Guest Lucille Williams: New Book with Important Lesson for Kids—and Adults Too!

May 16, 2023 by Leave a Comment

When I was in elementary school I can remember feeling extreme panic when the teacher asked the class to read out loud. We would start at one end of the classroom and one by one we’d be asked to read. As the kids each read their portion and it got closer to me, panic would set in. I had trouble reading as a kid and I’d stop at “small” words when I saw “big” words coming up so the kids didn’t know I didn’t know the “big” word, and during the pause try and sound out the “big” word in my head. All this to avoid being laughed at or seen as stupid. It usually didn’t work and the kids would often laugh at me when I didn’t know various words. It was quite shaming as a kid and I had such anxiety and fear surrounding reading. And school in general.

I always felt different than other kids. 

School overall was very difficult for me. As an adult I discovered I had ADHD. No wonder I had so much trouble with reading and schoolwork and paying attention in class. I suffered greatly as a kid feeling like I didn’t measure up to the other kids. Getting help from others and feeling like I lacked the skills other kids had plagued me throughout my childhood.

I felt like I wasn’t good enough and longed to be like the other kids. 

It wasn’t until I became an adult that I realized I had great gifting too. I even became a writer–which I never thought was possible. I wish someone had taught me to focus on my strengths instead of my weaknesses.

Children can learn this early: We all do not have the same gifting, and we all are special in our own way.

“For You created my innermost parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, because I am awesomely and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:13-14 NASB

As a grandma I’ve watched my sweet grandkids struggle with not being able to master things fast and comparing themselves to others. Instead of comparing our weaknesses to other people’s strengths, we can focus on celebrating our differences and embracing our God-given talents.

This is what Turtle Finds His Talent: Discovering How God Made You Special is all about: Teaching children to focus on their own abilities and specialness and God-given talents. This is a good lesson for us adults too. I have learned to adjust to functioning with ADHD and have learned to thrive in it. There are good aspects to every challenge.

God made each child special and unique. Cheering for and affirming differences fosters confidence and self-esteem. Talking about feelings like joy and sadness helps a child navigate and process emotions. When we read to our kids and then talk about the story we do just that.

“My frame was not hidden from You When I was made in secret, And skillfully formed in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my formless substance; And in Your book were written All the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.” Psalm 139:15-16 NASB*Do you know some children who could benefit from the message of Turtle Finds His Talent? Why not gift them with a copy! 

Lucille Williams is an author, speaker, pastor’s wife, and has ministered to couples and families for over 25 years. As the Women’s Director at Palmcroft Church in Phoenix, AZ she dedicates her time to ministry and writing and providing resources on her blog at LuSays.com. She’s the author of From Me to We: A Premarital Guide for the Bride- and Groom-to-Be, The Intimacy You Crave: Straight Talk About Sex and Pancakes, The Impossible Kid: Parenting a Strong-Willed Child with Love and Grace, and Turtle Finds His Talent: A Slide-and-Find Book: Discovering How God Made You Special.   

*The current issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out earlier this month. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is FREE. *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*Book photos compliments of Zonderkidz

Filed Under: adventure, book review, books, celebrate, creation/creative/creator, encouragement, fun, growth, help, learn, life, nature, new thing, strength, talent, teach, variety, wisdom Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Feeding and Nurturing the Young

January 17, 2023 by Leave a Comment

Have you ever spotted birds at work feeding their young? I have several times since I like to watch and photograph birds when I get a chance.

When we visited my parents one Memorial Weekend over a decade ago, I got to observe a particular bird’s parenting skills over and over. Mom and Dad lived in Missouri then and had a couple of birdhouses on their property. Bluebirds had built a nest in one. I hoped to share a picture of the daddy bird’s parenting prowess (he was easiest to spot because of his bright blue color), but darn it all, the shot is too blurry to use here on the blog.

This daddy blue bird took his responsibility very seriously. He worked tirelessly to feed his little namesakes. Time and again he’d come flying in from a distance to land atop the bird house and rest a moment before scooting through the little hole to where his young ones waited. Within seconds, he was out again, taking only a minute’s reprieve before he was off scouting more food. He was a dedicated parent.

Have you spotted anyone feeding the young lately? You may be in the midst of feeding the young at your very own house—and I’m not just talking physical sustenance. As parents, we need to feed our children spiritually, too. Even when our kids are grown and gone, we still have opportunities to pour truth into their lives and eventually into our grandchildren’s lives.

Have we in the past or are we currently filling our kids’ or grandkids’ hearts and minds with the Word of God as we “sit at home and when [we] walk along the road” (Deuteronomy 6:7)? Have we exposed them to the spiritual teaching available in our churches?

We can also help nurture and feed other young ones besides those in our own families. Think of all the children in your circle of influence. Consider also the spiritually young, those who have only recently come to faith. They need us who are more mature in the faith to take our responsibility seriously. They need us to work tirelessly to help them grow and become strong in the Lord.

Let’s demonstrate some parenting prowess. Let’s be faithful to feed the young.

“Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.” Psalm 34:11 NIV

*How are you feeding the young in your circle of influence?

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out in early February. One lucky subscriber (new or current) will receive a $15 gift card to Starbucks and a signed copy of my book to use personally, give as a gift, or donate to a library. Sign-up is free! Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*Flickr photo by Sister72, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: action, encouragement, faith, faithfulness, family, food, growth, help, leadership, life, nature, opportunity, protection, provision, teach, Word of God Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Theme Word 2023: Patience

January 3, 2023 by Leave a Comment

The new year is here (2023!) so once again it’s time for me to choose a new theme word to help guide me through the year. Do you do something like this? Some people prefer selecting an anchor verse or word.

