There's something about hymns. The lyrics, the melody, the theology packed into one always seem to draw me closer to the Lord. Call me old fashioned, but I love myself a good old hymn. Even some of the more modern day hymns have that timeless feel. When God's story is proclaimed, Christ is exalted and His unfailing love and grace is remembered then a timeless hymn is borne.

Today I wanted to share with you my top 5 favorite hymns. Click the links to listen to the sweet melodies and God's truth being proclaimed.

1. In Christ Alone

2. Great Is Thy Faithfulness

3. Be Thou My Vision

4. Come Thou Found of Every Blessing

5. How Great Thou Art

"So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown."
-The Old Rugged Cross

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Working with children has opened my eyes to many things about myself. There's nothing like a willful, persistent child to shatter your best attempts at always speaking gently, loving without getting angry and never running out of patience. Pulling out the superiority card usually comes when I want things to get done quickly and I'm tired of trying to slowly nurture the right response. While there is a place for correcting and lovingly disciplining, more often than not nurturing and helping is the way to go.

I'm not superior to these precious children. God's entrusted me to nurture and encourage them during the school day. I need to be careful how I speak, what I speak and when I speak to these children. They may very well remember what I say and do, the good and bad, for the rest of eternity.

A few weeks ago, I read an amazing blog post by Bambi over at In the Nursery of the Nation that deals with respecting your children. While I only hope to someday have my own children I realize that most of the wisdom in her post can be applied to my situation at school as well. Please take a moment to read this insightful and extremely helpful post on how we can show respect to the little ones. After all these little children will be adults one day.

Ten Ways to Show Respect to your Children

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The other day in my Twitter feed I found a link to an article that was extremely eye opening. The woman who tweeted the link is someone whom I've come to admire over the past few months. Her wisdom, honesty and genuineness never ceases to amaze me. Whenever she posts something I usually am quick to read her writings and recommendations. The article she recently tweeted about was no exception.

To my own embarrassment I've not diligently kept up with how the global church is doing. For far too long I've taken my own freedoms for granted. I ignorantly thought that the persecutions towards the Church globally had dwindled, but that's not the case. The persecutions of Christians is still real and it's still going on today. Little did I know just how prevalent it still is.

Please take a moment to read this eye opening article and pray for Christ's church across the globe.

Can We Finally Start Talking About The Global Persecution of Christians?

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The people that know me best know that I have a real soft spot for animals. As a child I was drawn to all animals but mostly dogs. Before my parents got our dog when I was about two three years old it was my aunt and uncle's two dogs that I gravitated towards. The youngest one would lick my face till the cows came home and I LOVED it!

Being around animals was (and still is) so comfortable for me that mom would often have to remind me not to go up to just any random animal and play with it. She even joked that I would have put my head in the mouth of a lion if I had the chance; I was just that trusting towards all animals.

I did try and pursue a career in the animal field after taking classes towards my Animal Science degree. However at that point in my life I felt led to do something else. Animals are still one of my biggest passions in life and a career in the animal field isn't out of the question if it is God's will for me one day. Only the Lord knows though!

A few days ago I came across a video in my Facebook news feed and just had to share it with you all today. The story is truly inspirational and for me reflected the love and patience of our great, merciful and powerful God. Please take the time to watch this video of Mick the Boston Terrier puppy.

God cares for all of His creatures!

What an amazing story of love, compassion and perseverance. What amazes me even more though is that God's compassion, love, patience and mercy is infinitely greater than even this beautiful story. His love is truly never ending. He never gives up on us!

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Matthew 6:26

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Stuck.

The word above accurately described how I felt for the longest time. As a single woman I was told to wait on God, let the man initiate and pray. All very good and biblical things I might add. However for some reason I felt utterly stuck and inactive. Wasn't there something more I could be doing without usurping man's role and still be waiting on God?

Join me today over at sweet Brooke Nicole's blog where I will be guest posting on how I recently found myself unstuck during this season of singleness. I'm super excited to be guest posting as a part Brooke's week long series on singleness! A big thank you to Brooke for having me today!

