Linda's Lunacy

Faith, Home, & Family

Discovering God’s Will for Your Life – Book Review

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I recently received a copy of the book Discovering God’s Will for Your life: Your Journey with God by Mike Lutz to review.

From the back cover:

At one time or another most Christians ask, “How can I know God’s will for my life?: Discovering God’s Will for your Life helps answer that question. In his book, author Mike Lutz takes a deep biblical approach, although using the simplicity of the teaching style of Jesus, and he mixes character studies with biblical principles to help the reader make personal and practical applications.

Lutz address the questions that plague believers in seeking God’s will for their lives. How can you be sure yo’re hearing God? What do you do when you don’t understand the path God is leading you on? Why is it taking so long, and how do you grow your faith to be a able to see how God is working? What about the detours and obstacles along the way?

 

Author  Bio:

Michael Lutz came face-to-face with the Bible for the first time in 1994 at the age of 24. He began reading the Bible and was overwhelmed with a sense of the deity of Jesus. It was then and there that he knew he had to make a choice:either Jesus was who He said He was or He wasn’t. His ministry began right away at a church in Connecticut. He began helping with the youth and later became their youth pastor. He and his wife moved to California in 2001, where he was asked to be a Pastor’s Assistant at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. He has held a variety of pastoral positions, and in 2008, he became Senior Pastor of Revive Christian Fellowship in Ladera Ranch, CA. Mike is heard on a program called The Reviving Word in the US and Belize. He lives in California with his wife, Collette.


My Book Review:

Many times, it can be hard to determine if we are following God’s will or our own. Using Joseph and Moses as examples, the author guides us through their stories and how they followed God’s will for their lives. From their examples, we can see what it looks like to seek God’s will and follow it.

Knowing your spiritual gifts is very important for a Christian. So I was happy to see a chapter on spiritual gifts, with biblical references, and how to identify yours.

My favorite thing about this book was that the author put the Bible verses he was talking about right on the page. He uses many verses, almost on every page. There are a few places where he just lists references, but the majority are the full verse. A lot of reading takes place on the go, where it is hard to juggle a book and a Bible, having the verse right on the page is really convenient.

If you are seeking God’s will for your life, and a deeper relationship with Him, Discovering God’s Will for Your Life will be a great help to you.

 

Link to buy the book: (Affiliate Link) – Discovering God’s Will for Your Life: Your Journey with God

Thanks to the author, Michael Lutz, I get to giveaway a signed copy of Discovering God’s Will for Your Life  Your Journey with God. Simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below!

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*This post contains an affiliate link. If you click the link and
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Saturday on the Farm – Weeds and Their Medicinal Uses

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This week I thought I’d share some interest plants around the farm and some of the ways they are used. All, with the exception of the Raspberries, are considered weeds. Weeds that have medicinal uses.

 

Our Red Raspberries are growing again. We always get a harvest in the spring, and a larger harvest in the fall. Red Raspberries have many nutrients in them, including the much talked about antioxidants. You can also use the Red Raspberry leaves to make a tea that is useful for female problems, and helpful during labor. I haven’t tried the tea, but I love to eat the berries while standing at the vine. I practically have to fight my kids for them. lol

 

Plantain can be used externally or internally for a lot of different conditions. We use it for bug bites when we’re outside. When you get bit, just pull a leaf off, chew it for a few seconds to break it down and release the juices. Then apply it to the bug bite. It stops the itching almost immediately. I know, your thinking, “Chew it?!?!” It just tastes like grass, No I haven’t actually eaten grass, but if you ever used grass between your fingers as a whistle when you were a kid like I did, you probably got the taste of grass in your mouth. I know I did. You can use the leaf like I mentioned already, you can make a tincture, a poultice, an ointment, or juice it. You can wash with the juice, or gargle with it, or drink it.

Jewelweed is a bush that has beautiful little flowers and fun little seed pods after the flower dies. When you touch the seed pods they “explode” and propel a seed a few feet. That’s how Jewelweed gets it’s other name, Touch Me Nots. The kids love to go around the yard exploding the seed pods. Ok, I admit it, I do, too! lol One of the uses for Jewelweed leaves is poison ivy. Make a tincture from the leaves and put directly on the rash. Or use the leaves or tincture to make a soap to wash the rash with.

I’ve had this plant come up in front of my house for a few years now. I didn’t know what it was, just that it was interesting looking, so I left it. I recently learned that it is Poke Berry, Poke Week, Ink Weed, Poke Sallet, or Pokeroot. Many names for the same plant. The young shoots can be eaten in the spring. A lot of people here in Kentucky eat Poke Sallet, as the young shoots are called. I have never eaten it, though.

I found an interesting article with a lot of information on the medicinal uses of Pokeberry. I don’t plan on trying any of them anytime soon, as there can be some intense digestive system side effects if taken incorrectly. I prefer to avoid those side effects. lol

Do you have any interesting or medicinal plants growing in your yard?

NOTE: I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on the internet. This post is for information purposes only. Do your own research, and consult your healthcare provider before using anything mentioned here. Please do so, as I can’t come to y’all’s house and make you chicken soup if you get sick.  🙂

MacPhail Center For Music Review

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As part of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I received four online guitar lessons from MacPhail Center for Music.

In addition to the many offerings they have for in-person lessons and activities, MacPhail is now offering online lessons for children in K-12. Lessons are offered on piano, guitar, violin, viola, cello, harp, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, and percussion.

MacPhail Music logo photo McPhailmusiclogo_zps8577c152.jpg

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Our Homeschool Week in Review

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Yesterday, I shared Our Homeschool Curriculum 2013 for 7th grad and 9th grade. Stop by and check it out!

