Inspire - Modern Grace Magazine

By Kristi Williams FontenotNo Comments

Inspire

Rejoice

If you’ve lived long enough, you’ve likely faced seasons of life that brought challenges and hardships. No one is immune in these difficult times, and unfortunately, avoiding them is impossible. Perhaps you’ve faced a career setback, the heartbreak of a miscarriage, or the unexpected loss of a loved one. Maybe your marriage is struggling, or you’ve gone through a divorce. For some, the struggle might involve depression or mental illness. Maybe you or a loved one is battling addiction, or you are navigating trying to parent a rebellious child. As we have seen throughout the United States, many people have suffered the loss of everything from the destruction of hurricanes, flooding and wildfires. There are countless challenges we can face, times when simply getting by feels excruciating, le...

By MGMNo Comments

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Ditch The New Year’s Resolution

One week into the new year and it seems every year, the same old trope is trotted out – the dreaded resolution. Losing weight, getting a better job, or buying a house, for many of us, these goals seem like a distant dream. The pressures of a new year’s resolution can be mentally draining, and the guilt associated with many resolutions that are never fulfilled, can be crushing. It’s time to set aside the traditional new year’s resolution and make a daily resolution instead. For many of us, slipping into the new year with a resolution to reach a seemingly impossible goal can seem like a good idea. We set our sights on something great and inspiring and think “This is the year I’m going to do it!” We start with enthusiasm and optimism, and for the first few days or weeks we work hard and m...

By Kristi Williams FontenotNo Comments

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What Christmas Means to Me

This time of year, it's easy to get caught up in the magic of Christmas. From decorating the tree and filling our homes with beautiful decorations. To the hustle and bustle of preparing for parties with family and friends, and shopping for everyone’s perfect gift to place under the tree. We enjoy the excitement that comes with the holiday season. But even more so, it is a blessing when we reflect on what the true meaning of Christmas is as we look to the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. When the Lord placed this topic on my heart to write about I dwelt on it for about a week as I waited for Him to point me towards what He wanted me to say. I read through the story of Christ’s birth in the gospels of Matthew and Luke and listened for the prompting of the Holy Spirit. As I was reading ...

By MGMNo Comments

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Pain for a Purpose

Life can be hard, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and discouraged when we are going through a difficult time. Whether it’s a failed exam, a broken relationship, a health crisis, or another personal tragedy, we all experience pain. It is important to remember that there can be a purpose to our pain. Despite the difficulties we may face, God can use our pain to refine us and bring glory to His name. A common phrase people often say is, “You don’t know how hard this is.” But in reality, everyone faces hardship. Whether we are enduring physical, mental, or emotional pain, it is imperative to know that none of us are alone in that. We can all relate to each other when it comes to pain because everyone has experienced it in one form or another. The Bible is full of inspiring passages wh...

Finding Hope and Peace in a World of Chaos

By Kristi Williams FontenotNo Comments

Inspire

Finding Hope and Peace in a World of Chaos

You do not have to go far to see the chaos going on throughout not only our country, but the world. From the daily unrest on our own country’s soil to the sounds of war breaking out overseas, the chaos our world seems to be in appears only to be getting worse. Every day we turn the tv on we are hearing of not only natural disasters but manmade disasters. So much of what we see is out of our control, which can leave us with a sense of hopelessness as we wonder if things will ever calm down, or if things will ever go back to the way they used to be. If you are like me, it is hard for my heart to not ache as I wonder what this world will look like for my children as they begin to get married and raise a family of their own. The unknown, and the feeling of helplessness, can leave our hearts a...

By MGMNo Comments

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Showing Love in Small Ways

Showing love to others is one of the most important things we can do. It helps foster strong relationships, build trust, and provides a sense of meaning and purpose in our lives. It is an essential part of living a life of abundance and joy. Many of us are so busy with work, school, and other responsibilities that it’s easy to forget to show those we care about how much we love them. But showing love doesn’t have to be a huge effort. There are many small things we can do each and every day to let people in our lives know they are loved and appreciated. One of the first and most important ways we can show love to others is through acts of kindness. Kindness can take many forms — from holding the door open for someone, to smiling at a stranger, to volunteering in the community. Small ...