Click here to read Single Women: Unstuck

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Hello all! I hope you've been having a good week and pray that you are well. VBS was wonderful this past week and I'm so grateful to have been a part of such an amazing event. The games, crafts, snacks and Bible stories were all so much fun for the kids and adults alike. I'm grateful to be have been a part of such a wonderful team and had the chance to meet such sweet people! It was an amazing week.

And now here are Friday's Recommendations:
 
Just Enough Light 
@ iBelieve.com

(Brooke Smith who blogs over at Brooke Nicole wrote a wonderful guest post for iBelieve.com this past week. I couldn't help but marvel at God's perfect timing in this post as it spoke greatly to me. Brooke addresses some crucial questions on how and when to move forward when we don't necessarily find ourselves in the place we hoped or expected. Her encouraging words and honesty are a breath of fresh air. I highly recommend you read this post.)

It's Good to be a Jar of Clay
@ desiring God.org

(This post was a real eye opener for me. Ever feel like your weaknesses in life hinder you from doing anything at all? Ever feel frustrated at your own inability to get something done and get it done right? Do you feel discouraged when your own limitations get in the way? Then you need to read this post! What if our own cracks, limitations and weaknesses are actually a good thing? You must read this! I'm just saying...)

Small is Beautiful
@ ChristianMommyBlogger.com

(The world constantly tells us that bigger is better; faster is better and more is better. It's no wonder we tend to inwardly balk at small beginnings! But this particular post was a sweet reminder to be faithful with all things; yes even small things. It opened my eyes to some wonderful truths and gave me some great thoughts to chew on. Another highly recommended post.)

I hope you all have a lovely weekend!

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Whew! It's certainly been a hot week here in New England and from what I understand across the country as well. If you are one of those people who are currently experiencing a heat wave like I am please be sure to stay safe and keep cool in this weather. (Also don't forget that ice creams are a great treat on hot summer days!)

And now on to this Friday's Recommendations:

Virtual Charm School
@ Stay At Home Daughter

(Ashley over at Stay At Home Daughter will begin an awesome virtual Finishing School series this Monday! I'm so excited to begin taking these virtual classes with her and other young ladies next week.)

What We DIDN'T Do This Summer: In Defense of Simple Pleasures
@ The Happiest Home

(A great post about the simple pleasures of summer and how they actually become the most memorable. I couldn't help but smile while reading this post as some of my favorite summer memories as a child were the sweet, simple times with my family.)

Time to Unhook from "Hook-up Feminism"
@ Acculturated

(This is a great post that exposes the supreme folly of feminism pertaining to the hook-up culture. The author hits some great points in this article.)

Defending Babies 101
@ Visionary Womanhood

(Stephani, a contributing writer over at Visionary Womanhood wrote a superb post about her experience at the Summit Ministries Biblical Worldview Training Center in Colorado. She expounds on the teaching of a particular Christian teacher Scott Klusendorf, a pro-life author and speaker. I've gleaned so much wisdom from this post and highly recommend it to anyone looking for more confidence and resources when speaking to others about the unborn's right to life.)

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

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Hello all! I've got a couple of awesome links for the end of the week recommendations. Be sure to head on over to each blog to take a peek at these wonderful posts and discussions. I was greatly blessed by each one of them.

Being A Creationist {In Opposite World} @ Women Living Well

In The Meantime: What to Do While Waiting on God  @ Boundless.org

Important Conference Discussion with Candice Watters @ SBTS

Sneak Peek!

Don't forget that Visionary Womahood has a new e-book coming out July 2013 called "Three Decades of Fertility!" Click Here to view the homepage for the e-book and check out the book trailer below.



Three Decades of Fertility - Trailer from Visionary Womanhood on Vimeo.

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End of the Week Links

Hello everyone! I hope you've had a good week thus far. Anyone have special plans for this weekend? Now that summer is drawing nearer I find myself not being half as motivated to get work done at school with the kiddos. They too are having a tough time concentrating at the remaining work left these 2 last weeks, thankfully though they are pushing along and getting everything done! If you have any tips on how to encourage and motivate children please share your advice in the comments below.

And now here are the end of the week recommendations. Most of these posts are geared towards singles but anyone can be encouraged by them.

