Is it not buying any more “toys” because you already have too many?

Whatever your “hard thing” is – DO IT.
1 Timothy 4:8 “Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.