Life with Sally

We see that dark nights of the soul are a part of a faith journey with our precious shepherd in this broken world. That is when I need to gently reach for His hand and heart, walk slowly through each season with His kindness, compassion leading me.

You'll have to listen to our podcast today to hear how the Lord miraculously brought this together and made it a possibility—a long life dream come true.

Gentleness grows stronger with practice. It comes with humility. It grows as wisdom and takes root in the heart that values the ones she loves.

There is something sacred about life celebrations. To underline and commemorate a life accomplishment, a normal day, a birthday, or just life, gives the person value, adds importance. Celebrations live in the hearts, minds, souls of the one celebrated for a lifetime and gives hope and courage when hard times come.

In April of 2003, my husband Clay released his book, Heartfelt Discipline, with the most beautiful study of reaching the hearts of children, giving them a vision for the life of relationships, faith, character, values through personal relationship, love and biblical training.

Training our children to commit to godly character happened day in day out, correction, instruction, taking time, learning to be gracious in relationships, working hard to complete a task, years of training in the midst of normal life circumstances.

I love historical biographies that inspire, give me a model of faith I can learn from, have full-bodied Christian women who call me to my best self and stay with me for decades. Lilias Trotter has been a favorite Victorian role model for me for quite a while. It just happens, a very dear friend of mine just released an excellent, soul-filling book about her life.

Words must also be initiated to be useful. It is no good just thinking appreciation. Words are water to thirsty souls, food to hungry hearts. May we pour out a flood of great words today and see the lives of people who need to hear God's voice, be changed by the grace that He uses through us to give to them who are longing for a touch from His Spirit.

Today, I am quite tired to my bones, but it is a good tired. I never knew God would give me 4 children, or that they would live far, far from home. Or that I would have the privilege to have a ministry amongst kindred spirits all over the world.

We must persevere, to subdue, to create beauty in our world. When the walls within our home bring safety, the music brings comfort, the food satisfies the body, the touch brings affection, the words bring hope, we are like the Holy Spirit—bringing the reality of God to the dark places of our world.

Lifegiving words have deep, abiding power. It is through words that we come to understand the truth about the Lord.

I am so excited today to be able to tell you about a wonderful new book that is coming into the world today. My lovely daughter in law, Keelia Clarkson, is sending out her first book, Chapter One Again.

Do you remember that He has come, that He is coming, that He continues to call men and women to Himself? Do you live your life with an eye open to the eternal things God might want to do in your own life? To love your neighbor, give to the needy, spread light?

Do I say, "yes" to God, give myself to serve in whatever way He asks?

Faithfulness happens over thousands of days, years, of laying down our lives.

There is a depth of love and a sense of "belonging to one another," a completeness, when I can be with my adult children and grandchildren.

I will be gone for one more week, but I will keep trying to make at least short podcast to tell you where I've been. Have a great week! And be sure to make something new and creative to delight yourself and your family.

Today was a really fun podcast and recording with Ainsley and my dear friends who have been a part of God's movement through our lives into this world.

Without love, we become noisy gongs, clanging symbols, and fail to reach hearts of our people with messages of truth. Love is the most profound reflection of Christ in a fallen world.

I had to become willing to place myself at the altar of God's will. I had to relinquish expectations about life, God, relationships—that I held tightly in my fist. With each relinquishment, I discovered I could trust God, find happiness.

s your picture of God, his transcendence, HIs joy, His beauty, His love and affection a part of the design of your home? Your home is a workshop to reflect the many facets of the jewel of His reality.

We are agents of His grace and light and have the privilege one time on this earth to sing, teach and tell of His ways and light, until the victory dinner when we see Him face to face.

Discernment is the ability to judge well between truth and vanity. Discernment between good and evil, willingness to obey whatever God requires is evidence of a person walking in the power of the Holy Spirit and following God's word.

As I look back now, I realize that seasons—singleness, marriage, parenting, birthing, raising children, growing older, are all seasons of life that we pass through. God even built seasons into nature as a picture to us that mirrors our real lives.

All of our lives, if we are believers, our goal is to relate to God, His purposes, His plans, His personal love and involvement and love for us, and His faithfulness to us, no matter what assails us in our lives. It is our glory to walk with Him every day until we see Him face to face.

