In the next few weeks, we are digging into our faith more deeply. Last week we kicked off a brand-new project called the “Legacy of Faith” series. I've hand-picked people I respect most for each topic, so I'd love it if you invite a friend to join you, and let’s grow to be more like Christ together. 

I don’t know what your experience looked like, but for a lot of us middle school sucked. The proof of that will come out in some stories today. But it’s also a pivotal time of faith formation.

Today Caroline and I talk about what it looks like to talk TO middle schoolers and not down at them.

We remember what it felt like to be in middle school.

We share ideas for how to start good conversations and what questions end up being effective when leading a small group.

We also talk about how easy it was to say really mean things about other people in order to gain social currency.

You can find Caroline Saunders Bible study for middle schoolers, "Come Home⁠⁠⁠" or follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠Caroline on Instagram⁠. ⁠⁠⁠

You can find Elizabeth writing helpful hints ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on the blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Helping you love Jesus and disciple your kids ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or get access to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Additional study resources here⁠⁠

Original Music written and recorded by Jonathan Camenisch

*affiliate links are used when appropriate. Thank you for supporting Sunshine in My Nest

We are back this week to keep talking about what itlooks like to live a Legacy of Faith. Last week we talked about what it looks like when kids love Jesus really young. If you’re like me maybe you’ve struggled with not having a “fancy” testimony. Abbey and I talked about the benefit of exposing little ones to faith from a young age and if you’re an adult in the life of a kid what a gift that is to give them.

This week we are going to talk about how practically we point kids to faith! If you want to apply what you learn today for this series I’m creating a download with a verse to meditate, a passage to study, and questions to dig in deeper. You can find a link to that in the show notes.

You can find Abbey's series of books "⁠⁠Training Young Hearts⁠⁠" or follow ⁠⁠⁠Abbey on Instagram⁠. ⁠⁠

You can find Elizabeth writing helpful hints ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on the blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Helping you love Jesus and disciple your kids ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or get access to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Additional study resources here⁠

Original Music written and recorded by Jonathan Camenisch

*affiliate links are used when appropriate. Thank you for supporting Sunshine in My Nest

Today we are kicking off our series by talking about life in the early years. Jesus takes discipleship of and empathy with little ones VERY seriously. To successfully have gospel empathy with little ones, and how to effectively disciple them we have to be intentional. So let’s dig in!

Welcome to Sunshine in My Nest, Abbey. Tell us about yourself and your stage of life, but more importantly what kind of kid you were.

What did God use to bring you to faith?

Have you always liked kids?

Did you always know your kids were capable of faith?

Why is the discipleship of children important?

I heard with piano lessons it doesn’t pay to start early, because after they learn to read they can learn in a couple of months what it would have taken years to teach couldn’t we just wait, start at 12 and more effectively use our time?

You can find Abbey's series of books "⁠Training Young Hearts⁠" or follow ⁠⁠Abbey on Instagram⁠. ⁠

You can find Elizabeth writing helpful hints ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on the blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Helping you love Jesus and disciple your kids ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or get access to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Additional study resources here

Original Music written and recorded by Jonathan Camenisch

*affiliate links are used when appropriate. Thank you for supporting Sunshine in My Nest

If you listen to this podcast, I know you’re the kind of woman who wants to dig into her faith more deeply. I want to more-systematically help you do that! I’ve been working on a brand-new project called the “Legacy of Faith” series.

Over the next several episodes, we are going to walk through the life of a woman of faith womb to tomb. Walking out faith is compared in the New Testament as a race. We would never dream of waking up one morning and just going to run a marathon. We would learn about what it takes to train effectively and learn from people who’ve already runraces. Then we would begin to change our habits, no matter where we were on the “couch to marathon” spectrum. That’s what I want to do together the next few weeks.

Let’s hear from a variety of believers both men and women atdifferent ages and stages to see how they are running the race. I believe this will help strengthen our faith even if their stage is different from our own. This will help us walk out the gospel more effectively. So invite a Christian sister to join you and let’s dig in.

He put his Spirit on them to guide them. Before the law was taught to people and it was a standard to which they were held. Now the law of God was written on their hearts. God’s Spirit was in them to whisper conviction of sin, but also to cause his nature to grow from them. We see in Galatians 5:22-23 that what grows from a person who is marked by the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience... etc.

At the creation of this new covenant, Jesus sat with his disciples, ate with them, and gave them a new ceremony as a reminder. When they ate together they were to remember his promise. So we eat the Lord’s Supper. It reminds us of his payment, presence, and the promise of the kingdom to come.

SHOW NOTES:

⁠⁠⁠⁠- Dig Deeper - get the verse card and study questions here. ⁠⁠⁠⁠

-Go to the⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"Get Started" page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for all the information on how to use this study

-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join thousands of women⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get the verse card and study questions!

-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Invite a friend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-You can find more lessons ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on the blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-Print more cards from⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Helping you love Jesus + disciple your kids ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Instagram 

The other day someone posted something like "If you'll just take the time to get organized, life will be easier." Usually, I would find that to be true and agree with it. When I read the post, I had spent 6 hours the day before cleaning, and looked around me; kid clutter was everywhere.  The daily demands of motherhood at face value don't seem like much, but like a steady dripping, it can become overwhelming. I've followed Whitney for a while and know not everything has been easy for her, but it's lovely to watch her turn trials into worship. 

