At Home With Sally

As we seek to influence the thinking, faith, love of our children, it will be as we do the work of serving, over and over again, of exercising thoughtful, kind deeds, thousands of times, one moment at a time.

I have been one of the richest women in the world because of the sweet fellowship and deep friendships I have experienced. This is what my new book Teatime Discipleship is all about—creating a place where people can become friends, grow in faith, find support and encouragement.

Through teatime discipleship, repeated over many years, my children and I became the deepest of friends. It is a tool, a holding place for creating relationships, a hopeful expectation that, “Mama wants to spend time with me, we shall be friends.”

We were not a perfect family, we had conflict through seasons, but unchanging love was the holding foundation of our home culture.

Deep friendships and connected relationships happen best when intentional encouragement is planned and given on a regular basis.

Something that seems to be true of my own life, the longer I live: “Life is a long lesson in humility.” (JM Barrie) Oh, to be openhearted to be like Jesus—that is my prayer.

God is my hope when I am out of control. He is my prayer-answerer when I am beyond my own strength. I live practicing joy because He is my audience and I want to rest in Him because He wants to be my adequacy.

This week, I am on a quest for delight—for myself and my people. We all need some moments to put away darkness and to invest in beauty, fun, celebration. Determine that this will be a week when you bring joy, beauty, delight to yourself and your beloveds.

I had no idea what motherhood would cost me in time, heart, work, creativity, love, instruction and so much more. And yet, I am old enough, seasoned through the many years to be able to say it is the most profound work I have ever undertaken—to shape real human beings in faith, virtue and purpose in life over days, months, years and decades.

This is a marathon of a life for most of us, but with every step, I come to see the loving, gracious compassion and sympathy of God at work. Most issues take longer than I want them to take—God rarely seems in a hurry. Yet, He companions us each step. Sip your tea or coffee with me today and rest in His generous love.

In a study about gentleness recently, I found no less than 8 Biblical writers that place gentleness at the core of their call to righteousness. Today's podcast is about these leaders and what they wrote. God grant us gentleness.

Lots of fun on Tea Time Tuesday today!

As I look back, I am sometimes amazed at the ways God has led, lessons learned, souls were shaped, faith grew. It all started when I made a quiet commitment to Him.

Whether you are single, married, working outside your home, or a stay-at-home mom, you are called by the heart of Jesus to give of yourself to others.

Today, I review the disastrous storm in which Paul found himself and other passengers who were scared. He teaches us about how to rally others to courage and faith.

There is no one right way to live life in a home. No one size of routine or rules or order fits all. Homes with young children will be quite different from a single-adult home. Elderly adults will order their lives by different life rituals than will young marrieds or students. But the more carefully we plan our days, the better our homes will provide us with freedom and enjoyment as well as purpose and accomplishment.

Many years ago, I began the habit at the beginning of the new year to declutter my heart and soul.

Pondering Mary, one of my favorite role models, I speak today of what was in her heart when God says, "Greetings, you who are highly favored. The Lord is with you."

When Jesus said, “whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward," I’m quite sure He also had in mind "whoever gives a steaming cup of tea!”

Faith requires a listening heart. God is so willing to use normal people—who are listening, willing to obey. What risk will you take, by faith, to live a story that others will tell for generations to come?