Passion: Salvation's Tide Is Rising - Giveaway

Hi Guys,

I have a fun giveaway to share with you today! Many of you already know of Passion and Six Step's Records, and this is their latest recording, Salvation's Tide Is Rising. Check out the specs below and then enter to win a copy of the CD in the Rafflecopter below.

About Salvation's Tide Is Rising:

This brand new Passion album contains new studio recordings from best-selling artists Chris Tomlin, Crowder, Matt Redman, and Kristian Stanfill.  It features new songs written specifically for Passion 2016.  Release Date is January 29, 2016.  

Track List:

1.  Salvation's Tide is Rising - Passion featuring Kristian Stanfill

2.  My Victory - Passion featuring Crowder

3.  Remember - Passion featuring Brett Younker and Melodie Malone

4.  God and God Alone - Passion featuring Chris Tomlin

5.  Simple Pursuit - Passion featuring Melodie Malone

6.  I Turn to Christ - Passion featuring Matt Redman

7.  Your Grace Amazes Me - Passion featuring Christy Nockels

8.  All We Sinners - Passion featuring Crowder

9.  Surrender - Passion featuring Jimi Cravity

10. Good Good Father - Passion featuring Kristian Stanfill 

About Passion albums:

Since the first release in 1998, Passion albums have sold over 1.3 million units while introducing the church to worship songs like "Our God", "Holy Is The Lord", "How Great Is Our God", and "God Of This City".  Passion is coming off its best charting radio success in 5 years with the single "Even So Come", which went Top 5. 

About The Passion Movement:

The Passion Movement and the messages of founder Louis Giglio have marked the lives of millions of people around the globe, calling people everywhere to live for the glory of God.  From its inception, the movement of Passion has birthed new anthems of worship, influencing countless churches and helping to define the current worship climate and establish artists Chris Tomlin, Crowder, Matt Redman, Christy Nockels, Kristian Stanfill and others.  Louie Giglio is the pastor and founder of Passion City Church in Atlanta, GA. 

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SOCIAL • CORNER

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"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.”

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MercyMe, It's Christmas! {Review and Giveaway}

Hello! As I shared on Instagram a few days ago, I have made a HUGE exception to my no-Christmas-music-until-after-Thanksgiving rule for a review and giveaway of MercyMe, It's Christmas! And I can't think of a better CD to make this exception for! 

I don't think MercyMe needs any introduction to my wonderful readers, but just in case you are not familiar with them, they are a contemporary Christian band that has been delivering meaningful music for two decades. I have followed them from the very beginning, in a big sisterly kind of way - as I grew up with the lead singer, Bart Millard. Even if you haven't heard of them, I can almost guarantee you have heard their hit song, "I Can Only Imagine", whether in church, on the radio, in a restaurant or even the grocery store. This is MercyMe's second Christmas album, the first one called The Christmas Sessions. It's been a decade since the first one was released, so I was thrilled to learn of this new one.  

I knew I was going to LOVE It's Christmas when the first word I heard was 'Hallelujah' from the new song, "Newborn"! What a beautiful song of adoration to our King and an invitation to be born anew in Him. I love all the songs and can't pick a favourite. There is something for everyone on this album, from pop to country, ballads to upbeat, traditional to brand new tunes, all with that fabulous MercyMe style! We'll be listening to this one over and over from now through Christmas! Check out the song list . . .

Songs:

1. Newborn

2. Christmastime Again

3. Sleigh Ride

4. I’ll Be Home For Christmas

5. Hold On Christmas

6. A Holly Jolly Christmas

7. Go Tell It On The Mountain

8. Do You Hear What I Hear

9. Our Lullaby

10. Joy

11. O Come, O Come 

12. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Exclusive Bonus Track for Pizza Ranch)

13. O Holy Night (Exclusive Bonus Track for Pizza Ranch)

14. Silent Night (Exclusive Bonus Track for Pizza Ranch)

15. Joseph’s Lullaby (Exclusive Bonus Track for Pizza Ranch)

​Mercy Me, It’s Christmas​ CD will be available in Pizza Ranch locations beginning November 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015.  It has 4 exclusive songs that can only be found on the CD version being sold by Pizza Ranch.  Each CD will be sold for $5 plus tax.  Pizza Ranch will give away the CD with a $25 gift card purchase as well as sell the full album at each of its 200 locations throughout the Midwest and Great Plains states.  "We are so excited to debut our new Christmas album, MercyMe, It’s Christmas, with Pizza Ranch” said Bart Millard with MercyMe. “Pizza Ranch is a fantastic restaurant with a great mission to glorify God. It's the perfect gift to give this Christmas season and the perfect CD to get you in the Christmas spirit.” 

