Look In Your House

Establish the Work of Our Hands

Mary Bernard — Mon, 06 May 2013 22:00:42 +0000

Psalm 90:17 is written on an index card and taped to my kitchen cupboard door. You can tell it’s been hanging there now for a few years. The edges of the card are bent; and if you look closely, you’ll see some spatters of food or drink around the “of” and the “our.”

I keep it RIGHT THERE because it’s at my eye level when I’m cooking, which I seem to do a lot of! I need to be reminded that my work matters, as God is “establishing” it: setting it in stone. I can’t help but read it and reread it and reread it. And many times, I also pray it.

Not only is running a home tough, but running a home-based business can also be challenging! Results are slow to come or non-existent. You blog. You market. You finish one assignment and take on another. You write a little today on this eBook and a little bit more tomorrow.

But your traffic numbers, your sales figures, and your social media connections don’t budge.

What to do?

Pray Psalm 90:17 and realize that your work—all of it—is not in vain.

And guess what? It’s not temporary, either.

Yes, I know our earthly lives here are temporary and we await our sure and eternal home. But this verse tells us that the work we do actually endures. It is “established.” Furthermore,

God will redeem all things in the new heavens and the new earth.

If our work today is set in stone, what may it look like redeemed to its intended glory for all eternity?

Wow. Blows my mind.

Realize that your work—all of it—is not in vain. —Psalm 90:17

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9 Ways to Use Other Bloggers’ EBooks to Grow Your Business

Mary Bernard — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 02:00:00 +0000

If you spend even a day online, you will discover an eBook or two for sale. In fact, most of the bloggers I follow regularly have at least one eBook under their belts.

Writing an eBook has always seemed like an out-of-reach ideal that I’d probably never do. I mean, I reasoned, What in the world do I have to say that’s not been said before, I doubt I’d sell many (if any), and How do I get started anyway?

This week’s mega eBook sale, though, has really gotten my wheels turning—and is motivating me to write my own eBook. I hope you’ve purchased The Ultimate Homemaking Ebook Bundle (and if you haven’t, you should; read about this limited time special deal here). If you’re a mom, a wife, you live in a house or apartment, you have a home-based business/blog, and/or you eat food, I promise you’ll find something that will apply to you!

But I’m also hoping that the Bundle will give you some new ideas, like it has for me.

Consider all the ways you can use other bloggers’ eBooks in your business (I’ve listed my ideas here):

1. Get inspired to write your own eBook! Whether your niche is pregnancy or poodles, just reading through other bloggers’ eBooks will inspire you to write your own. Come to the collection with the mindset of looking for inspiration to write.

2. Teach an online (or in person) course, using an eBook as the required curriculum.

3. Give away books and/or the Bundle on your blog. (Make sure you read the FAQs about copyright restrictions before gifting an eBook.)

4. Find new business partners and mentors. These authors are some of the sharpest businesswomen online. Simply by reading their books, you’re peeking into their wealth of knowledge. Begin following them on their blogs and social media and expand your reach.

5. Research, research, research. Guess what? These books were created because they are book-worthy topics. These are the topics readers demanded. I’m sure each author came at her topic from a slightly different angle, but in the end, these are hot topics in each category. Find your niche category, study the eBooks there, and see what pops up for you. Hopefully, you’ll get new ideas for blog posts, articles, or a future eBook.

6. EBook review page. Once you’ve read an eBook, write a review. Create a separate page on your blog where you post reviews of several eBooks that you believe your audience would find helpful. Make sure you become an affiliate for each book and post your affiliate link with your book review.

7. Include specific books in a holiday gift guide. Create a gift guide, tailored to your niche. Suggest eBooks in the guide using your affiliate links in short reviews.

8. Launch a business from something you learn. Many eBooks are “how-to” guides. Learn a new skill or craft, or create a DIY project. Use your new “creation” as the first item for sale in your home-based business.

9. Create a Favorite eBooks podcast. Interview the eBook authors for a podcast specific to your niche.

So, what’s number 10? What ideas do you have to use eBooks in your business?

Image credit: MorgueFile.com

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Buy Now! The Ultimate Homemaking Ebook Bundle Is the Best Deal You’ll See This Year!

