Hello lovely ladies,

It's been cold... and it's been warm again...and cold again, etc. The fight lingers on which one will show up for the day. I do think fall and winter will prevail. Ha! ha! As of right now, it's suppose to get pretty chilly & rainy again in our neck of the woods on Saturday. I hope you are staying warm. Enjoy some hot chocolate, too. :)

I read this Bible verse this morning:

"Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake." - Psalms 115:1 kjv

It's always been one of my favorites, but it's a good reminder to keep our life centered on our Heavenly Father and not on ourselves.

Stealing from my journal jots below, "Always remember a bad attitude from circumstances comes when we have a life "about me." 

I think that's fitting for this Bible verse today. When we're self-absorbed, we're going to be frustrated and disappointed a LOT. It's important to have an attitude of gratitude. But, above all, when we let God have full control of our circumstances, we find rest and peace in our soul. 

Keep your eyes on the Lord Jesus! His peace is a gift from God!

Change of topic...

Lately, I've had a lot of encouraging words from my readers. I do appreciate each one of you. I pray that I might be an encouragement to each of you as well. Let me know if you have a special prayer request or something you'd like to share. Just shoot me an email. 

My Friend, Keep Walking in FAITH,

Rhonda White (rhondawhite@outlook.com)

~ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. I Corinthians 16:23 KJV 

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7 Tidbits from my journal: (Use these ideas for your journal or ministry)

"The person who rows the boat usually doesn't have time to rock it." - Be the one who is busy doing, not the one griping about what's not getting done.

"When people begin talking more positively, they begin thinking or acting more so." - Refreshing Daily in God's Word Oct. 2020 (Our own words do influence us more than we realize! Be the one who speaks positively!)

"Life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% of what attitude I have toward it." - RDIGW, Oct. 2020

"Always remember a bad attitude from circumstances comes when we have a life "about me." - RDIGW, Oct. 2020

"We must not allow "less than ideal" circumstances to rob us of our joy and peace as God's children." - RDIGW, Oct. 2020

"The person who never sees himself as being wrong, is wrong again." - RDIGW, Oct. 2020

*QUESTION: Which one are you? "I have discovered that everyone is doing one of three things: 1) Rowing the boat 2) Rocking the boat 3) Just simploy riding in the boat." - Dr. Mike Rouse

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Bible Verse of the Week:

"Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake." - Psalms 115:1 kjv

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Reminder Links:

Bible reading schedule link for October:

https://media.publit.io/file/HCHContent/2020-Bible-Reading-Planner-October.pdf

Christian Planner Printable Pages:

https://herchristianhome.com/christian-planner-printable-pages/

My Greeting Card Shop: (Looking for a unique card? Shoot me an email with your ideas.)

https://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/loveencouragementcards

My Zazzle Design Shop:

https://www.zazzle.com/store/herchristianhome

Believe God collection:  

https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/48391048

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Today's Tidy Up Your Life Tips: 10 Ways to Simplify Your Life

Our daily lives can be complicated and hectic. (Didn't need me to tell you that, right? Ha! ha!) It seems everywhere we look someone is advertising some new quick fix to try to simplify things, but they never work as well as anticipated. 

It’s true, simplifying your life is a process and can’t be fixed so "quickly." However, following the proper steps can allow you to start simplifying your life correctly, easing the process. Through this article, we’ll guide you through ten ways to start simplifying your life today.

1) Use less technology

While staying connected with distant friends and relatives can be good, but being connected all the time can be detrimental to our mental health. Social media, unfortunately, tends to be a breeding ground for drama and complications. Beyond that, when you’re invested in a TV show, movie, or something on the computer, you tend to miss out on a lot of everyday life as it passes you by.

2) Get organized

Very little will simplify your life more than great organization. Never under-appreciate the value of knowing where everything is located. ("A place for everything -- and everything in its place.") This will not only help to simplify the completion of tasks, but it can also help you simplify and save time in your daily routine.

3) Trim the fat with your possessions

Excess possessions can definitely complicate your life. Becoming to invested in the latest and greatest items to have can cause you to be materialistic and forget what’s truly important in life. Go through your belongings and weed out the unnecessary excess items either by selling them, donating them or throwing them out, depending on their condition.

4) Trim the fat with your "negative" friend group

There are those casual friends that we feel obligated to cling to in life, but have a bad influence or a source of negativity in our life that we simply don’t need. Simplify your life by simplifying your friend group to a core, reliable group.

5) Make an effort not to be a workaholic

Working all the time is not good for your physical or mental health. It can cause you to overstimulate your brain and make you feel exhausted, overworked, and drained. It’s far better for you to set up regular working hours and stick to them, allowing yourself time away to relax, rejuvenate and refresh.

6) Make an effort to save more money

Financial issues are the number one source of stress for most people and the biggest complication factor in their life. You never know when these financial disasters are going to hit, so it’s crucial to protect yourself by preparing in advance to create an emergency fund. Start saving money with every paycheck so that you know you’re covered should something happen, simplifying any potential disaster and extra stress. 

*TIP: If possible, automate a withdrawal amount around the date of your paychecks. This was a real game-changer for us. When we get a raise, I add a little bit more to the auto withdrawals. This need NOT be a huge amount. The fact is, it will quickly add up over time and be very helpful for repairs and unexpected expenses.

7) Stop wasting your precious time

We have so few hours in the day and so few days in our lives; why should we waste as much time as we do sitting in front of the television or the computer screen, reading senseless things, etc. Stop wasting your time on invaluable things and start spending it where it counts. Spend more time reading your Bible, with your family; travel more and see things you’ve never seen. Spend what little time you have wisely. 

8) It’s okay to say "no"

One of the biggest ways to simplify your life is by saying "no" at times. It’s good to say "no" when you already have a lot on your plate. You can’t do everything, and no one can expect that of you. It's also good to say "no" to those things that are not adding value to your life. Start choosing intentionally where your time is spent.

9) Consider what you want

Many times, what complicates things, like the decisions we make, is having too many factors at place. First, pray about it. We do need God's wisdom and leading. Next, figure out what truly is best for your circumstances without worrying about what "Mary" or "Jane" is going to say. Watch out for those "what ifs" that seem to cause more fear and add to our indecisiveness. 

10) De-clutter your life

We can really simplify our everyday life by de-cluttering it. (Which makes tip #2 even more simple...because "owning less is much better than organizing more.") De-cluttering refers to the literal clutter that gathers around your house, the negative people that clutter up your life, the mental clutter that gathers in your mind from stress and work, etc. 

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