About Pizza Ranch:

Cultivating its mission “To give every guest a legendary experience” since its inception in 1981, Pizza Ranch connects with its communities in a way that provides bridges for friends, family and colleagues to come together. Today, Pizza Ranch is based in Orange City, Iowa and owns, operates and franchises over 190 locations in 13 states. Consistent growth has been a Pizza Ranch staple, as the brand has become a beacon of community involvement and exceptional food. The Pizza Ranch buffet features legendary pizzas, salads and desserts, and is delivered with an unmatched service quality.  “We are extremely blessed to have a very close connection with our guests,” said Adrie Groeneweg, co-founder and president of Pizza Ranch. “This project extends the brand’s essence to a new dimension beyond our four walls and into their lives. It’s a new kind of way for us to relate to our loyal fans.” 

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SOCIAL • CORNER 

WEBSITE 

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

And if you're like me and unfortunately don't have a Pizza Ranch location in your neck of the woods, you can buy the CD HERE.

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Giveaway Time!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blessings and love. xo

"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. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Open to residents of USA and Canada, age 18 or older.

This post contains my affiliate links. Thank you!

Friday Faves

Hello, Lovelies!

I have a head cold (boo!), but I'm using my favourite home remedies and essential oils and am feeling a bit better than yesterday. I'm sure I'll be back to my healthy self in a day or two. I'm happy that it's the weekend! You, too?

This time of year brings cravings for those familiar and favourite traditional foods and goodies we have enjoyed year after year. One thing I plan to make this weekend is The Original Chex Party Mix (This "original" recipe says to use the microwave, but my original recipe uses the oven.). Do you make Chex Mix in your family? My mom made this when I was growing up, so it's been a tradition for a long time. We usually start making it in November, a week or two before Thanksgiving, and make many batches over the holidays. Yum!

Another favourite we enjoy this time of year is this delicious Spiced Pumpkin Bread (or Muffins) recipe!

Here are some of my favourite deals going on today:

If you missed out on buying those Palazzo Pants you had your eye on in the summer, here's your chance to grab some! You'll save 51%! I love the colour choices.

These Wool Felt Ball Garlands are so festive and come in four colour choices.

Don't these Cardigans with Button Sleeves look like the perfect layering sweaters?!

Wow! These Everyday Fall Midi Dresses come in sizes S to XL and are 46% off!

You save 53% on this Plaid Tunic Dress! It comes in two colours.

BOGO Free Rustic Christmas Festives - you get two for only $5.95!


I came across these two articles this week. They both invite me to learn more about cultures that embrace winter and make the most of the darker, colder months. I learned some of this while living in Canada. When there are weeks and months of snow on the ground, one really cannot expect to hunker down for the entire time and hibernate. It wouldn't be healthy. While we lived there, we learned to make the most of the snow - unless it was 40 below, of course. Brrr!

Virginia has proven herself quite cold, as well, so it was good to read these articles before the cold weather hits once again. Join me in lighting some candles, getting the blankets laundered and stacked nearby, having a good supply of hot cocoa and tea on hand, and making our homes places that embrace and celebrate winter!

The Norwegian Secret To Enjoying A Long Winter

Hygge: A Heart-Warming Lesson From Denmark

In case you missed it, HERE is my post on our favourite Advent books!

Currently, I'm reading Identity Thief: Exposing Satan's Plan to Steal Your Purpose, Passion and Power by Robby Dawkins. So far, I don't want to put it down! I'll post my review next week.

And coming tomorrow, another favourite - this one is all about Christmas! Click HERE to get a sneak peek! {ETA: Out of respect and honour for the Parisians who are suffering after the heartbreaking occurrences there last night, I am holding off on posting the giveaway until Monday. Thanks for your understanding.}


Do you have any favourite things to share this week? I'd love to hear about them.

Blessings and love. xo

Disclaimer: This post contains my affiliate links. This means that when you choose to purchase through these links, there is no additional cost to you, and I make a small commission. Thank you!

Just a quick song

Hi friends,

Life has been extra busy lately. Whew!

