Over the past few months some treasures have been coming across my desk that I can’t resist sharing with you.
Those who love journaling while studying the Scripture will adore Crossways ESV Journaling Bible, Interleaved Edition (Autumn Song)
And Jessica, our precious office manager and travel companion, introduced me to the most wondiferous company: One Delightful Button. They make the cutest earrings in a variety of colors for bargain buys. I want to introduce you to them by giving away a pair of their sparkles.
My friend, Sarah Bowling, just released Heavenly Help: Experiencing the Holy Spirit in Everyday Life
And finally, you must know September Vaudrey. I feel like I know her through her poignant, beautiful writing in Colors of Goodbye: A Memoir of Holding On, Letting Go, and Reclaiming Joy in the Wake of Loss
She is a registrant for Writers Boot Camp—yes, published authors come to grow and develop, too—and I’m excited to learn more about her writing process in June. Her book is accompanied by a beautiful necklace that reminds us no matter what we’ve been through, we are “Beautiful still.”
To win this package of gifts and love, simply comment below about what you’re looking forward to most this summer.
Congratulations on our winner, Dinah!
Time with my daughter and mom!
Going on a trip with my brother and sister in law
Fourth of July and family togetherness at the lake!
Taking my daughter outside to enjoy nature around our new home, if God allows.
I am going to Haiti with my son to minister with a group from our church for a week, and he will turn 17 while we are there.
Camping with my family
I am looking forward to having my oldest daughter home from her missions trip to Kenya in May, and having all 3 of my girls at home with me! They will be busy with jobs, but summer is just more relaxed…I revel in the slowed down pace. We are also anxious to complete the study we started a few months ago, Seamless. I love studying His Word with them, they teach me so much! ❤️
Being able to sit on the beach with my three kids. At least twenty minutes of each trip is how I imagine it should be, and I’ll take the other two hours of eating sand and schlepping around for that 20 minutes!
I’m looking forward to days at the beach, to watermelon and peaches, to soaking up sunshine on a blanket in the yard, dinner picnics and campfires. I look forward to enjoying these simple pleasures with my husband and two year old daughter. So much grace.
Being with family in Colorado! Always a favorite fun!
Huge hugs!
I’m a public school teacher, so I’m looking forward to having summer to rest and recharge!
I work at a college and for 12 weeks in the summer we work 4 – 10 hour days and have Friday off. I LOVE my “free Friday’s” and love to relax, catch up on reading and take it easy!!! These would be great to read on these days!!!
Rest, restoration, renewal are my favorite “Three R’s” of the summer! Seeking it more than ever before, I struggle to focus on finishing the school year well. I feel God shifting and sifting my life, and there is an excitement building. Bring on the summer!
Grilling out on the patio, enjoying fresh veggies from the garden, biking adventures with my husband.
I’m looking forward to going to the farmer’s market with ask my kiddos, my birthday (hey, I love cake!), and my cousin’s wedding at the end of August!
My second baby is due in August! I’m looking forward to meeting him or her (though I must admit I’m not terribly excited about the third trimester and labor. :))
Reading and spending time with my children
Thanks for the amazing giveaway! I’m looking forward to relaxing. Trips to the beach to walk the shoreline as the sun sets. Boat rides at my mom’s house -complete with cropping the anchor and just hanging out and swimming in the middle of the lake. Trips to the mountains to visit two of my children where we’ll hike and then stay up late talking about & planning an upcoming wedding next June. And it will conclude with our youngest entering her junior year in high school and taking her sister to college in Golden.
Looking forward to sunshine and Lake Michigan. 🙂
Two college graduations and one high school graduation. I did not plan this, but God did! Work from home Friday’s. Football camps – Where God wants Seth in college. My second Sprint Tri! The Beach!
I’m looking forward to going back to Jamaica to see the orphans we met last summer!
I really must enjoy the change in routine that summer brings. 🙂
We are looking forward to graduations and our son’s wedding! Plus hopefully relaxing and enjoying a slower pace.
I’m looking forward to traveling to Colorado to see my son get married.
My heart is bursting! My husband and I have found out that our son, our daughter-in-love and our granddaughter are coming home from the mission field in South Korea this summer to spend 2 weeks with us. I am emotional and tender as I type this…it’s been 2 years since we have physically touched…held them! Our granddaughter will turn 3 this summer during her time in the US. Parenting and grandparenting long distance has been the most heart wrenching thing I have ever done, but God’s grace has been the sweetest thing to experience… Daily His presence … And FaceTime! Have mercy! Technology is such a beautiful thing across 7000 miles and oceans…p.s. I love your books and newsletters!