By Kristi Williams FontenotNo Comments

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Mountaintop Perspective

It is so easy to look at those around us and see the mountaintop experiences people are having. It may even leave us feeling as though we are walking through the valley of their mountain. Maybe we think to ourselves, just look at those perfect mountain top views as we watch people experience what seems like a life filled with nothing but excitement. If we are not careful, it can be easy to get sucked into that way of thinking. Especially with social media being designed to show us everything we are missing out on. Heck, now they even have “social media influencers” that get paid to create content that persuades people to buy what they are buying, eat what they are eating, do what they are doing, and go where they are going. It can leave us feeling like we are missing out if we are not kee...

By Colleen CrainNo Comments

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Being Seen

Many fear it, but Friday the 13th is special to me. It’s a day I set aside to thank God for rescuing me from certain death on a Friday the 13th many years ago. I thank Him for preparing me and my surroundings for that day and every day. As I think about how I’ll mark this particular Friday the 13th, it seems God is reminding me that He saw me then, a vulnerable little girl, and He sees me now. It’s a basic human need to feel seen—really seen. We may wear masks because we think we want to be seen in a certain way with only minor cutesy faults or without blemishes, but we really want to know that someone knows and loves the real us. God made us to have connections with Him and each other. Feeling seen — really seen — is necessary for connection. We can be in a large crowd, seeing ...

By Yvette WhittingtonNo Comments

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Now

Another baby shower, birthday party, or the joy of a child on Christmas morning. She loves all the children that she has in her life. She is so very blessed by each of them, but she yearns for more. Another test, another disappointment. Another doctor visit with no encouraging updates. She leaves the building with an urgency to escape all the young mothers arriving with their newborn babies for their checkups. She can’t bear to watch them. She longs for what they have. She makes the drive home and doesn’t remember how she even got there. The tears and pain cloud her memory and haunt her at night. The empty test that fills the garbage, each representing a new heartbreak. The unused boxes represent the desire for hope. But each time one of those unused boxes joins the endless flow of used o...

By MGMNo Comments

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Prepare for the Harvest

The season of harvest is an exciting time for anyone who has been working hard in their life and has achieved success. It is a time when your efforts come to fruition, and you can reap the rewards of your hard work. But, like all things in life, nothing comes without effort. The season of harvest requires hard work, responsibility, and preparation in order to ensure a bountiful crop. The Bible gives us insight into the importance of the harvest season. In Luke 10:2, it says, “Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled.” This scripture shows us that we must work hard to reap the full harvest of our efforts. We must go out and spread the word of our success, and let others know the blessings we have received through our hard work. We must...

By MGMNo Comments

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Let Your Life Bloom

When Life Starts to Bloom: The Blessing of Watching the Fruits of Your Labor Come to Fruition After all the hard work that went into planting, watering, and nurturing yourself, the joy of watching your efforts come to life is unrivaled. All the trials, tribulations, and dedication to persevering through tough times will finally start paying off in a way that is both tangible and inspiring. Albert Einstein once said, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” The quote speaks to the idea that to achieve success and growth, it takes constant movement. Consider this time in your harvest to being on that bike, gliding down the hill, wind blowing through your hair, and smiling. The Bible speaks of God blessing the work of your hands in many places. In De...

By MGMNo Comments

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Water the Crop

Watering Your Garden: A Guide to Nurturing Your Own Growth “Gardening is how I relax. It’s how I find a way to connect with nature and enjoy the beauty of life. You can’t rush it; you have to take your time and nurture what you’ve planted.” Johnny Depp No matter how you feel about Johnny Depp, his words ring true; gardening is a great example of how we must nurture what we plant in order to reap the rewards. The same is true for the parts of our life that we want to see grow. We must tend to our own garden—the good that we sow and the future harvest that we want to reap—in order to have a successful and fruitful life. Just as we nurture a garden in order to thrive and grow, we must also cultivate the parts of our life that we want to see flourish. We must put in the hard work and de...

