by kathilipp | Jun 11, 2012 | God |
Right now, at this very moment, my family is going through a crisis. My husband Roger and I are making some decisions that will affect our family for a long time to come. And I’m grateful that my husband is in a place where he is emotionally and spiritually strong enough to lead. But he would be the first to admit that he’s not always been in that place.
Roger has gone through some dark times in his life. And I know that your husband has, too.
Instead of being surprised when my husband hits those dark times, I want to be prepared. Prepared with scripture. Prepared with encouragement. Prepared with a soft place for him to land, as well as a wife who is strong because I’ve been working my prayer muscle on his behalf.
I don’t know what that dark place is for your husband, but I have a few guesses:
- · A battle with depression
- · The stronghold of pornography
- · A feeling of worthlessness
- · A dependency on drugs or alcohol
- · The feeling of inadequacy – at work or at home
- · Insecurity about his future and the future of his family
- · Fear around finances
When those times come up (or maybe most of your marriage has been in the midst of one of these,) the best thing we can do for our man is pray.
Pour over the scriptures and find the one (or dozen) that cover your husband, and pray. Pray like his life depends on it. Because to a large extent, it does.
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Heavenly Father, I pray that you would reign over every area of my husband’s mind. I pray that whoever he is without you is dead, and who he is in you is alive. I pray that his habits and hangups that he wants to be free from would be replaced by a hope only you can give.
Show him every day who he was designed to be, in you. I am so grateful for the love you lavish over my husband. Thank you for giving yourself for him.
God, give me the eyes to see him as you see him; loved, adored, precious, cherished. Amen
I would like to help one of you keep the prayer going by giving you my latest book, Praying God’s Word for Your Husband. Just let
me know in the comments below that you prayed for your man and we will choose one winner at random.
by kathilipp | Jun 10, 2012 | God |
For the first day of our praying adventure, I asked my friend, Arlene Pellicane, author of 31 Days to a Happy Husband, to talk about how to pray for your husband when he is feeling inadequate. See how to win Arlene’s new book at the end of the post.
I always picture my husband with a huge “S” across his chest. He is my rescuer – the one who changes the car battery,
solves my computer problem, and makes breakfast for the family on many days.
What I sometimes forget is that “Superman” has a bad day in the office once in awhile. He might feel like a hero while the hot oatmeal is being served but a few hours later, he feels like he’s barely in control of his circumstances.
That’s when I can pray that the Lord will fill his heart and mind with peace and wisdom. When my husband feels inadequate, I can pray that his weakness becomes an opportunity to experience God’s strength.
May this verse guide our prayers today for our husbands: 
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” Isaiah 26:3
Lord, help my husband to keep his mind totally focused on you today. May he trust in your steadfast love and in your ability to solve the problems that face him today. Keep him in your perfect peace. Settle his mind and heart. Give him courage because he trusts in you.
Thanks to Arlene! And if you would like an opportunity to win her book 31 Days to a Happy Husband, let us know in the comments that you prayed for your man. Yep – you’re already a winner if you pray for your man, but you could win a book, too!
by kathilipp | Jun 7, 2012 | Home, The "What's for dinner?" Project, Uncategorized |
You know I love you, right?
So, can I just say, with all the love in the world, that I’m just the teensiest bit frustrated with you?
Let me explain.
When I go to speak, and I start talking about dinner, EVERY SINGLE WOMAN rolls her eyes and groans. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, is perplexed by dinner.
- “I feel like 5 o’clock sneaks up on me everyday.”
- “I buy hundreds of dollars of groceries and there’s never anything in my house.”
- “My whole family is BORED with what I cook, so why bother?”
I love you all. But I’m just sick of it. Because you all assume that it’s easier for the woman next door. You honestly believe that everyone else is out there, whipping up tasty food for their families, while you are the only one who is THRILLED that you at least have a box of Mac and Cheese that could pass for dinner. (It has two of the four food groups, right?)
Yes, there are some women who don’t panic at 4:00 in the afternoon when it comes to dinner. What do they have that your don’t?
A plan.
That’s it. They’ve taken the time to write down what they are going to have for a week, (or a month,) so when they go to the grocery store, they have a plan. And when they wake up in the morning and wonder what to defrost, they have a plan. And when their kids have swim practice, they have a plan.
And I KNOW you know this. But when I ask women if they have a plan, they know they should have it all written down, but for some reason or another, (their child needs them, The Real Housewives of the OC is on…) they don’t. And the Panic continues.
I want you to have a plan, and I plan on providing a public service to those of you who do. Here is what I’ll do:
- Here is the link to my 50 Dinner Ideas Worksheet
- Everyone who tells me by Friday at midnight PST what they are having for dinner next week will be entered into a drawing to win one of my books. (This week it’ll be The What’s for Dinner Solution!)
- I’ll share my menu so you have some ideas
This Week’s Menu
Monday Chicken Sausages, Potatoes and Veggies on the Grill
Tuesday Chicken Stir Fry with Brown Rice and Veggies
Wednesday Lemon Pork Roast and Sauteed Spinach
Thursday Going out!
