Tag Archives: #FlyBy

Family Honor Plate

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When I was growing up my parents had a tradition that for various unique/monumental occasions, we had a special plate that one of us would get to use at dinner. It was gold in color and much more fancy than the other dishes they used for every day.

So for things like a birthday, or a great report card…things like that, we were “rewarded” with the special plate at dinner. We all wanted it and loved having the honor of eating off of it!

It is a tradition that I wanted to carry on with my own kids, but honestly, I hadn’t taken the time to find a special plate that would work for such occasions.

Then I was contacted by #Flyby Promotions about a new product they had for review called the Family Honor Plate. It was a kit that had everything available to paint a plate together that could be used to recognize honorable traits in your kids.

Around the edge of the plate are listed the Fruits of the Spirit. Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness,  Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control.

The idea behind using the plate is simple. Watch for those times when your kids are displaying one of the Fruits of the Spirit and then they get the Honor Plate to use that day. But even beyond that, they encourage you to have your kids watch for those traits in other family members and “gift” the plate when it is appropriate!

What a wonderful way for us parents to be watching, but also for our kids to be learning how to see and recognize those fruits as well.

The kit comes with everything you need to paint the plate. We sat down as a family to come up with a design and color pattern. As you can see from the top picture, we used painters tape to mark off equal sections and it worked pretty well!

Then you start painting, making sure to clean your brush well between each color. I will say that for some reason my red and purple especially were very thick upon opening. Almost to the point that I couldn’t spread them with the brush. I was really hoping that when we baked the plate the brush strokes would soften and even out.

But as you can see from the finished picture below, that didn’t happen. So my only piece of advice would be to not paint on several coats and keep it as thin as possible! I have done other painted pottery pieces before and if you didn’t have several coats, the color after baking would be very light. In this case, the color after baking was just the same as before baking!

Once you are done painting, you let it dry for a period of time and then they have baking instructions on how to cure your plate. Once it has baked and cooled you can use it to eat on!

Our family is going to have fun using this plate over and over again as we watch for honorable characteristics in one another!

In addition, I was sent these fun Table Tyme Discussion cards. Every day has a new question that helps encourage conversation around the dinner table!

Even though my plate didn’t turn out “perfect”, we had a lot of fun planning how to paint it and discussing how we were going to be using it. I think this would be a wonderful project for any family and a great way to encourage kids to be aware of and watching for the fruits of the spirit!!

[youtube]https://youtu.be/dwLlnS3t0LI[/youtube]

I was sent the Family Honor Plate for free to complete and review. All opinions expressed are my own!

No Longer Ashamed – Finding an Identity in Christ

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identity in christ!

I have spent a lot of my life living under the weight of my past and my failures.

Convinced I didn’t have anything to offer, and further justified in my mind when I would see others succeed and I did not.

My identity had become something that was defined by my success (or lack thereof), if I wasn’t invited to be a part of something I must not be worth it. I became more and more ashamed of who I was and certain that I had no value.

I can see today that it was a lie – but in the thick of it, it seemed like absolute truth.

Oh how we can be deceived. The Bible says in John 10:10 that the thief comes to kill and destroy but God has come to give us life and abundantly at that!

I have heard that verse hundreds of times over the course of my 41 years and it wasn’t until recently that I really understood its truth in my own life.

I have read a couple of books about shame in the past 6 months, most recently one called “Unashamed – Healing our brokenness and finding freedom from shame” by Heather Davis Nelson.

In it she describes shame as “the feeling that we have missed the mark according to our own standard or our perception of someone else’s standard for us. Shame keeps us from being honest about our struggles, sins and less than perfect moments. Fear of shame drives us to perfectionism in all areas of our lives, so that there would be no imperfection to be noticed and judged. Shame is what we heap on others when they fail us. Shame keeps us holding onto bitterness and refusing to forgive. We are impacted by the shame of sin committed against us, and this drives a wedge into our relationships.” p20

That feeling we have missed the mark….

The story of my life really, but I want freedom and I believe it is possible!

But it starts with an honest look at what has shaped me over the years. How I see people seeing me now. Why the opinions of others matter SO much and a look at who am I living my life for.

These aren’t easy questions to explore and honestly it has been a bit of a painful process.

But I believe that the heart work has been necessary to get to that place that I can be honest with others. The hope is that in doing so we can surround ourselves with a body of believers that encourages us in spite of our failures.

Heather says this…“Imagine a community where we are free to be known and seen for who we are on our best days and our worst days.” p83

If I want that community for myself I first need to be that kind of community to others. And I can use Christ as my example.

Finding my identity in the One who can fully restore me from all shame, all my sinful past, all my mistakes and hurts.

Heather said it beautifully here…“Rescue comes only through Jesus. Jesus took the shame of our shame-filled (and shame-fueled) performances and mis-placed blame, and bore it in His body and shed blood for us on the cross. He covered not only the guilt of our sin, but our shame of trying to cover up our sin. And the good news doesn’t stop there! We have Jesus’s righteous performance in place of our feeble half-hearted attempts.” p93

Jesus did it all.