By MGMNo Comments

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Start Fresh with Forgiveness

As your personal sowing season begins, it is important to remember the power of forgiveness. Forgiveness is an essential component of emotional and psychological well-being. Forgiving yourself and others can be a way to reduce stress, create healthier relationships, and strengthen your overall health. Forgiveness begins with finding the courage to let go of anger and hurt. It is important to remember that forgiving doesn’t mean that what happened was okay, it just means that you’re ready to move on. Forgiveness is not a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of strength. It takes courage to forgive those who have hurt you, and it takes strength to forgive yourself for your own mistakes. Scientific research has shown that the practice of forgiveness can lead to lower levels of stress and ...

By MGMNo Comments

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ALERT: New Season Ahead!

This time of year is a great show of life’s natural cycle and how it applies to us as people. Just like fall is a time of letting go of the old and preparing for the new, so too are we constantly letting go of old patterns and habits, and preparing for a better version of ourselves. We can learn a lot from the seasons as they follow this cycle as well. Fall is a time of rest, letting go of the old and preparing for the new. During fall, the trees and plants let go of their leaves and start to prepare for winter. After a time of rest and preparation, the new season of growth can begin. This is the process that we go through as people as well. The start of a new season is a time for renewal, both spiritually and physically. It’s a time to reassess our lives and to set new goals for the ...

By Yvette WhittingtonNo Comments

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Bountiful Blessings

A farmer lives for two seasons, planting and harvesting. Just like them, we all must each plant seeds for something to grow. If you are even slightly familiar with the daunting task of farming, you know the hours and dedication it takes. They are up before dawn and work well into the evening hours to make sure their crops will be bountiful. There are no breaks or calling in sick. Without their consistency, their crop will not survive. Farmers know if the work doesn’t get done, their family will not be fed, nor will the many others who depend on that harvest. The weather conditions, too much rain or a lack of, all play a huge role in the success of their yield. As we are witnessing all across the world right now, crops are failing at an astronomical rate. For farmers, the weather is outsid...

By MGMNo Comments

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The Harvest

Waiting for “the harvest” can be tough. Sometimes we feel like we waste our efforts, because nothing appears to be growing. We do our part: we plant, feed, water, watch, and hope. However, sometimes the watch part takes a lot longer than we expected, and the hope part grows smaller and smaller. When hope grows smaller, fear, worry, and doubt grow bigger. For a moment, let’s think on how you watch and let’s put that into perspective. Envision yourself watching for the harvest to be ready. Are you sitting in a chair in a field waiting for any sign of growth? Are you doing other things and checking in on your field now and then? Or are you tending to the field, working it, and giving it what it needs? When we align our thoughts toward a goal—a harvest—then we will always do what it takes...

By Kristi Williams FontenotNo Comments

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Just Getting Started

For many people, myself included, this past season of life has just been hard. Looking back, the last few years have come with many trials and setbacks that have often left me wondering if we were ever going to get through this and return to life as we once knew it. Life threw us all the biggest curve ball at the exact same moment, and no one knew it was coming or how to prepare for it. In some ways, life stopped for a season. And for some, it may still be hard to look at what is ahead and see a clear path. The truth is, life did stop for most of us in one way or another. But through the trials God so graciously whispered to me, I’m not done yet. Four words that brought peace to my heart and soul that I didn’t even know I needed to hear. But God knew, and by speaking those words to me He ...

