Powerful Ways God Shows Up When You Least Expect It
Sometimes God reminds me of His presence when I least expect it. Last week at Walmart, I backed out of my parking spot at the same time as someone else. It wasn’t a big deal; no one was hurt. But I had my four kids with me and was flustered trying to remember what...
read more
The Case For Christ: Book Review
I saw the movie, A Case For Christ with my family last year. We loved it! While trying to disprove the newfound faith of his wife, the award-winning journalist, Lee Strobel, ends up becoming a Christian. He is now a Christian apologist and has written many books about...
read more
Reindeer and Sparrows: A Christmas Story
“I'm supposed to have the reindeer paper!” Tears streamed down her cheeks; my 7-year-old folded her arms and stomped out of the room. I spent the day wrapping gifts. Every year, each of my 4 kids picks their own wrapping paper so I don’t have to use tags. After...
read more
Perfect Amazon Stocking Stuffers For Your Man
*This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure page here. Every year I walk the aisles of my least favorite store (Home Depot) searching for stocking stuffers. I usually leave with a gift card because I never know what to buy my husband that he doesn’t already...
read more
Great Amazon Gift Ideas For Your Husband
*This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure page here. Do you have a difficult time figuring out what to buy your man for Christmas?My husband loves Amazon! He spends a lot of time reading reviews.I got to thinking–some of his purchases would make great...
read more
Surrendered Hearts: Book Review
Lori Schumaker is one of the first bloggers I made a heart-to-heart connection with. We became friends by commenting on one another’s blogs. Our paths continued to cross on the internet and she became a member of the close-knit blogging/prayer group I’m in. When she...
read more
A Prayer of Thanksgiving for your Spouse
Have you ever noticed how you think about your husband/wife? Are your thoughts mostly positive or negative? Sometimes we zone in on the things about our spouse that annoy, irritate or hurt us. When this happens, it can be difficult to see the efforts they are making,...
read more
Less Than Perfect: Book Review
Do you feel like you're too messed up for God to use you? Well, all you have to do is take a look at all the flawed men and women in the Bible and you'll know that you're not. Less Than Perfect: Broken Men and Women of the Bible and What We Can Learn from Them by...
read more
Silencing Insecurity: Book Review
Did you know Satan is trying to steal your God-given identity? In Silencing Insecurity, Donna Gibbs, a National Certified Counselor, identifies the 7 types of identity thieves, digs into the problems they create, and helps readers discover a formula for wholeness. ...
read more
Second-Chance Dogs: Book Review
Whether taking a stroll on the beach, going on a neighborhood evening walk, or sitting on a bench at the dog park, I love watching the camaraderie between humans and their tail-wagging companions. I’ll usually ask if I can pet your furry friend, and end up making a...
read more
It’s Okay Not To Be Okay: Book Review
'I believed it was not okay not to be okay, so I relentlessly pushed myself to fix myself. I thought I was living a life that was pleasing to God because I worked so hard to be worth loving.” Even though Sheila Walsh hosted the 700 Club, she struggled to be okay. All...
read more
25 Bible Verses To Help You Take The Next Step
When my children took their first wobbling steps, I held out my arms and couldn’t wait for them to reach my embrace. I was the paparazzi. I praised each step in my high-pitched mommy voice and encouraged them to keep on walking.I believe God does the same...
read more
Hope Your Heart Needs: Book Review
Hope Your Heart Needs by Holley Gerth is a beautiful devotional with a cushioned, hard-bound cover. It’s smaller than I expected—(4 x 0.8 x 6.2 inches), but I actually love that it fits in my purse. Each of the 52 devotions begins with a Bible verse, followed by an...
read more
You Have More Control Than You Think
Guest Post by Jennifer Dukes Lee I want to let you in on a secret about writing Christian books. There’s a 100 percent guarantee that Jesus will get up in your face about the very topic you’re addressing. I wrote my first book about approval, so of course I...
read more
It’s All Under Control: Book Review AND Giveaway!
I retreated to my beach chair, blocking the Lake Tahoe view with my floppy, pink-striped sun-hat, and continued reading Jennifer Dukes Lee’s latest book, It’s All Under Control. I had lost my “chill,” as Jennifer describes in her book. My dad had brought his river...
read more
Why I love hope*WRITERS!
**This post contains affiliate links. I ran to my mailbox when I saw pictures of my friends holding a journal and a manifesto they received from hope*WRITERS. I wasn’t sure if all members received the gift, but of course, we did. The hosts, Emily P. Freeman, Gary...
read more
10 Ways Self-Doubt Doubts God
I woke up with my heart pounding, anxiety digging a crater in my gut. “I can’t do this, God! What if I make a fool of myself?" The only way I’ve learned how to be...
read more
Boundaries For Your Soul: Book Review
Boundaries for Your Soul: How to Turn Your Overwhelming Thoughts and Feelings into Your Greatest Allies by authors Allison Cook and Kimberly Miller, offers a counterintuitive approach to handle conflicting emotions. The book presents a holistic framework that...
read more
Battle Tools To Help In Hard Moments: Plus a Giveaway!
I'm giving away a free copy of Battle Ready. The giveaway ends on August 24th. USA residents only, please. a Rafflecopter giveaway 5 Battle Tools To Help In Hard Moments By: Kelly Balarie She didn't so much as say hi to me. In fact, even worse, she walked right past...
read more
Through My Father’s Eyes: Book Review
“When you read or hear that Billy Graham is dead, don’t you believe a word of it! I shall be more alive then than I am now, I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.” ~Billy Graham I’ll never forget watching the Billing Graham...
read moreSubscribe to the newsletter here!
Get free access to a library of printables.
About Me
Hello! I’m Valerie, a busy mother
of four energetic children and
a wife to my husband of 22
years. I write about learning to
grow closer to God and family
through the daily struggles in
life. 
Subscribe
Featured At:
Salt and Light
