 Every year it feels like December sneaks up on me, and it's usually Christmas Day before I have taken time to really savor and soak up the joy of the season and its true meaning. Over the past few years though I've collected various resources that have helped me to slow down in December and prepare my heart for Christmas and celebrating the birth of the Savior. While I heartily recommend reading about the birth of Jesus in the Bible first, I wanted to share a few resources that I've found that help prepare my heart to celebrate the birth of Jesus. This collection includes movies, books, videos, music, and devotionals. I plan on enjoying them all over this next month, and I wanted to offer them to you as well. So if you're looking for resources that will remind you of the true meaning of Christmas, I hope these offerings bless you to that end. The Weary World Rejoices - The Meaning of ChristmasThis is a Youtube video created by girl in calico, a content creator that I enjoy. I love watching this video and the simple truths that she shares about Christmas and its true meaning for Christians. The Christmas CandleThis is a movie based off of a book by Max Lucado. It's beautiful. You might cry, but it'll encourage you too. The Nativity StoryThis is a movie about the birth of Jesus. I watch this every December and I cry, but my heart is stirred by the visual depiction of the birth of Jesus and the significance of his birth. Unwrapping the Names of JesusThis is a written Advent devotional, and my mom and I are currently reading it for this Christmas. We have enjoyed it so far, and I love that it very specifically focuses our hearts on Jesus and his significance through his various names, such as King of Kings. The Quiet CollectionThis is an audio devotional created by Emily P. Freeman. I have listened to her original devotional every Christmas since it's release a few years ago, but this year she released a new Quiet Collection audio devotional. It is well worth the $10. Are there books, movies, podcasts, or music that help prepare your heart for celebrating the birth of Jesus at Christmas? I'd love to hear about them. Let me know in the comments below. (P.S. Some of the links above are affiliate links, which means that if you click on them and purchase a product, this blog will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for helping to support She Laughs Without Fear!)
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 A lovely woman named Diana Gruver reached out to me three years ago. She was writing a book about Christians and their struggle with depression in the hopes that their stories would encourage other Christians struggling with depression. Three years ago she asked if I would help launch this book into the world, and I said yes. Well the day has come, and her wonderful book is being released into the world today: Companions in the Darkness: Seven Saints Who Struggled with Depression and Doubt. To celebrate, I thought It would be fun to offer a giveaway! More on that below, but first let me tell you a little bit about this book, and why I think it is worth the purchase and read. I'm aware that most Christians walk through seasons of darkness and doubt in their lives. Those seasons might not be clinically labelled depression, but I think we can all agree that when we walk through dark valleys, we want companions that will lovingly walk alongside us. This book offers some of those companions. While there is nothing that can replace in-person fellowship, sometimes it's helpful to know that others have struggled similarly to us. What If those people were also well known heroes of the faith as well? That's what drew me into reading this book. I didn't know that Martin Luther and Charles Spurgeon (well known Christians!) struggled with depression. While I'm not currently struggling with depression or doubt, the stories that Diana Gruver shares about them in this book bolstered my faith. I hope they will bolster your faith as well. I believe this book will be a great comfort to many struggling through seasons of darkness, depression, and doubt, which is why I am very honored to share about it and offer this giveaway! Giveaway DetailsEntering to win this giveaway is quite simple: 1. Like and Save the giveaway post on this blog's Instagram account. 2. Follow @shelaughswithoutfear on Instagram. 3. For bonus entries: tag friends in the comment section of the post (each tag is an additional entry) and share the post in your story. 4. If you don't use Instagram, you can enter by subscribing to my email newsletter. That's It! The winner will be randomly selected and announced on Friday, November 27! UPDATE (Nov 27, 2020) The Winner has been notified. Thanks to everyone that entered. (P.S. Some of the links above are affiliate links, which means that if you click on them and purchase a product, this blog will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for helping to support She Laughs Without Fear!)  One of my favorite things is to share fun and formative things that I've found with family and friends. So here is a round up of fun and formative finds from the month of October. I hope that you enjoy them. Let me know if you have any fun or formative finds from October. "The Wave" by Darius ScottI first heard this song at the end of a creative narrative film by a spoken word artist whose work I enjoy. Since then, I keep thinking about this song and listening to it. Random, Granular Tips for Christian BloggersTim Challies, a Christian writer and blogger, shares some great tips for Christian bloggers. I took some notes. If you've ever thought about writing a blog, these might be helpful for you as well. Be the BridgeI just finished reading this book by Latasha Morrison, and I thought it was a helpful primer in thinking through racial reconciliation. I know that's a loaded topic right now, but Latasha offers some gracious and helpful thoughts as a Christian for Christians. Julie and the PhantomsBrandon and I enjoyed watching this Netflix family show at the beginning of October. We were impressed by the music, character development, and the enticing story, and the general cleanliness of the show in terms of content and language. There are definitely some things that we would disagree with theologically ;) but overall it's a family tv show we'd recommend. Seeking the KingdomThis one is a throwback. It's a 31 day series I wrote back in 2016. It was life-giving to write, and I've considered writing some more on the topic. If you're looking to learn more about life in the kingdom of God, you might enjoy this series.  (P.S. Some of the links above are affiliate links, which means that if you click on them and purchase a product, this blog will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for helping to support She Laughs Without Fear!)
