Tag: jesus

  • Seasonal Depression

    I have dealt with seasonal depression, also called SAD, since I was 13. It seems each year as the end of Autumn approaches I become more sad, tired, and exhausted by life. I learned the term seasonal depression in health class in 9th grade, my best friend also had been dealing with the same thing. I noticed a big difference the second the snow melted and the sun came out.

    I should be better in Idaho since I lived in Oregon for years. Oregon, especially the PNW, is known for rainy weather year-round. When I lived there, I hated the rain. I complained about it frequently and told all my Oregon friends about how Idaho only has rain in the spring and winter like a normal state would. Oregon made up for the rainy weather with beautiful nature and forests all around the best cities they have. Occasionally you’ll find a town in Oregon that is just concrete, and those places I can’t stay long. I was made for the mountains and trees. My seasonal depression there was bad, but not horrible since it stayed just about the same most of the year. I also had a tight community, food stamps, sunshine, and a busy enough schedule to distract me from the rain. Turns out, that now that I am away from the wet weather, I love and miss it. When it rains I take it in deep and pretend I’m back where I used to be. 

    In a way, maybe it’s a good thing I get depressed because of the dark. Maybe that says something about me, maybe my assumption is over-spiritualized, but I don’t do well with darkness. I need the sunlight to feel alive. I am trying not to say it anymore, but my finding is that every year my seasonal depression gets worse. Because life and death are in the power of the tongue…

    Proverbs 18:21 “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

    …I am trying to do my best to not curse myself with more seasonal depression. I know the power of the blood of Jesus will overcome this struggle.

    In a way, this is the thorn in my flesh like Paul describes in his letters. I am happy just about all year until the sky grows gloomy and the ground is frozen in white snow. I take Vitamin D to try and relieve the symptoms, but it does no good compared to time spent in the sun. It gives me time to rest in Jesus and read, sleep, work, and prepare. It is a time of hibernation and sleep. I may be a Christian, but I am nowhere near perfect. I don’t have a great way to cope with this, I just trust Jesus will take it away from me in his perfect timing. Reading my Bible brings me hope, and community meet-ups help, having several things to attend to throughout the week. Without community, my days would drag on in darkness so much more than they do. Thank God I live with family so I have people to talk to on the bad days.

    When I do pray and am brave enough to tell Jesus my problems, I do have this renewing of hope and energy. He grants me this new life I get to have in him when I trust him with it. I don’t do this enough, so if you struggle and are reading this, let it be a reminder that carrying that burden yourself will only drain your energy when our God tells us to give us our burdens. He will give us rest if we accept it. Winter does not have to be as productive as the rest of the year. Everything is frozen, roads suck, seasonal depression is high and motivation is low. We are not machines and do not need to constantly add to this society of overconsumption and overworking. We only need to be vessels for God’s light and goodness, allowing his will to be done in our lives. 

    Winter is in God’s divine will. He makes every snowflake fall at his hand, so I don’t desire to despise his word and will. This verse gives me comfort 

    Isaiah 55:10 “Yet just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats.” 

    Maybe the lesson the Lord wants to teach me through this is that through patience and watering, he will cause me to sprout. His will is good. I read the book of Job this January and over and over it is confirmed, God knows best and more than us, we need to trust he knows what he is doing.  

    I hope this snow doesn’t make you cry this winter, and if it does I hope it waters your flowers or your garden. Jesus loves you and has a wonderful plan for you, I only hope you trust in him long enough to see his goodness come to fruition. 

    Make the best of your situation. If you love knitting or crochet, do it. If you love reading, make time for it. If you are a writer, start writing even if it leads you nowhere. Create and love, be who you are because you are made beautifully in the image of God. Let yourself be real and loved.

    Thank you, Lord for the winter, thank you for the snow that I despise. It’s not about me, the picture is bigger than my perception. Bring more people to you through your word and my blog, and give them a hope and a future you promise us in Jeremiah 29. Amen!

  • 10 Easy Habits to be more Holy

    The easiest ways to stay holy are the simple habits we do every day—or should. Here is a comprehensive list of small, easy tasks for being a Proverbs 31 woman. 

    1. Make your bed

    Making the bed every morning after getting ready for the day can make a big impact on the day. It is an easy reset that keeps the clutter out of the room and mind.

