3 Takeaways from the Business Boutique

Last weekend, I was privileged to attend Christy Wright's Business Boutique.  I'd looked into going earlier this summer, but when I tallied the cost of the conference ticket, air fair, a hotel, and a rental car, it just didn't seem financially feasible.  However, the Lord must have wanted me to go, because He provided the ticket and air fair, leaving me to cover just the car and hotel!  (I was even able to share the hotel costs with another gal to help further lower the cost.)

Although I'd heard glowing reports about the Business Boutique, I honestly didn't know a lot about it.  I knew Christy Wright was a believer, but I wasn't even sure if her beliefs would come through in her speaking or if the conference would focus only on business without much emphasis on spiritual issues.  I was thrilled to find that the event focused on faith!

I thoroughly enjoyed myself despite the fact that I was under the weather and that there were people everywhere (not usually something I enjoy as an introvert).  I made new contacts and came away with a wealth of encouragement and ideas to share with Jon!

In fact, I found 3 major takeaways from the Business Boutique that seem to apply to much more than just business:

God has a plan and a purpose for your life

Before the Business Boutique, I'd never heard of Christine Caine.  But she ended up being my favorite speaker at the event!  I know many other ladies felt the same.  Christine said over and over again:  "God has a purpose for your life.  It doesn't matter how old you are, how unskilled you believe yourself to be, or how invisible you feel.  If you are still here on Earth, His purpose for you isn't finished yet."

It's really easy for me to focus on my weaknesses and ignore my strengths, to the point that feels as though God can't use me at all.  I see my failings as a Christian, as a wife, as a mom, and as a friend.  But the problem with seeing all of my faults is that I'm simply too focused on what I can't do that I forget about what God can do.  Where I fall short, He can fill in.  Where I am limited, He is limitless.  And when I stop being selfish and stop dwelling on my shortcomings, I remember Christine's insight that He has a plan and a purpose for me, and He can use me to further His kingdom.

Nothing is impossible with God

Christy Wright had an excellent quote: "God starts at 'impossible.'"  We might not feel equipped to handle what the Lord is asking of us, but He is faithful to enable us to do whatever it is He asks us to do.  Nothing, absolutely nothing, is impossible with God.  He enabled Noah to build a boat that saved himself and his family even though everyone else laughed at him.  He brought Job through intense suffering and gave Job back all that he once had and more.  He sent His own Son to take our punishment and to conquer death.

If He has given us a heart for ministry, He will equip and enable us to follow through with it.  It might be overwhelming to us, but our God is a God who loves doing what is impossible!

Steward your limited resources wisely

The truth is that we will always have more things we want to do than we'll be able to do.  There is no shortage of opportunities, but we all have limited resources.  We need to use those resources (Christa Hutchins refers to time, money, and knowledge as the resource triangle) to the best of our abilities.  Whenever possible, we need to focus on the areas where our strengths shine and let others help us where we're weak.  In this way, we can work together for the furtherance of the Gospel.

As an example, online personality Amy Porterfield surprised me when she confessed that she is only active on Facebook and Instagram.  Although Pinterest is heralded as the next up-and-coming social media platform, she simply can't do all three well, so she's chosen to use her time wisely by focusing only on the two platforms she feels will be the best use of her time.

The reminders that God has a plan and purpose for each and every one of us, that nothing is too big or impossible for Him to do, and that we must make the best use of our limited resources were invaluable, not only as a blogger, but also for life in general.

I loved the Business Boutique and am so blessed to have been able to attend!

The Reader Survey Results Are In!

If I'm honest, I was a little nervous to create and send out a reader survey.  I mean, what would happen if no one responded?  I promised to share the results.  It sure wouldn't be amazing to say, "uh, well, I can't give you exact statistics..."  But because I'd heard about how valuable a tool a reader survey can be, I took a leap, posted the survey, and asked my readers to fill it out.

And guess what?  My readers are the best.  You were eager to answer my questions and give me feedback.  While I was pretty sure I knew how some of the questions would be answered, there were some good surprises for me as well.

For example, you all are, on average, a little older than I would have guessed.  That really makes sense, though, since the longer we live the higher the likelihood that we'll experience some hardship along the way.  (That also makes me a bit nervous, too, since I greatly look up to those who have more life experience than I do!)

So, here are the results from the 2016 Hallway Initiative Reader Survey!  I'm a total numbers nerd, so this stuff totally made me smile.  (Note:  many of the questions could have more than one response, so if you see percentages that tally more than 100%, it's because some readers chose to put down more than one response.  I just didn't want anyone to be confused!)

What is your preferred faith?

Not surprisingly, 100% of the survey participants are Christians.

What is your age group?

