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Guard What Goes In...

  Guard what goes in & your heart will be better off... Homeschooling mothers, as a whole, are really good at guarding what our children see and hear. The books they read, who they spend time with, the movies they watch - all this and more is carefully considered and managed. But do we manage our own hearts with the same caution and tenacity? There is just too much garbage that is too readily available at too many moments throughout the day. How often are we seeing things that we'd guard our children from seeing? Not every choice is made wisely... Glancing at your phone while your son completes his spelling list is, quite frankly, and unwise choice. I do not need to explain why it is unwise; you already know. Truth is truth. It does not shock you to read these words. The hard truth is that constant access to timewasters and pop-culture is of absolutely no eternal benefit - and even damages relationships and can harden the heart. Apply the same standards across the board in y
Recent posts

Does Bible Study REALLY Matter? (And Will It Make a Difference in My Life?) - by Jan L. Burt

  In this post, I'd like to try and give very specific answers to the question: Does Bible study really matter? And will it make a difference in my life? If I were sitting in a coffee shop with you and this was the topic of discussion, this is what I might share with you about personal Bible study and what it does and doesn't do for us. ~ Bible study matters in our lives because it provides us with peace of mind.  Peace of any sort is a commodity that is in short supply as far as the non-Christian world goes. There just isn't real or lasting peace outside of the Lord Jesus. When we study the Bible, we gain peace of mind, because we learn better and better what God has to say about a whole slew of issues, and how He desires for us to live out our days. Knowing God better via knowing His word better leads to peace of mind. And if our minds are at peace, everything in our life will be improved. ~ Bible study matters in our lives because it provides us with renewed hope. Hope d

Encouragement When You Feel Left Out of the Christian Circle

  A couple of months ago I found myself taking part in a live webinar that was aimed at helping Christians who do some (or all) of their ministry in the online space. The goal of this event was *supposed* to give lots of encouragement and helpful tips to the webinar attendees, specifically when they speak to people. Now this was meant to include all types of speaking - podcasting, interviews, going live on social media...pretty much any circumstance involving speaking or being part of a live event.  And it was touted as a way to be more comfortable in this role and in your own skin.  Because, in all honesty, when doing an interview or guesting on a podcast, running a Facebook live, recording content for a course or for YouTube, can be very awkward. You're either talking to nobody (when you record content for a solo podcast or a course, for example) but also you'll be talking to an unknown number of people when the content is released. Or you're being interviewed or go live

All the Details About the Psalm 91 - Pray It & Believe Course from award-winning podcaster Jan L. Burt

     Want to see your prayer life grow & your faith increase? You're in the right place! In this course, expect to see your prayer life grow and your faith increase. Jan's diagnosis of heart failure plunged her into a lifestyle of living, breathing & praying the Word of God, and Psalm 91 has become a portion of the Bible that has changed her life. Jan is the founder of the online prayer retreat group "Praying Through the Storm" & she has been the host of several live multi-day prayer retreat events as well as a 17-week long study of Psalm 91. Come along on a journey to apply the profound and life-changing promises from this psalm to your daily life & your loved ones. Expect to be blessed as we get the promises of God into the people of God, right where they belong! Tell me if this sounds familiar... You want to grow in your prayer life, but are not sure what to pray for... As a Christian, you aren't sure you are living in the fullness of the Lord&#

A Special Request for Prayer for a Friend Whose Son Has a Brain Tumor

Hey there, friends!  Today's blog post is difficult to share...because it's about a friend who is facing a tremendous struggle in her family & my heart is just so heavy for her.  Can I take a quick moment to share her story, and ask you to pray for her and her family? From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading this post! I n the tapestry of life, there are moments when our paths intersect with the struggles of others, and we are presented with a profound opportunity to make a difference. In our journey through life's challenges, we discover the immense power of compassion—the ability to extend kindness, understanding, and support to those facing adversity. It is in these moments of shared humanity that we experience a connection that transcends our individual stories and binds us together in a tapestry woven with threads of love and empathy. A dear friend and fellow blogger, Lisa, is currently facing a challenging situation, and I am writing to you in the hope t