One of the deepest blessings of my life at this stage is the very close, intimate, inspiring, fun friendships I have with my now adult children. But, of course, as with everything else, it took years of heart-work.

God has given us this opportunity, today, to invest our lives for His glory. But greatness requires endurance, perseverance. Am I one who keeps going, seeking, trusting, moving ahead by faith? What does it require us to accomplish God's work? A steadfast heart, mind and work ethic.

In his new book, I'm The Worst, and in the conversation we had on today's new podcast, Nathan explores the necessity of acknowledging and paying attention to our brokenness, as it is the conduit to freedom and redemption, not a hindrance.

It is not logical to forgive someone who has offended us, but it is supernatural — it can only come from walking in the power of the Holy Spirit. Yet, forgiveness and humility was constantly on the heart of Jesus.

If our goal is to become like Christ, little by little, every day by seeking to please Him, growing in the direction of righteousness because of obedience, seeking to understand Him, His instruction, His ways.

As I ponder what I want to become more of this year, I must take seriously the cultivating of my own soul, so that when others come to draw from me, they are drawing from Him, because I have invested time in Him, His word, His wisdom, His truth and His ways.

Even as we declutter our home, put it back in order after a busy holiday season, so I find that I must declutter my heart to go into my year free, with grace, hope and good plans. Proverbs tells us to "Guard our heart, for from it flows the springs of life."

What you choose to believe and cherish, practice and submit to, work at and believe, happens when no one else is looking. These are the glorious days your children will remember—the joy of the meantime, the moments cherished, the memories of this Christmas, feasting together, choosing joy. Life teaches us to cherish every day.

As I was on my walk today, I had you in my heart. In such a dark time, it is difficult to put aside our anxieties. Yet, I have learned slowly to move in the direction of trusting God more practically, learning to claim, feel how to breathe peace in those moments of such feelings.

Advent is not only about longing for Christ to come again and put everything back together; it's about repenting and receiving grace so that we get to be put back together now.

A culture separated from God's wisdom over the centuries must surely provide lures that will destroy and distract from Him, from what is eternal, from what is true. Yet, to throw away those things which are not necessary, I must constantly be straining my ear to His voice and not to the voice of those who would draw me to vanity or more strife of busyness.

Real influence comes all the moments of the ways we live our lives in front of our children. It is not just about passing on doctrine, but as much about relationship, love, beauty as it is the concepts we teach them.

Today, sweet mama, you are building a gift of love for yourself that will bless you your whole life. Cherish this season with your precious ones, cultivate some delightful moments that will fill your heart and theirs. Watch it grow into something beautiful.

David seemed to understand the need for himself to restore and saw God as the source leading him beside still waters and restoring his soul. His shepherd heart valued nature from years of walking amongst the hills beside his sheep, enjoying sunrises, evening stars and the vast artwork of nature.

Embracing ideals that matter always comes with a cost, and yet, the giving of our rights and expectations to serve God and to follow His will is always worth it. God's ways change us, deepen our faith, build humility, teach us the value of love and perseverance and of course deepen our appreciation for the life and model of Christ.

Sometimes we don't realize how much life and duty have drained us and how much we need filling. But it isn't the activities, "things" or accomplishments we need—it is the real live moments of relationship and loving one another well, to be heard, to feel close and understood that create the type of relationship we all long for.

Today, after a series of unexpected adventures and plans, Joy and I had the opportunity to visit this amazing historical home where part of one of our favorite film series was filmed. Join me today to hear our story. What a day of deep delight and whimsy as we spent hours exploring this wonderful place.

On my podcast today, I tell a story of when grumpy mama me had to retreat from a bad attitude so that I could fully enjoy a precious moment to experience joy and laughter with my young children.

The changing weather whispers, "change is coming, your days are shorter than they used to be." With each leaf swirling delicately toward the ground, are reminders that we all have limitations to the story we live in life, I see the autumn more clearly than ever before.

I am praying for all of you — but even more, God is praying for you and loves you. Don't give into discouragement or inadequate feelings. With God all things are possible. He is so glad you are trying and that you care. You are precious to Him and He is training your character to grow strong as you are training your children.

It's hard for all of us—especially in the hurry and flurry of the Christmas season—to take time to stop and listen to our children. But I've realized that's the most important thing of all. If I want my children to be open to hearing the messages I have for them, I must listen to the ones they have for me.