Mary Bernard — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

***This Bundle is no longer for sale.***

It’s here!

The Ultimate Homemaking Ebook Bundle features 97 ebooks valued at more than $600 for ONLY $29.97. That’s $.31 per book. Wow!

I’m convinced this is the best deal you’ll see all year.

And if you need some ideas about how to use this bundle—beyond the obvious benefit of using it personally— stay tuned this week as I’ll be posting about ways this bundle can help you in creating and growing your business.

Read about all the books and bonuses below.

For 6 days only, more than 75 widely-known bloggers and authors in the homemaking sphere have joined together to offer 97 of their most popular eBooks and eCourses, valued at just over $600, for the incredibly low price of $29.97!

More than anything, our goal for this sale was for it to be, well… ultimate! We firmly believe that you will not find a more comprehensive collection of homemaking resources anywhere on the web, and particularly not in this price range. For this low price, you gain access to every single one of these resources, so that you can customize your own collection to contain exactly the ones you want and know you’ll use.

This library of homemaking helps include topics such as mothering, organization and cleaning, recipes and kitchen helps, home education, spiritual growth for both moms and kids, home décor and DIY, pregnancy and baby care, frugal living, health and fitness, and even work-from-home and financial tools.

To sweeten the pot, we’ve also teamed up with 10 companies to bring you over $140 in bonus offers, giving you an affordable opportunity to get products you’ll use and love for only the cost of shipping, or in some cases, entirely for free!

What’s Included in the Sale?

When you purchase The Ultimate Homemaking eBook collection, you will get instant access to any of the 97 eBooks and eCourses listed below.

PLUS over $140 of FREE Bonuses

The Ultimate Homemaking eBook collection comes with more than $140 of FREE Bonuses from 10 companies that we know you’ll love. More on these bonuses below.

Please note: This collection is only available from 9 a.m. EST on April 29th to 11:59 p.m. EST on May 4th. There will be no late sales offered.

PLUS, You will receive FREE Bonuses from these companies…

A FREE Two-Month Membership to Fit2B Studio (for new members) or $20 off a Yearly Membership (for current members), where their wholesome workouts for the whole family are tummy safe and particularly target Diastasis Recti (split abs). ($19.98 value. No shipping restrictions.)

A $15 store credit to TruKid. With products like their aware-winning sun care, they are dedicated to providing all natural skin and hair care for kids, babies, and now pets. ($15.00 value. Standard shipping applies. International shipping available.)

Your choice of incredible natural products like sea salt and clay for FREE. Choose from the Redmond Trading Earthpaste Bundle ($24.90 value) or the Facial Mud Bundle ($26.90 value). (Standard shipping applies. Continental US only.)

Your choice of a FREE heirloom sourdough starter or FREE yogurt starter from Cultures for Health, the leading supplier of starter cultures and supplies for making cultured and fermented foods ($12.95 value. US & CAN addresses only. Standard shipping applies.)

Your choice of: a FREE 3-Month Subscription (for new accounts) or 30% off a One Year Subscription. Plan to Eat is an online menu planner that uses your recipes, scheduled for the days you want them. ($15.00 value. No shipping restrictions.)

A FREE Culinary Herbs Assorted Seed Pack Check just in time for spring planting from www.wheatgrasskits.com, a living whole foods company. ($11.95 value. Standard shipping applies to all US states and territories- no international shipping for seeds.)

Get $10 off Union28′s original “my husband rocks” tee. Their marriage apparel lets you celebrate your spouse in style. ($10.00 value. Standard shipping rates apply. International shipping available, but free shipping only available within USA.)

A $10 store credit plus 1 FREE lip balm from Bee All Natural. Their whole body products nourish and heal, and are made using only the highest quality, food grade, organic ingredients. ($13.49 value. Standard shipping applies. International shipping available.)

A FREE 2 oz. bottle of your choice of liquid herbal formula from TriLight Health. They specialize in fast acting, great tasting natural herbal remedies. ($12.95 value or more. Standard shipping applies, within the USA only.)

Your choice of 3 FREE ePlanners OR a 3-Month FREE Membership to ListPlanIt, whose mobile lists will help to organize your life. ($15.00 value. No shipping restrictions.)