What Every 20-Something Needs to Know
@ HeadHeartHand

Re-Thinking Waiting On The Lord For Husbands For Our Daughters
@ The Focused Homemaker

A Promise Fulfilled
@ A Woman Inspired

A Must Read!

Also a great resource for single women is a book I just finished reading by Candice Watters called, Get Married: What Women Can Do to Help It Happen.

Candice is a wise woman who knows the many pitfalls and underlying assumptions most single women believe today. (Including me!) After reading her book though I felt renewed, inspired and full of hope. This is a book all single women must read. Candice not only addresses some of the passive truths that are presented today when it comes to finding a husband but she corrects the wrong ideas that seem to have been planted in so many hearts. The Lord has used this book greatly in my life and I would encourage all ladies to read this book if you have not yet. Click here to preview and purchase the book. I highly recommend it.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

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Can you believe that today is already the last day of May? The older I get the more time seems to just fly by. It's become more and more important to me to cherish every day and each moment. While some days are easier than others, the moments within the day are no less important. Each day is a gift from the Lord.

This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.
 Psalm 118:24

And now, here are today's recommendations.

Odd Man Out @ Boundless.org

Why Have Babies? @ Boundless.org

The Sovereignty of God and Evangelism @ Ligonier Ministries

I hope you have a wonderful weekend cherishing each moment given by our loving Father.

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Yesterday my Pastor showed a quick video at the end of his sermon. It was so beautiful, so awe-inspiring, so true, that I had to share it with you all today.


(The voice you hear in this video is of Pastor Louie Giglio)

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Are you all as excited as I am for this beautiful new layout that Jana made? It was a pleasure working with Jana over at Little Web Writing Hood! Feel free to visit her site  at http://littlewebwritinghood.com/. If you ever need graphics done for your blog, website, Facebook etc I highly recommend Jana! She is a patient, kind and extremely helpful woman who is awesome at what she does. Thanks Jana for this wonderful layout!

I hope you all enjoy the new look!

And don't forget, I'm now on Facebook. Click Here to view the page!

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It's been a couple of weeks or longer since I last posted some recommendations on the web. Just to reiterate, the recommendations here at Whispers to the Heart are most likely blog posts (but can also be media) that I've found to be encouraging, helpful and full of wisdom. Most of them are written from a biblically based perspective as well. It is my hope and prayer that by sharing these posts, others will be encouraged and likewise check out some other great blogs as well.

Now without further ado here are this Friday's Recommendations on the web!

When You Don't Know How To Wait @ incourage

As parents, we struggle with the schooling issue... @ Raising Godly Children (originally posted at Grace To You)

A Second Chance {Being Content in Your Singleness} @ A Biblical Marriage

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Is anyone as excited as I am that Spring is finally starting to bloom outside?!

Oh, and please keep your eye out for some changes here at Whispers to the Heart.

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                                                                                                   (Source: Image Base)

Hello all! I hope you are all doing well and have had a lovely week so far. I'm excited to say that today is the day of my very first guest post! I will be writing a post over at Stay At Home Daughter today that will touch upon the topic of small beginnings. But before I invite you to join me over at the Stay At Home Daughter blog (which I highly recommend by the way), here are this weeks recommendations on the web.

Time is in Your Hands, a Godly Time Management Devotions @ Essential Things Devotions (click through to her homepage to view all of the devotions. I'm still working my way through but love them all so far!)

A Biblical Role For Women Seldom Recognized @ eHomebody.com

At the foot of the fall @ I Am Not Perfect Yet

If you have a chance I highly recommend these posts. They are all lovely blogs to visit!

I now invite you to join me today over at the Stay At Home Daughter blog where the title of the post I'm writing is One Step at a Time. Ashley is such a kind and sweet young woman. I've been blessed to get to know her more. Her blog Stay At Home Daughter is a real gem! I'm so grateful for the opportunity to do a guest post there today!

Have a wonderful weekend!

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Hello all! I hope you all have had a wonderful week, growing in the Lord and seeking Him. He truly is a merciful, loving and active God.