Early in my 20s, I had a series of wildly unjust things happen. I've since been able to recognize them as really unhealthy behaviors. But during that time Psalm 16 became a favorite. What led you to love 121? -

When I became a mom, I thought I would be AMAZING. It's so hard to know how sleep deprivation and very demanding humans will impact you. My mother-in-law told me, "I didn't know how sinful I was until I became a mom." I smiled to myself thinking I had strong self-control. For the first kid and the first couple years I coped okay, but as years ticked on I started to realize exactly how true her statement was. How do you think faith can help a mom navigate the difficult days? 

I've noticed what I think about changes the way I walk through a day. Are there some things you meditate on that help your mood? 

When things get hard there is the temptation to stay at home, buckle down, and batten the hatches. Do you find that to be helpful or does it end up making things worse? 

How can Psalm 121 encourage us to keep moving forward? 

You can find Whitney's Book "Lift Your Eyes" or follow ⁠Whitney on Instagram⁠.

You can find Elizabeth writing helpful hints ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on the blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Helping you love Jesus and disciple your kids ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or get access to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"Bible Study" by signing up with email! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Original Music written and recorded by Jonathan Camenisch

*affiliate links are used when appropriate. Thank you for supporting Sunshine in My Nest

In David, we find a “type.” God sets him up as king and a good kingdom on earth to show us what he wants to do in Heaven. Under the first half of David’s rule, people find peace, prosperity, and justice. But we also see David sin dramatically and the peace is broken. We are left longing for a true and better king!

When we understand this promise of “kingdom” to David it allows us to better understand our longing for perfect leadership. But we realize we can’t ever find this fulfilled in human form. Earthly leaders will always let us down, but God is the ultimate ruler in our lives.

Revelation 21:4 gives us a peek at what the coming kingdom will look like! Jesus will establish the ultimate kingdom. We can have hope knowing that the way the world looks here and now isn’t the way it “should be” and will “always be.” Our God is a just king who will bring rest from enemies, make an end to death, crying, and pain!

SHOW NOTES:

⁠⁠⁠- Dig Deeper - get the verse card and study questions here. ⁠⁠⁠

-Go to the⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"Get Started" page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for all the information on how to use this study

-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join thousands of women⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get the verse card and study questions!

-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Invite a friend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-You can find more lessons ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on the blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-Print more cards from⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Helping you love Jesus + disciple your kids ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Instagram 

I did not grow up in a tradition that practiced Lent, and honestly, I've not read or studied anything about it as a practice. What I do know is a lot of people announce they are giving social media up for Lent, and I know it is the time that leads up to Easter. It seems kind of like Advent, but I could be totally off. When I saw Amy Gannett had written a resource for lent I wanted to learn all about it, but rather than just voice messaging her all my questions I thought it might be fun to learn about lent together! 

 Have you always celebrated Lent?

What are the historical roots of Lent?

Why do churches kick it off with ashes on the forehead? (that's different from Advent in that it's starting with the end in mind)

What are the specific spiritual practices of Lent?

What draws you to it?

What do you find you learn about God through it? 

How have you used this time to disciple your kids?

You can find Amy Gannett's new resource "Called To Follow⁠" or follow ⁠⁠Amy on Instagram⁠. ⁠

You can find Elizabeth writing helpful hints ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on the blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Helping you love Jesus and disciple your kids ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or get access to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"Bible Study" by signing up with email! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Original Music written and recorded by Jonathan Camenisch

*affiliate links are used when appropriate. Thank you for supporting Sunshine in My Nest

The beautiful thing about the law is that it gives a glimpse of what God values. In it is love, justice, and peace. It leads us to a better relationship with God and one another. But we can’t live it perfectly.

What Romans shows us is that the law does something even more beautiful for us now. It shows us the gifts we are given in Christ. We are no longer held back by the law alone but empowered into growth by the Holy Spirit. Through God’s work, we more naturally produce the Fruit of the Spirit.

SHOW NOTES:

⁠⁠⁠- Dig Deeper - get the verse card and study questions here. ⁠⁠⁠

-Go to the⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"Get Started" page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for all the information on how to use this study

-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join thousands of women⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get the verse card and study questions!

-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Invite a friend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-You can find more lessons ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on the blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-Print more cards from⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Helping you love Jesus + disciple your kids ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Instagram 

Last time Amber and I talked she taught me the concept of literature being "mirrors and windows." That means the gift we get through books is our own experiences reflected(mirrors), but they also allow us to peek into someone else's world (windows). Viewing books this way has made me better balance the selections I'm choosing to read, so they feel like they belong, but also develop empathy! 

 I noticed you've featured in your work "mirrors and windows" again but now you've also added "sliding glass doors!" Tell me about that! 

Your newest project is a whole book full of book recommendations! How has reading become such an important piece of your family's life? 

How do you choose books for your kids? Do you primarily stick to books that focus on joy, or sometimes hard history too? 

How do you decide when a kid is old enough to be exposed to a hard topic? 

How have you made sure the books you use in homeschool don't fall down a particular rabbit hole and spread a wide feast? 

You can find Amber's Book "Soul School" or follow ⁠⁠Heritage Mom Blog on Instagram⁠. ⁠

You can find Elizabeth writing helpful hints ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on the blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Helping you love Jesus and disciple your kids ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or get access to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"Bible Study" by signing up with email! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Original Music written and recorded by Jonathan Camenisch

*affiliate links are used when appropriate. Thank you for supporting Sunshine in My Nest