r e t h Sit Still my Daug
Spring 2021
learning to be still in a noisy world
Letting Go
Learning to release our children to God
A Season of Waiting
For the Love of a Mother
Ivy and the Sparrow
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Inspiration
Table of
10 Hannah - a woman who could let go
a woman who waited her whole life for a child willingly gave Him back to God.
86 Ivy and the Sparrow
a family jewelry business planted the seed of creativity in their daughter.
72 Children and Divorce
Divorce is hard especially with children, learn more about the five feelings a child of divorce experiences.
96 Persevering through Pain
After five miscarriages, she was struggling with her faith.
44 A Season of Waiting
Sometimes the hardest part about being a missionary is waiting on God to lead you to the next field.
62 For the Love of Mother
One woman shares how she considered it an honor to care for her mother.
22 In New York City
She enjoyed a successful career, certain that this was where she would continue until God brought someone special into her life unexpectedly.
106 I Can Never be Unsaved
She found the assurance her soul needed.
Contents
In the Home
70 From Goodwill to Glam
Learn how an old chair was given new life.
36 Cooking with the Season
Learn why we should cook with the season and discover some amazing meals to try yourself.
Of Interest 94 From Brokenness to Joy
A young girl had a heart to take dolls that were broken and restore them so she could bring joy to others.
82 How are You doing with Your New Years Health and Wellness Goals? Struggling to keep up with the goals you made? Get a few tips to help you stay on track.
114 Your Quiet Time
A few tools that can help your quiet time plus a three month Bible reading plan.
80 Mind, and Soul Read a few tips that can help your well-being
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Mother’s Knee by Elaine Knotts
When I was young, I sat at my mother’s knee, She showed me from the Bible the most important Thing in life was to accept Jesus and He would Wash my sins away, and a child of God, I would be. When I was a teenager, I sat at my mother’s knee, Crying over what seemed like silly things, But she would always show me something from God’s Word that soon, would comfort me. When I was a young woman, one night I ran to mother’s knee, With tears in my eyes, I shared that a bride I was going to be. She once again opened the Word of God to show me how To have a good marriage. I’m so thankful for a mother who knew The Word of God and how to share it. This circle of love that started at mother’s knee Will continue because of the wisdom that we received It wasn’t just her words that she spoke, It was the living Word of God, and with that, there are no mistakes.
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by Sarah Schurman A friend has just announced that they are expecting their
third child. You rejoice with them, but inside your heart aches a little because it is reminded that you are still without a child. In private you may even take a moment to cry, to let those tears fall freely. It can be so hard to ignore that ache as all your friends seem to be having children, announcing it on social media in the most creative ways. You are reminded of a woman in the Bible who faced these same struggles although she didn’t have to see it on social media. Her situation was almost worse, she had to share her husband with another woman, a woman who had no problem bearing children while she remained barren. What made the whole delicate situation worse was the fact that this other woman delighted in vexing her with sharp and cruel words. Hannah knew she was loved by her husband, he took every opportunity to show it but that did not erase the longing to hold a child of her own. She desperately desired to be a mother, to remove the title of barren from her life, and feel the warmth of her child against her chest. While many would say that this was just the way God intended it to be, Hannah refused to give up on her dream, unwilling to believe that she would never have children of her own. Instead, choosing to pour out her heart to God, produced a most beautiful moment in her
life. When faced with shattered dreams and seasons of difficulty, most would merely grumble and perhaps grow bitter, but not Hannah. In her hour of deepest agony, she turned to the One who could heal all her wounds and hear her cry. Listen to her prayer as she reveals her desperation, her tears of despair, and her depression. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. 1 Samuel 1: 10-11
When faced with shattered dreams and seasons of difficulty, most would merely grumble and perhaps grow bitter, but not Hannah. In her hour of deepest agony, she went to the One who could heal all her wounds and hear her cry.
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Daylight Savings
by Susan Nelson
Tips on how to make the most of our time. • Don’t be a slave to your inbox. Check emails three
• Consider keeping your phone on silent. You don’t
or less times per day (say 9am, 1pm and 5pm)
have to answer every call that comes in. Check
• Make lists of what you have to do. You can keep lists by how long a task takes to complete (2 min-
your voice messages once or twice a day. It’s amazing how quickly phone calls eat up our time.
utes, 5 minutes, 30 minutes). When you have a few • Choose your outfit the night before (for the kids, spare minutes tackle something on the list. • Learn to say no. I know you really want to volun-
too!). • This will save time trying to find the right outfit
teer to serve at the bake sale, but perhaps you can
in the morning. Use a timer to accomplish tasks.
donate a cake or cookies, instead. You can toss the
If you know you only have a thirty-minute block
cake in the oven while you are doing something
of time to get something done, set a timer so you
else. On the other hand, you can even BUY a cake.
don’t run over and run late for something else.