    1. Pray on your knees

    Praying is incredibly important, leaning on God is what will get us through this life. Praying in submission to God puts us where we belong and reminds us that we petition God. You can pray your normal morning prayer, a written prayer, a casual prayer, or the Our Father. God wants to hear from you and know you better. Watch your posture to God change when you pray on your knees.

    1. Read multiple chapters of the Bible daily

    In my first year back with Christ, I read a minimum of one chapter a day. A baby Christian can benefit from simplicity and gradual growth, but seasoned Christians are more than able to read more and soak up the word of God. Increasing how much you read can edify your spirit, bring you closer to God, and ensure you read the whole Bible in time.

    1. Pray for friends and family

    A good friend prays for her friends and family. If you are in Jesus and practice righteousness it is so good for you to pray for others. It can change their lives more than you know. As she provides for her husband, kids, and servants, a modern biblical woman should utilize our direct line to God through Jesus. 

    1. Be in your community

    I have noticed my days get increasingly better when I spend more than one day at church. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or any day, it can lift the spirit and mind to spend more time in fellowship with others. Helping at a soup kitchen, church, or friends can make a big difference in your week and others’. 

    1. Journal or write about your experiences with God

    An easy way to remember to have faith in God is by writing down your experiences and conversations with him. This creates a time to be intimate with God and provides a way to look back on your walk to help you in the future. 

    1. Surround yourself with Biblical art

    If you are a visual person like me, you like to have art surround you and have visual reminders of truths you hold dear. Biblical art from small artists can cover your walls to remind you of God’s goodness and creativity he gave us in this world. Even just pictures of nature or Bible verses can help to make each day more about Jesus.

    1. Love working and moving your body daily

    When you fall in love with God you also find respect for your body, the thing he calls a temple. We are called to be a living sacrifice, and moving our bodies is quite literally a burnt fat offering to God. All our work can be worship if we position ourselves towards God and give ourselves to him. 

    1. Have a consistent or healthy sleep schedule

    A Proverbs 31 woman gets up early and stays up late working. And we do the majority of our healing while we sleep, so there needs to be balance. As an adult sleeping seems to get harder and harder, but more enjoyable by the day. Creating a schedule that works for your life, habits, and work schedule can save you a lot of energy and stress. For me, I get chores done easier in the morning, have fun and exercise better in the afternoon, and do computer business work in the evening. Creating a time to work, rest, and reset can ease your mind, especially when you know what works best for you. It is not a one-size-fits-all all, and women do not work at the same circadian rhythm as men do. Remember you are not a machine. 

    1. Strength and kindness

    God gives us everything we need to survive this world, and without him we are nothing. We must depend on God and renew our strength in him. That also means being kind, praying for our enemies, and doing the diligent thing even when it is inconvenient. A proverbs 31 woman is strong, diligent, dependable, and dependent on God. I hope we all strive to be more like that every single day. 

    She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

    Proverbs 31:25

  • Content Schedule Resource

    To help my fellow content creators, I made this cute free content schedule template, to share and download. I hope you love it as much as I do!

    Free Content Schedule Download

    If you love digital products like this, like and share this post so I know to make more for you in the future. Let me know your thoughts!

  • Banana Squash Muffin Recipe

    Winter keeps me indoors here in the cold mountains of Idaho, but homemade muffins keep me warm on the inside. Winter squash has taken over the house since we received three gigantic banana squash! I had to find recipes to use it up. I found out winter squash has many healthy nutrients and can be used for savory and sweet dishes. This winter squash is seriously slept on.

    I tried it roasted with cinnamon and brown sugar and loved the flavor so much. After making amazing pumpkin cookies, this recipe popped into my mind. I didn’t see any other recipes like this, so I had to make it my own! To make sure these muffins were sweet, I added mashed bananas to create a soft and fluffy texture, which worked so beautifully.

    Get the pumpkin chocolate chip recipe here!

    Organic Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

    With all that squash I had to make my own squash puree for this recipe. To do this I sliced the squash into 12 pieces, cut off the outside layer, greased a sheet pan, and baked it at 400 degrees for an hour. Once they had 5 minutes to cool, I pureed them in a food processor.

    This recipe used organic flour, bananas, and sugar. This version is dairy-free but can be made with dairy products in the same portions.

    Instead of making you read on forever, here is a simple recipe graphic you can download or screenshot!

