The Saturday Six

One.

This is little feel-good story you might like! Theo's mom is a friend of mine from my Marion days. We went to church together for a while, and her mom was part of the women's Bible study at church.  (Fun fact, Theo's mom and I also share a birthday!) Anyway, Theo has spina bifida, and for his quarantine birthday, he had an extra fun adventure. Take a look!

Two.

I enjoy reading Between Naps on the Porch, and this week she blogged about these glow in the dark pieces she purchased to put on her ceiling to see if it could look like a starry night. I found her thoughts interesting to read - and while I think it sounds like a LOT of work to put them all up, I also think it would be fun to look at when you're falling asleep!

Three.

Ryan and I have some wire shelving similar to this and we are weighing how we want to use it in our new space. We haven't reached a firm verdict yet, but I've been doing some Pinterest research to look for creative (and pretty) ways to use it, and I thought this article had some great options!

Four.

I normally won't share articles that are blatant ads, but I thought this one was well-written, so I'm sharing it. Pruning plants still TERRIFIES me. I remember when I was single and had rose bushes, I was always afraid of killing them whenever I pruned them! Maybe you're the same? Some good advice here!

Five.

I stumbled across a new-to-me (at least I think!) blog this week and while I think you might find many of her posts interesting, I particularly enjoyed her "How to Wear" series! Ideas on how to wear one piece of clothing several ways!

Six.

Source

I finished another Daily Grace study this week, so I wanted to tell you about it. A couple of months ago, when they were running a big sale, I bought a handful of studies, so I could just flow from one to the next as part of my time with the Lord each day. I've told you about the first two I did (Amen and Faithful) and when it came time to pick the third study, I sifted through my little stack, trying to figure out which one to do next.

The study on the top of my pile was called It is Well: Walking Away from Anxiety and into God's Word. I wasn't feeling incredibly anxious at the time (though anxiety is a common struggle for me) so I started to flip to a different study, but I felt a little tug at my heart to do this one. I thought it might be helpful as we made our transition to a new town, church, friends, and job.

Let me tell you what I liked and appreciated about this study. The last one I did (Faithful) was longer and more intense, and I'll tell you that at first, I felt like It Is Well might almost be a little too surface level. (I hate fluffy studies.) But I paused and realized it was actually perfect for this study to be shorter and lighter in depth.

Anxiety is a real thing and for those who suffer from it know, it can be crippling at times. I know my own struggles with it don't nearly reach the depths that some people face. When your mind and heart are so deeply overwhelmed, sitting down to do an intense theological study probably wouldn't be at the top of your list. I understand that.

It is Well is a three week study with five days of reading/study each week. Following the reading (which only lasts a couple of pages) you'll find three reflection questions that are deep enough to be helpful but light enough to not exasperate a hurting heart. And after the fifth day of study, there is a weekly reflection section to solidify all you learned over the course of the week.

I appreciated that the writer (Sarah Morrison) acknowledged early on the realities of depression and the deep, dark places of anxiety that go far beyond a Bible study "fix." If you're in a place that deep, definitely seek professional help and opinions!

This study is fully Biblical; each day's reading pulls from Scripture (and not just one verse, but a chunk of Scripture) and encourages the reader to seek truth from the Word to surpass loud feelings/lies of Satan/etc.)

I also appreciated that the study didn't discount the reality of feelings - or even God's ability to use them for our good. The writer didn't attempt to fix or dismiss problems, but she did encourage her readers to restructure thinking to find healthier mindsets.

And even though I wasn't anxious when I started the study, by the time I wrapped it up, I did have a few days when I wrestled hard with the details of the move - details out of my control. They made me anxious, and I was able to skim back through the study, read the verses out loud, and read over the study notes I'd underlined. It was so helpful in calming me in my time of need, and I was so glad I'd taken the time to do the study even when I wasn't sure I needed it. (I was also able to share some of the things I learned with people I had conversations with during this time, so that was an extra bonus.)

Is it the deepest theological study ever? No. Is it a completely appropriate study for a person wrestling with anxiety? Yes. It is manageable in length, helpful in content, and a great resource even for those who have anxiety-laden people in their lives.

(And it's on sale for $10 right now...and it doesn't look like it's sold out yet! And I don't think they have a men's version of this one...at least I didn't see it!)