As I was looking on the SD card for pictures of our week, I found this one. Abby spread out her schoolwork that she does on the computer. And then took a picture. lol I didn’t know she did this until I found it on the card. lol At least she’s organized. lol

She has taken a liking to doing her school work on the floor. I snapped this pic this morning in the living room. As long as they are working, I don’t care where they sit. So they are free to sit wherever is comfortable for them. It also makes for interesting pictures. lol

Zach and his 4th, and final, online guitar lesson this morning with MacPhail Center for Music. Review coming soon! He was concentrating on what his teacher was saying, he wasn’t bored. lol He’s also had a cold this week, so wasn’t feeling the greatest.

He has really been enjoying reading the Left Behind for Kids series of books. We already had about 20 of them when he started reading the books. Now, I’m buying one at a time when he’s ready for them. He gets so impatient. lol Asking numerous times a day when it’s going to get here. lol The collection was getting too big for the shelf I had it on, the top of one of these black shelves in the picture below. I told him to move a few of the books on two of the shelves and move his collection. Some how, he translated that to remove ALL the books from BOTH shelving units. sigh.

His favorite Left Behind books are the black stack by his elbow. He said he was sorting out all the books. Ok, maybe it needed to be done. One shelf at a time would have been better, though! lol

So Zach will be busy putting books back on the shelves. And I’ll be back next week with another Our Homeschool Week in Review!

 

Edited to add:

I forgot to share that I ordered them homeschool id cards! I get nothing for sharing the link with you. Until September 30, you can get a free id card for up to 5 students. They look like they are going to be great!

 

To see more homeschooling posts, visit Weekly Wrap Up.

Our Homeschool Curriculum 2013

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*This post contains affiliate links. If you click the link and purchase something, I will receive a commission. Thank you for supporting our homeschool.

 

We started homeschooling in 1991 with Kindergarten for my oldest. That means we are starting our 22 year of homeschooling! This year marks a big change for me, for the first time in many, many years, I only have two students.

Here’s what we’re using this year for Zach, 7th grade, and Abby 9th Grade.

 

7th Grade

Bible:

God’s Great Covenant Old Testament 1 – I reviewed this earlier this year, and now he’s finishing up the book.

Math:

He’s still finishing up Rod & Staff 6th grade book. And I’m ok with that.  🙂

Understanding Mathematics 6 (Mathematics for Christian Living Series)

History:

Notgrass America the Beautiful, which is awesome

Science:

Abeka Observing God’s World

English:

Spelling and Vocabulary

Handwriting:

Logic of English – Rhythm of Handwriting – Cursive – Review coming soon!

PE:

Real life stuff – walks, bike riding, volleyball games, etc.

Music:

He’s been taking online guitar lessons with MacPhail Center for Music – Review coming soon!

Extra:

Time4Learning online – Review coming soon!

 

9th Grade

Bible:

Doorposts Beauty in the Heart – Review coming soon!

Math:

Algebra 1 A Teaching Textbook

History:

The American Republic

Science:

Science for High School – Physical Science

English:

A basic English book I already had.

Spanish:

Rosetta Stone Spanish (Latin America) Level 1-5 Set

PE:

Real life stuff- walking, bike riding, volleyball games, as well as playing volleyball on the homeschool volleyball team. This will be her 3rd year, practice starts sometime in September, and games last until around March.

Music:

She’s going to continue learning in the book she left off in for lessons, John Thompson’s Modern Course for the Piano: Second Grade. Her sister finished this a few years ago, so can help her if she gets stuck. She’s also been picking up the guitar recently, and learning some chords. Abby also sings in a band at church which practices at least once a week, as well as singing in church on a regular basis, and traveling around to other churches, fund raisers, etc. to sing.

 

Anything that we get for The Homeschool Review Crew, will be added to what we have here, or possibly take the place of something listed here.

It’s going to be a great  year!

In the Kitchen with Linda’s – Dinner Menu

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After canning green beans and corn, 75 quarts worth in three days, last weekend, it took me all this week to recover. So nothing much happened in the kitchen except meals. My daughter made cookies, but I didn’t do anything.

I’m mostly recovered now, so it’s time to get back to work. I have some  bananas that need to be made into muffins today. I also have some peppers to turn into hot pepper jelly. Then we have to start on the apples. Our apple trees are overflowing!

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner? See my menu below!

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I Am Second

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I recently learned of a new website,  I Am Second. I Am Second features the testimonies of many people, from many different walks of life. All dealing with the typical struggles of everyday life that we all are. Life can be tough on all of us. Yes, Christians have the same problems as everyone else. We are not immune to the problems and hurts of this world.

You’ll be able to watch videos of actors, athletes, musicians, business leaders, drug addicts, your next-door neighbor, people like you. All telling their story in their own words. Their stories give hope to the lonely, and the hurting, help others from destructive lifestyles, and give inspiration to everyone.

I spent quite a bit of time, on a few different days, exploring the website, and watching videos. Some of the categories of videos are Abortion, Abuse, Contentment, Anger, Death, Disabilities, Divorce, and more. My favorite video, out of all the videos I watched, is Bethany Hamilton talking about when she got bit by a shark. She talks about the day it happened, and how she hasn’t let it stop her from living her life. She also talks about staying close to God in the midst of it all, and allowing God to use her.

 

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Give Change, Make Change–  There are many more stories waiting to be told.  You can help make more videos available by committing $2 every Tuesday to build film funds. Your contribution will be used to develop, produce and promote new films like those already on I Am Second. Join the Seconds Change project and become an I am Second insider. You can also visit I Am Second on Twitter.

Visit the I Am Second website and watch the films. You’ll discover people who have tried to go it alone and have failed. You can find encouragement,  hope, peace, and the same fulfillment they found.

Be Second.

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