listening and writing habits

So, I haven’t written a blog post in 4 months (!) and have also taken a 2 week break from other writing/editing/website work…so, I need to practice putting words on paper (or on a screen) before getting back to work…

These past several months have been full of growth, challenges, and blessings, and I am SO thankful for God’s mercies which are new every morning, and for His people who encourage me/us.

Some lessons seem to be life-long, and God keeps on bringing me back to grow even more in areas of my life that I thought had already been matured. And, as is always the case, He uses the people around me (like my littles!) and His Word to challenge and sanctify! I am so glad that it is GOD who promises to complete the work that HE began in me!

Lately, I have been so encouraged by making it a habit to listen to podcasts and imusic audio studies, and to also put on either worship music or preaching (usually with headphones/earbuds in just one ear, so I am still “present”). It is especially encouraging if I am struggling with either feeling irritable or needing some “downtime” (being an introvert in an extroverted life is hard sometimes). I have been learning so much with this new habit, and so have my littles – they have their Focus on the Family Radio Theatre and worship music that they also ask to listen to throughout the day, when they take breaks from homeschool, and Benjamin often asks to listen to my Bible studies with me.

Sometimes we have to look for encouragement (like with podcasts), and other times it is also offered by those around us – which has also been a theme lately. I am SO thankful for those that God has placed in our lives to do life with (near and far)! I am thankful for my Wednesday morning Bible study ladies, family in Christ both in the community and at church here, and I am so thankful right now for the El Salvador Missionary Fellowship. We were recently at the annual Gathering of missionaries here -where we were encouraged and where our children were SO blessed and encouraged! We also received gifts and other blessings during that weekend, and then with a visit from Canadian friends, who also brought gifts from home!

Then, Benjamin was given the amazing gift of a ticket to Canada, where he is enjoying a very special family time. He will be back on January 10^th, which is a long time for a 9.5 year old (and his siblings/family), but our life here and traveling has taught (is teaching) us to live one day at a times, to be content, and to live as foreigners in this world -and we are SO happy that he has this opportunity!

So, that is just a little update on me, now to get to some writing work for ministry and communications...

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A Call to Discern, Contend for & be Sanctified by Truth

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