    Banana Squash Muffin RecipeDownload

    These muffins turned out perfectly soft and fluffy, flavorful and nutritious. I recommend them for children and even as a breakfast muffin. You can add less sugar I found out because the chocolate chips make up for the sweetness. Enjoy this recipe and comment on how it turned out for you! Contact us for questions and updates!

  • What Happened to Me When I Took Magic Mushrooms

    I was 19 when I started micro-dosing psychedelic mushrooms with my ex-boyfriend. We would take turns, go on walks, and describe our experiences to each other. Micro-dosing brought a lot of good feelings, often very subtle changes like a more open mind, realizing the interconnectedness of life, and appreciation of nature. At the time I was a pagan practicing witchcraft. That being said, these types of experiences were not foreign to me. I was always looking to find answers in nature and indulging in my flesh.

    Previous to this, when I was 17 I had left the Christian church for various reasons, one being the disconnect I had with God, the bad treatment of scripture in church and the lack of love from its members. I did not realize at the time I was blaming God for what his children had done. 

    One night I accidently took much more than a micro-dose. We didn’t have a scale yet and we were eating mushrooms with pizza. When I thought I was taking maybe about 1 gram, I took about 4.5 grams. That is just about a macro dose, especially for a 5’4 girl who has never eaten that much mushroom before. I slowly started falling asleep and woke up to a vision. 

    When I woke up I looked down to the carpet and saw fractal marching men all walking together. I started laughing to myself because it made so much sense, men marching on carpets that men march on. It was so funny to me that the carpet would be made up of what it is used for and by. It is still funny to my brain today. I looked in the mirror, something people tell you never to do on mushrooms, and my face was the moon, but my face. I looked so sad and I still don’t know how to describe it. When I went back to lie down on my bed, the light from the sun slowly started casting through my window onto the ceiling. I started to see how the light itself shifted into a presence, it was quite peaceful and I felt very comfortable with him there. 

    Shapes started appearing, I saw angels appear around clouds, below them apostles, below them disciples, below them my family and friends in heaven. I recognized all of them and they all were smiling down at me. I started to feel so much love, it was pouring out of the light. I felt tangible unconditional, eternal love start pouring into me. I started smiling, giggling, and laughing at this beautiful feeling. It felt like being in love. It was an effortless feeling like I was floating in space. As I realized it, God started speaking to me internally without words, but through understanding and wisdom. He started telling me things I don’t remember, but I do remember feeling so happy and loved. I knew God was standing above me, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and The Father. I knew right there he was three in one. He was eternally all three at once, and all three separately. It was a profound feeling even while I lay there in the most open and understanding place of my life. 

    The best part was feeling God’s love pour into me. It was a fatherly love I had never had, a brotherly love I needed, and a comforting love I could rest in. I felt worthy despite my sin and shame. I felt loved despite being in a relationship with a man who didn’t love me. Many times I go back to that place mentally, hoping to remember that feeling of love. It is worth more than anything in this world. It is what heaven may feel like. It is worth a whole life of obedience to grasp even for a moment. 

    The vision itself was exciting. Now looking back I would never do drugs like that again. Not because I didn’t enjoy them, but because it is an illegal way to reach spiritual realms and it is a very easy way for the enemy to attack and lie. Prayer and fasting are a much better and Biblical way to reach God and hear his voice more clearly. A free source for that would also be reading the Bible. One important part of this vision was that after all I saw, heard, felt, and experienced I still did not believe in Jesus. Seeing is not believing. Although through taking mushrooms I was open to more spiritual truth, I did not understand that Jesus is God, and what I saw WAS truth! How insane that I had this crazy experience but it was months later I finally saw God for who he is, as much as I could. It took months of God convincing me he is real, the God of the Christian bible is real. How graceful is God for giving me chance after chance to see him in his true light. He gave me time and proof that he is real. God is such a gentleman, pursuing me with patience and vigor, never giving up on his bride. I only hope to have a faithful love like his. 

    Mushrooms in a way made me see God, but it was God himself, putting his manifest presence into my sinfulness that got me to love and believe in him. He is the most kind, most caring, most loving being to ever exist. How wonderful that the God of the universe cares for someone as small as me. God reaches to us in our darkness and pulls us out without blemishing his own light. He alone is Holy, Holy, Holy. He alone is good. God alone is faithful and true. I am so blessed and thankful to have a God so good that he would appear to me while I did such a stupid thing like drugs. Thank you Jesus, thank you Lord. 