This is where I was a little off in my guessing.  Just 27% are in my age group (18-34, though in January I'll bump up into the next age bracket).  36% are between the ages of 35 and 49, and 18% are 50 or over.  I never really expected ladies older than me would want to read my posts, and I'm so honored that you do!

What is your marital status?

90% are married, and 10% are single.

How many children do you have?

36% of readers have between 1 and 3 kids; 54% have 4 or more.

If you have kids, do you homeschool?

54% of those with children homeschool; 27% do not; and 18% either do not have kids or have grown children.

What kind of hardships have you faced?

This was one of the most helpful questions on the survey.  36% of you mentioned financial hardship; 27% have struggled with job loss; 36% are dealing with illness; 27% are or have been battling depression; 18% have struggled through the loss of a close family member or friend; and 27% mentioned other hardships such as special needs children, struggle with sin, or loss of a relationship.

Ladies, my heart goes out to you all.  Not all of my own struggles have been identical to yours, but I can relate to the brokenness of this world, to pain and hardship, and the stress that comes along with our Earthly trials.

Reading through your answers has reminded me over and over again how much we need a Savior and what great hope Heaven offers us!  Even if it isn't going to be okay here in this life, Eternity spent with Christ will wipe away all of our tears.

Along those lines, I am always eager to have guest posters on the blog share what the Lord is teaching you through your hallways.  If any of you would like to write a post for me (and you don't have to have a blog of your own to do so, or even be good at writing!), don't hesitate to let me know.  You can fill out the contact form here on the blog, or you can email me at julie (at) hallwayinitiative (dot) com!

What are your two favorite types of posts on the Hallway Initiative?

The responses to this question were super helpful for me as I plan out my blogging year for 2017!  A full 72% of you favor my faith and encouragement posts (this is great news, since that's the heartbeat of the hallway!); 36% enjoy posts about family; and healthy living, homeschooling, and homemaking posts all came in about equal, at around 25%, with homemaking's percentage being just slightly lower than homeschooling and healthy living.

I've been contemplating not writing much more about homemaking, not because I don't enjoy the topic, but because there are many other, more skilled bloggers who cover the topics much better.  About all I can do is offer sympathy to those of you who struggle with it as much as I do!

What type of information or promotions would you like to see on the Hallway Initiative?

Again, the vast majority would like info and promos on faith and encouragement.  I've been wanting to do a giveaway on the blog, so I'll look for something in this area (I might need to ask my other faith blogger friends what they recommend!).  And again, healthy living, homemaking, and homeschooling all came in about tied for second interests, with blogging info a distant third.

With this information in mind, I won't hesitate to let you all know about info and deals that I find in each of these areas.  Just know that if I recommend something that either doesn't fit your interest or your budget, it won't bother me at all!  There is a wealth of information available today.  The problem anymore isn't lack of information; it's information overload.  I won't constantly send things your way, but if I think something is truly worth noting, I'll be sure to mention it!

What is your single favorite post from the blog?

Here is a partial list:

• Are You Waiting Well?
• Does God Carry Your Suitcase?
• When God Chooses Not to Heal
• When It Isn't Going to Be Okay
• When Your Mama Heart Hurts (this one's my all-time favorite, too!)

What 1 thing would you like to see added to/changed/improved on The Hallway Initiative blog?

Some of the suggestions:  better social media interaction, better images, a day-in-the-life type post

Oh, yes, social media and image creation, my nemesis and Achilles heel!  But those suggestions are right on target.  I definitely need to improve on those, and both are in my list of goals for 2017.  I don't think I'll get better over night, but I hope that, with some effort, I will get better.  And as I've always enjoyed day-in-the-life posts from other bloggers, I might get brave and try one.

I am so, so glad I took a risk and made the survey.  It was extremely helpful.  I am so thankful that you all were willing to give me your thoughts!

Outstanding Resources for Christian Bloggers

Note:  Some of the links in this post are affiliate links.  You can read my disclosure policy here.

For the past few years, blogging has been a fantastic outlet for me.  I've always enjoyed writing, and blogging has provided an amazing avenue that combines my passion for Christianity and creative writing.  It can be both simple and affordable, too, elements which I also love!

Blogging advice - free and paid for - is everywhere these days.  If you want to start a profitable blog, it's pretty easy to do, and finding all the basic info for getting one started is as simple as doing a Google search.  This is great news for many bloggers, but Christian blogging is a little different.

Faith bloggers have unique needs.  We need to be extra careful about whose advice we take and how we run our businesses. We have to ensure that our message isn't conflicting with ads or other income-earning opportunities.

As I've searched for advice specifically for faith blogging, I've found a few excellent gems that I'd love to pass on.  Below are my best resources for Christian bloggers.