Friday Pulled Chicken Salad
Saturday BBQ – Everyone’s Coming Over
Sunday Leftovers
Now tell me. What is your plan for next week? I promise you, if you tell me what you are eating, your week will be so much better. Plus, if you put it in the comments, you will be entered to win my book The What’s for Dinner Project.
by kathilipp | Jun 5, 2012 | God |
Would You Take 7 Days to Pray for Your Man?
You know how everything is more fun with friends?
- Movies
- Eating
- Bra shopping
OK – maybe not that last one. But loads of other stuff.
I know that if I want to stick to anything in my life, I better bring some of my best biddies along to make sure I stick with it. And what is more important than praying for my husband? Not much.
So why not bring hundreds of friends along for the ride?
From Monday, June 11th through Sunday, June 17th (that’s Father’s Day) I, along with some of my friends, will be leading all of us in what our men need most from us: prayer.
Oh – and why invite some of your best friends along for our little adventure of 7 Days to Pray for Your Man? Just forward them this blog so they can subscribe to the blog for all the posts.
Go ahead and tell me that you’re in – it could change your husband’s life, your life, or your marriage!
by kathilipp | Jun 4, 2012 | Home, The "What's for dinner?" Project |
Fast food has a bad reputation.
It’s bad for you, it has too many calories, too much fat and it is a terrible rut to fall into. That is, fast food that you order through a drive through intercom.
Fast food at home is a whole different story. Fast food at home is a staple in most homes and a much better alternative (cheaper, healthier, and better tasting) than resorting to figuring out what number order at McJack-n-Bell.
So to help you out on your busy nights running kids to activities and getting to PTA meetings I’ll be sharing some of my favorite Kitchen Fast Food recipes. This first one is a real kid pleaser. To keep the calories at a minimum, have kids share an add some veggies to round it out.
Instant Pepperoni Calzones
-
1
can
Pre-made Pizza Crust.
You can use low-fat crust
-
20
slices
Turkey Pepperoni
-
1/3
cup
Marinara Sauce
-
1
cup
Colby Cheddar Shredded Cheese Mix
-
Preheat oven to 400.
Roll out pizza dough on a flowered cutting board. Cut the dough into quarters and shape each quarter into a square.
Put five pepperoni slices on one half corner of each square pizza dough.
Mix together the cheese and marinara sauce. Place a spoonful on top of the pepperoni. Repeat on each of the dough squares.
Fold each rectangle in half, corner to corner; seal edges with fork. Put on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown.
Now you tell me – what is one of your family’s favorite go-to meals for Fast Food at Home?
by kathilipp | Jun 3, 2012 | Relationships, Uncategorized |
Our Seven Day Challenge to Pray for Your Man Starting June 11th (If you’re not subscribed to the blog, click here and you will get on the list!!!)
A Deal on My New Book Praying God’s Word for Your Husband
Our Cool New T-shirts Have Arrived (and there’s a special for Father’s Day, too!)
And a recipe using bacon…
by kathilipp | Jun 1, 2012 | Me |
I have a mug that makes me happy.
I know that “things” are not supposed to make me happy. But I kinda love a certain mug – and may be a little too attached it.
This is the mug that my publisher, Harvest House, sent me (and, I’m sure, about 400 other authors,) for Christmas 2009:
So great – right. Great green color. The great big “Think…” on the front. And on the back, has:
Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Best mug IN THE WORLD. Right? And I may be a tad possessive…
When our daughter’s boyfriend, Shawn, unknowingly used the mug one night, I couldn’t take my eye off if it. I was distracted from our card game all night.
And then, it happened.
Someone, (not naming names,) broke my mug. I was not a happy camper. And for three days I moped around, whining to anyone who would listen.
One of those who would listen, (or was forced into listening, is Shane White, the National CBA Sales Manager at Harvest House. Poor guy. He was calling to talk about something vital like sales numbers (or my latest posting on Facebook…) and instead he got an earful on the demise of my mug.
Well, what do you know – five days later I got not one, but TWO of those exact mugs in the mail. (One is still in it’s bubble wrap, to be opened only in case of emergency.)
I know the mug is silly, but it is everything I love in a mug: the perfect size and weight not to be tipped over by a wayward cat. I love it. And I love that I have a friend who indulges my non-nonsensical attachment to a mug.
Do you have a “Think Mug”? Something that you have an attachment to that only you can understand. Tell me about it. No judgement. This is a safe space.
by kathilipp | May 29, 2012 | God |
If you have kids, you know that there is always some sort of drama around the corner. When you have four, the drama just takes turns. Recently, it’s been with our “easy” child. The one who longs to please, but has been living on the edge in many areas of their life. In a recent conversation, here is how that played out:
“I know you’re disappointed in how I turned out.”
Oh that cuts to the quick of a mom’s heart.
One of my kids actually said those very words to me. Oh the pain to realize that one of my kids, my precious baby, knows this isn’t what I expected.
This child of mine is making choices I don’t love. But there is no way I could love the child anymore than I do.