Focusing on an over-arching word—a quality, an attitude, or an action—can give me direction all year long and also helps me focus on more fully implementing that new word in my life. It’s a practice I highly recommend. I can honestly say it has benefited me time and again.

This year God directed me to the word patience. Yes, I know most people would be afraid to choose this word for fear of what circumstances God might bring into their lives to give them opportunities to practice patience. But the truth is, God has already placed me in a situation that will require great patience for the forseeable future—and patience is not something that usually comes naturally for me.

Thank goodness patience is a fruit of the Spirit. That means as a child of God, the Holy Spirit who is within me will help me grow in patience as I ask him, yield to him, and depend on him to empower me.

I know it won’t be easy, though, because as long as I’m on this side of heaven, I also have my old sin nature waiting to rise up and war against the refining work the Lord is doing in my life. This makes me doubly thankful for God’s promise to all of us to one day complete the good work he begins in us (Philippians 1:6).

Is there a good work God wants to do in your life this year—a word that he’s led you to claim as your theme word for the year? If so, I’d love to hear about it so I can encourage you along the way. As for me, I’ll be over here patiently growing in patience—I hope!

“being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,” Colossians 1:11 NIV

*What is your theme word or anchor verse for 2023?

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out in early February. One lucky subscriber (new or current) will receive a $15 gift card to Starbucks and a signed copy of my book to use personally, give as a gift, or donate to a library. Sign-up is free! Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

Photo by Girish Dalvi on Unsplash

Filed Under: behavior, challenge, change, focus, fruit, goal, growth, life, new thing, patience, teach, tradition, word Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Where Is God When Times Are Bad?

January 21, 2020 by 2 Comments

“When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other.” Ecclesiastes 7:14 NIV

Nothing like a little gem from God’s Word to put things in perspective, huh?

Why is it, I wonder, we are so quick to thank God and acknowledge his presence and hand in the awesome blessings that come our way, but when something bad happens, we say, “Where were you, God? Why did you let that happen?”

When tough times come, has God really stepped away from us? When painful events descend, has he removed his hand from our lives?

If we believe the Word of God—and in particular the above verse from Ecclesiastes—no, God is not an aloof observer when our world is falling apart. He allows grief, hardship, and pain to touch our lives and will use those experiences for good in some way.

Romans 8:28 (KJV) says, ” And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” The question is will we believe that truth and trust God when we are hurting?

Let’s remember that we are dearly loved children of God (1 John 3:1), and he stands ready, just as we do with our children, to help and comfort us through our bad times. Let’s not let our trials distance us from our Father. Let’s draw close to him and let him carry us, trusting all the while that he will not waste our pain.

“Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone. ” Lamentations 3:32-33 NIV

*How has God used your pain to bring about something good?

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out in early February. One lucky subscriber (new or current) will receive a $15 gift card to Starbucks and a signed copy of my book to use personally, give as a gift, or donate to a library. Sign-up is free and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.)

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*My photo

Filed Under: blessing, burden, comfort, grief, growth, life, preparation, teach, trial, trust, wisdom, Word of God Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Favorites from the Book of all Books: God’s Word

May 21, 2019 by 4 Comments

It’s always fun to talk books. Fun to share what we’re currently reading, fun to tell what our favorites are, and fun to pick up some great recommendations for future reads. Today let’s talk about the Book of all books—the Bible, also known as the Word of God.

As I tell the little ones in my nursery-age Sunday School class, the Bible is a special book. In fact, it’s the most treasured book I own, as well as my absolute all-time favorite to read. When it comes to other books, even the ones I fall in love with or am blown away by, none stay as close to my heart as the Bible. After I read others, I put them on a shelf and only think of them occasionally. I might pick them up again and reread them years later, but they don’t impact my life every day.

Not so with my Bible. I read it daily. I even try to memorize verses I especially need or love. Not only is the Word of God “useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16) in my life, it breathes fresh life into me like nothing else can do. It comforts me, guides me, encourages me, and gives me truth I can offer to other thirsty souls. To put it like the Bible itself does, “the word of God is living and active . . .” (Hebrews 4:12)

I’m sure the Bible is life-changing and precious to many of you as well. So today let’s share some of our “favorites” from it. What’s your favorite book within the Bible? Favorite story? Favorite verse? I hope you’ll take time to leave a comment and answer any or all of the questions. It’ll be fun to hear what’s especially meaningful to others, won’t it?

I think my favorite book has to be Psalms—maybe because I love poetic writing and music, but it’s also so full of refreshment and encouragement. My favorite story is the Christmas story. For me, it’s just hard to top the angel’s announcement of a Savior born to us all. And favorite verse? That’s a hard one. So many mean so much to me. But one I come back to time and again is Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” (NKJV)

Okay, it’s your turn. Tell us your favorites from the Book of all books!

“They are not just idle words for you—they are your life.” Deuteronomy 32:47 NIV

*The current issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out earlier this month. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is FREE and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.)

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*Flickr photo by Savio Sebastian, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: book review, books, comfort, encouragement, faith, fun, help, joy, life, light, love, peace, strength, teach, unfailing, wisdom, Word of God Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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