Christian bloggers who write about blogging

• Alison Tiemeyer
• Arabah Joy
• Sarah Titus

Christian Blogging Classes

• Christian Bloggers Bootcamp ($147)
• More Than A Blog:  Ministry Master Class ($25 for materials only; more for interactive course, which is what I took)

Christian Bloggers Online Resources

• The Peony Project (Facebook group for women faith bloggers - note several religions, such as Mormon and JW, are also included)
• Brilliant Business Moms
• Christian Blogging Pinterest Board (This is one of my boards that I add to regularly)

Here's to your Christian blogging success!

Your turn:  Are you a Christian blogger, or would you like to be?  Leave a comment and share your blog link!  I'd love to stop by!

Bonus!!  Are you looking for an affordable, comprehensive blogging class for beginners?  If so, you'll want to check out Abby Lawson's Building A Framework course.  I've taken a few classes from Abby, and I love her heart, her authenticity, and her clarity.  Everything she does is expertly done and highly valuable.   I love that this course is affordable and geared for the beginning blogger.  Abby shares a wealth of knowledge on finding your niche, earning an income, improving your photography skills, and much more.  If your budget doesn't have a lot of wiggle room but you really want someone to walk you through the important components of blogging, this just might be the class for you!

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Day 31: Track Your Progress

We've made it!  Today is the last day of our 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!

We've looked at many different ways to keep our joy and to praise the Lord during difficult hallways.  I'm sure some of the suggestions were more helpful to you than others, but I do hope you tried most or all of the ideas!  Now that we've made it through this special challenge, it's important to take stock of what worked, what didn't, and what we should keep in our routines.

Today, look back over the challenge and track your progress.

What ideas worked for you?  Which were your favorites?  Which were you able to work into a consistent routine?  What was the most helpful post - the one that made the most impact?  Consider the above questions as you think through this past month.  Not all of the topics are going to fit your hallway and your lifestyle right now, but my hope is that a few of them really made a difference.  Keep those things a regular part of your new routine as you continue through your hallway journey.

For me, consistent prayer (Day 1), reading through Revelation (Day 21), and choosing to wait well (Day 30) made the biggest impact.  Those are things I need to continue doing.  I struggled most with making my bed every morning (Day 4) and cleaning something (Day 15) - no surprise there, given my lack of homemaking skills.  But I think those are very important, so I'm going to keep working at them until they become habits.

Fixing your eyes on Christ (Day 5), reading Revelation (Day 21), remaining faithful (Day 29), and choosing to wait well (Day 30) were my favorite posts to write.  There were many others I enjoyed as well, but I really resonated with those four posts as I typed.

Today's action steps:  Grab a sheet of paper and answer a few questions about the challenge:

• Which days were most helpful to you in your current journey?
• Which days were the least helpful?
• Which suggestions did you not get to that you'd still like to try?
• Which ideas did you enjoy the most?

Once you have your answers, make a plan to continue doing the things that worked well and the things you still want to try.  Continue working on your daily routines until you can make your favorite action steps a natural part of your day!

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for going through this challenge with me.  Thank you for praying for me as I prepared each day's action steps.  Thank you for being faithful readers.  I'd love to know which days were your favorites and why!  Just fill out the comment section for this post and let me know.  I read and respond to every comment I get here on the blog, and it would be such an encouragement to know how you're doing.

Please don't forget to visit the blog even though our challenge is over!  I have lost of new posts and ideas planned, and I'd love for you to continue joining our growing Hallway Community.

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Day 30: Choose to Wait Well

It's the second-to-last day of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!  We've come a long way, from praying to reading Scripture to serving others.

Today, I would encourage you to choose to wait well.

Waiting isn't my strong suit.  And I'd guess waiting is hard for a lot of other people, too.  I fret and worry while I'm waiting.  But if you're in a season of hardship right now, why not decide - with the Holy Spirit's help - to endure patiently?  It won't be easy, but it is doable for the believer.  And if we can learn to suffer well through our trials, what spiritual growth could we gain!

I've found, personally, that I tend to learn lessons from hardship in hind sight.  Once things have gotten better, I'll realize that, yes, the Lord truly was looking out for me, providing for me, comforting me.  But almost always, I'm blinded by the trial itself and only later see the blessings.My goal, my hope, is that the next time a hallway hits, I'll be able to graciously wait through it.  But if I'm going to do so, I need to do four things:

• Choose to wait well
• Pray without ceasing
• Study the Scriptures
• Ask others to join me in prayer

Sometimes, we just need to determine to do something.  While it always seems that roadblocks come up as soon as we decide on a course of action, preparing mentally for something is a great start.  We've already talked about praying without ceasing - how and why to do it.  Studying God's Word is invaluable, even to those who are very familiar with it.  We need the Word to minister to us when things are difficult.  And lastly, having other believers around us to pray for us and encourage us will help us continue waiting when we'd rather give up.