Time to read and reflect; all of us whose grandchildren live far away look forward to time with them in lazy, long summer days. This is also a season to pour into a few special friends who are facing challenges in their lives that are made to walk through with someone to lean on and share His power of comfort and strength.
My 16 year old daughter is going on her first mission trip. I’m looking forward to how God will use her and for the blessing she will receive.
Visits with our family, weddings, friends welcoming new babies, lazier days with looser schedules, our garden, camping trips, campfires, outdoor dinners under the stars, lemonade & sweet tea, local fairs bringing funnel cakes and Ferris wheels, exploring nature with our kids, VBS, Crossings camp, mission trip.
I’m join forward working in the garden. Already it has been amazing: already turning green, found pea seeds sprouting from seeds that were left in the sil from fall, tulips and crocus blooming in Arch,grape hyacinths blooming. This is in Alaska. I love to look forward to God’s amazing beauty.
I’m looking forward to sinking my toes into the hot sand and cool ocean this Summer. Last summer I broke my leg in two places and was homebound for two months and missed our family vacation. BUT this year people I’m no holds bar and might even don a yellow polka dotted bikini while doing a cannon ball into the pool. Well not really – that would just be scary and sacrilegious. But anyways, that’s what I’m looking forward to this Summer.
I am looking forward to starting a new chapter in my life as I begin tutoring … I am excited to have the Lord equip and use me in this area. AND several of my friend’s kiddos are getting married ….
Some flexibility in our schedule to relax and explore. To enjoy our first summer living in TN also.
Oooh, what lovely finds!
What I’m looking forward to most this summer is going on missins trip to Rwanda with my youngest sister!
This summer I’m looking forward to settling in to my new home, my new ministry, and sharing good news about my new book, Grin with Joy. It’s going to be a great summer! This giveaway looks awesome! (Right now hubby is in-between pastorates, so the “being unemployed” is almost as stinky as not having a flock to minister to. But the anticipation that this can’t last forever has me looking forward to summer, whenever that might be!)
Since I’ll be a 3rd year medical student, I look forward to interacting with patients and spending time with them instead of being in the classroom all the time!
Beautiful Missouri sunshine & low heating bills!
Having my first baby in August!
Watching my kids run free at the beach and jumping in the waves with their cousins!
I’m looking forward to writing the material for our next women’s retreat.
Sleeping in..no alarm clocks and spending time with my four kids and making priceless memories! They will be grown in the blink of an eye!
I look forward to spending time with my family and really helping to minister and witness God’s great love to them!
I am just looking forward to not having a schedule for two months 🙂
I look forward to sitting on my deck in the mornings with a cup of coffee enjoying the sun on my face. Can’t do that in the winter here. Thanks for the giveaway!
Spending time with my mother
Teaching our 3.5 year old how to swim 🙂
L.
I’m looking forward to a slower pace, time with my two boys who will be home from school. Camping in the mountains and sweet time with my parents.
Our oldest son’s wedding to the most wonderful daughter-in-law I could have asked for or imagined and the adventure ahead. A 40th class reunion and 37 years of marriage to my cedars of Lebannon man. God’s abundance overflows in the midst of loss and struggle.
I am looking forward to having my daughter home from college. Then I look forward to spending a joyful and wonderful time laughing this summer with both of my kids being home together! It’s always exciting to see what new adventure we find ourselves in next!
I am most looking forward to travel, family vacation, and swimming in my pool. I would love to win these wonderful gifts! Thanks for the chance and your generous heart sharing them with us! God bless you!
This is the second time I have encountered this question in the same number of day and I have realized that I don’t have an answer yet. What I have been able to come up that I’m looking forward to cheaper prices on berries and beautifying my deck.
Rest! I have completed my journey with cancer, and because of God’s grace, I am cancer free! It has been a tumultuous, adventuresome, tiring, exhilarating journey, particularly while trying to continue to teach. I am very much looking forward to having time to rest without having the spectre of cancer hanging over my shoulder!!
Taking my 3 grandchildren to Vacation Bible School. The two younger ones Eden and Shamus are both 4 and it is always so joyfilled to see life with Jesus through their eyes. My 8 year old grandson Andrew is medically fragile and he has his own special relationship with Jesus that is an inspiration to us all when we share our love in our Church Community. This will be my favorite summer adventure.