This past week I came across Psalm 131 and verse 2 really spoke to my heart. The Amplified Bible, which I love to read, says,

Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with his mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me [ceased from fretting]. Psalm 131:2

Oh what a picture! Can you just imagine the image of a baby leaning their head against their mother's chest? Absolutely precious. What's amazing to me though is that we likewise can lean ourselves against God Almighty. Like a weaned child we too are invited to lean against our Heavenly Father and rest. 

A precious picture indeed.

And now, here are this Friday's three recommendations. 

Without Love, I Am Nothing: 1 Corinthians 13:2 @ Visionary Womanhood

An Invitation to Join our SOBer Club @ I Take Joy

And a video!

Live Forever a documentary from Nick Vujicic's Europe Tour

May you have a blessed weekend. I pray you will experience the contentment, love and peace in resting upon the Lord.

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Hello everyone! Today I wanted to share with you a wonderful and insightful video that talks about God's amazing grace. I recently found this message after viewing another video on Christian dating over at Generation Cedar. The young man, Joseph Solomon, has a real gift in pointing out some awesome Scriptural truths about the grace of God while also keeping a lighthearted and humorous tone.



Also, I had not planned on writing more about Flesh vs. Spirit Living, however after last week's blog post I have decided to do two more posts on this topic. More to come later this week!

I hope you all have a blessed and wonderful week.

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I remember pinning this Scripture photo a while back and wanted to share it with you all. "The Flourishing Abode" posted this printable on their blog about a year ago. What an amazing reminder for us all as we begin our week. The link above will direct you to The Flourishing Abode blog where you can download and print out the photo.

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3 Great Posts

Friday's Recommendations are back this week! I always appreciate when other blogs post edifying, encouraging and educational articles/posts. It's a great way to fellowship, learn and support one another as we seek to live wholeheartedly for the Lord.

Here are three articles I've recently read and enjoyed. I hope that you too will be edified, encouraged and educated as you read them.

My Biggest Health Related Regret at Age 46 @ Visionary Womanhood

Favored @ Thoroughly Alive

Teaching Children to Seek God @ Artistic31Mama

 I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

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True Love

I pray you all had a wonderful Valentines Day, regardless of your relationship status. I was so blessed to have received a few valentines from some of the little children I work with as well as one from my amazing sister.

First and foremost though, let's remember what Real Love looks like:

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 
Philippians 2:1-4

Jesus Christ is the One Who is Love incarnate and humbled Himself to death on a Cross! (Philippians 2:8) What Love indeed!
  
Friday's Recommendations 

Here are a few of my favorite links (the last two are older ones) that I've recently read:

3 Gifts of Love for Your Future Husband  @ Stay At Home Daughter

Michelle Duggar~ A Role Model for Gentleness @ Women Living Well

social media & acknowledging Jesus before men @ Biblical Homemaking

Easy Recipe

And now for a super healthy, easy, Daniel Fast friendly, recipe!

Fruit Granola Salad

For the salad you'll need some lettuce of your choice, an apple and strawberries. I chopped up my apple into slices while I cut the strawberries into quarters. Then I sprinkled the salad with homemade granola. You can find some great granola recipes online; however, I put about a cup of  rolled oats and unsalted peanuts into the oven at 350 degrees and baked them for about 20-25 minutes or until golden. I would recommend coating them with olive oil, apple juice, or something else so they are not too dry. (I've messed this recipe up before!) Then I toasted coconut flakes in the toaster oven for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Once the oats, peanuts and coconuts are done mix them together with raisins and store in a plastic container.

Salad Ingredients:
Lettuce of your choice
1 Apple
Strawberries
Homemade Granola (see links for recipes below)

Of course what really made this lunch sweet was that my little boy Mango came to dine with me! His fur is a bit dirty here because of the blizzard that just came through Massachusetts. The ground is still wet so Mango's white fur doesn't stay white too long. ;)


Below are some homemade granola recipes. I have an inkling that it was just a whim this particular batch of granola came out ok! (Of course feel free to just top your salad with raisins, peanuts and toasted coconut flakes. This would be great as well.)

Daniel Fast Granola

Winter Granola

Skillet Vegan Granola

Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

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