Today's action steps:  Even if you've been in your hallway for a while, and even if you have no idea how much longer it will continue, you can choose today to wait well from here on out.  Write out your decision on a card to keep in your pocket or on a mirror where you'll see it often.  Maybe even jot down a verse about waiting to help you, too.  And when things get tough, ask a friend to pray for you and encourage you to stick to your resolve of waiting well.

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Day 29: Remain Faithful

Thanks for joining us for Day 29 of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!

When life is hard, it's easy to get discouraged.  And when you've been in the middle of a very long trial, some times the thought of giving up starts to sound appealing.  After all, if you've been doing all you can to keep your head above water and it feels like the Lord isn't hearing your cries for help, why should you keep on trying to serve Him and please Him?

I don't think anyone would argue that Job went through some of the hardest trials known to man.  From the loss of his children to the loss of support from his wife to the loss of his wealth, Job was hit hard.  But despite his many hallways, he refused to dishonor the Lord.  Instead, he said, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" (Job 13:15a).

We can follow Job's example to remain faithful no matter what we're facing.

When we are faithful to follow the Lord even when we would rather give up, we set an example for other struggling believers to follow.  We provide an excellent testimony to those who do not yet know the Lord.  We show our children and others who are watching us that God is good.  And our own faith grows as we remain faithful.

Staying faithful to God's Word isn't easy, but He has promised to help us in time of trouble and to equip us for everything He allows in our lives.  Everything we've worked on in this challenge until now has been geared to help us toward today's assignment.

Today, let's choose to remain faithful.

Even though it won't be easy, we have the tools needed.  As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit's help.  We can pray and read God's Word.  We can ask others to pray for us and encourage us.  We can stay faithful in church.  We can sing praises to the Lord.  We can study Bible characters who went through difficulties.  And now, we can make the conscious decision to honor Him no matter how long the hallway stretches before us.

Today's action steps:  Make the commitment to remain faithful to the Lord no matter how long or difficult your situation is.  Ask Godly friends to keep you accountable.  Review the previous recommendations from this challenge as needed.

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Day 28: Read Through Hymns

Welcome back to the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!  We're on Day 28.

I know that the past several days' assignments have involved reading, and today's is no exception.  Even though we're doing a lot of reading, I hope you don't skip this opportunity to read through hymns!

You can do this several ways:  you can grab your hymnal (or ask to borrow one from your church if you don't own one) and start reading through all the verses of your favorite hymns.  Or, if you haven't yet gotten a chance to sing out loud, you can sing through them!Another option is to read through the stories behind the hymns - what inspired the hymn writers to write specific hymns.  Many people are familiar with Philip P. Bliss' tragic life story that inspired him to write It Is Well With My Soul.  But there are hundreds of other hymns with amazing stories as well.  Why not read about one you've not yet heard before?

If you need some help, this Hymn of the Week pin from Pinterest will take you to a weekly hymn study with a bit of history and accompanying sheet music.  Although I found some of the lyrics to be different from those that I learned growing up, I found this resource to be really helpful.

Three of my favorite hymns are Be Thou My Vision, Abide With Me, and Nearer, My God, To Thee.  It's been said that the string quartet on board the Titanic played Nearer, My God, To Thee as the ship went down.  I don't know if that's true or not, but it's an excellent hymn to meditate on during times of hardship.

Reading (or singing) through hymns is a wonderful way to lift your spirits and to keep focused on the Lord.  While hymns are not inspired the way the Bible is, many of them contain good theology and remind us of Christ's work on the cross.

Today's action steps:  Find a hymnal or go online and browse through some of your favorite hymns.  Read through the lyrics, especially the verses that you might not sing on a regular basis.  If time permits, try looking up information on the hymn's author and the events that inspired the hymn.

Day 27: Read Uplifting Blogs

Here we are at Day 27 of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!

You may have noticed a theme throughout this challenge:  many of the assignments are to read something.  Whether it's reading the Psalms, reading Revelation, reading missionary stories, reading uplifting books, or today's assignment to read uplifting blogs, that's a lot of reading for anyone!

If you love to read, can read quickly, and have the time to do all that reading, go for it!  If, however, you're feeling a little overwhelmed with all those reading assignments, don't worry.  You can finish one assignment before starting another; you can read little bits of each assignment and finish each one as time permits; or you can pick and choose which ones are going to be the best fit for your interests and lifestyle.  Just do what works best for you!

