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  • By Prayer and Petition with Thanksgiving #3

    ByLauren November 17, 2021October 26, 2021 Bible reading, Christian, joy, prayer, thanksgiving
    14 Comments

    thanksgivingIf you are just joining us for your Wednesday prayer time this month, we are focusing on thanksgiving because, well you know.  Our scripture today may seem like an odd choice.  You probably won’t see it framed with a pumpkin or fall leaves.  But I think it’s an important reminder in this season and every season.

    “Nor should there be any obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.”  Ephesians 5:4 NIV

     

    In Paul’s appeal to the church in Ephesus, he challenges them to a new morality.  Above and beyond simply keeping the law.  A commentary puts it this way, “Instead of using his tongue for such unworthy and unbecoming talk, the Christian should deliberately cultivate the practice of expressing thanks to God for all the blessings and mercies of life.  This is pleasing to the Lord, a good example to others, and beneficial to one’s own soul.”

     

    Does this mean the believer should be somber and serious at all times?  No!!!  Joking has its place and I love to laugh more than anyone.  It’s good for our health!

    How can anyone who focuses on blessings be somber?  Those who are fully aware of the mercy God bestows on them every minute of every day will exhibit more joy than any other!

    Click To Tweet

     

    So here is my prayer of petition with Thanksgiving:

    Replace the pronouns with the appropriate ones for the person (or yourself) that you are praying for.

     

    I would love it if you would fill the comments this month with things for which you thank our Lord and Savior.  Let’s flood this space with gratitude.  And don’t forget to share this on your favorite social media platform using the icons below.  Invite others to join in the thanksgiving.  And if you don’t want to miss any of the party, subscribe using the form on the right hand side of this page.

     

    Praying for you in this.

    Lauren

     

     

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  • Farm to Film: A Nostalgic Book Review

    ByLauren November 12, 2021November 5, 2021 book review, Christmas, family, Grace & Truth Link Up, thanksgiving
    18 Comments

    Nostalgic bookSomething about the holidays makes me nostalgic.  Many of my best memories center around Thanksgiving and Christmas.  When the calendar turns to November and then December, I become sentimental for my family and friends, our traditions and gatherings.  And I welcome a hope for those good times again.

     

    A Nostalgic Book Review

     

    This same feeling overtook me as I poured over a children’s book today.  Farm to Film:  An Alphabetical Adventure Told Through the Eyes of an Old Lens by Hannah Miles Pierrou took me back to a familiar time.  No, I never lived on a farm, nor regularly visited one as a child; but this story captures the wonder through which a child sees the world around them.  And that sensation is universal.

     

    The heroine of this tale uses an old camera to capture the activities of daily living on her grandparents’ farm.  And the author’s gorgeous illustrations made me want to visit the farm too.  Although the pictures of animals and other country treasures, along with the ABC’s make this an engaging book for a little one; the artistry of the poetry and illustrations captured my adult imagination.

     

    nostalgic book

     

    A literary agent generously gifted me this copy to review, and I can’t wait to gift copies to some little ones I know this Christmas.

     

    And Now the Rest

     

    This week’s featured post from the link up:

     

    I love the refreshing honesty of So Many Questions from My Life in Our Father’s World.  The author tackles the topic of prayer without pretending to know all the answers, and she encourages us to dig deeper in the process.

     

    1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

    2. Comment on 1 or 2 other links. Grace & Truth linkup encourages community.

    3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate).

    Grace and Truth_Meet Hosts

    We encourage you to follow our hosts on their blogs or social media.

    MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
    Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

    LAUREN SPARKS
    Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

    LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
    Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

    TAMMY KENNINGTON – Restoring hope. Pursuing peace.
    Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

    Now Let’s Link Up!

     

    You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

    Click here to enter

     

    Sharing means caring! If you liked this post, do me the huge honor of using the buttons below to share it to your favorite social media accounts. And if you want to get these essays emailed to you once a week, subscribe!  Lastly, my posts may contain affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy anything from one of these links, I receive a few pennies to help offset the cost of this website at no additional charge to you. Thank you in advance for your help.

     

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about me

Lauren Sparks

I love Jesus, my husband and caffeine. The order of these can change depending on how tired I am. When my two daughters, stepson, and 4 grandchildren get to be too much, I practice yoga. God graciously allows me to share our adventures, victories and flub-ups from my laptop. May He be glorified here. Read More

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