 I took a break from Friday Fives for the month of July and August, but I was thinking about starting them back up again. I'm making no promises to share five things every Friday, but I hope to start sharing them more regularly on Fridays. So without further ado, here are five fun and formative finds for your Friday. 1. Confessions of a Creative ChristianIt's almost October, and every October I am reminded of the season of life in which I participated in Write 31 Days. Confessions of a Creative Christian was my first 31 day series and was incredibly formative for me as I started blogging more regularly. I was reminded of it recently while working on a new automated message for new blog subscribers (which if you're not a subscriber, you should subscribe, as there are some fun things coming for subscribers). But anyway this one is from the archives, and I love it. 2. Sharing Jesus Without Freaking OutDo you freak out when you think about telling others about Jesus? I know that I do at times, and I work for a campus ministry! I'm currently reading this book, and Alvin Reid comes alongside believers in various levels of comfortability with evangelism and offers encouragement in talking about Jesus with others. I'm currently reading this book right now, and it's been very helpful so far. 3. A Pumpkin for Peter: A Peter Rabbit TaleMy mom bought this book for Thea last fall, and I've been regularly reading it to her lately. One thing I love about reading Peter Rabbit books is that they are written to be read in a British accent hehe. So if you are a parent or a grandparent or an aunt or a sibling or a teacher or a babysitter that regularly reads to little ones, this one is a treat! 4. Girl in CalicoI'm not sure if I shared about this before, but I enjoy every single video that Girl in Calico creates for her Youtube channel. It's a great channel for those that love simple, seasonal living. As a bonus, her video The Weary World Rejoices | The Meaning of Christmas is one of my favorites. 5. Loyal Brave and True (Mulan Music Video)A lot of people have different opinions about the new live action Mulan movie. I have yet to see it, and likely will not watch it until it's accessible for everyone on Disney+ without paying extra, but I would really like to see it. However, in the mean time, I recently watched the music video for Christina Aguilera's new song in the movie, and I really like it! Check it out and then let me know if you watched Mulan.  (P.S. Some of the links above are affiliate links, which means that if you click on them and purchase a product, this blog will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for helping to support She Laughs Without Fear!)
It's hard to believe that August is at an end, but I can't tell you how excited I am for September. I have never been this excited for fall in my life, and maybe part of it is that I have never paid this close attention to the changing of the seasons. One blessing in the midst of this Pandemic has been being forced to slow down and pay attention. It's a lesson I clearly need. But fall is coming, and I am so thankful and ready. I wanted to share with you a few fun and formative finds from around the interwebs this month. I hope they are a blessing to you as well! Easy Beef Burrito SkilletThis isn't a new find for me, but this recipe was made for my family by a friend after we brought Thea home from the hospital. It is delicious - so delicious that I make it at least twice a month. In fact, I will likely make it this week, as I usually have the ingredients on hand. Weight Loss Without RestrictionI joined this Facebook group in the beginning of the summer, but I started listening to the live videos that Annie and Jen (the founders of the group) make throughout August. Their discussions and videos have been really helpful to me as I continue to build health habits for weight loss without restricting foods. If that's a new concept to you and it intrigues you, you should check out this Facebook group. While these women are not talking about weight loss from a biblical perspective, they do offer a lot of principles that are actually biblical principles when it comes to food and eating and healthy living. Heaven - Eternity With Our SaviorThis is a podcast I recorded with a few of my co-workers for DiscipleMaker's Podcast, and it's all about heaven and eternal life, which is one of my favorite topics to talk about. If you have an interest in learning more about heaven and eternity with God, take a listen to this podcast. These are the main finds to share with you this month. Let me know if there are any fun and formative finds that you have found!  This week's Friday Five is mainly focused on formative finds, articles that help in our spiritual formation aka growing in our relationship with God and as a follower of Jesus. 1. It's Alright To Just Be PalsThis one is for those looking for a spiritual mentor or who has ever been in the weird place of trying to put a label on a relationship that does not need a label. 2. Why Mentoring Is Better Than Asking AlexaAmazon's Alexa can help us in many ways, but growing in wisdom and grace is not one of them. For help in that realm, we need spiritual mentors and godly older friends. 3. What to Look for in a Spiritual MentorThis post is written by the author of the above one as well - Melissa Kruger. She just released a new book on mentoring (which I am eager to read). However, this is a helpful post on what to look for in a spiritual mentor. 4. Ten Things You Should Know About Christian Hospitality.Rosaria Butterfield wrote this helpful article based off of her most recent book that is focused on biblical hospitality. This article is a helpful primer. 