I really am going to try to get back on here later tonight to give some updates. For now, though, enjoy worshipping with me while I get busy cooking supper (I love listening to music while I cook!). 

This is an incredible song I learned at the conference in New Jersey . . . 



 Blessings and love. xo

EMPIRES by Hillsong United {Review and Giveaway}

Disclosure: Many thanks to Propeller Consulting for providing a sample of this product in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation. All opinions are my own.

You guys, I haven't been this excited about an album in a long time! Wow. EMPIRES is just so completely honest, and I cannot pick a favourite song.  I am listening to the whole album over and over. Maybe, because of what we've been through in the past four years, I can relate to so many of the raw, heart-cries on this album. Lines like, "Even when my strength is lost/I'll praise You/Even when I have no song/I'll praise You/Even when it's hard to find the words/Louder then I'll sing Your praise" from "Even When It Hurts." Whoosh. These could have been written for me (or even by me, if I was a song writer - ha!). 

Another one I absolutely love is "Say The Word"! I won't share all the lyrics here, but here's a taste: "Say the word and there is light/Say the word and dead bones rise/Every start and end hangs on Your voice/For Your word never returns void." Yes! Hearing Father's voice has become so important to me in the past 10 years, and this song beautiful portrays my heart in knowing and honouring His Word, both the Logos and the Rhema. 

Here are the song titles:

01. Here Now (Madness)

02. Say The Word

03. Heart Like Heaven

04. Touch The Sky

05. Street Called Mercy

06. When I Lost My Heart To You (Hallelujah)

07. Even When It Hurts (Praise Song)

08. Prince of Peace

09. Empires

10. Rule

11. Captain

12. Closer Than You Know

Last week I had the privilege of participating in a Twitter chat with worship leader, Taya Smith, whom most people know as the voice of Hillsong United's "Oceans." She is completely delightful, and I loved hearing her heart. She shared that the Beatitudes, from Matthew chapter 5, is the basis for the album. The Kingdom of God is so completely counter-cultural to what the world tells us to do. One thing she said: 'To be honest, we only truly find ourselves, our purpose, and true joy when we're actually not focusing on ourselves, when we're looking at Jesus.' That is directly contrary to the world and ultimately, the bottom line for us as Christians, eh? I love her real-ness, her humour, the Scriptures she shared and her heart for Jesus. I think you will love hearing and worshipping with her beautiful voice on EMPIRES.

S O C I A L • C O R N E R 

Twitter: @HillsongUnited

Instagram: @HillsongUnited

Facebook: facebook.com/hillsongunited

Check them out on tour this summer: http://outcrytour.com/

- Here’s a video of their performance on the TODAY show in case you missed it last month:https://vimeo.com/123986301

Buy it now: http://smarturl.it/Empires

Giveaway Time:
A big thank you to Propeller, LLC for providing a copy of EMPIRES for one of my readers. 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. Open to residents of the US and Canada, age 18 or older.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blessings and love. xo

EXHALE by Plumb {Review and Giveaway}

Disclosure: Many thanks to Propeller Consulting for providing a sample of this product in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation. All opinions are my own.

Hi Friends,
Today I get share about a new album from Plumb entitled EXHALE! I had never heard of Plumb, a.k.a. Tiffany Arbuckle Lee, before now, so I can't compare this album to her earlier releases. I really enjoy her voice and her message. Worship songs are so important to me, and I have a few new favourites after listening to this album.

About PLUMB:

Tiffany Arbuckle Lee, better-known by her stage name Plumb, is a songwriter, recording artist, performer and author. Plumb has sold more than 500,000 albums and over two million singles worldwide, co-penned songs for numerous other artists, including Michelle Branch, Mandisa, Mandy Moore, Jaci Velasquez, and Natalie Grant, and had music placed in many films and television shows. Originally signed as a Christian Contemporary Music (CCM) recording artist in 1997, Plumb is now known as well as or better in alternative rock, electronic dance music, and for the use of her music in film and television than she is in the CCM market.

About the album:
EXHALE, the seventh studio album from acclaimed multi-genre singer, songwriter and author Plumb, expresses a new focus and vision. After the runaway success of NEED YOU NOW (the album, title track and book), which coincided with her own moving story of brokenness and ultimately healing, EXHALE brims with worshipful songs of gratitude and hope.