I will have just completed a 3-year certificate program through His mercy and grace! Looking forward to what God has next for me! Sunshine. Walks. Outdoor Christian festival in July with family. Ice cream.
What I am looking forward to, is time for a deeper study in the Word, a time of retreat alone with the Lord, seeking Him, His will and purpose for the rest of my days. What is the message He desires to deepen in me that I can share with the ones He sends my way that will transform their walk with Him. Ladies, we need to get off the surface and move into the depths. Only time alone with God will bring this about..
15 year anniversary trip with my most amazing husband!
Fun stuff! I’m looking forward to a new granddaughter, Lucy Annabelle. She’s due in the next 5 weeks — can’t wait to kiss those cheeks!
My kids are 13 and 11 so I will be cherishing the precious extra time with them while they are out of school this summer. I look forward to both the crazy and quiet times with them.
Time to reflect & sort out several things on my heart & mind, rest & quiet and hopefully a summer of fewer doctor appointments & tests.
I am taking my yearly trip to Texas to see my two sisters, nephew, nieces and cousins. I hope to find healing in my relationship with one sister who has distanced herself from me over an issue which I feel should be resolved. I am praying the Lord would bring restoration of this relationship, I also want to go to see my two sons and their families who reside in Paradise, CA and possible find a vacation cottage where I can have extended stays and to bond with my four grandchildren. God is good and brings so much love and joy as I trust Him to accomplish His good pleasure in whatever transpires.
I am looking forward to seeing my sister who I haven’t seen in a year, spending time with family, traveling and dates with Jesus on the beach.
I am looking forward to some time of rest after a long year at an elementary school.
I’ve been in a hard period of major pruning and growth, and am entering a season of forced, but very welcome, rest. I am most looking forward to having the summer to process everything that’s happened over the past year, to spend a lot of time listening to God, and discerning what the next step He wants me to take is.
I’m looking forward to fun in the sun, delightful days, and experiencing something new.
By summer my prayer and wish that the Holy Spirit will have guide me through many transitions. I have an abnormal MRI with demyalizing disease, stroke, and peripheral neuropathy in feet not some in hands. I have to switch counselors for theraphy. Lost drivers license, no money, no sure where I will live, and so on. I am looking forward to our church mission trip to serve others. Make new Christian friends, and take the time to spend quality time with the families.
Looking forward to helping my daughter at her quilt camp in France!
Are you even kidding me? Just one?!!!! Because I love EVERYTHING about summer – sunshine, sand, salt water, hot buttered LOBSTER rolls on the beach, barefoot, floating in the pool, flowers blooming, hummingbirds humming, hazy-hot-humidness, long days, shooting stars, fireflies, juicy watermelon that drips down the arm when you try to eat it, and this year – the arrival of my granddaughter Her Royal Highness Marta the Splendiforous, due to make her appearance in mid-July.
But if you’re going to force me to pick just one thing, I’d have to say, all of them!
PS I hope this doesn’t disqualify me. Cause I really want to win!
Hopefully, we will see our son who lives half way across the country. We have not seen him since Christmas break.
Thank you for the chance to win the nice gifts!
I am looking forward to making time to reclaim joy following a long, long season of losses.
A break from math homework for my son and me.
Love all this!
Looking forward to going to outdoor summer events with my mom!
I’m looking forward to some much needed time off work to spend with my hubby and family!
Camping vacation with family
I’m a Children’s Minister so my summer is jam packed with camp with awesome kiddos & VBS! Look forward to swimming and screaming on the zip-line . . . hahaha! 🙂
Gonna have my knees fixed with surgery and then take a class to help me be a better teacher.
I’m looking forward to spending some girl time with my nieces
My youngest daughter’s wedding. Love is in the air!!
Family reunion that’s the same weekend as dad’s birthday.
Hearing the sounds of summer …..endless little league baseball games with my little boys … And since I live in Michigan … I really just long to see more sunshine ?
I love doing a ton of stuff during the summer. I already have my summer list- 3 food festivals, a music festival, baseball game, many trips to the local ice cream shop, the art museum’s rose garden. Best part is most of it involves my small group.
I am looking forward to a family reunion which may be the last time I see my grandparents because their health is failing. I am also looking forward to watching my daughter grow in her love of Jesus as she attends VBS and other Christian based camps.
I’m looking forward to spending a lot of time with both of our families as we (my hubby & I) will be moving to Japan in August. We decided that since our adult children aren’t leaving the nest, we would!! Just kidding. It’s a great opportunity for my hubby’s job. We’re excited about what God has in store for us in the future.