By MGMNo Comments

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Fearless in the Face of Failure

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work,” said Thomas Edison, a famous inventor who has revolutionized the modern world. This quote perfectly encapsulates the sentiment of being fearless in the face of self-doubt and failure. We can learn from our mistakes and use them to become better, more successful people. Failure is an understandable and relatable emotion. Everyone experiences doubt and fear when confronted with something unfamiliar or difficult. It’s human nature to want to avoid these feelings, but it’s important to remember that failure is only a path to success. By understanding our own weaknesses, we can become better people. The first step to being fearless in the face of self-doubt and failure is to accept that failure is part of life. Failure is ...

By Kristi Williams FontenotNo Comments

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Winds of Change

/*! elementor - v3.16.0 - 20-09-2023 */ .elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=".svg"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block} Within three months of getting the news my husband’s job transferred us from south Louisiana to south Texas, we started house hunted, put our house on the market, bought a house, sold our house, moved our children into an apartment, and finally a big ole moving truck boxed us up and moved us seven hours away. In a matter of what seemed like a second, our very busy family went from a household of six to a household of three. My three oldest children are all in college and stayed behind, so only our younges...

By Yvette WhittingtonNo Comments

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Strength While Broken

With life comes disappointment, failure, sadness, and loss. All of this has the potential to have an adverse effect on the quality of your life. It is during these times you will either find the strength to overcome or let it overcome you. It’s okay to be broken, but never let it be a place you dwell in for long. Let it be temporary and allow that same overwhelming feeling of sadness or disappointment to match the determination to move forward and learn from that chapter. Having had a few chapters in my life, some came close to breaking me. In fact, they did. I remember waking up some mornings and just feeling defeated and going back to bed. I was living in the sorrow instead of letting it be fuel to not only rebound but excel and be better than I was. The world now is frightening...

By Kristen TrantNo Comments

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Purpose in Your Season

Fall was harvest time for many farmers in the south. They used various equipment for cutting beans, shucking corn, and picking cotton. Reaping the crops they have tended for many months. Fall harvest is a favorite time of the year, for most farmers. However, not all farmers' crops flourish or succeed or do well. Not all seeds sown will yield, even though they were all planted at the same time with the same hope. It’s hard to watch other farmers and crops flourish when you worked hard for the same outcome. In life, it is easy to feel this way with many situations. We expect a certain timeline of events to happen and in a particular order. We expect those “seeds” we plant in the spring to be ready to harvest in the fall. Graduation, college, career. Starter home, dream home. D...

By Yvette WhittingtonNo Comments

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Bloom in Grace

/*! elementor - v3.16.0 - 20-09-2023 */ .elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=".svg"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block} The holidays have come and gone in haste. The cold winter nights have faded into the distance. The slight breeze we enjoy in the morning air and sunset nights will soon subside, and the hot Louisiana heat will take its place. The gardens will bloom and prepare for the harvest, and the grass will grow faster and faster each week without fail. Porches will become gathering places, and sweet iced tea will become the prevalent drink of choice. Most of us will take this time, if we haven’t already, to throw out the old and forgotte...

By Kristi Williams FontenotNo Comments

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Refilling for the Season Ahead

/*! elementor - v3.16.0 - 20-09-2023 */ .elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=".svg"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block} I found myself extremely excited to get back into my garden this spring. There is something so refreshing to me when it comes to getting my hands dirty in God’s soil. It really does have a way of refreshing my soul. I learn so much every year and I always look forward to adding what I have learned into the next year, with hopes of watching my garden thrive as I nourish it into the summer months. At the beginning of every season, I assessed my garden and one thing I noticed pretty quickly was that I needed to refill it with the prope...

By Kristi Williams FontenotNo Comments

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Southern Hospitality

/*! elementor - v3.16.0 - 20-09-2023 */ .elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=".svg"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block} In the south one thing I think we all pride ourselves in is hospitality. I have been from one side of the United States to the other throughout my adulthood. I have even been as far east as Africa and as far south as Mexico! I have seen many different cultures and different ways people show hospitality, but I can honestly say southern hospitality is as welcoming as it can possibly get! It is a way of life and ultimately culture to us! It is in the way we raise our children to say ma’am and sir! It is in the way we never meet a stranger...