Personal message from Plumb:

Hey everyone, I just wanted to take a minute to share a personal note about my new album EXHALE. The title comes from something my pastor said recently: “We do not exist for us….we exist to share the grace and love so freely given to us all….we breathe it in, it changes us, it makes us new and then we share it – we EXHALE.” 

I breathed in a life-changing grace when God met me in my darkest place of brokenness after my husband left me, and He changed me and gave me hope.  Then, He redeemed a dead marriage in a way only He could…through a miracle… and we remarried.  I am SO THANKFUL for the redemption. SO THANKFUL for that change. SO THANKFUL for that grace.  So I made this new record as one huge, gigantic love letter to the One who carried me during all of that. EXHALE represents the hope of the entire record…that we will each breathe in that grace and then exhale it. That is why we exist!

My Thoughts:
What an incredible testimony of Father bringing life from things that were dead! I think you will be encouraged by the message of hope, resurrection power and grace. There are 12 tracks on this album, most of which are co-written by Plumb. I am always happy to see original music on a new album. I will admit to loving that she covered a couple of songs, too, though, especially Brian and Katie Torwalt's "When You Walk Into The Room." I could listen over and over to that one. I also like the simplicity of "Faithful" and the release of worship on "Champion." 

Check out the official video for the new song, "Smoke":

S O C I A L • C O R N E R

Official Website

Official Facebook

Official Twitter

Official Instagram

ORDER on iTUNES 

Giveaway:
A big thank you to Propeller, LLC for providing a copy of BREATHE for one of my readers. 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. Open to residents of the US and Canada, age 18 or older. 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blessings and love. xo

Let It Be Jesus by Christy Nockels {Review and Giveaway}

Disclosure: Many thanks to Propeller Consulting for providing a sample of this product in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation. All opinions are my own.

Worship can be found in many different avenues, but hands down, music is one of my favourite ways to worship my King. If you come to my house at any random time of day, you may find my iTunes, Pandora app or MPE app playing some wonderful expression of love and praise to God. The name Christy Nockels can often be found on any and all of those music streams flowing out of my phone or laptop.

I first started listening to Christy Nockels when she and her husband, Nathan, were called "Watermark", back in the '90's. One of my very favourite songs of all time is their song, "Holy Roar". I have loved following her journey over the years and am excited to share with you that she has a new album coming out April 28th!!! I have had the honour of listening to Let It Be Jesus in the past two weeks and let me tell you, I have played it over and over.

About Christy:

As a worship leader for many years, she has been an integral part of Passion Conferences from its inception in 1997.  She's seen first hand music sweep people into the presence of God in a powerful way. A pastor’s kid, who was born in Fort Worth and raised in Oklahoma, she grew up singing in church. She met her husband, Nathan, in 1993 at the Christian Artists Seminar in Estes Park, Co. They recorded an independent record with fellow worship leader Charlie Hall under the name Sons & Daughters that led to an invitation from Louie Giglio to participate in the first Passion conference in Austin. Christy’s voice gained a national platform when she and Nathan formed the duo Watermark, recording four acclaimed albums before that musical season ended, paving the way for Christy’s solo career. In 2008, the couple moved to Atlanta to become part of Passion City Church where she serves on the worship team with sixstepsrecords labelmates Chris Tomlin and Kristian Stanfill. The following year, Nockels released her acclaimed solo debut, Life Light Up and spent much of the next two years touring with Tomlin and Passion.

My thoughts:

I could write something positive about each of the eleven songs on this new album. The first one is called "Freedom Song" and having experienced so much freedom in my own life, from sin, from religious bonds, from sickness and more, this could be a theme song for me. I think many of you will be able to relate. 

"Let It Be Jesus" is one of those I'm-worshiping-from-the-very-center-of-my-being, all-out 'Jesus, You are everything to me' song. These lyrics are words to live by: 

Should I ever be abandoned

Should I ever be acclaimed

Should I ever be surrounded by the fire and the flame

There's a name I will remember

There's a name I will proclaim

Let it be, Let is be Jesus

Let it be, Let it be Jesus

Another song I absolutely love is "Who Can Compare". I'm so glad Christy covered this one. This is one song that I will replay more than all the others. It is such an intimate expression of worship to Jesus and nothing, not another person, not an experience, not any material possession can compare to Him. It speaks to a deep place in my spirit. 