And He did it EVEN THOUGH He knew what my sins would be. He loved me that much. And now because of this great sacrifice, my identity isn’t one of sin and shame but instead an identity filled with the goodness of who Christ is.

It’s pretty amazing really and I am so grateful for this gift of new life He has given me!

I don’t know about you, but trying to be something I am not is exhausting. I won’t ever get this life “right”, I can’t be perfect and when I try (and for all the wrong reasons) I will fail every time.

Instead I am finding peace and sanctuary in the knowledge of my new identity and claiming it with TRUTH from His word.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has done, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, for the law of the Spirit of life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1

“I have been crucified with Christ and therefore I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20-21

Take some time today to revel in those truths. If you have struggled with your identity, start praying about how God can open your eyes to your real identity through Him. Take a step of faith and start building community with someone you can trust, and start getting real. I think that as we do this and then also claim truth in our hearts from the scripture we will start walking in the freedom that God has intended for us all along!

Heather’s book is really good and explores areas of shame in our body image, our social interactions and our performance. What I loved most about the book was that it is filled with the truth and encouragement that can only be found in a relationship with Jesus. Not another self-help book but rather a hope-filled book that can help you identity shame and then break free from the chains it has on you!

I was sent a copy of Unashamed to review for free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The wonderful people at #FlyBy have a copy of this book for me to giveaway to one of my readers!! If you would like a copy simply leave a comment below! I will pick a winner next Friday the 8th!

Unashamed book

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”) Many thanks to Propeller Consultin, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller/FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Photo Credit: via

Writing God’s Word on Their Hearts

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ESV Bible 4

This week we are doing something that is a first in our almost 20 years of marriage….we are getting new carpet installed! It is a pretty big deal to us, our first home had newer carpet when we moved in and after 13 years it probably needed to be replaced, but we couldn’t afford it. Then we moved to MN and the carpet needed replacing in many rooms, but again it wasn’t in the budget after buying a new home!

So we started talking about it months ago and finally decided to go forward and make the investment. It is scary and exciting all at the same time. I didn’t realize just how much work was involved in the process! Clearing out all the rooms, ripping the old carpet out and removing all the staples…that’s just the “prep” work.

Today the installation started and we started talking about how we hope really like the new color because it is going in multiple rooms! 🙂

When I was 14 my parents replaced their carpet and before the new was put down, they let us write all over the sub-floor. I have always remembered how cool that was and recently saw a friend who did Bible verses in their home and I decided to do the same.

So yesterday we spent sometime writing God’s Word on the floors in our rooms. I love the idea that we can stand on His Word in a tangible way each day.

ESV Bible 3

Dominic wrote out some of his favorite verses and I will always know that in our front living room we have a reminder to put on God’s armor each and every day. It is another way to remember to be prepared for the battles we will face every day.

I took pictures of all the places and verses we wrote because I want to have something to show our younger kids when they are older. Our family isn’t perfect by any means. We mess up and face difficulties like every other family. But my prayer is that we can be a family that is established and rooted in the Word of God. And that we might be able to use that foundation to be a light and an encouragement to others.

As a parent I have struggled with how best to teach our kids about God. We are so grateful for our church and the Awana program there. But I can’t expect that others will always do the work for me…we have to continue to encourage them and instill them with His Truth in our home.

For a long time I have looked for a devotional that might be appropriate and just haven’t found something that works for the varying ages in our family. Recently though I was sent the ESV Family Devotional Bible from #FlyBy promotions to review. What I love about it is that it is a full Bible, but among the pages are pictures and short devotional readings.

ESV Bible 2

At the end of each reading, there are questions to ask the family to discuss and a verse that could be used as a memory verse! It is something that my 5 year old could listen and participate in, but it isn’t too young for my 12 year old either.

These are the kind of devotionals that wouldn’t take much time, but would provide opportunities for deeper discussions and also the chance for our kids to once again hear the Truth of God’s Word. And I love that at the end of each devotional it points you to the page where the next one can be found!

I want the Word of God written on their hearts, and what a perfect way to encourage that by including these devotionals in our weekly routine.

I know it can be hard to take time out as a family to do things like this, but just like we took time to write out those verses on the floor…we need to find time in our busy schedules to stop and spend time with God. This Bible is going to help us get back on track and I am excited to see our kids!

But even more exciting is the fact that #FlyBy has another Bible to give away to one of my readers! YAY!! So to enter just leave a comment and share either why you would like this, or tell me what is something you do in your family to teach the Word of God to your kids? I am always looking for new ideas! Giveaway will close on Friday May 20th!

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.
Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Giving Our Kids God’s Word {Giveaway}

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Under The Sea 1

I love when our children embrace God’s Word. When they start to recognize the importance of understanding the stories contained within in a real way.

