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7 Marks of a Wise Woman

Free Easter Family Worship Guide

5 Questions Every Christian Woman Should Ask Herself

5 Unique Christmas Gifts to Grow Your Friend’s Faith

One Psalm to Read When Life is Stormy

4 Ways to Be a Woman of Radiant Faith

How to Find Freedom from Mom Guilt in Jesus

3 Surprising Signs of a Prideful Heart

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So if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed.

Recent Posts

7 Marks of a Wise Woman
Free Easter Family Worship Guide
5 Questions Every Christian Woman Should Ask Herself
New on Amazon: Adoring His Attributes Prayer Devotional
5 Unique Christmas Gifts to Grow Your Friend’s Faith

“You need to be teachable, little girl. Mama’s

“You need to be teachable, little girl. Mama’s only trying to teach you what works, what is good.”

As I tenderly say this, I catch a flash of frustration and resistance cross her eyes. In it I catch a reflection of my own perfectionist self.

Right now she’s at the exciting age where so many new foundational skills are taking root - from reading and handwriting to throwing a frisbee and swinging solo. There’s so much ahead of her, and I want her to learn to welcome wisdom.

I want her to know that mistakes can be beautiful windows of opportunity to treasure the perfection of Christ and to discover anew the way that’s right and leads to life.

“Get wisdom - how much better is it than gold! And get understanding - it is preferable to silver.” Proverbs 16:16

But due to our natural bent toward pride, such a habit is hard to form. Growing up, for so long I stubbornly clung to my ways and sought out accomplishments to prove my worth to the world, only to have inevitable moments of failure crush me.

❤️ Now, with Jesus, my mighty yet meek Savior, I’ve realized that humility is gold. That to be truly wise is not refusing to learn, but to keep learning good until my dying day.

👉🏼 You and I have to ask ourselves - have I been teachable lately? Do I listen when my spouse or fellow believers speak correction or counsel into my life? More importantly, is my heart soft toward the Lord and His Word, when He desires I change according to His will?

📖 I have this memory verse nearby: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, fools despise wisdom and discipline.” Proverbs 1:7

I teach it to my kids, but oh how I need to preach it to myself.

💻 For more on this topic: click the blog link in my bio and search for the posts “7 Marks of a Woman of Wisdom” and “3 Surprising Signs of Pride”

Oh, how I long to be so full of Jesus that this ma

Oh, how I long to be so full of Jesus that this may ring true. Help us this day, oh Lord, to “spill” over the blessings of the Spirit upon others, no matter what comes our way. May we abandon bitterness and may our cup “runneth over” with His love.

Right now I’m loving the meditations written by the incredible missionary Amy Carmichael in the little booklet, “If” on the mysteries of Calvary love. Go find it on Hoopla or Amazon, you won’t regret it. ☺️

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:5-6

No matter what the date is, it’s always awesome

No matter what the date is, it’s always awesome to rejoice in the freedom found in Christ. . . To rejoice in how His streams of mercy never cease! Last July 4th and this one were complete opposites - (swipe to last photo). I’m beyond grateful. Hope you and your families had a special day! ❤️🙌🏼💙 Let’s ever be praying for our country.

What are you longing for right now? Maybe an In-N-

What are you longing for right now? Maybe an In-N-Out Burger? 🍔🍟👀😁 (#pregnancycravings) Or perhaps a nap? A “good job” at work? Or a break from COVID headlines?

Behind all these everyday longings are soul-deep longings that cannot be fulfilled here. A place where there is no hunger. A place of unbroken rest. A place where work doesn’t tax our bodies. A place where peace reigns and viruses don’t exist.

Such a place can only be had in the Kingdom of God, and the only way there is Jesus (John 14:6). Listen to those longings, they point you to Him. He promises not only all of these things in the world to come - heaven - but a soul satisfying relationship with your Creator both now and forever.

He will redeem all things. And we were made for eternity. . .For Him.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. (Ecclesiastes 3:11, ESV)

What relief this can bring to our hearts. . .if we

What relief this can bring to our hearts. . .if we believe it.