And that's just a small taste of what you will find on Let It Be Jesus!  Don't forget - the release date Tuesday, April 28, 2015!

S O C I A L • C O R N E R

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

TWITTER

iTunes

Giveaway:
Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing a digital copy of Christy's Let It Be Jesus to one of my readers for the giveaway! 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. Open to residents of the US and Canada, age 18 or older.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blessings and love. xo

Classical Composers Monthly 40% Off Sale

Go now to Classical Composers Monthly to check out this great deal! Erica is offering this wonderful Christmas Special:

Get Classical Composers Collections 1, 2, and 3 

Fine Art Pages Collections 1 and 2

Renaissance Artists

Great Artists Collection 1 for 40% off! 

Normally $104.65, on sale for just $62.79

You can read more about Classical Composers Monthly HERE.

Don't miss out on this 40% off deal! If you have been planning to add a study in classical composers and artists, this deal is perfect!

Instructions: Click on Classical Composers Monthly and then click on Subscribe Now to get this deal!

Blessings and love! xo


Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

Holy Spirit, You are welcome here

What a glorious experience of the Holy Spirit we had today in our church service. I mean like hold-on-to-the-pew-in-front-of-you-or-you'll-have-to-sit-down kind of experience. His Presence is real. It's palpable. And He wants us to experience more of Him in that way here on earth. Glory!!! 

I am amazed by God, once again, and thankful to be a part of a church where humility is visible, praise to Jesus is evident and enjoyed, love for everyone who walks in the door is stunning, genuine joy shines on faces, pain is acknowledged, prayers are offered, the Word is preached and the awe of the Lord is a part of every meeting. Glory!!!

I just want to take a moment and declare again, 

"Holy Spirit, You are welcome here" 

over my life, my family, my home, my church and even this little blog. Jesus, be glorified and lifted high. I exalt You in my life, in my town, in my state, in my country and over all the earth. You are the One I live for and I want to know more of Your Kingdom here on this earth. Glory!!!




Love and blessings. xo

Classical Composers Monthly

Allow me to introduce you to Erica Johns (that's her and her beautiful family above) and her wonderful homeschool resource, Classical Composers Monthly! I actually received a membership to Classical Composers Monthly 1 by winning a giveaway. What a blessing, eh?! This is a fantastic resource that has me excited to get into our new school year and back to learning about famous composers and their amazing musical creations.

Erica has made learning about classical music and its composers a simple and very affordable endeavour.  She has done all the work for us and put it in an easy-to-use format. The music, links, activities and biographical information are located all in one place, which is emailed once a month. For a very affordable price ($14.95 per set), you have lifelong access to the collection you purchase.

Here is the list of composers included in Collection 1:

Franz Peter Schubert 
Antonio Vivaldi
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Franz Joseph Haydn
Johann Sebastian Bach
Peter Tchaikovsky
Carl Maria von Weber
Felix Mendelssohn
Ludwig van Beethoven
Bela Bartok
Paul Hindemith
Frederic Chopin
Johannes Brahms

And in Collection 2:

Igor Stravinsky
Darius Milhaud
Edvard Grieg
Franz Liszt
Gustav Holst
Camille Saint-Saens
Dmitri Shostakovich
Johann Strauss II
Erik Satie
Claude Debussy
Antonin Dvorak
Gabriel Faure
Sergei Prokofiev

And in Collection 3 (both composers and artists):

Composers:  Debussy, Bach, Verdi, Rossisi, Puccini

Artists:  Renoir, Ruisdael, de Hooch, Seurat

And speaking of artists, Erica has recently added a new fantastic new offering to her products: Fine Art Pages. What a wonderful way to add art appreciation to our learning each week! Click here to view a sample page.

I love classical music and listen to the local classical radio station every day. I do not, however, know very many names of the actual pieces I hear and sometimes do not know which composer goes with which song. I learned a great many names of songs whenever Emma was playing in her orchestra back in Canada, but I have so much more to learn. I have enjoyed the incredible amount of information that Erica has compiled and look forward to learning more this year with my children! 

Check out Classical Composers Monthly today!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support!

Hope's Anthem

This song has been such an encouragement to me, and it goes right along with the HOPE that the Father spoke over me at the beginning of the year. There are many things that can bring us down in this life. The enemy is out to terrorize our souls and the darkness grows ever darker, but Jesus is our HOPE! Rejoice in Him today! Enjoy this song of worship and declare HOPE and LIGHT and JOY over your life!