Yes, you can and it is ok to do so. Remember that
It can be easy to lose track of time when we are
your time is valuable and you can’t do it all without
focused on a task.
going a bit crazy.
www.womanofnoblecharacter.com
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We always have time enough, if we will but use it aright. Goethe Serving God with our little, is the way to make it more; and we must never think wasted with which God is honored, or men are blest. John Hall It must be a prospect pleasing to God to see His creatures forever drawing nearer to Him by greater degrees of resemblance. Addison A good man being asked during his last illness, whether he thought himself dying, “Really, friend, I care not whether I am or not; for if I die I shall be with God; if I live, He will be with me.” Modesty is a shining light; it prepares the mind to receive knowledge, and the heart for truth. Guizot You may glean knowledge by reading, but you must separate the chaff from the wheat by thinking.
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“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine:” Prov. 17:22 There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. “Well,” she said, “I think I’ll braid my hair today.” So she did and she had a wonderful day. The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. “Hmm,” she said, “I think I’ll part my hair down the middle today.” So she did and she had a grand day. The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. “Well,” she said, “Today I’m going to wear my hair in a pony tail.” So she did and she had a fun, fun day. The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn’t a single hair on her head. “Yay!” she exclaimed, “I don’t have to fix my hair today!” Attitude is everything.
A mother leaned down to her small son while repairing his leg and asked, “How do you like my new perfume?” “Mom,” he answered, “I like you better when you’re kitchen-flavored.”
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author unknown A woman, renewing her driver’s license at the County Clerk’s office, was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation.
What made me say it? I don’t know. The words simply popped out. “I’m a research associate in the field of child development and human relations.”
She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.
The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair and looked up as though she had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly, emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written, in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire. “Might I ask,” said the clerk with new interest, “just what you do in your field?”
“What I mean is,” explained the recorder, “do you have a job or are just a ...?” “Of course I have a job,” snapped the woman. “I’m a mom.” “We don’t list ‘Mom’ as an occupation, ‘housewife’ covers it,” said the recorder emphatically. I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own town hall. The clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like, “Official Interrogator” or “Town Registrar.” “What is your occupation?”, she probed.
Coolly, without a trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, “I have a continuing program of research, (what mother doesn’t) in the laboratory and in the field, (normally I would have said indoors and out). I’m working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole family) and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.” There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door. As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants, ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby) in the child development program, testing out a new vocal pattern. I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than “just a mom.” Motherhood, what a glorious career!
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by Robin Cook | Cook 2 Flourish
Emerald leafy greens that fall and winter bring, sweet summer berries, hydrating melons in the heat, cool crisp autumn apples- to everything there is a season. We are blessed with the opportunity to source our favorite foods year round, so it’s easy to forget that foods still have a peak season.
with the farmers.
Do you enjoy going to a local farmer’s market?
Karin Velez, one of my farmer friends whose delicious produce has filled our plates over a decade, shared: “When you are eating foods that are seasonal to your region: • nutritional value of the food remains more intact spinach can lose 90 percent of its Vitamin C levels within the first 24 hours after harvest!! • less distance for produce to travel from farm to fork [which decreases the amount of fossil fuels being utilized for transportation]. If you make a habit of shopping with your local farmers first you’ll begin to get a better understanding of not only what is fresh in season, but what tastes better because it’s in season!”
This can be one of the simplest and satisfying ways to eat with the seasons- they can provide not only healthy foods but also a harvest of relationships
Discover what foods are seasonally available to you at seasonalfoodguide.org, and taste the benefits! Let’s cook to flourish in every season!
When we think about it, watermelon and tomatoes just aren’t as flavorful or desirable in winter, are they? Leafy greens and carrots harvested in the cool months, though, provide a sweeter flavor, farmer friend Sheri Redfearn noted. Hearty winter squashes and sweet potatoes are comforting and nourishing in the winter months… God is so wise to give us the right foods in each season!
