This is the last challenge of the summer, and it may be one of my favorites. Along with it comes an encouragement to carry this challenge into the fall.

We are commanded in the New Testament to meet with other believers because of the way it strengthens and encourages us. My favorite verse, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, tells us to “Encourage one another and build each other up.”

My family has done this well through books. You can probably tell I love them a lot, but I love them even more when I get to read them with other Christians, especially mom friends. A few years ago I invited friends and strangers into my home to spend 18 months going through the book “Lifegiving Home.”

Sometimes we discussed the book; other times we just shared what we were struggling with and prayed for each other. That year was one of the most spiritually formative and lifegiving phases of my life. I’ve done that again this summer for my son byinviting his friends who enjoy reading to join him at a coffee shop to read the Junior version of “Unbroken.”

I hope this episode about books and reading encourages you. I’ll also link below both Whitney’s book and my book. Both would be amazing places to create if you want to do one of these groups for yourself!

Join the Challenge ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and share with a friend!

My summer has looked nothing like what I expected. I had 5 days of middle school, two days at home, then 5 days at a conference. That was the expected part, what I didn’t expect was to be trusting God into buying a new home on land and nestled in the trees.

All the things being placed in my hands are good things, but it’s also forced me to say, “no” to some things too. In our family we have a rule, “You can’t pick up anything, unless you put something down.” If not, then our kids end up paying the price.

In this season I need the challenge of “simplicity.” It can be easy to run away with my plans. To try to buy furniture to make it cozy, or plan ahead for what I can’t know about. Just knowing this episode with Jodi was coming has been enough to slow me down and encourage me to snuggle on longer empty days, andwait to buy things after I need them not in anticipation of “maybe” needed them.

God keeps replaying to my mind and heart Matthew 6:19-21 “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

I hope this week if you’re feeling overwhelmed by having picked up too much, you’ll find a thing or two to lay down. Trusting that he’s working in those moments too.

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Original Music written and recorded by Jonathan Camenisch

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

Join the Challenge ⁠⁠⁠⁠and share with a friend!

My experience with getting later into summer is that the quiet, laziness of the days has finally sunk in. The frantic activity of May has passed and the first of the summer trips are over. Our Summer Faith Challenge is a fun one this week. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure. Either invite someone over for a meal orMake cookie dough and freeze balls of it to have on hand in the freezer.

Discipleship is done so well over food. As soon as I start baking my kids gather around to see what’s happening, or as soon as they smell cookies going into the oven, the smell lures them out to talk.

We are called to “Go make disciples.” Jesus famously discipled in combination with food. It’s a good recipe for discipleship success! We hear stories of the feeding of five thousand, wedding feasts, and the last supper.

The early church copied that, and we see in Acts 2:42&46 that “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer… Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.”

I think this interview with Sally Clarkson will inspire you in your discipleship goals! Enjoy!

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Our Summer Faith Challenge this week is to examine the way we think about our bodies and aging. 1 Samuel 16: 7b tells us that “... the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

Summer is a time when it is easy to be fixated on how we look and be overly aware of our bodies. There are a lot of ads talking to us about being swimsuit-ready and wanting to maintain our youthful look. I was laughing to my sister-in-law this pastweekend that after my first son was born, I convinced my husband to let me buy my forever swimsuit. It was a little more expensive, but it was a one-piece with boy short legs, so that I could chase our future kids while not showing the whole world my assets.

I didn’t really swim again until our third son was born, because trying to keep all the toddlers from drowning felt impossible, but when I put on that suit, I couldn’t believe how much my body had changed. In an effort to embrace this new size, I once again convinced my husband to let me buy my new “forever suit.” SoI could confidently go to the pool.

But now, ironically, I’m somewhere between those two sizes. I tend to pendulum swing between pretending my body doesn’t matter at all, and overanalyzing every shift that each year brings.

What if our faith changed our focus? What if the way we see life allowed our soul to become more beautiful and our faith an anchor of security as we step out into the pool with our kids or grandkids this summer?

Enjoy this episode with Jen aging with grace.

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Our second Summer Faith Challenge is to use words that are kind, or to ask forgiveness and repair when they aren’t. I could probably use this challenge every week of the year, but I want to focus specifically on encouraging words with a kind tone this week.

My mom had a verse from Eph 4:29 she would quote tous likely every day “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building othersup according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Our challenge this week is to print that verse (I’ll providea printable verse card for you in the show notes) and pin it somewhere where we will see it. Challenge your Summer Challenge Besties to use kind words this week and ask for forgiveness when your words or tone move away from that.

The more we are with someone the easier it is to harm them with our words, and when we travel with people and have them with us 24/7 in cramped quarters, it becomes harder to choose to speak words of kindness over them every day. Jesus knowsthat. He knows our weakness, but promised to send his Holy Spirit to empower us, and to hear our prayers when we ask him for strength or forgiveness.

I think this conversation with Abbey will remind us that while we can challenge ourselves to speak kindly, that often comes with the need to learn to ask for forgiveness and also remember that Christ loves us and is our righteousness even when we fail.

Join the Challenge ⁠and share with a friend!

Our first challenge for the summer is “trust.”

Summer is a time that I struggle to trust, and I’ve heard it is for you too. Our schedule is off, and we have to pack and plan for trips. Everything feels a bit more out of control

Often, though, we forget that and think we have to solve the world’s problems or our own for everything to work out. We spend nights lying awake, brainstorming solutions to our problems or safeguarding ourselves from pain, or trying to plan our words so we can convince others to do what we know would be right for them.

