Girl hopping hopscotch

Hop on Over

PhillFamily Ministries, our recently created Christian family blog, is putting out new content regularly! Hop on over and take a peek!

Don’t miss out on our fresh content and free printable and digital materials. Make sure to subscribe at the bottom to catch our weekly posts and digital creations. If you are in need of prayer, please stop by our Prayer Pop page as well. We would love to pray for you and you can pray for others on this space too!

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. -Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

ABC’s of Serving in Love

The greatest among you will be your servant. -Matthew 23:11 NIV

A-ttentively listen to others

B-uild up your loved ones with encouragement by leaving notes of love where they can find them

C-are for another’s child

D-eliver groceries to someone in need

E-at a meal with seniors at a senior center

F-eed and care for animals with no homes

G-ather books and drop them off to avid elderly readers

H-elp another by sharing wisdom in an area you have knowledge or expertise in

I-mitate Christ by humbling yourself and showing patience

J-oin in another’s hurt by being compassionately present

L-eave a message of hope for a waitress on your receipt

K-eep care kits in your car and hand them out to the homeless

M-ake a meal for a mom who needs a night off

N-otice the positive in others and tell them

O-ffer a helping hand to a neighbor

P-ray with and for someone in need

Q-uicken the time it takes another to do a job by assisting him in completing it

R-each out to a friend and ask what you could do to brighten his day and then do it

S-hare something you have two of

T-hank those cleaning the restrooms and public facilities you frequent and offer words of appreciation

U-plift others by sending hope-filled text messages

V-olunteer at an animal shelter or other organization in need

W-ake up early and help your spouse get their morning going by making your loved one coffee or breakfast

X-off a task on a loved one’s to-do list

Y-ield to selfishness, step into another’s shoes, and step up for them by being available even when you’d rather be doing something else

Z-ip it when you want to say something negative and instead offer a friendly smile

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. -Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬
Faith, Jesus, Christ, Bible, Bible Verses, chronic illness, covid, hope, blessings

Peace; and Freedom in Disguise?

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. -Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭28‬ ‭NRSV‬‬

Well, it happened. Four years of dodging Covid, one of my biggest fears, and all four of us are positive. To many, this fear may feel unfounded, but for a family living with chronic illness, it can be terrifying. It’s not the short-term I’ve been so fearful of, but rather long-covid, because I know what that feels like. That’s my life already-the unbearable daily fatigue and suffering. So yes, a double dose of long-covid symptoms is terrifying.

Not only have I been concerned about myself, but our youngest as well. Yet tonight, after reading the positive home tests in our hotel room, three days after illness struck us, a wave of peace has washed over me and settled-a peace only He can give. Peace is something I’ve experienced some of, but not enough of. I’ve literally been ridden with anxiety ever since this virus reared it’s ugly head in 2019. But, as much as I’ve scrupulously tried to control us not getting Covid, it’s completely out of my hands. It’s absolutely beyond it.

Now, I know we are not supposed to fear, but the truth is, I struggle sometimes with pretty significant anxiety, and it’s been incredibly difficult not to fear. To be completely honest, I have often succumbed to it. Tonight though, with His peace, he’s giving me another opportunity-an opportunity to walk in faith and trust Him, despite these circumstances we find ourselves in.

If I look at this right, maybe this too, is a blessing in disguise-freedom from bondage, because I’ve literally been in bondage to this virus since the first few cases broke out. Maybe this is an opportunity to strengthen my faith and finally walk in peace, knowing all is well, in spite of the trials we are facing.

*and how timely that our weekly memory verse for homeschool this week was this…

do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. -Isaiah‬ ‭41‬:‭10‬ ‭NRSV‬‬

God is always right on time.

Come See What We’re Up To

Our new Christian family blog, PhillFamily Ministries, is posting and adding new content weekly to help you and your family grow closer to God and to each other. Come see what we’re up to!