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From To
by Cheryl Luckett Dwell by Cheryl I’ve been known to take a furniture piece with good bones and give it a new life through reupholstery and a fresh perspective, but I’m often doing that for my client’s homes. Well this time, it was all about me. My good friend Jennifer sent me a text about a year ago with this photo attached. She was out shopping at her neighborhood Goodwill and noticed that this piece looked a lot like my sofa. I immediately inquired about the price. When she responded with $14.99, I couldn’t type “GET IT!” quick enough.
I’ll be honest, it sat in my garage for nearly a year, before I finally found the right place for it and the perfect fabric. Sometimes these things take a while. Patience is key. It wasn’t until the night Baity’s Custom Upholstery came to pick it (and another chair) up that I got really excited about the transformation. I selected a velvet and cotton cheetah print. Yes, a bit of a departure for me but I felt like my living room needed a little fun. I decided to up the prep factor with a contrasting welt in a rich gold I used previously on a throw pillow. I almost flipped when I got this progress picture from the upholsterer.
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This was going to be good. I was right! I’m obsessed with this chair. It is exactly what the space needed. I was obsessed with the bones from the jump. I’m sure it had something to do with the fact that I’m a sucker for a Chippendale leg. The fabric is just to DIE for and add to that the contrast piping and I think I ‘ve died and gone to chair heaven. Oh, did I mentioned it’s comfortable too? I LOVE THIS CHAIR!
After a 15-year career in Corporate America as a Registered Dietitian and Human Resources professional, Cheryl launched Dwell by Cheryl Interiors in 2012 seeking a creative outlet and an opportunity to explore her passion for design. The venture began with a blog chronicling her own home improvement projects and quickly morphed into a “side-hustle” decorating homes. After five years and a carefully executed strategic plan designed to help make the transition easier, she made the decision to leave corporate life behind in 2016. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Cheryl and her team provide clients with a professional and seamless design experience creating homes that are classic, colorful, cultured and cozy allowing them to live their fullest lives. In 2018, she launched her first licensed collection of upholstered furniture with NC - based Sylvester Alexander called Belle by Cheryl Luckett. Her work has been published both locally and nationally appearing in Charlotte Home Design & Décor, Traditional Home, Country Living and Southern Home. Follow her on IG @dwellbycheryl or visit her website: www.dwellbycheryl.com to see more of her amazing work.
Pictures by Dustin Peck Photography
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by Sarah Geringer
If you have gone through a divorce, I’m sorry for the hurt you’ve experienced. I have no judgement for you, because I’ve experienced severe difficulties in my own marriage, including a brief separation. Yet as a child of divorce myself, once at age four and again at age twenty-two, I have wisdom to share with you about what your child has experienced. The more understanding you gain about your child, the more you can help your child heal from the deep hurt of divorce. My Story as a Child of Divorce I have a photographic memory, which is both a blessing and a curse. I vividly remember many details of the day my father moved out, the day he remarried, as well as the ongoing drama. I also have vivid memories of my mom remarrying when I was thirteen and the difficult transitions that followed. I was twenty-two the year my dad divorced for the second time and remarried for the third time. I thought to myself, “I can handle this; I’ve already gone through this before.” But it took me at least ten years to make a full adjustment, because divorce is always hard on children. Studies show it takes at least five years for
children to adjust after their parents divorce. And yet, I’m living proof that you never really get over it as a child of divorce. It’s part of you forever, and you can’t help remembering it at birthdays, holidays, weddings – any time families should be together, but aren’t anymore. For a long time, I wanted to minister to fellow adult children of divorce like me. There are many resources for adults going through a divorce, and also for children and teens whose parents are divorcing. But there are not many resources for us adults, still suffering in hidden ways decades after our parents split. I started my podcast, Heart in a Drawer, in September 2020 with this audience in mind. Yet I’ve been surprised and deeply pleased at how many listeners are actually parents of children of divorce. They want deeper understanding of their children’s problems and hope to help them heal. If this is you, I pray God’s favor upon you today. I hope my story gives you understanding on your child’s inner life, no matter what age he or she may be.
5 Feelings a Child of Divorce Experiences
Children of divorce struggle with many
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In the next issue ...
. I said “no” twice: a girl said no to two good men choosing to wait on God’s best. . Hope for tomorrow: find out what lessons Eve has to teach us today. . Crash of the Dragonfly: a missionary wife shares the story of the day her husband’s airplane crashed in the jungles of the Philippines.
and much more ...
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