By MGMNo Comments

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Declutter Your Inspiration Zone

It is easy to focus on what we don’t have versus what we do. We often find that we have to readjust our thoughts so that the negative falls to the bottom and the positive thoughts float to the top. Sometimes, in the midst of difficulty, it feels impossible to find anything positive around us. We spend so much time thinking about our mandatory responsibilities that we often don’t focus on creative stress relievers. Keeping a calendar and making a priority list, starting with the commitments we have to fulfill, such as work obligations, and ending with the things that aren’t essential, can help clear our minds of clutter and free up our creativity. Start with one week at a time, so it doesn’t feel overwhelming. After you organize your required tasks on paper, you will begin to see where...

By Yvette WhittingtonNo Comments

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Relating to Each Other

We’ve all had something really bad happen to us. We’ve all been in situations where the world is spinning out of control. In the moments following, we often feel alone, worried, or afraid of what the future holds. Many of us are looking around at the constant changes taking place and we feel displaced. While some of the changes are definitely long overdue, other changes may be tragic, uncertain and frightening. We wonder how so much hate amongst God’s children is festering into this boiling pot of emotions. Each of us is faced with our own set of circumstances and beliefs, in a world full of other people’s circumstances and beliefs. Especially in this grand era of social media, we often forget that the person on the other end of the keypad is human. I do believe social media is a wonder...

By Kristi Williams FontenotNo Comments

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Be Still

I hear the words “Be still, and know that I am God” ringing in my heart and my mind. God is saying slow your mind, clear your thoughts. Rest in Me and I will rest in you. All God wants of us it to be still and to talk to Him. To be in His presence. When we shift our focus from things of this world to the things of Him, He will give us the peace that our soul longs for. The peace that can only be found in Him. But why does God’s word tell us to be still? I believe it’s because in times like these, that is the only way we can truly hear Him. In times like these, as we draw closer to Him, He will draw closer to us and fill us with His peace. I don’t know about you, but between the news and social media, it tends to absorb my time, and if I’m not careful, it can consume my every tho...

By Yvette WhittingtonNo Comments

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The Final Edit

Oh, how sweet those three little words are: “The Final Edit.” After years of writing, I was finally ready to share with the world. The easy part was writing it. The real work began once it hit the first edit. I was new to this and I know the editor was slowly pulling her hair out, wondering what in the world had she gotten herself into. I took the criticism in stride and didn’t take it personally; she was helping me and I kept that in perspective. When I read the first editor’s note of encouragement, it was a gentle reminder that I could do this. Because, honestly, I had all the fears I think any new author does. Will they even like my story? Will this be a blessing to someone else? Do I have what it takes to do this? I spent all this time working on what I viewed as my personal master...

By MGMNo Comments

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Give Yourself a Break

Often we are running around trying to be superhuman, because we feel we need to. Tasks that are never-ending from running errands, cleaning and cooking to basic personal hygiene can take a toll on our bottom line: TIME. That’s not to mention work and taking care of the other humans and animals in our lives. With the responsibility of juggling everything, it’s easy to fall into guilt when things slip through the cracks. However, life will go on. Mistakes happen. My kids are grown now, but when they were younger, we were lucky sometimes if we made it home in time to eat the hamburgers we rushed through the drive-thru to get, before we had to head back out the door for one practice or another. Here’s the good news: we all survived the mistakes. And I learned better time management in the...

By Sara SimoneauxNo Comments

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One Day at a Time

My first child was born two days before Christmas in 2003. He weighed almost nine pounds, was beautiful, absolutely perfect, and healthy. Our hearts burst with joy. The first time I heard the term “Oppositional Defiant Disorder” was sometime in 2009. Our son, after having trouble following rules and directions in both preschool and kindergarten, was shuffled into the office of a highly respected child psychologist for an evaluation to determine what we could do to foster success in our baby’s school experience. Questionnaires and interviews completed by us and teachers, as well as hours of conversations with our baby all resulted in the same diagnosis: Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). I remember sitting in the psychologist’s office the first time I heard that phrase and my respondin...