5. Ten Things You Should Know About The New Heavens and New EarthI love reading articles about the New Heavens and New Earth and this one is a great primer for the topic as well! Thanks for joining me for this week's Friday five! I'm going to do something different for the month of August and instead of having a weekly list, I'm going to return to a monthly list. So look out for a fun and formative finds list at the end of August.   Well, for the first time in a while I'm actually writing this Friday Five on Friday! After a few weeks of having various friends visit us, this week was the first week where it was a more normal week, but it was still a full week of learning and growing. Here are five things from this week, some fun and some formative. 1. Bardcore/ Medieval Style Song CoversA friend shared a cover of a song in Bardcore style this week, and I learned that I really love this genre of music! If you're a fan of medieval style music, the youtube account linked has some excellent covers done in Bardcore style. 2. The Ultimate Fixer UpperI'm gearing up to record a podcast with two of my co-workers next week and the topic will be on Heaven. Heaven is something that I've thought a lot about in recent years. This post is actually from the archives from an unfinished series I was working on in regards to heaven. 3. Jen Wilkin - Living Resurrected LifeThis is a main session talk that Jen Wilkin gave for The Gospel Coalitions 2016 Women's Conference. Watching this talk was homework for a Bible teaching class that I am currently taking. She does an excellent job expositing 1 Peter, but this talk also made me laugh uncontrollably at times too. 4. Respectable Sins of the Reformed WorldChallenging and convicting article from Tim Challies, calling Christians to consider sins that we might view as "not that bad" in our current culture. 5. 4 Reasons to Wear a Mask, Even If You Hate ItThe title says it all. Please, wear a mask. Also, I'm sure I'll read this post in a few years and think, "Wow, 2020..."  Well, today is not Friday, but that's okay. Here are a few finds from this week. I hope you find them helpful for you as well. 1. The Bible Explained: Song of SongsI wish everyone would watch Spoken Gospel's videos. One of the things that they create are introduction videos explaining the themes and the connection to Jesus for books of the Bible. This one is a dance performance explaining the themes and connection to Jesus for Song of Songs. 2. HusavikBrandon and I recently watched the new movie Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga on Netflix, and loved it! We're fans of Will Ferrell's humor. After watching it, the songs from the movie have been stuck in my head. This song is a climatic scene from the movie, so if you want to watch the film, don't watch this music video just yet. But otherwise, it's wonderful. As a note, the movie is rated PG-13 and has one unhelpful scene, so if you want to watch it, just look up the parental guide before doing so. 3. Love Is/Love is Not and the Mushy MiddleI appreciated this post by Lore Wilbert and her thoughts about how to love people while you're in the middle in terms of some of the polarizing politics of our day. 4. 6 Things We Never Learned in School (But Should Have)Short but thoughtful essay by Emily P. Freeman. True to the title. 5. No Condemnation by Anthony EvansI've been thinking a lot about this song lately and the Scripture that inspired it. One of my favorite songs.  Today is June 19th otherwise known as Juneteenth. It is a holiday celebrating the emancipation of those that were enslaved in the United States. It is fitting that today is Juneteenth for this week's Friday five. My heart has felt very heavy and grieved for the United States these past two weeks. I feel grieved for my black brothers and sisters and for the instances of hatred that they experience from others. I feel grieved for the American Church that is wrestling with how to be a light in an evil age. I feel grieved for the ways that the American Church has failed our black and brown brothers and sisters in Christ. I feel grieved that so many believers look to political leaders over the Scriptures and negate the suffering of others. I feel grieved, but I'm grieving with hope. I know that God is in control. I know that he is still at work reconciling and redeeming. I know that he is doing something that we cannot see, and that his Word is clear that he works all things out for the good of those that love him (Romans 8:28). I know that God draws near to those who draw near to him (James 4:8). I know that God will thwart the wicked (Proverbs 10:3), and protect the righteous (Proverbs 2:8). There is much hope in the Lord, and I'm trying to remember that when there is so much evil and the world feels hopeless. I don't know how your heart is currently, but I pray that we would put our hope in the Lord, that we would look to him for wisdom, and that we would love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength and love our neighbor as ourselves. One way I've been trying to love my neighbor is by listening, learning, and advocating. This work began before the past three weeks. It's a work that God has been doing in my heart over the past three years as I've sought to better love my black and brown brothers and sisters. I wanted to share a few resources that have been formative for me in learning to better love my neighbor. I hope they help you on the journey as well. 1. Black Lives Do Matter: Understanding Racism Biblically, Historically, & Personally |
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