  • Cook. Clean. Timing.

    What I have learned through a survey I made has really opened my eyes in ways I didn’t expect.

    Cook. Clean. Timing. 

    I have always seen women and mothers struggle in silence my whole life, and from an early age I have wanted to help people. For my business I created a survey and sent it to women and mothers I know, so I can gauge what needs are unmet and how I can make products and services that make a difference in their lives. So far many results are just what you might expect. They need more time, help with kids and chores, and feel a bit alone at times. 

    One statistic that surprised me is that most of the surveyed mothers have two kids. I had this idea that my community had much more children than that, and it was interesting to see that result. The age ranges of the mothers and their children were so vast it was honestly beautiful to see diversity in that area. I am happy to know so many people in all walks of life. 

    One question I asked “Have you always wanted to be a mom?” and to my surprise about 19% did not always want to be a mom. The majority of results came from married people, and beyond that it varied from single to co-parenting to divorced. 

    The thing that interested me the most was the areas they needed more help. A common theme in the survey results was that these women need more help in time management, getting kids organized, help around the house, getting ready for the day, and motivation to have routine. In my mind, all the people I knew had everything all together, they had no problems and I was the only one struggling. Oh what a lie. It doesn’t matter if you have 1 or 6 kids, there are struggles with all areas of that. It doesn’t get easier just because you turn 50 and you’ve lived longer, you will still struggle. Loneliness is still lonely no matter how old you are and how many friends you’ve made. As women, stewarding our time and assets can be difficult, but we are all struggling together. My hope is that we don’t ignore our neighbors’ problems, but help them solve those problems together. 

    Mark 12:30-31

    “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

    God commands us to love each other, and in a world where we feel threatened by outsiders, government and lack, it would make a big difference to us to use love instead. When we look at all the problems we have it can help us remember there is always someone going through the same thing. We aren’t alone, God did not make us that way. God wants us to participate in communion with one another. So if you can think of one person right now who needs help, help them. Do your good deeds in love remembering how Jesus loves us even at our worst. 

    I am so happy to know my community better and to have more ideas on how I can help them. Comment below or reach out to me if you’d like to be a part of my newest ideas on how we can help each other in the community. Or if you have suggestions on how you’d like to be helped or help others please let me know. 

    God bless you and Merry Christmas!

    https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfGX9srruKq1K3dPfOjKFl93ufW2I2eHMratc12NL1qdU9-PQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

  • It takes a village

    I have learned how important motherhood is in our world, God made them for very important work. And it takes a lot of work to do what moms do. In order to help mothers around me with my business I made a survey to ask mothers questions about their lives. I hope to cater to their needs and get to know my audience better. If you love homestead life, are a mother or want to be one, have a farm, or like to buy from my business I invite you to fill out this survey just once so I can meet your needs better.

    https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfGX9srruKq1K3dPfOjKFl93ufW2I2eHMratc12NL1qdU9-PQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

  • Dish Scrubbie Crochet Pattern

    I have had such a great time making these dish scrubbies from a cotton yarn made specifically for this purpose! It all started when a coworker asked me to make some for them, more asked and I kept making them. These are such great low waste alternatives to plastic sponges and cotton face swabs. The dish scrubbie cotton pad is super easy to make and the cost over time is so low! Cotton has many benefits and feels so good on the skin. Try these out and let me know how it goes for you! These work as great gifts, stocking stuffers, and help parents and people of all types! Crochet away!

    Dish Scrubbie Pattern Download

  • Sovereignty of God

    I am learning about a beautiful characteristic of God, sovereignty. The word itself feels like it needs to be capitalized, it is so bold, big, and strong. Living a childhood with a distant father, it has become such a blessing to see and feel my father in heaven truly sees me and takes care of every detail. He made me and within me is him, and within him is my identity. He is mine and I am his. But this is not about me, this is about God.

    God is everywhere at once, he comes when we cry out to him, and rests upon those he loves when they worship him. When we revere The Great Living God, The God of Israel, The Lord of Armies, Yahweh, Yeshua, our soul shifts. His truth is the truth. No matter what storm rattles the doors from outside, he stands strong. At Bible study this week, Philippians 4:6 was mentioned. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” God has his hand on us, his hand is on everything. 