By Sara SimoneauxNo Comments

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In a Small Town

I grew up in a town without a caution light. Where everyone still pulls to the side of the road for a funeral procession, no matter how long it takes or where they’re trying to go. Everyone knows everyone, their parents, and their grandparents. Even though there were no secrets or privacy, there was always a place to find peace. In an open field, on the lake, down a dirt road, on the ball field, or underneath a sky so dark that every star could be seen. As small as my town was, there was always space-wide open space. Room to breathe, think and feel. Growing up, I hated the smallness. I hated the way every major misstep was public knowledge. I hated that rumors spread like wildfire through such a small community. I hated that we had to drive out of town for groceries, or even to get gas...

By Kristi Williams FontenotNo Comments

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From Chaos to Peace

Recently, I was trying to get my family ready to go on vacation. There always seems to be so much that needs to be done when we are trying to go out of town. Between trying to finalize details for eight people in Disney to getting a business, a home, and two animals ready to leave for seven days, I found myself more than a little stressed out. It felt so chaotic trying to accomplish everything that I thought needed to be done. Then suddenly in the busyness of my day I could hear the Lord saying...Just stop and talk to Me...Just stop and let Me help you. Why is it that sometimes we allow ourselves to be surrounded with things that bring chaos into our lives? Did you know that the devil loves trying to distract us from the plans God has prepared for us? The devil knows that if he can dis...

By Kristi Williams FontenotNo Comments

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Uniquely and Wonderfully Made

When I think of fall, I think of pumpkins, scarecrows, bales of hay and spiced lattes! This time of the year, I always look forward to picking out pumpkins for my porch! We are in a new home, and I cannot wait to decorate this fall! If you are anything like me, I always find myself digging at the bottom of each box of pumpkins, looking for the perfect one! All the while knowing that finding the perfect pumpkin can be a challenge because they come in all kinds of different shapes, sizes, and colors! When you stop to think about it, there really isn’t any such thing as a “perfect pumpkin,” because no two pumpkins are alike! The difference in each pumpkin is what makes it unique and beautiful! Isn’t that how God made us and sees us? God made each of us unique and perfect at the same time! ...

By Karen ScottNo Comments

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Make a Choice

Life has a way of molding you into the person you’re truly meant to be. Every problem that occurs in your life is simply a test. The tricky thing about life is you have until your time expires to get it right. A couple weeks of ago I was in a mentoring session. There was a group of youth who were either living in foster care or being raised by their grandparents. None of these kids had the ideal living situation. We’re talking about at-risk, impoverished youth. They were given a fill-in-the-blank poem titled I Am Poem. It was so encouraging to see these young people think highly of themselves. One young man wrote I am loving and special. I wonder if I’ll be a father one day. I hear children laughing. I see a house in a nice neighborhood. I want to help people in need. These children have ...

By Kristi Williams FontenotNo Comments

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Fireflies

One of my favorite memories as a child is being outside at night and seeing the fireflies light up! As an adult, I can still remember catching fireflies on those hot Louisiana summer nights. My best friend and I would try to catch as many as we could with hopes of filling our pickle jar. It was always neat to catch them and peek through our fingers to see them lighting up in our hands. Even now when I see them, it brings me back to a place of joy. Catching fireflies is one of the many things I loved about living in the country! While a firefly’s fire gives light to see, it also draws other fireflies closer to them. In the same way, God has given each of us a light. It isn’t something we possess on our own, but given to us by the Holy Spirit to be a “light of the world.” It is that light...