Parenting No-No's from the Life of the High Priest Eli

 Anybody else read 1 Samuel chapter 2 and see some commonalities in the way many people raise their children today? I don't think we can, or should, expect the world at large to apply God's Word to their parenting. But when those in the Church don't take the Bible seriously enough to allow it to influence the way they raise their children, well, there's a problem. A big one. The Lord is holy. The story of Eli's wicked sons, Hophni and Phinehas, reminds us of this truth with total clarity and unwavering certainty. God. Is. Holy.  When we allow our children to take God's holiness for granted, to run amuck in sin and depravity, we err terribly. And our errors will result in grave and serious consequences, for us and for our children. As if that were not enough, the Church as a whole will be negatively impacted. I'm not saying that our children's behavior is the end-all, be-all. And I'm not saying that parents are 100% responsible for every big and every

A Not-Back-to-School Essay About What I Did This Summer... (An Introverts Review of the Speak Up Conference)

  Ever written one of those beginning of the school year essays? You know the ones I'm referring to. The attempt to ease students back into the swing of things, coupled with the simultaneous attempt to ease teachers back into the chaos of things, which would somehow be achieved by requiring every-single-student to answer the same question they answered last year...and the year before...and so on, ad nauseam.  This blog post is basically my adult, non-student, never-going-back-to-school-because-I'm-north-of-fifty version answer to the question, "What did you do this summer?" Spoiler alert: I'm an introvert. (And, yes, that actually matters when it comes to this blog post. Hang with me and I'll explain.) As a podcaster and a speaker and an indie author, I keep my eyes peeled for events that will help me grow in my work and expand my horizons in my field. As an introvert, my interest is piqued when said events are available in the virtual space. My motto is: &quo

Feeling Some Sort of Way & Letting Jesus Change It All (blog post by Jan L. Burt)

  Anybody else out there in the ginormous world of the internet feel like they could use some clear guidance? Maybe some extra insight into what is going on in the world around us and how to navigate all-things-crazy?  I don't want to speak for anyone else, but for me personally, time has somehow paused but also been on fast forward since spring of 2020. It's confusing and hard to try explaining with my words... and I am honestly wondering if anybody else has been feeling this way? Some sort of way?  I read a Bible verse recently that was helpful and reminded me that God is still on His throne (He has not abdicated!) and I am still under His watchful gaze.  Psalm 16:5 - LORD, You alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine. (New living Translation) God alone is my inheritance.  I don't have to worry obsessively (or worry at all, actually) about the things of this life because this world is not my home & the things of this world ARE NOT MY

Signs of the Times & Famous Last Words - Examining Matthew 24 (How Long Do We Have Left??) by Jan L. Burt

  What words would I want to put down on paper (or on virtual paper via, say, a blog post) if I knew they would be my last and final words? What would the Lord want me to say? What words would matter most? People’s last words may be carefully chosen and well-listened to. Planned out and penned with intention and care and focus. I do not pretend to know when my very last opportunity to write, to speak, to share will be. God alone knows such things, and none of us will ever be able to answer the question of “How long?”. And so we probably need to weigh our words carefully and say the things that are most important sooner rather than later. Lately, there are some words that have been on my heart and mind. Words from Matthew chapter 24 and Luke chapter 21 and some portions of the book of Daniel. Even some things written in the book of Revelation have been at the forefront of my mind. There are things happening in the world that were foretold in these books of the Bible. And while it is tru

Prayer - Unshackling Faith & Maintaining Hope by Jan L. Burt

  Are things changing?  Does it seem like there is an almost palpable change taking place? And that it’s going to lead to more and more changes?  Sort of like we are all just waiting for the other shoe to drop… but the state of the world has changed so much since the spring of 2020, the second shoe dropping could turn out to be almost anything at all.  It feels like nothing would surprise us; the bottom has fallen out on the shock value. And yet, something heavy is hanging in the air.  Things have changed so much in recent years, and things will continue to change. That much we all seem to know.  What are we to do with all this change, and all the impending change that seems to be looming on the horizon? Pray.  What we do, as followers of Jesus, is pray. When I get too focused on the unknowns & the what-if’s, I start to lose hope. And when I start to lose hope, I don’t pray big, bold prayers.  And I don’t encourage others to hold on to hope, believe God’s promises, and pray big, bo