All of our kids are smart, bright, funny, and questioning. They have grown up with parents who love them, but have not always loved perfectly. They grew up with parents who were broken, and some of that brokenness passed down to them.
When my precious baby said that to me, I had to think for a moment. Did I love where they were at in their life? Did I love the choices they were making? Did I approve of the steps they were making? No. Not so much.But that wasn’t the most important thing I needed to say.
What I did say, (after saying a silent prayer,) was this: “No, I don’t love some of your decisions, but I love you. And I know that you have not “turned out” you are “turning out”. God is far from done with you. You are smart, and funny and amazing, but you are far, far from “done”.”
I have to keep remembering: I’m in the middle of the story.
My favorite author has this to say about where we are with him: “God always meets us where we are and slowly moves us along into deeper things.” – Richard Foster.
As a mom. As a wife. As a woman. I’m in the middle of the story, and so are my kids. So is my husband. When we love God, when we are in fellowship with Him, we need to remember: This is just the middle.
At church, we have been studying 1 John. What a weird and complicated book. It’s a hard book, because while it is so full of life, it is so full of challenges. Here is one of the life-giving parts that I desperately needed to be reminded of:
1 John 3:2 Dear friends, now we are God’s children. What we will be isn’t completely clear yet. We do know that when Christ appears we will be like him because we will see him as he is.
We are still living in a fallen world, and thing don’t go according to plan. We blow it, our kids blow it. But this is not the end. We can pray that Christ would become real to our kids – and to ourselves. While we wait on God, we get to call ourselves his children. We don’t have to be perfect, our kids don’t have to be perfect, God still is with us – because he meets us where we’re at and moves us closer to him.
by kathilipp | May 14, 2012 | God |
If you’re looking for some practical ways to revitalize your quiet time with God, pair this post from the archives with Kathi and Erin’s tips for “Creating a Quiet Time Space.”
What is the number one reason you don’t have your time with God in the morning?
I know the obvious answer is time, but I think there is a different reason: It’s our overwhelming need to do it “right”.
I feel like if I can’t have a “good” quiet time — one with prayer, meditation, Bible reading and reading a devotional — then why bother? So I let my overwhelming need for perfection keep me from having a meaningful relationship with God. My quiet time had become like cleaning my kid’s bathroom: if I couldn’t do it perfectly, I wouldn’t even start.
I kept thinking that I would have a chunk of time to really do the kind of devotion I wanted. But that chunk of time never magically happened. And my quiet time suffered. Or didn’t happen.
One of the things I’ve learned in other areas of my life is the principle of 85%: Doing something 85% well is about the best we can hope for or expect. It takes the perfectionistic spirit out of things, while still giving me something to strive for.
So I started to apply this principle to my time with God. I would start off with 10% and work my way up. I figured one minute was better than nothing.
What I didn’t expect was the subtle way that my heart changed during the 10%. At first, I would grit it out, and force myself to do more and more as time went on.
But as I started to spend time with God again after a dry period, just that little bit of time, just one minute, I wanted more. I would tell myself I was just going to spend a minute or two reading Jesus Calling, or praying, or reading in I John, but I kept wanting to linger a little. Wanting to go a little deeper.
Eventually, it became 15 minutes. 15 minutes was a good amount of time: enough to spend some time with God and get my morning right, but short enough that it felt manageable. Often, I spend much more time than that. But I don’t skip it because it’s “too much”.
If you are wrestling with quiet time, could I talk you into trying a one minute quiet time? Does it feel like it would be cheating God? Can I be the one to give you permission to be OK with just getting started? God longs to be with you. One minute, that will turn into 15.
“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”
Psalm 34:8
Q4U:
- If you have a regular quiet time, can you tell us one tip that helps you stay consistent?
- If you are struggling with your quiet time, and are willing to do a one minute devotional, tell me that in the comments below, and i will pray for you as you get started.
by kathilipp | May 14, 2012 | Home |
- Menu Planning – Before I write anything in ink on the actual menu, I put the meals I want on small Post-its so that I can move them around to accomodate my family’s schedule. No sense putting stir-fry on Wednesday night when everyone is going to be in and out of the house. Better to have a pot of Chili so people can grab-and-go.
- Love Notes – Especially on the bathroom mirror.
- Midnight Madness – When I remember something in the middle of the night, I have a stack of Post-its and a pen by the side of my bed so when the brainstorm comes along (“Don’t forget to bring silly string to the event tomorrow!”) I can just paste it on my phone where I’m sure to see it.
- Quick Filing – I have four diffenent colors of small Post-its that I use for quick filing.
- Blue – Things to delegate
- Orange – To Put on My Calendar and then in my Tickler File
- Green – To put on my to-do list
- Pink – To put in my filing system
- Prayer Prompts – I put the names of people I’m praying for on Post-its above my desk where I’ll see them every morning
Now tell me: What is your favorite way to use Post-its? Next Monday, I will randomly choose one winner to recieve a copy of my new book THE GET YOURSELF ORGANIZED PROJECT!
