The sun was shining and the day looked promising. A little girl was gladdened to find that the weather had warmed. The earth seemed refreshed to see the sun’s shining face again, in hopes that new life would begin springing from it’s soil.

A bright and cheery day it was, and so out the little girl went in search of something very, very special.

It was a bit like an adventure, searching here and there for the treasure. A treasure that when found, would bring a bright smile to her face. A treasure that gave hope for a lovelier tomorrow.

Exploring she went, looking high and low. But she could not find what she so eagerly sought.

Just as she began to think that she just might have to wait another day before finding what she sought, out of the corner of her eye she spotted a tiny patch of green.

She hurried over to where the long-searched for treasure was. That little patch of green brought a bright and beautiful smile to her face.

The happy beam of sunshine that shone through those little green stubs made her think about the flowers that would one day bloom, giving her happiness in knowing that Spring was truly on its way.

Nothing said Spring quite as well as the little green knobs which peaked up from the leaf-covered soil.

Finding that little bit of new life was worth the searching and worth the wait . . .
. . . and because of all the waiting and searching, the finding was all the more sweet.

Categories: Encouragement, God's Creation, Inspirations, Photography | 14 Comments »

The Lord brought these verses at a most timely moment:

“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” —Hebrews 13:5-6

Daddy read aloud Hebrews 13 during family worship, and it was a wonderful reminder that God gives us exactly what we need at the exact time we’re in need of it! (Proverbs 15:23.)

Before this was read, we had been discussing the future – including marriage and children and the generations to come. Breezy and I are eagerly looking forward to having families of our own and implementing into the lives of our children the many wonderful things our parents have taught us.

Yet, in the Lord’s good timing, He has not given us our families yet. We must wait patiently on God, and serve Him in where He has placed us.

We are passionate about the future, but are we passionate about today?

It is easy to look at the future and imagine how wonderful it will be, because “the grass is always greener on the other side,” right? Right?

We may imagine that it is so, but that doesn’t make it true.

We know not what the Lord’s plan is, but we do know that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28) and that “He will never forsake [us]” (Hebrews 13:5).

The future is the future for a reason – it is not today.

Let us be content in today. Content in where the Lord has placed us. Content in what the Lord has blessed us with. As Corrie Ten Boom said, “Every experience God gives us, every person he puts in our lives, is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see.”

Today we can prepare for the future and become better equipped for the Lord’s will. Right now we can be living each and every day for the glory of God and faithfully serve Him where He has placed us and with what He has blessed us with.

“Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” —Luke 12:48b

Let us be passionate about today, glorify our Savior in devoting every minute to obeying Him, building His Kingdom and preparing for His will in His timing!

Categories: Day-to-Day Life, Encouragement, Family, God's Creation, Inspirations, The Home | 12 Comments »

The dear wife of Geoffrey Botkin, Mrs. Victoria Botkin, has been a sweet encouragement to me and I have loved every moment that I have spent with her. She is a godly woman who spills over with gracious encouragement, a truly edifying woman to be around.

Now, you have the opportunity to spend time gleaning from her wisdom online! Mrs. Botkin will be sharing with other ladies via the internet:

• All about Eve
• All about Sarah
• About the Proverbs 31 wife
• About love
• How to help your husband love you
• How to become a wise woman

I do hope you will join us in learning from this wonderful Titus 2 example, by registering here! You can read more about these nine delightfully encouraging evenings here, which will begin this coming Monday.

(There are a couple giveaways right now for a free registration here {ends tonight} and here {ends this Lord’s Day}.)

“Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior,
not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,
so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands,
to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind,
being subject to their own husbands,
so that the word of God will not be dishonored.”

—Titus 2:3-5

Categories: Contests and Giveaways, Encouragement | 6 Comments »

The Daughters of His Story Paper Dolls are on sale through February 28th! And, included in that sale is free shipping for all orders from the US!

Categories: Paper Dolls | 4 Comments »

“Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;

And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.”