Today's assignment, reading uplifting blogs, is another of my favorites.  As a blogger myself, even though I'm not a "big" blogger or very well-known, I love reading other blogs for several reasons.  For one, other blogs inspire me.  I often get ideas for my own posts from reading what other bloggers have to say.  For another, I know how much I'm encouraged when people read my blog, so I love returning the favor to other bloggers by reading their posts.  Perhaps you have a list of blogs you subscribe to or that you read regularly.  If you need some suggestions, here are a few that I love:

Faith bloggers:

• Arabah Joy
• Melanie Redd
• Sun Sparkle Shine
• The Peculiar Treasure
• Counting My Blessings
• Above the Waves

Finance Bloggers:

• Debt Crushing Mom
• Money Saving Mom
• Living Well Spending Less
• The Peaceful Mom

Christian Blogging Bloggers:

• Alison Tiemeyer
• Christian Blogger Community
• Do A New Thing

Some of the great benefits of reading blogs are that the posts are often short; many bloggers use bullets or highlighted points so that readers can quickly can for information; and they can be read from any device with an internet connection.  And if you subscribe to their newsletters, you can have new blog posts deposited right into your inbox - you don't even have to type in a web address.

A note of caution is in order, though - only subscribe to the blogs you most love.  Otherwise, your inbox will be flooded with posts, which can easily lead to overwhelm.  Also, when my inbox is overflowing, I tend not to read anything in it and miss content gems that I could have greatly benefited from.  So, be choosy in what you subscribe to.

While I still love reading physical books in hand, blogs can be a huge blessing for time-crunched people with busy lives. 

Day 26: Read Uplifting Books

Note:  Some of the links in this post are affiliate links.  You can read my disclosure policy here.

Here we are at Day 26 of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!  Just a few more days until we complete our series.  Thanks for staying with me this far!

Closely related to yesterday's assignment to read missionary stories, today's goal is to read uplifting books.  Books are one of my favorite possessions.  A good book makes amazing brain food and can be greatly encouraging.

Today's assignment is to read uplifting books.  If your time is short, you can double up yesterday's and today's assignments by reading one uplifting missionary story to satisfy both goals, but if you love to read, I'd encourage you to pick another uplifting book to read in addition to your missionary story.  I love to read, and though I'm not a fast or voracious reader, I can chew my way through several books a year by reading in short bursts of time (often as little as 5-10 minutes at a stretch) throughout the week and one longer reading session on Sundays when I typically try to rest from all blogging and housework obligations.

A few of my favorite books are The Boys in the Boat (note that some of the characters use words that I choose not to), Stepping Heavenward, and The Birthday Presents (yes, it's a children's book!).

These books challenged me in various ways.  Only Stepping Heavenward is a Christian book, but I greatly enjoyed the historical narrative of The Boys in the Boat, and the story of The Birthday Presents could well be taken as great marriage advice.

Today's action steps:  Choose an uplifting book to read.  If you've not yet read it before, I highly recommend choosing something that comes recommended by people whose opinions you know and trust.  Dive into it, reading as time allows.  A well-written book with a happy ending or Biblical moral can be a great way to relax and be encouraged!

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Day 25: Read Missionary Stories

Note:  Some of the links in this post are affiliate links.  You can read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to Day 25 of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!

Many of us have gone through, are going through, or will go through some pretty trying circumstances.  And the last thing we want is to lose our joy in the midst of hardship.  Reading through missionary stories - their struggles and their triumphs - always helps me to remember that we're not alone in our struggles and that the Lord is right there with us.

Today's assignment is easy: read a missionary story!

Do you have any missionary stories floating around your bookshelves?  If so, grab one and dive in.  Even if you've read it before, it never hurts to re-read it!  Or see if a friend has one you've not yet read.  Sometimes even public libraries keep a collection of missionary stories on their shelves.  It's worth looking into, especially since libraries are free (provided you return your books on time, something that I've not been great at in the past).Three of my favorite stories are Evidence Not Seen by Darlene Diebler Rose, The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom, and Peace Child by Don Richardson (note that all three of these books have some heavy information in them, so if you want to read them to your kids or have your teens read them, too, you might want to be aware of the subject material first).  Each of these books impacted my spiritual life in a profound way.  My struggles pale in comparison to what these people went through, and while I don't want to make light of  my own struggles, reading about others' hallways has helped me to remember that my afflictions are, indeed, momentary (see 2 Corinthians 4:17).

Today's action steps:  Find a missionary story to read.  It can be one you have on hand, even if you've previously read it.  You can borrow a new one, either from a friend or from your library, if your library offers them.  Or, if finances permit, treat yourself to a new book you've not yet read.  Once you've picked your book, start reading it.  Look for ways the Lord intervened in the life of the missionary; how He orchestrated events for His purposes; and how He prepared the hearts of the people to receive His Word.  Praise the Lord for the ways in which He worked, remembering that He's at work in your own life as well!

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Day 24: Declutter

Welcome back to the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!  It's Day 24.

