Believe Manifesto

I never share with you on the weekends. But this week I have been thinking about some of my favorite things I have stumbled across that are encouraging, hopefully, and remind me of the love of Jesus! So here is a list of a few things/links that I have loved to consider during this season.

1/ Thistle Farms | You all know I love women’s ministry. So when I came across this very unique ministry a few weeks ago I knew I had to tell you about it. Thistle Farms has a program called The Magdalene program where women who are survivors of trafficking, prostitution, and addiction can come HOME to a place where they are able to heal. Along with that, they have job opportunities by hand making products and working in the Thistle Farms Cafe. You can learn more about this amazing ministry here.

2/ Sacred Holidays | This book is on my to-read list over the Christmas break and I have been hearing so many good things about it and Becky Kiser the author. This book is all about helping the holidays bee less chaotic and finding more Jesus during this season! Doesn’t that sound delightful? I know I will probably learn a lot from this book! You can find out more about this book here.

3/ Hygge | I learned about Hygge (pronounced hoo-ga) a few years back, but I just recently learned about a great book written by a mother who practices this along with Friluftsliv (the pursuit of leisure in the outdoors) every day. The book is titled There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather by Linda Akeson McGurk. This past year I have been fascinated by these concepts when it comes to kids, mostly because of another book I have read called Boys Adrift that I talk about here. I am excited about digging into this book more, but I have already been able to tell a difference in my own wellbeing and the kids’ by putting some of these simple things into practice. The peace of mind that it can bring is revolutionary in my opinion. You can learn more about Linda’s book here. You can also learn more about Friluftsliv in a Tedtalk here.

4/ Ribbon | This is something fun and silly. But I am making the claim that RIBBONS ARE COMING BACK! When I was younger I would wear ribbons in my hair all the time. This has in recent times become very outdated for adults. But I think it is coming back! You just have to do it in a very classic and timeless way. I also had a very hard time finding good quality ribbon for wrapping presents this year. All of this starts with some very high quality well made ribbon. Here is a great option!

5/ Blueberry Pancakes | I couldn’t share without saying something about food now could I? I love blueberry pancakes and it is one of my favorite things to make when I am tucked inside on cold mornings with my family.  So recently, I updated my recipe for you all to include a winter recipe to use when blueberries are fresh and readily available. You can find my updated recipe here.

6/ Jesus is the Reason for the Season Party | This is probably my favorite thing to share with you all! I heard about this party from a very sweet southern gal I follow on Instagram Stephanie Holden about four years ago. I hosted one of my own a few years back and it was so special. What better way to celebrate the season than to put the focus 100% on Jesus. It is not too late to host one this year if you wanted to grab a few friends and pull this together. You can learn more about how Stephanie does her party here.

Merry Christmas everyone!