The fine print:

Bonus Offers

Each bonus offer can be redeemed once only per eBook Bundle purchase.
For each bonus offer, transaction numbers or proof of purchase may be required at the time of redemption.
All bonus offers are free gifts from the bonus sponsors, are their sole responsibility to provide, and are subject to availability.
All bonus offers expire at midnight on May 19th, 2013 (2 weeks from the last day of this sale).

General

It is your responsibility to download and back-up your purchase within the 1-month download time-frame. With proof of purchase, we can renew download links up until August 1st, 2013. After this date we will no longer have access to the books and will not be able to provide any new links to download.
Due to the nature of this sale, there will be no refunds available. However, we would invite you to read our Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more about the file types, the download process, how the bonus offers work, etc.

Please note: This collection is only available from 9 a.m. EST on April 29th to 11:59 p.m. EST on May 4th. There will be no late sales offered, so make sure that you get your bundle right away!

Particularly for those wanting to read these ebooks on their mobile devices (iPhones or iPads, Android, Kindle, etc.) you will want to learn more about the file types, how to download them correctly, and how to transfer them to your device.

This post includes affiliate links, and I make a portion of the sale of each ebook bundle. Thanks for your support of this site!

The post Buy Now! The Ultimate Homemaking Ebook Bundle Is the Best Deal You’ll See This Year! appeared first on Look In Your House.

Do You Know God’s Call for Your Life?

Mary Bernard — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:00:00 +0000

“I sensed God was calling me to the mission field.”

“We really felt God was not calling us to leave just yet. We felt there was more work to be done.”

“I’ve always felt called into teaching.”

Have you heard people say these types of things when they’ve been discussing their life’s plans or work? Maybe you’ve said those things yourself because you have a clear idea of “God’s calling” on your life; I hope you do!

I’ve got to tell you that mine has been rather muddy for most of my life. Lately, more and more of God’s call is coming into focus for me and my family, though, and I can tell you what’s helped us to better figure out where to go from here.

How You Can Determine God’s Calling

1. Look in your house. Really. Walk through the rooms and halls of your house. What do you see? For so many of us, we choose to ignore the very callings that stare us in the face. Family, work, skills, gifts—all of these things show up in our daily lives, if only we’d recognize them for what they are: God’s nudge to say, “Hey! This is the way I’ve equipped you; get to work using what I’ve given you.” Pantry full of food and pots and pans? You may be missing God’s call to begin a meals on wheels ministry, a catering business, or to become a nutrition counselor.

2. Embrace your passion. What has God put you on the planet to do? What has God gifted you to do that only you can do? Now—go do it.

3. Seek the person of Christ. One of the most transformational aspects of Jesus is that he did not simply embody good, wholesome characteristics like kindness or truth, as you and I may do. No. Jesus IS goodness, truth, love, kindness, self-control, and more. When we are hidden in him, our relationship is more than mental ascent. We possess what he possesses. We have access to the Father and his power through Christ! Stop and think about that. We have access to resurrection power.

4. Get yourself out of the way. Believe that his way is far better than anything you can do on your own. Now, move over!

5. Accept and celebrate that this life is temporary. We are just passing through. God’s calling—whether it’s exciting, boring, dangerous, or mundane—is not for your comfort, your success, or your fame. God’s calling is to advance his kingdom and impact others’ lives. Period.

6. While you may live out several callings at once and many throughout a lifetime, you are always required to abide by one above all others. Your highest calling is to be an instrument of God, doing his work.

The post Do You Know God’s Call for Your Life? appeared first on Look In Your House.

Awesome Sale You Don’t Want to Miss – The Ultimate Homemaking Ebook Bundle

Mary Bernard — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:00 +0000

***This Bundle is no longer for sale.***

I can’t wait to tell you about this amazing deal coming up next week!

Get more than $600 worth of ebooks and ecourses for just $29.97!

Authors include some of the most popular bloggers in the “homemaking” niche (and I use that term broadly):

Amy Lynn Andrews at Blogging With Amy
SarahMae of SarahMae.com
Crystal of MoneySavingMom.com
Tsh of SimpleMom
Katie of Kitchen Stewardship

… just to name a few!