Along the same lines as cleaning something, another great way to lift your spirits is to declutter.  But I've purposely left that a little open-ended.  Yes, decluttering surfaces, such as your counters or the kitchen table, can go a long way toward helping your day run more smoothly and giving you a sense of peace in your surroundings.  (If clutter has built up since Day 15's action step, go ahead and declutter your surfaces.)

Today, I want to look at two other areas that might need decluttering.

When was the last time you decluttered your heart?

The above link is to an excellent article written by blogger Sarah Koontz.  She asks some great questions about heart clutter, and it's well worth the time to stop over and read.  When our hearts are too laiden with unnecessary burdens that the Lord never intended us to carry, it becomes almost impossible to praise Him no matter how hard we try.  If our hearts are bogged down with guilt, grief, or unforgiveness, we need to lay these things at His feet.

When was the last time you decluttered your schedule?

I've personally found that I feel much more frantic and much less willing to praise the Lord when my schedule is overly full.  Maybe you thrive on a busy schedule, but even so, have you sought the Lord's guidance about what you should and shouldn't have on your plate right now?  Maybe your schedule needs an overhaul so that you can better serve your family.  Maybe there is another ministry you need to consider adding, and until you make room for it, you won't be able to take it on.

Today's action steps:  Examine your heart closely.  Are you hanging on to anything that you really need to let go?  If so, pray and ask for the Lord's help to declutter it from your heart.  Then, take a good look at your schedule.  Is everything that's on it necessary?  Are there things you could declutter that would free up time to better serve your family and the Body of Christ?  Pray over your decluttering process.  The more we free up our hearts and our lives to better serve the Lord, the easier it will be to praise Him through waiting and hardship.

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Day 23: Sing Out Loud

We've made it to Day 23 of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!

It's funny how the cute things our children do can also be the very same things that drive us crazy, isn't it?  My spark plugs love to sing.  At the top of their lungs.  Whenever they do this, I'm always amazed at their pitch accuracy (makes this musician mama's heart proud!) and the sheer volume they can produce.  I feel bad, but I often ask them to stop just because, in true introvert fashion, I can't cope with the noise.

But I've learned something else from their zealous singing - they're not able to sing out loud when they're grumpy.  I think there's just something about singing out loud that goes hand-in-hand with being joyful!

As silly as it may seem, I want you to sing out loud.

Sing your favorite hymns out loud to the Lord.  One of my personal favorites is Be Thou My Vision.  I also love the newer songs Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery and It Is Not Death to Die.

If you're self conscious, maybe try whisper-singing at first, or sing in the car with all the windows rolled up.  Even if you can't carry a tune, it doesn't matter.  I once had a neighbor who loved singing along to her radio.  She was hardly ever on pitch, but because she enjoyed it so much, I actually liked listening to her.  I'm pretty sure she'd have been mortified to know I could actually hear her, but I'm thankful I got that peek into her life.

There's just something about singing out loud that helps us have a joyful, praise-filled attitude.  As I've seen in my own kids, it's really, really hard to stay frustrated when we're singing aloud.  It's an excellent mood lifter, and even better - it's completely free!

Today's action steps:  Choose one of your favorite songs to sing.  You can either sing A Capella or you can sing along to an audio CD or the radio if you can find your song choice (or even play along on the piano, if that's in your skill set).  Don't worry about anyone else listening to you.  If you're not alone, ask others to join you!  Make a joyful noise to the Lord.

Day 22: Remember Christ's Sacrifice

Welcome to Day 22 of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!

When I was at college, we heard the Cross preached almost daily.  In fact, I almost grew tired of hearing, "Christ died for your sins."  That's a little hard for me to admit, but it's true.  And isn't it sad?  We as believers should never take for granted the work that Jesus did by dying in our place.

I think part of the reason I struggled so much during my college years was that it seemed to me as though the Cross was most often presented to unbelievers needing to be saved, and I as a believer wanted more than just being told of Christ's death on the Cross.  There is so much more to His sacrifice.  It goes so much deeper than merely a man being executed for something He didn't do.

But one pastor did speak of Christ's sacrifice from the standpoint of the believer.  "Remember Calvary every day," he told us.  It's excellent advice.  If you've been a Christian for a long time like I have, it's easy to fall into complacency.  As terrible as it is, it's easy to forget all that the Lord did for us.Today, I want you to remember Christ's sacrifice.

As I just mentioned, there is so much more to Christ's death than merely a man dying on a cross.  From the fall of man way back in Genesis 3, God orchestrated the substitution of His perfect Son to die in our stead.  He first created the original-but-imperfect sacrificial system of the Old Testament that gave way to Jesus' ultimate, perfect sacrifice.  All through the Old Testament, God promised to send His Messiah, and in the New Testament, we see that promise fulfilled in Christ.

The Cross - and Christ's resurrection that followed - spans the course of history.  And we need to stop and think on this amazing act of God's mercy and grace, lest we grow hardened and forget.