I’m looking forward to seeing both of my grand-babies! One newly born (coming in May) – the other just two. Precious family time, some camping too. I already feel so blessed, and yet the Lord keeps blessing me more. I am treasuring every moment of life. I’m going to keep up with my journals as one day my journal will be my testimony for my grand children… and beyond.
I’m looking forward to freedom of a schedule some what & time with my children.
my summer schedule slows down and allows me to have longer quiet times!! I can’t wait!
I’m looking forward to going to TX for our grandson’s 7th birthday, family reunion in AR, becoming an aunt for the first time in May, Beach days, Summer Fun Days weekly at our mission church with the kids and more visits with our 2 in-state grandchildren. And my favorite part of the day is laps in the pool to relax and recharge and reconnect with God and His blessings.
What a simple question, but it is really making me think. I think I’ve been in “survival mode” for longer than I realized. I need to make some plans to look forward to!
I’m looking forward to getting to see family I haven’t seen for five years!
It would be nice to learn how to journal in a Bible. Would love to start right away.
I’m looking forward to days on my new deck enjoying the warm days and nature’s sights and sounds.
Spending time with my family! Swimming, campfires, s’mores and a whole lot more.
Spending more time outdoors enjoying God’s beautiful creation with family and friends. 🙂
I am looking towards lots of down time with my children they are 13 and 9 and its been a hectic school year ! We need some family time with dad also:) on another note..I am also looking forward to starting a Small group Bible study with the women in my church. God has been pressing it on my mind for over 2 years now and Ive been ignoring Him. The time has finally come and I need to do something about it. I don’t know how or where I will start but I am ready to do it!
I am looking forward to being outside more with my granddaughter and daughters and just enjoying the slow feel of summer.
We have several exciting things planned for the summer, including a vacation to some awesome National parks, but what I’m most excited about is the hopeful expectation of God restoring the relational poverty so much of our family is experiencing. We’ve already seen God moving in subtle ways – but await His miraculous power to be fully manifested through lives being changed for Him! He’s changed mine dramatically- But “He’s still Working on me!”
I’m looking forward to my nephew’s wedding and a week with extended family in South Carolina.
I love your answer and the infectious spirit in which you post it!! Congratulations on the new granddaughter! Blessings 🙂
Getting married!! So excited to begin this new adventure!
Having time to plan a new blog/getting new direction from God while sitting beach/poolside with my daughters and bff!!
Opening the windows to let the outside air into the house and getting to spend time with my kids.
What a great giveaway!! I am looking forward to not getting up quite so early, being outdoors and spending time with my kids!
Visiting Headlands Dark Sky National park for our anniversary!
I am looking forward to spending some amazing time with my beautiful grandchildren. Our time is so precious together since we all live in different states.
I am looking forward to the birth of my 3rd grandson in July and to continue my journey with the lord.
Not such a busy schedule. Things are more laid back. Also doing a summer Bible study!
I am looking forward to being a sponsor for our church’s children’s camp…and then two weeks later youth camp!
I can not wait to go to Paris with the love of my life (44 yrs) for my daughter’s wedding!
Oh, the barbecue smells wafting through the warm summer evenings…sharing our home and the fellowship of dear friends. Just being. Enjoying being with others.
Hi Margaret,
Having just left our home in CO (where we have mutual friends in Ben and Tina) to come back to my husband’s childhood home to undergird his Mama in her waning years, I was feeling so torn/unsettled. But, then, there was a shift in my spirit and plopping a few rootbare sticks in the ground, I began to feel hope.
So, for me, I am looking forward to a Summer of being delighted in Him- gifts of growth both in the earth and in my inner man.
I’m very much looking forward to my visit from my daughter, son-in-law and grand dog from California. Spending time with them makes me feel so loved and I get to love on them.
Time to write and study!
I am planning to have people over more often – fellowshiping around the table, sharing what God’s doing in our lives, deepening relationships.
I am really looking forward to getting my kids away from modern conveniences (technology!!) and taking trips into northern Michigan.
I look forward to watching several friends get married! We seem to have more weddings than usual to attend this summer!
I’m looking forward to spending a week in Hawaii with my two daughters at the Foursquare Connection and being able to hear you in person. The last convention I heard you speak about your new book about spending time with a shepherd, wine dresser, etc. I bought the book and others that you had there that week. I am looking forward to my girls hearing you for the first time. Can’t wait!