Be sure to subscribe at the bottom so you don’t miss out on our fun content and free printable and digital materials. There will be something for everyone!

But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. -Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭33‬ ‭NRSV‬‬

Check Out the Berry Bunch Family Ministry

The Berry Bunch family has a wonderful ministry geared towards the whole family. They have worked hard to create a lot of Godly content! Come check out their AMAZING, new website here with hundreds of Christian videos and more, FREE FOR ALL!

Be sure to go to “Our Blog” in the menu and subscribe at the bottom, or click the small “follow” button.

There’s Good “Stuff” Coming!

If you haven’t done so already, please come take a peek at the new blog my family launched, PhillFamily Ministries! We are thrilled to bring you some fun, family-friendly content that will help you grow closer to each other and Jesus! There will be a minimum of three posts per week, including some exciting new printables, free to subscribers. Be sure to follow us by subscribing at the bottom of our website so you don’t miss out!

Stop by the New PhillFamily Ministries!

As I mentioned in a previous post here, a my family has started a started a new blog for our ministry, PhillFamily Ministries. There will be at least three posts a week with short stories, audio encouragement, free printables, and digital materials. We have a lot of incredible content coming your way to help you keep your family plugged in and growing together in Christ. Check out our new blog here and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out!

Cultivating Care for Christians

Recently, I read a blog post condemning “self-care” for Christians, as though self-care is negative thing for believers. Someone even went so far as to comment that she cringes when she hears Christians talk about self-care. It’s been weighing on me because I disagree, believing it to be not only beneficial, but vital to our health.

Self-care is a three-pronged approach. It includes nourishing the body, mind, and soul. Creating a daily routine that helps us to nurture each aspect is key. And when self-care is approached in the right manner, with intention, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. Our physical, mental, and spiritual selves need to be tended to.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. – 1 Corinthians 10:31

When it comes to our physical bodies, taking time out to exercise our temples and keep them healthy is essential. For those with chronic health conditions such as myself, even five or ten minutes of walking or light stretching can be have positive benefits. And, cooking a meal with fresh whole foods that provide nutrients for our bodies is another way to care for ourselves physically. We can honor God with the choices we make when it comes to caring for our bodies, as well as our minds.

Pausing to feed our minds and souls daily with God’s Word is also critical, as is sitting with Jesus and meditating on His word. We need His food on a daily basis to not only sustain us, but to thrive. This is how he prunes us and allows fruit to grow in our lives, helping us to blossom into healthier selves.

Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. -John 6:35

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” -Matthew 4:4

In order to flourish, we need balance, which means we need to take time to enjoy life and not just work. God wants us to delight in our lives. This means we can take time out of our day to partake in a hobby that is fun and that we find enjoyable, without letting all the “should’s” take over. I should be doing __________________ (fill in the blank) instead. That hobby may be gardening, fishing, or it may be something artistic.

So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun. -Ecclesiastes 8:15

For some, creativity as self-care can be a challenge. It can get pushed aside or blocked for a number of reasons. This is something I personally struggle with. If being creative lights your fire, making time to create without guilt is crucial. Our God is a creative God who created the universe, and we are made in His image. Creativity is an excellent form of self-care and self-expression that can be used to rejuvenate and incite passion that can then be used to glorify God. The word “created” is used three times just in this one Bible verse alone:

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. -Genesis 1:27

It seems that maybe it’s the “self” part of self-care that is the concern of some, however, self-care doesn’t need to be all about us. In fact, it should include God because He desires a relationship with us and for us to us to dwell in His presence. We can take care of ourselves, while being in tune with God as we engage in those activities. And if we are intentional, sharing space with God while doing self-care, we can grow in our relationship with Him at the same time! So, let’s find ways to nurture each part of us, while making sure to include God each step of the way. Taking care of and loving ourselves, not only refreshes us, but it helps us to love and better serve others.

And because I’m a lover of lists, I’ve provided you with a free printable so you can start a daily self-care routine with God.