More than that, the more time we spend to remember Christ's sacrifice, the more we fix our eyes on Him.  And the more we fix our eyes on Him, the smaller our hallways become.  Everything we do in life needs to be focusing more on the Lord and less on ourselves.

Admittedly, this is something I really, really struggle with!  I like thinking about myself.  A lot.  It doesn't matter if we think of ourselves too highly or too lowly; either way, we're still thinking of ourselves too frequently.  Turning our eyes back to the Lord will be a constant battle for all of us, but it's one of the best ways to praise Him even when life is hard.

Today's action steps:  Read Old Testament passages on the  Jewish sacrificial system.  Then go through the Gospels about Jesus' death and resurrection that ended the animal sacrifices.  It's incredibly powerful to see how God wove His perfect plan of salvation through the entire Bible!  We can praise Him for His amazing sacrifice.

Day 21: Read Revelation

We've made it to Day 21!  You can find the first 20 days of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge here.

As a Bible minor in college, one of my assigned classes was on the book of Revelation.  Although I disagreed with some of the theology that was taught in the class (my professor made absolute statements about things that I felt were simply too ambiguous to be dogmatic about), it ignited my lifelong love for Revelation.

It's true that much of Revelation has yet to be unveiled and that parts of it are difficult to understand.  But the overarching theme of God's sovereignty as revealed in His ultimate conquering of sin and death brings me such hope and joy as nothing else does.  The passages that describe Heaven are amazing.  To think of spending all Eternity with Christ, free from the pain and hardship we experience here on Earth, makes Revelation one of my favorite parts of Scripture.  Truly, for the Christian, the best is yet to come!

Today's challenge is simple:  Read Revelation from start to finish.

You don't have to read it in one sitting - if you have young children, doing so probably isn't even possible!  But read through it from beginning to end, no matter how long it takes.  See how Jesus is revealed throughout the book.  Pour over the descriptions of Heaven, where there will be no tears or sin.

The hard part about living here on Earth is that we have no idea how long our hallways will last.  We only know that we've been guaranteed hardship of one kind or another (see James 1:2-4 and 1 Peter 2:6).  This doesn't really lift my spirits much.  But as a Christian, I have the hope of Heaven where all hallways, hardships, and trials will be forever banished.  We will get to spend all of Eternity with Christ, in Whom we have unending joy.

Another blessing about Revelation is that, since we know how things will ultimately end, we can offer that same hope to others who are hurting.  I have a lot of friends who are going through some really tough things right now.  I'd love to be able to tell them that everything's going to be okay here on Earth, but I simply don't know that to be true.  What I do know, however, is that everything will be okay in Heaven.  And I can share that with those who are hurting.

Earthly trials, though they loom large right now, will diminish once we reach Heaven.  Every earthly thing will fade away in the light of Jesus' presence.  For the believer, there is always hope.  And reading Revelation reminds me of that hope.

Today's action steps:  Start reading the book of Revelation.  Read it from cover to cover.  You might not be able to read it in one sitting, and that's okay.  Just make sure to finish it.  Look for the ways in which Christ will be glorified in end times.  Study the passages on Heaven.  Be filled with hope, knowing that Eternity with the Lord is promised to every believer.  The best is yet to come.

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Day 20: Try Something New

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We're tw0-thirds of the way through our 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!

Last month, I bought my first-ever bottle of sriracha sauce.  My sriracha-loving sister would be proud.  It was really fun to try something new.  And as it turns out, I really like sriracha, too!

Once in a while, it can be great fun to try something new and different, to step outside of our routines.  Maybe trying a hot sauce for the first time isn't your cup of tea, but today, I'd like to challenge you to try something new.

It doesn't have to be expensive or extravagant.  Do you have pretty dishes up in your cupboard that you've never used for fear of breaking them?  Why not get them down for dinner tonight?  Have you been looking for a new project to do with your kids?  Why not find an experiment on Youtube that uses items you already have on hand?When life is hard, it's easy to get frustrated and even a little depressed at times.  Trying a new project or endeavor that you've not previously experienced isn't going to fix your financial struggles or your broken relationships, but it can give you a breath of fresh air.  It can be encouraging.  It can give you a bit of hope.

It can also be a great reminder that the Christian life doesn't have to be a dour one.  Because we have the hope of Heaven, we should be joyful no matter what our circumstances.  As my friend Deb likes to point out, "'Happy Christian' should not be an oxymoron!"

Some ideas to try:

• Adult coloring books (Money Saving Mom occasionally lists free coloring book pages for Kindle)
• Homemade Bath Bombs
• Going for a nature walk with your kids (even if you live in the middle of suburbia)
• Making a new recipe for dinner
• Playing a new game with your kids (my aunt recently introduced my spark plugs to Uno.  It's now a beloved family game!)