By Kristi Williams FontenotNo Comments

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Seasons Change

Don’t you just love spring! The days are longer, the sun is brighter, and the smell of fresh cut grass is in the air! As the old saying goes, spring is in the air! There always seems to be a sense of anticipation and excitement, with winter finally being behind. We look forward to spring ahead of us! New wild flowers in the ditches and new leaves on the trees! From baby birds learning to fly, to pastures filled with baby calves running behind their mommas! There is a newness around every corner! It’s the beautiful way nature reminds us that with every new season comes new changes and new life. Just like the seasons change, so do the seasons we walk through in our personal lives. We leave one season behind us as we make our way into a new season of life. One thing life has taught me is ...

By Yvette WhittingtonNo Comments

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Through a Mother’s Eyes

Look at her… this beautiful baby girl I call my daughter. Lord, how did I get so blessed to be the one You have given this great honor? I will do my best to protect her, to help her grow and learn to be independent and secure. I will take this honor and hold it in the highest degree as You have entrusted me with her. Look at her…in her matching dress and pretty bow, holding my hand as I walk her to her first day of school. Lord, please watch over my baby girl. She is in your care and I trust You to keep her safe. She was so excited to tell me all she has learned… so independent and sure of herself. When did that happen? Look at her…this free-thinking, strongly independent young lady learning her worth, speaking her mind and testing my patience. Oh, I had no idea what I was in store ...

By Sara SimoneauxNo Comments

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The Bookcase

I’m an avoider. It’s in my DNA. I stuff things down and move on, because there’s never time to dwell on or drown in sadness. This is both my greatest strength and weakness—because life is TOUGH. I lost my grandparents, who adopted and raised me, at the age of 18 and 20. I grieved in the moment and then placed it on a shelf—my mental bookcase—and moved on. I became detached in college and lost my way for a while. I recovered, and then in the span of a few years, my family experienced a number of tragedies. I lost immediate family members to cancer, drowning, a car accident, a murder-suicide, and my mom to a massive heart attack at forty-seven. I kept allowing myself to grieve only in the moment and quickly pack these losses away. My bookcase became full—there was no room left to stuff t...

By Sara SimoneauxNo Comments

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Turning Thirteen

My daughter just turned thirteen, and we celebrated by having a hotel sleepover with five of her besties. I picked the girls up from carpool on a Friday, went home so everyone could get changed and we loaded up and headed to Baton Rouge. Friday traffic makes for a long drive, but thirteen is funny and giggly, so I don’t think the girls even noticed how long it took us to get downtown for our scavenger hunt. “Mom, tell your two-butts story,” my daughter yells from the backseat. That’s right, I have a two-butts story. My mom loved to tell this story about me getting out of the bath when I was five or six, drying myself off in front of the mirror and exclaiming, “Look Mom, I’ve got two butts!” She told that story constantly, and I always hated it. But my daughter loves to hear me tell ...

By Karen ScottNo Comments

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Encourage One Another

I believe encouraging people is the most important thing we can do. When I was young, my parents divorced, and it impacted my life greatly. I went from a two parent home to a single parent home, then to a multi-family home. I’ll never forget the feeling of uncertainty I had. After my parents split, my mom did the best she could to raise my brother and me. It was hard, and she struggled. I remember at certain points, she worked three jobs. With her job experience and skill set, it was something nearly impossible to do alone, especially since she wanted the best environment for us. We lived in low income housing for a while and my mom made the tough decision to move in with family: my grandmother, my aunt, and my two uncles. However, by doing so, my mom had childcare and she could go to wor...

By Kristi Williams FontenotNo Comments

Inspire

Joy in the Journey

/*! elementor - v3.16.0 - 20-09-2023 */ .elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=".svg"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block} We are all on our journey in life… a very intricate journey with highs and lows. My journey looks different than yours, but one thing we all have in common is deciding how we will embrace the voyage. We all will have times of great joy; times when we feel like we are on the mountain top and nothing can possibly take away our happiness. But what about those times where we are in the valley low; times when we wonder how we will face another day? We all experience pain, trials or heartache, but how is it possible to find joy in the dif...