The other day I wrote this to my blog’s newsletter friends:

⭐️ Christ tells us directly in John 15:5, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

🌿 Whatever you're about to tackle right now - whether out in the world or within your own home - it's time to lean into Jesus. To recall that you are a branch, a branch who must depend on the vibrant graces of the Vine every minute.

🙌🏼 There’s no way you can do the work without Jesus. He gives you breath, and He gives it meaning. That's true for ANY season or situation.

👉🏽 This truth is humbling, convicting, and reassuring.

Humbling to realize we need Him even for the tiniest of tasks. Convicting if we sense we’ve been mustering our own strength and understanding instead of seeking His. . .and yet reassuring if we confess that self-sufficiency and rejoice that He promises to sustain us to do His will for today.

🌱 This process is about abiding - about resting in His power, His purpose, and His glory. Then, and only then, will we bear much fruit of eternal value.

🤔 So the question is: Who are you relying on? Yourself, someone else, or Christ?

🙏🏼 Let’s go to Him in prayer, acknowledging that He is who we need.

Memory is a funny thing. What we choose to remembe

Memory is a funny thing. What we choose to remember and forget is a tell-tale sign of where our heart is.
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With others we may be slow to forgive, and forgetting. . .is a whole other story. Sometimes nearly impossible. Then, somehow with God, we can be quick to accept His marvelous forgiveness and grace, and just as easily forget it the next week or year when trouble rears its head.
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This week I’ve found myself complaining about the very things that only a year ago I was desperate to have. Last summer my girl lay silent on the couch, 10lbs lighter in the midst of intense chemo. Now, my 35 week pregnant self struggles to keep up as she runs down the street with rosy-cheeks, exuberant energy, and ever-growing curiosity.
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Just when I was ready to grumble, the Spirit halts me. Reminds me. God has done this - this good. He has faithfully and wonderfully worked to bring recovery. This is not a moment to whine, but to worship. It’s a blessing.
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How quick we are to forget the steadfast love of the Lord! How soon we overlook His mercies. The Psalms convict the people of Israel again and again to “remember,” to “not forget” the miracles Yahweh has done.
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Forgetting leads to fretting and forsaking the God we trust. Remembering fuels our faith with joy, when the present attempts to thwart our hope. We are to remember that our God does not lose, that He won victory at the cross through His own suffering, and that since the dawn of time He has always orchestrated good for those who love Him.
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He forgets us not. He remembers us, though we are but dust. He remembers His promises, even when we wander. So let us remember Him, our faithful God who has always stood with us along the way.
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“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.” Psalm 103:2-5

The days have been full in the Muñoz home. When

The days have been full in the Muñoz home. When the sun rises tiny feet pitter patter across the floor, and I join them - my hands dressing, diapering, dishing out snacks, diving into a pile of picture books, disciplining their budding hearts toward what is good. It’s a labor of love that lasts until sunset, and it’s here Christ awakens me to how I can be like Him.
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As my husband and I read the book “Gentle and Lowly” by Dane Ortlund together, and I meditate on the Beatitudes in Matthew 5 for a Bible study I’m hoping to release before baby #3 arrives, I see this more and more.
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Am I “lowly” like Jesus? Do I walk in humility? On the surface my physical tasks press me to be lowly, as I wash sticky hands (and bottoms 😅), and spoon cereal into little mouths. There, Christ reminds me of His own willingness to lay His whole self - His body - down. That as the high Prince of Heaven, He was nevertheless drawn down to us. . .no task too small, too menial, too dirty or too lowly for Him if redemptive love could be done.
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But more than that, Jesus calls us to be “poor in spirit.” To not only be humble in service, but to be humble in heart. This is so, so much harder. Even when my mind screams otherwise, my Savior presses me to correct these children with compassion, to be a minister of mercy, to ease their burdens, to perceive their weakness, to exercise the same patience I expect of them, to not always force my desires for the moment. . .And when I fail, how it all presses me to embrace His grace! To admit I need Him!
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As I become more aware of Jesus and His gentleness toward sinners - toward me - the Holy Spirit highlights more opportunities to extend that same gentleness. If I want to be holy as He is holy, that involves stopping any sin that whispers “I’m too good” or “too busy” or “too tired” to love like Jesus. And praise the Lord His Spirit empowers me to that end. 🙏🏼

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