Today on my podcast, I am reintroducing you to my friend, Malcolm Guite, a scholar in Cambridge, a Poet and very winsome and informative teacher. You will love hearing about why and how we celebrate Christ throughout the church year.

The goal of Christmas traditions is not to do the most elaborate and difficult things, but to help my children love Jesus, revere Him, enjoy His story, to embed the beauty of Christmas deeply into their hearts.

Join me as I speak today about the Biblical meaning of waiting. Advents finds us waiting for His light to come into our darkness.

The holidays bring such an array of activities, things to do, traditions to occupy our time. Yet, if we want to make this holiday memorable and special, we need to determine to be present in the moment with those in our midst, our children, friends, relatives, neighbors. This is the day, this is the moment the Lord has made.

None of us will ever be perfect. We are in process. And at every step, God who is steadfast in His love and never changing, loves us and wants to companion us and carry our load.

Week by week, our family waited for the arrival of our precious baby to come. Yet, this mysterious journey of motherhood means that every time a baby is born, it is miraculous and unpredictable. Finally, on her due date, my newest grandchild decided to hint that she might be on her way.

A truth told without love and grace is a truth that is rejected. Would Jesus' message have had the same impact without His feeding thousands, taking children into HIs arms, and washing the feet of His friends? It is in service that God incarnate is recognized. And service begins with serving those who are closest to us, making home the very best place to be.

Creating and noticing beauty, the loveliness of life, the gift of sweet relationships with my littles is an emotional and spiritual defense against being overcome by evil and darkness.

Our walk with God, our hope in His reality, His companionship, His presence every day gives our children a way forward to know how to engage with the realities of a dark, broken world. The way we narrate life to them becomes their instructor for how to narrate life for themselves.

We all go through struggles and dark seasons as women and mothers. The battles are real and can seem overwhelming. Along the way, I have had a few people who have met me at my point of need, my point of depression, my hunger, for wisdom and instruction.

Autumn is a time for savoring, for choosing to make a memory. We intentionally take the opportunity to look into the eyes of our beloveds, to make one more sweet memory with a full knowledge that seasons change and that the moment might pass.

I hadn't had a conversation with my friend, Sam, for quite a while, so we met for a chat to catch up and I knew many of you would enjoy listening in.

We were created to be message makers, healers, redeemers. There is a kingdom of darkness but we are people of the light and the light will overcome all that is evil, dark, meaningless, and harsh.

Let us embrace the joy worth repeating, again and again, and seek out those warm conversations that nourish our spirits and remind us of the beauty of connection. And may we never underestimate the power of tea and a friend to bring peace, comfort, and a touch of magic to our lives.

He who was with Jesus, is with me. He is still the calm in the midst of storms, the peace and rest in the torrents, the comfort and lover and One who is powerful above all and still says to the powers that threaten, "Be still."

So often, God prunes my branches of life. He takes away, he cuts my life back—and truly I have learned that I bear more fruit from these times of discipline than I could have understood when I was younger. He has the best for me in mind—that I may bear even more fruit.

It is a legacy of faith we are passing on, when we daily stoop to serve, patiently giving our energy to meet the needs of others.

I invested a lifetime of building heart-to-heart connections through words of grace, rhythms of shaping thoughts, convictions, and imagination of His goodness, beauty, and love. These happened in all the moments of the days and were underlined by the intentional special times when we would meet alone, share a cuppa of something soothing and warm, a treat, and speak of eternal virtues that inspired a lifetime of joy.

Learning to be responsible for your own sense of well-being, your sense of contentment, and the ability to thrive is one of the most foundational aspects of flourishing over a lifetime.

His spirit shapes us as we shape a generation for His glory. And we are able to take one more step of obedience and pour out His unconditional love and wisdom to children who are not always aware of our sacrifice until they are older.

As I look to the years ahead, I wonder how I could best invest my time and my love for all of you whose lives matter so much.

As I ponder where I have been and where I am going, I have realized that I want to consider how to best invest my life for Him in the years ahead, how to love well, to encourage generously, to grow a little bit more like Jesus every day.

For our children to have a strong standard of truth speaking to their invisible thoughts, their minds must be filled with thousands of teachings of scripture so their brains will have a "go-to" place when they are making decisions about their lives.

