Tag: christianity

One Season at a Time: Making a New Normal in Our Home

Published on by Susie @ Pollywog's Place BlogLeave a comment

Why would we welcome things into our homes for one day that we wouldn’t want influencing our lives throughout the rest of the year?

If something would trouble us in February or June, what changes when October arrives?

That question is part of why our family is choosing not to celebrate Halloween. But the more I consider it, the more I realize this reaches beyond one holiday.

Sometimes it feels as though the world is taking over our thoughts, lives, and homes one season at a time. There is always something we’re encouraged to buy, display, watch, or participate in.

I’ve started asking myself: Are we prayerfully choosing the rhythm of our home, or simply following whatever comes next?

I Haven’t Always Felt This Strongly

These convictions have grown over time.

Things I once accepted without much thought have started to trouble me. Recently, I’ve felt more and more convicted, and changes are being made in our lives.

We’re reconsidering what we celebrate, what we watch, how we decorate, and what receives our attention.

We don’t have everything figured out. Changing familiar habits can be uncomfortable, especially when those habits hold childhood memories.

But I don’t want to ignore a growing conviction simply because continuing as we always have would be easier.

I’m sharing this as someone whose own heart and habits are changing.

Continue reading “One Season at a Time: Making a New Normal in Our Home” →

A Heart of Obedience: A 31-Day Family Devotional Journey

Published on by Susie @ Pollywog's Place BlogLeave a comment

Hey there, sweet friends!

If you are anything like me, you are constantly looking for ways to anchor your children’s hearts in truth amidst a world that feels pretty loud and distracting right now. With our days full of homeschooling, household chores, and the beautiful chaos of family life, finding meaningful, open conversations with our preteens and teens can sometimes feel like a challenge.

That is exactly why I am so thrilled to share our latest family project with you: The Heart of Obedience: A 31-Day Family Devotional Journey.

This isn’t just a list of rules or expectations. It is a gentle, 31-day journey designed to guide our older kids into understanding why God calls us to a life of submission and honor. Divided into five weekly themes, each day features a foundational King James Version verse, a thought-provoking discussion question specifically tailored for preteens and teens, a practical way to apply the lesson to daily life, and a short family prayer.

We’ve also included traditional hymn suggestions to weave music into your morning basket, alongside weekly hands-on object lessons (using simple things you already have in your kitchen or living room!) to make these big spiritual concepts visual and unforgettable.

Whether you gather around the living room couch or chat over breakfast, my prayer is that this study brings your family closer to God—and closer to each other.

Want to dive in with us? You can grab your copy of the study guide and print out the daily readings to add straight into your own homeschool binder. Let’s keep growing faith, family, and food together—one beautiful day at a time!

May GOD Bless You!

Continue reading “A Heart of Obedience: A 31-Day Family Devotional Journey” →

Ten Days of Returning to God: A Devotional Journey from Yom Teruah to Yom Kippur

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Hello friends,

There are seasons when God calls us to keep moving forward, faithfully tending the work He has placed before us. There are also seasons when He calls us to become still—to examine our hearts, mend what has been broken, and return to Him.

Lately God has been calling me to share what I’ve been learning with others. I won’t pretend to be any kind of expert so I do encourage you to do your own research whenever you may have questions or doubts about things. My biggest reason for sharing is that observing the feasts have allowed me to become close to GOD, delve deeper in HIS WORD, and they allow me to remember HIS PROMISES.

The period from Yom Teruah to Yom Kippur offers a beautiful opportunity for this kind of quiet reflection. This devotional can be done by anyone at any time though!

Yom Teruah, sometimes called the Feast of Trumpets, begins with the biblical image of a trumpet blast. In Scripture, the sound of a trumpet could announce a gathering, warn of danger, prepare people for action, or call God’s people to attention. It was a sound that could not easily be ignored.

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, comes ten days later. It is a solemn day associated with repentance, cleansing, and restoration before God.

Together, these days form a meaningful journey: awakening, examining, returning, confessing, forgiving, and resting in God’s mercy.

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”
—James 4:8

Continue reading “Ten Days of Returning to God: A Devotional Journey from Yom Teruah to Yom Kippur” →

Clothed in GODLY CHARACTER: A 31-Day Journey to a Quieter Heart and Home Devotional

Published on by Susie @ Pollywog's Place Blog1 Comment

First, I want to apologize as I normally try to have the new devotional finished at least a couple of days before the next month begins… we’ve had a lot on our plates here lately, but I finally finished it! I have not completed the other devotional videos that I have been working on though… but GOD is working in that situation and we have witnessed HIS hand in so many areas this past month that it has been AMAZING!

Every morning, our families make a conscious choice about what to wear. We check the weather, look at our schedules, and pull garments from the closet to get ready for the day. But as Christian parents and teachers, how often do we pause with our children to intentionally choose our spiritual wardrobe before the schoolbooks open or the busy day begins?

In a loud, fast-paced world that tells us to look out for number one, scripture invites us to bring our families into a beautifully different rhythm. In Colossians 3:12, we are given a divine dress code: “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.” Godly character isn’t something that just happens; it is an identity we actively choose to put on every single day.

True meekness and godly character are not signs of weakness—they are strength under control. It is the wisdom to give a soft answer when sibling bickering starts, the quiet confidence of knowing who we are in Christ, and the patience to bear with one another’s mistakes.

Over the next 31 days, our families are going to lay down our sharp defenses, our arguments, and our frantic pacing. Through short daily scriptures, family-friendly discussion questions, and simple prayers, we will explore what it looks like to intentionally build a culture of grace right at home. Gather the kids around the table, open your hearts, and let’s begin clothing ourselves in the enduring beauty of Godly character.

We have a FREE activities planner that goes with all of our devotionals, but this one has a few extra activities included in the devotional as well. I have linked some resources below to go along with these optional activities.

Here is the FREE printable, if you’d like to join us:

Clothed in GODLY CHARACTERDownload
Continue reading “Clothed in GODLY CHARACTER: A 31-Day Journey to a Quieter Heart and Home Devotional” →

Walking in the GOODNESS of GOD Devotional

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I am hoping to make a new devotional for each month this year… that’s a big challenge, but it is something that has been on my heart. For AUGUST, our monthly theme will be GOODNESS. We will be trying to find ways to show a little more GOODNESS through routines and habits.

Last month’s theme was SELF-CONTROL and let me tell you that LIFE sure has a way of putting our lessons to the test but GOD is GOOD and HE has seen us through some difficulties and HE can do the same for you!

Here is the FREE printable, if you’d like to join us:

Walking in the Goodness of God DevotionalDownload
Continue reading “Walking in the GOODNESS of GOD Devotional” →