    How sovereign of God. To fix his eyes on us while we sin against him. To take our burdens when they pile on our chests and shoulders. To hear us when we barely listen to him. His emotions don’t get the better of him, he doesn’t give up when he realizes he is doing the group project all by himself. He is bigger and better than our every effort. It is funny how hard we try sometimes. God has got us. He sees us, every part of our mind, every inch of our hearts, he sees our situations at work and with friends and he is in every room we are not in. 

    Stop here, and breathe. God has got this under control.

    He humbles the proud and exalts the lowly. He weaves his perfect will in every area we open to him, he takes our seeds of obedience and plants a garden as big as Eden. He is sovereign, he is the only God. And only through Jesus Christ and his perfect holy sacrifice we can now live the life he gave up for us. What a good, good, good, friend. After we yelled at him, forgot him, lied to him, blasphemed him, he picked up that cross, and died on calvary for us. He loves us over and over and over again. How can we neglect such love? God didn’t need us, yet out of his loving heart he created a family to share love, creativity and community with. 

    I had a crazy spiritual walk this and last year 2023-2024. I went from claiming the title of pagan witch and going through multiple spiritual awakenings, did psychedelic mushrooms, and got reintroduced to God. I have been through much spiritual warfare, have just about read the whole Bible and completely turned my life upside down to follow God. I almost got kidnapped twice, was utterly hopeless, broke up with a boyfriend and lost a whole life I thought I loved. One thing I saw right away as I found God again was that his hand was on me the whole time. He made sure I was safe when I put myself into bad situations, he stopped me from getting kidnapped twice and loved me when I didn’t know who he was. God is sovereign. I realized through walking with Jesus, that he is a God of details, he cares about the small things. He cares about things you hold near to your heart and he cares about making things just. He is so so good. 

    Psalm 46:10 “He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

        I will be exalted among the nations,

        I will be exalted in the earth.””

    God tells me this exactly when I need to hear it. Sometimes it is when I am running around like crazy trying to do everything myself, when I feel alone, when I don’t know where to turn. I think regardless of where we are in life, it is so important to remember God has a plan and will continue it despite what we are capable of, and how small our faith may seem. Always obey him and the Holy Spirit’s guidance in your life, develop your relationship with God and lay your burdens down to him. 

    Matthew 11:28-30 “ Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

    I find the only rest I can actually have, is rest in the Lord. I cannot rest the same with a mindset that I can rest by myself, but when I trust in Jesus to give me the rest he promised me, I get the best rest possible. 

    God is powerful above all things. There is nothing we can do to take power away from God. There is nothing on this earth that can compete with the love of God. His hand will always prevail, his plans are good and higher, and his will be done. We desperately need him. God restores us in ways we could never do ourselves. I am thankful for that. 

    Romans 8:38-39  “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

    I want to bring you hope, that in every trial, every argument, every battle, God is sovereign and he will provide, he will prosper. God loves his children and he loves taking care of us. Let yourself be taken care of and fall into the arms of your loving Father. No matter where you are, if you have run away, if the church has hurt you and you can’t look back on the pain, God is waiting for you with open arms. Come back to him. I hope you learn more about the sovereignty of God and trust him to order your steps.

  • Organic Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

    This autumn I knew it was time for a change. I found out this year I am allergic to dairy… like all dairy not just lactose. So all my favorite foods are getting a makeover. I have made many dinners, lunches and deserts all dairy free now, and am learning better ways to do it. I also made this recipe organic by using organic flour, and locally sourced organic pumpkin. I wanted to make something healthier but delicious for my grandparents and to remake my favorite cookie I usually buy at convenience stores. Sadly I have not found a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie in stores that is dairy free or organic, so I made it myself! I am fortunate that our house has dairy free chocolate chips, they are a lifesaver.

    I also want to mention if you do not have pumpkin spice at your house you can mix nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and ginger for your own pumpkin spice seasoning. These came out so tasty and I would make them again. I would even add more pumpkin because the organic pumkin was so delicious. Make this recipe your own and let me know how it turns out. If you do make it dairy free, you will notice the texture will be different than a cookie made with real butter, but the flavor is just as great! Tell me what you love and what you would change. This recipe makes about 16 cookies and takes about 45-50 minutes to make. Enjoy!

    Made by Vanessa at BusyVandCo

    http://www.HomesteadingHoney.blog