Today on my podcast I share many of the ways Clay and I prepared for our home for our grandchildren to be child friendly, a place to rest and be at peace, and a welcome to their parents.

As believers, we need to understand the principle of unconditional love. It is natural to disdain or criticize people—it is supernatural to love, to forgive, to be patient.

"Even grown ups love to play dress up once in a while." Add to that a cold gas of sparkling Elderflower juice, shared with a dear friend with lots of laughter and you have an unforgettable memory to come back to again and again.

Unless we learn to give these wounds into the file drawer of heaven, to allow Christ to take these burdens of heart for us, we will be overwhelmed by a shadow of bitterness, anger or disappointment. That is why forgiveness is so very essential to the message of Christ.

Tending to the hearts of the "least of these" is what pleases Jesus. We are His hands, voice, and touch to those He has trusted into our care.

In a broken world where we are subject to our own foolishness and sin as well as the chaos of the world and other sinful people, in quietness and rest in God is our strength.

Sometimes there are places that wrap their vast beauty around your heart and hold you there with a sense that you are experiencing another world. From the first time I visited St. Andrews, I was charmed, inspired, and held such a sense of belonging.

Celebrations live in the hearts, minds, souls of the one celebrated for a lifetime and gives hope and courage when hard times come.

I am convinced that if we women understood that we have a capacity to work a little harder, give more and cultivate more intentionally, we would indeed be able to see greatness of soul, depth of faith arise out of our children's lives.

To obey means to act according what you have been asked or ordered to do by someone in authority, or to behave according to a rule, law, or instruction. Obedience is the action of authentic faith. Jesus said, "If you love me, obey me."

Take time for your favorite cuppa and relax a bit and enjoy Tea Time Tuesday.

How can you show God that you are after his heart right in the midst of your story today?

"Cheers, friends! Sit down and rest a spell!" My grandmother used to say when we came to her house. Always a welcome, always a cheery wish for us to take time for a visit, a time to chat, a time to be friends. So, today, sit down and rest a spell. You will be so glad you did.

Do you have a friend whose story has encouraged or inspired you because of her knowledge and love of God?

We were made for companionship, community, close friendship. We are happier deep down, flourish more, grow stronger in every way when we have a close friend standing with us in life.

Today, we talk of the lovingkindness of God—the term comes from Chesed, the Hebrew term which meant to give oneself fully, generously, with love and compassion.

It was a fun week! I met with our editor of Victoria Magazine with a lovely traditional tea.

Today, on Tea Time Tuesday, I speak of one of my favorite children's authors and illustrators, a new recipe, the profound influence of music on our brains, beauty as something that lowers adrenalin and the ways of rhythms in life.

Don't you think that God meant for us to go outside, to take naps under budding trees, to breathe in pleasure when everything is alive and inviting after a long hard winter? An overwhelming desire to escape is rushing through every molecule of my being.

The power of returning spring is unstoppable, as though God's song refuses to be quieted.

Mothers were uniquely created to create goodness and calm chaos, to kindle hope, and foster faith. We are the beauty bringers and soul shapers of our homes and our communities.

When we add up a life of faithfulness in serving God, accumulating maturity, grace, knowledge, wisdom, failure, forgiveness, compassion—it is thousands of moments of choosing to practice persevering, one moment at a time.

Rainy days will come, but the way you handle them will determine your ability to keep going forward.

I pray that this book will refresh you in your ideals and give you a sense of why bringing rhythms of grace regularly into your life will help you keep steadfast in your meaningful work of mentoring, loving, serving and praying for those in your personal life and story.

I have been through so many seasons, but I have learned how to keep going forward, by God's grace. I pray you are encouraged in your own season of giving yourself to your ideals.

Teatime Discipleship is about the hospitality one friend offers another, to link arms, to say, "I am here for you" in a world that is draining and isolating.

Each of us is designed by God to whisper His words to the hearts of our children so they will feel the call of God in their own lives to become "fishers of men."

Sometimes a girl needs a little spoiling. Just a fun, special tea time with a dear friend can pick me up! Like the Dowager Countess can say, "Well, there is nothing else to be done. Let's have tea."

If you are experiencing weariness and discouragement, it signifies you are engaged in the battle. Join me today to find some answers to bring peace to the trenches of life.