Karlena has had a “Baby Bible” now for a few years, but hasn’t had an actual Bible with the full text inside. She can’t read yet but very soon she will be reading on her own and I hope that she will learn to find God’s Word as a source of knowledge and comfort.

When this Bible arrived at our door Karlena was so excited. The bright colors and pictures on the front and throughout remind you of a Disney movie! In fact one friend asked if it was a Disney Bible!

Under The Sea 3

It is a NIrV edition, so it is an “easy reader” for children, with easier text for them to understand. Elijah asked me to read them some verses so since we were close to Easter I opened it to Matthew so that I could read portions of the crucifixion story.

Some of our favorite pages in the Bible were these insert pages.

Under The Sea 4

There was the Lord’s Prayer, the ABC’s of accepting Christ and the books of the Bible. I read one review that stated she wished there had been more of those pages throughout and I agree. Those were the pages Karlena kept turning to herself!

At church this past Sunday our Pastor talked about Peter. And while all of the passages he read were familiar to me, hearing it again brought new life and new meaning to who he was.

I think that is why we need to continue to encourage our kids to read God’s Word over and over. The meaning, our understanding, of the stories change over time. As we grow in our faith we can start to apply the principles to our own lives.

In 30+ years I want my kids to nod in agreement at a familiar story and at the same time see it all in a new light. 

Do you have a favorite children’s Bible for kids in this 6-10 age group? I’d love to hear about it!!

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The Under the Sea Holy Bible, NIrV is a perfect gift for children ages 6 to 10. Themes of underwater fun and sparkling fish grace the interior of this wonderful children’s Bible. The outside is covered in foil and sparkle. The interior has color inserts featuring whimsical underwater scenes with themes of God’s care and love for each of us and all of creation.

Learn More: http://www.zondervan.com/under-the-sea-holy-bible-nirv

I was sent the Under the Sea Bible as  a free gift in exchange for my honest review. In addition the wonderful people at #FlyByPromotions have another copy to send to one of my wonderful readers! Do you have a child between the ages of 6-10 that would love this Bible?! Leave a comment below and I will pick a winner on Friday April 1st!

No Longer a Captive

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Captive-WeAreProducts-1

Sometimes life can be too much can’t it?

One wrong choice, a medical diagnosis that feels without hope, the loss of a loved one or a revelation from the past that seems unbearable.

I don’t know about you but when I find myself in those fear-filled moments of uncertainty it is often a crossroads moment. Am I going to trust God, seek His purpose despite the pain or run from it, try to control in my own way and let fear overwhelm?

I have found myself again and again running from the difficult. I recognize my weakness sure, but I also fear the refining of letting go and trusting God….so I avoid the hard work of change until I reach that breaking point.

I would love to tell you that I am one of those people that runs toward God the moment the hard comes. So often after a trial I find myself overwhelmed at how God’s hand got me through…but it is always in hindsight. I write about how faithful He is, how we should trust Him. But somewhere along the way I forget, I get comfortable with the routine of my patterns of behavior and I stop fighting to see His purpose in ALL things.

You see, my own thoughts hold me captive more than anything else in my life.

Lies that I am not good enough, that my sins can’t and shouldn’t be forgiven…that God couldn’t really love a girl like me, someone who can’t get off of the merry-go-round of mistake making.

If I were writing to you I would tell you that is crazy. Of course you are forgiven, your sins were nailed on that cross with Christ and you can walk today in freedom. No longer a captive, but  free.

I believe it fully for you, but if I am being honest…I haven’t really believed it for myself.

I haven’t walked in the freedom that I write about here. And I really don’t know how.

Typing those words make me feel like a fraud. Sharing messages about hope and redemption but living bound by chains…

I want to live authentically, to share the good and the bad…and then believe in God’s promises for myself. I read His Word in John 10:10  where it says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” We all want an abundant life don’t we? And the enemy wants nothing more than to keep us as captives.

But if I seek God and His purpose in ALL things. If I press into Him in the good times and the bad…I think I will find the freedom that I am so desperate for.

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Captive is a movie based on the true story of Ashley Smith and Brian Nichols. Two people that found themselves caught up in life. Believing that they could each control their own circumstances when life dealt them a raw deal, and yet finding themselves out of control.

When their lives intersect it seems as though there couldn’t possibly be purpose in the difficult….but some truths from a book, The Purpose Driven Life, bring clarity and hope even when all seemed lost.

Captive-Character

How would they each choose to respond when everything was on the line? In their own “crossroads moment” what would they do?

I’d love to tell you more but I don’t want to give it all away! You are going to have to watch it yourself to find out!

I was given a copy of the movie for free from #FlyBy promotions and asked to watch it and review it. It is a powerful movie and one that begs the question…does God have a purpose in everything?

I am excited because the wonderful people at #FlyBy have a copy of Captive to send to one of my readers! To enter leave a comment sharing the last movie that you watched! Share this post via social media for additional chances to win. Leave another comment for each share! I will choose a winner on Friday January 22nd.

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For more information check out their official website, their Facebook page and Twitter!

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.
Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”