Outdoor Activity Ideas for Summertime Christian Women's Retreats With summer here, it can be difficult to find outdoor activities for your women’s retreats. While it’s certainly okay to spend a one day retreat inside in the air conditioning, it’s still good to get the ladies up and moving. Being outside and if possible, in nature, helps us filter out daily distractions and connect … [Read more...]
Only the Next Step | Feeling Overwhelmed
Only the Next Step - Looking for God's Direction when Feeling Overwhelmed Lost in thought, feeling overwhelmed with the uncertainty of where I’m supposed to go next. Not physically. Not a place. Instead, in what direction do I head spiritually? I feel Him calling me, but I’m not sure what He’s saying. Where do I go? What’s the big picture? What am I supposed to accomplish? I lay … [Read more...]
Live Your Passion | Love Your Life
Live Your Passion and Love Your Life! If you've been reading my blog for any time at all, you know that I write frequently about passion and learning to live what you love. I spent so much of my life going through the motions of living. After a major crisis of faith, I finally came to understand who I am in Christ which helped me to shed my fears and pursue a life I'm passionate … [Read more...]
Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes | Perfect for Large Groups
Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes | Perfect for Large Groups If you decide to offer meals at your next retreat or group gathering, these slow cooker baked potatoes will be a huge hit. We love to serve them as a side and often have them close to our salad bar. The ladies can top them with all kinds of salad bar goodies plus we add a few more condiments on the side for them. These … [Read more...]
7 Tips for Your Intentional Relationship with Christ
Your Intentional Relationship with Christ It's the end of the day. How do you feel? Exhausted? Overwhelmed? 'UP TO HERE!' (imagine my hand held high above my head). Note: I originally wrote this post for the blog in 2014. I've recently updated it and am re-sharing with you as a reminder to take time for your intentional relationship with Jesus Christ. When my day is done, sometimes exhaustion … [Read more...]
The Day I Discovered Christ in Me!
Christ in Me! Who knew?! Surviving a debilitating grief didn’t come easily. Opening my mind and learning truly what life is about was the only way I could even begin to move forward. Let me tell you a little about me. I am Julie. From the outside, I have lived a perfectly normal, happy, regular kind of life. I’m a wife, mom of three, grandma of one, teacher, sister, daughter, … [Read more...]
5 Frugal Meals from One Shredded Chicken Recipe | Loving Christ
These 5 frugal meals out of one simple shredded chicken recipe are perfect for large group gathers or as frugal family meals! When we hold women's retreats, we try to do most of the cooking ourselves. Well, actually, we don't do it OURSELVES. We have one of our ladies be head cook. With help from my husband and daughter, she prepares all the meals for our weekend retreats. She does this … [Read more...]
How to Open and Edit a PDF in Google Docs | Loving Christ
You'll love this super easy way to edit a PDF. Believe it or not, a PDF can be edited in Google Docs - totally FREE. And it's so easy. I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to change a document that had already been saved as a PDF. If I had the original, I could obviously revise and then resave as PDF. However, in many instances I've no longer had the original especially when my … [Read more...]
8 Ideas for Grief Journaling When You Don’t Like to Write | Loving Christ
Ideas for Grief Journaling When You Don't Like to Write I've always loved to write. As early as my 3rd grade year, I knew I wanted to be 'a writer'. While I didn't have the courage to pursue writing as a career for many (many, many) years, putting words down on paper or computer screen always allowed me to express my thoughts, feelings, emotions. That's why when my dearest friend … [Read more...]
Hope Blooms Eternal | Loving Christ Devotional
Hope Blooms Eternal I love Spring! As the weather gets warmer, I can see tender green buds peeking through the ground. The sun warms them and encourages the flowers into full bloom. Front yards are bright with daffodils! Seeing the trees transform with leaves in every shade of green makes me excited about the promise of long summer days, new life, and renewed hope. In the same way that … [Read more...]