May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.

Romans 15:13

Happy September! And may you be overflowing with Hope for this day and the remainder of this year. xo

I Breathe You in, God

Okay, I know I'm always sharing "one of my favourite songs." Apparently, I have a few dozen "favourites," eh? 

Go ahead and add this one to the list.



I'm worshipping and resting in His Presence today.

Blessings. xo

Be Loved

I love the lyrics to this one...



This line: "And it's in our resting, that we rise up singing..." is so very profound. That is where I want to stay.

Rest and be loved by Him today. xo

How I Lead My Children In Worship

One of my favourite things about home education is having the time in our school day to include worship and prayer to our God. This is a significant part of our morning and one that I try not to let slip. If we do go a day or two without it, we cannot wait to get back to it!

I remember reading a devotional by Jeannie Fulbright several years ago that said this:

If I could tell moms only one thing that would help their homeschooling, 

having regular morning devotions would be it. 

Truly, nothing else has blessed our homeschool experience more.

(You can read the entire post here: First Things First)

I could not agree more. Having time in the mornings for time in the Word, prayer, worship and being in the Father's Presence is crucial to everything else we do and really, to who we are. We have learned and are learning to wait before Him (not always patiently), to press in to what He wants to say to us. And we have learned and are learning to hear His voice.

I thought I'd share what we do because I have had a couple of moms ask, out of curiosity or out of wanting some encouragement to do something meaningful with their own children.

We start out reading a chapter from the Bible. We do not always go in order, from Genesis to Revelation, but we happen to be doing so at this time. I pray and ask what book God wants us to read and hear from Him. Right now we are in Leviticus and I am reading it from The Message version. 

Then there are two email messages that I receive on a daily basis and I usually read both of those aloud to the children. The first one is The Spirit Of Prophecy by Bill and/or Marsha Burns. The second one is The Elijah List by numerous prophetic ministers from several different countries. Both of these emails are FREE. SOP comes Monday through Friday. The Elijah List is every day.

If there are any reports from our friends in Kenya, we read those, as well. If not, we continue on with our journal. I record items under the titles "Prayer" and "Thanksgiving", as well as any dreams anyone had the night before. (It's a great idea to document dreams, especially if you think they have a prophetic significance.) Our journals have served as a tremendous tool in reminding us what God has done in our lives and the lives of those we have prayed for, how He has spoken to us in specific situations and in showing us the themes that were present in the past. It is a great practice to look over our journals at all the "Ebenezers" (from 1 Samuel 7, meaning "the stone of help" which signifies a symbol of remembrance for how God provided, intervened, came to our rescue) and give Him thanks and praise for who He is and what He has accomplished.

After we record items under our "Prayer" and "Thanksgiving" categories, I turn on my Pandora app on my phone and we listen to several different worship songs, anywhere from 3-10.  I just click through until I find something that is fitting. It's just personal preference. We take time to focus on Jesus and worship Him. This can involve dancing, raising our hands, bowing before Him, sitting, lying on the floor, etc. 

There is no formula. 

Our goal is to worship Jesus and focus everything on Him and to be led by the Spirit in doing so. I truly believe this is the most important thing I can teach and lead my children in (and yes, academics are important to me, but I believe that being in God's Presence, praising Him and hearing from Him are crucial to daily living).

And then after we have spent a little time (or a great deal of time on some days) in worship and praise, we pray. Sometimes we are just voicing what we have written in our journal, other times we are just listening. Sometimes I just encourage the children to speak out whatever the Spirit puts on their hearts, which may be something we have discussed and written down, or not. 

One of the biggest things the Father has taught me, and the children, in turn, in the past 10 years or so is about spiritual warfare. I'll leave that subject for a whole other post, but we are very aware that speaking our prayers, our decrees and our declarations are a form of standing with the Father and against the enemy. We also speak directly to the enemy in our offensive strategy against him. We give praise to God and we stand firm against the devil. This is something we are given the opportunity to practice over and over. I consider these practices to be basic life skills and again, crucial to daily life.

I just want to close by saying that even though I am writing this from a homeschool mom's perspective does not mean that I think moms whose children are not homeschooled cannot or do not lead their children in worship. 

In fact, I'd love to hear from you. What does your worship and prayer time with your child/children look like? 

Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship,

for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.

Psalm 85:15