Psalm 139:23-24

Categories: Encouragement, God's Creation | 16 Comments »

They’re small. They’re pies. And they’re oh-so-sweet! Just in time for Valentine’s day, you can make these delicious pastries for your family!

All it takes is pie dough, jam, and a little bit of powdered sugar (for extra beauty).

Begin by flouring the counter and rolling pin and flatten out the pie dough.

Using a cookie cutter, cut out hearts in the dough.

Lay out the cut pie dough on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Spoon strawberry jam onto the centers, being careful not to fill them too full.

Wet the edges of the dough with water and place a second piece of dough on top.

Use a fork to crimp and seal the edges.

Poke a fork into the middle of each little pie so that the heat can escape.

Bake at 425° F for 13-15 minutes, or until golden.

Perfectly golden on the bottom!

Sprinkle with powered sugar for extra beauty.

They are delicious and will probably disappear quickly!

The pie dough was extra flaky, making the perfect texture.

We decided that these are the cutest little desserts that we have ever made!

This idea can be easily adjusted for any holiday or celebration by changing the shape of the cookie cutter and type of jam/jelly/preserves used for the filling.

{Original idea from here.}

Categories: Food, Handmade, The Home | 35 Comments »

“In the same way that God designed all of creation in its undeniable perfection and beauty, He handcrafted each girl’s situation with exquisite precision. He chose the exact parents, position, and opportunities that would best fulfill His purposes for her life and bring Him glory. . . continue reading.”

—Anna Sofia & Elizabeth Botkin at Visionary Daughters

“I don’t think that any woman could prepare long enough to perfectly execute this list [in Titus 2:3-5]. But it is my duty to aim to follow this standard that God has set. . . . And what better way to practice being a keeper at home than to learn the ins and outs from my mother, who has wells of wisdom on the subject! And who could think of a better way to prepare to submit to a husband, whether he’s right or wrong, than to practice in a daughters relationship to her father? . . . continue reading.”

—Stephanie at In His Time

“It is when we create things for God’s sake that our work most clearly promotes His glory, rather than threatening to compete with it. Thus the true purpose of art is the same as the true purpose of anything: it is not for ourselves or for our own self-expression, but for the service of others and the glory of God.”

—Philip Graham Ryken in Art for God’s Sake

Categories: Day-to-Day Life, Encouragement, Inspirations, Photography, The Home, Vintage | 13 Comments »

Yes, stuffed French Toast. As if French toast wasn’t good enough—it just got better!

This morning my dear mother prepared this delightful dish! We ate it while listening to Mr. Botkin’s Saturday Morning Online Mentoring.

Stuffed French Toast

1 loaf French bread, cut into 8 diagonal slices (making very large slices)
1 cup homemade cream cheese (recipe below)
1/2 cup fruit preserves (we used peach)
5 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Cut a each thick bread slice almost in half by cutting from the top crust almost to the bottom crust, making a pocket. Be careful to not slice completely through the bread. Mix cream cheese and preserves in small bowl. Spoon cream mixture evenly into each pocket.

Beat eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon in a small bowl, until well mixed. Dip stuffed bread slices in egg mixture,  making sure to let the excess drip off.

Spray griddle (our favorite!) or skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Cook bread slices over medium heat until golden brown, flip, and cook on other side.

For extra beauty, sprinkle each slice with powdered sugar. Serve with maple syrup, fruits, and/or whipped cream, if desired. Makes 8 slices of delicious Stuffed French Toast!

Homemade Cream Cheese
(it’s as easy as can be!)

1 1/2 cups nonfat plain yogurt

Line strainer with cheese cloth. Place strainer in bowl, large enough to hold the drained liquid without touching the strainer. Let strain in refrigerator for 4-8 hours. Discard the liquid in the bottom of the bowl.

The homemade cream cheese is what is left in the strainer! You can do this the day before it is needed, and store the cream cheese in a container after being drained.

We all thought it tasted delicious! The filling was great, but I think we put a little too much in the pocket. Next time we’ll put in less, and it will be perfect!

Categories: Food, Inspirations, Photography | 18 Comments »