Start a text thread with your “summer challenge besties” and ask them to tell you about a time in the past God relieved them of anxiety. Take those stories to encourage you this week. Then check in at the end of the week to share how you thrived or were challenged.

I’ve been quoting this a lot, so people who know me are probably sick of hearing me refer to it, but CS Lewis in Screwtape Letters has a line that has become so real to me hesaid, “It’s not as important for (Satan) to convince people that God isn’t real as much as it is for them to just forget he exists at all.”

Using our anxious feelings as a trigger to point us back to God allows us to take something that was meant for evil and turn it into something good that grows us closer to God.

Join the Challenge and share with a friend!

Usually, during the summer, I take a break, but this summer, I’m curating ways that I would like for us to grow together in faith.

Every episode on the Sunshine in My Nest Podcast this summer will have an email that goes with it and will be a series of relational challenges that will help you to love God and disciple your kids, grandkids, or the women in your life better.

I’ll kick the episodes and emails off with an introduction and then wrap it up with a specific way for you to walk in wisdom and live in faith. I think that as you do these challenges, it will transform your family life and walk with God, but that’s just the first half!

As believers, we aren’t just called to be transformed ourselves, but to “go make disciples.” I think we can make that too complicated, but as part of this challenge, I’d like you to take what you’re learning into your community.

More than ever, I find we use our relational energy scrolling on social media and becoming involved in dramas that have nothing to do with us. One of the most valuable positions in thechurch right now are the community builders. The people who show up in person for the people in their lives. That doesn’t have to be complicated. Talk to another mom while poolside, send a text to a friend, or invite someone to join you through the summer.

My hope is that these will grow your faith as you feel God’s encouragement and love the women in your real life. 

I grew up with attendance in a wide smattering of church denominations. It got to the point where my parents, when someone asked what denomination they identified with they would say they were "Bapa-Lutha-Terian."

Even now my favorite thing is over the summer, we have a break from some of our church responsibilities, and we often choose to visit the churches of our friends around the city. It has reminded me the body of Christ isn't all eyeballs. Each cluster of believers comes to faith with unique language and strengths that encourage me as I spend time with them.

Tim Challies is a pastor and author and has spent a huge chunk of time not just visiting churches in his city, but churches around the world. I can't wait to hear what he's learned from his experiences. 

Did you grow up with a solid home church or a varied church background? 

Do you have any early moments that you remember being impacted by the faith of other believers? 

What inspired you to start traveling to churches around the world? 

What have you learned from some of those experiences? What do we risk if we only look at Christianity through an Americanized lens? 

How does exposing ourselves to the global church strengthen believers as a whole?

Why is it good for our families? 

You can find Tim Challies's book "⁠From the Rising of the Sun⁠" and the kids' book "God's Great Big Global Church" or find him on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠his blog!⁠

JOIN US: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Around Our American World⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for family-style learning!!

You can find Elizabeth writing helpful hints ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on the blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Original Music written and recorded by Jonathan Camenisch

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

It can be easy to think of education as preparation for tests and careers. But what if the bigger goal was fostering creativity and virtue in our children? No matter how you educate your kids, you as the parent are teaching them these things. The things you choose to spend time and money on show them what is most important and valuable.

Today, Jennifer and I discuss people from history and what mattered most in their educational process. I hope you walk away with joy and a hope-filled perspective.

In your experience, what is the impact does home have on learning?

What can parents do to help foster that love for learning? 

What have you seen heroes of history do that made a difference in their education life? 

Are there words or phrases we use that work against us as we educate? 

How can we use heroes from the past to inspire our kids today? 

You can find Jennifer Pepito's book "⁠⁠⁠⁠The Inspired Homeschool" or find her on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!⁠

JOIN US: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Around Our American World⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for family-style learning!!

You can find Elizabeth writing helpful hints ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on the blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Original Music written and recorded by Jonathan Camenisch

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

There are many experiences in our lives as humans that transform us fully into an entirely different person. Times like our wedding, we wish we could live again. Others, perhaps like the death of a parent, no one could pay us enough to go back. These experiences can show us better who God is and cause us to love him more, or sometimes they shake our faith and cause us to doubt his care. Birth and postpartum is one of those times of life for me. I’ve talked to hundreds of moms at this point, and of all the women I’ve talked to, not one has ever said to me, “My first pregnancy, birth, and postpartum went exactly how I expected.” Today I’m talking to Annie Vanderhieden, a writer and editor at Risen Motherhood, about how the pain of postpartum showed her more clearly who Jesus is.

I know you’ve said that you loved babysitting and always dreamed of being a mother. In your imagination, what did motherhood look like?

What was your birth experience like? When was the moment you realized that what you pictured was going to be different from your reality?

How did you find a theologically sound view of the fall helped comfort you when things didn’t go as planned? What did life with a newborn look like for you?

Are there moments that stand out to you?

What did God show you about Himself in those moments?

You can find Annie Vanderheiden's book "⁠⁠⁠Cradled⁠" or find her on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠!⁠

JOIN US: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Around Our American World ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for family-style learning!!

You can find Elizabeth writing helpful hints ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on the blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Original Music written and recorded by Jonathan Camenisch

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