Now, I know that most of you are focused on business and/or work at home opportunities. In my opinion, the books included in the “Working from Home and Blogging” category alone are worth the price of the entire bundle! But we are also moms and wives and Christian women, too. This bundle covers so many facets of life that I promise you’ll find the majority of ebooks apply to you.

And if that wasn’t the best deal all by itself, the sale organizers have also secured “bonus freebies” from ten different companies that total more than $140!

So, check out the details from the sale organizers below. You can’t order until April 29, but I’ll remind you again to come back here and place your order.

Don’t miss this awesome opportunity to grow and learn.

P.S. This is going to be my Mother’s Day present to myself this year.

~~~

From the sale organizers:

What’s Included in the Sale?

When you purchase The Ultimate Homemaking eBook collection, you will get instant access to any of the 97 eBooks and eCourses listed below.

PLUS over $140 of FREE Bonuses

Each The Ultimate Homemaking eBook collection comes with more than $140 of FREE Bonuses from 10 companies that we know you’ll love. More on these bonuses below.

Please note: This collection is only available from 9 a.m. EST on April 29th to 11:59 p.m. EST on May 4th. There will be no late sales offered.

Home & Property {Cleaning, Organizing, Decor}

Educational Children’s Resources

Budgeting {Finance & Time}

In the Kitchen {Recipes and Cooking}

Pregnancy & Baby Care

Holidays & Special Events

Spiritual Growth

Marriage & Romance

Motherhood

Health & Fitness

Beauty

Working from Home & Blogging

Ecourses

PLUS, You will receive FREE Bonuses from these companies…

A FREE Two-Month Membership to Fit2B Studio, where their wholesome workouts for the whole family are tummy safe and particularly target Diastasis Recti (split abs). ($19.98 value. No shipping restrictions.)

Your choice of 3 FREE ePlanners OR a 3-Month FREE Membership to ListPlanIt, whose mobile lists will help to organize your life. ($15.00 value. No shipping restrictions.)

The fine print:

Bonus Offers

Each bonus offer can be redeemed once only per eBook Bundle purchase.
For each bonus offer, transaction numbers or proof of purchase may be required at the time of redemption.
All bonus offers are free gifts from the bonus sponsors, are their sole responsibility to provide, and are subject to availability.
All bonus offers expire at midnight on May 19th, 2013 (2 weeks from the last day of this sale).

General

It is your responsibility to download and back-up your purchase within the 1-month download time-frame. With proof of purchase, we can renew download links up until August 1st, 2013. After this date we will no longer have access to the books and will not be able to provide any new links to download.
Due to the nature of this sale, there will be no refunds available. However, we would invite you to read our Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more about the file types, the download process, how the bonus offers work, etc.

Please note: This collection is only available from 9 a.m. EST on April 29th to 11:59 p.m. EST on May 4th. There will be no late sales offered, so make sure that you get your bundle right away!

This post includes affiliate links, and I make a portion of the sale of each ebook bundle. Thanks for your support of this site!

The post Awesome Sale You Don’t Want to Miss – The Ultimate Homemaking Ebook Bundle appeared first on Look In Your House.

Lacking Motivation? 4 Tips to Pull You Out of the Rut

Mary Bernard — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:34:44 +0000

Most of us are susceptible to the temptations that bog down our momentum when it comes to starting or growing a new business.

Poor time management skills, procrastination, and self-doubt creep all around us. Before you know it, you’re paralyzed, de-motivated, and your great plans for a creative project or a new business endeavor are dead in the water.

Do you look around and mutter, “I should be doing that” or “I need to get going with my next project”?

Here are some practical tips to get you moving again so you can get back to productivity and enjoy some progress:

1. Discover (or re-discover) your passion.

If you aren’t usually living/working/playing in environments in which you love, you’ll quickly become bored and apathetic. Doing what makes you feel alive is crucial to productivity.

Get started ===>> Download my free ebook, 5 Easy Steps to Discover the Home-based Business That’s Perfect for You, for help.

2. Learn something new.

Read a book, take an online course, or attend a class at your community college. Regardless of what you learn, I promise it will spark something inside of you.

Get started ===>> Join Kelly McCausey for any of her amazing online courses, including the Stretch Yourself Challenge, which begins May 1. (I just completed her Power of a Focused Business course and I learned so much. I am now going to be working with her as a blogging intern during the next three months—which brings me to #3.)

