How do you pray?

I don’t mean what do you say, but what is your posture? The Help Club for Moms hosted a 3-day prayer event this week, and I had an opportunity to share some raw and real truths about why I had not been praying triumphantly. I shared some of my story, including how unanswered prayers bruised my heart and hope. But God used even that. And taught me to pray from a place of triumph.

I have polished off two watermelons since Friday. It has been HOT in Cape Town. Saturday was a real scorcher. Unfortunately for my family, there is a force within me telling me to nest that is just as strong as the watermelon-consuming force. Instead of taking it easy in the heat, I did 4 loads of laundry and started deep-cleaning.

I hit my boiling point that afternoon and took the kids to the beach for respite - both from my nesting and the pulsing heat of our house. The other 4 million residents of Cape Town had the same idea and were packed like sardines along the coastline, streets and grassy banks.

Several years ago, Chris and I each wrote our “Words to Live By”. We chose our own lists of God’s truths we wanted to speak over ourselves, family and future every morning. Science and scripture both prove that the direction of your thoughts determines the direction of your life, so why let whims or the world write our realities for us?

The holidays have come and gone. Predictability and knowing what day it is have gone out the window in the last weeks of school holidays. We're relishing late summer evenings and relaxed routines, while looking forward to the structure and new school stationery that makes it feel like the new year has really begun.

It feels like my children's holiday break will never end, and this mama is ready to nest! I loaded my darling boys in the car yesterday and said, "We're going to run errands." Benjamin spent the rest of the day trying to figure out whose house "errands" was and when we'd finally get there. 🤣

This is one of my all-time favorite truths. The power of thoughts and words. They literally shape you - so much more than your circumstances. Do yourself a favor, and listen to this message! Part two will be even better next week!

Who’s making resolutions? Maybe it’s carrying this new little Ladd or dreaming of seeing my mom for the first time in 6+ years when he arrives, but I’m bringing in the new year with some old fashioned nostalgia. Typically, there’s nothing I love more than sitting down with a fresh pack of colorful pens and a goal-setting guide. I dream, plan and pray.
This year, I woke up early to worship, read the Word and call my mom. I made my NaNa’s traditional southern New Year’s Day meal, and I’m just sticking with the important things in 2022. What about you? What’s your 2022 looking like?