Today's action steps:  Decide what new thing you want to try.  Is there something you've always wanted to do but have never made time for until now?  As long as it fits into your budget, now is a great time to try it!  Let me know what you tried and how it went.  Leave a comment or post to social media with the hashtag #hallwaypraise so I can follow along!

Day 19: Serve In Some Capacity

Welcome to Day 19 of our 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!

We've covered a lot of ideas for finding ways to praise the Lord when times are tough.  Today, I want to challenge you to serve in some capacity.  If you have a family, likely you're already serving them by preparing meals, cleaning house, chauffeuring kids, and other domestic pursuits.  But are you also serving in your local church body?

There are definitely times to let other people serve.  If you've just had a baby, have recently lost a loved one, or are feeling absolutely overwhelmed with life, it might be time to step back from some of your extra obligations.  But serving your local church is another great way to keep your eyes off of your struggles and to focus on things of the Lord.

If you aren't sure where you should start serving, as yourself a few questions:

• What are my strengths?
• What do I enjoy?
• What service-oriented jobs fit with my schedule and my family values?

Once you have a bit of clarity about what kinds of serving jobs might be a good fit for you, ask around at your church to see if there are needs in the same areas.

Years ago, I was under the wrong impression that serving wasn't really serving unless I was miserable.  I felt that I had to step out of my comfort zone to really serve.  For example, often a church's biggest need is in its nurseries.  And even though I have four spark plugs of my own, I'm not that good with kids.  I'm not terribly creative when it comes to playing games or making toddler art.  But I thought I just needed to serve in the nursery because there was a need and I was out of my element - surely that was true ministry, right?

Not necessarily.

Yes, sometimes ministry will take us outside our comfort zones, but just because we're uncomfortable doesn't mean we're in the right area of service.  After I completely forgot to change a baby's diaper and returned him in that condition to his mom (yep, true story!), I started realizing that I might not be serving in the best capacity.

I can play the piano.  Although I can't read chord charts well or figure out harmony on the fly, I can play from a hymnal and accompany a congregation.  Doing so makes me all kinds of nervous, but I actually enjoy doing it.  When our regular pianist asked if I'd consider being an alternate once a month or so, I agreed.  It's been a much better fit for me than caring for little ones in the nursery.  (And it also opened up the opportunity for those truly gifted with child-care abilities to step in.)

Serving the Body of Christ is a wonderful way to honor the Lord, to help others, and to stay focused on Biblical things.  It can help us forget our trials and to remember how blessed we are.  It can help us keep our eyes on Christ.

Today's action steps:  If you're not already ministering in your local church, consider what your talents and interests are.  Find out if your church has a need in a similar area where you can help out.  You don't have to jump in the deep end, but do find at least one area in which you can serve.

Day 18: Find Bible Characters You Resonate With

Welcome back to our 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!  How are you doing so far?  Today's assignment is a good one!

One of the great things about God's Word is that it's full of stories about real people who had struggles just like we do.  Abraham had to leave his homeland; Sarah, Hannah, and Elizabeth were barren; David and Solomon had trouble with their children (among other things); Joseph was wrongly accused; Paul was imprisoned and shipwrecked for the name of Christ.

Chances are good that there are Bible characters you can easily resonate with.  Why not find one or two of them to study?

As you read about these real-life people who had hardships just like you do, consider a few things:

• How did they respond to their hardships?
• Do they set a good example to follow, or a poor one to avoid?  (Esther gave God glory; Jonah complained.)
• What can you learn from them?
• Can you apply some of the same things they did to your own circumstances?
• Are they mentioned in the New Testament somewhere?  If so, why are they mentioned?  (For example, several people are commended in the Hebrews "hall of faith" chapter.)

One reason for studying Bible characters is because they are real people.  They aren't made up or fabricated.  The things they experienced really did happen.  There can be a lot of encouragement in that.  If those people set Godly examples for us to follow, and if the same God of the Universe who worked in their lives is at work in us today, it means that we can set a Godly example for others, too.

Isn't it amazing to think that the Lord might be using us to help encourage someone else?  We may not know the full impact of our responses until we reach Heaven.  But we can strive to set a Godly example, knowing that people are watching, even if we don't always see them.  What motivation for clinging to the Lord during times of hardship!

Today's action steps:  Read up on some of the people in the Bible who went through tough times.  Job, Daniel, and many of the prophets are good choices; you could also consider some of the people who came to Jesus for help and healing, such as Jairus and the woman who touched the hem of Jesus' robe.  Use a concordance or an online commentary to find all the passages that mention the people you choose.  See if someone has written a Bible study on them.  Ask yourself what you can learn from them.  Jot down your answers and read them often as you continue on your own journey through the hallway.