3. Find a mentor and/or mentoring group.

I can’t tell you how much I’ve benefited from the support of online friends who have the same goals as I do. Whether it’s been maintaining a workout routine or learning about blogging best practices, my online groups have motivated me and propelled me forward. In fact, I was able to apply for the upcoming internship with Kelly after having participated in a group coaching opportunity this spring.

Whether you want to move ahead with a hobby, a business, or a new skill set, find someone who is a few steps ahead of you and soak up everything you can from that person. Barter with them: trade their mentoring for your skills.

Get started===>>I wholeheartedly recommend the Solo Masterminds group. Lots of smart business women hang out there. It’s a terrific place for asking questions, getting guidance, and making valuable connections.

4. Make sure your spiritual house is in order.

I know that God takes us all through various seasons for only his reasons. Our family has been on a “wilderness wandering” for about three years now. Our beloved church of ten years closed in 2010, and the church we attended since then was never a good fit. Because of scheduling conflicts, I had dropped out of my women’s Bible study, and my own personal study and prayer time had become quite neglected.

At the beginning of 2013, we finally sought out a new church and have been attending there since the first of the year. Being back in a truly spiritually-edifying environment weekly has drastically improved all facets of our family life—inlcuding my renewed energy around business and creative projects.

This point is not something mechanical or something that I can explain from a technical perspective. It’s faith, of course, but, I believe it’s absolutely vital to operating a successful business.

Get started ===>> Make sure you’re worshiping weekly in a biblically-sound, gospel-centered church. Pursue God daily with personal Bible study and prayer.

What gets you moving again when you’re in a rut?

The post Lacking Motivation? 4 Tips to Pull You Out of the Rut appeared first on Look In Your House.

Mom, Are You One of the 62%?

Mary Bernard — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 02:41:30 +0000

I recently read an article that featured all sorts of stats about mothers, expenses, and employment. (Image courtesy of: CreditDonkey)

When our first child was born in 2003, we were in a comfortable financial situation—no debt, healthy monthly cash flow, and a cushy emergency fund/savings account. I had always wanted to be home full-time with my kids, eventually pursuing part-time freelance writing work. It all seemed more than manageable.

We were fine living on my husband’s salary and my meager few thousand dollars a year.

That was until the twins were born in 2005.

I don’t have to tell you that with twins, everything is double: more diapers, more onesies, more gear. We had tons of help (with finances and resources), but we quickly blew through our stash of cash and (unfortunately) piled on the credit card debt.

We’ve been digging out of that the last few years, as we’ve both increased our incomes. But now, we’re facing the preteen/teen years with out-of-control appetites, $100 athletic shoes, and orthodontics.

Kids are expensive. (Sigh.)

As a mom, I know you’ve got to be facing the same types of challenges in your own family. According to the article I read:

the average cost of raising a child to the age of 17, is $235,000
of working moms, 74% work full-time, 26% work part-time
of working moms, 62% prefer to work part-time, 37% prefer to work full-time

I find these numbers interesting. If I’m interpreting them correctly, there’s a whole lot of working moms working full-time who would prefer to be working part-time.

I’m here to tell you that it can happen for you. I wholeheartedly believe that when you tap into your God-given passions, your priorities will come into focus. As you work your priorities, the provision appears.

It’s not hard to get started in your pursuit of the opportunity that you can turn into a successful home-based business. I’ll let you in on a little secret: God has left clues for you everywhere.

Just look around! What has God placed in your heart that motivates you? What do you love to do? How has he already given you the skills, passions, objects, and equipment to move forward to follow his call?

Maybe you love children and find them running in and out of your house all summer long. What about beginning a day camp or starting a kids’ birthday party business?

Maybe you have a great eye and love taking photos. Take a few classes and offer family photo sessions initially for low cost or free in exchange for the experience, referrals, and to build your portfolio.

Are you unhappy with your work situation? Would you like to have your own money-making business but aren’t sure how to begin?

Start by looking in your house because there you will find your passions, priorities, and provision.

~~~

If you want to know more about discovering a home-based business that’s perfect for you, download my free ebook that walks you through the process and offers you 65 business ideas you can start right away!

The post Mom, Are You One of the 62%? appeared first on Look In Your House.

Interview With Alyssa Avant, Author of FaithLeaps

Mary Bernard — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 19:00:09 +0000

Today I have the great pleasure of being the host on Day 7 of the Virtual Blog Tour for FaithLeaps: The Christian Mom’s Guide to Passion, Purpose and Profits by author Alyssa Avant. On the last stop of the tour, Alyssa visited Rosann Cunningham’s blog at Christian Supermom.

Below is the great interview I did with Alyssa about FaithLeaps.

Why did you write this book?

ALYSSA: I was inspired to write this book several years ago, as I was attempting to navigate the overwhelming journey of working from home. I had taken a “leap of faith” and quit my part time job and really needed to make an income from home.

Through trial and error, I found my way, but wished I would have had a guide or friend to help me along the way. There is also the issue of passion and purpose, which ultimately is what this book is about. Yes I talk about working from home and ways to do that, but a stronger theme throughout this book is finding one’s passion and purpose and ultimately profiting from it (not necessarily financially).

What are the two or three main ideas you hope readers take away from FaithLeaps?

ALYSSA: There are several main ideas that I hope readers will take away from FaithLeaps. One of those is that we are all created by God with a God-given passion and purpose. It is important, I believe, for us to identify and explore that passion and purpose. Secondly, I hope that readers will take away from this book that God enables us and can work through us to help us to accomplish our dreams and desires.

What does it mean to choose a lifestyle of passion and purpose? How is that different from the way most women order their lives?

ALYSSA: I believe and I have observed in every day life so many people, not just women but women included, who just go through the motions of life, never taking the time to explore their ultimate passions or their God-given purpose. Their lives are a series of meals, work days, ball games, etc., with a lack of passion and purpose. A lifestyle of passion and purpose gives a person a drive and an urging that helps to steer their lives.

What are the commitments we must make in order to live this lifestyle?

ALYSSA: The verse of the day on my iPhone You Version app comes to mind when I read this question. “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11 (NIV)

As I state in FaithLeaps, “If we desire success, we must embrace discipline.” My father always told me as a child, “anything worth doing is worth doing correctly.” This takes discipline.

What are the greatest challenges to living this lifestyle and how should we overcome them?

ALYSSA: The greatest challenges for me to living this lifestyle has been following God’s commandment of “dying to self.” The Bible says that Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24 (NIV) That’s what a life of passion and purpose is all about.

I hope you enjoyed this interview and that you’ll check out FaithLeaps: The Christian Mom’s Guide to Passion, Purpose and Profits by Alyssa Avant on Amazon. Be sure to follow Alyssa at her next stop on the Virtual Blog Tour over at Lisa Morosky’s blog at The Home Life {and Me}.

~~~~~

Let’s Study FaithLeaps Together

Want to go a little bit deeper with these themes of passion and purpose?

I’ll be leading an online book study of FaithLeaps beginning April 1.

The format will be flexible enough for you to fit it into your busy life with just enough structure and accountability so that you can apply Alyssa’s principles to your life.

It’s totally free. All you need to do is sign up here, get a copy of FaithLeaps, and read it.

Oh, and make sure you’re subscribed to my blog so you’ll receive timely updates about the study.

See you on April 1!

This post features affiliate links. Should you make a purchase using my link, I will receive compensation for my referral.

The post Interview With Alyssa Avant, Author of FaithLeaps appeared first on Look In Your House.

Announcing FaithLeaps Launch and Online Book Study

Mary Bernard — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 21:48:51 +0000

FaithLeaps is a brand-new book from Christian mom and entrepreneur Alyssa Avant. I’ve had the pleasure to receive an advance copy of this book for review.

I gleaned many insights from the book, but I think the most beneficial—and one that has the tendency to slip away from mind first—was that God made me who I am. God gifted me in certain ways. He gave me skills and talents. He has ordained my circumstances.

Alyssa then helped me connect the dots from identifying my passions to seeking God’s purposes for me inside those passions to eventually exploring how to profit from marrying the two. This book is beautifully written and accessible for the busy mom who may squeeze in a chapter here or there while sitting in the carpool line. But it’s also a deep read, leading you to really probe what makes you tick. Alyssa is a gifted writer—to be able to pull off simple and complex in the same book.

Are you ready to make a FaithLeap? If so, find out more:

Tonight, March 12, 2013, at 7 p.m. central time, join Alyssa for the book’s launch party on Facebook. Lots of great prizes to give away!
Purchase your copy of FaithLeaps either in paperback or for the Kindle at Amazon.com.
Share links to this post on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Tell your friends and invite them to the study.
Follow FaithLeaps on Facebook and Twitter.
Mark your calendars for April 1. I’ll be leading an online book study of FaithLeaps for 4 weeks. It’s free! You’ll just need to purchase (or win) a copy of the book. Leave me a comment and let me know you are interested.

I’m eager to dig even deeper into the FaithLeaps journey with you!

Oh, and make sure you check out my official review on Amazon here.

Once you’ve read the book, I’d love to hear your review. Please share!

This post features affiliate links. Should you make a purchase using my link, I will receive a small commission in exchange for my referral. I was provided a complimentary copy of the book for review. I received no additional compensation from the author and opinions are my own.

The post Announcing FaithLeaps Launch and Online Book Study appeared first on Look In Your House.

Just Tearin’ Down My House—as Usual (The Wise Woman Builds Her House)

Mary Bernard — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 11:00:56 +0000

One of the Bible verses that stays with me through thick and thin and good times and bad is this one:

The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.

—Proverbs 14:1 (NIV)

I think I like it because it’s appropriately convicting, yet practical as it offers concrete instruction.

What does it assume? It assumes several things:

a woman’s sphere of influence is her house (household)
a woman can act foolishly or wisely
a woman’s work, tone, words, and countenance are important to her home and family
a woman’s actions will strengthen or destroy

I’m not trying to make any blanket statements about where or how a woman chooses to work. Whether you are working outside the home full-time or part-time, working a business at home, working full-time as a stay at home mom, or doing any combination of the above, you have a profound and primary influence on your house.

When I began this blog, I really wanted to help women—particularly those who work at home or outside the home and those wanting to express themselves either creatively or as entrepreneurs—find God’s specific callings on their lives. That’s still the goal of this blog: to help you take a look at how God has gifted you and where he has placed you, so that you can move forward, feeling his pleasure.

And when we are foolish and deny or ignore those things that God has specifically placed in our lives? Our houses—in all senses of the word—start to crumble, and they do so by our own hands.

For a few years now, I’ve taken my eyes away from my “house.” I’ve responded to a variety of stressors—including financial strain, my mother’s illness and death, the closing of our church and our family’s spiritual wanderings—in ways that haven’t always been “wise.” In the process, I’ve lost sight of God’s call for me and have been slowly tearing down my “house” with my own hands.

This is manifest in many ways. My physical house (body) is the heaviest I’ve ever been. With my own hands, I’m tearing my organs and joints down. My dwelling place (structure) is in some disrepair. We’ve got shingles falling off the roof, ratty landscaping, and carpets in desperate need of a shampoo. The toilets stay dirty and the laundry stays piled. The Holy Spirit’s house (my heart) has wandered back and forth between faithfulness and disobedient idolatry. My sin tears down my house.

I know we didn’t get here overnight, and I know there are some issues that have complicated root causes. I’m also not saying that having comfortable lives is equal to having x amount of faith.

What I am saying is that being wise begins with turning our backs on our sin and seeking the Lord.

So, look in your houses, friends. What’s out of whack?

How are you tearing down your house with your own hands?

Seek God, find wisdom, and build up your house.

~~~

A great way to do this is by joining me for a book study on FaithLeaps by Alyssa Avant. It’s now available for Kindle on Amazon here. It officially launches March 12 with a fun party on Facebook and lots and lots of prizes. Details about the book study are forthcoming, but let me know in the comments if you’re interested. FaithLeaps is a great tool to help you peer honestly into your house.

Please note: this post features an affiliate link. Should you use my link to make a purchase at Amazon.com, I will receive a small commission in exchange for my referral.

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